Advent in 2 Minutes

The “O” Antiphons

December 17 begins the last week before Christmas, and our anticipation of the great celebration that awaits us grows even stronger. The mood of the season shifts liturgically, as well: The gospels this final week focus on the events that immediately preceded the nativity. And the church reaches back into its history for one of its Advent treasures, the “O” Antiphons.

From December 17 through December 23, the church sings these ancient antiphons at evening prayer (vespers), expressing our longing for the Lord to come into our lives. The antiphons are used in the gospel acclamation at daily mass as well. Each day’s antiphon begins with “O”—a word of excitement, wonder, anticipation, awe—the perfect word, in fact, to express our feelings at this time of the year. Each day we address the Lord using different titles given in the Hebrew scriptures. The antiphons may sound familiar to you if you know the hymn “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” which is based on them.

These antiphons date back at least 13 centuries, maybe longer! Praying with them at this time of year helps connect us to the generations of faithful who have gone before, those who made faith possible for us, who carried Christ incarnate in their hearts for themselves, those around them, and those who would come after them. May we do the same.

Douglas Leal
Coordinator of Adult Faith Formation and Young Adult Ministry
Archdiocese of Los Angeles

Good Sense, Good Air: While we live we are responsible to the Lord

On November 7, Bishop Stephen Blaire of Stockton, CA, and chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, addressed the Christian vocation to cultivate and care for
God’s good gift of Creation in a speech to an ecumenical gathering in Louisville, Kentucky. Bishop Blaire identified how this commitment connects to Catholic concerns for human life and human dignity –
particularly of the poor and vulnerable.

Bishop Blaire said that God’s generous gift of creation demands a response back to God and a duty to steward what God has given to us for the good of all the human family. The bishop highlighted how environmental degradation compromises human life and dignity, especially of the poor and vulnerable. A prime example, he continued, are the adverse impacts which mercury, toxic air pollution and climate change have on human life, particularly on the unborn, in the case of mercury pollution and future generations in the case mercury pollution and future generations in the case of climate change. The full text of his address can be found at http://catholicclimatecovenant.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Bishop-Blaire-November-7-2011.pdf.

Holidays and Young Adults

The weather has finally turned and the holidays are right around the corner. Our churches and communities will soon be bustling with lots of celebrations! As young adult ministers, though, we should keep in mind that the holidays can sometimes be a tough time for young adults. The emphasis on family and togetherness can be painful for those who find themselves alone at this time of year. And especially in Southern California, there are many young adults who are separated from their families by distance or circumstance. What can your ministry do to support these young adults? The NCYAMA newsletter has some starter ideas (http://www.ncyama.org/newsletter/201111Articles/givingthanks.htm), or share some of your own and we’ll post them on our blog.

YAM Newsletter for September 2011

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Fall-Events-for-Young-Adults.html?soid=1102102916177&aid=-illPL-AG-I

Feast day of St. Jeanne de Chantal

St. Jeanne de Chantal
Cofounder of the Order of the Visitation
(1572–1641)

Jeanne de Chantal was born into a wealthy family in Dijon, France. She married a baron at the age of twenty and bore seven children (three of whom died in infancy). In 1600 her life took a tragic turn when her husband was killed in an accident. In the following years, as she struggled with her children’s upbringing, her heart increasingly turned to religious life. She vowed that she would never again marry.

In 1604 she heard a sermon by the holy bishop of Geneva, Francis de Sales. This was a turning point in her life, the beginning of a deep spiritual friendship and partnership that would advance them both along their paths to sanctity. Francis taught that the spiritual life was for everyone, not just for monks and nuns. Jeanne immediately responded to his message and asked him to become her spiritual director. After several years they founded the Order of the Visitation of Mary, a congregation dedicated to prayer and works of charity. Jeanne proved a gifted superior, combining superb administrative skills with a profound instinct for the spiritual life. “No matter what happens,” she wrote, “be gentle with yourself.” In her lifetime the order grew to include eighty communities in several countries. She died in 1641 at the age of sixty-nine.

“Sometimes put yourself very simply before God, certain of His presence everywhere, and without any effort, whisper very softly to His sacred heart whatever your own heart prompts you to say.”  —St. Jeanne de Chantal

Relationship lessons learned

Some wisdom from our TOT presenters Len and Carleen Velez from their TOT talk at Good Shepherd, July 23:

• You have to become relationship-ready yourself before entering into a relationship. While you're looking for a relationship, be sure you're working on your "own stuff."
• You have to keep changing and keep working through things.
• You have to keep finding ways to grow as a couple (time alone w/o kids, retreats, date nights, counseling, etc.)
• Love is a daily decision.
• Order of priorities has to be: (1) Faith; (2) Relationship with your spouse; (3) Children
• God has a calling for each of us.  God wants us to be in relationship: marriage, religious life, single, but most of all relationship with God.
• God has created that special person for you; as challenging as it is, God's timing is perfect.