Videos from Wedding

Family and friends took some videos... Enjoy!!!

 

Happy New Year!

January is the month of the Holy Name of Jesus, which means God saves. I love that January 1st is the Octave Day of Christmas, the day of our blessed Lord's circumcision, where He first shed His Precious Blood for us, according to the Law, and is given the name JESUS, the Holy Name told to St. Joseph (Matt 20-23):

But after he had pondered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to embrace Mary as your wife, for the One conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
“Behold, the virgin will be with child
and will give birth to a son,
and they will call Him Immanuel”
(which means, “God with us”).

Even one drop would've been sufficient to save us all but He chose to give ALL 33 years later on Calvary. I developed a devotion to the Precious Blood of Jesus a couple of years ago and was surprised that our Lord's Circumcision isn't included. I do as a matter of habit because it was when His Holy Name was given and so often, His Name alone is my prayer. I hope to die with Jesus upon my lips.

It is also the Feast of the Maternity of Mary, Virgin Mother of God. It is all still so much a mystery to me, this Infant, who created His own mother. Of course, she'd be perfect!

A blessed and happy New Year! May it be filled with love and laughter, joy and peace, in all that you do. And words! My words for this year are Heal, Restore, Renew. Here I am with my sister--we got to sing together for two Masses. (Holy Family and Feast of the Circumcision).

The Best Christmas Ever! Wedding!

 

What a year! What an amazing year of preparation for Dagny and Ian's Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. It was the best Christmas. And the most beautiful Nuptial Mass. It will remain with me forever. Everything we've ever dreamed of to celebrate with our family and church community came true. Deo gratias! 

And it was off to the beach for a few pictures. Such a gorgeous day!

We were all starving by the time we got to Firefly. Dashi provided the wonderful food. The quartet, Put a Ring on It, sang beautifully. And a good time was had by all.

Christmas Octave

I hope everyone is enjoying a wonderful Christmas holiday. I love that we get a full week to bask in the mystery that is Christmas! Yesterday was the feast of the martyr St. Stephen, today St. John the Evangelist, tomorrow the Holy Innocents. Oh, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of Him Who brings glad tidings, announcing peace, bearing good news, announcing salvation ~ Is 52:7. We are so blessed to be able to make a visit to the hidden Christ in the Tabernacle. Of course, He's in our hearts too, but our home is a busy place right now as we prepare for Dagny and Ian's nuptials, so I appreciate having the opportunity to make a Holy Hour in church, so beautifully decorated. 

Enjoy Cantique of Jean Racine by Gabriel Faure sung by Voces8. 

Word equal to God, the Almighty, our only hope,

Eternal day of the earth and heavens;

We break the silence of the peaceful night,

Divine Saviour, look upon us!

Fan the fire of your powerful grace upon us,

So that all Hell may flee at the sound of your voice;

Shake off the sleep of a languishing soul,

Who has forgotten your laws!

O Christ, be kind to these faithful people

Who have now gathered in thanks.

Listen to the chants they offer to your immortal glory,

And may they come away fulfilled with your gifts!

Merry Christmas!

Adoration of the Shepherds, Seville, 19th century unknown artist

 

I love preparing for the Christmas liturgies. O Holy Night is one of my favorite Christmas songs. The text is brilliant, giving us the Christmas story in a nutshell. I love that from the beginning it tells us why we need a Savior--because we sin and cannot save ourselves. He loves us so much and He comes down from heaven to teach us to love. He is Love Himself. True Love. A Blessed and Merry Christmas, my friends!

Advent

I finally got some holders for our tapered Advent candles and it's hard to believe how quickly time is marching on. Next weekend will be Gaudete Sunday--Rejoice! Last year our beloved Stella Maris got flooded that Sunday morning so evening High Mass was canceled. But with many helping hands, the church was readied for Christmas! It was the shortest Advent too, with Christmas falling on a Monday.

We've had a busy Advent so far with recorder and barbershop concerts, getting together with friends, most special treat, going to The Messiah by George Frederich Handel right here at St. Clare of Assisi. It was so lovely to be able to walk to church to listen to the production by the Charleston Symphony. Simply beautiful! 

And just when I thought I cannot add another thing to do, I'm finding it extraordinary how the Lord draws me ever closer to Himself. These retreats finally became available (I'd wanted to do them in the summer) and I also know that the Lord's timing is always perfect, so I'm taking the time to do this now and I am so grateful: The Path to Healing Our Broken Hearts - Oblates of the Virgin Mary Perhaps you too need to make a retreat. And when you're ready, you might want to check these out: Virtual Workshops - Oblates of the Virgin Mary  

 

Today is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe! It's the story of how Mary appeared to a Juan Diego on a hill in Tepeyec, Mexicao, with a request to take to the bishop. He was reluctant but he obeyed and on Dec. 12, 1531, she arranged Castillian roses in his tilma as a sign that the bishop had requested. When Juan Diego showed them to the bishop, her image was on his tilma. The tilma of St. Juan Diego is displayed in Mexico and there are so many interesting features within it. Including music! There is music embedded in her mantle. Harpa Dei, an ensemble of four siblings, composed the text between Mary and St. Juan Diego based on his account: Harpa Dei · Mantle Song (Our Lady of Guadalupe) Enjoy! Happy Feast Day!

December Saints and Feast Days

Again, I am so impressed with how succinctly Enid Chadwick depicts the three types of martyrs in My Book of the Church's Year. I do love all the feast days during the penitential season of Advent. However, the challenge isn't the feasting, it's the fasting. Thankfully we have Christmas music to practice to keep the proper focus. We have four concerts between recorder group and barbershop as well as a couple of Christmas parties and I view it as a time of sharing our hope and joy of Christmas. Of course, this year it's extra-busy making final wedding preparations. It's going to be wonderful. Dagny and Ian have waited so patiently. They had a beautiful betrothal ceremony--it really is going to be the most blessed Advent for them. Pray for them.  

Advent: A Time for Waiting, Praying and Singing

One of my favorite ways to prepare for Christmas is to pray 15x/day beginning on the Feast of St. Andrew (Nov. 30th) until Christmas Eve:

Hail, and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. At that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God, to hear my prayers and grant my desires (mention your intentions here), through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His most Blessed Mother. Amen. 

It places me immediately at the manger and into the mystery of Christmas. So many prayers have been answered over the years. Deo gratias! I love how succinctly Enid M. Chadwick depicts Advent (and other feasts and other Anglo-Catholic traditions) in My Book of the Church's Year.

A couple of years ago, I learned the delightful story below about Gregorian chant. Our choir director sings the trope that tells how the Holy Ghost whispered into the ear of Pope St. Gregory in response to his prayer and then we all come in for the Introit for the first Sunday of Advent, Ad te levavi... When I poked around to learn more, I came across the art here. Translation: When the most holy Gregory poured out prayers to the Lord that He might surrender to him from above a musical gift in song then the Holy Spirit descended upon him in the form of a dove and enlightened his heart to such a degree that at last he began to sing saying this: Ad te levavi... (Introit for the first Sunday of Advent). A most blessed Advent to all.

Thanksgiving Day

Together, finally! Max is wearing one of Michael's shirts that I embroidered the pocket with Max's 6-month handprint and footprint. He was a big kid...more than tripling his birth-weight of 8lbs. I thought I'd have a baby elephant on my hands by the time he was two years old, but he slowed down. Mothers at the park would ask me why he wasn't in school. I'd say, "He's only three! Dagny was a tenner at birth but didn't double her weight until she was about 9 mo. old. She didn't fit into Max's first shoes until she was 2 or 3 yrs old. They've grown up so beautifully and I'm so grateful I got to stay home with them and enjoy each and every stage. 

Dagny made a delicious pecan pie with coconut flour and honey from our bees. Delish. The perfect ending to a lovely meal, most of it from our backyard or from the farmer at Chucktown Acres. Folks, this is a plea to support your local farmer, butcher, baker, candlestick maker.