Piddingworth Greg Benton |
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| 'Piddingworth...where St. George's Cross is not yet banned.' --Mark Steyn |
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| Honour all men. Love the Brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the King. (1Peter 2) |
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| Trust in the Lord and He will give you the strength & courage to do your Duty... Rose West Leonard |
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Advent: the Coming of Our God Father Anton Guziel offers a meditation spiced with an account of some Traditional pre-Christmas customs to enable us fully to appreciate the season of Advent – now almost buried in the mire/avalanche of self-indulgent materialism. The four-week long period of Advent – Adventus Domini – prepares us for he coming of the Messiah at Christmas, but it also urges us to be ready for the Last Judgement by ridding ourselves of sin. Saints’ days and solemnities bedeck this season like jewels, helping us to focus more intensely on the mystery of the Incarnation. This solemn period of prayer, penance and preparation was observed in the Western Church from an early period, and we can find sermons and exhortations for Advent dating from the fifth century. The Advent O-antiphons were in use in the time of Boethius (AD 480-524) and were sung to St Bede the Venerable in preparation for death.(d. 735). To mirror the Lenten season, many places kept a forty day Advent, commencing after the feast of St Martin. The eating of roast goose on Martinmas Day was a common custom in Europe until recent times as a kind of mardi-gras. Although the fast was less severe than the Lenten one, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays were marked by ‘the black fast’ when dairy produce, as well as meat, was abstained from. Traditionally, weddings were not contracted during this sacred season, and merry gatherings and dancing ceased. But at the same time, it was a joyous period; people would meet to do winter chores such as spinning flax while telling folk tales, youngsters would be busily employed making Christmas decorations and everyone prepared themselves for the celebration of the coming of the Messiah. Second Coming Neither was the second element of Advent ignored: the focus being very much upon the day of judgement and Christ’s second coming in glory. The use of sombre violet in church and the restrained tone of the liturgy bears witness to that. This eschatological aspect of Advent tends to be overlooked by many Catholics nowadays, let alone the secular world, which ignores the season entirely. The custom of penance and fasting prepares the heart for the season of grace; for Christ’s two-fold coming in the flesh as judge and king. There are many threads to the Advent tapestry, all beautifully interwoven in the Church’s traditional liturgy and devotional life. There is the theme of Christ the bridegroom with his bride, the Church, eagerly awaiting his coming; this theme reaches its zenith with Epiphany and the post-Christmas gospel of the Wedding at Cana. The Perousia is constantly brought to our minds: by the Ember Day liturgy; the Gospel of the first Sunday of Advent; the collect of the vigil of Christmas, as well as the wonderful array of Advent hymnology. We have the juxtaposition of the elements of light and darkness in the Church and the human soul’s struggle through darkness towards the light. This longing and expectation finds expression in the ritual use of candles and lights, like the Advent wreath, Advent candles, and the emblem of the star of Bethlehem leading us to the True Light “who visits us like the dawn from on high” (Benedictus). Advent is also punctuated by a succession of feast days which helped to lighten the sobriety of the season and to remind folk of the forthcoming festivities. Saint Nicholas’ Day (6 December) continues to be a day for gaiety and rejoicing for children. Rural folk sought his succour against the attacks of wolves, and in many countries in Europe, youngsters would eagerly await the arrival of a bearded character with crozier and mitre who would go from house to house, listening to children recite their prayers and catechism, as well as reports of the children’s behaviour during the year from their parents. Saint Thomas’ Day (21 December) was a day when the farmer would bless his cattle, and in Old England carollers would begin their rounds, then called going a-Thomasing. There was even a proper antiphon to St Thomas, sung as part of the O-Antiphon repertoire. Saint Thomas is a sad victim of the Vatican II calendar reform, and his feast now falls elsewhere. Gaudete Sunday, falling in mid-Advent is marked by the use of rose vestments at Mass and the joyous introit rings out: ‘Gaudete in Domino Semper’ The hoary figure of John the Baptist stares out at us from the Gospel as he exhorts us to prepare by penance the way of the Lord. Advent After Gaudete the texts of the Liturgy take a swing from preparation f or the final coming of Christ, to preparing for his more imminent coming at Christmas. In the breviary, the prophecies of Isaiah take on a more jubilant air and we are treated to the lovely Advent homily of St Gregory on the Baptist and St Ambrose on Our Lady. Advent hymns and carols help us to ponder the season. Many are familiar with Bach’s lovely Advent Chorale based on more ancient German Catholic texts and melodies. The Virgin Mother enjoys a particular place in the season, and the Feast of the Immaculate Conception falls firmly in its midst. The carol, ‘O Come, O Come Emmanuel’ shows the Messiah as the fulfilment of Old Testament symbols and signs. It is based on the Great O-Antiphons beginning on 17 December. They identify the Messiah as uncreated Wisdom, Sapientia, through whom all things were made and ordered. He is the Eternal Word, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High. On 18 December he is Mighty Lord Adonai of the Old Covenant. On the following day, he is Radix Jesse. On 22 December he is King and Cornerstone who brings together both Jew and Gentile, and saves all nations. Finally, he is Emmanuel – God with us, awaited by the nations. So also, the hymns for Lauds and Vespers afford us much food for thought. The ‘En Clara Vox’ and ‘Creator Alme Siderum’ show the Messiah waking a world sleeping in sin, the Lamb of God whose longed for coming has freed man from debt, and so, with tears of sorrow, we await his return as judge. The Virgin Mary Mary, the daughter of Zion, has a prominent role in liturgical and devotional texts. The Matins responsories invoke her: “Receive O Virgin Mary, receive the Word of the Lord, brought to you by his angel. You will conceive and bring forth God a s well as Man. You will be called blessed among all women. You will bear a son but remain a virgin undefiled. You will conceive and be a mother still unspotted” (trans. P. Parsch). Mary is Gideon’s fleece waiting to receive the dew which is to be the sign of victory over the enemies of God’s people. This motif figures in the Advent prose – the Rorate Caeli: the response uses the same text as that of the votive Mass of Our Lady in Advent, whereas the verses branch out into the broader acknowledgement of man’s sin, the need for God’s mercy, and finally the looking forward, as did John the Baptist (in his recognition of Jesus) for the coming of the Lamb. So, in this prose, the liturgical ‘threads’ of Advent are neatly drawn together. The words echo the prophet Isaiah, “Drop down dew, ye heavens from above, and let the clouds rain down the Just One.” A custom prevails to this day in Poland, and parts of Central Europe, of singing this anthem and offering a daily votive Mass of Our Lady throughout Advent. Throughout Advent, let us keep watch with the Virgin as she quietly prepares herself to give the world its Saviour. Like fertile soil she receives the heavenly dew to bring forth the Just One. By her compliance with God’s will, desolate Jerusalem will once more shine forth with brightness. Humankind, slumbering in sin, will be awoken by the Sinless One. Through the tender intercession of the Daughter of Zion, the yoke of captivity is lifted from the shoulders of the people who will be comforted by the advent of the Messiah. Sadness will melt away as the promise is fulfilled. We who await his Second Coming as judge will do so with the grace which comes from holy penance. May we be confident to say, “I am ready for the Day of Judgement.” [Taken from "Mass of Ages" November 2006, The Latin Mass Society's quarterly magazine] |
| Rorate Caeli
-The Advent Prose The text of this hymn is frequently used in the Mass and Divine Office during Advent. It is a plea of the Prophets, the Patriarchs, and the entire Church, all of whom long for the coming of the Messiah. As dew comes down from the sky and quenches the dry earth, only to evaporate back, so too will the Messiah come to sae his people and return to heaven. We recall our past offenses and sins and seek forgiveness as we await the birth of Christ for our redemption, a redemption that will bring the waters of life to desolate Jerusalem. — Cantate et Iubilate Deo, Scepter Publishers Pour down, O heavens, from above; And let the skies rain down righteousness. Turn your fierce anger from us, O Lord; and remember not our sins for ever. Your holy cities have become a desert, Zion a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation; our holy and beautiful house, where our fathers praised you. Pour down, O heavens, from above; and let the skies rain down righteousness. We have sinned and become like one who is unclean; we have all withered like a leaf, and our iniquities like the wind have swept us away. You have hidden your face from us; and abandoned us to our iniquities. Pour down, O heavens, from above; and let the skies rain down righteousness. You are my witnesses, says the Lord; and my servant whom I have chosen; that you may know me and believe me. I myself am the Lord, and none but I can deliver; what my hand holds, none can snatch away. Pour down, O heavens, from above; and let the skies rain down righteousness. Comfort my people, comfort them; my salvation shall not be delayed. I have swept your offences away like a cloud; fear not, for I will save you. I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Redeemer. Pour down, O heavens, from above; and let the skies rain down righteousness. Rorate caeli desuper, et nubes pluant iustum. Ne irascaris Domine, ne ultra memineris iniquitatis: ecce civitas Sancti facta est deserta, Sion deserta facta est: Ierusalem desolata est: domus sanctificationis tuac et gloriae tuae, ubi laudaverunt te patres nostri. Rorate caeli desuper, et nubes pluant iustum. Peccavimus, et facti sumus tamquam immundus nos, et cecidimus quasi folium universi; et iniquitates nostrae quasi ventus abstulerunt nos: abscondisti faciem tuam a nobis, et allisisti nos in manu iniquitatis nostrae. Rorate caeli desuper, et nubes pluant iustum. Vide, Domini, afflictionem populi tui, et mitte quem missurus es, emitte Agnum dominatorem terrae, de Petra deserti montem filiae Sion: ut auferat ipse iugum captivatis nostrae. Rorate caeli desuper, et nubes pluant iustum. Consolamini, consolamini, popule meus: cito veniet salus tua:. quare moerore consumeris, quia innovavit te dolor? Salvabo te, noli timere: ego enim sum Dominus Deus, tuus, Sanctus Israel, Redemptor tuus. Rorate caeli desuper, et nubes pluant iustum. |
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| Our Lady Expectation |
| Our Lady the New Advent |
| THE END OF ADVENT Christmas has devoured Advent, gobbled it up with the turkey giblets and the goblets of seasonal ale. Every secularized holiday, of course, tends to lose the context it had in the liturgical year. Across the nation, even in many churches, Easter has hopped across Lent, Halloween has frightened away All Saints, and New Year’s has drunk up Epiphany... Joseph Bottum, FIRST THINGS |