Advent – Page 16

Rorate Mass

December 15, 2012 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: 12 December, Advent, Marian, Rorate

The "Rorate Mass," so called because it begins with the words of Isaiah 45:8, "Rorate caeli desuper, et nubes pluant iustum…" (Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the Just One…), is a votive Mass offered within the season of Advent in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Celebrated by candlelight, and traditionally held before dawn.

As the Mass ends the sky is just starting to glow with the new day and we journey from darkness to light and the coming of the Word Made Flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mother is upon us.

Will we be the darkness who receive Him not or will we be children of the light?

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Resources:

Overview of Rorate Mass by a German priests who works out of Assumption Grotto –Te Deum laudamus!
Images of a Rorate Mass – New Liturgical Movement
A Reflection on Our Lady in Advent –Sermon was given during Rorate Mass by Rev. Mr. John Rickert, FSSP
Rorate Mass Text – Booklet – EWTN
Rorate Mass Text – Scrollable – EWTN
Video of a Solemn High Rorate Mass (Homily is 1/4 – 1/2 way into the Mass)

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Making a List…

December 7, 2012 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Advent, St. Nicholas

Many of the legends concerning St. Nicholas had to do with his abounding charity and extraordinary miracles, and particularly his Christ-like love for children, so that in Catholic countries he is said to make an annual visit on his feast day to bring presents to little ones.

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Once again, my Advent is not according to plan. This includes this lovely feast day of St. Nicholas.

No gifts for the kids but we did manage to give a special something in thanksgiving for my husband’s well-being & His grace, united with the intercession of St. Nicolas & Our Blessed Mother.

All praise and thanksgiving to the good Lord who leads me and my family and provides us the necessary grace to persevere.

Lastly, in honor of this blessed feast day I’m sharing our Advent list. This list mimics that from our Lenten program.

Our days are not perfect but we seek to persevere in daily prayers, spiritual readings, and almsgiving – all in joyful waiting and desire to prepare our hearts for JESUS CHRIST.

Below are links to versions of our Advent list. It’s a simple list that helps keep us accountable. ALL FOR!

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“Let us pray that we shall be able to welcome Jesus at Christmas not in the cold manger of a selfish heart, but in a heart full of love, compassion, joy and peace, a heart warm with love for one another.”

~Bl. Teresa of Calcutta

Jesse Tree Ornaments from Swap

December 3, 2012 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Advent, Jesse Tree 2 Comments

My Jesse Tree ornaments from Jessica’s swap just arrived!

They are all so darling. The boys put the first two ornaments on the tree right away. We will try to patiently wait for the girls to return before we hang day three.

Thank you to all the crafters/participants. Advent prayers from my family will be offered for each of you.

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Jesse Tree Resources and a Link-Up!

Christkindl ~ Prayer & Gift Exchange for a Friend

December 3, 2012 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Advent, Christkindl, Christmas, RMGS 2012-13 1 Comment

“Christ- Child”

Fr. B initiated a Christkindl for Rosa Mystica Girls’ Society. My co-leader and I coordinated our version of the Christkindl, using the Trapp Family model.

Our Chirstkindl will take the form of a prayer exchange with a small gift exchange after Christ’s Birth. You can take a look at our handout, here. Our handout included a prayer for friends, to be used in the case that the girls needed some guidance.

The beautiful thing about this particular custom is that the relationship is a reciprocal one.

The person whose name I have drawn and who is under my care becomes for me the helpless little Christ Child in the manger; and as I am performing these many little acts of love and consideration

for someone in the family I am really doing them for the Infant of Bethlehem, according to the word, "And he that shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me." That is why this particular person turns into "my Christkindl." At the same time I am the "Christkindl" also for the one I am caring for because I want to imitate the Holy Child and render all those little services in the same spirit as He did in that small house of Nazareth, when as a child He served His Mother and His foster father with a similar love and devotion.

~ Around the Year with the TRAPP FAMILY

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Each girl was given a name of a fellow RMGS member, in secrecy.

The person whose name one has drawn is now in one’s special care. From this day until Christmas, one has to pray for her as often as one can. One has to provide at least one prayer every single day–without ever being found out.

Each girl will track her prayers with a Prayer Chart.

The prayer chart can be used in the home for your own version of the Christkindl. It’s merely a tool to help us keep on track – offering a daily gift for Christ among those who are before us.

The girls will reveal their Christkindl at our next meeting, Jan. 5 – Vigil of the Epiphany. They will also present their Christkindl with a wrapped gift, not to exceed a $5 value. The gift is meant to be something from the heart that reflects their prayers during Advent.

Jesse Tree Printed Ornaments

December 2, 2012 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Advent, Crafts, Jesse Tree 10 Comments

A Jesse Tree is a depiction of the genealogy of Jesus designed in such a way as to show that He springs from the “root of Jesse” per the prophecy of Isaias 11:1:

And there shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse [David’s father], and a flower shall rise up out of his root.

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**UPDATE – I have included a link to a PDF of the coordinating scripture verses and O Anitphon reflections. The links are provided at the end of this post.

Frugality is a necessity in my home. I give thanks for this gift of limited poverty. It has helped me to slow down, simplify, detach, treasure what is right before me, to be content, and to foster creativity.

Needless to say, purchasing a Jesse Tree or any other supplemental has been out of the question for my family for sometime now. I made plans to print off a set of Jesse Tree Ornaments. I love the traditional images that capture the beauty of the Catholic Church.

I had a lovely pre-Advent blessing when I was able to join the Jesse Tree Swap that Jessica hosted. Rose helped me crank out 32 wheat ornaments within two days. Still, I opted to create ornaments from this printable. I also made plans to create additional sets of ornaments for Godchildren and Godparents, for a grand total of ten sets of Jesse Tree Ornaments.

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I slightly altered Michele’s tutorial.