A STAR OUT OF JACOB

Extract from 'Why do Catholics do that?'

The Manger

"A young girl, far from home, delivering her own baby in a barn in the middle of the night after an exhausting trek across rough country. but she has the intelligence - the wit - to see that a manger full of hay looks just like a cradle.
Such a girl is a wonder in any age.
Whatever happened to that manger? If you visit the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, you'll see a grotto with a marble floor and a silver star to mark the spot of the birth of Jesus (history holds that the orginal stable was in a cave, which makes sense, with the Babe in swaddling clothes parallel to the linen wrapped Saviour in the rock-cut tomb). There's no manger in sight.
But, in the Church of St Mary Major in Rome, there are five small boards of sycamore wood from the Middle East that have been traditionally referred to as the crib of Bethlehem. This isn't one of those improbable relics from the Middle Ages that showed up out of nowhere; since at least the fifth century, there's been a chapel at St Mary Major fitted up to represent the cave at Bethlehem, and the evidence is that the chapel was built specifically to house those boards.

St Mary Maggiore, Rome

Since the sixth century, St Mary Major has had the secondary title of S. Maria Praesepe, St Mary of the Manger. Today, in the Nativity chapel there is the oldest existing devotional reconstruction of the stable of Bethlehem.
It's been the site of the first papal Mass of Christmas since the seventh century........"

....the time draws near!

                                                 

                "I see Him, but not now: I behold Him but not near. A star shall come forth from Jacob; a sceptre shall arise out of Israel"

(Num. 24, 17)

         

         For Ian and Finola



A reflection for Advent - receiving Holy Communion

My eldest brother, God rest his soul, used to tell me that he suffered intense attacks of terror on his way up to the communion rails to receive the Eucharist. Why? Because he was in apprehension of receiving physically, the body and blood of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, maker, redeemer and creator of all; the Supreme Spirit - God of Heaven and Earth. Put like that it is understandable that "terror" of a spiritual kind should be felt as we approach. We are in awe, we are in love but, if we are honest, we also fear the goodness, power and greatness of God. It is as if we are approaching the Beatific Vision except that the Vision is locked away from us for the time being and, in its place we have the wonder of the Host.

The Holy Father wishes communicants to kneel and receive on the tongue

Some of you will know that I occasionally serve on the altar and this is a precious privilege; but when I serve at a private Mass in Father's chapel, it takes on a more acute significance. There is no congregation and, suddenly, the intimacy of the moment is heightened. When I see the priest's host and "my" host lying side by side on the altar, I am overwhelmed by emotion - a mix again, of fear but also a number of other emotions which are really too personal to go into but, above all else is the sense that God is coming to me! Not only that, but He is within inches of me; I could reach out and touch Him, but, of course, I don't. He is there for me as an individual, and that is a very special and wondrous thing. That 'fear,' for want of a better word, heightens until the moment of receiving the host.

Sadly, at the time of the Christmas Feast when some 'Catholics' return to go to their once a year Mass, many are not in a suitable state of grace and should NOT receive - I can still hear the Dominican Nuns of Burnt Oak telling us boys that the worst sin of all was to receive Our Lord unworthily!

So here is a reminder of the conditions for receiving Holy Communion:

1. Must be in a state of grace, that is, NOT in mortal sin. If you are in a state of mortal
   sin, go to confession first.

2. Should be free from venial sin, make a good act of contrition (Confiteor) before
    reception.

3. Fast from food and drink for at least one hour beforehand (or, try to fast for 3 hours
    if you are able, it is a small penance but a good one to observe).

4. Follow the Mass in your missal, or, meditate and pray if you do not have one.

5. Kneel and open your mouth widely, holding out your tomgue.

6. After reception bow your head and wait until the person on the left of you has
    received before making your way back to the pew.

7. Keep your hands clasped or in the 'Amen' position at all times.

8. Make a good act of thanksgiving - say the 'prayer before the crucifix' and gain an
   indulgence.

Now, please do not shout at me for advocating reception on the tongue and kneeling. I know that people say you can be devout when standing and in receiving in the hand and, so you can. BUT.....you can be more devout when kneeling. It is also the customary practice at the Extraordinary Form of Mass so, if you attend one of those, you really must comply - it goes with the territory!
Not satisfied? OK, let's say you have been honoured with a knighthood or are going to be endowed as a Dame - do you decide to flout the protocols and stand in front of your Queen. Of course you don't - you feel very honoured and fortunate to be there and you do not wish to offend anyone on this auspicious occasion, least of all your monarch....so, you kneel - and receive in accordance with the established practice.

And if you feel I am being over prescriptive then I am sorry but I do not think you can be informal in any way with regard to Holy Communion; I find people who wander aimlessly up with their hands in their pockets or flopping about by their sides intensely distracting and the sight must be offensive to Almighty God.
In fact, my brother was right, if we do feel terror it will help us to hold what we are about to take part in as something very, very special.

Just 9 days to go - so here's a Novena for Christmas

Hail and Blessed be the hour

and the moment in which the

Son of God was born of the

Most Pure Virgin Mary,

at midnight, in Bethlehem, in

piercing cold.

In that hour vouchsafe, O my God,

to hear our prayer and grant

our petitions through the merits

of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, and

 of His Blessed Mother. Amen

Thanks to Jeff and Sylvia Pillar

A Christmas Poem, traditional, of course!

The Burning Babe a Christmas poem

by Robert Southwell

As I in hoary winter's night stood shivering in the snow,
Surprised I was with sudden heat which made my heart to glow;
And lifting up a fearful eye to view what fire was near,
A pretty babe all burning bright did in the air appear;
Who, though scorched with excessive heat, such floods of tears did shed,
As though his floods should quench his flames, which with his tears were fed.
"Alas," quoth he, "but newly born, in fiery heats I fry,
Yet none approach to warm their hearts, or feel my fire but I!
My faultless breast the furnace is, the fuel wounding thorns,
Love is the fire, and sighs the smoke, the ashes shame and scorns;
The fuel justice layeth on, and mercy blows the coals,
The metal in this furnace wrought are men's defiled souls,
For which, as now on fire I am to work them to their good,
So will I melt into a bath to wash them in my blood."
With this he vanished out of sight and swiftly shrunk away,
And straight I called unto mind that it was Christmas Day. 

A vegetarian's nightmare!

The Boar's Head Feast and Traditional Carol

The boar's head in hand bring I 
Bedeck'd with bays and rosemary.
I pray you, my masters, be merry 
Quot estis in convivio.

Caput apri defero 
Reddens laudes Domino.

The boar's head, as I understand 
Is the rarest dish in all this land 
Which thus bedeck'd with a gay garland 
Let us servire cantico.

Caput apri defero 
Reddens laudes Domino

Our steward hath provided this 
In honor of the King of Bliss; 
Which, on this day to be served is 
In Reginensi atrio.

Caput apri defero 
Reddens laudes Domino

Steeleye Span recorded this back in the early 70s, I believe

HAPPY WINTERVAL!

Or, Hannukah, Pongal, Diwali, Hana Matsuri, Eid.....in fact, anything except Christmas!

                                                                 

A hymn for Advent

   

 CONDITOR ALME SIDERUM

Creator of the stars of night,

Thy people's everlasting light,

Jesu, Redeemer, save us all,

And hear Thy servants when they call.

Thou grieving that the ancient curse

Should doom to death a universe,

Hast found the medicine, full of grace,

To save and heal a ruined race.

Thou cams't, the Bridegroom of the bride,

As drew the world to eventide;

Proceeding from a virgin shrine,

The spotless victim all divine.

At whose dread name, majestic now,

All knees must bend, all hearts must bow,

And things celestial Thee shall own,

And things terrestrial, Lord alone.

O Thou whose coming is with dread

To judge and doom the quick and dead,

Preserve us while we dwell below,

From every insult of the foe.

If you don't believe in Christ.....

Then you won't be celebrating Christmas?

Of course you won't, Christmas is a Christian feast - we don't celebrate Hannukah, Eid, Diwali. No menorah or coloured powders for us - no holidays from work, we work right through the feasts of others and rightly so.
But, it appears as if non Christians (and Christians who do not believe in Christ's teachings) all want the bumper Christmas festivities, the presents under the tree, the crackers, turkey, moronic TV repeats, the lot....oh, and maybe they might find time to get to their annual Mass. And, of course, they want the time off work. The word that describes such people is the 'H' word - they will understand what I mean but, sadly, not many of that ilk will be reading a Catholic blog!
However, I would not wish to discourage those of a more secular bent (shall we say) from attending Mass or a service at the church of their denomination; that may provide a point of return for them.
But I would say that "A faith is for life, not just for Christmas! It is insulting to Our Lord just to show up for His birthday but miss out on His life.

The Cross in the room, another sign of Grace

Archbishop Vincent Nichols has asked British Catholics to consider ways in which we can demonstrate our faith - to let the light of Christ shine out.
A previous post covered saying an Act of Grace before Meals, in public as well as private but we can also make a statement in our own homes.
The crucifix has become, for many non Catholics, a mark of repugnance, something to shy away from. Even many young Catholics, will not display a crucifix on a wall in their flat or house for fear of offending friends.

32 Crucifixes may be too many but one on the wall
sends a message

We need to overcome this and pretty damn quick! Every Catholic home should have at least one crucifix and preferably two, one in a public room (kitchen or living room or hallway) and one in the bedroom (s).

It is a constant reminder to us of our need for piety and a silent call to prayer during the day.
If you have friends who object to the presence of Our Lord on the cross, then, they are not true friends.

And remember, at Christmas, the crib and the Irish custom which has always been practised in my family, of lighting a candle in the window to show that the Holy Family would find a welcome in your home. As for Epiphany chalk, does anyone else know of this custom?