The Pious Sodality of Church Ladies: Advent

Showing posts with label Advent. Show all posts

Thursday, November 25, 2021

An Advent devotion that you really can have ready by Sunday

I recently got bombarded by requests for access to the Fine Art Jesse Tree ornament files (apparently, a server update had switched sharing off for all of them), so I thought I'd take the opportunity to reshare them, especially for those of you who might be looking for a good last-minute option. The back-to-back file can just be printed double-sided on sturdy paper and cut out, or, if you have a little more time and energy, you can laminate them, or print them out single-sided and glue to colored cardstock.

Ideas on how to use the ornaments in your family prayer time can be found at the original post.

All of the files can be found below:

Have a blessed Advent!

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

O 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.

Image source: Bernardo Zenale, "Nativity"

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

O Desire of Nations

O come, Desire of nations, bind
All peoples in one heart and mind;
Bid envy, strife and quarrels cease;
Fill the whole world with heaven’s peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

Image Source: Carracci, "Christ in Glory," 1597-98

Monday, December 21, 2015

O Dayspring

O come, Thou Dayspring, from on high,
And cheer us by Thy drawing nigh;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death's dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice ! Rejoice ! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

Image source: Van Gogh, "Wheat Field with a Reaper at Sunrise," 1889

Sunday, December 20, 2015

O Key of 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.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

Image source: Raphael, "The Liberation of St Peter," 1614

Saturday, December 19, 2015

O Root of 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 o'er the grave
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

Image source: Geertgen, "The Tree of Jesse," 1480s

Friday, December 18, 2015

O Lord

O come, O come, Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai's height,,
In ancient times didst give the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice ! Rejoice ! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

Image source: Guido Reni, "Moses with the Tablets of the Law," 1624

Thursday, December 17, 2015

O Wisdom

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
And order all things, far and nigh;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And cause us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

Image source: Tiziano, "Wisdom" c. 1560

Saturday, December 5, 2015

St Nicholas Day preparations

This afternoon, we got things ready for St Nicholas Day.

The stockings were hung from the chimney with care, in hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

(Since I have never been home on Christmas Day since my marriage, we use our stockings instead of shoes.)

It's amazing what you can find with a $5 limit per person. Candy canes for all, a thrift store sweater for Mom, an intriguing bottle from the clearance table for Dad, and Christmas tree ornaments for the kids (that they will take with them for their own tree when they leave home).

A Thanksgiving guest brought a package of spekulatius, a traditional cookie for St Nicholas Day, saving me from baking my own. Some years I have made gingerbread instead. We'll have these with tea before Vespers at the Abbey tomorrow afternoon.

"St Nicholas" and I also put together some care packages for neighbors, which we will deliver before Mass tomorrow.

Monday, November 30, 2015

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, 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.

To be recited 15 times a day between St Andrew's Day (November 30) and Christmas.

Image Source: Antoniazzo Romano, Nativity with Sts Andrew and Lawrence

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Jesse Tree: The Word Made Flesh

Apse Mosaic, San Clemente, Rome. 1130.

John 1:1–18

O magnum mysterium, et admirabile sacramentum, ut animalia viderent Dominum natum, jacentem in praesepio! Beata Virgo, cujus viscera meruerunt portare Dominum Christum. Alleluia.

O great mystery, and wonderful sacrament, that animals should see the new-born Lord, lying in a manger! Blessed is the Virgin whose womb was worthy to bear Christ the Lord. Alleluia!

Music: O Magnum Mysterium, Victoria.