In Memory Of...

Francis Joseph Rolling

Born: March 24, 1935

Died: December 5, 1991

Requiescat In Pace.

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Originally posted 12/5/2005.
Re-posted 12/5/2008.
Re-posted 12/5/2009.
Re-posted 12/5/2010.
Re-posted 12/5/2011.
Re-posted 12/5/2012.

While We Wait

And now, a word from my bishop regarding this Advent season, as found in the diocesan newspaper, the Intermountain Catholic:

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With Advent, we are starting a new liturgical year. The liturgical year is at the core of our lives as Catholics, because our ability to mark time in any way is part of God’s love and God’s gift. 

I remember as a young seminarian going to see the musical Godspell, and being mesmerized by the beautiful themes and the wonderful message that was put in a very modern and realistic way. I remember that clarion call of John the Baptist, "Prepare the way of the Lord." 

This is the message of Advent. It is a time of preparation, a time to prepare the way of the Lord even as we await the Lord. 

But a very dear friend of mine, Father Gene Konkel, SS, always used to ask, "Who is waiting for whom?" 

We are certainly, on a very real level, waiting for the Lord at Christmas, but really it’s God who waits for us. The way that we prepare is our lives. We look forward to accepting God in our lives, so Advent is a time of preparation, to prepare our souls, our hearts and our lives to receive Christ at Christmas. 

Advent is a time to ask ourselves what are the crooked ways in our lives. Each of us might ask: What are the crooked ways on which I sometimes get lost, or I take a detour? What are the crooked ways that need to be made straight in my life? What are those mountains that are blocking my spiritual path? What are the obstacles to finding Christ more fully in my life? What are the obstacles to me leading a more faith-filled life, a more trusting life? 

Advent is a time for us to consider these questions of how each of us, in our own way, can prepare to receive Christ at Christmas. So, yes, prepare the way of the Lord. We are awaiting Christ this Christmas, and so beautifully he is waiting for us. 

Yours in Christ,

+ The Most Rev. John C. Wester

Bishop of Salt Lake City

December 2013 Morning Offering Prayer Intentions

Here are the intentions for this month when reciting the Morning Offering::

General:  Victimized Children. That children who are victims of abandonment or violence may find the love and protection they need. 

Mission: Prepare the Savior's Coming. That Christians, enlightened by the Word incarnate, may prepare humanity for the Savior's coming.

Mediation For Advent

Hail and blessed be the hour and the moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His Blessed Mother. Amen.

To be recited 15 times a day from the Feast of St. Andrew's (November 30) until Christmas.

(Fedora Doff to Drew at the Shrine of the Holy Whapping.)

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Originally posted 12/1/2005.
Re-posted 11/29/2008.
Re-posted 11/28/2009.

Re-posted 11/27/2010.
Re-posted 11/26/2011.
Re-posted 12/2/2012.

Advent Prayer

O Lovely Infant Jesus, You will abide with me once more.

O that I might prepare for You an agreeable dwelling place in my heart.

Jesus, Almighty Savior, come to my aid!
Bless me, hands of my infant Savior!
May Your love remain in my heart, dear Jesus!
Be born again in me.
Bless me and give me simplicity of heart, humility, and obedience.

St. John Neumann (1811-1860)

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Originally posted 11/26/2005.
Re-posted 11/29/2008.
Re-posted 11/28/2009.
Re-posted 11/27/2010.
Re-posted 11/26/2011.
Re-posted 12/2/2012.

A Preparing People

It is time.

We turn the page on our Gregorian calendars to the last month of the year.

We also turn the the page on our liturgical calendars to the first season of the year.

While there will still be a few hours left of November 30 when sunset comes, it will also be, in a sense, December 1.

Thus comes the beginning of Advent, which starts on the Sunday nearest today's feast which honors St. Andrew.

While the secular world has long started its Christmas preparations, we truly begin to "prepare the way of the Lord."  The Advent wreath, which burns brighter as we draw nearer to December 25, becomes the first focal point of our longing for our Savior.  The creche, a great gift of St. Francis of Assisi, traditionally is on display December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, without the figure of the Child; for as we hear St. Luke's accounting of the Annunciation, we now wait with the Blessed Virgin Mary for her to be delivered.  Finally the Christmas tree, a great example of inculturation, shines its lights and ornaments for the first time on Christmas Eve, as the Word made Flesh is enthroned in the manger.  While we have or may trim the house with other decorations in the next weeks, these still remind us "Jesus is the Reason for the Season."

It still is a penitential season, though not as "severe" as Lent.  The need to "turn away from sin", to heed the call of St. John the Baptist, to "make straight the path" for the coming of Christ is ever present.  The violet/purple of these next "four weeks" still reminds us of our unworthiness, of our journey towards perfection, of our lifetime efforts to be true disciples of He Who is, Who was, and Who is to come.

This is the great challenge of Advent.  It is the echo of the call to be in this world, but not of this world.  While we may celebrate with family and friends during this time, our true rejoicing comes with the announcement of the angel:  "This day in David's city a savior has been born to you, the Messiah and Lord." (Luke 2:11)

Let us prepare well, so after we hear the angelic chorus, we may join the shepherds in seeing the newborn King.

2013 Thanksgiving Day Card

Come, ye thankful people, come,

Raise the song of harvest home!

All is safely gathered in,

Ere the winter storms begin;

God, our Maker, doth provide

For our wants to be supplied;

Come to God's own temple, come;

Raise the song of harvest home!

Henry Alford (1810-1871)

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May God, Who knows the deepest desires of our hearts and souls, continue to abundantly bless us with all good things.  May He continue to redeem and sanctify us through His Son in the Spirit so we may be good fruit in His harvest,  As you celebrate with family and friends, may you be mindful of the gifts He has bestowed and be truly grateful for all you have received.

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!

Royal Hymn

In honor of the Feast of Christ the King, I present excerpts of the hymn Christus Vincit as it was chanted at the 2010 CMAA Winter Chant Intensive. (In case you want to know what I look like, I am the first one in the front pew with the rest of the men.)




The text and translation is courtesy of The Parish Book of Chant.

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Christus vincit! Christus regnat! Christus imperat!

Exaudi, Christe.

Benedicto, Summo Pontifici, in unum populos doctrina congreganti caritate: Pastori gratia gregi obsequentia.

Salvator mundi, Tu illum adjuva.
Sancta Maria, Tu illum adjuva.
Sancte Petre, Tu illum adjuva.
Sancte Paule, Tu illum adjuva.
Sancte Benedicte, Tu illum adjuva.

Rex regum! Rex noster! Spes nostra! Gloria nostra!

Magistratibus et omnibus concivibus nobiscum orantibus: cordis vera quies votorum effctus.

Auxilium christianorum, Tu illos adjuva.
Sancte Michael, Tu illos adjuva.
Sancte Benedicte, Tu illos adjuva.

Ipsi soli imperium, laus et jubilatio per infinita saecula saeculorum. Amen.

Tempora bona habeant! Tempora bona habeant redempti Sanguine Christi.

Feliciter!

Pax Christi veniat! Regnum Christi veniat! Deo Gratias! Amen.

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Christ conquers! Christ reigns! Christ commands!

Give ear, O Christ!

To the Supreme Pontiff [Benedict], who gathereth into one all peoples through doctrine, in charity: let there be dignity for our Shepherd, and obedience for his flock.

O Saviour of the world, grant him assistance.
Holy Mary,...
Holy Peter,...
Holy Paul,...
Holy Benedict,...

King of Kings! Our King! Our hope! Our glory!

To the magistrates and all fellow citizens praying with us: let the effect of their devotions be true rest for the heart.

O help of Christians, grant them assistance.
Holy Michael,...
Holy Benedict,...

Let all power, praise, and jubilation be to Him alone, through endless ages to ages. Amen.

May they have prosperous times! May they have prosperous times by the redemptive Blood of Christ!

Joyously!

Let the Peace of Christ come! Let the Reign of Christ come! Thanks be to God! Amen.

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Originally posted 11/20/2011.
Re-posted 11/25/2012.

Christus Rex

To Jesus Christ, our Sov'reign King,
Who is the world's salvation,
All praise and homage do we bring,
And thanks and adoration.

Refrain:Christ Jesus Victor, Christ Jesus Ruler!
Christ Jesus, Lord and Redeemer!

2. Thy reign extend, O King benign,
To ev'ry land and nation,
For in Thy kingdom, Lord divine,
Alone we find salvation.

(Refrain)

3. To Thee and to Thy Church, great King,
We pledge our hearts' oblation,
Until before Thy throne we sing,
In endless jubilation.

(Refrain)

From the 2 Hearts Network, here is a link to prayers specifically about our King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

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Originally posted 11/25/2007.
Re-posted 11/21/2010.
Re-posted 11/25/2012.

A Poet's Notes On Notes

George Frideric Handel created a cantata from these words.

In honor of one of my favorite saints on her feast day:

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From harmony, from heavenly harmony,
This universal frame began:
When nature underneath a heap
Of jarring atoms lay,
And could not heave her head,
The tuneful voice was heard from high,
'Arise, ye more than dead!'
Then cold, and hot, and moist, and dry,
In order to their stations leap,
And Music's power obey.
From harmony, from heavenly harmony,
This universal frame began:
From harmony to harmony
Through all the compass of the notes it ran,
The diapason closing full in Man. 

What passion cannot Music raise and quell?
When Jubal struck the chorded shell,
His listening brethren stood around,
And, wondering, on their faces fell
To worship that celestial sound:
Less than a God they thought there could not dwell
Within the hollow of that shell,
That spoke so sweetly, and so well.
What passion cannot Music raise and quell?

The trumpet's loud clangour
Excites us to arms,
With shrill notes of anger,
And mortal alarms.
The double double double beat
Of the thundering drum
Cries Hark! the foes come;
Charge, charge, 'tis too late to retreat!

The soft complaining flute,
In dying notes, discovers
The woes of hopeless lovers,
Whose dirge is whisper'd by the warbling lute.

Sharp violins proclaim
Their jealous pangs and desperation,
Fury, frantic indignation,
Depth of pains, and height of passion,
For the fair, disdainful dame.

But O, what art can teach,
What human voice can reach,
The sacred organ's praise?
Notes inspiring holy love,
Notes that wing their heavenly ways
To mend the choirs above.

Orpheus could lead the savage race;
And trees unrooted left their place,
Sequacious of the lyre;
But bright Cecilia rais'd the wonder higher:
When to her organ vocal breath was given,
An angel heard, and straight appear'd
Mistaking Earth for Heaven.

GRAND CHORUS. 

As from the power of sacred lays
The spheres began to move,
And sung the great Creator's praise
To all the Blest above;
So when the last and dreadful hour
This crumbling pageant shall devour,
The trumpet shall be heard on high,
The dead shall live, the living die,
And Music shall untune the sky! 

A Song for St. Cecilia's Day, 1687

John Dryden (1631-1700)

Veteran's Day Acknowledgement

My two brothers were veterans of the Air Force. I have other relatives who have served in various branches of the military. I personally owe them a debt of gratitude for their service to the country. To all other veterans, that gratitude, while not as personal, is nonetheless heartfelt.

Our active military personnel take the following oath (those in the National Guard take a similar oath which includes obeying orders from their state's Governor):

I, (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.

For those who preserve our freedom, we salute you!

NOTE: I gave a Fedora Doff to a Facebook friend who posted a video on my wall which I had placed here in 2010. I no longer have that link.

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Originally posted 11/11/2010.
Re-posted 11/11/2011.
Re-posted 11/11/2012.
Updated and edited 11/11/2013

Poem Of The Day

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below. 

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields. 

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

In Flanders Field

John McCrae (1872-1918)