Saturday, December 18, 2004

O Mother of Sorrow,
thank you for saying yes
when the angel came
for saying yes
when Simeon told you
how the sword would pierce your heart,
for saying yet
when it was time to flee
to Egypt,
for saying yes
when seeing your son
burdened, falling, beaten, bleeding,
for saying yes
when you held his cold and bloodstained body,
for saying yes
as you left the tomb as its stone rolled into place.

O Mary, Mother of Sorrow,
Mother of Consolation,
as we enter this time of joy,
help us always remember why your son came into the world,
pray for us, O holy Mother of God,
that in gratitude and love,
we like you,
may learn always to say yes
to the call of our Lord.

Amen

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Friday, December 17, 2004

Lord,
amid all the hecticness
that fills our life
this time of year,
help us stop
and think of that ultimate gift,
where,
in a town that had no welcome
you came to be with us.

Like Bethlehem, once,
where the crowd had no space
for a poor couple and their child,
the world seems to have no space
for the way that leads to peace, hope, love.

Yet like the angels and the shepherds
that night so long ago,
let us watch and be amazed
at a God who loves us enough
to be Emmanuel,
God with us.

Amen.

Susan E. Stone, 2004

Thursday, December 16, 2004

Gaudete!

Gaudete, gaudete,
Christus est natus
ex Maria Virginae
Gaudete!

Now there comes the time of grace,
A gift unearned by longed for
let our hearts pour forth with joy
Our thankfulness to heaven.

Gaudete, gaudete,
Christus est natus
ex Maria Virginae
Gaudete!

God has chosen to be man,
this a thing of wonder,
And renewed will be the earth
that the Christ will die for.

Gaudete, gaudete,
Christus est natus
ex Maria Virginae
Gaudete!

Light has come into the dark,
Salvation to mankind,
Death's cold fingers cannot hold
He who is our life.

Gaudete, gaudete,
Christus est natus
ex Maria Virginae
Gaudete!

Let us all rejoice in song
the wonder of this day,
Lift your voice and praise him now,
Jesus, savior and our king!

Gaudete, gaudete,
Christus est natus
ex Maria Virginae
Gaudete!

(loosely (very loosely!) translated from the Latin 16th century song, Gaudete!)

The refrain, for those who don't have enough Latin, means,

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Christ is born
of the Virgin Mary
Rejoice!

Susan E. Stone, 2004

Tuesday, December 14, 2004

Magnificat anima mea Dominum;
Et exultavit spiritus meus in Deo salutari meo!

O Lord,
You who lift us up
in our time of need,
holding us tenderly
in the palm of your hand
like a parent
cradling his newborn child,
teach us to remember your love,
to feel the joy of your presence,
to express the gratitude
of our hearts at your faithfulness,
and may we remember you
all the days of our lives.
Amen.

Susan E. Stone, 2004

Lord,
This day
when so much runs swirling
around my head
and my heart aches
with unanswered issues,
and I long
for stability
and health
and peace,
let me turn around
and see you there,
arms outstretched,
waiting,
ready to walk with me
down this road,
with its bumps,
and ruts
and sidings
and obstacles
each and every step of the way.

Forgive me Lord,
when I lose sight
or turn away,
distracted
and forget
that you are right here beside me.

As you walked that long road
to Calvary
doing the Father's will,
may I
walk my own road,
the road I ought to take,
obedient to the call of love,
and in the end,
rise
to see you smiling,
saying "Well done."

Amen.

Susan E. Stone, 2004

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