Archive for December, 2012

Please join us for Christmas Eucharist at 10:00 PM Christmas Eve and continue the celebration in our hospitality area following the Eucharist.

“Up from the stump of Jesse.”

The prototype of our Christmas greeting is a two dimensional art piece in the Hanji tradition of ancient Korea.  Korea is famous for paper making, utilizing the inner bark of the native Mulberry tree. From this craft of paper making flows the art of pressing and pulling and tearing bits of paper into two and three dimensional forms of exquisite beauty.

 The Scriptural inspiration for the card is from the prophet Isaiah: “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of its roots.”  Isaiah: 11: 1.

 Jesus is the “shoot” of God’s tree. The tree is the family of God. The root on the card is made of tightly rolled paper in shades of green and brown formed to make the “stump.” The Child, lying in the “nest” of the root, is from the family of Jesse.  His destiny is to be born in poverty and suffering. The red color signifies suffering. Gold is the color of glory, and reminds us that Jesus is born to die and to rise from death that we might follow in his footprints. Blue is for purity of vision and of life. Jesus is wrapped in the blue blanket of his person, our true leader and guide.  The leaves and berries show life in the fertile root. 

 The background of the card signifies the Universe, indicated by a variety of paper forms. The stump of Jesse comes out of the seeming chaos of the Universe, God working so carefully over eons of time. The star is leading us where we have to go, and to the One to whom we are called to follow.

Blessed Christmas to all!

“It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas”

THE ADVENT SEASON

First Sunday of Advent,  Year C in the Common Cycle

of Christian Readings:

Jeremiah 33: 14-16

Psalm 25

I Thessalonians 3:12-4-2

Luke 21: 25-28, 34-36

Advent is the Season to watch and wait.

“Sun, moon and stars wonder at God’s love

For God gives all,

All for our love.” *

The sky is dark blue as dawn wakes the world

with touches of pink.

Can we not watch and wait…and “wonder at

God’s love”?

WINTER

The moon sheds silver shadows on the sky,
blue shadows on the snow;
the house-beams crack all night
startling us with the news
that it is colder than we thought.

“Winter is closing in,” we say,
but winter moves us outward in imagination
to learn how cold it is to be exiled from the sun,
how lonely the darkness,
how welcome the light of any approaching star.
                                                                Sr. Kate

 Sister Frances is shining up our entrance to the Chapel.  Sisters Lucie, Caroline and Jo prepare the party food for the gathering after Midnight Mass.