In the Sight of Angels: Advent

Showing posts with label Advent. Show all posts

Fourth Sunday in Advent

Sunday 20 December 2009

DOMINICA IV ADVENTUS
Fourth Sunday in Advent
(Rorate Sunday)
1st Class, Violet
(Mag. Ant. 'O Clavis David')

Oremus.

Excita, quæsumus, Dómine, poténtiam tuam, et veni : et magna nobis virtúte succúrre; ut per auxílium grátiæ tuæ, quod nostra peccáta præpédiunt, indulgéntia tuæ propitiatiónis accéleret : Qui vivis.

Let us pray.

Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy power, and come; make haste to our aid with thy great might ; that, by the help of thy grace, that which is hindered by our sins may be hastened by thy merciful forgiveness.

Who livest and reignest.

~~*~~

"Jesus' public life begins with his baptism by John in the Jordan. (Cf. Lk 3. 23; Acts 1. 22) John preaches 'a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.' (Lk 3. 3) A crowd of sinners (Cf. Lk 3. 10-14; Mt 3. 7; 21. 32) --tax collectors and soldiers, Pharisees and Sadducees, and prostitutes--come to be baptized by him. 'Then Jesus appears.' The Baptist hesitates, but Jesus insists and receives baptism. Then the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, comes upon Jesus and a voice from heaven proclaims, 'This is my beloved Son.' (Mt 3. 13-17) This is the manifestation ("Epiphany") of Jesus as Messiah of Israel and Son of God." (CCC 535)

~~*~~

"O Clavis David"

"O Key of David, Scepter of the house of Israel; that openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth, and no man openeth: come, and bring forth from the prisionhouse the captive, who sitteth in darkness and in the shadow of death."

Dom Guéranger reflects:

"....thy Mother's womb affords thee the sweetest rest, and thou receivest from her the profoundest adoration and the tenderest love. But, dear Jesus, it is thine own blessed will that thou leave this loved abode. Thou hast, O Eternal Light, to shine in the midst of this world's darkness, this prison where the Captive, whom thou art come to deliver sits in the shadow of death. Open his prison-gates by the all-powerful Key. And who is this Captive, but the human race, the slave of error and vice? Who is this Captive, but the heart of man, which is thrall to the very passions it blushes to obey? Oh! come and set at liberty the world thou has enriched by thy grace, and the creatures whom thou has made to be thine own Brethren."

Here is a recording of the Antiphon, courtesy of the Oxford Dominicans:

~~*~~

Please note: on Sunday 20th December there will be Solemn Latin Vespers and Benediction at 6.30pm at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Balornock, Glasgow. All are welcome to join the Schola - now ending its inaugural year - for this opportunity to pray with the ancient music of the Church.

Please see edinburghschola.blogspot.com for updates and further information.

Links:

Goffine, The Church's Year, fourth Sunday in Advent
Guéranger, L'Année Liturgique, "4ème Dimanche Avent"
What Does the Prayer Really Say?
Gregorian Chant Propers
chantblog
Vultus Christi: Ave Maria, gratia plena , on the Sunday of the B.V.M. in Advent

(image: breviary.net)

Ember Saturday in Advent

Saturday 19 December 2009

SABBATO QUATUOR TEMPORUM
Ember Saturday in Advent
2nd Class, Violet
(Lauds II, Preces at Lauds only;
Mag. Ant. 'O Radix';
1st Vespers of IV Sunday Advent)

Oremus.

Deus, qui cónspicis, quia ex nostra pravitáte afflígimur : concéde propítius ; ut ex tua visitatióne consolémur : Qui vivis et regnas.

Let us pray.

O God, who seest us to be sorely afflicted by reason of the frailty of our mortal nature : grant, we beseech thee, that we may be relieved by thy gracious visitation.

Who livest and reignest with the Father.

~~*~~

"O Radix Jesse"

"O Root of Jesse, which standest for an ensign of the people, at whom kings shall stop their mouths, whom the Gentiles shall seek: Come and deliver us, and tarry not."

Most commonly the following passages are cited as sources for this:
he following passages as sources:

Isaias 11:1: And there shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise up out of his root.

Isaias 11:10: In that day the root of Jesse, who standeth for an ensign of the people, him the Gentiles shall beseech, and his sepulchre shall be glorious.

Micha 5:1: Now shalt thou be laid waste, O daughter of the robber: they have laid siege against us, with a rod shall they strike the cheek of the judge of Israel.

However, Isaiah 11:10, Romans 15:12, and Revelation 5:5, are also sometimes cited.

Dom Guéranger reflects:

"Go forward, O Mother of God and Mother of Men!......our hearts are with thee and count thy steps.....Come, then, O Root of Jesse thus hid in this ark of purity; thou wilt soon appear before thy people as the 'standard' around which all that would conquer must rally. Then, their enemies, the kings of the world, will be silenced, and the nations will offer thee their prayers. Hasten thy coming, dear Jesus! come and conquer all our enemies and deliver us."

Here is a recording of the Antiphon, courtesy of the Oxford Dominicans:

Links:

Goffine, The Church's Year, Ember Saturday in Advent
What Does the Prayer Really Say?
NLM: The Tree of Jesse (new!)
NLM: Saturday of Twelve Lessons (new!)

(image: catholic-resources.org, illustrating Lk. 3:1-6, the Gospel for both this and the IVth Sunday in Advent)

Ember Friday in Advent

Friday 18 December 2009

FERIA SEXTA QUATUOR TEMPORUM
Ember Friday in Advent
2nd Class, Violet
(Lauds II, Preces; Mag. Ant. 'O Adonai')

Oremus.

Excita, quæsumus, Dómine, poténtiam tuam, et veni : ut hi, qui in tua pietáte confídunt, ab omni cítius adversitáte liberéntur : Qui vivis.

Let us pray.

Stir up thy power, O Lord, we beseech thee, and come: that we, who put our trust and confidence in thy mercy, may speedily be delivered from all our adversities.

Who livest and reignest with the Father.

Through.

~~*~~

"O Adonai"

"O Adonai and Leader of the house of Israel, who appearedst in the Bush of Moses in a flame of fire, and gavest him the law in Sinai: Come and deliver us with an outstretched arm."

Dom Guéranger reflects:

"......thou comest not to terrify, but to save us.

"Thy chaste Mother........prepares for thee, O Sun of Justice! the humble swathing-bands, wherewith to cover thy nakedness, and protect thee, the Creator of the world, from the cold of that mid-night hour of thy Nativity! Thus it is that thou willest to deliver us from the slavery of our pride, and show man that thy divine arm is never stronger than when he thinks it powerless and still. Everything is prepared, then, dear Jesus! thy swathing-bands are ready for thy infant limbs! come to Bethlehem, and redeem us from the hands our our enemies."

Here is a recording of the Antiphon, courtesy of the Oxford Dominicans:

Link:

Goffine, The Church's Year, Ember Friday in Advent
What Does the Prayer Really Say?
Vultus Christi: Ember Friday in Advent (new!)

(image: breviary.net)

Greater Feria (Thursday)

Thursday 17 December 2009

FERIA QUINTA INFRA HEB. IV ADVENTUS
Greater Feria (Thursday)
2nd Class, Violet
(Lauds II; Mag. Ant. 'O Sapientia')

Oremus.

Excita, quæsumus, Dómine, poténtiam tuam, et veni : et magna nobis virtúte succúrre; ut per auxílium grátiæ tuæ, quod nostra peccáta præpédiunt, indulgéntia tuæ propitiatiónis accéleret : Qui vivis.

Let us pray.

Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy power, and come; make haste to our aid with thy great might ; that, by the help of thy grace, that which is hindered by our sins may be hastened by thy merciful forgiveness. Who livest.

~~*~~

Today begins the “'O' Antiphons”, a collection of antiphons sung with the Magnificat at Vespers from 17 to 23 December in the Roman Rite, date back at least to the reign of Charlemagne, and there is an English poem based on them by Cynewulf (fl. 8th century). The well-known Advent hymn, “O come, O come, Emmanuel” (Veni, veni, Emanuel), is a metrical text based on the antiphons.

The initial letters of the antiphons,

ignoring the ‘O’, spell out the reverse acrostic, ‘SARCORE’ – ‘ero cras’, ‘I shall be [with you] tomorrow’, a hidden counterpart of the joyful iteration of ‘cras’ which rings like a bell through the liturgy of the last week of Advent.

(The New Oxford Book of Carols, ed. Hugh Keyte and Andrew Parrott, p. 45)

For December 17

O Sapientia,
quae ex ore Altissimi prodiisti,
attingens a fine usque ad finem fortiter,
suaviterque disponens omnia:
veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.

O Wisdom,
who proceeds from the mouth of the Most High,
reaching out mightily from end to end,
and sweetly arranging all things:
come to teach us the way of prudence.

(English translations of the Latin taken from the Dominican Life website.)

Here is a recording of the Antiphon, courtesy of the Oxford Dominicans:

~~*~~

Please note: on Thursday 17th December there will be Solemn Latin Vespers and Benediction at 5.00pm (please note the altered time) in St Mary's RC Cathedral, Edinburgh (Scotland) to celebrate this feast.

All are welcome to join the Schola for this opportunity to pray with the ancient music of the Church.

This is the twelfth of monthly sung Vespers sung by the new Edinburgh Schola. Please see edinburghschola.blogspot.com for updates and further information.

Link:

What Does the Prayer Really Say?

(image: Wikimedia Commons; text: The Confessing Reader)

Ember Wednesday in Advent

This coming Wednesday, Friday and Saturday are Ember Days under the classical Roman Calendar. At the beginning of the four seasons of the year, the Church celebrated Ember Days to thank God for his blessings during the past year and to implore further graces for the new season.

Their observance is no longer required by many Catholic bishops conferences, however they are naturally of benefit and merit. Ember Days were marked by fasting and abstaining from meat as one would do on Ash Wednesday or Good Friday. They are intended to consecrate to God the four seasons in nature, and to prepare by penance those who are about to be ordained. Ordinations were often conferred at this time, so it is traditional to pray for Vocations at this time! Something to remember.

The New Advent Catholic Encyclopaedia has a good small article on Ember Days. Also, Fr John Zühlsdorf, of What Does the Prayer Really Say? makes an argument for greater sacrifice and penance here.

~~*~~

Wednesday 16 December 2009

FERIA QUARTA QUATUOR TEMPORUM
Ember Wednesday in Advent
2nd Class, Violet
(Lauds II, Preces)

Oremus.

Præsta, quæsumus, omnípotens Deus : ut redemptiónis nostræ ventúra solémnitas, et præséntis nobis vitæ subsídia cónferat, et ætérnæ beatitúdinis præmia largiátur. Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.

Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God : that the coming festival of our redemption may obtain for us the comfort of thy succour in this life, and in the life to come the reward of eternal felicity.

Through.

~~*~~

Link:

Goffine, The Church's Year, Ember Wednesday in Advent
WDTPRS: Ember Wednesday - Missa Aurea collect (new!)
NLM: Advent Embertide (new!)
NLM: Ember Wednesday in Advent (new!)
NLM: Golden Mass of Ember Wednesday (new!)

Third Sunday of Advent

Sunday 13 December 2009

DOMINICA III ADVENTUS
Third Sunday of Advent
(commonly called "Gaudete Sunday")
1st Class, Violet

~~*~~

This collect is now used for the Monday in the 3rd Week of Advent in the Missal of Pope Paul VI, however, like so many it is also in the Gelasian Sacramentary and the Gregorian.

Links:

Goffine, The Church's Year, third Sunday in Advent
Guéranger, L'Année Liturgique, "3ème Dimanche Avent"
Gregorian Chant Propers
NLM: Newman: Holiness in this Earth and the Next (new!)

(image: breviary.net)

Second Sunday of Advent

Sunday 6 December 2009

DOMINICA II ADVENTUS
Second Sunday of Advent
1st Class, Violet

~~*~~

Links:

Goffine, The Church's Year, second Sunday in Advent
Guéranger, L'Année Liturgique, "2ème Dimanche Avent"
Gregorian Chant Propers

(image: breviary.net)

Kenrick-Glennon Seminary : Christmas Novena

Kenrick-Glennon Seminary invites you to join them for nine evenings of prayer and music as we prepare our hearts and minds for the joy and splendour of Christmas. Please take this opportunity to pray with the future priests of the Archdiocese of St. Louis and the Midwest for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and the religious life.

Christmas Novena: Night 1
Homily on St Andrew
by Fr. David Skillman (mp3)

Each homily will be posted online on the Seminary's podcast at www.kenrick.edu/podcast

For further information, please call +1-314-792-6100, or see www.kenrick.edu

First Sunday of Advent

Sunday 29 November 2009

DOMINICA I ADVENTUS
First Sunday of Advent
1st Class, Violet

Oremus.

Excita, quæsumus, Dómine, poténtiam tuam, et veni : ut ab imminéntibus peccatórum nostrórum perículis, te mereámur protegénte éripi, te liberánte salvári : Qui vivis.

Let us pray.

Stir up thy power, O Lord, we beseech thee, and come: that by Thy protection we may deserve to be rescued from the threatening dangers of our sins and saved by Thy deliverance.

Who livest and reignest.

~~*~~

This First Sunday of Advent or the Fourth before Christmas, is the first day of the Liturgical year. The Mass prepares us this day for the double coming (advéntus) of mercy and justice. That is what St. Paul tells us, in the Epistle, to cast off sin in order that, being ready for the coming of Christ as our Saviour, we may also be ready for His coming as our Judge, of which we learn in the Gospel. Let us prepare ourselves, by pious aspirations and by the reformation of our life, for this twofold coming. Jesus our Lord will reward those who yearn for Him and await Him: "Those who trust in Him shall not be confounded."

Here is a recording of the Introit for the first Sunday in Advent - Ad te Levavi - from the Tiltenberg Seminary in Holland:

Links:

Guéranger, L'Année Liturgique, "1er Dimanche Avent"
Goffine, The Church's Year, first Sunday in Advent
What Does the Prayer Really Say? - Podcast about Advent hymn "Conditor alme siderum" (new!)
chantblog: Gradual: Universi, qui te expectant (new!)
St Lawrence Press blog: Advent Sunday (new!)
Psallite Sapienter: Collect for Advent Sunday (new!)

(image: Orbis Catholicvs)

notes: Season of Advent

Notes for the Liturgy during the Season of Advent

1. On Sundays of Advent, the Gloria is omitted. On ferias when the Mass of the preceding Sunday is said, the Alleluia and its verse are omitted. The faithful should kneel for the Collects and Postcommunion prayers on the ferias of Advent (not, however, on Sundays, feasts days, nor on the Vigil of Christmas).

2. Commemorations of the feria in Advent are privileged and must be made on feasts of Saints at every Mass as well as Lauds and Vespers.

3. On Sundays and ferias of Advent (except the Third Sunday), the altar may not be ornamented with flowers, and the organ is only used to sustain the choir, and only then if necessary.

4. On the Third Sunday of Advent ("Gaudete Sunday"), rose vestments are preferred but violet vestments may be worn. Organ and flowers are permitted.

5. In place of the Preface of the Blessed Trinity on Sunday and the Common Preface on weekdays, the Preface for Advent may be used.

6. From December 17th to December 23rd, inclusive, the Antiphon for the Magnificat at Vespers is one of the "O" Antiphons [see following posts].

7. From Saturday November 28th to February 1st inclusive, the final Antiphon of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Compline is Alma Redemptoris Mater.

(excerpted/adapted from the 2009 Liturgical Ordo, Priestly Fraternity of St Peter)

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Sunday 21 December 2008

DOMINICA IV ADVENTUS
4th Sunday of Advent
1st Class, Violet
No Gloria; Credo; Preface of the Holy Trinity

Oremus.

Excita, quæsumus, Dómine, poténtiam tuam, et veni : et magna nobis virtúte succúrre; ut per auxílium grátiæ tuæ, quod nostra peccáta præpédiunt, indulgéntia tuæ propitiatiónis accéleret : Qui vivis.

Let us pray.

Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy power, and come; make haste to our aid with thy great might ; that, by the help of thy grace, that which is hindered by our sins may be hastened by thy merciful forgiveness.

Who livest and reignest.

~~*~~

Goffine, The Church's Year, fourth Sunday in Advent
Guéranger, L'Année Liturgique, "4ème Dimanche Avent"
What Does the Prayer Really Say?
Gregorian Chant Propers
chantblog
Vultus Christi: Ave Maria, gratia plena , on the Sunday of the B.V.M. in Advent

(image: breviary.net;
reflection: St Francis Xavier Association)