Oh Nuts

Advent Meditations with Fulton Sheen 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. -Isaiah 9:2 The O Antiphons refer to the seven antiphons that are prayed immediately before the Magnificat during Vespers of the Liturgy of the Hours (or the Divine Office). Each antiphon begins with the exclamation “O”, thus earning their popular name of the “O Antiphons.” Originally written in Latin around the seventh or eighth centuries, these special antiphons are verses extracted from the Old Testament prophet Isaiah that are titles for the Messiah.

Today starts the season of Advent, and the lighting of the Advent wreath. During the Advent season, advent calendars are a popular site in stores and in homes. When my siblings and I were younger we used to get one of the chocolate filled calendars from the store.  As we got older we did a homemade calendar, usually in the shape of a tree and each day we would add a purple circle or a pink one for Gaudete Sunday . We would start at the bottom and go up the tree when we reached the top of the tree we added a star. Two years ago I did a photography Advent calendar (though I don't remember where I found it) .  This year I am doing another photography Advent calendar, which I created using ideas from Advent calendars that I found. As a family, we also light a candle on the wreath each night. We also sing a verse of the song "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" each night as well.  On my blog, I have shared the O Antiphons and their corresponding verse from" O...

I know that the Advent season doesn't start until Sunday, but I wanted to share a photography Advent calendar that I put together a while back. I made it because I had done a photography Advent calendar two years ago and I enjoyed doing it and I wanted to do it again this year. When I created the calendar there weren't any Advent photo a day calendars for 2017 yet, so I pulled ideas from several different photo a day calendars that I found from previous years and created my own. So here is the list for the calendar and I will be posting the pictures I take like I have been with the 40 Week challenge photos. Day 1: Preparation Day 2: Journey Day 3: Tradition Day 4: Faith Day 5: Home Day 6: Love Day 7: New Day 8: Memory Day 9: Season Day 10: Ponder Day 11: Foretold Day 12: Family Day 13: Warm Day 14: Mystery Day 15: Red Day 16: Illuminate Day 17: Music Day 18: Angels Day 19: Lights Day 20: Tree Day 21: Star Day 22: Community ...

O Emmanuel , Rex et legifer noster, expectratio gentium, et Salvator earum: veni ad salvandum nos, Domines, Deus noster. O Emmanuel , king and lawgiver, desire of the nations, Savior of all people: Come and set us free, Lord our God. Veni, Veni, Emmanuel captivum solve Israel, qui gemit in exsilio, privatus Dei Filio. (1) O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel! Gaude! Gaude! Emmanuel nascetur pro te Israel! Isaiah 7:14 Matthew 1:23 1 Timothy 4:9 Psalm 14:7 Phil 4:4

O Rex Gentium , et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum: veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti. O King of all the nations , the only joy of every human heart; O Keystone of the mighty arch of man: Come and save the creature you fashioned from the dust. Veni, Veni, Rex Gentium, Veni, Redemptor omnium, ut salvas tuos famulos peccati sibi conscios. (7) O Come, Desire of the nations, bind in one the hearts of all mankind; bid every strife and quarrel cease and fill the world with heaven's peace. Isaiah 2:4; 11:10 Psalm 47:8; Jeremiah 10:7 Daniel 7:14; Haggai 2:8 Romans 15:12 Ephesians 2:14, 20

O Oriens , splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae: veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis. O Radiant Dawn , splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: Come, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death. Veni, Veni O Oriens, solare nos adveniens, noctis depelle nebulas, dirasque mortis tenebras. (6) O Come, Thou Dayspring from on high, and cheer us by thy drawing nigh; disperse the gloomy clouds of night and death's dark shadow put to flight. Isaiah 9:1; 58:8; 60:18-20 Malachi 4:2 Luke 1:78-79 John 8:12 Revelation 22:16

O Clavis David , et sceptrum domus Israel, qui aperis, et nemo claudit; claudis, et nemo aperuit: veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris, sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis. O Key of David , O royal Power of Israel, controlling at your will the gate of heaven: Come, break down the prison walls of death for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death; and lead your captive people into freedom. Veni, Clavis Davidica, regna reclude caelica, fac iter tutum superum, et claude vias inferum. (5) O Come, Thou Key of David, come, and open wide our heav'nly home, make safe the way that leads on high, that we no more have cause to sigh. Revelation 3:7 Isaiah 22:22 Jeremiah 13:13; 51:19 Matthew 4:16; 16:19 Luke 1:79

“For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.   Blessed are you who believed   that what was spoken to you by the Lord   would be fulfilled.”   Luke 1   On this last Sunday of Advent,   we quietly reflect on the mystery.   We rest in awe, in wonder,   at how our God entered our world and came to be with us.   We pause to receive the gift offered us:   that the Spirit of God will open up our lives and   that Jesus will really come into our hearts.   May we have watchful hope today,   believing what the Lord promises us.   Let us pray today, that we might be God's servants,   that we might be instruments of God's love   for our families and all we serve this week.   ... Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,,       cried out in a loud voice and said,...

O Sapientia , quae ex ore Altissimi prodisti, attingens a fine usque ad finem fortiter, suaviter disponensque omnia: veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae. O Wisdom , O holy Word of God, you govern all creation with your strong yet tender care: Come and show your people the way to salvation. Veni, O Sapientia, quae hic disponis omnia, Veni, viam prudentiae ut doceas et gloriae. (2) O Come, Thou Wisdom, from on high, and order all things far and nigh; to us the path of knowledge show, and teach us in her ways to go. Wisdom 8:1 Isaiah 11:2-3; 28:29 Proverbs 8:1-36 John 1:1-5

We begin this third week of Advent asking to feel the joy  that comes from knowing our Lord's coming to us is near.   In these precious days ahead, we are praying, longing, hoping   in the background of our everyday lives. His mission is for each of us who ask, "What must we do?"   He tells us to give away our coats, our security. He asks that we not bully people but be content with our lives. We can smile today as we imagine the freedom he has won for us   and how liberating it will be to live it, with him, for others.   It is right to give our God thanks and praise. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything,  by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,  make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding  will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.   Philippians 4: 6-7 Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! Sing joyfully, O Israel! Be glad a...

God is leading Israel in joy by the light of his glory, with his mercy and justice for company. Baruch 5   We begin this second week of our Advent journey  with this wonderful proclamation of the end of our exile.  We really can take off our robe of misery and put on the splendor of the glory of God forever.   Let us experience today what it will be like to be  freed from the power of our sins to hold us captive.  Freed from our longing, our desire:  that we might be set free.   “The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.” Ps. 126   May the Lord bless us,   protect us from all evil   and bring us to everlasting life.   Amen.

Judah shall be safe and Jerusalem dwell secure. We begin Advent coming to the Lord who promises to keep us safe. In awe we say: “To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul!” Psalm 25   Let's begin this week with a deeply felt prayer. Even if we don't know exactly what we need or long for, today, let's try to express our desire for God's help and assistance. The days are coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and Judah .     Jeremiah 33   He guides the humble to justice,  he teaches the humble his way.  Psalm 25 May the Lord bless us,  protect us from all evil  and bring us to everlasting life.  Amen.

O Emmanuel , Rex et legifer noster, expectratio gentium, et Salvator earum: veni ad salvandum nos, Domines, Deus noster. O Emmanuel , king and lawgiver, desire of the nations, Savior of all people: Come and set us free, Lord our God. Veni, Veni, Emmanuel captivum solve Israel, qui gemit in exsilio, privatus Dei Filio. (1) O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel! Gaude! Gaude! Emmanuel nascetur pro te Israel! Isaiah 7:14 Matthew 1:23 1 Timothy 4:9 Psalm 14:7 Phil 4:4

O Rex Gentium , et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum: veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti. O King of all the nations , the only joy of every human heart; O Keystone of the mighty arch of man: Come and save the creature you fashioned from the dust. Veni, Veni, Rex Gentium, Veni, Redemptor omnium, ut salvas tuos famulos peccati sibi conscios. (7) O Come, Desire of the nations, bind in one the hearts of all mankind; bid every strife and quarrel cease and fill the world with heaven's peace. Isaiah 2:4; 11:10 Psalm 47:8; Jeremiah 10:7 Daniel 7:14; Haggai 2:8 Romans 15:12 Ephesians 2:14, 20

O Oriens , splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae: veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis. O Radiant Dawn , splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: Come, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death. Veni, Veni O Oriens, solare nos adveniens, noctis depelle nebulas, dirasque mortis tenebras. (6) O Come, Thou Dayspring from on high, and cheer us by thy drawing nigh; disperse the gloomy clouds of night and death's dark shadow put to flight. Isaiah 9:1; 58:8; 60:18-20 Malachi 4:2 Luke 1:78-79 John 8:12 Revelation 22:16

The angel Gabriel said to Mary, "Do not fear, Mary, you shall conceive and bear a son and give him the name Jesus. Great will be his dignity and he will be called Son of the Most High..."  Lk. 1 Fourth Sunday of Advent O Jesus, I believe you were born of Mary and are God's Son. Your mysterious coming is beyond understanding. Yet like your holy mother, Mary, I wish that you come to me, for you promised you will. Let me serve you in any way I can and know that you are with me day by day as my life goes by. Like Mary, your mother, though I know you only by faith, may my whole being proclaim your greatness and my spirit rejoice in your favor to me. O Wisdom, holy Word of God, Jesus Christ, holding all things in your strong yet tender hands, come and show us the way to salvation.

O Clavis David , et sceptrum domus Israel, qui aperis, et nemo claudit; claudis, et nemo aperuit: veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris, sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis. O Key of David , O royal Power of Israel, controlling at your will the gate of heaven: Come, break down the prison walls of death for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death; and lead your captive people into freedom. Veni, Clavis Davidica, regna reclude caelica, fac iter tutum superum, et claude vias inferum. (5) O Come, Thou Key of David, come, and open wide our heav'nly home, make safe the way that leads on high, that we no more have cause to sigh. Revelation 3:7 Isaiah 22:22 Jeremiah 13:13; 51:19 Matthew 4:16; 16:19 Luke 1:79

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 Flower of Jesse’s stem, you have been raised up as a sign for all peoples; kings stand silent in your presence; the nations bow down in worship before you. Come, let nothing keep you from coming to our aid. Veni, O Iesse virgula, ex hostis tuos ungula, de spectu tuos tartari educ et antro barathri. (4) O Come, Thou Rod of Jesse's stem, from ev'ry foe deliver them that trust Thy mighty power to save, and give them vict'ry o'er the grave. Isaiah 11:1, 10 Isaiah 52:15 Romans 15:12

O Adonai , et dux domus Israel, qui Moyse in igne flammae rubi apparuisti, et ei in Sina legem dedisti: veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extento. O Sacred Lord  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. Veni, Veni, Adonai, qui populo in Sinai legem dedisti vertice in maiestate gloriae. (3) O Come, O Come, Thou Lord of might, who to thy tribes on Sinai's height in ancient times didst give the law, in cloud , and majesty, and awe. Exodus 3:2 Isaiah 33:22; 63:11-12 Micah 6:4 Acts 7:30-31