Incarnate Word

Happy New Year!

I hope we all remembered the plenary indulgences for the last and first days of the year.  I did. :)

I attended the 12 am Mass for January 1, the Feast of Mary, Mother of God at Incarnate Word in Chesterfield.  Bishop Herman celebrated Mass.  Before Mass, there was Benediction, Rosary and Adoration.

The music was accompanied by a piano.
Opening:  Song of Mary
Offertory:  What Child is This
Communion:  Magnificat, God's Family (winner of the cheesiest song award)
Closing:  Sing of Mary

Homily:
On this first day of the year, we celebrate the Feast of the Mother of God.  Early Church called Mary, Theotokos, Mother of God.  Jesus on the Cross says to John, behold your mother, to Mary he says behold your son.  It is right to ask the intercession of Mary.  We need those blessings.  In the first reading, Moses and Aaron could not imagine the Father living in our midst and dying on the Cross for our salvation.  St. Paul mentions how we were born under the law so that we may be adopted under the law.  We become God's adopted children.  We are God's beloved children.  The love comes to fruition in the Crib.  Mary was piecing things together.  Why would God do this?  How marvelous is His love and compassion for us.  At the circumcision, Simeon said a sword would pierce Mary's heart.  Mary did not understand but treasured these words in her heart.  She pieced it together and it came together for her on the Cross.  The events have begun to make sense.  The Passion was to save us from sin.  Our world needs a mother.  The world needs to know its Redeemer if it is to be saved.  Atheists hate Christians.  If Christians are right, they have to change and they don't want to.  At the miracle at Cana, Mary tells the servants to do whatever He tells you.  Live the Gospel joyfully.  Be a light unto other.  At her apparitions, Mary asked us to stop offending God.  For my prayers to be effective, they must change me to effect other people.

The Bishop used Eucharistic Prayer III and there were no bells.

Pictures

View From the Back Pew

Annunciation

Mother and Child

Nativity

Pentecost

Risen Jesus

Station VIII

Links:
Website of Incarnate Word
Pictures from Rome of the West

Nativities from St. Anthony of Padua (pt 2)

Nativities from St. Anthony of Padua (pt 1)

There were lots of Nativities.  I'll be doing them in groups of 10.  And I won't comment on them.  

Assumption

Hello again!  Today's the Feast of St. John.  Apparently it was traditional to bless wine on this day.  How awesome is that and where can I get in on it?

On Christmas Day, I attended the Noon Mass at Assumption in South County.  This church has chunky stained glass windows and is shaped similar to Seven Holy Founders.

This is their contemporary Mass.  There were guitars, basses and drums.  There was incense at the 10:30 Mass but not this one.
Opening:  Angels We Have Heard On High (dropped down an octave! yay!)
Offertory:  O Come All Ye Faithful; Away in a Manager
Communion:  What Child Is This; Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Closing:  Joy to the World

Homily:
It is a Season of Grace.  Thank our heavenly Father.  Every birthday, we ask what will this child be?  We know what Jesus will be.  The Scriptures tell us.  There is a secret longing.  A light that burns in our hearts.  Longing of the human heart in the greetings of the season.  Father then showed all his Christmas cards (note to self:  send priest nice card....) In 1944, Hallmark came up with their slogan:  When you care enough to send the very best.  Isn't that why we are here today?  Creator and creature come together.  God had a plan.  We see that plan throughout the Old Testament.  God chose to send the very best, His Son.  We are Christ's greeting card.  We are the best that Jesus sends (oh dear...is that guilt I feel?).  What kind of Christmas card would you be (...late).  What would you be if you were sent forth (...lost...).  What does your life say about Jesus?  Is our presence a proclamation of hope and joy (more like a proclamation of snark but we'll go with hope and joy.)  We are God's Greeting Cards.

Interestingly, at the beginning of the Creed, Father mentioned that we were to Genuflect at the Incarnate part.  Only like a third did.  Father used Eucharistic Prayer II and there were bells.

Pictures:

View From the Back Pew!

Angry Angel Gabriel 

Mary visits Elizabeth

Nativity

Ooooo

Star of Wonder Star of Night

Star of Royal Beauty Bright

Presentation?

Uhm.

Scrolls.

Maybe Jesus lost in Temple?

Mary

Alpha and Omega

Christ

Baptism

Penance

Eucharist

Holy Orders

Marriage

Anointing of the Sick

Nativity

Links:
Website of Assumption

St. Ferdinand - Florissant

Happy 3rd Day of Christmas!  I'm a little behind.

For Midnight Mass on Christmas, I attended St. Ferdinand.  This is a modern church.

The choir is in the front on the left and the music was accompanied by a piano.  Before Mass there was a program with singing.
Music:
Opening:  O Come All Ye Faithful
Nativity Blessing:  Silent Night
Gloria:  Sing Glory
Communion:  We Adore These Tiny Hands; When Blossoms
Closing:  Go Tell It on the Mountain (complete with tambourines and clapping)

Odd Happenings:  There was a procession around the church during the opening song.  There was an Alleluia after the Gospel.

Homily:  Father talked about a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, I Heard the Christmas  Bells, written during the American Civil War.  Longfellow had thoughts of joy even in the midst of despair, even though his heart was torn by the War.  We are a people of peace.  Bless us on this Christmas Day.

Father used Eucharistic Prayer II and there were bells and incense.

And now I'm going to throw a nutty.  We have this nice shiny new translation.  I know that the translation has been available to musicians for at least a year, if not longer.  Why are we using music that goes with the old translation and putting the new words in it?  I have 2 problems with this practice.  1.  I can't remember new words.  My brain has connected the old words with that melody.  I have the same problem with songs that have been made more inclusive.  I still sing the old lyrics.  And apparently, some of the choirs don't remember the new words either.  2.  The words don't fit in the music!  With this setting, the one with the Sing Glory to God in the Highest.  Yeah.  Shoehorning the new lyrics into the music.  They don't fit.  The cadence is wrong or something.  It was horrible.  Horrible.  My brain was going nuts.  I was having a hard time remember the new words when my brain was like hey no...this is the old stuff.  They don't give us peeps in the pews the actual music, so it's not like I could see how the music and the words were fitting together.  I realize new music is expensive.  But for the love of my ears...take up a collection and buy new music.

Pictures:

View From the Back Pew

Nativity in the Sanctuary

Nativity in the Vestibule

Station VIII:  The Holy Women

St. Ferdinand

Window

Not sure I like the placing of those white boxes to block the window.

Links:

Website of St. Ferdinand