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advent’s last breath
…and I feel like I have no breath. It is now technically Christmas Eve, 2011. I am personally approaching what has been for me, the most spiritually hollow Advent and Christmas of my adult life thus far. It’s just here. No Advent wreath. No family devotions. The first time in a very long time we haven’t at least attempted to light candles and focus and pray as a family during this season. I am sad because of this. I don’t really know what to think about it. It’s not, for us and me right now, an easy thing to interpret. I’m not entirely sure how we got here – not even sure where “here” is.
This has not been a good year – not really. It has been OK. I can call it that. Working too much for not enough. Making it, though. Scattered in all kinds of directions. A growing realization of dreams and visions fading – seems like they’re fading away. I hope they are not disappearing altogether, but it feels like it. Questioning big decisions. Feeling (I know what I’m saying – “feeling”) far away from God, farther than ever. In a nearly constant state of regret, fearing what I’ve done to my children, to their faith, to the stability of their future lives. All these things.
One thing after another going somehow wrong. It feels like we’re under a curse. Where’s my Mojo hand!? I’m not serious… about the mojo thing. I think the fairy folk have taken our butter away! Any Irish folk out there? What do I do? Bury a St. Joseph statue upside down in my yard?? No wait, that’s to sell your house. Spin around three times, crossing myself while praying 47 Hail Marys??? Aaahhh, probably not.
Perhaps just continue to live as I’m able and try to simply do what I know to do. Probably that. I am not, though, going to hold out some kind of high hope that this will accomplish much in the way of making me feel better. I’m not sure about that any more. I do believe. I believe in Him. This will all be, of course, a part of continually re-figuring out what that means and how that works. Maybe some period of blindness will make my vision eventually sharper. Maybe being under water without breath for a while will make my lungs stronger. Maybe, hopefully, through this kind of death, we will, I will, come through the veil and back to life, to a more real and fuller life than before. Maybe.
compare for me
This post is primarily aimed at my Christian friends who are not Catholic – of course I’m not going to delete your comment if you are, but I’m looking for the perspective of those of you who are looking in from the “outside,” as it were. Many of you may not know – no reason for you to know this really – that fairly sweeping changes are immanent in the Mass liturgy of the Catholic Church.
I won’t use a bunch of technical terms, but there is a new translation of the words of the Mass (translated from the original language in which it was all written, Latin) into English. And on the first Sunday in Advent (in two weeks), it drops and we get to (I say “get to” with a lot of salt in my mouth) start using new words, phrases, prayers, etc. in our liturgical worship setting.
I’m really only setting up an opinion, feedback kind of comparison on one section for the purpose of this blog post, though. Let’s not get into what’s behind the new translation, in general (may be unavoidable to some extent). I want to your thoughts on the new Nicene Creed we’ll be using. I’m just curious how you see it from your perspective, those of you who are familiar with the Creed. So, I’ll put below, the previous version and the new version – tell me what you think. Thanks.
| Old Version We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died, and was buried. On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen. |
New Version I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. And one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen. |
vintage theoblogian
It’s official – I’m vintage, a vintage blogger, that is. And not only that, a theoblogian, woo woo. 
I started blogging a long, long time ago, in blog-years. I, and some of my friends, were blogging about church, the Kingdom of God, how all that works, should work, doesn’t work, needs to be re-worked, etc. for around 10 or 11 years. Some of us have trailed off over the years, blogging much less than we once did. Many of our life-situations have changed a good bit. It’s a different world. But we’re still around.
Andrew Jones was one of the very early theoblogians, who very much inspired a lot of us to get started. For that, I call him “Blogfather.” I love that my good friend, Kevin Rains is on this list as well (here’s the run-down). Our relationship started on the internet and grew from there into one of the great friendships I’ve ever had in life. There are others out there whom I have never met face-to-face, but still consider real friends. Talking about this always brings back very good memories for me. It makes me grateful.
So, I proudly now show my colors – I wear the Vintage Theoblogian badge on my blog. My vote is we have t-shirts made as well – AND, maybe have a little un-conference to put us all in one-place together. I would enjoy that.
069 - 07/31/11
