Living a Liturgical Life—Week of December 10th
Blessings to you on this Second Sunday of Advent! Since Advent this year is very short; this is the middle week of  preparation for the coming solemnity of the Nativity of our Lord. Let’s make the most of our time of preparation.
There are three important celebrations—each coming from very different  cultural roots—which I suggest for your families this week.
On Tuesday, December 12, we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, La Fiesta de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. The well-known story of Mary appearing as a pregnant mestiza woman to the indigenous Christian convert, Saint Juan Diego (whose memorial the Church keeps on December 9), invites us to consider who are the least likely “little ones” among us whom God is wishing to reach? It is always the case that Mary appears over and over again among and for such little ones to share the Good News of her beloved Son, God dwelling among us, and to elevate these little ones who are under her care. If you’re not familiar with the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe or you want to share it with your family Tomie dePaola’s The Lady of Guadalupe (1980) and this classic children’s version from CCC https://youtu.be/cfk0dmFHhRI both do a great job of bringing this important story to life. Whereas last week’s celebration of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin looked back to the Old Testament to see Mary as the fulfillment of the Ark of the Covenant this festival looks forward to the eschatological vision of John’s Apocalypse (The Book of Revelation). Celebrations of Our Lady of Guadalupe are among the most important for the faithful of and from Mexico. The basilica built in her honor “to show her love to all peoples of every race” on the very hill where she met St. Juan Diego is the second most visited pilgrimage site in Catholicism. Here at St. John Vianney there will be a Rosary and other devotions at 7:00 PM on Monday, December 11. On the morning of December 12 festivities begin with Las Mañanitas (Little Morning Prayer) at 5:30 AM, a Rosary, Mariachi music to greet Mary, and a light breakfast. The high point of our local celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe is Mass at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, December 12. There are so many traditional foods associated with the celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe. As we keep vigil through the night of December 11 it is common to have pan dulce and coffee or chocolate. And then in the early hours of December 12 I have fond memories of thick Abuelita hot chocolate being served along with pan dulce again. In the evening, as the festival culminates, it is common to share a meal of tamales and champurrado. While you could make your own you can also visit parishioners Norma and Alberto at La Isla behind the Senior Center in town.
The next morning, December 13, will see many a young Scandinavian girl rise early to prepare candlelight and coffee for her family. I first learned about the Scandinavian (Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian) custom of marking Luciadag (Saint Lucy’s Day) while living in Copenhagen. It was once widespread throughout northern Europe. Before the reform of the Gregorian Calendar (instituted in 1582 but not adopted until as late as 1753 in England and other Protestant kingdoms) the Winter Solstice coincided with the night of December 13 making this the longest, darkest night of the year. Saint Lucy, whose very name means “Light,” was a fourth century Sicilian martyr who placed candles on her head to have her hands free to carry as much food as possible to the Christian being held captive in the catacombs. To honor St. Lucy many girls don a white garment and put a crown or wreath of lit candles on their head and sing traditional Santa Lucia songs. Check out https://youtu.be/1rBd8EdGs5c for the song in Swedish and here for an English version https://youtu.be/tiJjwMW3tms. Saint Lucy is said to have been martyred by having her eyes   removed, as the Roman authorities attempted to put out the light of faith within her. The traditional Santa Lucia saffron buns (Lussekatter) reflect this with currants (or raisins) evoking St. Lucy’s eyes. A favorite recipe for Santa Lucia buns I have used for years is https://twisttravelmag.com/swedish-saffron-buns-recipe/. This is a great way to not only teach our own families about the faith but also to recognize that our cultural customs are fun and provide an easy onramp to invite friends and family who might not otherwise seem open to encounter Christ and begin a relationship with him. It is an easy invitation! Who this week can you bear the light of Christ to? Whom can you share your joy with? I bet they’d enjoy a Lucy bun!
On December 13 the Church marks the memorial of St. John of the Cross, Carmelite reformer and companion of St. Teresa of Ávila. I, however, want to draw your attention to the weekday Collect that is assigned to this Thursday of the Second Week of Advent:
Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to make ready the paths of your Only Begotten Son, that through his coming, we may be found worthy to serve you with minds made pure.
In some earlier versions of the Roman Missal and in the Anglican Book of Common Prayer this ancient Collect (Opening Prayer at Mass) is found on other days earlier in or even before Advent. The opening of this prayer, “Stir up…” lead in Tudor England to the day on which this was prayed being known as “Stir Up Sunday” reputed to be the day on which the mincemeat for your Christmas pudding would be put together and stirred up! As you make yourself and your table ready for Christmas festivities, stirring the spirits into the dried fruits, do not neglect to also invite the Lord to stir up your spiritual life so that you might be, as we pray when receiving the baptismal candle, alight with the flame of faith at Christ’s coming! If you are looking to make a Christmas pudding, I found following this recipe and method delightful to make and to eat during our Twelve Days of Christmas Desserts: https://youtu.be/-QvVDy9z6Nk
Next Sunday, on December 17, we will not only celebrate the Third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday, but also   enter in the “holy of holies” of Advent, Late Advent (December 17 - 24), which we will begin with our Advent Lessons and Carols at 4:00 PM on Sunday, December 17. This is a wonderful time to invite friends and extended family from Vashon to see our children and our choirs sing and share the story of Christmas in a way that combines Christmas pageant and traditional Readings and Carols. Throughout next week the Church invites us to reflect on the O Antiphons, the proper Antiphons for the Gospel Canticle (Magnificat) of Evening Prayer (Vespers) of Late Advent, one of the poetic fruits of that that Advent Project discussed above. I’ll turn our attention next week to these images of the O Antiphons, so prominent in our Jesse ornaments and best known from the Advent hymn “O Come O Come Emmanuel.”
Prepared by Andrew Casad, MTS, MA
 

• SATURDAY:  5:00 PM
• SUNDAY:  9:30 AM

• WEDNESDAY:  12:00 PM Mass
• THURSDAY:  12:00 PM Mass
• FRIDAY:  12:00 PM Mass

St. John Vianney Catholic Church
16100 115th Avenue SW
Vashon, WA  98070

Parish Office: 
206-567-4149

Email:
office@vashonsjv.org

Mail:
PO Box 308
Vashon, WA  98070

Sacramental Emergencies: 
360-621-5577

2nd Sunday of Advent