Sad statement on penitence: Just a handful of people showed up for confession today.

Music for advent Review: For the postlude I played an improv on Conditor alme siderum on flutes just as though it was a communion interlude. Also I had the Deacon chant an antiphonal Kyrie, which helped to set the tone for Advent.

priorstf:

Very true. I just told our pastor he should preach fire and brimstone and get these people in the confessional. I think we should throw the tax thing to the dogs. It is just a scam to keep the church out of the political realm--a true deceptive cadence if I ever heard one.

My parochial vicar preached an impassioned homily about the nature of Advent. He mentioned that this is the time of moderation, although, he also noted that it's hard to keep things in moderation if this is also the time of year when everyone is shoving food in your face (all that partying). He noted that we shouldn't be carousing like drunken sailors.

He also believes that this is a penitential season and that is why the music at the Masses he celebrated was low-key.

By the way, O Come, O Come Emmanuel has a strong penitential ring to it (who mourns in lowly exile here). Think about it.

Here is what Pope Benedict said in a magnificent homily he preached on the First Sunday of Advent:

Advent, therefore, means to recall the first coming of the Lord in the flesh, already thinking of his final return and, at the same time, it means to acknowledge that Christ present among us makes himself our companion on the journey in the life of the Church that celebrates this mystery. This awareness, dear brothers and sisters, nourished by listening to the Word of God, should help us to see the world with different eyes, to interpret the different events of life and history as words that God addresses to us, as signs of his love that assure us of his closeness in every situation; in particular, this awareness should prepare us to receive him "when he will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will not end," as we will repeat in a while in the Creed. In this perspective Advent becomes for all Christians a time of waiting and hope, a privileged time of listening and reflection, allowing ourselves to be guided by the liturgy that calls us to go out to meet the Lord who is coming.

"Come Lord Jesus": This ardent invocation of the early Christian community must become, dear friends, also our constant aspiration, the aspiration of the Church of every age, which longs and prepares for the encounter with its Lord. "Come today Lord, help us, illumine us, give us peace, help us to overcome violence," come Lord, we pray in fact these weeks. "Lord, let your face shine upon us and we shall be saved": so we prayed a moment ago with the words of the responsorial psalm. And, in the first reading, the prophet Isaiah revealed to us that our Savior's face is that of a tender and merciful Father, who takes care of us in every circumstance because we are the work of his hands. "For thou art our Father, our Redeemer from of old is thy name" (Isaiah 63:16).

Our God is a Father willing to forgive repentant sinners and to receive all those who trust in his mercy (cf. Isaiah 64:4). We were estranged from him because of sin, falling under the dominion of death, but he had mercy on us and by his initiative, without any merit on our part, decided to come to us, sending his only Son as our Redeemer. Before so great a mystery of love, may our gratitude rise spontaneously and our invocation be more confident. "Show us, Lord, today in our time and in all parts of the world your mercy and give us your salvation" (cf. Hymn to the Gospel).

-----------------------
So, he talks about this being a time of mercy. The fact that we don't sing the Gloria during this time of the liturgical year should send a huge signal that something is very different (along with the fact that purple vestments are used).

A friend of mine asked a bishop if he (the bishop) couldn't request parishes to move Christmas celebrations to Christmastide. The friend lived for years in Austria where no one played any Christmas music before 12/24, instead having concerts of Advent music, etc. The bishop's response: "Why, I couldn't tell them to do that!"

It would be wonderful if the seasons could be "recovered and reordered." While the rest of society was sitting amid disappointing, now broken toys (both adult and child), Catholics would be pulling on their Christmas crackers, telling jokes, and singing, as well as carousing. And someone might wonder why we were different....

We don't use any organ solo music on the 1st, 2nd and 4th Sundays--not even "travelling music" to cover the end of processions, offertory, or the purification of vessels.

I've found that this forces us not only to have extra silence but also extra singing.

Book of Blessings, Catholic Book Publishing Company, New York 1989, page 647:

Chapter 47
ORDER FOR THE BLESSING OF
AN ADVENT WREATH
First Sunday of Advent [USA]

INTRODUCTION

1509 The use of the Advent Wreath is a traditional practice which has
found its place in the Church as well as in the home. The blessing of an
Advent Wreath takes place on the First Sunday of Advent or on the evening
before the First Sunday of Advent. The blessing may be celebrated during
Mass, a celebration of the word of God, or Evening Prayer.

1510 Customarily the Advent Wreath is constructed of a circle of ever-
green branches into which are inserted four candles. According to tradition,
three of the candles are violet and the fourth is rose. However, four violet or
white candles may also be used.

1511 The candles represent the four weeks of Advent and the number of
candles lighted each week corresponds to the number of the current week of
Advent. The rose candle is lighted on the Third Sunday of Advent, also
known as Gaudete Sunday.

1512 If the Advent Wreath is to be used in church, it should be of sufficient
size to be visible to the congregation. It may be suspended from the ceiling
or placed on a stand. If it is placed in the presbyterium, it should not interfere
with the celebration of the liturgy, nor should it obscure the altar, lecturn, or
chair.

1513 When the Advent Wreath is used in church, on the Second and suc-
ceeding Sundays of Advent the candles are lighted either before Mass begins
or immediately before the opening prayer; no additional rites or prayers are
used.

1514 When the blessing of the Advent Wreath is celebrated in the home,
...

Nothing about blue candles.

The US bishops relaxed that back in 1966.
http://www.usccb.org/lent/2007/Penance_and_Abstinence.pdf

[emphasis added]

"24. Among the works of voluntary self-denial and personal penance
which we especially commend to our people for the future observance
of Friday, even though we hereby terminate the traditional law of
abstinence binding under pain of sin, as the sole prescribed means of
observing Friday, we give first place to abstinence from flesh meat."

"We do so in the hope that the Catholic community will
ordinarily continue to abstain from meat by free choice as
formerly we did in obedience to Church law."

---

I don't think most Catholics have implemented the last part of that yet.


Note: this passage applies to Fridays outside of Lent. The obligation was retained for Lent in another paragraph.

Let's face it folks... penance, fasting and sin are just not "popular" ideas in the church. I wonder why?!

dont they sell those at staples... i gotta get one for the organ console.

This has taken an interesting turn, so I'd like to start a new thread entitled, "Keeping Advent."

Go check it out!

wow. i downloaded tons off the rochester site last night. what a resource!