Saturday, December 21, 2013

Advent IV:



Angels among us...

The fourth Sunday of Advent recalls the annunciation of Christ's birth, the visitation of the Angel Gabriel to Mary, so the fourth candle on the Advent Wreath may be known as the Angel Candle.

Since Victorian times, we have come to envision angels as sweet and cherubic.  Wrong!  The Angels of Scripture are powerful beings.  When those 'shepherds in the fields abiding, watching o'er their flocks by night' saw them, they quite rightly were scared silly!  Imagine a host of other-worldly beings in the skies above you, creatures who had the power to
  1. Execute Divine judgment (Isaiah 37:36 or Daniel 4: 13-17);
  2. Aid us when we are in deep trouble (Daniel 6 or Acts 12); and
  3. Bring messages from God (Luke 1: 8-20 or 31-33.
In fact, the word 'angel' -- from the Greek -- means "messenger of God" -- and so the fourth candle reminds us of this as the angels bring Good News to Mary, to those shepherds...and to us today:




Friday, December 20, 2013

An Inspiration

From CBC: Jane Van Zyll Langhout,
who knit 1,000 hats for charity this year
for our wee Woolly Theology group at St. Cyprian's...CLICK HERE.

Now if only we could have more hands on deck, and shelters willing to take in hand-made things...



Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Th'Eternal Ruler of the Ceaseless Round...

Image courtesy of fisheaters.com
...has brought us back to Advent's Ember Days again.  

 In several Christian traditions -- including the Anglican, the Advent Ember Days are observed in the week between the Third and Fourth Sundays of Advent.  "Ember" in this case doesn't refer to the coals of a dying fire.  Rather, it stems from the Anglo-Saxon word ymbren, meaning a circuit or revolution (ymb = around; ryne = a course, as in running).  In a nutshell, the Ember Days, which occur four times in the church year, are a Christian honouring of the meteorological seasons.  (Think Vivaldi, aka The Red Priest.)

The Advent Ember Days are intended as a reflection of Winter, a season of hope -- because despite the cold and snow, we await the arrival of the One Born in Bethlehem, whose Resurrection fills us with hope.  They are also a celebration of the Annunciation -- the appearance of the Angel Gabriel to Mary to inform her that God had chosen her to be the mother of the Christ -- and the Visitation, Mary's subsequent visit to her cousin Elizabeth, pregnant with the child who would grow up to be known as John the Baptizer.  

Between the Third and Fourth Sundays in Advent (or sometimes the week prior -- shortly after the Feast of St. Lucia (aka St. Lucy)), there are three designated Ember Days for fasting and reflection: Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.  Wednesday and Friday are traditional fast days in the Church; why Saturday was added is a bit complicated, so I invite you to read about it HERE, and perhaps fast and reflect as we move ever closer to Christmas.

Eternal Ruler of the ceaseless round
Of circling planets singing on their way;
Guide of the nations from the night profound
Into the glory of the perfect day;
Rule in our hearts, that we may ever be
Guided and strengthened and upheld by thee.*

*Hymn: "Eternal Ruler of the Ceaseless Round", v. 1 - John Chadwick, 1864,

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Living Sacramentally II


 This is the second excerpt in a series written by Pastor Lee about her spiritual work with the icon "Mary the Intercessor".  What can we learn from Lee's learning?

Mary the Intercessor
My first prayer time alone with Mary the Intercessor felt a bit awkward. Praying with an icon is a new experience for me, and with many new experiences it takes time to settle in, to feel comfortable, and to accept new ways of doing things. I think Mary has much to teach me about intercessory prayer and I want to listen well to her lessons.
For my first prayer time I just studied the icon – searching out details, looking for things I might have missed in glancing at her from afar, waiting to see if my eyes were drawn anywhere in particular.

My eyes were drawn to Mary’s eyes, which to me are gazing softly (like gazing off into space, or that “daydreaming” look) rather than staring intently. She is neither looking upwards toward heaven nor out at us. To whom or what are they pointing; to whom or what are they drawing our attention?
I might have thought that if she was praying intently, her eyes might be closed. This has been my usual practice in prayer; time to try something new!
Opening my eyes has been a tremendous blessing. It is easier to stay awake and focused on prayer when sitting relaxed and quietly with open eyes.
Which presented another problem: what are you supposed to look at? There are many distractions when your eyes are open. Again, Mary to the rescue! Holding the icon, I let my eyes comfortably rest at a natural angle on a spot on the icon. The icon became like white noise – I was aware of it but not, and it enabled me to blot out any distractions. Although my eyes were gazing outward, I was looking inward; perhaps this is what Mary is doing.
Mary’s eyes are looking downward; this could be natural, since she is bent slightly forward. However, maybe she is communicating more to me than simply posture in prayer. Maybe she is reminding me to keep the downtrodden and lowly in my prayers. And/or maybe she is reminding me that humility is a significant quality to have as an intercessor.
My open eyes became an outward sign that my body, mind and soul were opening to hearing God speaking to me.
So, note to self: pray with your eyes open!

NOTE: Part I may be viewed HERE.

Friday, December 13, 2013

Advent III

Rejoice!  

Gaudete Sunday is coming!   

The incipit for the Gregorian chant introit from which Gaudete Sunday gets its name.


This name for the Third Sunday in Advent in the Roman Catholic, Lutheran and Anglican worship traditions is reported to be a counterpart to Laetare Sunday in Lent -- a bit of a break in the sombre season, an opportunity to rejoice in the anticipation of the Lord's coming (in Lent, the break is an opportunity to rejoice in the anticipation of Easter and the Resurrection).

How fitting then that our annual Service of Lessons and Carols will be celebrated this Sunday -- with special readings and hymns of both reflection and joyous anticipation.

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God....You showed favour to your land, O Lord; you restored the fortunes of Jacob.*





*Philippians 4:4-6; Psalm 85:1




Saturday, December 7, 2013

A Month of Living Sacramentally

On Advent 1, Lee spoke about taking time as we prepare for Christmas, to examine our lives widely, discerning how much of what we do, think and say in the wider world shows that we are a sacramental people -- that we have been 'set apart' in and for the Lord's service.  She spoke of feeling called to learn more about intercessory prayer as part of her intention to live in this way, and describes her experience of this new call on her life:

While I was on a clergy silent retreat at Sanctum in Caroline in November 2012, I ventured into the conference room to read and enjoy a hot cup of tea. I found a place to sit, and started looking at my surroundings before settling in. My eyes rested on an icon above the door to a study, and at that moment my heart skipped a beat and I was smitten.
Rev. David Krause, a former spiritual director and mentor in my discernment for ordination, (and icon writer) once told me that you do not pick the icon; the icon picks you. Now I understand what he meant. This icon had picked me.
At the time I was reading the Revelations of Julian of Norwich, in particular this phrase “We can, with His grace and His help, remain in spiritual contemplation”. It fit with another phrase I heard, although don’t know the author: “You become that which you habitually contemplate.”
So, the icon had chosen me and I was being called to contemplate it. After some searching, I found out that it is called “Mary the Intercessor”.
So for the next little while – months, years? – I am going to contemplate Mary the Intercessor to learn all that she wishes to teach me. And I invite you to journey with me. I will blog some of the things I am learning; maybe they will be helpful to you in your own prayer life. God bless!

Mary the Intercessor

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Advent I



How silently,
how silently
the wondrous gift is given.

I would be silent now,
Lord,
and expectant...
that I may receive
the gift I need,
so I may become
the gift others need.

A prayer for Advent
written by Ted Loder
Guerillas of Grace: Prayers for the Battle
Innisfree Press Inc., 1984