7th Day of Christmas: Saint Sylvester I, Pope

The Seventh Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord; Saint Sylvester I, Pope, another article: Saint Sylvester. Readings for the day: 1Jn 2:18-21; Ps 96; Jn 1:1-18 Today I would like to simply ask everyone to pray for a little boy named Sylvester.  He and his mom were waiting on the sidewalk for the light to change and a huge truck came around the corner and cutting it too short ran up on the sidewalk and now the little child is in the hospital in great pain. His mother blogs at: Our Ordinary Life  and right after … Continue reading

Book Review: Praying with the Orthodox Tradition

Book Review:  Praying With the Orthodox Tradition Introduction by Callistos Ware, Editor Stefano Parenti, translateor and editor Paula Clifford; St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 2002. I have purchased this from Amazon.com at the suggestion of an Orthodox friend who knows that I play a persona from 1000AD Byzantium in my Society for Creative Anachronisms (SCA) fun time. The cost of the book was only $10.00 and it was just what I needed! These prayers date from 800AD.  These prayers were in use by Christians from that time and by Orthodox to the present.  PERIOD CORRECT prayers!!  This book includes a good … Continue reading

6th Day of Christmas: Feast of the Holy Family

6th Day of Christmas: Feast of the Holy Family Today we celebrate the Holy Family: Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus.  The Church holds them up as the ideal for the family life of all people. This is a feast day that moves depending on which day Christmas falls on in the year and there is a nice explanation at the link in this sentence. Joseph, sensitive to the spirit of God, was guided by angels in his care and protection of the Christ Child and the Holy Virgin Mary.  His role as protector included teaching a craft to Jesus so … Continue reading

5th Day of Christmas: Feast of St. Thomas Becket

5th Day of Christmas: Feast of St. Thomas Becket St. Thomas Becket, like St. Thomas More, was a faithful Catholic and a highly regarded and honest man in the service of justice who received martyrdom. Their work as lawyers and as government officials did much to promote truth and justice in their country.  Their vocations to being faithful Catholics (one in Holy Orders, one not) in secular work give the lay person today prime examples for our own careers being means of sanctification and service to God.  Sadly, those in political power over the two St. Thomas’ did not always … Continue reading

4th day of Christmas: Feast of the Holy Innocents

Feast of the Holy Innocents is when the Church remembers the flight of the Holy Family into Egypt and the tragedy of Herod’s orders to kill all the children of Bethlehem that were two years old or younger in the hopes of killing his rival to the throne (See Matthew 2 for the whole story). Matthew 2:16-28 16 Then Herod perceiving that he was deluded by the wise men, was exceeding angry; and sending killed all the men children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he … Continue reading

3rd Day of Christmas: Feast of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist

St. John can be found in many parts of the New Testament and to his pen is attributed the Gospel of John, Revelation and three Letters.  He is the “beloved disciple” of the Gospel of John and is the reason for Catholic devotions to Mary. John 19: 25-27 25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalen. 26 When Jesus therefore had seen his mother and the disciple standing whom he loved, he saith to his mother: Woman, behold thy son. 27 After that, he saith to the disciple: Behold thy … Continue reading

2nd Day of Christmas: Feast of St. Stephen

2ND DAY OF CHRISTMAS! Say joyfully: CHRIST IS BORN, GLORIFY HIM! Remember: on the Liturgical Calendar Christmas lasts until the Epiphany!  The Three wise men are still traveling, led by the star, and the Christ Child is in grave danger from King Herod. Of course, it is a traditional story rather than the Bible that names the wise men, but this song is just so wonderfully sung by the great Mario Lanza that it has been a favorite of mine since childhood. FEAST OF ST. STEPHEN This is the day for remembering the first Christian Martyr who is also one … Continue reading

CHRIST IS BORN, GLORIFY HIM!

Ah, Christmas day.  Marvelous day!  Attended Mass accompanied by ALL my kids, my grandbaby and my hubby!  Music was traditional, nothing heterodox or narcissistic, and led nicely by a cantor who doesn’t try to make leading the music all about performance. The day is quiet, low key, and we are watching Christmas movies.  Peace and Joy here.  We are so very blessed to live in this country. So I thought I’d try to add a video I found on you-tube. and here is a second one: I guess I get to see if this worked after I post. I do … Continue reading

Merry Christmas!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!  MAY THE GLORY OF THE NATIVITY BE WITH YOU THROUGHOUT THE NEW YEAR! Luke 2: 1-20 Douay-Rheims Bible 1 AND it came to pass, that in those days there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that the whole world should be enrolled. 2 This enrolling was first made by Cyrinus, the governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be enrolled, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem: because he was of the house and family of … Continue reading