“How blessed, how fortunate, are those servants whom the Lord will find watchful when he comes. Blessed is the time of waiting when we stay awake for the Lord, the Creator of the universe, who fills all things and transcends all things.”[i]
In these words, Saint Columban leads us into Advent, this blessed time of waiting. Although the Church places this reading, Light Everlasting in the Temple of the Eternal High Priest, in the 28th week of Ordinary Time, it is the heart-felt cry for the Lord that his “love pervade our whole being, possess us completely, and fill all our senses, that we may know no other love but love for you who are everlasting.”[ii]
How I wish he would enkindle me with that fire of divine love
How I wish he would awaken me, his humble servant, from the sleep of slothfulness, even though I am of little worth. How I wish he would enkindle me with that fire of divine love. The flames of his love burn beyond the stars; the longing for his overwhelming delights and the divine fire ever burn within me!
How I wish I might deserve to have my lantern always burning at night in the temple of my Lord, to give light to all who enter the house of my God. Give me, I pray you, Lord, in the name of Jesus Christ, your Son and my God, that love that does not fail so that my lantern, burning within me and giving light to others, may be always lighted and never extinguished.
Be pleased to light our lanterns so that they might burn for ever in your temple
Jesus, our most loving Savior, be pleased to light our lanterns, so that they might burn for ever in your temple, receiving eternal light from you, the eternal light, to lighten our darkness and to ward off from us the darkness of the world.
May I ever see you only, look on you, long for you
Give your light to my lantern, I beg you, my Jesus, so that by its light I may see that holy of holies which receives you as the eternal priest entering among the columns of your great temple. May I ever see you only, look on you, long for you; may I gaze with love on you alone, and have my lantern shining and burning always in your presence.
Be pleased to show yourself to us who knock
Loving Savior, be pleased to show yourself to us who knock, so that in knowing you we may love only you, love you alone, desire you alone, contemplate only you day and night, and always think of you. Inspire in us the depth of love that is fitting for you to receive as God. So may your love pervade our whole being, possess us completely, and fill all our senses, that we may know no other love but love for you who are everlasting. May our love be so great that the many waters of sky, land and sea cannot extinguish it in us: many waters could not extinguish love.
May this saying be fulfilled in us also, at least in part by your gift, Jesus Christ, our Lord, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.[iii]
Prayer for heavenly wisdom
Let us pray with the Church the Collect for the 2nd Sunday of Advent:
Almighty and merciful God,
may no earthly undertaking hinder those
who set out in haste to meet your Son,
but may our learning of heavenly wisdom
gain us admittance to his company.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.[iv]
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Image Credit:
Lipgart, Ernest Karlovich. “The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins (English) ,” 1886.https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ernest_Karlovich_Lipgart_-_The_Parable_of_the_Wise_and_Foolish_Virgins,_1886.jpg
[i] Saint Columban. “From an Instruction by St. Columban, Abbot: Light Everlasting in the Temple of the Eternal High Priest.” Week 28 Tuesday – Office of Readings. Accessed November 19, 2022. http://www.liturgies.net/Liturgies/Catholic/loh/week28tuesdayor.htm. (Instr. De compunctione, 12, 2-3; Opera, Dublin 1957, pp. 112-114)
[ii] Ibid.
[iii] Ibid.
[iv] “Collect.” Week 2 Sunday . Accessed December 4, 2022. http://www.liturgies.net/Liturgies/Catholic/loh/advent/week2sundayor.htm.
Posted for Advent 2022
December 8, 2022
