Always Advent

Our pastor taught us this little prayer (which he says the nuns taught him as a child):

I have found Him whom my soul loves.
I will hold Him, and never let Him go.
(based on Song of Songs 3: 4)

The nuns as his school growing up taught the kids to say this prayer during the elevations of the host and chalice.

I usually save this one for when I return to my seat after receiving Holy Communion, because the one I learned to say at the elevations is:

My Lord and my God!
(at the elevation of the host)

and

My Jesus, mercy.
(at the elevation of the chalice)

I have a friend who’s a Dominican priest, and when he was in seminary he started praying the Divine Praises after communion. My kids and I recite these together right after Mass–they’re usually right there in the inside back cover of the missalette, although by now we’ve pretty much memorized them. One of the kids or myself leads them, out loud but quietly, and the others repeat each line.

These are all excellent ways of increasing your devotion to Jesus, especially in the Holy Eucharist and for keeping your focus on Him during the Mass.

Note: these prayer practices are not approved for public liturgical use–they’re just prayers I and my children say as private devotions.

Critics of the Catholic Church sometimes cite the Bible’s admonition against “vain repetition” as evidence that prayers like the Rosary, Litanies, Novenas and other Catholic devotions are no good.

A friend of mine recently said this in response to that kind of criticism: “Repetition is not vain if the prayer truly comes from the heart.”

Of novenas he said, “Repeating our intentions for nine consecutive days shows the Lord that we are earnest in our request and that we are willing to wait for His timing in answering our prayer.”

Food for thought! Have a relaxing Sunday tomorrow everyone.

February 2nd–40 days after Christmas–is set aside by the church as the feast of the Presentation. It’s also called Candlemas because historically it was the day for blessing all the candles that were to be used throughout the coming year in the church. You’ll also sometimes see it referred to as Little Christmas.

My pastor says that the Presentation is a “feast of light that occurs in the dark of winter.” Candlemas is a time to reflect on the light of Christ. As a candle burns and gives forth light, it is consumed. It shrinks away to nothing. Christ was consumed as he his light and life for us. We, in imitation of Christ, must also allow ourselves to be consumed in our sacrificial love of God and neighbor.

Links

Catholic Encyclopedia entry:
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03245b.htm

Wikipedia article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candlemas

I was at the airport last night waiting for my children to return from their annual winter-time trip to visit their father. The flight was delayed so I got out my breviary to pray.

Just FYI–the airport, even at 11:30 pm at night, is a bit too noisy for recollected prayer. :) I was sitting by one of those moving conveyor belt walkways, and there was a bizarre antiphonal effect to the constantly repeated announcement from the speaker:

Psalm 110
The Lord’s revelation to my Master: “Sit on my right: your foes I will put beneath your feet.”

Caution: the moving walkway is ending…

The Lord will wield from Zion your scepter of power: rule in the midst of all your foes.

Caution: the moving walkway is ending…

A prince from the day of your birth on the holy mountains; from the womb before the dawn I begot you.

Caution: the moving walkway is ending…

And so on. Sigh.

But that’s okay. Prayer doesn’t always have to be a mountain-top experience, especially “canned” prayer like the Office, or the Rosary. I think God honors our efforts to remain faithful to our prayer time. Woody Allen said that 90% of life is just showing up. 90% of all prayer is just showing up, too, and it’s up to God to do anything amazing if He wants to.

Granted, carefully choosing a good time and place helps (i.e. not the airport, apparently…) but even in the perfect setting prayer can be dry, uninspiring, boring, and distracted in spite of or maybe even because of our efforts to manufacture a great prayer experience.

Just show up and let God do the heavy lifting.