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Jesse Trees  A Jesse Tree is a depiction of the genealogy of Jesus designed in such a way as to show that He springs from the "root of Jesse"  per the prophecy of Isaias 11:1: And there shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse [David's father], and a flower shall rise up out of his root. This prophecy was recalled by St. Paul, and on the first Sunday of Advent, we remember his words with the Epistle reading of Romans 15:4-13, which reads, in part: Wherefore receive one another, as Christ also hath received you...

Advent Wreath & Candles     On the first day of Advent, Catholic families will set up Advent wreath -- a wreath of greenery adorned by a set of four candles -- typically, three violet-colored, and one rose-colored to match the priest's vestments on each of the days the candles are lit. The wreath is either set upon a table (especially the dining room table), on the family altar, on pedestals, an end table, etc., or it can by suspended by ribbons from the ceiling, such as from a light fixture. The candles can be long, slim tapers, small votives, or fat...

Advent Overview Theme: His Historical and Future Coming Color: Purple Mood: Somber anticipation, restrained joy that grows each day until Christmas, rather like waiting for a new mother to give birth -- joyous, yet restrained, hesitant, and humbled until the moment of the birth arrives Symbols: Advent candles, empty crib, St. John the Baptist, the Ten Virgins Length: the 4th Sunday before Christmas to 24 December   The focus of Advent is preparation for the coming of the Lord -- both in commemoration of His Nativity and His coming again at the end of time. Though most Protestants -- and far...

Br. John Chrysostom Kozlowski, O.P.  Other Articles by Br. John Chrysostom Kozlowski, O.P.Printer Friendly Version   Reclaiming the Mystery of Advent, Part One: The Meaning of Advent November 29, 2007Once again Advent is upon us.  Our churches will be draped in purple; our priests will wear violet vestments; the Advent wreath will be blessed and lit; "O come, O come Emmanuel" will be sung as we begin the time of preparation for our Lord's coming.Once again Advent is upon us.  Our lives will be swept up in a whirlwind of chaos; we will have to find that perfect present;...

Archbishop Raymond Burke  Other Articles by Archbishop Raymond BurkePrinter Friendly Version   Celebrating Christ’s Advent November 24, 2007 IntroductionOn Sunday, December 2nd next, we begin our annual observance of the Season of Advent. During the Season of Advent, the Church draws our attention to the most fundamental reality of our life: eternal salvation in Jesus Christ. Advent draws our minds and hearts to the truth that God the Son has been made man, has taken our human nature, in order: 1) to save us from our sins and their fruit, eternal death; and 2)to win for us the inheritance...

Known also under the following names: (1) ta epiphania, or he epiphanios, sc. hemera (rarely he epiphaneia: though, e.g. in Athanasius, he somatike epiphaneia occurs); theophaneia: dies epiphaniarum; festivitas declarationis, manifestationis; apparitio; acceptio. (2) hemera ton photon: dies luminum; dies lavacri. (3) phagiphania, Bethphania; etc. (4) Festum trium regum: whence the Dutch Drie-koningendag Danish Hellig-tre-kongersdag, etc. (5) Twelfth Day, Swedish Trettondedag;, etc. -- The meaning of these names will be explained below. The feast was called among the Syrians denho (up-going), a name to be connected with the notion of rising light expressed in Luke. I, 78. The name Epiphania...

December 24, 2006 Fourth Sunday of Advent Psalm: Sunday 51 Reading 1Mi 5:1-4a Thus says the LORD:You, Bethlehem-Ephrathahtoo small to be among the clans of Judah,from you shall come forth for meone who is to be ruler in Israel;whose origin is from of old,from ancient times.Therefore the Lord will give them up, until the timewhen she who is to give birth has borne,and the rest of his kindred shall returnto the children of Israel.He shall stand firm and shepherd his flockby the strength of the LORD,in the majestic name of the LORD, his God;and they shall remain, for now his...

December 23, 2006 Saturday of the Third Week of Advent Psalm: Saturday 50 Reading 1Mal 3:1-4, 23-24 Thus says the Lord GOD:Lo, I am sending my messengerto prepare the way before me;And suddenly there will come to the templethe LORD whom you seek,And the messenger of the covenant whom you desire.Yes, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.But who will endure the day of his coming?And who can stand when he appears?For he is like the refiner’s fire,or like the fuller”s lye.He will sit refining and purifying silver,and he will purify the sons of Levi,Refining them like gold or...

December 22, 2006 Friday of the Third Week of Advent Psalm: Friday 50 Reading 11 Sm 1:24-28 In those days,Hannah brought Samuel with her,along with a three-year-old bull,an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine,and presented him at the temple of the LORD in Shiloh. After the boy’s father had sacrificed the young bull,Hannah, his mother, approached Eli and said:“Pardon, my lord!As you live, my lord,I am the woman who stood near you here, praying to the LORD. I prayed for this child, and the LORD granted my request. Now I, in turn, give him to the LORD;as long...

    Today is Day Six of the Christmas Novena.   Christmas Novena - December 16 - 24 A Christmas novena is usually prayed, starting nine days before Christmas. The following novena was composed by an Italian priest, Rev. Charles Vachetta, C.M., in 1721. Most of the material comes from the Old Testament prophecies and the Psalms referring to the promised Redeemer. The novena consists of Opening Responsory Prayers, Psalm (Let the Heavens Be Glad), Scripture Reading, Magnificat with Daily Antiphon and Closing Prayer. This novena is prayed in conjunction with the O Antiphons, and if you are using...

December 21, 2006 Thursday of the Third Week of Advent Psalm: Thursday 50 Reading 1Sgs 2:8-14 Hark! my lover – here he comesspringing across the mountains,leaping across the hills.My lover is like a gazelleor a young stag.Here he stands behind our wall,gazing through the windows,peering through the lattices.My lover speaks; he says to me,“Arise, my beloved, my dove, my beautiful one,and come!“For see, the winter is past,the rains are over and gone.The flowers appear on the earth,the time of pruning the vines has come,and the song of the dove is heard in our land.The fig tree puts forth its figs,and...

Today is Day Five of the Christmas Novena.   Christmas Novena - December 16 - 24 A Christmas novena is usually prayed, starting nine days before Christmas. The following novena was composed by an Italian priest, Rev. Charles Vachetta, C.M., in 1721. Most of the material comes from the Old Testament prophecies and the Psalms referring to the promised Redeemer. The novena consists of Opening Responsory Prayers, Psalm (Let the Heavens Be Glad), Scripture Reading, Magnificat with Daily Antiphon and Closing Prayer. This novena is prayed in conjunction with the O Antiphons, and if you are using an O...

December 20, 2006 Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent Psalm: Wednesday 50 Reading 1Is 7:10-14 The LORD spoke to Ahaz:Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God;let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky!But Ahaz answered,“I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!”Then Isaiah said:Listen, O house of David! Is it not enough for you to weary men,must you also weary my God? Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign:the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,and shall name him Emmanuel. Responsorial PsalmPs 24:1-2, 3-4ab, 5-6 R. (see 7c...

St. Ephraim the Syrian: On Repentance Grant forgiveness, O Lord, send also strength. Convert me, that I might live in sanctity, according to Thy holy will. Sanctify my heart that has become a den and dwelling-place of demons. I am unworthy to ask forgiveness for myself, O Lord, for many times have I promised to repent and proved myself a liar by not fulfilling my promise. Thou hast picked me up many times already, but every time I freely chose to fall again. Therefore I condemn myself and admit that I deserve all manner of punishment and torture. How many...

Stephen Pohl  Other Articles by Stephen PohlPrinter Friendly Version   The Paradox of Advent December 18, 2006 Advent is a paradoxical season in the liturgical calendar. The Gospel from the first Sunday of Advent (Lk 21:25-28, 34-36) makes this clear. We are looking back at something that has not yet occurred, while at the same time looking forward to something that has already happened.The new year of the liturgical calendar begins on the first Sunday of Advent, four Sundays before Christmas. But Advent is about more than just Christmas. Liturgically we are also looking back at the last Sunday...

December 19, 2006 Tuesday of the Third Week of Advent Psalm: Tuesday 50 Reading 1Jgs 13:2-7, 24-25a There was a certain man from Zorah, of the clan of the Danites,whose name was Manoah. His wife was barren and had borne no children. An angel of the LORD appeared to the woman and said to her,“Though you are barren and have had no children,yet you will conceive and bear a son. Now, then, be careful to take no wine or strong drinkand to eat nothing unclean.As for the son you will conceive and bear,no razor shall touch his head,for this boy...

Today is Day Three of the Christmas Novena.   Christmas Novena - December 16 - 24 A Christmas novena is usually prayed, starting nine days before Christmas. The following novena was composed by an Italian priest, Rev. Charles Vachetta, C.M., in 1721. Most of the material comes from the Old Testament prophecies and the Psalms referring to the promised Redeemer. The novena consists of Opening Responsory Prayers, Psalm (Let the Heavens Be Glad), Scripture Reading, Magnificat with Daily Antiphon and Closing Prayer. This novena is prayed in conjunction with the O Antiphons, and if you are using an O...

December 18, 2006 Monday of the Third Week of Advent Psalm: Monday 50 Reading 1Jer 23:5-8 Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD,when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David;As king he shall reign and govern wisely,he shall do what is just and right in the land.In his days Judah shall be saved,Israel shall dwell in security.This is the name they give him:“The LORD our justice.” Therefore, the days will come, says the LORD,when they shall no longer say, “As the LORD lives,who brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt”;but rather, “As the...

Today is Day Two of the Christmas Novena.   Christmas Novena - December 16 - 24 A Christmas novena is usually prayed, starting nine days before Christmas. The following novena was composed by an Italian priest, Rev. Charles Vachetta, C.M., in 1721. Most of the material comes from the Old Testament prophecies and the Psalms referring to the promised Redeemer. The novena consists of Opening Responsory Prayers, Psalm (Let the Heavens Be Glad), Scripture Reading, Magnificat with Daily Antiphon and Closing Prayer. This novena is prayed in conjunction with the O Antiphons, and if you are using an O...

December 17, 2006 Third Sunday of Advent Psalm: Sunday 50 Reading 1Zep 3:14-18a Shout for joy, O daughter Zion!Sing joyfully, O Israel!Be glad and exult with all your heart,O daughter Jerusalem!The LORD has removed the judgment against youhe has turned away your enemies;the King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst,you have no further misfortune to fear.On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem:Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged!The LORD, your God, is in your midst,a mighty savior;he will rejoice over you with gladness,and renew you in his love,he will sing joyfully because of you,as one sings...