Blog Archives
A Papal Mass and Three Chants for Epiphany
Epiphany–the Twelfth Day of Christmas–is today. The Catholic Church in this country celebrates it on the nearest Sunday, and thus celebrated it this past Sunday this year; but the real Epiphany is today.
For the Feast of St. John the Apostle
The first is a brief talk about the Feast of Saint John the Apostle–which is today–and the second is the movie The Gospel of John, a critically acclaimed movie about the life of Christ, which is based on the aforementioned Gospel.
Quote for the Week
How many observe Christ’s birthday! How few, His precepts!
― Benjamin Franklin
Yes, it’s still the Christmas Season! Courtesy of here.
Midnight Mass
A long-standing tradition in my family was always to watch the broadcast of Christmas Midnight Mass celebrated by the Pope. This is odd, since none of us were Catholic. As an adult, I converted, followed by my mother and sister. Since then I’ve actually gone to Midnight Mass every year but one (in which I went to the earlier vigil Mass), so I haven’t seen Midnight Mass from the Vatican for awhile, except in snippets when it was broadcast live (Rome being ahead of us in time zone).
I obviously can’t arrange a live feed here, so instead here is the first Christmas Midnight Mass celebrated by current Pope Benedict XVI, in 2005. Merry Christmas!
A Visit from Saint Nicholas
A Visit From St. Nicholas
by Clement Clarke Moore
‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter’s nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
“Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!”
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
His eyes — how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night.”
The Chequer-board of Nights and Days 