The Living Spirit and the Liturgical Calendar

O my God, fill my soul with holy joy, courage and strength to serve You. Enkindle Your love in me and then walk with me along the next stretch of road before me. I do not see very far ahead, but when I have arrived where the horizon now closes down, a new prospect will prospect will open before me, and I shall meet it with peace.

ST BENEDICTA OF THE CROSS (EDITH STEIN)

FROM THE HIDDEN LIFE: ESSAYS, MEDITATIONS, SPIRITUAL TEXTS (ICS PUBLICATIONS, 1992)

Holiness cannot grow simply in precise fidelity to the duties of our state: that is only the preparation we must provide. If God does us the favour of desiring to lead us further, he brings about circumstances that oblige us to be more generous in our fidelity. “It is circumstances that make saints,” was the profound way our great Father Abbot used to put it, “it is not saints that make circumstances.” A sensible nature like yours always runs the risk of stopping at good sense, unless the Lord breaks up that rather narrow little boat in order to fling us into that boundless and bottomless ocean that is himself; to swim and fly belongs to that world, while walking seems safer and more in harmony with our nature.

CÉCILE BRUYÈRE

FROM THE SPIRIT OF SOLESMES, EDITED BY MARY DAVID TOTAH OSB (GRACEWING, 2016)

God always answers: maybe today, tomorrow, but he always answers, in one way or another. He always answers. The Bible repeats it countless times: God listens to the cry of those who invoke Him. Even our reluctant questions, those that remain in the depths of our heart, that we are ashamed to express: the Father listens to them and wishes to give us the Holy Spirit, which inspires every prayer and transforms everything. Brothers and sisters, in prayer there is always a question of patience, always, of supporting the wait. Now we are in the time of Advent, a time that is typically of expectation; of expectation of Christmas. We are in waiting. This is clear to see. But all our life is also in waiting. And prayer is always in expectation, because we know that the Lord will answer.

POPE FRANCIS

GENERAL AUDIENCE, 9 DECEMBER 2020

Calendar

Sunday 30 November:
First Sunday of Advent
Monday 1 December:
Advent Feria
Tuesday 2 December:
Advent Feria
Wednesday 3 December:
St Francis Xavier, Priest
Thursday 4 December:
Advent Feria
or St John Damascene, Priest & Doctor
Friday 5 December:
Advent Feria
Saturday 6 December:
Advent Feria
or St Nicholas, Bishop
Sunday 7 December:
Second Sunday of Advent

For the calendar for the Missal of 1962, go to www.lms.org.uk