Christmas

So as any person involved in the church will tell you, it has been a pretty crazy two days. But, it was all totally worth it - at least for me. I don't have any great words to share at this point, but my brain isn't functioning much today anyway due to lack of sleep.

This was in the E-pistle this week at St. Paul's Church Pawtucket, they also put it in the bulletin for Christmas. I thought it was kind of cool.

This is, as I have learned, the Solemn Proclamation of Christmas. Both Christ Church Lincoln, and St. Paul's Pawtucket began there late service with this.

On the twenty-fifth day of December, unknown ages from the time when God created the heavens and the earth and then formed man and woman in his own image.

Several thousand years after the flood, when God made the rainbow shine forth as a sign of the covenant.

Twenty-one centuries from the time of Abraham and Sarah; thirteen centuries after Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt.

Eleven hundred years from the time of Ruth and the Judges; one thousand years from the anointing of David as king; in the sixty-fifth week according to the prophecy of Daniel.

In the one hundred and ninety-fourth Olympiad; the seven hundred and fifty-second year from the foundation of the city of Rome.

The forty-second year of the reign of Octavian Augustus; the whole world being at peace, Jesus Christ, eternal God and Son of the eternal Father, desiring to sanctify the world by his most merciful coming, being conceived by the Holy Spirit, and nine months having passed since his conception, was born in Bethlehem of Judea of the Virgin Mary.

Now in our own time this marks the Nativity of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, after the manner of all flesh.

Anyway, Merry Christmas to all. May it be a truly blessed 12 days.

Hodie Christus natus est.

A gentle knock

Being the church geek that I am, I go to church all the time. Through years of worship in various places, I've heard more sermons then I can remember. But, there are some that just stick with me.

Every year on the first Sunday of Advent, Mount St. Charles Academy holds a service of Advent Lessons and Carols (a fine Anglican tradition that the former Chaplin borrowed from him Anglican brothers during his time in England). Every service begins with a message from the principal. In affect it is a mini Sermon. The first service of Lessons and Carols I was apart of was 2003, my freshman year. Mr. Richer had just become the first lay person to be principal of Mount. His opening was just one of those sermons I will never forget. Below I have paraphrased Mr. Richer's words.

Advent is a time a preparation. A time to prepare our hearts for the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. Every Advent seasons as I prepare myself, I am reminded of a painting. It is of Jesus standing outside someones door holding a light. He is knocking at the door. At a quick glance there doesn't seem to be anything special about this painting. But, if you look closely you will notice that there is no handle on the door. In order of the owner of the house to let Christ in he (the owner) must make the intentional effort and open the door. Christ, can't do it for him. That is what we are called to do this Advent season. We are called to listen for the gentle knocking at our hearts. When it comes we must open our hearts to his light and make room for the coming of the King.

This Advent season I hope that we can all take time to be still and know that God is there. That we can in the silence of our hearts listen for the gentle knocking, and when it comes invite Christ is.

An Advent Reflection

I have always found a special connection with Advent. I'm not really sure just want it is, but I've always been able to identify with this season of joyful preparation. This year I decided to do something a little different then I've done in years past. I'm actually observing Advent. Intellectually I've always known that Advent is a time to prepare ones heart for the birth of Christ, but I've never been able to put that into practice.

I think it is so easy for me to really honor Advent this year, as my life has of late turned into its own season of Advent. For about two months now I've known that UNE was not the school for me. After a couple of weeks I had made the decision to leave. Once I made that choice, everything became a preparation for transferring. Moving stuff home, applying to other schools, filling out paper work, etc. This transition is a joyful one - for me at least. As each task is completed I come a little bit closer to leaving.

Yet, when I first became the semester I did not know I was "lost". It took time before I could realize I was in a place I wasn't supposed to be in. Yesterday morning I had the opportunity to attend a Eucharistic service. The Gospel reading, was one that I could easily identify with.

Matthew 18:12-14

12What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14So it is not the will of your* Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.


I'm sure at first that sheep did not know he was lost. But, eventually the sheep was found and brought home. Here at UNE I have been "found" and very soon will be brought home.

Advent is a time of preparing ourselves of the coming of Christ. A time to look inward. As we reflect on our spiritual journeys we may find that we have been lost, and didn't even know it. But, as our season continues, as we open our hearts to the birth of Christ we find that we are finally brought home.