O ANTIPHONS
Have you ever wondered about the O Antiphons? These chants and prayers show up during the week before Christmas. They are part of the Acclamation prayers in the weekday masses. What might be most familiar to us about the O…
Category Advent
LIGHT AND VISION: AN ADVENT REFLECTION ON ST. LUCY’S FEAST DAY
I recently suffered from a nasty eye infection. I couldn’t see properly and suffered from acute photo sensitivity. This experience led me to a deeper appreciation of healthy vision. St Lucy, patron saint of eyesight, became a welcome prayer companion.…
WELCOME ADVENT
The time of waiting for a child to be born is full of excitement and wonder. What will he/she be like? How much will the baby weigh? Will the baby’s eyes be blue or brown? My grandson was born on December 24…
READ, REFLECT, REPEAT: NOVALIS BOOK(LET) RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ADVENT
Advent has a way of sneaking up on us. Just when we’re feeling like the fall routines are in place and we’re adjusting to the time change and the cooler weather, the liturgical calendar shifts into a new season. We’re…
THE BOLDNESS OF LIGHT
Far too many of us live in regions flooded by so many lights that we experience light pollution. This experience of light was not part of my life when I was growing up in rural Newfoundland. Back then, we knew…
BE ALERT WITH JOY IN ADVENT
The news has been full of stories of people who started decorating their homes for Christmas the week after Halloween. Suddenly, on balmy autumn days, we were seeing Christmas lights strewn over the neighbours’ shrubbery and inflated Rudolphs and Santas…
ADVENT READING TO LIGHT YOUR WAY
A popular Catholic tradition involves designating each of the four weeks of Advent with a particular theme: love, hope, joy, peace. As we light the candles on the Advent wreath or pray together each day, these themes can help to…
ADVENT: A TIME OF REFLECTION AND PRAYER
As we enter the liturgical season of Advent on December 3, we prepare to commemorate a miracle, a major turning point in the history of the world. We joyfully prepare our hearts to celebrate the day the Son of God,…
GOING ON AN ADVENT-URE!
Many adventures start with a dream or desire: we may find ourselves seeking a new or deeper life experience. Next comes a road map or outline to help us get from here to there. The time when we are immersed…
HOW IS YOUR ADVENT JOURNEY?
Advent is my favourite liturgical season for so many reasons. It provides an opportunity for seeing more of the nighttime sky and the stars. And the night sky plays such an important role in the Christmas story. Advent is a…