Author Archives: olph.crhp

December 19th: The Third “O” Antiphon

Listen to this scripture passage & reflection, and pray along with us…

During the final days of Advent, the anticipation increases as the birth of the Savior draws near. In the seven evenings before Christmas, this anticipation is marked by the “O” Antiphons. This liturgical tradition from the earliest days of the Church emphasizes a different prophetic title of Christ as foreshadowed by the prophet Isaiah. These are included in Evening Prayer on the final seven nights of Advent.

The Third "O" Antiphon

O Root of Jesse, come.
This ensign raised for all
to whom the nations pray,
before whom kings keep silent:
to rescue quickly come.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke. 

In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Luke 1:26-33

In the days before my first child went off to college as a freshman, I wanted to leave him with some words he could read and return to over the year ahead and the years to come. I think a lot of parents consider this type of activity at this moment in their child’s life. How do we send off a cherished one in a single moment, whom we raised their entire lifetime?

My missal to him contained fatherly advice, sampled lyrics from a poignant song, the typical stuff. But its final sentence was this…

Leave a place in your heart to feel God’s love for you – give Him some room – He only needs a little. Love, Dad.

I could have started – and ended – with that one sentence.

You see, when you allow God to be present in you, you allow Him to grow in you. You become more able to conquer fear. You begin to find joy and – better still – you begin to provide joy. You serve. Your life becomes a witness to the presence of God in your life, and that aids those around you in seeing His presence in their own lives.

Even though our Blessed Mother Mary was perplexed by Gabriel, and even though she felt the same fear we would all feel on hearing the news he bore, she had a place in her heart that was committed to that love in the Lord. She trusted in the Lord. She said ‘yes’. And, she bore for us the Savior of the world.

My prayer for each of us, during these days of joyful anticipation for the coming of Jesus and all the days beyond, is that we too open our hearts to Christ and give Him some room. He only needs a little!

By Kevin Dougherty

Lord God,
fill our hearts with love for all nations
and our minds with understanding to serve them
so that our actions will be pleasing to you.

May your peace, which surpasses all understanding,
guard our hearts and minds.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

Amen.

December 18th: The Second “O” Antiphon

Listen to this scripture passage & reflection, and pray along with us…

During the final days of Advent, the anticipation increases as the birth of the Savior draws near. In the seven evenings before Christmas, this anticipation is marked by the “O” Antiphons. This liturgical tradition from the earliest days of the Church emphasizes a different prophetic title of Christ as foreshadowed by the prophet Isaiah. These are included in Evening Prayer on the final seven nights of Advent.

The Second "O" Antiphon

O Lord of Israel, come.
Through bushes breathing fire,
to Moses you gave Law;
O come, redeeming Ruler,
with arms outstretched to save.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew. 

“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”

When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

Matthew 7:24-29

Matthew’s Gospel paints a vivid picture of what will happen in our life if we do, or don’t, hear and act upon Christ’s teaching IN ADVANCE OF when the storms come.

And the storms WILL come! The past two years in the pandemic are a case in point.

So HOW does embracing the teachings of Christ create a rock-solid foundation for the turbulence that life throws at us?

Embracing the teachings of Christ is a preventative measure, like building a seawall to protect ourselves from a storm surge. By living according to Christ’s teachings we learn to avoid sin, keeping storms at bay and US out of trouble with God.

For storms not self-induced, Christ’s teachings provide the means to withstand the onslaught, in at least three ways.

The first is realizing God is our loving father who wants the best for His family, which includes a plan for each of us. As we encounter turbulence, we can be assured God’s plan is at work and He has our best interest at heart. This gives us hope and moves us from self-pity towards constructive action.

Second, Jesus showed us to pray. Having a regular dialogue with God during a storm gives us the opportunity to make requests for assistance, or ‘vent’ about our condition. In Matthew 7:7, Jesus says “ask and it will be given to you”. And God has a way of answering, even when he doesn’t produce outcomes we want, meaning His plans are not our plans. Then, we know it’s time to rethink our expectations.

Finally, Christ’s teachings include how to deal with adversity. Whether its money issues, dealing with enemies, managing rejection, or directing emotions like hatefulness, referencing Christ’s teachings for productive and healing actions is wise counsel.

As we anticipate Christ’s birth and his future return during Advent, let’s celebrate the gift of Christ’s teachings that keep us rightly ordered in our turbulent world, able to withstand the inevitable storms life throws at us, until our time comes to be justified before God.

By Bob Cregg

Lord God,
fill our hearts with zeal
and our minds with saving knowledge of your way
so that our actions will be pleasing to you.

May your peace, which surpasses all understanding,
guard our hearts and minds.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

Amen.

December 17th: The First “O” Antiphon

Listen to this scripture passage & reflection, and pray along with us…

During the final days of Advent, the anticipation increases as the birth of the Savior draws near. In the seven evenings before Christmas, this anticipation is marked by the “O” Antiphons. This liturgical tradition from the earliest days of the Church emphasizes a different prophetic title of Christ as foreshadowed by the prophet Isaiah. These are included in Evening Prayer on the final seven nights of Advent.

The First "O" Antiphon

O Highest Wisdom, come.
While reaching end to end
in sweetness ord’ring all,
to us, O mighty Savior,
discerning judgment, teach.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John. 

In the beginning was the Word,
    and the Word was with God,
    and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
    and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life,
    and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
    and the darkness has not overcome it.

John 1:1-5

A few friends of mine recently told me about a restaurant they went to. What was interesting about this restaurant is that you eat your meal in complete darkness. The kind of darkness where you can’t see your hand in front of your face. You are guided to your table by one of the wait staff who is blind. The idea behind the restaurant is to experience a portion of life that a blind person goes through on a daily basis. You order your food in the light, but you consume it in total darkness. You have to rely on your other senses to know what is around you.

This experience reminded me of the O Highest Wisdom, Come antiphon and, more particularly, the gospel reading from John 1:1-5. The experience at the restaurant is similar to our spiritual journey in life at times. Sometimes we get lost in the dark and can’t ‘see’ our way out. It’s amazing how much we take advantage of the light and don’t realize how important light is for everything we do. We forget how important it is when faced with darkness. Just like the darkness, we stumble our way around with no clear path and we often bump into things we can’t see. The darkness hides and covers up what we can’t see. The light reveals the truth and provides a path that is easy for us to see.

As we prepare for the coming of the birth of Jesus, let us remember that the light is God and he will lead us in the right direction. The light will also teach us and reveal the truth.

By Peter Grable

Lord God,
fill our hearts with your love
and our minds with your wisdom
so that our actions will be pleasing to you.

May your peace, which surpasses all understanding,
guard our hearts and minds.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

Amen.

The “O” Antiphons

Listen to this introduction to the “O” Antiphons, and pray along with us…

During the final days of Advent, the anticipation increases as the birth of the Savior draws near.  In the seven evenings before Christmas this anticipation is marked by something special that happens in the prayers of the Church.

The antiphons of Evening Prayer (Vespers) during the week before Christmas welcome the birth of the Savior by heralding one of His resplendent Biblical titles along with a special petition in light of that title. These are referred to as the “O”Antiphons.

This ancient liturgical tradition started in the earliest centuries of the Church and continues today for all priests, deacons, religious communities, and those Catholic faithful who make the Divine Office part of their daily prayers.

The term “O Antiphon” refers to the seven antiphons that are prayed immediately before and after the Magnificat prayer during Evening Prayer (Vespers) of the Liturgy of the Hours (or the Divine Office).  Each antiphon begins with the exclamation “O”, thus earning their popular name as the “O Antiphons.”  They cover the special period of Advent preparation known as the Octave before Christmas, from Dec. 17-23, with Dec. 24 being Vespers of the Christmas Vigil.

The O Antiphons are special because each one emphasizes a different prophetic title of the Messiah as foreshadowed in the Old Testament by the prophet Isaiah: Wisdom, Lord, Root of Jesse, Key of David, Radiant Dawn, King of Nations, and Emmanuel.

Praying with the O Antiphons is a wonderful way to elevate our Advent as Christmas approaches, a beautiful way to reflect and meditate on who Christ really is, and a wonderful way to draw our heart closer to Christ each day! 

I would like to encourage you to make this tradition part of your final preparations for Christmas this year as we prepare to welcome the newborn King into our world and our lives. Join us on this Retreat During Daily Life over the next seven days as we hear these ancient prayers and scripture passages proclaimed and take just a moment to reflect and pray on the coming of Christ into our world.

I hope you will join us in praying this ancient Advent tradition of the Church.

… and on behalf of the Christ Renews His Parish Ministry of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, may these final days of Advent be filled with Peace and Joy as you make room in this world for the birth of the King of Kings!

By Deacon Christopher Weiland

Lord God,
Fill our hearts with desire
And our minds with a longing to welcome you into our lives
So that our actions will be pleasing to you. 

May your peace, which surpasses all understanding,
guard our hearts and minds.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

Amen.

Fourteenth Station: Jesus is Placed in the Tomb

Listen to this scripture passage & reflection, and pray along with us…
We adore You, O Christ, and bless You… 
because by Your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.

When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who was himself a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be handed over. Taking the body, Joseph wrapped it in clean linen and laid it in his new tomb that he had hewn in the rock. Then he rolled a huge stone across the entrance to the tomb and departed.

Matthew 27: 57-60

Joseph of Arimathea asked Pontius Pilate for the body of Jesus after his death on the cross, to give him a proper Jewish burial. Joseph even offered up his family tomb and linens.

Who was Joseph of Arimathea? All four gospels mention him. They tell us that he was a wealthy man, an elite and respected member of the Jewish council, and a secret follower of Jesus. He himself was looking for the Kingdom of God, and he did not consent to the council’s decision and actions in condemning Jesus.

Joseph risked everything to extend himself in this moment of compassion towards Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and his disciples… those in the midst of their great grief and pain. He risked his wealth, his influence with the Jewish Council, his reputation, and possibly even his life.

I reflect on my own moments of compassion towards others. Do I extend myself during these opportunities to show compassion? Am I willing to risk discomfort in my own life? Does it cost me anything to be compassionate to others? Do I desire to just “mind my own business,” not wanting to get involved? Or if I do extend compassion, is the cost to me actually pretty small?

Joseph of Arimathea displayed courage by publicly becoming a follower of Jesus and risking it all to show compassion towards those who loved Jesus. Lord, help me, give me the strength and courage to have this same kind of compassion for others in my own life.

Lord,
grant us your compassion
that we may always provide for those in need.

Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be to the Father...

Lord Jesus Christ, your passion and death is the sacrifice that unites heaven and earth, and reconciles all people to you.  May we who have faithfully reflected on the mysteries of Your passion follow in your steps and so come to share your glory in heaven where you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.  Amen.  

Lord Jesus Christ... crucified... have mercy on us.  

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

By Roberta Bacik

Thirteenth Station: Jesus Dies on the Cross

Listen to this scripture passage & reflection, and pray along with us…
We adore You, O Christ, and bless You… 
because by Your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.

It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon because of an eclipse of the sun. Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle. Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”; and when he had said this he breathed his last.

Luke 23: 44-46

It is likely you have experienced being present at the death of a loved one. There is a profound realization that the life present just a moment ago is no longer there, even if death was anticipated. A life that was so real, so animated, and ever-present until now, has ended… incredulously so! It can be a dark experience.

But if we keep in mind the final statements of Jesus from the cross, the only three things recorded in Luke’s Gospel that Jesus says on the cross, we may hear a different message.

The first statement, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34), reminds us of God’s Mercy through the forgiveness of our sins. The second statement, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43), reminds us of the promise of salvation, and the Kingdom of God. And finally, the statement we hear in this passage, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46), Christ recognizing his death is imminent reveals His full trust in God the Father to sustain His Spirit in heaven.

While the death of Christ was essential to God’s plan to make payment for humanity’s sinfulness, given the brutal nature of the death of Christ at the hands of the very people He so loved, it is reasonable to expect that even He would experience extreme grief… that He would experience this very darkness we so often experience in someone’s death. But this is not the message we hear from Christ on the cross. Christ trusted God with his ascending spirit, even under such rejection and pain at the end of His life on earth.

Imagine how our lives would change if we too lived with this same faith in God. These final statements of Christ from the cross provide us with three key messages about our faith: forgiveness of sins, the promise of salvation, and trust in God.

As Christ said many times, “Whoever has ears ought to hear”… are we listening?

Lord,
grant us trust in you
that when our time on earth in ended
our spirits may come to you without delay.

Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be to the Father...

Lord Jesus Christ, your passion and death is the sacrifice that unites heaven and earth, and reconciles all people to you.  May we who have faithfully reflected on the mysteries of Your passion follow in your steps and so come to share your glory in heaven where you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.  Amen.  

Lord Jesus Christ... crucified... have mercy on us.  

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

By Bob Cregg

Twelfth Station: Jesus Speaks to His Mother and the Disciple

Listen to this scripture passage & reflection, and pray along with us…
We adore You, O Christ, and bless You… 
because by Your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

John 19: 25-27

When Mary stands at the foot of the cross of Jesus and watches him die, she is witnessing to the profound tension that we all carry at some point in our lives. Those moments of inexpressible grief and pain, and the helplessness we feel when we know we cannot immediately fix it … when we see our children and other loved ones endure pain or unjust suffering; when we witness the destruction and loss of life and property after a natural disaster; when we attempt to comprehend the toll of this pandemic on so many people who lost loved ones, livelihoods, purpose and joy in their daily lives.

And yet Mary willingly carried this tension and held space for it. She did not flee or numb herself to the reality of the pain she was witnessing and experiencing herself. Instead, she modeled for us what we are to do in our deepest moments of despair and helplessness.

We are invited to find our way to the foot of the cross, to weep, and to vulnerably share our most honest emotions with Jesus. Our Lord knew what his mother most needed in that moment… the care and protection of his beloved disciple, John. As we voice our prayers to Jesus, we know that He will bless us with what we need as well… whether it is patience, perseverance, or the kind and loving presence of a friend or confidante to witness to our pain. May we trust our Lord Jesus with our worries and fears, and humbly welcome the care and concern of loved ones who are willing to share them with us. And may God use us to be willing witnesses to the pain of our brothers and sisters as well.

Lord,
grant us constancy
that we may be willing to stand by those in need.

Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be to the Father...

Lord Jesus Christ, your passion and death is the sacrifice that unites heaven and earth, and reconciles all people to you.  May we who have faithfully reflected on the mysteries of Your passion follow in your steps and so come to share your glory in heaven where you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.  Amen.  

Lord Jesus Christ... crucified... have mercy on us.  

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

By Sara Carsten

Eleventh Station: Jesus Promises His Kingdom to the Good Thief

Listen to this scripture passage & reflection, and pray along with us…
We adore You, O Christ, and bless You… 
because by Your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.

Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us.” The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, “Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” He replied to him, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Luke 23: 39-43

I imagine we can all remember times in our lives when we could relate to each of the two criminals in this passage.

On the one hand, in times of intense frustration or grief, there can be a real temptation to engage in a type of anger toward Jesus. The feeling of, “how could You let this happen to me, Jesus?” can creep in, and even seem like a viable excuse for our own behavior.

On the other hand, the second criminal serves not only as an example for us of unwavering perseverance, but his words of rebuke to the other criminal can sometimes serve as a wake-up call. I hear him saying to me: “where is your humility before God? Don’t you know that it is His divine plan, and not your earthly schemes, that truly matter?” That is a message I often need to hear.

Maybe the message to you is different. But no matter, we can all use a reminder to find our humility before God, on occasion. Great rewards await us when we approach God consistently, and with a humble heart. The second criminal’s leap of faith earns him a spot in Paradise, even despite his past that led to his condemnation. If we, too, can put aside our anger or hubris and approach God with humility, there is no limit to God’s Mercy and Grace available to all of us.

Lord,
grant us perseverance
that we may never stop seeking you.

Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be to the Father...

Lord Jesus Christ, your passion and death is the sacrifice that unites heaven and earth, and reconciles all people to you.  May we who have faithfully reflected on the mysteries of Your passion follow in your steps and so come to share your glory in heaven where you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.  Amen.  

Lord Jesus Christ... crucified... have mercy on us.  

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

By Chris Freeman

Tenth Station: Jesus is Crucified

Listen to this scripture passage & reflection, and pray along with us…
We adore You, O Christ, and bless You… 
because by Your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.

When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him and the criminals there, one on his right, the other on his left.  Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.”

Luke 23: 33-34

When I think about the word “crucify” I cringe. I mean, this is one of the most brutal ways to die… nailed to a cross and hanging there in excruciating pain for hours and hours. The fact that anyone, much less the Son of God, would willingly put himself through something like this is beyond my poor powers of comprehension. As is the fact that the first words Jesus speaks in his blinding agony on the cross are words of forgiveness for those that are actually torturing him!

So how do we respond to this Jesus that loves us so intensely and forgives us so unconditionally? I think the answer is simple: we must listen and obey when he tells us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us [Matthew 5:44], and we must forgive seventy times seven times, i.e., without counting. [Matthew 18:22]

I thought of all of this in connection with a family member who hurt me several times in the past and whom I had turned my back on for many years. So, I picked up the phone and called him and we had a nice chat. While I didn’t voice forgiveness and he didn’t ask for it. I felt forgiveness in my heart, and it felt pretty good. This of course is small potatoes compared to Jesus’ forgiveness on the cross, but it is a start.

Loving Father please help me to continue following Jesus’ example of forgiving others, even those I may see as enemies.

Lord,
grant us merciful hearts
that we may bring your reconciliation and forgiveness to all.

Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be to the Father...

Lord Jesus Christ, your passion and death is the sacrifice that unites heaven and earth, and reconciles all people to you.  May we who have faithfully reflected on the mysteries of Your passion follow in your steps and so come to share your glory in heaven where you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.  Amen.  

Lord Jesus Christ... crucified... have mercy on us.  

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

By Jim Vlazny

Ninth Station: Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem

Listen to this scripture passage & reflection, and pray along with us…
We adore You, O Christ, and bless You… 
because by Your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.

A large crowd of people followed Jesus, including many women who mourned and lamented him. Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep instead for yourselves and for your children, for indeed, the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed.’ At that time, people will say to the mountains, ‘Fall upon us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’ for if these things are done when the wood is green what will happen when it is dry?”

Luke 23: 27-31

It seems like there have been greener days. Over the course of the past several months there have been many events to mourn. Whether it be the loss of loved ones, jobs, businesses or even simply the loss of routine. While pondering about this station, I was reading with my son who picked a book that I liked to lift my spirits, and we came across this poem “God Make my Life a Little Light” by M. Bentham Edwards that:

God make my life a little light, 
Within the world to glow; 
A tiny flame that burneth bright 
wherever I may go. 

God make my life a little flower, 
That giveth joy to all, 
Content to bloom in native bower, 
Although its place is small. 

God make my life a little staff, 
Whereon the weak may rest, 
That so what health and strength I have 
May serve my neighbors best.

With distance between loved ones, feelings of helplessness can be overwhelming. Prayer and faith provide strength and comfort to get through the challenges of each day. May our small interactions with others bring light, joy, and strength to those we encounter each day regardless of our own sorrows. As Jesus, in his darkest moments, was compassionate and prayed for others; may we have the strength, generosity and faith to do the same.

Lord,
grant us gentle spirits
that we may comfort those who mourn.

Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be to the Father...

Lord Jesus Christ, your passion and death is the sacrifice that unites heaven and earth, and reconciles all people to you.  May we who have faithfully reflected on the mysteries of Your passion follow in your steps and so come to share your glory in heaven where you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.  Amen.  

Lord Jesus Christ... crucified... have mercy on us.  

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

By Regina Johnson