December 22, 2024 – The 4th Sunday of Advent – O Rex Gentium (O King of the Peoples) Following are excerpts from and links to the Mass Readings for the day. Micah 5:1-4 – The promise of Bethlehem. “But you, O Bethlehem o Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you […]
Category: Worship
Four Days Till Christmas – O Oriens
December 21, 2024 – Saturday, Four Days Before Christmas – O Oriens (O Rising Sun and various other English translations.) Following are excerpts from and links to the Mass Readings for the day. Song of Solomon 2:8-14 – A hint of God’s love for us. “10 My beloved speaks and says to me: “Arise, my […]
Five Days Till Christmas – O Clavis David
Friday December 20, 2024 – Friday, Five Days Before Christmas – O Clavis David (Key of David – click on the link to hear it sung.) – Following are excerpts from and links to the Mass Readings for today. Isaiah 7:10-14 – “14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young […]
Six Days till Christmas – O Radix Jesse
December 19, 2024 – Thursday, Six Days Before Christmas – O Radix Jesse (Stock of Jesse) Excerpts from and links to Mass readings for the day follow. Judges 13:2-25 – The promise of Samson. “2 There was a certain man of Zorah, of the tribe of the Danites, whose name was Manoah. His wife was […]
Seven Days Till Christmas – O Adonai!
December 18, 2024 – Wednesday of the 3rd Week of Advent – O Adonai! (O Soverignty), the second of seven Advent Antiphones. Mass Readings for the day follow. Jeremiah 23:5-8 – “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David; As king he shall reign and […]
Eight Days Till Christmas – O Sapientia
December 17, 2024 – Tuesday of the 3rd Week of Advent – O Sapientia (O Wisdom), the first of seven Advent antiphons. Mass reading selections and links to the total reading follow. Genesis 49:2-10 – The choice of Judah, one of the twelve sons of Jacob, who was called Israel. “Judah, your brothers shall praise […]
The Penitential Psalms & Lent
Morning Prayer seems most beneficial when it results in some searching beyond the provided texts and “learning” of some new things about Sacred Scripture, theology, or Church history. The quotes around that word in the previous sentence suggest that I don’t usually remember much from such searches and depend on some personally written summary I […]
Just a Mouthpiece
Hearing Sacred Scripture is a key element of Catholic worship. Usually, from the Old Testament, we hear a reading from the Law, Prophets, or Writings and sing a Psalm responsively. Then we hear a reading from one of the New Testament books other than the Gospels. Finally a selection from one of the Gospels is […]
The Church of My Youth: Six Points
I was thinking this morning about the church of my youth and the Southern Baptist Sunday School which was the center of it. There was the Six Point Record System, the extensive organization, class officers, weekly Teachers’ Meetings, Assemblies, rigorous age grading, separation of men and women, the weekly Sunday School Report at the following […]