bollywoodgaga:

yoannmichaux:

Read. Weller Book Works Ads by Super To Secret.

Oh, my heart!

highvictoriana:

thefirstwaltz:

Sisters Alexandra (Queen Alexandra of England) and Dagmar (Tsarina Marie Feodorovna of Russia) of Denmark. 

highvictoriana:

thefirstwaltz:

HM Queen Alexandra. 

Bérénice Bejo in The Artist

highvictoriana:

Kraljica (Queen) Natalije by Vlaho Bukovac, 1882.

Queen Natalija Obrenovic

shepherdsongs:

Anthem

• Savior of the Nations, Come – Gerald Near

Voluntaries

• O Come, O Come, Emmanuel – Gerald Near
• O Come, O Come, Emmanuel – David Lanz
• Prepare the Way, O Zion – Paul Manz

Hymns

• Hark! A thrilling voice is sounding (MERTON)
• On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry (WINCHESTER NEW)
• Let all mortal flesh keep silence (PICARDY)
• Jesus, name above all names (Nadia Hearn)
• Love divine, all loves excelling (HYFRYDOL)
• Canticle 9: The First Song of Isaiah (Jack Noble White)

 Today is the third Sunday of Advent, called “Gaudete” (“Rejoice’) in our tradition. It’s name comes from the Introit for Advent III in the Traditional Latin Mass, which is taken from the Epistle reading for the day, Philippians 4:4,5: “Gaudete in Domino semper” (“Rejoice in the Lord always”). On this day, the rose colored candle is lit in addition to two of the blue colored candles, which represent the first two Sundays of Advent. Despite the otherwise somber readings of the season of Advent, which has as a secondary theme the need for penitence, the readings on the third Sunday emphasize the joyous anticipation of the Lord’s coming.

In light of yesterday’s shootings in Connecticut, we may find it difficult to rejoice. A Lutheran pastor in Austin, Michael Coffey, wrote this poem, and I find it helps me to sing “rejoice” in troubling times. But isn’t that what Advent is about? Waiting, with hope, for a time to truly rejoice in and with our Savior?

Gaudete you say

Gaudete in Domino semper

and the steering wheel slips to the right

and the car crash comes quickly

and the concussion disorients without disabling

Gaudete you say

Gaudete in Domino semper

and the scud missiles fly wildly

and the neighbor’s daughter is damaged

and rifle fire never ceases in the night

Gaudete you say

Gaudete in Domino semper

and eyes scan the cityscape for connections

and the forlorn touch only touch screens

and the suicidal pray through pain for relief

Gaudete you say

and what else can we do

but rejoice always in you

because the rejoicing itself in defiance is

balm and peace and communion

jhnewmanchurch:

Rose Sunday at S. Magnus the Martyr, London

jhnewmanchurch:

Advent III - Gaudete (Rose) Sunday: December 16, 2012 at 3:00pm

Confirmations; www.jhnewman.org

O Lord Jesus Christ, who at thy first coming didst send thy messenger to prepare thy way before thee; Grant that the ministers and stewards of thy mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready thy way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at thy second coming to judge the world we may be found an acceptable people in thy sight, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit ever, one God, world without end. Amen.