Click to play the Christ Child’s Lullaby
Wind Chimes: 25 Dec 2012
Click to play the Christ Child’s Lullaby
Wind Chimes: 24 Dec 2012
A Christmas Eve present. Today, the chimes sound like “Ode to joy.”
About the video
For their 130th anniversary, Spanish finance group BancSabadell commissioned a symphony orchestra flash mob at a city square in Sabadell, Spain. The Vallès Symphony Orchestra, the choirs of Lieder, Friends of l’Opera and the Choral Belles Arts performed beautifully in this month old video that already (July 1, 2012) has over 460,000 views
Wind Chimes: 23 Dec 2012
The wind in the chimes creates the sound of a plea: ‘O come, o come, Emmanuel.’ What do you hear?
“Pray the O Antiphons” one final day
The “O Antiphons,” one of the oldest liturgical rituals in the church, are prayed around the world during the final days of Advent. For the seven days before Christmas, we recall in these prayers a quality of Christ that must be realized before the presence of Christ can consume the world.
(December 23) O Emmanuel
Jesus Emmanuel has already come. It is not a matter now of Christ’s being where we are; it is a matter of our being in the consciousness of where Christ is in life and where He is not as well. Where is Christ for you? Is there a place in your life that you know down deep is not in the spirit of Christ at all? — Joan D. Chittister, OSB
Prayer: O Emmanuel, leader and desire of all the nations, you set captives free, comfort the lonely; you feed the poor and the hungry. Come be born in us, God of Life.
Pray the O Antiphons with Sister Joan and others
(it’s not too late ~dan)
Links to online Advent Calendars
Even in tragedy, Advent continues. Perhaps this event will demand that we better incorporate the Advent spirituality into our daily lives. ~dan
Each of these has a different approach. Find one that helps you “prepare the way.” Find one that helps you focus on God as you make your way into the loving arms of God.
Trinity Wall Street Online Advent Calendar
Busted Halo Online Advent Calendar
Image: Benetvision
Wind Chimes: 21 Dec 2012
Sometime today, pause, listen, pray.
Click the image for the video tribute, a response to the request of the Governor of Connecticut to ring “church bells” 26 times today (12/21/12)
“Pray the O Antiphons” an invitation from Joan Chittister
The “O Antiphons,” one of the oldest liturgical rituals in the church, are prayed around the world during the final days of Advent. For the seven days before Christmas, we recall in these prayers a quality of Christ that must be realized before the presence of Christ can consume the world.
(December 21) O Radiant Dawn
The celebration of the God of Growth in our lives—those moments of insight in which life comes newly alive in me—helps us to recognize those moments of insight in which life comes newly alive and I begin to see differently, to live differently, to function differently. A new friend, a new work, a new idea are all “radiant dawns” in life that can enable me to become more than I ever dreamed I could. — Joan D. Chittister, OSB
Prayer: O Dayspring, Sun of Justice, bright eternal light, one who shows the way, the one who sets us free even in darkness and death. Come, disperse the gloomy clouds of night.
Pray the O Antiphons with Sister Joan and others
(it’s not too late ~dan)
Links to online Advent Calendars
Even in tragedy, Advent continues. Perhaps the horrific event of one week ago will demand that we better incorporate the Advent spirituality into our daily lives. ~dan
Each of these has a different approach. Find one that helps you “prepare the way.” Find one that helps you focus on God as you make your way into the loving arms of God.
Trinity Wall Street Online Advent Calendar
Busted Halo Online Advent Calendar
Wind Chimes: 20 Dec 2012
If the chimes were an orchestra they might sound like this today. Surely the sounds in the chimes are sounds of loss and grief but also of yearning and hope. What do you hear?
As longs the deer for cooling streams
in parched and barren ways,
so longs my soul, O God, for thee
and thy refreshing grace.
For thee, my God, the living God,
my thirsty soul doth pine:
O when shall I behold thy face,
thou majesty divine?
Why restless, why cast down, my soul?
Hope still, and thou shalt sing
the praise of him who is thy God,
thy health’s eternal spring.
To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
the God whom we adore,
be glory as it was, is now,
and shall be evermore.
Hymn based on Psalm 42 | Source: Hymn 658 in Hymnal 1982 (Episcopal) on Hymnary.org
“Pray the O Antiphons” an invitation from Joan Chittister
The “O Antiphons,” one of the oldest liturgical rituals in the church, are prayed around the world during the final days of Advent. For the seven days before Christmas, we recall in these prayers a quality of Christ that must be realized before the presence of Christ can consume the world.
(December 20) O Key of David
We are called to the kind of Christian commitment that opens doors and breaks down barriers between people, that brings unity to a divided world. Try to unlock one door that is keeping someone locked out of your heart. — Joan D. Chittister, OSB
Prayer: O Key of David, rod and staff of the house of Israel, one who opens and no one closes, the one who closes and no one opens. Come lead prisoners caught in darkness
Pray the O Antiphons with Sister Joan and others
(it’s not too late ~dan)
Links to online Advent Calendars
Even in tragedy, Advent continues. Perhaps this event will demand that we better incorporate the Advent spirituality into our daily lives. ~dan
Each of these has a different approach. Find one that helps you “prepare the way.” Find one that helps you focus on God as you make your way into the loving arms of God.
Trinity Wall Street Online Advent Calendar
Busted Halo Online Advent Calendar
Wind Chimes: 18 Dec 2012
The gale winds have subsided. The wind is as gentle as a baby’s breath. The sound in the chimes is softer. What do you hear?
“Pray the O Antiphons” an invitation from Joan Chittister
The “O Antiphons,” one of the oldest liturgical rituals in the church, are prayed around the world during the final days of Advent. For the seven days before Christmas, we recall in these prayers a quality of Christ that must be realized before the presence of Christ can consume the world.
(December 18) O Adonai
When we build a vision of life it is necessary to realize that Jesus must be the center of it—not our institutions, good as they may be; not our plans or personal talents, necessary as they are. — Joan D. Chittister, OSB
Prayer: O Adonai, leader of the ancient Israel, giving Moses, while in the burning bush, the law on Sinai. Come with outstretched arms and teach us.
Pray the O Antiphons with Sister Joan and others
(it’s not too late ~dan)
Links to online Advent Calendars
Even in tragedy, Advent continues. Perhaps this event will demand that we better incorporate the Advent spirituality into our daily lives. ~dan
Each of these has a different approach. Find one that helps you “prepare the way.” Find one that helps you focus on God as you make your way into the loving arms of God.
Trinity Wall Street Online Advent Calendar
Busted Halo Online Advent Calendar
Image: Benetvision
Twenty-Six Names
Jason Robert Brown is a popular American composer whose best-known works are the musicals The Last Five Years and Songs for a New World. Yesterday, he shared his most recent composition–a simple, three-minute song featuring the names of the victims of the Sandy Hook shooting. He wrote, “I will remember their names and I will sing them to a safer place.” You can listen here.
More Songs for Advent–12/17
Wind Chimes: 17 Dec 2012
Those little Advent candles sure have a lot of darkness to overcome this year. —Rachel Held Evans
Even in the darkness the wind swirls and blows and the chimes sound. In the dark, what do you hear?
God can’t be kept out – the Good News we hear in the darkness
Rachel Held Evans begins her post this way:
Those little Advent candles sure have a lot of darkness to overcome this year. I see them glowing from church windows and on TV, in homes and at midnight vigils, here in Dayton and in Sandy Hook. Their stubborn flames represent the divine promise that even the smallest light can chase away the shadows lurking in this world, that even in the darkest places, God can’t be kept out.
Later she moves to the ‘rumor’ she ‘calls out’ in the rest of her post:
We all grieve in different ways, and we must be patient with one another as we do, but there is a rumor floating around among the people of God that is so vile, so dangerous and untrue, it simply must be called out. It’s a rumor that began long before the shots rang out at Sandy Hook and long before this Advent season.
It’s the rumor that God can be chased out.
I will say my “AMEN” to her proclamation now and encourage you to read her post, God can’t be kept out. She indeed states, eloquently, what I believe and what I try to proclaim in my own stumbling way.
“God with us.” Amen: may it be as we say and even more than we imagine. ~dan
Links to online Advent Calendars
Even in tragedy, Advent continues. Perhaps this event will demand that we better incorporate the Advent spirituality into our daily lives. ~dan
Each of these has a different approach. Find one that helps you “prepare the way.” Find one that helps you focus on God as you make your way into the loving arms of God.
Trinity Wall Street Online Advent Calendar
Busted Halo Online Advent Calendar
Image: Armin Vogel on Flickr
Wind Chimes: 15 Dec 2012
Even in a silence like death, the chimes sound.
We hear them in our hearts.
What do you hear?
For the children of Newtown
Author of life
Source and Creator,
Grant a perfect rest under Your tabernacle of peace
To the victims of the massacre
In Newtown, Connecticut,
Children whose lives were cut off by violence,
All who fell at the hand of anger,
A rampage beyond understanding.
The future was severed.
Hopes, joys and dreams
Lost to brutality.
May their souls be bound up in the bond of life,
A living blessing in our midst.
May they rest in peace.
G-d of mercy,
Remember, too, the survivors of this attack,
Parents,
Sisters and brothers,
Witnesses of shock, horror and dismay.
Ease their suffering and release their trauma.
Grant them endurance to survive,
Strength to rebuild,
Faith to mourn,
And courage to heal,
So that they recover lives of joy and wonder.
Remember the families and friends
Of the dead and the bereaved
With comfort and consolation.
Grant them Your protection,
Your wholeness and healing.
May they find hope and grace.
Heavenly Guide,
Source of love,
Guard the children of Newtown.
Grant them Your shelter and solace,
Blessing and renewal.
Put an end to anger, hatred and fear
And lead us to a time when
No one will suffer at the hand of another,
Speedily, in our day.
© 2012 Alden Solovy and www.tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.
Read Alden Solovy’s introduction to his prayer.
The author of this prayer, Alden Solovy, “is a liturgist, poet, teacher, editor and writing coach, … he’s a father ….” Alden is Jewish and opens to me the rich poetry of prayer that is the heritage of the Jewish Faith. He posts regularly to his blog, To Bend Light. I recommend his blog to you. This prayer/post contains links to other prayers (“sadly” he laments) written after other recent mass slayings. ~dan
Links to online Advent Calendars
Even in tragedy, Advent continues. Perhaps this event will demand that we better incorporate the Advent spirituality into our daily lives. ~dan
Each of these has a different approach. Find one that helps you “prepare the way.” Find one that helps you focus on God as you make your way into the loving arms of God.
Trinity Wall Street Online Advent Calendar
Busted Halo Online Advent Calendar
Image: The Candles Spot
Hear what the Spirit is saying 