Civil rights was a religiouis movement.   Yes, many secular people participated, but it was run by ministers, and the main participants were ministers, nuns, priests, etc.   Here is a picture I like

A Very Difficult prayer to pray honestly

Lord, teach me to be generous.
Teach me to serve you as you deserve;
     To give and not to count the cost,
     To fight and not to heed the wounds,
     To toil and not to seek for rest,
     To labor and not to ask for reward,
    Save that of knowing that I do your will!

Homily Series on the Liturgy

Currently I am doing a homily series on the liturgy.   I will be putting the printed version online here on this blog.   However, the audio of each homily is on the parish website.   Here is the LINK directly to the audio section of the website.

http://www.holycrosskaukauna.org/education/homilies.htm

O Emmanuel

December 23rd is the last of the O Antiphons. As I mentioned ealier the O Antiphons are the verses to the song: O come, O come Emmanuel, which we have been singing for the past 4 weeks of Advent. In our song book the first verse and the last verse are based on the title emmanuel. Here is the Old Testament passage we get this title from:


"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel." Isaiah 7:14

The title 'Emmanuel' means: "God is with us". That is exactly what we celebrate at Christmas. Christmas is not about gifts, or being friendly, or accepting others, or all the other sentimental things that the latest Christmas Special celebrates. Christmas is about the INCARNATION of God. The Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us. God becoming Human so that humans can become God. Now isn't a radical statement. That is Christmas. Here is the Liturgical antiphon for Dec. 23:

O Emmanuel, our king and our lawgiver,
the hope of the nations and their Saviour:
Come and save us, O Lord our God.


Peace

O Rex Gentium

The Old Testament title for Jesus on December 22 is: O Rex Gentium, or in English: O King of the nations.
Scripturally, the new King will bring Peace. I love this passage from Isaiah. As you think of Jesus as King, meditate on this.

"He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore." Isaiah 2:4

Here is the Liturgical Antiphone for Today:

O King of the nations, and their desire,
the cornerstone making both one:
Come and save the human race,
which you fashioned from clay.


Peace

O Oriens "O Rising Sun"

The Old Testament Title for Jesus for December 21 is "O Oriens". This has many ways it could be translated: O Rising Sun, O Dayspring, O Morning Star, or sometimes O Dawn.

This is a beautiful reflection because the Rising sun has always been a symbol of the Resurrection of Christ. In fact, in worship Christians initially always faced EAST when they worshipped at Mass. Before 1970 people would say that the priest said Mass with his back to the people. This was missing the entire point. What was really happening was the priest was facing the SAME direction as the people. All the People were facing east to the rising Sun, the sign of the Resurrection. All the early Churches were built to face east.

Later on when churches where build to fit into city planning they no longer faced east, however the priest and the people continued to face in the same direction to worship God.

Here is the Antiphon for today:
O Rising Sun,
splendour of light eternal and sun of righteousness:
Come and enlighten those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.


peace

O Clavis David

This means: O Key of David. It is a title for the Messiah from the Old Testament. It is the O Antiphon for today. Here is the Full Antiphon. Use it in your prayer today:


O Key of David and sceptre of the House of Israel;
you open and no one can shut;
you shut and no one can open:
Come and lead the prisoners from the prison house,
those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.


peace