20th December 2009

O key of David and sceptre of Israel, what you open no one else can close again; what you close no one can open. O come and lead the captive from prison; free those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.

19th December 2009

O stock of Jesse, you stand as a signal for the nations; kings fall silent before you whom the peoples acclaim. O come to deliver us, and do not delay.


Jesse: father of King David from whose stock Jesus was descended

O Antiphons 2

Friday, 18th December

O Adonai and leader of Israel, you appeared to Moses in a burning bush and you gave him the Law on Sinai. O come and save us with your mighty power.


Adonai: a hebrew name for God meaning 'Lord'

The final days of Advent

Thursday, 17th December

O Wisdom, you come forth from the mouth of the Most High. You fill the universe and hold all things together in a strong yet gentle manner. O come to teach us the way of truth.

Advent.

Remembrance Sunday

Today I will celebrate a Requiem Mass for the fallen and victims of war. I always find myself troubled at this time of the year with many questions and few answers. This is a song I always listen to at this time

The Old Man's Tale -Ian Campbell (tune traditional, 'Nicky Tams')


At the turning of the century I was a boy of five
Me father went to fight the Boers and never came back alive.
Me mother was left to bring us up, no charity she'd seek,
So she washed and scrubbed and scrapped along on seven and six a week.


When I was twelve I left the school and went to find a job
I took the royal shilling and went off to do my bit,
I lived on mud and tears and blood, three years or thereabouts
Then I copped some gas in Flanders and got invalided out.


Well when the war was over and we'd settled with the Hun,
We got back into civvies and we thought the fighting done,
We'd won the right to live in peace but we didn't have such luck,
For we found we had to fight for the right to go to work

In '26 the General Strike found me out in the streets,
Although I;d a wife and kids by then and their needs I had to meet,
For a brave new world was coming and I taught them wrong from right,
But Hitler was the boy who came and taught them how to fight.

My daughter was a landgirl, she got married to a Yank
And they gave my son a gong for stopping one of Rommel's tanks.
He was wounded just before the end and he convalesced in Rome
He married an Italian nurse and never bothered to come home.

My daughter writes me once a month, a cheerful little note
About their colur telly and the other things they've got.
She's got a son, a likely lad; he's nearly twenty-one
And she tells me now they've called him up to fight in Vietnam.

We're living on the pension now, it doesn't go too far
Not much to show for a life that seems like one long bloody war.
When you think of all the wasted lives it makes you want to cry
I'm not sure how to change things, but by Christ we'll have to try.

Let us pray for peace.

A prayer for priests

I received this today. It is worth sharing with you

A PRAYER FOR OUR PRIESTS

You came among us
To be, for us, one who serves.
We thank you for ministering Christ to us
and helping us minister Christ to each other.
We are grateful for the many gifts you bring to our community:
For drawing us together in worship, for visiting us in our homes,
for comforting us in sickness, for showing us compassion,
for blessing our marriage, for baptising our children,
for confirming us in our calling, for supporting us in bereavement,
for helping us to grow in faith,
for encouraging us to take the initiative,
for helping the whole community realise God’s presence among us:
For our part, we pray that we may always be attentive to your needs
and never take you for granted.
You, like us, need friendship and love;
welcome and a sense of belonging,
kind words and acts of thoughtfulness.
We pray also for the priests who have wounded priesthood.
May we be willing to forgive,
and may they be open to healing.
Let us support one another during times of crisis.
God our Father, we ask you to bless our priests
and confirm them in their calling.
Give them the gifts they need to respond with generosity
and a joyful heart.
We offer this prayer for our priest
Who is our brother and our friend.