The Longest Night

 

As I write this on December 21, we are officially 9 minutes away from the winter solstice occurring at 10:58 a.m. EST. The shortest day and the longest night. On Wednesday, December 22, the people will–as they have for thousands of years–be celebrating the solstice at Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England. This monument was constructed around 4500 years ago, likely by farmers and herders. Ancient cultures built such structures to align with the sun at specific times, some performing sacred rituals at sunset each day to ensure its return the next day.

 According to a Newsweek article, “When people talk about the winter solstice they are often referring to an entire day. But technically this astronomical event occurs at a specific moment in time—the point in the year when the Earth's North Pole is pointing farthest away from the sun. The solstice marks the shortest day of the year and the beginning of astronomical winter in the Northern Hemisphere. The day on which the December solstice occurs in the Northern Hemisphere has the fewest daylight hours and the longest night.”

How appropriate that this takes place during our Advent, our season of waiting. During Advent we quickly approach the darkest night of the year. Our days are shorter and colder. This is part of a cycle that repeats year after year, age after age. Pre-Christian peoples associated this natural phenomenon with their religious beliefs. They experienced the disappearance of the sun as a loss of life. Yet, they had rituals to lure back life and hope. Nature and mystery were combined. They seemed to suffer from, what we call, separation anxiety. They longed for light and life. They thought ritual observances would restore their precious sun. Their solution was to bring all ordinary action and daily routine to a halt. 

We do experience a loss of light, perhaps even a feeling of separation during the season of Advent. Yet, we, like our ancient ancestors, have customs and rituals that symbolize our longing for Christ, our Light. At evening prayer on December 17, we chanted the first antiphon of a seven-day series. These O Antiphons are to be sung at the Magnificat on the seven days before the vigil of Christmas. As our natural world waits in stillness for a brighter dawn, our own anticipation and longing grows as even our liturgy pleads to our Savior with the cry “Come!” The fifth antiphon is addressed to the Morning Star. It falls on December 21, the darkest day of the year. “O Morning Star (Zech 6:12), brightness of eternal light (Heb 1:3) and Sun of Justice (Mal 4:2), come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.”

We long for the splendor of Christmas. The excitement is palpable. Decorations are in place, special cookies are made, gifts are ready (for the most part!). We are ready. Today marks the first day of winter in the world. But, for Christians, winter is over. The time for love has come. 

Merry Christmas! --Sr. Eileen O'Connell, OSB

P.S. On a personal note, I was lucky enough to visit Stonehenge several years ago. It is fascinating and does not disappoint! To learn more about Stongehenge or to view the sunrise earlier this morning, visit this website: English Heritage Stonehenge

There Is Room in the Inn!

 

With all the refugee families coming from Afghanistan, we made it known to the refugee agencies that we had space available to house one or two families, depending on their size.  St. Joseph House, the three-story house next to the monastery building has plenty of room.  There is a fully equipped kitchen, dining room and two living rooms on the first floor.  There are 8 bedrooms on the second and third floors.  It is ideal for housing a family rather than individuals

    We were anticipating the arrival of some folks.  In the meantime, Sr. Nancy and several members of the community readied the house with new bedspreads, linens and other supplies. We also filled their grocery needs from a list of foods proper to their Muslim tradition. 

A family of six arrived today: Mom, Dad, three girls and one boy, ages 1 to 8. They are getting settled. None of them speaks English so it will be a major adjustment for them. The Kentucky Refugee Ministries is providing support and volunteers to help them adjust to their new life. We are happy to offer them a safe place to live.

     In the Holy Rule, St. Benedict has much to say about the Reception of Guests in Ch.43: “Any guest who happens to arrive at the monastery should be received just as we would receive Christ himself, because he promised that on the last day we will say:  I was a stranger and you welcomed me. (vs. 1) The greatest care should be taken to give a warm reception to the poor and refugees, because in them above all others that Christ is welcomed. (vs. 4) One God-fearing member of the community should be put in charge of the accommodation for the guests, which should be furnished with sufficient beds and bedding, for this is the house of God and it should always be wisely administered by those who also are wise themselves.” (vs. 6)

A reading from the Golden Legend on Joachim and Anna

 

On the Feast of the Immaculate Conception I thought it fitting to remember a story of Joachim and Anna, Mary’s parents—it’s an Annunciation story. A reading from the Golden Legend on Joachim and Anna Saint Jerome relates that Joachim, who was of Galilee and of the town of Nazareth, took for his wife Anna of Bethlehem. Both were just, and walked without reproach in all the commandments of the Lord. They divided all their substance in three parts, allotting one part to the Temple and its ministers, and another to the poor and the pilgrims, reserving the third part to themselves and the uses of their household. Thus they lived for twenty years, and had no issue of their wedlock; and they made a vow to the lord that if He granted them offspring, they would dedicate them to the service of God. For this they went to Jerusalem to celebrate the three principal feasts of each year. And once, when Joachim and his kinsmen went up to Jerusalem at the Feast of the Dedication, he approached the altar with them, in order to offer his sacrifice. A priest saw him, and angrily drove him away, upbraiding him for daring to draw near the altar of God, and calling it unseemly that that a childless man, who gave no increase to the people of God, should stand among men who bore sons. At this Joachim was covered with confusion, and was ashamed to return to his home, lest he have to bear the contempt of his kindred, who had heard all. But one day when he was alone, an angel appeared to him, surrounded by dazzling light. He was frightened at the vision, but the angel bade him be without fear, saying: "I, the Lord's angel, am sent to announce to you that your prayers are granted. I have seen your shame, and heard the reproach of barrenness wrongfully cast upon you. For God indeed punishes not nature, but sin; and therefore, when He closes a womb, it is only that He may later open it more wondrously. Did not Sara, the first mother of your race, bear the shame of barrenness until her ninetieth year, and yet bear Isaac, to whom was promised the blessing of all nations? Did not Rachel also long remain barren, and yet beget Joseph, who was the ruler of all of Egypt? Who was stronger than Samson or holier than Samuel? Yet both of these were the sons of barren mothers!  Thus Anna thy wife will bear a daughter, and you shall call her name Mary. In accordance with your vow, she shall be consecrated to the Lord from her infancy, and shall be filled with the Holy Spirit from her mother's womb. And as she will be born of a barren mother, so will she herself, in wondrous wise, beget the Son of the Most High. Whose name will be called Jesus, and through Whom salvation will come to all nations! And this will be a sign to you: when thou shall come to the Gold Gate of Jerusalem, Anna your wife will meet you there, who now grieves at your absence and will rejoice to see you!" And with these words the angel left him. Meanwhile Anna wept bitterly, not knowing where her husband had gone. Then the same angel appeared to her, and revealed to her the same things which he had announced to Joachim, adding that as a sign she was to go to the Golden Gate of Jerusalem, to meet her husband at his return. Thus it was, following the angel's command, they came face to face at the Golden Gate and shared their joy over the vision which they had both seen, and over the certainty that they were to have offspring. Then they adored God and set out for their home, awaiting the Lord's promise in gladness of heart.  Sr. Deborah Harmeling, OSB

Are You Ready?

 Am I ready? From December 1st until the 31st or from the beginning of Advent until Christmas Day many of us seem to be assessing our preparedness for holiday observances. There may be shopping and gift wrapping involved; there may be card writing, phone calling, reservation making, cookie baking, and visiting on our “to do” lists. And, of course no preparation is complete with taking the time and energy to rest and reflect on why we do what we do.  

Our First Sunday of Advent Scriptures shout to us, “the days of fulfillment are at hand”. There is a sense of the cycle of life embedded in this message. A season is ending; another anticipated – just like in the garden where the annuals have died and need to be taken out and the daffodils and other bulbs planted for spring. As in the garden, the preparatory transition will go better with gentleness and patience. If you are like me, you get focused on what needs to be done and lose the spirit of the season. So perhaps the invitation here is to be alert to opportunities to be kind and to be thoughtful of others, so that our festivities at Christmas and other holidays will truly be what we intend for them to be, celebrations of love and bringing “the whole family” together, in spirit if not physically.



This year, especially, as the threat of Covid continues to haunt us, we are reminded to respect the needs and choices of others. Indeed, family members and friends may be at a distance geographically, but are kept near in our hearts. Likewise, the serious divisions within our society are in need of our acceptance and healing. The promise of Messianic fulfillment is the Reign of Justice and Peace. Let us be ready for the coming of the Lord first of all by fixing our hearts on this and then directing our hope, love and caring outward from ourselves to all of creation. Come, Lord Jesus Christ! -- Sr. Dorothy Schuette, OSB