The Meditation. The Second Sunday in Advent A.D December 10 th, 2017 A.D.

Transcription

1 The Meditation The Second Sunday in Advent A.D December 10 th, 2017 A.D. The Tree of Jesse Illuminated page from the Scherenberg Psalter Strasburg, France 13 th cent. There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust. From the Epistle for the Second Sunday in Advent: (Romans; Chap. 15, Vs. 12)

2 2. The Communion Verse for the Second Sunday in Advent A.D Arise O Jerusalem, and stand on high, and behold the joy that cometh unto thee from thy God. - (Baruch 4 and 5) We are Never Alone We are comfortless and alone when God is not with us; but no baptized soul is ever really alone. God has endowed us with the supernatural life of grace which lives in us and consoles us, especially when we cry out to Him. His love is all-powerful, sweeping away whatever can separate us from Him and one day will bring us through the gate of death into the beatific vision in heaven. We await the Lord s coming in Advent. The world and life in general, leaves us feeling alone and desolate at times. Even in the midst of a crowd, we feel alone alone with our sins and our unsatisfied desires. We may feel that even our nearest and dearest don t know who we are. We may feel especially alone as we struggle with our personal griefs, physical ailments, and challenges that an ever-changing world, with its mounting sins, coupled with our own sins, seems to propel us. We feel that without Christ s ever-present help we may inevitably succumb to sin and despair. We know that the devil is powerful and that he lies in wait for us, and this fills us with anguish. He knows our weaknesses and how best to exploit them. We are, in our hearts and minds, bent under the yoke of God s Law and the fear of His justice. The sorrows of others echo in our hearts as well: if we have been abandoned, then what hope remains? He must increase, I must decrease. The scales* fall from our eyes if we turn from self to Christ. We know without any doubt that we are not abandoned: that is the lot of mankind in its natural state. Christ has dwelt in our hearts since our Baptism, and never more closely then when we feel alone... for we are His children... we are one with Him! We think that as we journey through life we are making our way to Him, Jesus Christ. Fact is, He has long since taken up His abode in each of us. If we do feel for a moment that we are alone, faith should remind us that He is indeed here with and within us. Unto all eternity we are His, and He is ours. Yet, we can rightly say that we are awaiting Him, because with every new grace we receive, He comes to us again... most especially in the great Sacrament of the Eucharist. Every act of love we perform, is a knock upon His door, and He has said to us: He that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. (St. John; Chap. 6, Vs. 37). Let us see ourselves just as St. Therese of Lisieux saw herself; as the smallest of children seeking comfort from its mother. As a loving mother comforts the crying baby, so too, does our Blessed Lord console us. He opens to us the treasure-trove of His love, a love that alone can give

3 3. comfort to the human heart. Christ s holy and impartial love will wipe away all of our tears and fears, for He has loved us from the beginning and will continue to love us for all eternity. O Lord, by your Cross and Passion, you have set us free. Jesus has taken away our sins. He has redeemed us from the power of Satan; we have been washed whiter than snow by His most precious Blood. Day by day, He gives us His Flesh to eat, and His Blood to drink, and so we are fed by the same power that raised Him from the dead. He gives us His Spirit, making all that is within us pure and clean. What He loves in us is of His own making! Suffering itself is radiated in the light of His love. Suffering itself becomes sanctified. If we are given to suffer pain, it s only so that we become more like our Master, and in suffering we can assist our Lord in the salvation of mankind. St. Paul writes: We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed. Always bearing about in our body, the mortification of Jesus, that the life of Jesus may also be made manifest in our body. Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. (II Corinthians; Chap. 4, Vss. 8-10). He writes also: God forbid that I should glory, save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. (Galatians; Chap. 6, Vs. 14). Are you poor? Are you sick and afflicted? Are you old and infirm? Know that you are of greater worth to Christ than all of the kingdoms and nations that ever existed, for you have become like Him for you suffer. Unite yourself even further with our Blessed Lord, and become part of a great force for salvation by uniting your suffering with your prayer and offer this for others. This is called Redemptive suffering**. To those with eyes that do not see, you may appear to be weak, helpless, and dare I say, useless; but to the Son of God Almighty, you are His invaluable children offering your crosses, just as He did for the salvation of the world. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope of you is steadfast, knowing that as ye are partakers of the sufferings so shall ye be also of the consolation. (II Corinthians; Chap. 1, Vss. 5-7). No greater acts of love, nor imitation could there ever be, dear friends! No mother s love is as tender as the love Jesus Christ has for us. We long for Him and Him alone during the Advent of this mortal life. We long for that day when His consoling love will carry us through the gates of death to the everlasting joys of heaven where we will finally be home with Him! Let us, during this journey called life, always try to live in the spirit of hopeful expectation that is Advent.

4 4. Meditation Notes: *Ref. St. Paul s conversion... seeing Christ for the first time: The Acts of the Apostles; Chap. 9, Vss **Redemptive Suffering: Pope St. John Paul II wrote a very profound statement on the Christian meaning of human suffering in his encyclical entitled: SALVIFICI DOLORIS (Redemptive Suffering) Feb 11, The document is well worth reading in its entirety. For today s Meditation, Parts IV; (Jesus Christ, Suffering Conquered by Love) and V; (Sharers in the Suffering of Christ) are pertinent supplements to the meditation. Copies of this document can be downloaded on-line. Salvifivi Doloris; Pope John Paul II. It won t answer the question as to why we must suffer, but how to suffer well and turn it from what we perceive to be a negative into a positive action... for both ourselves and others. Advent

5 5. Priory Kalendar For the week of: December 10 th to December 17 th A.D In Advent Sunday, December 10 th... Second Sunday in Advent... Comm Bl John Roberts; P. O.S.B. & Myr England Monday, December 11 th... St. Damasius: Po. & C. - 4 th cent. Spain & Italy Tuesday, December 12 th... in the Octave of the Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Wednesday, December 13 th... St. Lucy of Syracuse; V. & Myr. - 4 th cent. Sicily Thursday, December 14 th... In the Octave of the Conception of the B.V.M. Friday, December 15 th... Octave Day of the Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Saturday, December 16 th... O Sapentia O Antiphons commence at Vespers today. Sunday, December 17 th... Third Sunday in Advent (Gaudete)... St. Damasius O Antiphons St. Lucy December 11 TH begin this week December 13th

6 KALENDAR KEY 6. Abt. = Abbot, Abs. = Abbess, Abp = Archbishop, Anc. = Anchorite, Ancs. = Anchoress, Ap. = Apostle, Bl. = Blessed, Br. = Brother, Bp. = Bishop, Card. = Cardinal, C. or Conf. = Confessor, Comm. = Commemoration/Commemorate, Dcn. = Deacon, Doct. = Doctor of the Church, Ev. = Evangelist, H. = Hermit, LBr. = Lay Brother, LSr. = Lay Sister, K. = King, Mat. = Matron, M. = Monk, M.M. = Month s Mind ( Requiem for the recently departed on the 30 th day after death or burial). Myr. = Martyr, N. = Nun, Obl. = Oblate, P. = Priest, Po. = Pope, Pr. = Prior, Prs. = Prioress, R. = Recluse, RM = Requien Mortuorum, ( Mass and Offices for the departed once a month as designated on Kalendar). SDcn. = Sub Deacon, Q. = Queen, Ven. = Venerable, Vir. = Virgin, W. = Widow. FASTING KEY: A = Abstinence, F = Fast, F & A = Fast and Abstinence RELIGIOUS ORDER ABBREVIATIONS: C.O = Congregation of the Oratory (Oratorians), C.P. = Congregation of the Passion (Passionists), C.S.J. = Congregation of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), Er. Cam. = Camaldolese Hermits, F.P. O. = Franciscans of the Primitive Observance, O. Car. = Carmelite Order, O. Cart. Carthusian Order, O.C.D. = Order of Discalced Friars (Carmelites), O.F.A. = Augustinian Order, O.F.M = Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans), O.F.M. Cap = Capuchin Order, O.P. = Order of Preachers (Dominicans also called Blackfriars ), O. Praem. = Order of Cannons Regular (Norbertines), O.S.B. = Order of St. Benedict (Benedictines), O.Ss. S. = Bridgettines, O.S.U = Ursulines, O.C.O. = Order of the Cistercian Observance (Trappists/Trappistines), O.C.S.O. = Cistercian Order of the Strict Observance (Trappists/ Trappistines). Tert. = Tertiary (Third Order religious). About the Meditation and About Us The Meditation is an online apostolate of Our Lady of Seven Sorrows Priory in Raymond, Maine, USA. We are an Anglican-Catholic Benedictine contemplative community that follows the Holy Rule of St. Benedict, the 5 th century Father of Western Monasticism. We are resident within the Diocese of the Northeast (DNE), of the Anglican Church in America (ACA), a member of the worldwide Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC). The Meditation is a weekly online offering that is sent out free of charge to anyone who desires to receive it. Subscribers may copy and pass along The Meditation to their families and friends, or send us their e-address (with their permission) to add to our subscription list so they may receive it directly from us. Each issue is sent out as a BCC (Blank Copy) in respect to subscriber privacy and online security. To subscribe, contact us at: klamarre@maine.rr.com To read past issues of the Meditation, please go to our website at: and you can find them in the section marked Meditations on the homepage. PLEASE NOTE: In respect to our contemplative vocation and the animals in our rescue and rehab center, we do not have guest or bathroom facilities and do not regularly receive visitors. Fr. Kevin is available to hear confessions and give spiritual direction by appointment only. Please contact via to make an appointment.

7 7. Feasts, Fasts, and Other Things By Br. A. Chip Munk, O.S.B. The O Antiphons Long-time subscribers of the Meditation might remember that I have written about these beautiful antiphons in past Advent issues, but I think they deserve mention again, as both a refresher, and for the benefit of our new subscribers who may not be completely familiar with the liturgy. This year I am including the antiphons in their entirety, in the event you may want to include them in your Advent prayers. I ll also show you where they are used. The O Antiphons are seven beautiful greater antiphons of unknown authorship, in general use by the eighth century, and are used to introduce and conclude the Magnificat every evening at the office of Vespers from December 16 th to December 23 rd. Each antiphon is similar to a collect (prayer) and begins with an invocation of the Messiah under an Old Testament title, and continuing with a fervent appeal that makes reference to the invocation. These antiphons are as follows and are presented in full: December 16 th... O Sapientia (O Wisdom): O Wisdom, which came out of the mouth of the Most high, and reachest from one end to another, mightily and sweetly ordering all things: Come and teach us the way of prudence. December 17 th... O Adonai: O Adonai, the Leader of the house of Israel, who appearedst in the Bush to Moses in a flame of fire and gavest him the Law on Sinai: Come and redeem us with an outstretched arm. December 18 th... O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse): O Root of Jesse, which standest for an ensign of the people, at whom kings shall shut their mouths, to whom the Gentiles shall seek: Come and deliver us, and tarry not. December 19 th... O Clavis David (O Key of David): O Key of David, and Sceptre of the house of Israel; that openest and no man shutteth, and shuttest and no man openeth: Come and bring the prisoners out of the prison-house, them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death December 20 th... O Oriens (O Dayspring): O Dayspring, Brightness of Light Everlasting, and Sun of Righteousness: Come and enlighten them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death. December 21 st... O Rex Gentium (O King of Nations): O King of the Nations, and their Desire; the Cornerstone who makest both one: Come and save mankind, whom thou formedst of clay.

8 8. December 22 nd... O Emmanuel: O Emmanuel, our King and Lawgiver, the Desire of all nations and their Salvation: Come and save us, O Lord, our God. To these seven antiphons used in the Western Church, the English Use at Sarum, Hereford, and York added and eighth antiphon in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The addition of this eighth antiphon plus the antiphon for the Vigil of the Nativity on December 24 th, constitutes a Novena rather than an Octave in preparation for Christmas. This being so, the ferial offices take on a special character. December 23 rd... O Virgo Virginum: O Virgin of Virgins, how shall this be? For neither before thee was any seen like thee, nor shall there be after. Daughters of Jerusalem, why marvel ye at me? The thing which ye behold is a divine mystery. Sarum also added a ninth antiphon, to St. Thomas: O Thoma didyme (O Thomas didymas). Students of the liturgy readily acknowledge that the Medieval Church in England contributed some of the most beautiful elements to the Western Liturgy enhancing it even further. Sadly, so much was lost when the so-called English Reformers chucked most of it in favor of a prayer book that retains only a bare smattering of what once made the liturgies in Catholic England second to none in the Universal Church. It would not be until the founding of the Oxford Movement in 19 th century England, when these lost treasures of the Church would be re-discovered and restored in dioceses and parishes that desired to restore the treasures of their Catholic heritage in worship. It s a point of interest that the Roman Catholic Church recognized the beauty and great worth of the Sarum Use that it was never suppressed by the Church following the Council of Trent in the 17 th century, when liturgies considered to be of lesser order, were suppressed in favor of what became generally called the Roman Use or Tridentine Rite. It was dearly hoped by many when the Anglican/Roman Catholic Ordinariate was formed not too many years ago, that the Sarum Use would be it s liturgical anchor and utilized, but sadly, it wasn t. These antiphons (along with the Marian antiphon) can be found today in the Anglican Breviary (pages 250 & 251). The Anglican Breviary was first printed in the 1950 s by the famous Frank Gavin Liturgical Foundation. The book became very difficult to obtain for many years, until a re-print was done around 1998 making it widely available again today. The Anglican Breviary is a daily devotional Book par excellence that no cleric or lay-person should be without. To learn more about the Anglican Breviary and how to order one go to They even have an on-line tutorial for those not familiar with the use of a breviary. BTW... we don t get a kickback for recommending this breviary, it s just a fantastic book which will enhance your prayer life! We use it here at the Priory to pray our daily offices if we happen to be away during the day and also during time of private prayer. Directions for using the O Antiphons : Most breviaries contain these antiphons for Advent use. If you don t use a breviary, they can be used with the 1928 Book of Common Prayer office of Evening Prayer which begins on page 21. Say Evening prayer as per the rubrics in the Book of Common Prayer or by way of your own tradition. When you reach the Magnificat on page 26 of the B.C.P. (Book of Common Prayer), you pray the O Antiphon for that calendar day first as an introduction to praying the Magnificat, then you pray the Magnificat, and then you conclude with the same antiphon that you used to precede the Magnificat. You then continue along with Evening Prayer as you normally would. - Br. Chip

9 9. Feasts, Fasts, and Other Things from: The Chipmunk s Nutshell Library is presented by Br. A. Chip Monk, O.S.B. A very learned munk of Our Lady of Seven Sorrows Priory in Raymond, Maine, USA Animal News by Sr. Mary Francis, O.S.B. We are expecting our first plowable snow this weekend. We are blessed that our animals have all managed to grow super winter coats even Pirate is looking fuzzy. The animals love the snow and how it quiets the sounds of the world and makes things clean and fresh. Cold or not it is good to get outside, smell real air, and see the wonder of God s creations. The animals know the progression of the seasons and that the shorter days bring colder weather but they also look forward to the extra attention they get with warm water being lugged from the house out to them, carrots and long grooming sessions. The dogs love having Sister. home, helping to decorate for Christmas and just relaxing by the fire. As we wait for our first snow we feel the expectation in the air, just as we do while waiting for the coming of the Son of God during this holy season of Advent. May the light of God shine on you all as you wait, and may you be blessed! Pandy, doing what she does best.waiting.. PAX

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