A Message of Hope from Leonardo Defilippis

Advent - Season of Anticipation

                                        by  Brother John M. Samaha, S.M.

          The season of Advent has a twofold character, a double meaning.  Advent prepares us for Christmas, the celebration of Christ’s first coming to us.  And it also reminds us to direct our minds and hearts to be prepared for Christ’s second coming at the end of time.

          In Christian usage the word “advent” (adventus) has a special liturgical significance, but the origin of the word is pagan.        

          At the time of Jesus’ birth the pagans observed a manifestation of their pagan divinity that came to dwell in its temple at a certain time each year.  This pagan feast was called advent, and it marked an anniversary of the return of their pagan god to the temple.  During this special time the temple was open.  Ordinarily the temple was closed.

          In the days of the Roman emperor, advent also celebrated the coming of the emperor.

          The word “advent” was suitable to describe the coming of the Son of God in the temple of his flesh.  Gradually the use of this word was limited to describe the coming of the Lord.  This advent, the coming of the Lord and the anniversary of his birth, replaced the advent and birth of the unvanquished sun of the winter solstice.  This use of the word “advent” gained prominence during the reign of the Emperor Constantine (306-337).  To grant tolerance to all religions and to allow the open practice of Christianity, he issued the Edict of Milan in 313.  As Christian feasts were adopted and celebrated, pagan festivals were soon replaced and forgotten.

          The ancient idea of advent underlies the prayers of Advent that call forth the coming of the Lord, often with the same image of the temple.

          Now Advent signals a time to prepare for Christmas, the celebration of the first coming of the Lord.  But the prayer texts and Scripture readings of the Sunday Masses and the Liturgy of the Hours give ample attention to the second coming of the Lord to which we look forward.

          In reality the three distinct accents of the Liturgy of the Advent season are defined by the three comings of the Lord: yesterday, at Bethlehem, when the Son of God was born of the Virgin Mary; today, in our world, where he is incarnate in the Church, in the sacraments, and in the faithful baptized into grace; tomorrow, when he returns in glory.

          This, then, is the rich meaning of Advent.  From the beginning of the liturgical year we celebrate the whole panorama of the mystery of salvation history.

          The variety of this season is not only desirable, it is truly appropriate because Advent is oriented toward the one who has come once for all, who is coming, and who will come.

         

          

The Angelus - Portrait of a Prayer

"The Angelus" by Jean-Francois Millet

Picture source

by Brother John M. Samaha, S.M.

            The Angelus is a prayer practice rich in doctrine and devotion. This prayer honors the Annunciation of the Lord and commemorates the mystery of the Incarnation, the Son of God becoming the Son of Mary for our salvation, the union of the divine nature with human nature. The Angelus takes its name from its first word in the Latin version of the prayer.

            Praying the Angelus recalls the dialog between the Archangel Gabriel and Mary by reciting three versicles and responses with a Hail Mary after each set, another versicle and response, and then a concluding prayer. Traditionally, this was done while the local church bell tolled at 6 a.m., 12 m. (noon), and 6 p.m.  Older people will recall this experience.

            The Angelus traces its beginnings to the 13^th century. In that era bells were often inscribed with the Angelic Salutation. Before the Second Vatican Council's liturgical renewal, the concluding prayer was the Postcommunion Prayer for Masses of Our Lady in Advent; but now it is the Opening Prayer for the Fourth Sunday of Advent.

            Although the origin of the Angelus is obscure, it is certain that the morning, midday, and evening practice of praying the Angelus did not develop simultaneously. By the 16^th century, the various customs were unified. The morning prayer was recited to commemorate Christ’s resurrection; at noon, Christ’s passion; and in the evening, to recall the Incarnation, since St. Bonaventure taught that Gabriel’s visit to Mary came at evening.

            Since the 15^th century to the present day, the Angelus prayer has been recommended by many popes. In our time, Blessed John XXIII began to recite the Angelus each Sunday at noon as a Christian family prayer with the pilgrims and Romans gathered below his residence window in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City.  Pope Paul VI expounded at some length on the value of the Angelus in the last section of his apostolic exhortation on proper devotion to Mary, Marialis Cultus (1974).

            Even before I began school, I remember our parish church bell, -- St. James in San Francisco’s Mission district -- recalling the angel Gabriel’s Annunciation to Mary of the Incarnation.   In those years, unlike today, most parishes tolled the Angelus daily.  Then, in the third grade, Sister M. Benvenuta, O.P., taught us to pray the Angelus. From that time I listened carefully to the ringing of the church bell for the Angelus -- three tolls for each of the invocations and nine for the concluding prayer.

            Later in my education, I was introduced to the renowned painting by Jean-François Millet entitled “The Angelus.” The famous painting depicts a young man and a young woman standing in a field. They are farmers.  He holds his cap reverently as he stands with head bowed. She, in a white cap and long blue apron over her dress, clasps her hands as a prayerful look sets her face. They pause in prayer near the end of the workday.

            At the woman’s feet is a basket of potatoes, and at her far side rests a wheelbarrow full of empty sacks. At the side of the man is a pitchfork spiked upright in the ground. The breaking clouds are blushed with light as birds flit in the twilight. The viewer can almost hear the bells ringing from the spire of the church in the distant right of the painting.

            The artist was born in 1814 in Grunchy, a hamlet 10 miles west of Cherbourg in northwest France. This inland area off the rugged coast was countryside of undulating downs beyond the moors.

            Jean-Louis, the painter’s father, possessed real artistic talent, though all his life was spent tilling the fields. He loved music and directed the village choir; he studied the forms of trees and plants; he made clay models when time permitted.

            Jean-François absorbed his father’s appreciation for beauty and art. In his father he found an exemplar to emulate. Jean-François also was impressed by his parents’ piety and devotion.

            As a boy, Jean-François traced prints from the family Bible and then tried freehand. From the beginning his parents and the parish priests recognized that he was extraordinary. The priests were careful to educate him the best they could in mythology, Greek, Latin, as well as in translation. He became familiar with the work of William Shakespeare, John Milton and Robert Burns. All this time Jean-François was at home working on the family farm. He became a man of culture with the heart of a peasant. Later, he declared of himself, “A peasant I was born and a peasant I will die.”

            His parents and the villagers commented favorably on his work. His father realized that he must go to Cherbourg to study art. It was at this point that Jean-François’ lifelong work as an artist began.  Later, in Paris,  he fined-tuned his painting skills for 12 years.

            Because he disliked Paris and city life, he was delighted to return to the country. Barbizon became his home until the time of his death in 1875.

            It was in 1859 that Jean-François Millet painted “The Angelus.” Vivid were his memories of the Angelus bell ringing while peasants were still working at twilight. Often he had seen his father standing, bareheaded, cap in hand, and his mother, with bowed head and folded hands, at the sound of the evening Angelus bell.

            Millet recorded that impression to show the quiet peace of twilight, the rosy glow of sunset engulfing the fields, the church bells filling the evening air and the devout attitude of the peasants. Surely he succeeded.

            When his agent, Sensier, first saw the picture on Millet’s easel, the painter turned to him and asked, “Well, what do you think of it?”

            “It is the Angelus, “replied Sensier.

            “Yes,” Millet said with satisfaction. “Can you hear the bells?”

            Millet believed he had painted a great picture, but his genius was not recognized and acknowledged until after his death. In 1889, 14 years after his death, Millet’s painting of “The Angelus” was put up for auction, after the person who had bought the painting from Millet had died.

            Prior to the auction the French government asked Antonin Proust, Director of Fine Arts, to buy the painting to keep it in France. Bidding was frantic in the crowded gallery the morning of the auction, mainly between Proust and two American dealers. When the sale was almost settled, two more Americans arrived and new bidding continued. Finally, Proust offered 533,000 francs, about $94,000.

            A pause occurred in the bidding. Then the gavel fell, and “The Angelus” was declared the property of France. The people in attendance were elated.

            However, the French government declined to ratify the purchase for so large a sum. “The Angelus” went to the next highest bidder, an American agent. Customhouse officials made the duty exorbitant, almost $12,000. But they agreed to waive the claim on condition that the picture  remain only six month in America.  Another Frenchman, M. Chauchard, bought the painting upon its return to France.

            Eventually, “The Angelus” found its way into the Louvre Museum in Paris. Today, we can still enjoy Jean-François Millet’s masterpiece in the Louvre.  There the story of “The Angelus” by Millet concludes.

                                                                        +++

                        ***  Author's note to editor:

                        This ICEL translation (or the older familiar translation) of the Angelus

                        would be a worthwhile sidebar.

                                                                        +++

                                               

                        THE ANGELUS

V.  The angel spoke God's message to Mary,

R.  and she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

      Hail Mary…

V.  "I am the lowly servant of the Lord;

R.  let it be done to me according to your word."

      Hail Mary…

V.  And the Word became flesh,

R.  and lived among us.

      Hail Mary…

V.  Pray for us, holy Mother of God,

R.  that we may become worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:

Lord, fill our hearts with your grace.

Once, through the message of an angel,

you revealed to us the incarnation of your Son;

now, through his suffering and death,

lead us to the glory of his resurrection.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Our Lady of Guadalupe short Novena & Prayer for Life - start today

Shared by Mary Jane:

Novena in Honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Feast is December 12. Our Lady of Guadalupe is the Patroness of the Americas. Novena is usually prayed from December 4 to December 12.

First Day Dearest Lady of Guadalupe, fruitful Mother of holiness, teach me your ways of gentleness and strength. Hear my humble prayer offered with heartfelt confidence to beg this favor...... Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...
Second Day O Mary, conceived without sin, I come to your throne of grace to share the fervent devotion of your faithful Mexican children who call to you under the glorious Aztec title of Guadalupe. Obtain for me a lively faith to do your Son’s holy will always: May His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...
Third Day O Mary, whose Immaculate Heart was pierced by seven swords of grief, help me to walk valiantly amid the sharp thorns strewn across my pathway. Obtain for me the strength to be a true imitator of you. This I ask you, my dear Mother. Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...
Fourth Day Dearest Mother of Guadalupe, I beg you for a fortified will to imitate your divine Son’s charity, to always seek the good of others in need. Grant me this, I humbly ask of you. Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...
Fifth Day O most holy Mother, I beg you to obtain for me pardon of all my sins, abundant graces to serve your Son more faithfully from now on, and lastly, the grace to praise Him with you forever in heaven. Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...
Sixth Day Mary, Mother of vocations, multiply priestly vocations and fill the earth with religious houses which will be light and warmth for the world, safety in stormy nights. Beg your Son to send us many priests and religious. This we ask of you, O Mother. Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...
Seventh Day O Lady of Guadalupe, we beg you that parents live a holy life and educate their children in a Christian manner; that children obey and follow the directions of their parents; that all members of the family pray and worship together. This we ask of you, O Mother. Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...
Eighth Day With my heart full of the most sincere veneration, I prostrate myself before you, O Mother, to ask you to obtain for me the grace to fulfill the duties of my state in life with faithfulness and constancy. Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...
Ninth Day O God, You have been pleased to bestow upon us unceasing favors by having placed us under the special protection of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. Grant us, your humble servants, who rejoice in honoring her today upon earth, the happiness of seeing her face to face in heaven. Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...

Novena Prayer for Life to Our Lady of GuadalupeOh Mary, Mother of Jesus and Mother of Life,
We honor you as Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Thank you for pointing us to Jesus your Son,
The only Savior and hope of the world.

Renew our hope in him,
That we all may have the courage to say Yes to life,
And to defend those children in danger of abortion.

Give us your compassion
To reach out to those tempted to abort,
And to those suffering from a past abortion.

Lead us to the day when abortion
Will be a sad, past chapter in our history.

Keep us close to Jesus, the Life of the World,
Who is Lord forever and ever. Amen.

Meditations of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta on Advent

One of my new friends is a Missionary of Charities sister. She graciously shared this beautiful Advent resource with me and I in turn want to share it with you.

 Mother Teresa Advent Meditations.

 You can visit visit the official Mother Teresa of Calcutta website here.

Mother Angelica Live Classic - Another Look at Mortification

St. Francis Xavier

Today the church honors one of our patron saint of the missions, St. Francis Xavier.  This statue is prominently placed at St. Francis Church, Kalaupapa.

St. Francis Xavier often spent whole hours during the day and into the night before Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament, Who gave Him the grace and the strength to lead so many souls to Christ. His devotion to Our Eucharistic Lord was so great that Fr. Stefano Manelli, O.F.M. writes (in his book, Jesus, Our Eucharistic Lord):  

"What shall we say of St. Francis Xavier who at times when distributing Holy Communion felt so carried away by a sense of adoration toward Our Lord Who was in his hands, that he got on his knees and in that position continued giving Holy Communion? Did that not present a witness of faith and love worthy of heaven?"

St. Francis Xavier

Spain ~ 1506-1552

One of seven founders of Society of Jesus (Jesuits)

Considered "greatest missionary since the time of the Apostles"

Incredible zeal, baptized thousands, miracle worker

Patron of mission fields

Known as the "Apostle to the Far East"

Incorrupt

FEAST DAY - December 3

 

 

 

St. Francis Xavier - from his letters to Saint Ignatius ...

“Many, many people hereabouts are not becoming Christians for one reason only: there is nobody to make them Christians. Again and again I have thought of going round the universities of Europe, especially Paris, and everywhere crying out like a madman, riveting the attention of those with more learning than charity: “What a tragedy: how many souls are being shut out of heaven and falling into hell, thanks to you!”

“I wish they would work as hard at this as they do at their books, and so settle their account with God for their learning and the talents entrusted to them.

“This thought would certainly stir most of them to meditate on spiritual realities, to listen actively to what God is saying to them. They would forget their own desires, their human affairs, and give themselves over entirely to God’s will and his choice. They would cry out with all their heart: Lord, I am here! What do you want me to do? Send me anywhere you like — even to India.”

 

This Eucharistic Reflection is archived. 

CLICK HERE: http://truthhimself.blogspot.com 

Marantha, Come Lord Jesus

Our Advent Wreath is ready.  We had a mishap with two of our candle holders so we had to make do with another set.  This year there is a tiny Christmas tree in the wreath and the four Advent candles are along side the wreath.  We have our copies of the Magnificat Advent Companion ready for our evening prayer readings.  These were generously provided by our church.  Tomorrow we will light the first candle and usher in the Advent season with a few resolutions:

1.  Make sure to eat dinner together at the table, as a family.  (Lately, everyone's schedule kept us from doing just that)
2.  Watch Father Robert Barron's Catholicism nightly as well as more of EWTN programming.
3.  Not stressing about the preparations, purchasing gifts, etc.  We refuse to lose sight of the beauty of Advent in the rush to get ready for Christmas.

This Advent it will be particularly busy for our family.  My husband and I are celebrating our twentieth wedding anniversary, our son is graduating from the university, of course, and more importantly, our Lord is celebrating His birthday.

My family and I hope you and your family have a very blessed and joyful Advent with all the eager childhood anticipation which makes Christmas such a miraculous and blessed time.

Feast of Our Lady of Kibeho - Nov. 28

Shared by Mary Jane.

Today is the feast of Our Lady of Kibeho. The Blessed Virgin Mother of God appeared in Kibeho Rwanda as Our Lady of Sorrows.
This apparition has the official approval from the Roman Catholic Church. 

http://www.marian.org/mary/prayers/sorrows.php

Prayer to Our Lady of Kibeho

Imprimatur:
Gikongoro, the 25th of March, 2006-05-29
+ Augustin Misago - Bishop of Gikongoro


Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Word,
Mother of all those who believe in Him
and who welcome Him into their life,
we are here before you to contemplate You.
We believe that you are amongst us,
like a mother in the midst of her children,
even though we do not see You with our bodily eyes.

We bless You, the Sure Way that leads us to Jesus the Saviour,
for all the favours which You endlessly pour out upon us,
especially, that, in your meekness, You were gracious enough
to appear miraculously in Kibeho, just when our world needed it most.

Grant us always the light and the strength necessary to accept,
with all seriousness, Your call to us to be converted,
to repent, and to live according to your Son’s Gospel.
Teach us how to pray with sincerity,
and to love one another as He loved us,
so that, just as You have requested,
we may always be beautiful flowers
diffusing their pleasant fragrance everywhere and upon everyone.

Holy Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows,
teach us to understand the value of the cross in our lives,
so that whatever is still lacking to the sufferings of Christ
we may fill up in our own bodies for His mystical Body,
which is the Church.

And, when our pilgrimage on this earth comes to an end,
may we live eternally with You in the kingdom of Heaven.

Amen.

Guru or Jesus - Why Christians Should Not Get involved in Eastern Mysticisms

Mahalo to Father Luis for sharing the video which can be found here.