The Mass and the daily readings from Advent are novena enough ...
In the old days, when people didn't really follow the liturgical prayers and readings the way we do today, novenas in preparation for Christmas were very popular substitutes, so to speak. They are still used, along with beautiful devotional prayers and considerations on the mystery of the Incarnation, but sometimes keeping up can seem burdensome for people not accustomed to novenas and all the extra prayers.
Since my return to the sacraments so many years ago, I was convinced the Holy Spirit speaks to the Church daily in and through the liturgy - especially the readings at Mass, but also in and through the psalms in the Liturgy of Hours. (The Holy Spirit is not limited by that, to be sure.) The psalms are the words used by Christ - they reveal his heart, heart speaks to heart as it were. This is why I like to say that the Mass, the daily readings, are novena enough. At least for me.
Today I was consoled by the words of Isaiah, "Not by appearance shall he judge, nor by hearsay shall he decide ..." To surrender our tendency to rash judgment based upon hearsay and gossip, to let go and believe, to allow Jesus to take care of everything, establishes us in peace.
Listen now, ruminate upon what he says to us ... what more can we ask of him?
Turning to the disciples in private he said,"Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.
For I say to you,
many prophets and kings desired to see what you see,
but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it." - Luke 10: 21-24
Devotion to Our Lady of Light leads to Jesus who said,
"I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness,
but will have the light of life"
Read the history here.
This devotion seems similar to the devotion to Our Lady of Knots, perhaps because of its depiction of angels. I am working on a retablo similar to the one shown above, praying as I do so.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please comment with charity and avoid ad hominem attacks. I exercise the right to delete comments I find inappropriate. If you use your real name there is a better chance your comment will stay put.