Twice in two days, the Lectionary has given us the Visitation story from Luke’s gospel as our daily bread from scripture at Mass. So, what’s my response: to rush right through the all-too-familiar tale?
Author Archives: John Schroeder
Today’s find: Leaper
Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: Advent, Emmanuel, Hypostatic Union, Luke, Matthew, Visitation
Today’s find: O Radiant Dawn
On this, the shortest day of the year (in the northern hemisphere), we look with longing to our true Light, as we pray the fifth of the O Antiphons in these final days of Advent:
O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice:
come and shine on those who dwell in darkness
and in the shadow of death!
Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: Advent, O Antiphons, Radiant Dawn, True Light, Winter solstice
Today’s find: O Key of David
For those in prison…and for those imprisoned by any deadly sins in their lives…we look with hope and expectation toward Jesus, the Key of David…in the fourth O Antiphon that’s prayed during these final days of Advent:
O Key of David,
opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom:
come and free the prisoners of darkness!
Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: Advent, Kairos Prison Ministry, Key of David, Menard, Menard Correctional Center, O Antiphons
Today’s find: O Root
The third ‘O Antiphon’ in these last days of Advent alludes to salvation history — the promises made to King David, his father Jesse…and all those before and after them who have been waiting (perhaps not so patiently) for their Savior:
O Root of Jesse’s stem,
sign of God’s love for all his people:
come to save us without delay!
Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: Advent, O Antiphons, O Radix, O Root
Today’s find: O Adonai
The second ‘O Antiphon’ in these last days of Advent invokes Adonai, the Hebrew word for “Lord” or “Lord of Lords”:
O Adonai of ancient Israel,
who showed yourself to Moses in the burning bush,
who gave him the holy law on Sinai mountain:
Come, stretch out your mighty hand to set us free.
Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: Adonai, Advent, O Antiphons
Today’s find: O Wisdom
Today, we begin the home stretch of our Advent season of anticipation…with the countdown of the ‘O Antiphons’…a thousand-year-old liturgical tradition that will continue through Christmas Eve. So perhaps a holy pause is in order, to savor the first in the series:
O Wisdom of our God Most High,
guiding creation with power and love:
come to teach us the path of knowledge!
Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: Advent, O Antiphons, Wisdom
Today’s find: Rejoice
I fully expected to do a little dancing inside the prison today. Alas, it was not to be.
Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: Gaudete, Gaudete Sunday, Joy, Jubilee of Mercy, Jubilee Year of Mercy, Mercy, Rejoice, Third Sunday of Advent, Zephaniah
Today’s find: Roiled
At times, I wish Jesus wasn’t quite so good about keeping his promises.
Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: Advent, Isaiah, Jubilee of Mercy, Jubilee Year of Mercy, Mercy
Today’s find: Mercy
It seems an odd choice, for Pope Francis to make today’s feast the starting point for the Jubilee of Mercy.
Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: Grace, Immaculate Conception, Jubliee of Mercy, Mercy, Mother of Mercy, Pope Francis, prevenient grace
Today’s find: Delight
Leaving lunch yesterday, a friend mentioned how hard it’s been for him to get Advent to “take” this year.
Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: Advent, Delight, Incarnation, Infant, Psalm 149, Returning The Gaze
