THEMES

 

 


THE SEASON of ADVENT
Rorate Coeli;   O Antiphons;   Puer Natus



 


ADVENT
 RETREAT
:

 Rorate Coeli desuper
et nubes pluant iustum


Drop down dew, heavens, from above:
And clouds rain down the just one


(Isaiah 43:8)
 

 Illuminated Missal 
Rorate Coeli


 

 

 


 

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  


O_ANTIPHONS

 

 


 


ADVENT
 RETREAT
:

 
The O Antiphons

O Sapientia, O Adonai, O Radix
              
(Sir. 24: 3, et al.)
 

 Illuminated Missal 
O Sapientia.


 

 

 


  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  


PUER NATUS

 

 


 


ADVENT
 RETREAT

  Puer natus est nobis

A child is born for us

                                    
(Isaiah 9.6)

 

 Gherarducci, Illuminated Missal
Puer Natus est
(1395).


 

 

 


A child is born to us, and a Son is given to us: Whose government is upon His shoulder: and His Name shall be called Angel of Great Counsel. (Isaiah 9:6)


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

          INTROIT (Entrance Antiphon)
for
THE MASS of CHRISTMAS DAY
 

 


A child is born to us, and a Son is given to us: Whose government is upon His shoulder: and His Name shall be called Angel of Great Counsel. (Isaiah 9:6)


 

              u-er    na-tus   est  no-bis,   et  fi-lius   da-tus est no-bis,
                     A  child   is  born   to  us,                     and    a  Son        is  given  to  us:

 

   cu-ius  impι-ri-um   su-per    hϊ-me-rum   e   -  jus
     Whose        government          is  upon                     His  shoulder:

 

      et vo-cα-bi-tur  nomen  ei-    us, magni consν-li-i   An-ge-lus.
         and   His  Name    shall   be   called                 Angel    of    Great    Counsel.

 


V/.  Cantate Domino canticum novum quia mirabilia fecit. (Ps.97. 1)
Sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done wonderful things


 


THEMES


THEMES


1. CHILD/SON

3. GOSPEL/FAITH

2. RULER/STEWARD

4. WISDOM/PARTNER






1. CHILD/SON


 

 


1. GOD AS CHILD AND SON: 
THE GIFT of DIVINE FILIATION
 

 

 


CHILD: יֶלֶד (yeled);  παιδίον (paidion); Puer  

SON: בֵּן (bēn); υἱὸς (huios); Filius


Gherarducci, Puer Natus est (1395)


titles_1


CHILD – vulnerability – dependence on community
SON – hope for future;  One Who will carry on. “I will not be the last”

Lumen Fidei §51 “journey towards a future of hope”

    §52 Faith and the family and what is symbolizes (as sign of  hope)

    §59 DIVINE ADOPTION

“The movement of love between Father, Son and Spirit runs through our history, and Christ draws us to himself in order to save us (cf. Jn 12:32). At the centre of our faith is the confession of Jesus, the Son of God, born of a woman, who brings us, through the gift of the Holy Spirit, to adoption as sons and daughters (cf. Gal 4:4).  [in other words, the titles of child and son are ours, as well!


 

 

 

 

BUT when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.  6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” (Gal.4:4-6) ὅτε δὲ ἦλθεν τὸ πλήρωμα τοῦ χρόνου, ἐξαπέστειλεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ, γενόμενον ἐκ γυναικός, γενόμενον ὑπὸ νόμον,  5  ἵνα τοὺς ὑπὸ νόμον ἐξαγοράσῃ, ἵνα τὴν υἱοθεσίαν ἀπολάβωμεν.  6  Ὅτι δέ ἐστε υἱοί, ἐξαπέστειλεν ὁ θεὸς τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὰς καρδίας ἡμῶν κρᾶζον· αββα ὁ πατήρ.  7  ὥστε οὐκέτι εἶ δοῦλος ἀλλὰ υἱός· εἰ δὲ υἱός, καὶ κληρονόμος διὰ θεοῦ.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


2. RULER/STEWARD


 

 


2. GOD AS RULER:
HUMANITY AS STEWARD
 

 

 


GOVERNMENT: מִשְׂרָה (misrā); ἀρχὴ (archē); Imperium

STEWARD / GARDINER


Medieval Illum Jewish Psalter: Psalm 1, Ashre!


titles_2


DOMINION of GOD - STEWARDSHIP of HUMANITY


Genesis Laudato Si and Theology of Body

Laudato Si,§62 ff.: To “work” and “keep/guard” the Garden (Gen 2:15)


Pope Francis encouraged us to read Dante's Divine Comedy, especially during the Year of Mercy

The Garden as Dante's Image of restored Heaven


PRAYER and CONTEMPLATION RECREATE THE GARDEN
in
OUR HEARTS


Medieval Illum Jewish Psalter: Psalm 1, Ashre!


 

 

 

 

 

 

 


3. GOSPEL/FAITH


 

 


3. GOD AS GOSPEL:  HUMAN FAITH
in
THE GOOD NEWS
 

 

 


MESSENGER: [פִּלְאִי (pil’ξ) wonderful]; ἄγγελος (angelos); Angelus  

GOSPEL: εὐαγγέλιον (euangelion); GOOD NEWS


Andrei Rubilev, The Blessed Trinity (c.1425)


titles_3


THE GOOD NEWS of DIVINE LOVE
WE ARE THE HERALDS of DIVINE COMPASSION

Fundamental Problem: We have a predisposition to believe that God is grasping, exacting, “Jealous of His prerogatives.”

CATECHISM §397-400
 

In our moral exhortation we sometimes act as if we are afraid that if grace is [excessively] preached, sin will abound: Paul’s ancient question:


 

 

 

 

WHAT shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? (Romans 6:1) Τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν; ἐπιμένωμεν τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ, ἵνα ἡ χάρις πλεονάσῃ;

 

 

 

 


Pope Francis - MISERICORDIA et MISERA (Mercy [with those in] Misery)

Rorate Coeli: consolamini, consolamini, populus meus...(Is 40:1)

We can become a people who bless Pope FRANCIS: A People Who Bless

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


4. WISDOM/PARTNER


 

 


4. GOD AS WISDOM:  EVANGELIZATION
AS ADVOCACY AND PARTNERSHIP
 

 

 


COUNSELOR: יוֹעֵץ  (yō‘ēs) ; βουλή (boulē); Counsilium

ADVOCATE: παράκλητος (paraklētos); HELPER


Duccio, Siena Maesta: Emmaus (1310)


titles_4


COUNSEL / PRUDENCE / WISDOM


– How and when to communicate

– Companioning, walking with; learning language, inculturation

  THE NEW EVANGELIZATION;

Evagelium Gaudii on Proclaiming Gospel (esp.§ 259-266)

Amoris Laetitia (nav) on Companionship with People of God on Journey

Duccio, Siena Maesta: The Healing of the Blind Man (1310)

 

WE GO TOGETHER TO GOD
     The Rule of Benedict, ch. 72

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


EXAMINATION of CONSCIENCE

 

 


AN EXAMINATION of CONSCIENCE
(Virtues and Vices of the Tripartite Soul)


 

 

 



[1. DESIRE – Epithumia]

WE give thanks to you, Almighty God, for your gift to us of spiritual DESIRE, of a longing within us that impels us out of isolation and into your creation, where we catch glimpses of your beauty in the things you have made.  Grant us the gifts of balance and ordering in the expression of our desire.

Forgive us for not treasuring and using well the gifts of food and drink,
   We pray to you, Lord,
     
Lord, hear our prayer.

We ask your forgiveness for the times when our response to the beauty of other human beings has led us into fantasies, words, or deeds that do not find their final meaning in you:
   We pray to you, Lord,
     
Lord, hear our prayer.

Forgive us for the time and energy we have wasted in pursuing money, property, or possessions that do not serve your purpose:
   We pray to you, Lord,
     
Lord, hear our prayer.

Help us to reconsecrate to you our deepest desires, that you may transform our gluttony, our lust, and our avarice into selfless love:

       We pray to you, Lord,
         
Lord, hear our prayer.


[2. ZEAL – Thumos]

WE give thanks to you, Almighty God, for your gift to us of spiritual ZEAL, for enthusiasm and dedication in opposing evil and attempting things that are difficult.  Show us how to direct our righteous indignation only at the root causes of evil and injustice, never confusing the demonic with human beings for whom you died and who bear your image.

Forgive our inappropriate and misdirected anger, especially the times we have been cruel or unkind to those who deserve our gentleness and compassion:
   We pray to you, Lord,
     
Lord, hear our prayer.

We ask your forgiveness for the times we have turned our indignation inward, nursing what seemed to be injustices and wrongs done to us, imagining that were martyrs:
   We pray to you, Lord,
     
Lord, hear our prayer.

Forgive us for preferring spiritual numbness and anesthesia to active engagement in doing your will.  For the times we have succumbed to torpor and cynicism:
   We pray to you, Lord,
     
Lord, hear our prayer.

Teach us to reconsecrate to you our spiritual zeal, that we may rejoice in your calling and in our vocation to be your eager servants:

       We pray to you, Lord,
         
Lord, hear our prayer.


 [3. VISION – Nous/Theoria]

WE give you thanks, Almighty God, for your gift to us of spiritual VISION and thirst for truth.  Grant us the gift of prudence, of knowing how and when to proclaim your Good News in words and images your people can understand.  Make us constantly aware of how much we receive from them and from you.

We ask your forgiveness for the times we have imagined that we are the origin of the good we do.  For refusing to acknowledge that everything we are is a gift we have received from your people and from you:
   We pray to you, Lord,
     
Lord, hear our prayer.

Forgive our superficiality, our failure to acknowledge and proclaim your presence in the world, and especially in the people you have created:
   We pray to you, Lord,
     
Lord, hear our prayer.

We ask your forgiveness for the times we have preferred isolation and separation to community and engagement, for viewing people and circumstances as means to our ends, rather than as reflections of your splendor – in short, for preferring hell to heaven:
   We pray to you, Lord,
     
Lord, hear our prayer.


LORD, you are the author of our DESIRE, our ZEAL and our capacity for CONTEMPLATION.  Renew and restore your gifts within us, and accept the offering we now make to you of all we are.  Forgive, heal, and transform us:

       We pray to you, Lord,
         
Lord, hear our prayer.


 We pray together as our Lord Jesus taught us:  Our Father ...


 


 

 

 

COLLECT:

 

Almighty God,to whom all hearts are open,

all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden;

Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,

That we may truly see into our hearts

And offer to you all we find there.

Help us truly to believe in your mercy and your power to heal and renew

That we may repent and discover again the power

to perfectly love you,

and worthily proclaim your name,

We ask this through Our Lord Christ who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit. One God, Forever and ever.

Amen.

 


 

Matthew 11:28-30  28

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.


 

 

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