Advent Archives - Page 9 of 11

The Twentieth Day of Christmas Advent: Holy Great Martyr Barbara

12/04/2014

The Holy Great Martyr Barbara lived and suffered during the reign of the emperor Maximian (305-311). Her father, the pagan Dioscorus, was a rich and illustrious man in the Syrian city of Heliopolis. After the death of his wife, he devoted himself to his only daughter. Seeing Barbara’s extraordinary beauty, Dioscorus decided to hide her from the eyes of strangers. Therefore, he built a tower for Barbara, where only her pagan teachers were allowed to

Nineteenth Day of Christmas Advent: Search the Scriptures (The Katavasias, Part III)

12/03/2014

Rod of the Root of Jesse The fourth ode of the katavasias refers to one of the great prophecies predicting the coming of the Messiah: There shall come forth a rod from the root of Jesse, and a Bower shall grow out of his root. The Spirit of God shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and godliness. (Is. 11:1-2) Jesse was

Eighteenth Day of Christmas Advent: Search the Scriptures (The Katavasias, Part II)

12/02/2014

Rod of the Root of Jesse IN OTHER WORDS, the katavasias have a prophetic nature, and they point us to their fulfillment in Jesus Christ: First Ode Christ is born, give glory. Christ comes from heaven, go to meet Him. Christ is on earth, be exalted. Sing to the Lord, all the earth, and sing hymns in gladness, O people, for He has been glorified. Third Ode To Christ our God, the Son who was

Seventeenth Day of Christmas Advent: Search the Scriptures (The Katavasias, Part I)

12/01/2014

Rod of the Root of Jesse Rod of the root of Jesse, and flower that blossomed from his stem, You, O Christ, have sprung forth from the Virgin. From the mount of shaded leafy trees, You, the God who is not material have come to be incarnate from her who did not know wedlock. Glory to Your power, O Lord. (Fourth Ode of the Katavasias of the Nativity) We begin to chant the Katavasias of

Fourteenth Day of Christmas Advent: THE FEAST OF ST. ANDREW (November 30)

11/28/2014

When you saw the God so longed-for walking the earth, O First-called beholder of God, you called out to your brother: “Simon! We have found the One we have longed for!” To the Savior you cried out like David: “As the hart longs for fountains of water, so my soul longs for you, O Christ God:”(Vespers of the Feast of St. Andrew, fourth hymn of the Lity) ON THE FEAST OF ST. ANDREW (November 30)

Thirteenth Day of Christmas Advent: All About Thanksgiving

11/27/2014

By Father Lawrence Farley The Christian Faith is all about thanksgiving. Our secular North American society thinks that thanksgiving is moderately important, and so it has a wonderful Thanksgiving Day feast once a year. I love this feast. Every October…when the leaves start to turn colour and the days become a little cooler, we gather if possible with our extended families and sit down to a turkey dinner. There are no pilgrims and no Plymouth

Twelfth Day of Christmas Advent: Prepare the Way of the Lord!

11/26/2014

Our hymns are “the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord’” (Is. 40:3). Just as St. John the Baptist prepared the way for Christ by calling the people of Israel to repentance (Matt. 3:1-2) so too does the Church prepare us for the Nativity by exhorting us to “bear fruits worthy of repentance” (Matt. 3:8). Repentance begins with humility, contrition, tears, and confession, but it does not end there.

Eleventh Day of Christmas Advent: Let Us Prepare!

11/25/2014

The Church’s command to Bethlehem to prepare and be glad extends also to us. We are invited to go back in time to Judea. This is of course a poetic way of encouraging us to rejoice and marvel-as fervently, as intimately, and as tangibly as hun1anly possible-in the wonder of the Incarnation and of our salvation: Let us celebrate the forefeast of the Nativity of Christ, O people, and raising our minds, let us go

Tenth Day of Christmas Advent: Bethlehem Prepare!

11/24/2014

The Church’s exhortation to get ready for Christmas is conveyed in poetic language. Our hymns command Bethlehem to prepare and make ready for the Nativity of our Lord: Behold, the time of our salvation has drawn near: O Cave, make ready! The Virgin is drawing near to give birth. O Bethlehem, land of Judah, be glad and rejoice, for from you our Lord has dawned. Listen, mountains and hills, and lands around Judea, for Christ

Seventh Day of Christmas Advent: THE ENTRY OF THE MOTHER OF GOD INTO THE TEMPLE (Part II)

11/21/2014

The Temple of God According to the story of the Entry (and the hymns of the Church), the Virgin Mary not only entered the Holy of Holies, but also remained there for twelve years, being fed by an angel: 1 Led by the Holy Spirit, the holy and immaculate maiden is taken to dwell in the holy temple. She who is in truth the most holy temple of our holy God is nourished by an

Tags

The Twentieth Day of Christmas Advent: Holy Great Martyr Barbara

Nineteenth Day of Christmas Advent: Search the Scriptures (The Katavasias, Part III)

Eighteenth Day of Christmas Advent: Search the Scriptures (The Katavasias, Part II)

Seventeenth Day of Christmas Advent: Search the Scriptures (The Katavasias, Part I)

Fourteenth Day of Christmas Advent: THE FEAST OF ST. ANDREW (November 30)

Thirteenth Day of Christmas Advent: All About Thanksgiving

Twelfth Day of Christmas Advent: Prepare the Way of the Lord!

Eleventh Day of Christmas Advent: Let Us Prepare!

Tenth Day of Christmas Advent: Bethlehem Prepare!

Seventh Day of Christmas Advent: THE ENTRY OF THE MOTHER OF GOD INTO THE TEMPLE (Part II)

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