A wonderful and warm Rose Sunday to you all! The Propers of today’s Mass burst forth in a joyous hope, foretelling the imminent arrival of the long-foretold Mesiah.

“Loving Mother of the Redeemer, gate of heaven, star of the sea. Assist your people who have fallen and yet strive to rise again. To the wonderment of nature, you bore your Creator yet remained a virgin after as before. You who received Gabriel’s joyful greeting, have pity on us poor sinners.”

~Loving Mother of the Redeemer a.k.a. Alma Redemptoris Mater: a traditional Marian anthem for Advent

Oh, what a week it was for Our Blessed Mother! The glorious feast of her Immaculate Conception on the 8th & her feast as Our Lady of Guadalupe on the 12th. Commemoration of her apparitions remain an encouraging reminder of her continual, motherly intercession for her children as well as a fervent call to up our game. And what time could possibly be better than Advent to grow closer to Our Lady? Her wholehearted ‘Fiat’ at the angel’s message, obscured then from the world in her humility, now luminates a direct path to the God-man she bore in virginal splendor. She did not count the cost. She did not waver in selfishness. She did not hesitate for fear of endless unknowns. She unreservedly submitted to God’s will, and All became hers; to give to us.

With Christmas creeping closer and top-notch trees selling out as top-notch trees tend to do it was time to grab a fresh Fraser fir yesterday. The freezing garage will smell wonderful as it hosts ‘the one!’ until next weekend! In the snowy steps of family custom and with a small treat in hand, we later enjoyed a drive through a fantastic light display. Yesterday also happened to be the feast of St. Lucy (name meaning light) and I’m sure the biggest and brightest light down to the tiniest twinkle received her stamp of approval. Braving the current frigid temps and anticipating predicted warmer weather in a couple days, we are snugly sliding into the new week.

A Winter’s Tale: The Rug’s Version