Back to the Monastic Office of Vigils after being away.
On the Fist Sunday of Advent, I had the joy of a visit to Mt. St. Joseph Abbey, Roscrea.
The celebration of the Community Mass with the pupils of the college guest and the public congregation was an impressive jubilation of word and music and prayer.
I visited the cemetery, remembering of the friends, 'Light in Heaven to their souls'.
Church Fathers http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/310110.htm
First Week of Advent. Friday
Isaiah 19: 16-25
Second Reading:
St. Cyril of Jerusalem (Cat x, 19-20).
You are called a Christian.
19. Many, my beloved, are the true testimonies
concerning Christ. The Father bearswitness from heaven of
His Son: the Holy Ghost bears witness,
descending bodily in likeness of a dove: the Archangel Gabriel bears witness,
bringing good tidings to Mary: the Virgin Mother
of God bears witness:
the blessed place of the manger bears witness.Egypt bears witness,
which received the Lord while yet young in the body : Symeonbears witness,
who received Him in his arms, and said, Now, Lord, let Your
servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation,
which You have prepared before the face of all people. Luke 2:29-30 Anna also, the prophetess,
a most devout widow, of austere life, bears witness of
Him. John the Baptist bearswitness,
the greatest among the Prophets, and leader of the New Covenant, who in a
manner united both Covenants in Himself, the Old and the New. Jordan is
His witnessamong rivers; the sea of Tiberias among
seas: blind and lame bear witness,
and dead men raised to life, and devils saying, What
have we to do with You, Jesus? We knowYou,
who You are, the Holy One of God. Mark 1:24 Winds bear witness,
silenced at His bidding: five loaves multiplied into five thousand bear
Him witness. The holy wood
of the Cross bears witness,
seen among us to this day, and from this place now almost filling the whole
world, by means of those who in faith take
portions from it. The palm-tree on the ravine bears witness,
having supplied the palm-branches to the children who then hailed Him. Gethsemane bears witness,
still to the thoughtful almost showingJudas. Golgotha , the holy hill
standing above us here, bears witness to
our sight: theHoly Sepulchre bears witness,
and the stone which lies there to this day. The sun now shining
is His witness, which then at the time of
His saving Passion was eclipsed : the darkness is His witness,
which was then from the sixth hour to the ninth: the light bears witness,
which shone forth from the ninth hour until evening. The Mount
of Olivesbears witness,
that holy mount from which He ascended to
the Father: the rain-bearing clouds are His witnesses, having received their Lord:
yea, and the gates of heaven bearwitness [having
received their Lord ], concerning which the Psalmist said, Lift
up your doors, O you Princes, and be lifted up you everlasting doors; and the
King of Glory shall come in. His former enemies bear witness,
of whom the blessed Paul is one, having been a
little while His enemy, but for a long time His servant: the Twelve Apostles are
His witnesses, having preached the truth not
only in words, but also by their own torments and deaths: the shadow of Peter Acts 5:15 bears witness,
having healed the sick in the name of Christ.
The handkerchiefs and aprons bear witness,
as in like manner by Christ's power they wrought cures of old through Paul. Persians and Goths ,
and all the Gentile converts bear witness,
by dying for His sake, whom they never saw with eyes of flesh: the devils,
who to this day are driven out by the faithful, bear witness to
Him.
20. So many and diverse, yea and more than these, are His witnesses: is
then theChrist thus witnessed any longer disbelieved? Nay rather if there
is any one who formerly believed not,
let him now believe: and if any was before a believer,
let him receive a greater increase of faith,
by believing in our
Lord Jesus Christ, and let him understand whose name he bears. You
are called a Christian: be tender of the name; let not our
Lord Jesus Christ, the Son
of God, be blasphemed through you: but ratherlet
your good works shine before men Matthew 5:16 that they who see them
may inChrist Jesus our Lord glorify the
Father which is in heaven: To whom be the glory,
both now and for ever and ever. Amen.
About this page
Source. Translated by Edwin Hamilton Gifford. From Nicene and
Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 7.Edited by Philip Schaff and
Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1894.) Revised
and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/310110.htm>.
Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My
email address is feedback732 atnewadvent.org. (To help fight spam,
this address might change occasionally.) Regrettably, I can't reply to every
letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about
typographical errors and inappropriate ads.
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Copyright © 2009 by Kevin Knight. Dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
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