Undusted Texts

  My first traditionally-published book is now available for pre-order.  My Burden Is Light contains selected sermons of St. John of Ávila (1499-1569), Doctor of the church.  See the publisher's blurb below: " 'Come to me, all you that labour, and are burdened, and I will refresh you. Take up my yoke upon you, and learn of me, because I am meek, and humble of heart: and you shall find rest to your souls. For my yoke is sweet and my burden light.' Matthew 11:28–30   Christ’s words ring true for this earthly life that we must endure in order to, hopefully, attain eternal rest with Him in heaven. Our fallen world is full of sufferings and struggles; from the everyday aggravations to the life-altering sorrows that we sometimes face. Yet, Christ assures us that His 'yoke is sweet and [His] burden light.' This is so because He always helps us carry our crosses throughout this life and because the ultimate battle is already won, thanks to Christ’s love ...

The Byzantine Rite is, unfortunately, woefully lacking in hymns and traditions for Advent and Christmastide compared to the Roman Rite, particularly the rich old English tradition.  Liturgically, outside of the Matins Katavasia (the Nativity katavasia are first used on November 21), there is no preparation for the Nativity until two Sundays beforehand.  The Byzantine Rite has the Nativity Fast itself, of course, but it has no traditions like the Advent Wreath.  Some have tried to adapt Latin traditions: for instance, Elissa Bjeletich put an Orthodox spin on the Jesse Tree with her 2016 book Welcoming the Christ Child: Family Readings for the Nativity Fast .  (Originally, the book was packaged with a set of ornaments, to form a true Jesse Tree; the ornaments seem out of print, but a Kindle version of the book is available, and the paperback still appears available from the publisher, St. Sebastian Orthodox Press .) There are a couple of paraliturgical services: the M...

For more details on Jean Gerson's idea for a Feast of the Espousals of Mary and Joseph, to be hold on the Thursday between the Third and Fourth Sundays of Advent, see my recent post , quoting some of his letters.  For the other texts of the Office Gerson wrote for this proposed feast, see this older post .  What I translate here are the Matins readings Gerson wrote for this office.   In the Tridentine Divine Office, the Office of Matins was generally equivalent to the modern Office of Readings; however, while the Office of Readings can be read at any time of day, Matins was a midnight office (though its name means "morning").  The traditional arrangement of readings was three groups (Nocturns), each consisting of three readings.  For a normal day, these would consist Psalms or portions of Psalms; on feast days, or during certain liturgical seasons, some or all of these Psalms would be replaced by other readings (maybe Epistles; maybe lives of the saints; ma...

  Wedding of Joseph and Mary, from St. John the Baptist Basilica in Berlin, Germany    Earlier this year, I translated the main text of an Office that Jean Gerson (1363-1429) composed for a Feast of the Espousals of Mary and Joseph. Here, I summarize two letters he wrote promoting such a feast.    Letter of August 13-17, 1400 In this letter, Jean Gerson discusses his proposal for a Feast of the Marriage ( conjugium ) of Mary and Joseph: " It has pleased divine wisdom (who reaches from end to end strongly, disposes all things sweetly (Wis 8:1)) to, in these last times, incline the hearts of many to teach that the virginal (so Jerome calls it) marriage of the just Joseph and Mary should be venerated with the solemn cult of the Church, and to promote its devotion.They are moved (so I deem) by the Gospel’s word, excellently and often preaching the prerogatives with which that just Joseph shone. They are moved by the honor and love of his most blessed wife, who ca...