O Radix Jesse. (Advent Meditations)
by VP
Posted on Thursday December 19, 2024 at 12:00AM in Advent Sermons
“O
Root of Jesse, Who standest for a sign to the nations, before Whom
kings shall shut their mouth, of Whom the Gentiles shall entreat mercy ;
come to set us free, and no longer delay.”
1. The King Who is
to come is of the root of Jesse, since He is of David’s royal line. He
is the true David, Who laid low the spiritual Goliath, the prince of
darkness, who in pagan times defied the power of the living God. He is
above all the Man after God’s own heart, in that the one motive of His
heart was to carry out His Father’s will. If this is the motive power of
my life, then I too am of the root of Jesse, and in spite of failings
am a man after God’s own heart, just in proportion as this motive is
ever present to me.
2. Jesus is a sign to the nations; a sign of
contradiction to His enemies, but before Whom the most powerful will
have to shut their mouth in humble subjection; a sign to His friends,
the men of good-will in every clime and country, who will be drawn to
Him to offer their joyful homage at His feet, entreating of Him that
mercy which He is more ready to grant than they to ask. To me He is a
sign, either fondly loved, or neglected and treated as of no account.
3.
O Root of Jesse, O King and Savior, come and set us free ; free from
all that displeases Thee, free from the snares that entangle our feet,
free from our perverse attachment to our own will, free from the power
of the devil, free from our slowness in obeying Thy commands and holy
inspirations, free from all that hinders us in Thy service ; come and
say the word, and we shall be delivered. "
Saint Andrew Christmas Novena: Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, [here mention your request] through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen. (15 times)
Glory Be (three times).
Infant Jesus, make me love Thee more and more.
Ember Wednesday Advent: Christ is betrayed
by VP
Posted on Wednesday December 18, 2024 at 12:00AM in Meditations
Ember Wednesday in Advent.
"This being Ember-week, we
are required to humble ourselves in fasting and prayer, and to observe
these days according to the spirit of the Church. Beg a blessing on the
fruits of the earth, and pray for all those, who at this time are
promoted to Holy Orders, that they may be worthy ministers of the
Church. It is by God's blessing that the earth is fruitful for the
relief of our necessities. Beg of Him to be favourable to us at this
time, and give His wonted blessing to the earth, that whatever seed is
committed to it may bring forth its increase for our support and
comfort; and that finding the wonderful effects of God's goodness, we
may be mindful of the mercy, and give Him the glory." The Catholic Year, Father John Gother.
Prayer:
Divine Savior Jesus Christ, Thou are the Good Shepherd who gives His life for His sheep. Oh, be in a very special way the Good Shepherd of those poor lost priests who are also appointed by Thee to be leaders of Thy people, but who have broken the oath of their holy ordination and have become unfaithful to their exalted calling. Bestow upon these poorest of the poor the very fullness of that pastoral solicitude with which Thou dost so faithfully seek the sheep that are lost! Touch their hearts with the irresistible ray of grace which emanates from Thine all-merciful love! Enlighten their minds and strengthen their wills, that they may turn away from all sin and error and come back to Thy holy altar and to Thy people. O most compassionate Savior! Remember that Thou didst once redeem the souls of Thine erring priests with Thy Precious Blood and in infinite preferential love didst impress upon them the indelible character of the priesthood. Put wholly to shame those miserable helpers of Satan who lay snares for the virtue of priests and endanger the holy ideal of the priesthood. Most graciously accept our prayers and sacrifices for poor priests who have gone astray and hear our earnest petition. Amen
St. Anthony of Padua, defender of the Holy Eucharist, obtain for us holy priests.
St. John-Mary Vianney, model of sacerdotal holiness, obtain for us holy priests.
St. Francis Xavier, patron of missionary priests, obtain for us holy priests.
St. Therese of the Child-Jesus and of the Holy Face, victim offered for the sanctification of priests, obtain for us holy priests.
Saints and Servants of God, obtain for us holy priests.
Imprimatur - Bishop John F. Null (April 18, 1948)
Litany to Obtain Holy Priests:
Lord, have mercy
Christ, have mercy
Lord, have mercy
Christ, hear us
Christ, Graciously hear us
God, Our Heavenly Father, have mercy on us
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us
God, The Holy Ghost, have mercy on us
Holy Trinity, Three Persons in one God, have mercy on us
Lord, obtain for us priests
Lord, obtain for us holy priests and make us docile to their teachings
Holy Mary, Queen of the Clergy, obtain for us holy priests
Saint Joseph, Patron of the Church, obtain for us holy priests
Saint Michael, splendor and protector of the Church militant, obtain for us holy priests
All you holy Saints and Archangels, obtain for us holy priests
All you holy Patriarchs and Prophets, obtain for us holy priests
All you holy Martyrs and Virgins, obtain for us holy priests
All you holy Bishops and Confessors, obtain for us holy priests
All you holy Priests and Doctors, obtain for us holy priests
All you holy Founders of religious orders, obtain for us holy priests
St. Anthony of Padua, defender of the Holy Eucharist, obtain for us holy priests
St. John-Mary Vianney, model of sacerdotal holiness, obtain for us holy priests
St. Francis Xavier, patron of missionary priests, obtain for us holy priests
St. Therese of the Child-Jesus and of the Holy Face, victim offered for
the sanctification of priests, obtain for us holy priests
Saints and Servants of God, obtain for us holy priests.
To celebrate with reverence the Holy Mysteries, obtain for us holy priests
To offer every day the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, obtain for us holy priests
To feed the people of God with the Bread of life, obtain for us holy priests
To promote the splendors of the Divine Worship, obtain for us holy priests
To regenerate souls through baptism, obtain for us holy priests
To instruct the faithful in the Holy Faith, obtain for us holy priests
To keep the faithful in the fear of the Lord, obtain for us holy priests
To announce to all the Word of God, obtain for us holy priests
To unmask and combat false doctrines, obtain for us holy priests
To fortify the Faith of those who doubt, obtain for us holy priests
To support and encourage those who fail, obtain for us holy priests
To raise up those who fall and to reconcile them to God, obtain for us holy priests
To bring back to God those who rejected Him, obtain for us holy priests
To protect christian morality, obtain for us holy priests
To fight with zeal the corruption of morality, obtain for us holy priests
To bless holy unions, obtain for us holy priests
To defend the honor and sanctity of marriage, obtain for us holy priests
To strengthen the happiness of our christian families, obtain for us holy priests
To fortify and console our sicks and those who suffer, obtain for us holy priests
To assist our dying ones, obtain for us holy priests
To lead our dead to eternal happiness, obtain for us holy priests
To pray and offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for our dead, obtain for us holy priests
To give glory to God, and to give grace and peace to souls of good will, obtain for us holy priests.
Lamb of God, Who take away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who take away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
The Lord chose for Himself priests so that they will offer Him a worthy thanksgiving.
Let us pray: God Almighty and merciful, favorably grant the prayers of
Your faithful and grant to those whom You have given the immense
generosity of your clemency, to be elevated to the service of the
heavenly mysteries, to become worthy ministers at Your sacred altars, so
that their teachings be confirmed by your sanctification, through Our
Lord Jesus-Christ, Amen.
Translated by CAPG (Litanies pour Obtenir de Saints Prêtres: Private Litany to obtain Holy Priests)
O Adonai. (Advent Meditations)
by VP
Posted on Wednesday December 18, 2024 at 12:00AM in Advent Sermons
“
O Lord, and Leader of the house of Israel, Who didst appear to Moses in
a flame of fire in the bush, and didst give to him the law on Mount
Sinai, come to redeem us with Thy stretched out arm.”
1. The
Savior for Whom we look is also Our Lord (Adonai), the Leader and Chief
to whom we have sworn fealty. We speak of Him continually under the
familiar name of Our Lord, and each time we do so we reassert our
acknowledgment of the obligation to follow where He leads, and to be
subject to Him in all things. O happy followers of such a Leader! If we
tread in His footsteps, and obey His voice, He will set our feet in
green pastures, and lead us to the fountains of the water of life.
2.
The flame of fire in the burning bush was a figure of Jesus in Mary's
sacred womb. Holy indeed was the place where God was present, and whence
He promised to His people their deliverance from Egypt. So He still
speaks as if concealed in Mary’s womb, and reminds us that He has made
her holy with a holiness second only to His own; and when we draw nigh
to her we hear His voice announcing to us that He has heard our prayers
offered through her, and will come to deliver us from our enemies.
3.
What shall be our prayer to Him when He inspires us to make our request
with boldness at the throne of grace ? Come to redeem us with Thy
stretched-out arm. Come to deliver us from the effects of our past sins.
Come to deliver us from the attachment to some sin that still lurks
within us. Come to deliver us from all our countless negligences and
imperfections. Come with Thine arm stretched out to ward us from the
foe, O Lord and Lover of our souls. " Meditations # 22 for Advent . By Rev. Richard F. Clarke S.J. The Catholic Truth Society, London 1891
Saint Andrew Christmas Novena: Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, [here mention your request] through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen. (15 times)
Glory Be (three times).
Infant Jesus, make me love Thee more and more.
Ember Days Winter (December 18, 20, 21)
by VP
Posted on Tuesday December 17, 2024 at 12:00AM in Prayers
Let us, therefore, revive Embers days!
Let us again pray, fast, and abstain for more faithful priests!
Wednesday (20th): the day Christ was betrayed (Fast and half-abstinence)
Friday (22nd): Christ was crucified (Fast and abstinence)
and Saturday (23rd): the day Christ was entombed. (Fast and half-abstinence)
"Many Christians, alas, scarcely know the purpose of the Ember days. They have been appointed in order that the faithful pray for good priests, and may supplement their prayers by fasting and good works. Good priests must be obtained through prayer. The greatest blessing for a parish is a good, zealous priest. Those who often pray for priests will draw God's blessing upon themselves, and will experience the assistance and blessing of the priest in the hour of death."Rev. Ferreol Girarday C.S.S.R
The observance of Ember days is a very old tradition, going back to the
Apostolic time and taking after the Roman Pagan customs that held
festivals on each seasons of the year. In 494, Pope Gelasius I used
the Ember Saturdays to confer ordination to the priesthood.
From
their origins, Ember days had a two fold purpose: to pray for the
laborers and for the fruits of the harvest. During these three days,
Catholics were thanking Our Blessed Lord "for the gifts of nature" asking
Him "to teach men to make use of them in moderation, assist the needy"
but most of all to pray for more good priests. Ember Days: Catholic Encyclopedia
In 1969, Pope Paul VI excluded the embers day from being mandatory
days of fast and abstinence and left their celebrations to the
discretion of the local bishops. Even though the US Bishops' Conference
has decided not to celebrate them, we may still choose to do so as a
personal devotion since its observance at home or small communities is
not discouraged:
"17. Vigils and Ember Days, as most now know, no
longer oblige to fast and abstinence. However, the liturgical renewal
and the deeper appreciation of the joy of the holy days of the
Christian year will, we hope, result in a renewed appreciation as to why
our forefathers spoke of "a fast before a feast." We impose no fast
before any feast-day, but we suggest that the devout will find greater
Christian joy in the feasts of the liturgical calendar if they freely
bind themselves, for their own motives and in their own spirit of
piety, to prepare for each Church festival by a day of particular
self-denial, penitential prayer and fasting."
Vigils and Ember Days (USCCB) 1966
"We should never let these seasons pass without adding prayer to our fasts, or it may be compensating fast by prayer. Our prayer should be for the clergy, not only those ordained, though for them especially; but for the Sovereign Pontiff, the cardinals, bishops, parochial clergy, missionaries and religious orders, seminarians; and for the grace of vocation to the priesthood. An excellent prayer for this purpose is the Litany of the Saints, in which so many bishops, priests, and Levites are invoked; or the Rosary may be appropriately said, grouping those for whom we pray into five classes, corresponding to the five decades." Publications of the Catholic Truth Society, (Volume 24)
"The fast of the Ember days has been instituted principally to obtain of God good, holy and zealous priests for His Church. On this point especially depend the honor and welfare of the Church and the salvation of mankind. History proves, beyond all doubt, that a careless and tepid clergy do greater injury to the Church and to the souls of men than a bitter and bloody persecution. Persecution, in its outcome, proves beneficial to the Church and sends heroic martyrs to heaven, but a clergy devoid of holiness and virtue is the scourge of souls and the disgrace of the Church." Rev. Ferreol Girarday C.S.S.R
O Sapientia (Advent Meditations)
by VP
Posted on Tuesday December 17, 2024 at 12:00AM in Advent Sermons
"Before
the feast of Christmas, the coming Savior is welcomed in seven
antiphons, which greet Him under various titles, and entreat Him to come
quickly to enlighten and deliver His people.
“O Wisdom, Who
earnest forth from the mouth of the Most High, reaching in Thy strength
from end to end, and sweetly disposing all things, come and teach us the
way of prudence."
1. The first title given to Jesus is that of
Wisdom. He was the Eternal Wisdom of God, and the source of all wisdom
to men from one end of time to the other. With Him all wisdom ; without
Him no wisdom. Yet I have sometimes fancied myself wise when I was
acting quite apart from Him, and perhaps His wishes or commands. What
utter folly !
2. It is the Eternal Word that disposes all things
sweetly. Everything that happens in heaven or earth is arranged by Him,
and is arranged not unkindly, or harshly, or bitterly,but sweetly. Why
then do I regret what I ought to know He has arranged sweetly, i.e. t
with designs of love for me if I take it in the right spirit ?
3.
Come and teach us the way of prudence. This is our first petition to
Him Who is to come. If only He imparts prudence, all must be well.
Prudence chooses the right end, viz., the glory of God, and the right
means to the end, viz., what we know God asks of us now, and in our
present circumstances. Teach me, O Jesus, that lesson of prudence which
will guide me safe to the kingdom of heaven."
Meditations #21 for Advent . By Rev. Richard F. Clarke S.J. The Catholic Truth Society, London 1891 Digitized by google
Saint Andrew Christmas Novena:
Hail and blessed be the hour and moment In which the Son of God was born Of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, [here mention your request] through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen. (15 times)
Prayer to the Holy Infant for priestsJesus, Divine Infant, I bless and thank Thy most loving Heart for the institution of the priesthood. Priests are sent by Thee as Thou were sent by the Father. To them Thou entrusted the treasures of Thy doctrine, of Thy Law, of Thy Grace, and souls themselves.
Grant me the grace to love them, to listen to them, and to let myself be guided by them in Thy ways. Jesus, send good laborers into Thy harvest. May priests be the salt that purifies and preserves; may they be the light of the world; may they be the city placed on the mountain. May they all be formed after Thy own Heart. And in heaven may they be surrounded by a joyous throng of those they shepherded on earth. Amen.
Glory Be (three times).
Infant Jesus, make me love Thee more and more
16. The Second Coming of Christ (Advent Meditations)
by VP
Posted on Monday December 16, 2024 at 12:00AM in Advent Sermons
1. When the apostles on Mount Olivet were gazing after their Master, Who had just ascended into heaven, two angels stood by them and announced to them that He Who had just vanished from their sight would return in like manner. Our Lord Himself had already declared that He would come again with power and great glory and would sit upon the throne of His glory. At the sound of His approach the dead will rise from their graves to meet Him, and the nations of the world who have not accepted His sway will be filled with unspeakable terror and dismay. What will be the dispositions with which I shall rise again to meet Christ? What would they be now if He were to come to-day?
2. The object of His coming will be to judge the living and the dead. All that is now hidden will be made manifest before the world. All the secret thoughts and whispered words, and actions concealed from the eyes of men, will then be made manifest. How should I like to have all my base and low motives dragged to light, all my unkind words revealed to those against whom they were spoken, all those actions, of which I cannot myself think without shame, proclaimed so that all may behold them ?
3. Our Lord will come, radiant in majesty and glory, to crush His enemies under His feet and reward His faithful soldiers and servants. How great then will be the ignominy and shame of the mighty men of earth, if they have not bowed their neck to the King of kings! How full of joy will be the hearts of all who have humbled themselves before Him! How will they be beautiful beyond compare, and honored before His holy angels! Learn now to humble yourself under the yoke of Christ. "Meditations #16 for Advent . By Rev. Richard F. Clarke S.J. The Catholic Truth Society, London 1891
Saint Andrew Christmas Novena: Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, [here mention your request] through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen. (15 times)
Glory Be (three times).
Infant Jesus, make me love Thee more and more.
15. Rejoice Always. (Advent Meditations)
by VP
Posted on Sunday December 15, 2024 at 12:00AM in Advent Sermons
"1. St. Paul goes beyond the mere command to rejoice, and to rejoice in the Lord ; he also bids us to rejoice always. Is this possible ? Yes, it is quite possible. If it were not, the Apostle would not have imposed it upon us. It is not easy, because our self-love and our selfishness destroy joy. But the saints, who had driven self-love out of their hearts, found it a pleasant and an easy task to be always joyful. If we desire the same, we must do our best to get rid of this hindrance to our joy.
2. How are we to accomplish this task? It must be a gradual one. It is to be arrived at by many acts of submission to the will of God, and to the will of others when opposed to our own ; and the submission must have for its motive, not the intellectual conviction that what we ourselves desire is in itself inferior, but the determination to submit for the sake of submission, and as an act of reverence to God. We must be willing to submit both will and intellect to those set over us, without complaining or questioning their commands. Do I do so?
3. When this painful process is over, and when at length we begin to learn the happiness of giving up our own will to the will of others, we soon begin to receive the reward of our self-conquest. We acquire by degrees an undisturbed calm of soul, and an increasing strength of will, as the fruits of our victory over self, and above all a happy consciousness that we have been learning the lesson of conforming our will to the will of God, in which the happiness of heaven consists. "
Meditations for Advent . By Rev. Richard F. Clarke S.J. The Catholic Truth Society, London 1891
Saint Andrew Christmas Novena:
Hail and blessed be the hour and moment In which the Son of God was born Of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, [here mention your request] through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen. (15 times)
Prayer to the Holy Infant for priestsJesus, Divine Infant, I bless and thank Thy most loving Heart for the institution of the priesthood. Priests are sent by Thee as Thou were sent by the Father. To them Thou entrusted the treasures of Thy doctrine, of Thy Law, of Thy Grace, and souls themselves.
Grant me the grace to love them, to listen to them, and to let myself be guided by them in Thy ways. Jesus, send good laborers into Thy harvest. May priests be the salt that purifies and preserves; may they be the light of the world; may they be the city placed on the mountain. May they all be formed after Thy own Heart. And in heaven may they be surrounded by a joyous throng of those they shepherded on earth. Amen.
Glory Be (three times).
Infant Jesus, make me love Thee more and more
Third Sunday of Advent: The Character of the Messias
by VP
Posted on Sunday December 15, 2024 at 12:00AM in Sermons
Saint John the Baptist Sees Jesus from Afar (Saint Jean-Baptiste voit Jésus de loin) - James Tissot
"There hath stood One in the midst of you, whom you know not." - St. John 1. 26.
1. St. John the Baptist causes the character of the Messias to be revealed.
2. How blessed are we to know Him so well.
3. Christ's dealings with men all mercy and love.
"The prophets had foretold and partially described the Messias that was to come. But was it not most appropriate that the most explicit testimony of Him and revelation of His character should be given us by and through means of the Baptist? Therefore we find in Advent that St. John is brought before us in the gospels. His preaching, his works had led men to think that he himself was perhaps the Messias. But "he confessed, I am not the Christ," to the priests and levites, who had been sent to question him. "And the next day,' says the gospel," John saw Jesus coming to him and he saith: "Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him who taketh away the sins of the world." "And John gave testimony, saying: "I saw the Spirit coming down as a dove from heaven, and He remained upon Him. and I saw and gave testimony that this is the Son of God" (John 1.).
Moreover, the Baptist later on, when cast into prison by Herod, sent two of his disciples to our Lord, and by his questions causes our Blessed Lord to reveal Himself openly to us — the character and description of our divine Lord given us by Himself! What excuse can man have not to know Him; and knowing Him, not to love Him and follow Him? John's disciples gave his message, "Art Thou He that art to come, or look we for another?" "And Jesus making answer, said to them: "Go and relate to John what you have heard and seen. The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise again, the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he that shall not be scandalised in Me" (Matt. 11. 3). Thus the Baptist drew from Christ the description of the character by which He would be known by man. The God of Truth made Man gave testimony of Himself.
How blessed are we, preparing to celebrate the anniversary of the coming of that divine Redeemer, to look upon Him portrayed so clearly by His own Blessed Self! As in those days, so now, there are countless ones that need Him. And He comes to us with the same benevolence, the same readiness, the same power to do us good. Have we not ourselves been amongst the crowds, and have we not ourselves felt the divine touch of His mercy? Perhaps we were blind, and He opened our eyes to the Faith! We may have been lying helpless on the road to heaven, powerless to proceed, and the lame have been made to walk. Lepers in sin, more than once - yea, many a time - have we been cleansed and forgiven. Alas! perhaps for years, our souls, dead to God through sinful habits, have been raised to life again by His grace. And our hard, laborious lives have been sweetened and filled with hope of eternal joy in heaven, because we poor have had the gospel preached to us.
It is well for us to realise this merciful character of the Saviour. It was not always thus. Formerly, under the old Law, the Almighty was the God of justice. His wrath flamed out; His vengeance overtook the wicked. But now with the coming of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, how different! And this is why the Baptist gave testimony of Him and our Lord revealed Himself, so that no one could mistake the object of His coming, and no one feel that he was too utter an outcast not to be forgiven.
Then why did the Redeemer thus come, filled with compassion, ready and longing to befriend and forgive? Becoming Man Himself, He wished to be one with us, to dwell amongst us, to share our sorrows, to take upon Himself our sins and miseries: for He remembered that we were but the dust of the earth-poor, weak, and helpless creatures. He had in His mercy created us for Himself, and He came to restore us, to re-establish us, that we once again might be "the sons of God and heirs with Christ.' He is the Saviour, who "loves the souls of men."
And again, He came pitying us, ready to help us, for He knew the enemies that would plot our ruin. He could not leave us helpless amidst such perils. It was through spite and hatred against Himself that the devil would never cease from trying to work our ruin. The envy of the evil one is our constant danger. Envy because the Redeemer came to raise us up and fit us for the thrones left empty by the fallen angels. To know that we are meant through the Redemption of Christ to reign in glory, whilst the fallen spirits pine in the abyss of misery, is the cause of the enmity, which can never cease, between the devils and the souls of men.
The Blessed Redeemer came to do all that even an Almighty and all-loving God could do to save poor mankind from eternal death. He came to save His people from their sins."Will it not, then, be all our own sad, miserable fault if the evil one prevails against us? Shall we not, then, welcome Him at this holy time, and offer Him loyalty and loving obedience? Trust in His goodness, for He came " to seek and to save that which was lost." Short Sermons on the Epistles and Gospels of the Sundays of the Year by Fr. Francis Paulinus Hickey
Rorate Caeli Masses
by VP
Posted on Saturday December 14, 2024 at 12:00AM in Tradition
St. Mary, Garner NC, Picture used with permission ©MW
"The Rorate or Angel's Masses, are really Advent Masses, because they are said only in Advent. They are called Rorate Masses because the Introit begins with the words: "Rorate caeli desuper" - "Drop down dew, ye heavens." They are also called Angels' Masses, because the Gospel is read in which the Archangel Gabriel brought the Blessed Virgin Mary the message that she should conceive of the Holy Ghost.
(...)
They are said early in the morning, before the rising of the sun. It is still night when the bells ring out and give the first sign to the faithful, addressing to them, as it were, the words of the Apostle: "Brethren, know that it is now the hour for us to rise from sleep, for now our salvation is near." Roman 13:11. The faithful assemble in the church, where the Rorate Mass is said. Whilst the word outside is veiled in darkness, the church, especially the altar, is lighted up with many candles. A symbol rich in meaning. What does the mysterious obscurity outside signify but the darkness of idolatry, of sin, and of spiritual misery, in which man, after separating himself from God, lay buried; while the burning lights in the church remind us of Jesus Christ, the light of the world, "The Orient from on high hath visited us, to enlighten them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death." Luke 1: 78,79. The Rorate Masses, however, are not said at midnight, but in the morning, shortly before the break of day, for the reason that they refer to Mary, this spiritual dawn, which immediately precedes Jesus Christ, the Sun of Justice.
The Rorate Masses have a joyful celebration with solemn chant and the accompaniment of the organ. This is beautifully significant, first, because the Rorate Masses represent the mystery of the Incarnation of Christ, as a mystery which must fill every Christian heart with joy; secondly, because these Masses announce the mystery of the Incarnation near at hand, referring to Gabriel, who approaches Mary, and brings her the message that she has been selected by God to become the Mother of his Son.
(...)
The contents of these Masses refer in everything to the mystery of the Incarnation in the chaste womb of the blessed Virgin Mary.
a. The Introit of the Mass has reference to this mystery, "Drop down dew, ye heavens, and let the clouds rain the just; let the earth be opened, and bud forth a Saviour." Isaiah 45:8. These words express the mournful sighing of the people in the Old Law for the promised Redeemer, and form the principal idea of Advent. This longing for the coming of the Redeemer must animate us; for, if Jesus is to come into our hearts with His grace, we must have a longing for Him. To him who has no desire to possess Jesus, our Christmas will be as little of a festival of grace as the first Christmas at Bethlehem was to Herod, to the high-priest, the Scribes, and the Pharisees. The Incarnation of Christ is also the prevailing sentiment in the three prayers of the Rorate Masses.
b. The Epistle contains the prophecy of Isaiah on the conception and birth of Christ by the Blessed Virgin Mary. By the command of God, the prophet had called upon Achaz, King of Judea, to ask for a sign from heaven, that his faith might thereby be strengthened. But Achaz, perverse as he was, rejected this invitation, and told the prophet that he would ask no sign. The prophet reprimanded him, and told him that God Himself would give a wonderful sign; which he recalled to him in these words: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bring forth a son, and he shall be called Emmanuel." Is. 7:14. The Virgin of whom the prophet here speaks is the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the Emmanuel, that is, God-with-us, whom she was to conceive and bring forth, is Jesus Christ.
The fulfillment of this prophecy is narrated in the Gospel of the Rorate Masses. It is the same Gospel which read on the Feast of the Annunciation of Mary, and treats of the mystery of the Incarnation. At the very moment when Mary said to the angel: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to thy word," the greatest miracle of the love and mercy of God was performed. The Son of God assumed human nature in the chaste womb of the Virgin Mary. This Gospel forms the boundary line between the Old and the New Testaments; with it the time of expectation is concluded, and the fulfillment of grace begins. For this reason, the Church celebrates the Rorate Masses early in the morning, before dawn, for the night is passed, and day is at hand.
Peroration:
Reflect on the great and solemn mysteries which the Church, in her masses on the Sundays during Advent, and especially in the Rorate Masses, presents to you, and labor with renewed zeal that you may employ this holy season of Advent for the salvation of your souls. Contemplate the great misery into which the human race had fallen; reflect upon the mercies of God, who, in the very beginning, promised, and after four thousand years sent a Redeemer. Consider also what you would be without a Redeemer, and what you are, or rather still may be through him. Practice those holy exercises which are necessary in order to worthily prepare for Christmas and to participate in the graces of that festival. Amen"
14. Rejoice. (Advent Meditations)
by VP
Posted on Saturday December 14, 2024 at 12:00AM in Advent Sermons
"1. The time of preparation is a mingled period of penance and of joy. Of penance, by reason of our sins, which have removed us so far away from God ; of joy, at the prospect of being brought near to Him once more through Jesus Christ. On mid-Advent, as on mid-Lent Sunday, it is the joyful side of the matter that comes before us. More than this, joy is insisted upon as a duty. It seems strange that the command to rejoice should be necessary. Do not all men love joy and seek after it unbidden ? One thing it shows, that God desires that we should be full of joy. Thank Him for this merciful intention, and try and carry it out.
2. Yet it is not all kinds of joy that are recommended to us. There are many kinds of joy that the Apostle would be far from recommending To rejoice in the world is but a sorry kind of joy, on account of its transitory character. Gaudete in Domino , says the Apostle — “ Rejoice in the Lord.” This is the only joy that lasts, and the only joy that is really worth the having.
3. What does St. Paul, mean by rejoicing in the Lord ? He means the joy that is the result of such a love of God as makes us simply wish that His will should be done in all things, and that feels positive joy in seeing the accomplishment of the divine will, quite apart from any personal advantage or disadvantage that may accrue to ourselves. This is the secret of true joy, for then what befalls ourselves is a matter of indifference to us. Be it weal or woe, success or failure, we rejoice in it simply because it is what God has ordained for us. This is the meaning of Our Lord’s words, “ Your joy no man taketh from you.”
Meditations for Advent . By Rev. Richard F. Clarke S.J. The Catholic Truth Society, London 1891
Saint Andrew Christmas Novena:
Hail and blessed be the hour and moment In which the Son of God was born Of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, [here mention your request] through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen. (15 times)
Prayer to the Holy Infant for priestsJesus, Divine Infant, I bless and thank Thy most loving Heart for the institution of the priesthood. Priests are sent by Thee as Thou were sent by the Father. To them Thou entrusted the treasures of Thy doctrine, of Thy Law, of Thy Grace, and souls themselves.
Grant me the grace to love them, to listen to them, and to let myself be guided by them in Thy ways. Jesus, send good laborers into Thy harvest. May priests be the salt that purifies and preserves; may they be the light of the world; may they be the city placed on the mountain. May they all be formed after Thy own Heart. And in heaven may they be surrounded by a joyous throng of those they shepherded on earth. Amen.
Glory Be (three times).
Infant Jesus, make me love Thee more and more
