A Plea On The Eve

The words are from Abbé Simon J. Pellegrin (1663-1745) and are an English translation of the French carol "Venez Divin Messie" by Sister Mary of St. Philip, SND (1825-1904).

It is our hope this day:

**********
1. O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph,
And sadness flee away.

2. Dear Savior haste;
Come, come to earth,
Dispel the night and show your face,
And bid us hail the dawn of grace.

3. O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph,
And sadness flee away.

4. O Christ, whom nations sigh for,
Whom priest and prophet long foretold,
Come break the captive fetters;
Redeem the long-lost fold.

5. Dear Savior haste;
Come, come to earth,
Dispel the night and show your face,
And bid us hail the dawn of grace.

6. O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph,
And sadness flee away.

7. You come in peace and meekness,
And lowly will your cradle be;
All clothed in human weakness
Shall we your Godhead see.

8. Dear Savior haste;
Come, come to earth,
Dispel the night and show your face,
And bid us hail the dawn of grace.

9. O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph,
And sadness flee away.

**********
Ero cras.

Dog, Gone Again

It is said bad things happen in threes.

When it comes to canines associated with this house, the trilogy has now been completed.

Last Friday morning, the other German Shepherd, Josephine, died.

Between the hustle and bustle of work and holiday preparation, this has been the only chance I've had to say a few words about this. I can report the cause of death was old age.  She was 12 years old.  While Catherine Garcia, her owner, and I were hoping to see her live past Christmas, we also were expecting her demise.  Having outlasted her running mate, Eugene, by over a year and a half, the sadness at her passing was tempered by the knowledge of the good life she had.

Her life wasn't without its troubles.  She came from a person who seemed to be running a bit of a puppy mill and was separated from her mom at four weeks.  Catherine had also told me some relatives of her late husband were rather over the edge when it came to disciplining the dog.  It all added up to Jo (her nickname) being a bit neurotic.

There was no mistaking who the alpha of the pack was, however.  She was large and in charge, but it was all a show.  The other dogs in the house were always afraid of getting past her for whatever reason; many a time I had to escort both Gene and Boston (the boxer who is still with us) past Jo just so they could get to where they wanted to go.  Her favorite stunt was to lay in front of the food and water dishes so nobody could get to them.

However, she would obey the sound of my voice.  For her, I was one of the greatest things on two legs she ever met.  And there were times where her maternal instincts would emerge.  She was very protective of the cats we have, even to the point of somewhat successfully herding them.  There were times she would groom Willow, the large tom we have.  You just wonder what kind of mother she would have been, as evidenced by this photo of her with Samantha.

I am told German Shepherds need to be around their breed to be happy.  She did OK after Gene's death, perhaps because Boston was here as well as both Samantha and Chloe (a new lab mix Catherine's youngest got a week after Samantha met her demise).  But the last few months were not easy.  In the last 6-8 months she has noticeably lost a lot of weight.  Then for the past 2-3 months, hip displacia, a common ailment in this breed, developed.  It was hard to see her drag herself around the homestead, but as long as she wasn't in pain. having her euthanized was not an option.  Catherine was even considering having some kind of wheelchair built for her.

But you could tell she was going.  Accidents in the house were a bit more frequent.  She was noticeably tired this past week.  And then she stopped eating and drinking.  When this past Friday came, she barely had the strength to drag herself around the dining room.

Catherine was in her home office/sewing room in the middle of that morning.  I had just stepped into my office to start my computer.  When I came back to the dining room about 10:35,  I found Josephine lying in front of the food and water dishes.  She wasn't breathing.  I called Catherine.  She came out, looked at Jo, and started to sob.  I came to give Catherine a hug; she cried out in a voice that almost sounded like a child.

"My doggie's gone."

Like Eugene, Josephine will also be cremated.  Thanks to a neighbor who loaned us the money, we were able to pay to have this done at a local veterinary clinic.  Her remains are expected sometime after Christmas.

In life and death, they will be together.

As it should be.

7th. Time Seven "O"s

Once again we are nearing the end of Advent.  The rose candle in our Advent wreaths has been lit, signaling we are at least half-way through the season.  We notice daylight becoming less and less as we near the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere.  And perhaps we are busier in our material preparations for Christmas.

Starting today, however, it is in the recitation of Vespers where we get the sense of not only Advent coming to a close but also the Christ Child drawing near.  For the next seven nights the antiphons used prior to the recitation of the Magnificat lead us to recall the prophecies of the Savior to come, each a title which underscores and points toward December 25.  From the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops:

...They are a magnificent theology that uses ancient biblical imagery drawn from the messianic hopes of the Old Testament to proclaim the coming Christ as the fulfillment not only of Old Testament hopes, but present ones as well. Their repeated use of the imperative "Come!" embodies the longing of all for the Divine Messiah.

As is custom this time of year, this infinitesimal corner of the universe presents its series of meditations on the "O" Antiphons for your edification.  The reflections of Fr. John Zuhlsdorf and Dom Mark Daniel Kirby, OSB, as well as my own widow's mite, are once again offered.  Also included is a copy of the music of the antiphon and a link to it being intoned.  (Fedora doff to Fr. Jim Tucker of the defunct 'blog "Dappled Things" via the the 'blog "Fisheaters" for the recordings.)

The traffic numbers suggest these are my most popular posts.  Perhaps because their message is timeless as well as timely is why I repeat them every year.  The Word still speaks.

Enjoy as we come toward the day of fulfillment.

While We Wait

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

**********

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.

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)

**********

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!

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:

**********

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)

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)

November 2013 Morning Offering Prayer Intentions

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

General:  Suffering Priests. That priests who experience difficulties may find comfort in their suffering, support in their doubts, and confirmation in their fidelity. 

Mission:  Latin American Churches. That as fruit of the continental mission, Latin American Churches may send missionaries to other Churches.