STORY OF THE DAY - SEASON OF JOY

She asked me when the season of joy
was supposed to end & I said I didn't
really think there was an exact date, so
we left the tree up till June that year.

From StoryPeople.

PLEASE PRAY FOR LAWRENCE AND DORA

Dear Mimi,
After a few moments of hope, my dad Lawrence, collapsed again and was rushed to hospital. The doctor said his pressure is good but now the problem is that his veins are now so conscripted and they is nothing that can be done for him except to make him comfortable. I am in London and trying to find flights to Zimbabwe from London to Zimbabwe and it is proving difficult. Please pray that I can get flights in time to see my dad alive and alert. And also that he remains comfortable. I have not completely recovered from my mother's death in 2004 who died as I left my house for the airport. I want to see my dad alive but only if waiting form is not prolonging pain. Thanks for the prayers.
Dora (Rudo)

PS. Got tickets and it seems my dad is already giving his final will and testament. My flight is for 30th and I hope he can wait for us to get there

Lawrence, may God the Father bless you, God the Son heal you, God the Holy Spirit give you strength. May God the holy and undivided Trinity guard your body, save your soul, and bring you safely to his heavenly country; where he lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.

(Book of Common Prayer)

O God, our heavenly Father, whose glory fills the whole creation, and whose presence we find wherever we go: Preserve those who travel, especially Dora; surround her with your loving care; protect her from every danger; and bring her in safety to her journey’s end; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

(Book of Common Prayer)

Dora, may the God of all grace fill your heart and mind with the peace that passes understanding as you await the journey to be with your father, Lawrence.

UPDATE: From Dora (Rudo):

Thanks for the prayers and the words. I am not at all discouraged. It is good to know that there is a community praying for my dad and my family. The waiting is a bit tough. I have seen and talked to him on skype and he seems comfortable. I hope whatever happens I will be able to accept.

Thanks for checking in, Dora. We will continue our prayers for your father and for you and your brother to get to Zimbabwe in time.

"...JESUS CHRIST IS BORN!"

A BLESSED AND MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

"FOR A CHILD HAS BEEN BORN FOR US...."

Caravaggio - "Adoration of the Shepherds" - 1609 - Museo Nazionale, Messina

O God, you have caused this holy night to shine with the brightness of the true Light: Grant that we, who have known the mystery of that Light on earth, may also enjoy him perfectly in heaven; where with you and the Holy Spirit he lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen

Isaiah 9:2-7

The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
on them light has shined.
You have multiplied the nation,
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as people exult when dividing plunder.
For the yoke of their burden,
and the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor,
you have broken as on the day of Midian.
For all the boots of the tramping warriors
and all the garments rolled in blood
shall be burned as fuel for the fire.
For a child has been born for us,
a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
and he is named
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His authority shall grow continually,
and there shall be endless peace
for the throne of David and his kingdom.
He will establish and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time onwards and for evermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Luke 2:1-20

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,

‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favours!’

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

A BLESSED AND MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

PLEASE REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS TODAY...

...those in our community and beyond who will spend this Christmas in pain and/or alone and/or unemployed and/or exiled from their church.

From MadPriest at Of Course, I Could Be Wrong.

"O HOLY NIGHT" (NAVAHO)

A Christmas Card with Jana Mashonee's rendition of "O Holy Night" in Navajo. It is accompanied by appropriate winter scenery on Navajo land featuring original artwork by Daniel Tate.

H/T to Ann at What the Tide Brings In.

INTELLECTUALS AT THE NUDIST COLONY

Two intellectuals were at a nudist colony. They were talking, and one asked the other, "Have you read Marx?"

And the other replies, "Yes, it's the wicker chairs."

Don't blame me. Blame Bruce (aka Canon Itchy).

LAST MINUTE DECORATING?

Jesus tree topper from Ship of Fools




Nativity rubber duckies also from Ship of Fools

Thanks to Cathy for the links.

CHRISTMAS DRAGON

What's that supposed to be? I said.
That's a Christmas dragon, he said. If
Santa rode around with this instead of
all those reindeer I think it'd put real
teeth in the naughty-or-nice thing.

Love it, love it, love it.

From StoryPeople.

THE TREE OF JESSE

Jan Mostaert - "The Tree of Jesse" - 1485 - Oil on panel

Out of the old man's abdomen grows a strange tree. Sitting on the branches, which seem to reach up to heaven, are colourfully clothed men. At the top of the tree, the very crown, is the Virgin Mary with her child on her lap and surrounded by angels. The old man is Jesse, ancestor of the royal house which traditionally produced the likes of Solomon, David and Christ. Sitting on the branches of the tree are Jesse's descendants. Artists usually depicted the Jesse tree schematically: a trunk with branches depicting the ancestors of Jesus. Jan Mostaert's approach was different. He turned Jesus' family tree into a real tree, in a monastic garden.

Now Lapin tells me. Better late than never.

That can't be comfortable.

Click on the picture for the larger view.

From the RijksMuseum.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY

From Dora (aka Rudo):

Thanks for your prayers. My dad continues to be in need of prayer because he had another stroke on Wednesday. He is now in hospital and his blood pressure continues to be high. Pray that he gets the new medication soon and that he responds well to it.
Thanks,
Dora


O God, the strength of the weak and the comfort of sufferers: Mercifully accept our prayers, and grant to your servant Dora's dad the help of your power, that his sickness may be turned into health, and our sorrow into joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

AWWW...

From Jim Burroway at Box Turtle Bulletin:

Via Sen. Harry Reid’s Twitter feed: “Five months after I promised to repeal #DADT, I’m so happy to give back this West Point ring to [Lt. Dan Choi] @ltdanchoi.”

UPDATE Lt. Dan Choi:

The next time I get a ring from a man, I expect it to be for full, equal, American marriage.

RAIN OR SNOW?

A Russian couple were walking down the street in Moscow one night, when the man felt a drop hit his nose. "I think it's raining," he said to his wife.

She felt a drop also. "No, that felt more like snow to me," she replied.

"No, I'm sure it was just rain," he said.

Well, as these things go, they were about to have a major argument about whether it was raining or snowing. Just then they saw their local Communist Party official walking toward them. "Let's not fight about it," the man said, "Let's ask Comrade Rudolph whether it's officially raining or snowing".

As the official approached, the man asked, "Please tell us, Comrade Rudolph, is it officially raining or snowing?"

"Da; it's raining, of course," he replied, and walked on.

But the woman insisted: "I know that felt just like snow!" to which the man quietly replied:

"Rudolph the Red knows rain, dear".

Don't blame me. Blame Paul (A.).

I leave it to you, my readers, to decide what Paul (A.)'s punishment should be, because, as I see it, a simple dismissal from the stage is far too lenient.

PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING FOR DAVID

From Ann, whose son-in-law David, had surgery to remove a thyroid tumor. We asked for prayers for him here.

The good news from David:

Just talked to the surgeon-- benign--
no more surgery needed

Thanks be to God, the medical staff, and all who prayed. What a lovely Christmas gift!

OBAMA SIGNS REPEAL OF DADT INTO LAW

From the Advocate:

In front of several hundred LGBT advocates, President Barack Obama Wednesday signed legislation that will allow the military to lift the 17-year-old ban on gays and lesbians serving in the military. The president said the achievement marked a turning point for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender advocates across the nation.

“We are not a nation that says ‘don’t ask, don’t tell.’ We are a nation that says ‘out of many we are one,’” Obama said from the stage, where he was accompanied by Adm. Mike Mullen, Zoe Dunning, Eric Alva, House speaker Nancy Pelosi and majority leader Steny Hoyer, Rep. Patrick Murphy, Senate majority leader Harry Reid, and senators Joe Lieberman and Susan Collins. Collins joined the group late and was met with enthusiastic applause, and Murphy received a extended standing ovation when Obama called out his name from the stage.

The repeal of DADT is a major victory for justice and fairness. The time for ending the discriminatory and unworkable policy was long past, but perhaps, we would not have arrived at the repeal of the policy today, had the years since Clinton set the policy in 1993 proved that DADT was unworkable.

I will never forget that a number of gay Arabic languages specialists were discharged under DADT around the time we went to war in Afghanistan and Iraq. Brilliant! Read the New York Times to see what the DADT policy cost the US military, just in the area of Arab language specialists. And that's not to mention the valuable personnel in other service specialties.

Obama and the Congress can take victory laps for the repeal of DADT and for what appear to be sufficient votes to ratify the nuclear treaty with Russia. Thanks due to the Democratic leaders in the US Senate and House for keeping the Congress in session until their work was done and their goals accomplished.

O REX GENTIUM

Antiphon sung by the Dominican student brothers at Blackfriars in Oxford.

December 22

O Rex Gentium, et desideratus earum,
lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum:
veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti.

O King of the Gentiles, yea, and desire thereof!
O Corner-stone, that makest of two one,
come to save man, whom Thou hast made out of the dust of the earth!

Isaiah 9:7

His authority shall grow continually,
and there shall be endless peace
for the throne of David and his kingdom.
He will establish and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time onwards and for evermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Isaiah 2:4

He shall judge between the nations,
and shall arbitrate for many peoples;
they shall beat their swords into ploughshares,
and their spears into pruning-hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more.

Text from Fish Eaters.

A LITTLE JEWISH HUMOR

 

 

Jewish Olympic swimmer

 

 

The woodpecker may have to go!

Don't blame me. Blame merry Suzanne.

CROSSING THROUGH ARIZONA

From undercovernun.

Thanks to Ann.

VOILA! - MY WEE TREE...

...is up!



Yesterday, I carried the tree down from the upstairs closet, uncovered it, set it on the table covered with my pretty red damask tablecloth, and - voila! I bought the tablecloth at 75% off, price $5.99, at an after-Christmas sale several years ago.

The tree is an upscale version of a Charlie Brown Christmas tree, sparse on limbs and needles, but with the decorations, the sparseness doesn't stand out. My grandchildren laugh at my tree every year, but I love it. After Christmas is over, I put the cover back on the tree and carry it up to the closet until next year.

UPDATE ON AILEEN

December 20, 9 p.m.

This is a message from Aileen's cousin, Tammy---

Just talked with Aileen's mom and the doctors put in the trach tube. Aileen responded to her mom by blinking, and she followed her with her eyes. Her blood pressure is stable and her heartbeat as well. She still has a bit of a high temperature. Please keep praying for my sweet, precious cousin Aileen. Thank you all so much for the prayers!!!! We all love her so much and I know she is going to pull
through this.

---Blessings to all, Sally

From Ann. Sally is the priest who ministers to Aileen and Mike.

UPDATE: Prayer request from David@Montreal:

Beloved Giants of prayer & practice
It turns out my cherished cousin Frank is not to see Christmas at home.

They discovered a serious growth on one of his lungs, and he's been hospitalized, with the doctors unable to give any idea how long the treatments will take- especially with holiday scheduling.

They're going to be removing the mass and giving him treatment. The news comes via my Mam who received the call who was quite shaken by this news of her Godson, so she doesn't remember all that Frank shared with her, but she reports that his morale was good- as always- but he specificially asked that I share this news with you, the Giants and ask for your prayers for himself and for Carol.

thank-you

love-always-always Love

David.

PORCUPINES AND GRACE NOTES

From an earlier post at Wounded Bird from an email sent by Susan S.:

Fable of the porcupine

It was the coldest winter ever and many animals died because of the cold.

Some porcupines, realizing the gravity of the situation, decided to group together to share warmth.

This way they were better covered and protected ; however - the quills of each one wounded their closest companions.

After a while they decided to distance themselves one from the other and soon after they began to die, alone and frozen.

So they had to make a choice: either accept the quills of their companions or disappear from the Earth.

Wisely, they decided to go back to being together.

They learned to accept the little wounds that were caused by these close relationships, in order to benefit from what their companions offered.

It was this way that they were able to survive and thrive.

Moral of the story:

The best relationships are not ones that bring together perfect beings, but are instead ones where individuals learn to live with the imperfections of others and can still accept the gifts they have to offer.

Paul (A.) said...

Alternative moral: In order to survive you will have to learn to live with a few pricks.

"THEY HAVE NAMES"

12 U.S. Military Killed in Afghanistan Last Week
12.19.10

US Army SPC Ethan L Goncalo, 21, Fall River, MA
US Marines SSgt Stacy A Green, 34, Alexander City, AL
US Army CPL Sean M Collins, 25, Ewa Beach, HI
US Army Willie A McLawhorn Jr, 23, Conway, NC
US Army SPC Patrick D Deans, 22, Orlando, FL
US Army SPC Kenneth E Necochea, 21, San Diego, CA
US Army SPC Derek T Simonetta, 21, Redwood City, CA
US Army SPC Jorge E Villacis, 24, Sunrise, FL
US Marines Sgt Justin E Schmalstieg, 28, Pittsburgh, PA
US Marines LCpl Jose A Hernandez, 19, West Palm Beach, FL
US Army SPC Sean R Cutsforth, 22, Radford, VA
US Marines LCpl Jose L Maldonado, 21, Mathis, TX

May all who died serving their country rest in peace and rise in glory.

May God give comfort, consolation, and the peace that passes understanding to those who love the departed service members.

Almighty God, we commend to your gracious care and keeping all the men and women of our armed forces at home and abroad. Defend them day by day with your heavenly grace; strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils which beset them; and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

List and title of the post from The Daily Office.



My faded bumper sticker that was once bright yellow, red, and blue.

BLUE CHRISTMAS - THE LONGEST NIGHT

Tonight, many churches will celebrate "Longest Night" or "Blue Christmas" services. From Episcopal Life.

During these shortest days and longest nights of the year, many Episcopal Church congregations are offering services meant to bring comfort to those who struggle to find the joy of the Advent and Christmas seasons.

Often called Blue Christmas or Longest Night services, many take place the evening of December 21, the night of the winter solstice, and are designed for people who are coping with loss. Those people hear the Christmas song that describes "the most wonderful time of the year with the kids jingle belling and everyone telling you 'Be of good cheer'" but instead feel they are living the lyrics of the 1957 hit "Blue Christmas" when Elvis Presley sings "I'll have a blue Christmas without you, I'll be so blue just thinking about you."

My friend, Elizabeth Kaeton, is quoted in the article. Elizabeth says:

"It's probably one of the most pastoral things I do at Christmas," said the Rev. Elizabeth Kaeton.

Kaeton places the rationale for offering a Blue Christmas service squarely within the message of Christmas. Noting that Episcopalians proclaim in The Book of Common Prayer's Preface of the Commemoration of the Dead (pages 349 and 382) that "life is changed, not ended," she said. "I think this message gets carried into this service in a way that Christmas sentimentality doesn't."

"If we really understand why Christ came to us, then you really have to think about death and eternal life," she said.

Amen.

We hold before God:
those for whom life is very difficult;
those who have difficult decisions to make , and who honestly do not know the right thing to do.

We hold before God:
those who have difficult tasks to do and to face, and who fear they may fail in them;
those who have difficult temptations to face, and who know only too well that they may fall to them, if they try to meet them alone.

We hold before God:
those who know that they can be their own worst enemies.

We hold before God:
those who have difficult people to work with;
those who have to suffer unjust treatment, unfair criticism, unappreciated work.

We hold before God:
those who are sad because someone they loved has died;
and any who are disappointed in something for which they hoped very much.

William Barclay

From Celtic Daily Prayer.

Elizabeth posted a lovely Blue Christmas service at her blog, Telling Secrets. Working with rector, Max Wolf, and director of music, Alex Helsabeck, the three produced a lovely service for All Saints Episcipal Church in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

Picture from Adventus.

O ORIENS

Antiphon sung by the Dominican student brothers at Blackfriars in Oxford.

December 21

O Oriens, splendor lucis æternæ, et sol justitiæ:
veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis.

O Dayspring, Brightness of the everlasting light,
Son of justice, come to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death!

Isaiah 9:2

The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
on them light has shined.

Text from Fish Eaters.

Reposted from last year.

"SONGS OF PRAISE"

More about this programme: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00wyj62.

It's a comedy congregation in this sketch from The One Ronnie Show. Harry Enfield, Rob Brydon, David Walliams and Matt Lucas all have something to say in this Songs of Praise sketch.

Thanks to Bruce (aka Canon Itchy) for the link.

O CLAVIS DAVID

Antiphon sung by the Dominican student brothers at Blackfriars in Oxford.

December 20

O Clavis David, et sceptrum domus Israel;
qui aperis, et nemo claudit; claudis, et nemo aperit:
veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris, sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis.

O Key of David, and Sceptre of the house of Israel,
that openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth,
come to liberate the prisoner from the prison, and them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death.


Isaiah 22:22

I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David;
he shall open, and no one shall shut;
he shall shut, and no one shall open.

Text from Fish Eaters.

Reposted from last year. The O Antiphons are now a tradition at Wounded Bird.

R. I. P. NASH ROBERTS

Legendary TV weatherman Nash C. Roberts Jr., revered as much for his calm, level-headed presence as the accuracy of his hurricane path projections, has died at age 92, WWL-TV has reported.

For more than 50 years, Gulf Coast weather-watchers relied on Mr. Roberts to tell them where tropical storms would come ashore.

From before Hurricane Betsy in 1965 to beyond Hurricane Georges in 1998, Mr. Roberts was widely considered the region's most authoritative source for hurricane news.

And in the age of Super Doppler and satellite imagery, there remained for hundreds of thousands of New Orleanians a great sense of relief in seeing Mr. Roberts on screen with his throwback bulletin-board-style weather map and felt-tip pens.

"He was old school, but you know what? I miss that," said Bob Breck, chief meteorologist at Fox affiliate WVUE-Channel 8 and a feisty competitor for many years.

Breck said he admired Mr. Roberts' independent approach to forecasting big storms.

"I think Nash wasn't afraid to fail. He trusted his instincts and he just followed his gut. I think that's what people remember him for.

"He was just a man who was a giant of the industry."

Even after his retirement from WWL-TV's nightly newscasts in 1984, Mr. Roberts would reappear on Channel 4 whenever a serious storm entered the Gulf of Mexico.

For all those years, you didn't hear the definitive word on where the hurricane would make landfall until you heard it from Nash, standing before his bulletin board with his black felt marker, long after the other TV meteorologists had moved on to high-tech computer-generated images. I can't think of a TV forecaster or reporter working today who inspires the trust of a such vast number of people as Nash did amongst the people on the Gulf Coast.

In July 2001, Mr. Roberts announced his full retirement, setting aside his black markers to care for his ailing wife, Lydia.

"I actually prayed that I would outlive her, so that I could take care of her," Nash told WWL news anchor Angela Hill at the time. "That's how it's working out."

The decision by Nash to step away from the job that he loved to care for the love of his life, demonstrates the character and principles of the man who inspired such trust and admiration in thousands of people.

Mr. Roberts' accurate prediction that Hurricane Georges in 1998 would make landfall east of New Orleans, while all the computer models and other television stations were still insisting Georges would drift to the west, earned him national attention.

I will never forget the evening when the very Bob Breck who is quoted in the article appeared on a rival TV station after Nash predicted Hurricane Georges would make landfall in Biloxi, Mississippi. Breck said, "The storm is not going to Biloxi."

Early the next morning, Breck appeared on TV and said in a strained, squeaky voice, "It certainly looks like it's headed toward the Biloxi area".

May Nash rest in peace and rise in glory as he rejoins Lydia, the love of his life.

STORY OF THE DAY - LEAVES OF MUSIC

She seemed to move everywhere
dancing & music followed her like leaves
on the wind.

From StoryPeople.

Lovely, lovely, lovely.

PLEASE PRAY...

From Ann:

Prayers for our son in law - David - who is having a thyroid biopsy and maybe more depending on what they find out. Dec. 20.

Almighty God our heavenly Father, graciously comfort your servant David in his suffering, and bless the means made use of for his cure. Fill his heart with confidence that, though at times he may be afraid, he yet may put his trust in you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

UPDATE ON DAVID:

From his wife, Kristin:

I just heard from David's doctor that the surgery went well and he is in recovery. I'm off to pick him up in a few minutes.

Thanks for all of your good wishes. I'll send out further updates as I get more information.

From Ann:

No report on the biopsy yet.

_________________________________________

From Rudo:

Please add my dad, Lawrence, who is 75 and had a "mini" stroke yesterday. I am a bit anxious because I am not there to see for myself what is going on.
Thanks
Rudo

O God, the strength of the weak and the comfort of sufferers: Mercifully accept our prayers, and grant to your servant Lawrence the help of your power, that his sickness may be turned into health, and our sorrow into joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayers for the families, too, that they may be be at peace.

_________________________________________

UPDATE ON AILEEN:

From Sally Boyd (The priest who ministers to Aileen and her husband Mike):

Hiya, Ann---I pray you are being blessed in all ways. The last update on Aileen was that her liver and pancreas enzyme numbers were better on Friday. However, she was running a "phantom fever" which the doctors were trying to resolve. Otherwise, prayers are requested and appreciated.

THE CHRISTMAS STORY BY KIDS

Adorable! From Doug who said, "This will make you smile." Not only did the video make me smile, it made me laugh. Thank you, Doug!

Enjoy!

JUST A LITTLE EXPLANATION OF CALORIES...

(WARNING: STRONG LANGUAGE FOLLOWS!)

do u have this problem?


Don't blame me. Blame Susan S.

FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT

Isaiah 42:1-12

Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen, in whom my soul delights;
I have put my spirit upon him;
he will bring forth justice to the nations.
He will not cry or lift up his voice,
or make it heard in the street;
a bruised reed he will not break,
and a dimly burning wick he will not quench;
he will faithfully bring forth justice.
He will not grow faint or be crushed
until he has established justice in the earth;
and the coastlands wait for his teaching.


Thus says God, the Lord,
who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
who gives breath to the people upon it
and spirit to those who walk in it:
I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness,
I have taken you by the hand and kept you;
I have given you as a covenant to the people,*
a light to the nations,
to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in darkness.
I am the Lord, that is my name;
my glory I give to no other,
nor my praise to idols.
See, the former things have come to pass,
and new things I now declare;
before they spring forth,
I tell you of them.


Sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise from the end of the earth!
Let the sea roar* and all that fills it,
the coastlands and their inhabitants.
Let the desert and its towns lift up their voice,
the villages that Kedar inhabits;
let the inhabitants of Sela sing for joy,
let them shout from the tops of the mountains.
Let them give glory to the Lord,
and declare his praise in the coastlands.

John 3:16-21

‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

‘Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgement, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.’

Picture from Wikipedia.

O RADIX JESSE

Antiphon sung by the Dominican student brothers at Blackfriars in Oxford.

December 19

O Radix Jesse, qui stas in signum populorum,
super quem continebunt reges os suum,
quem Gentes deprecabuntur:
veni ad liberandum nos, jam noli tardare.


O Root of Jesse, which standest for an ensign of the people,
at Whom the kings shall shut their mouths,
Whom the Gentiles shall seek,
come to deliver us, do not tarry.

Isaiah 11:1, 11:10

A shoot shall come out from the stock of Jesse,
and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
....

On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.

Text from Fish Eaters.

Reposted from last year.