Gaudete Sunday

Traditionally, Catholics save setting up the tree until Christmas day (I've had it explained that early set-up is like opening one's presents early).





Obviously, we cheated. But seeing that our poached sapling, with its hollowed out middle, looks like a Pennsyltucky bear used it all season as floss, perhaps no harm is done.

It's magic, really, that even the scraggliest of Charlie Brown scraggles, once lit up, strung up, plugged in and traipsed about by tots transforms into a

TREE!

* * *

We sang O Come Divine Messiah today in Mass and I just love its melody:

O come, Divine Messiah,

The world in silence waits the day

When hope shall sing its triumph,

And sadness flee away.

Dear Savior haste!

Come, come to earth.

Dispel the night and show Thy face,

And bid us hail the dawn of grace.

O come, Divine Messiah,

The world in silence waits the day

When hope shall sing its triumph,

And sadness flee away.

O Thou whom nations sighed for,

Whom priest and prophet long foretold,

Wilt break the captive fetters,

Redeem the long lost fold.

Dear Savior haste!

Come, come to earth.

Dispel the night and show Thy face,

And bid us hail the dawn of grace.

O come, Divine Messiah,

The world in silence waits the day

When hope shall sing its triumph,

And sadness flee away.