We have journeyed throughout Advent with the people of Israel. We have followed their joys and sorrows. With them we have held fast to the promise that out of desolation God will bring hope and joy. We have attuned our ears to God’s word. We have listened to words of comfort and of challenge. In …
Category Archives: Monastic
O Emmanuel
Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24Luke 1:57-66 Liturgy of the Word O Emmanuel, king and lawgiverdesire of the nations, Saviour of all people.Come and set us free, Lord our God. O Emmanuel O come, O come, and be our God-with-usO long-sought With-ness for a world without,O secret seed, O hidden spring of light.Come to us Wisdom, come unspoken …
Advent Alphabet (Y)
YOUNG MEN This Scripture verse always takes me back to my early 20s and memories of the combinations of things that I just took in my stride. Suddenly falling exhausted was quite a rarity. It’s an entirely different matter now. The context for Isaiah’s words is the promised return from Exile in Babylon, a theme …
Advent Alphabet (X)
CHRISTΧρίστος ‘This is how Jesus CHRIST came to be born.’ Matthew begins his gospel with a lengthy genealogy which requires great concentration, whether you are listening to it or reading it aloud. It’s not unlike having a complicated story plot explained or trying to work out how you are related to a distant relative. The …
O Rex Gentium
Liturgy of the Word 1 Sam 1:24-28Luke 1:46-56 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 creatureyou fashioned out of dust. O Rex Gentium O King of our desire whom we despise,King of the nations never on the throne,Unfound foundation, cast-off …
Advent Alphabet (W)
WILDERNESS Let the WILDERNESS and the dry-lands exult,let the wasteland rejoice and bloom,let it bring forth flowers like the jonquil,let it rejoice and sing for joy. Over the years I have had a number of friends from missionary Religious Orders. One of them in particular brought this passage of Isaiah alive by talking about the …
Advent Alphabet (V)
VALLEY Let every VALLEY be filled in, every mountain and hill be laid low… In Chapter 40 Isaiah announces with great urgency Judah’s triumphal return from exile in Babylon. What was once a valley will now be filled in. There will be no need to scale a mountain either as these will be laid low. …
O Oriens
December 21st Song of Songs 2:8-14Luke 1:39-45 O Radiant Dawn, splendour of eternal light,sun of justice;come, shine on thosewho dwell in darknessand the shadow of death. O Oriens First light and then first lines along the eastTo touch and brush a sheen of light on waterAs though behind the sky itself they tracedThe shift and …
Advent Alphabet (U)
That day, this song will be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city;to guard us he has set wall and rampart about us. Open the gates! Let the UPRIGHT nation come in, she, the faithful one whose mind is steadfast, who keeps the peace, because she trusts you. The people of …
O Clavis David
December 20th Liturgy of the Word Isaiah 7:10-14Luke 1:26-38 O Key of DavidO royal power of Israelcontrolling at your willthe gate of Heaven:Come, break down the prison wallsof death for those who dwell in darknessand lead your captive people into freedom. O Clavis David Even in the darkness where I sitAnd huddle in the midst …