There are two attitudes typical of lukewarm Christians: putting God in a corner – either you do this for me or I won’t go to Church anymore – and washing our hands of those in need. Let us get rid of these attitudes to make space for the Lord who is coming. – Pope Francis
Readings for Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent
Jer 23:5-8. Ps 71:1-2, 12 -13, 18-19, R/ cf v 7. Mt 1:18-24. Mt 1:18-24. www.catholicbishops.ie/readings
The “O Antiphons”
The “O Antiphons” refer to the seven antiphons that are recited (or chanted) preceding the Magnificat during Vespers of the Liturgy of the Hours. They cover the special period of Advent preparation known as the Octave before Christmas, December 17-23, with December 24 being Christmas Eve and Vespers for that evening being for the Christmas Vigil.
The exact origin of the “O Antiphons” is not known. Boethius (c. 480-524) made a slight reference to them, thereby suggesting their presence at that time. At the Benedictine abbey of Fleury (now Saint-Benoit-sur-Loire), these antiphons were recited by the abbot and other abbey leaders in descending rank, and then a gift was given to each member of the community. By the eighth century, they are in use in the liturgical celebrations in Rome. The usage of the “O Antiphons” was so prevalent in monasteries that the phrases, “Keep your O” and “The Great O Antiphons” were common sayings. We might conclude that in some fashion the “O Antiphons” have been part of our liturgical tradition since the very early Church.
The importance of “O Antiphons” is twofold: Each one highlights a title for the Messiah: O Sapientia (O Wisdom), O Adonai (O Lord), O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse), O Clavis David (O Key of David), O Oriens (O Rising Sun), O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations), and O Emmanuel. Also, each one refers to the prophecy of Isaiah of the coming of the Messiah.
Audio: Advent Thought for the Day
Each day during Advent we are bringing you an audio Thought for the Day on a different theme. Today’s Thought for the Day is from Colm Hogan, Church Outreach Officer with Trócaire, the overseas development agency of the Catholic Church in Ireland. In this piece, Colm speaks about this year’s ethical gifts from Trócaire including the gift of trees and how it impacts on the families and communities in receipt of these gifts.
Click below to listen to the audio:
Visual Thought for the Day
Our thought for the day for today for sharing on social media is from Pope Francis.
The Words of Pope Francis
“Christ is alive! He is our hope, and in a wonderful way he brings youth to our world. The very first words, then, that I would like to say to every young Christian are these: Christ is alive and he wants you to be alive!”.
Thus begins the post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Christus vivit (Christ is alive) by Pope Francis published in April. This year’s Advent Calendar is featuring Pope Francis’ words from Christus vivit which he has addressed to young people , and to the entire People of God and published on 2 April 2019. In the document, the Pope explains that he allowed himself to be “inspired by the wealth of reflections and conversations of the Synod” on Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment which took place in the Vatican in October 2018.
Today’s excerpt is on the dangers of exploitation of young people:
Our present-day culture exploits the image of the young. Beauty is associated with a youthful appearance, cosmetic treatments that hide the traces of time. Young bodies are constantly advertised as a means of selling products. The ideal of beauty is youth, but we need to realize that this has very little to do with young people. It only means that adults want to snatch youth for themselves, not that they respect, love and care for young people. (CV 79)
#LivingAdvent 2019
During Advent are sharing family prayers and suggestions for acts of kindness or charity that all of us are encouraged to undertake during the month of December. The Advent Calendar is also also offering tips on how families can care for our common home by having a more sustainable Christmas.
Advent Random Act of Kindness
Pope Francis offered a very wise piece of advice to couples which is particularly apt this third week of Advent as the stresses of preparing for Christmas come to the fore. He said: “It is so important to listen! Husbands and wives need to communicate to bring happiness and serenity to family life.”
So your act of kindness today is for couples: Check in on each other as husband and wife during these busy days. Take time to stop and share a moment together. Make each other a cuppa!
Let’s Be Family – Act of Charity
Support families in need this Christmas. Give what you can to local parish food banks.
Living Advent by Caring for Our Common Home
Think reduce. reuse. recycle during the Christmas period.
Advent Prayers
Our Prayer Intentions for the Day to Pray Together
Prayer for Peace by Pope Francis
Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!
We have tried so many times and over so many years to resolve our conflicts by our own powers and by the force of our arms. How many moments of hostility and darkness have we experienced; how much blood has been shed; how many lives have been shattered; how many hopes have been buried… But our efforts have been in vain.
Now, Lord, come to our aid! Grant us peace, teach us peace; guide our steps in the way of peace. Open our eyes and our hearts, and give us the courage to say: “Never again war!”; “With war everything is lost”. Instil in our hearts the courage to take concrete steps to achieve peace.
Lord, God of Abraham, God of the Prophets, God of Love, you created us and you call us to live as brothers and sisters. Give us the strength daily to be instruments of peace; enable us to see everyone who crosses our path as our brother or sister. Make us sensitive to the plea of our citizens who entreat us to turn our weapons of war into implements of peace, our trepidation into confident trust, and our quarrelling into forgiveness.
Keep alive within us the flame of hope, so that with patience and perseverance we may opt for dialogue and reconciliation. In this way may peace triumph at last, and may the words “division”, “hatred” and “war” be banished from the heart of every man and woman.
Lord, defuse the violence of our tongues and our hands. Renew our hearts and minds, so that the word which always brings us together will be “brother”, and our way of life will always be that of: Shalom, Peace, Salaam!
Amen.
Advent Prayer Intentions
1. May I follow you Lord
in your special love for all,
the most vulnerable
and disadvantaged,
with special concern for,
the hungry, the poor, the old, the sick, and those who have no family.
Source: The Family Prayer Book, Veritas
2. We pray for tolerance;
that divisions in families and in society may be broken down
so as all people can live in harmony.
Winter
Trees are bare,
Frost’s in the air.
Nothing seems to grow.
God’s love is there,
God still takes care
of the winter world, I know.
Advent Music
It’s time for a piece from the Messiah. This is Ev’ry valley shall be exhalted performed by the London Symphony Orchestra.
