Sunday’s chat reached full capacity as we shared our thoughts about this holy season.
How does one foster an intense desire to wait for Christ during Advent? Can we expect our ardor to grow as Advent progresses? How can we experience this fervor as we carry out our daily activities, such as washing the dishes, or waiting for the bus? For what dFor what does Sister Maria Margit ask in her prayer? Is this a good thing?
Dec 9 2012, 7:21 PM
Sister : I always wonder if “waiting” for Christ for those who live outside a Monastery is different from those who Live with Christ daily in the Monastery. Is the waiting different?
J: too many detours on outside I think at times
Guest776 (guest): In intent, likely not different. But I would imagine that there is a greater degree of involvement as a routine instituted, for example within the monastery. I always feel a little adrift in that respect and try to get prayer books with Advent themes in various churches and develop my own routine to include the lighting of an Advent wreath.
Sister : That’s a wonderful and practical way to increase your involvement. You are right- we have alot of rituals for Advent built in. But then the concentration has to be a greater desire for Jesus to live in our hearts rather than in our routine
Guest776 (guest): I meant using a rote routine in your prayer life during Advent, perhaps
Guest776 (guest): you are more organized
Guest776 (guest): I think it is somewhat difficult for us to establish a routine for we are not part of a long tradition within an organization outside of the church itself, and are basically subject to what various parishes do during Advent. I go to several parishes to learn as much as I can and try to develop my own traditions and routines. Its’ the best I can do!
J: not sure we can wait though. I think maybe we have to keep moving forward or lose Him all together. Meeting Him down that road instead of waiting maybe?
__Ra: Hi Sr
Does Advent reading help- commentaries and so forth?
Guest776 (guest): Can you give us examples?
(guest): Fr Carroll Stuhmueller Cp Biblical Meditations for Advent
Guest776 (guest): or suggestions based upon your order’s tradition?
Sr (guest): Also St Francis de Sales Sermons for Advent
J: Archbishop Dolan gives nice talks on it on EWTN during Advent
Sr (guest): These are available at Tan Books
__Ra: Sr I have that book from Sr Ro. it’s wonderful
Sister : Reading helps us to foster our ardor for Christ and also to grow in it as Advent progresses I believe
Dec 9 2012, 7:36 PM
__Ra: isbn 0-89555-261-2
J: I like to go for Christmas walks I call them. Just got back from one where I feel a growing longing for Jesus on the walks. Looking at the Christmas lights and manger scenes along the way. I find it very fulfilling to my spirit
Ro: Reading the Advent Gospels is a very good way to stay focused on Advent and waiting for Our Lord.
Guest776 (guest): Perhaps an exercise like this one where we gather together and get inspired
Guest489 (guest): Yes 776, it is really nice to be here together and share our thoughts about our eagerness for the Lord
J: I liked how she, Sr Maria Margit, wanted to hold the baby Jesus in her arms
Guest489 (guest): Yes, she longed for the Lord and so humbly asks for that in her prayer to Mother Mary
Dec 9 2012, 7:44 PM
J: and boldly asked our Lady to do that
Sister : It shows a deep trust and familiarity as well
J: she wanted Jesus little heart next to hers
Sister : Very tender
Ultimately she wants to obtain grace for other people
Guest776 (guest): So fitting too, that the feast of the Immaculate Conception takes place during Advent too
Sister : Yes, we stay close to Jesus’ Mother in a concrete way with these Dec Feasts. Our Lady of Guadalupe Feast is this week
J: yes 12/12/12
Sister : Oh did not realize that
Guest489 (guest): In our daily routine tasks, we can also raise our minds to Lord Jesus and also pray to him to be with us.
__Ra_: I went to the Latin Mass for Immaculate Conception and part of the reading was this..I was with him, forming all things, and was delighted every day, playing before him at all times, playing in the world, and my delights were to be with the children of men. “
__Ra: I love the “playing “
Sister : In Visitandine Sr Mother Maria Angelica’s poem of the Child Jesus (in Spanish) she talks of the Child “playing” with her
J: Jesus playing hide and seek gives that game new meaning
Sister : In our routine tasks how we raise our minds to Jesus can be different in Advent- in this respect- that we picture His coming as a Child-imagining His Heart beating in His infancy- for us!
Sister : The mystics often do speak of the Lord “hiding”
J: I want to be the one that wins that game and finds Him
Guest489 (guest): Me too
Sister : He will find you first!!!!
J: but that would be cheating Sister haha..only we are allowed to seek. He has to hide
Guest489 (guest): Both ways, we will win, because we will see him and meet him
J: guess you can’t hide a bright light under a bushel though. It would be too easy to find Him
Sister : How can we help others begin to appreciate Advent without jumping into Christmas right after thanksgiving?
__Ra: by our lives and how they see us live?
It’s hard with all the commercialism going on..
Guest489 (guest): Yes, sorry to say, but sometimes even if you want to say something to someone, they are caught up in the world
__Ra: It seems to me when I saw something to someone, it tends to push them the other way when it comes to something like this.. instead, they see how I live and ask me questions
Dec 9 2012, 8:00 PM
J: our light must shiner brighter than the lights of the Mall
__Ra: yea, there was a house down the road from me that “lit up” for Christmas the day after halloween!
Ro: There is no time of waiting…sad..we have
sad..we have hallogivingmas: as I call it
__Ra: exactly
Ro: K mart in our small town starts Christmas within 2 weeks of Labor Day…and they have Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas all going on at one time
__Ra: wow
Sister : Some entrepreneur has to “beat them at their own game” so to speak with Advent items
J: Despite the commercialism I find this time of year the best time. As a general rule I see so much more joy in people. There is almost a magical mist in the air. I know that is based on Christ even though most don’t realize it
__Ra: I need to move where J is lol
__Ra: Where I am, and in the calls I take for work everyone is super stressed and irritable
Sister Ma: That’s true, Jim. Our priest pointed out at Mass this morning that each Christmas symbol (tree, candles, etc.) can be a reminder of a deeper reality – the REAL Advent.
Ro: And the war on Christmas…that is on going
Sister Ma: Well, we’re the Church Militant, after all! :
Guest489 (guest): Where I am from, there is no much external display of Christmas; but it will build up as the Christmas week arrives.
J: yes Sister Ma. I find Christ in all things Christmas. The lights look so much brighter and beautiful. I just love everything about it
Guest776 (guest): I think this group and what we have together is a special Advent gift to us all
__Ra: I agree
Guest489 (guest): Thank you Lord
Guest776 (guest): Oh yes it is His doing
Ca: What special observances do you have in the monastery, Sisters
Sister Ma: If we/I can give myself over to that deeper meaning, Our Lord will help me focus on Him during the His season.
Guest776 (guest): can feel it
Guest489 (guest): Yes , will try very hard
Sister Ma: We have all the Office readings for Advent, special hymns, the Advent wreath, special Nativity scene in school, and more.
Sister : Advent challenges, special Advent music for the Liturgy antiphons in the Divine Office
Guest776 (guest): I may have asked this last week, but did St Jane have recorded addresses during Advent for her sisters?
Sister : The Liturgy of the Hours is exquisite at this time
Sister Ma: That’s what I love about being in the monastery: Our focus is on the Essential – on Our Lord.
Sister : St Jane has a few. St Francis has more- or should I say more translated into English
Sister Ma: I love SFdS’s pragmatic approach to prayer: “The chief thing that I ask is that in the course of the day you should continually recollect yourself and lift your heart up to God to say a few shor words telling Him of your faithfulness and love.” [in a letter of spiritual direction]
Ra: second was- “The Lord will come;’ he is true to his word. If he seems to delay, keep watch for him, for he will surely come, alleluia”
__Ra Third was “The Lord our king and lawgiver will come to save us”
Sister Ma: It’s modified Gregorian chant, written for us by Abbot Marcel Rooney in the 70’s. He’s a Benedictine and was based at Conception Abbey.
Sister Ma: Our Tyringham monastery in MA offers CDs of its Christmas Lessons and Carols, but not the Office chant, I don’t think.
Sister Ma: When I visited a Visitation monastery for the first time, I asked the Superior if my deep joy in singing the Office meant that I had a vocation. Sadly her answer was NO! But Our Lord had mercy on me…
__Ra: so what are the signs of a vocation?
Dec 9 2012, 8:28 PM
Ro: I do not watch tv. there is little on it worth watching.
Sister Ma: The signs of a vocation are your feeling that you’ve “come home” and the sisters agreement with that.
__Ra: but there are TONS of communities so what if you don’t have the resources or time to visit ALL of them?
Sister Ma: Don’t visit more than FIVE. Then pray about it and Our Lord will guide you where He wants to meet you
: SFdS says: “What can we bring to this Divine Shepherd more pleasing than the little lamb which is our love.” (book Rachel now how – Sermons for Advent and Christmas)
: So we need to give Him ourselves, right?
Guest776 (guest): Perhaps give Him a resolve to add more in our lives in devotion. I am going to resolve to pray the offices everyday as I have found it online
Guest489 (guest): I need to give some part of me that I have to identify, which will make me more like what I must be
J: yes Sister Ma…throw myself in that manger
Sister Ma: And for me that means more self-forgetful serving of my sisters
RO: I often feel like that Little Drummer Boy
Guest489 (guest): Yes, I must resolve to pray the divine office too
Sister Ma Yep, that’s where we can be with Him – in the manger – poor and trusting in His mercy1
J: love the Little Drummer boy
Ca: and I try to remember to dedicate all I do to Him
Ro: Yes
Guest489 (guest): Maybe Spend more time in prayer too
Ro lol…guess that is why I am so attracted to being in the stable with my horses so much
Ro: a humble place
Sister Ma: That’s what I have to work most on: every moment’s focus on Our Lord. That’s why some monasteries ring their bell every 15 minutes and stop to remember Him.
Dec 9 2012, 8:37 PM
J: bee the fourth wise man and bring Him a gift of myself
Sister Ma: Yes, one of my Christmas cards has just the animals who were in the stable on it.
Ro: that is beautiful!
Ro: they are all so humble…I spend much time around them and know how humble they are
This may well be the reason Our dear Lord chose to be born amongst them
Sister : Those are beautiful insights and ones we don’t often hear
Guest489 (guest): So, maybe we can practice the virtue of humility more seriously this week
Sister : humility of the stable animals
Dec 9 2012, 8:40 PM
J: Didn’t the Pope just say something about there not being animals in the manger as it is portrayed?
Ro: so true
Dec 9 2012, 8:40 PM
Sister Ma: Our Lord was so totally vulnerable and given to His creatures. You can tell He wanted so much to draw us to Him!
Sister : Yes humility
Ro: being around them I know they ask so little and give so much in return
Sister Ma: OK. Blessed 2nd Week of Advent to all!
Guest776 (guest): Good night sisters and thank you for this privledge of giving this time to us for our great benefit