When Your Not Listening, ...

God Will Find Other Ways to Speak to You.

This morning, as I was packing my bag to head home for a couple of days to spend time with family (not gonna lie, it's a bit lonely around here), my great uncle called to ask me for my e-mail address. Fr. Paul is a retired priest for the Wichita Diocese who has been God's blessed instrument in my life on numerous occasions. Today was no exception. He simply told me that he had an advent reflection to share with me. I provided the requested information, shared an brief exchange about Christmas day plans (to see if our paths would meet), and exchanged Christmas blessings. Not thinking much of it, but always grateful to hear from Fr. Paul, I figured I would soon find his e-mail in my inbox.

I will also let you in on another short story in my life. There are only 9 days left in the month of December. According to facebook, there are five Catholic events that I have RSVP'd to attend, all after the Christmas day festivities. Originally three of them were going to be lock-in's, which is not good for developing the sleep schedule I should have as a teacher. Fortunately, one has been altered to an almost all day retreat. Secondly, two of the events now conflict; well planning for one event conflicts with attending another. A dilemma I discovered last night. What am I to do? 

Here is Fr. Paul's e-mail:

I found myself in a dilemma a week ago.  It dawned on my brain that I had double-scheduled myself.  I agreed with 2 different Piests to cover their Parishes while they were away.  I was starting to feel upset at myself for doing such a "dumb" thing.  Then I thought of St. Joseph - how he found himself in a dilemma with Mary, his beloved finance.  She was pregnant and he wasn't involved.  We read that an Angel came to enlighten him.  He believed the Angel and it all worked out.    So I went to our Chapel and prayed to St. Joseph to help me out of the dilemma.  Leaving  the Chapel, I returned to my room, the phone rang. It was one of the Priests telling me that I need not come to his Parish because his plans have changed.  Wow! I thanked the Lord and St. Joseph.  When in a dilemma, go to Joseph!!!    

St. Joseph, pray for us. Aww-spiration.

Here is another reflection of sorts that seems to be another means of God talking through another person, because I've not listened directly to Him. 

Rejoice! Ero Cras! - Emmanuel

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
 

Rejoice! Rejoice!Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

 O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver, desire of the nations, Savior of all people, come and set us free, Lord our God.

Emmanuel

God with us

Isaias 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign. Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son and his name shall be called Emmanuel.

Finally! The last O Antiphon, which the birth of Christ, our Lord is upon us.

While I've been familiar with and praying Liturgy of the Hours for some time now, it was not until preparations for a retreat that fell in the fall of 2009 that I really understood the O Antiphons and the role they play in preparing us for Christmas. As my first post on this topic told, "The seven "O Antiphons" (also called the "Greater Antiphons" or "Major Antiphons") are prayers that come from the Breviary's Vespers during the Octave (8 days) before Christmas Eve, a time which is called the "Golden Nights.""

Each Antiphon begins with "O" and addresses Jesus with a unique title which comes from the prophecies of Isaias and Micheas (Micah), and whose initials, when read backwards, form an acrostic for the Latin "Ero Cras" which means "Tomorrow I come." Those titles for Christ are:

Sapientia
Adonai
Radix Jesse
Clavis David
Oriens
Rex Gentium
Emmanuel

Hopefully, God has blessed you these last seven days to see a deeper meaning of the Advent season in preparing our hearts and our families for Christmas, the coming of Christ. Not just buying gifts, putting up the Christmas tree or baking the ever sweet treats that come with the season, but really reflecting on the Savior of the World, come to set us free from darkness and death.

A sister in Christ of mine just posted a note on facebook today of recognizing the simplicity of the season. She indicated trying to follow a complex prayer and advent reflection schedule, ... well, she says very well what much of my advent season has been, less the actually lights and decorations (since I moved I didn't put much up). Aww-spiration.

Here goes:

"Light Displays. Wreaths. Candies. Presents. Ornaments. Parties. All of these items seem to be expected parts of the season leading up to Christmas. And yet, as Advent draws to an end and Christmas draws near, I've realized that the bright lights, shiny gift wrap, and parties no longer attract my attention.

I noticed this one night about a week ago as I sat in my living room trying to understand what I should be getting out of Advent. Our Christmas tree was very beautifully lit up in the dark, but that is not what captured my heart.

What captured my heart wasn't the pretty tree, but a simple wooden Nativity scene above the cabinet where the television sits. Looking into the room, you can hardly see it because the wood almost matches the entertainment center. And the Nativity Scene isn't anything like the elaborate ones you see outside of many churches. In fact, the wooden figures don't even have faces. But the simplicity of the Nativity Scene mesmerized me. It left me in complete awe. In it contained the simplicity of one of the biggest Christian beliefs. And it was simple. It was humble. It was the God of the Universe coming to mankind, not in an elaborate show with flashing lights, but as a baby boy in a manger. The humbleness and simplicity of Jesus' birth leaves me in awe - how he left all the elaborate beauty and richness in the Kingdom of Heaven to dwell with us on Earth - in a world filled with dirtiness, sinfulness, meagerness and brokenness.

And not just Jesus, but also Mary and Joseph. Was it not the simplicity of Mary's faith and her "yes" to God's will that contributed so profoundly to this plan of our salvation? Her ability to trust and not make God's message at the Annunciation too complex, but to humbly reply "I am the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me according to Thy Word" shows a deep faith I dearly hope to one day possess! Joseph too was a good model of simplicity and humility. No word is attributed to him in the Bible, which is sometimes overlooked by many today. No word - he didn't need to have the attention, he didn't need to really be recognized for his role in the Holy Family.

I could go on and on about the simplicity of the manger, of the shepherds, and possibly even the Magi. But it is truly the simplicity and humility of Christ's birth that should capture our lives, transform our souls, and renew our hearts. The bright lights, gift exchanges, and decorations are fun, but they are not at the center of what Christmas and Advent are about.

I found this simplicity again in the Church this Advent. When the rest of the world put up Christmas decorations days after Thanksgiving, the Church put up a plain Advent wreath with four simple candles. When radios tried tirelessly to make the most popular and catchy Christmas carols, the Church faithful sang over and over the ancient lyrics of a simple hymn, "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel."

And now, with two days remaining in Advent, I have finally realized what I should be doing and getting out of Advent - simplicity. I tried to have a complex prayer schedule to ready myself for Christ's birth. I tried to find complex ways to do alms giving and fast and grow in my faith. However, the times that benefited me the most were the simple, humble experiences where I just gave God the time to gently take control and lead me. I am guilty of trying to make my faith journey too complex, but now I realize the closer you are to God, the simpler you become. God has the plan; He just wants simple souls to trust in His plan.

May God bless you and help you grow in faith this Christmas,"

Rejoice! Ero Cras! - Rex Gentium

O come, Desire of nations, bind
in one the hearts of all mankind;
bid thou our sad divisions cease,
and be thyself our King of Peace.

O King of all the nations, the only joy of every human heart; O Keystone of the mighty arch of man, come and save the creature your fashioned from the dust. 

Rex Gentium

King of all Nations, King of the Gentiles

Isaias 9:7 His empire shall be multiplied, and there shall be no end of peace: he shall sit upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom; to establish it and strengthen it with judgment and with justice, from henceforth and for ever: the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Isaias 2:4 And he shall judge the Gentiles, and rebuke many people: and they shall turn their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into sickles: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they be exercised any more to war.

Rejoice! Ero Cras! - Oriens

O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer
our spirits by thine advent here;
disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
and death's dark shadows put to flight.

O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: come, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death. 

Oriens

Radiant Dawn, Dayspring

Isaias 9:2 The people that walked in darkness, have seen a great light: to them that dwelt in the region of the shadow of death, light is risen.

Rejoice! Ero Cras! - Clavis David

O come, thou Key of David, come,
and open wide our heavenly home;
make safe the way that leads on high,
and close the path to misery. 

O Key of David, O royal Power of Israel controlling at your will the gate of heaven: come, break down the prison walls of death for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death; and lead your captive people into freedom.

Clavis David

Key of David

Isaias 22:22 And I will lay the key of the house of David upon his shoulder: and he shall open, and none shall shut: and he shall shut, and none shall open. Isaias 9:6 For a child is born to us, and a son is given to us, and the government is upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, God the Mighty, the Father of the world to come, the Prince of Peace.

We're Not Alone in This Fight

I was really hoping not to interrupt my "O Antiphon" posts, but I think this occasion calls for some Holy Spirit guided blogging.

Having just moved to a new home, hopefully permanent home for the next few years, I'm getting settled, but I'm also spending a lot of time by myself. This is the biggest place I've lived, with the fewest amount of people - just me. (Hopefully another blog with pictures coming soon...) I don't exactly have a lot of stuff to fill the place, so it feels pretty empty. The issue here is that I've been being convinced that I need more stuff to fill the place, even though I have no means of financing such a project. The worrisome attitude that has come with such thoughts occupied my mind for several days this week, despite spending some time in the classroom, meeting with my superintendent and principal. 

One thing I've realized is that I probably should not spend quite so much time by myself, for even though I don't know many people here yet, I'm excited to begin teaching. Second, that I don't have to fight the temptations of the world and/or flesh by myself. In a simple text to a friend, who spared a few words of prayer, I was quickly feeling more at home and less concerned about what I have or don't have to fill my space.  This is not the only occasion where technology (texting or facebook) has come in handy for calling on my brothers and sisters in Christ to help carry the burden that is our daily struggles. Even this evening, a framily member has asked to be kept in our prayers. Always, was my response. For it is through our relationships and prayer that we build each other up, allowing God to do more good work within and through us. 

Another awesome realization of the past day or two is the idea of Hope - and allowing ourselves to hope in the plans God has for us. Yes, we have many challenges to face in life, but what a small cost in comparison to the good work that God is doing in our lives, when we let him. Dare to dream big with God, and let him blow your dreams away with even better and bigger plans. (listen to Fr. Robert Barron's sermon for more details). Aww-spiration!

Rejoice! Ero Cras! - Radix Jesse

O come, thou Rod of Jesse, free
thine own from Satan's tyranny;
from depths of hell thy people save,
and give them victory over the grave.

O come, thou Root of Jesse's tree,
an ensign of thy people be;
before thee rulers silent fall;
all peoples on thy mercy call. 

O Flower of Jesse's stem, you have been raised up as a sign for all peoples; kings stand silent in your presence; the nations bow down in worship before you. Come, let nothing keep you from coming to our aid.

Radix Jesse

Root of Jesse

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. Micheas 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. Romans 15:8-13 For I say that Christ Jesus was minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers. But that the Gentiles are to glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: Therefore will I confess to thee, O Lord, among the Gentiles, and will sing to thy name. And again he saith: Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. And again: Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and magnify him, all ye people. And again Isaias saith: There shall be a root of Jesse; and he that shall rise up to rule the Gentiles, in him the Gentiles shall hope. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing; that you may abound in hope, and in the power of the Holy Ghost. Apocalypse 5:1-5 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne, a book written within and without, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel, proclaiming with a loud voice: Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man was able, neither in heaven, nor on earth, nor under the earth, to open the book, nor to look on it. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open the book, nor to see it. And one of the ancients said to me: Weep not; behold the lion of the tribe of Juda, the root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

Rejoice! Ero Cras! - Adonai

O come, O come, great Lord of might, 

who to thy tribes on Sinai's height
in ancient times once gave the law
in cloud and majesty and awe.

O sacred Lord of ancient Israel, who showed yourself to Moses in the burning bush, who gave him the holy law on Sinai mountain: come, stretch out your mighty hand to set us free.

Adonai

Lord of Israel

Isaias 11:4-5 But he shall judge the poor with justice, and shall reprove with equity the meek of the earth: and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. And justice shall be the girdle of his loins: and faith the girdle of his reins. Isaias 33:22 For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king: he will save us.

Rejoice! Ero Cras! - Sapientia

O come, thou Wisdom from on high,
who orderest all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show,
and teach us in her ways to go.

 
The O Antiphons

The seven "O Antiphons" (also called the "Greater Antiphons" or "Major Antiphons") are prayers that come from the Breviary's Vespers during the Octave before Christmas Eve, a time which is called the "Golden Nights."

Each Antiphon begins with "O" and addresses Jesus with a unique title which comes from the prophecies of Isaias and Micheas (Micah), and whose initials, when read backwards, form an acrostic for the Latin "Ero Cras" which means "Tomorrow I come." Those titles for Christ are:

Sapientia
Adonai
Radix Jesse
Clavis David
Oriens
Rex Gentium
Emmanuel

O Wisdom, O holy Word of God, you govern all creation with your strong yet tender care. Come and show you people the way to salvation.

 These glorious titles in more detail:

Title:	Meaning:	Old Testament prophetic verses:
Sapientia	Wisdom	Isaias 11:2-3 And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: the spirit of wisdom, and of understanding, the spirit of counsel, and of fortitude, the spirit of knowledge, and of godliness. And he shall be filled with the spirit of the fear of the Lord, He shall not judge according to the sight of the eyes, nor reprove according to the hearing of the ears. Isaias 28:29 This also is come forth from the Lord God of hosts, to make his counsel wonderful, and magnify justice.

 

As We Wait in JoYfuL HopE for the Coming of Our Savior

Happy Gaudete Sunday!  I'm a day late at getting this posted, but this Sunday when we light the rose colored candle on our Advent wreathes represents the JoYfuL HopE we have for the coming of our Savior. Christmas is drawing near! The celebration of the birth of our Lord is drawing near. Thus, we are to be filled with joy and thanksgiving for all the blessings in our lives and those to come. God has promised a Savior. He is about to arrive. Have we cleaned house spiritually to be ready for Him?

I can think of two times in the past few years when I have been "exuberantly joyful" and have shared such an expression with those around me. First, in late fall 2008 and early spring of 2009 this seemed to be me. I was so full of joy. The fall semester had brought on a challenge: God was calling me closer and closer to himself, and I had been running the other way for a while. Then, what (or who) I was running towards was gone. For most of September and the beginning of October I was kept myself extra busy and did not face my grief. Some where along the way, I broke (October 2 - Feast of Guardian Angels). Long story short, I attended the Prayer and Action reunion in early November, where a seminarian reminded me that pink (rose) is the color of joy in the Catholic church. I've always been a sucker for the color pink. Short story - I began to seek a deeper relationship with Christ, and even began to look into considering religious life (more about all that another time...). I was joyful.

The second occasion in which I expressed and experienced "exuberant joy" was this past January 2010. A fellow K-Stater and I were up to some spiritual mischief with green scapulars. Also, I had just returned from Christmas break, which had included a trip to Orlando, Florida for the National FOCUS conference. Hmm.

On these two occasions, I felt closer to God than most any other time in my life. That joy is something I wish I could have everyday. Those glimpses of true joy are reminders to me that God's will is being done in my life, in his time. The baby Jesus was born at the right time, and fulfilled the promise of a savior (which we see in the death and resurrection of Christ, later). On this Sunday of Joy, I refocus the hope of God's will being done in my life in His time. Pslam 138:8 "The Lord will fulfill his purpose for you."

I've just moved (today) from my student teaching location to my real job location.  I'm a college graduate. I'm at a new place in life, and have many concerns about my future. It is strange to think that I don't have to keep my boxes around, as I really might be able to live here for more than a year. None the less, I have a joyful hope for all that God will do with me here in this place. "Let it be done unto me, according to your word."

I leave you with the prayer immediately following the Our Father during Mass, when the Priest says:  Deliver us, Lord, from every evil, and grant us peace in our day. In your mercy keep us free from sin and protect us from all anxiety as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

We are reminded at every Mass we attend to wait in JoYfuL HopE, for the coming of Christ in our lives, and eventually, our arrival into eternal life. Aww-spiration.