This used to be the octave of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and five of us made our first vows at Kenwood on this day 64 years ago. One is still alive in Taipei, Sister Rose Chen, and I am here in the States. Two have died and the other one left the Society, but is still living. So, I celebrate this anniversary alone here and it is nothing besides those who have spent 75 years or more in the Society. Still, it marks an important day in my life. I was twenty-one but very aware that day of the life commitment I was making to serve God in the Society of the Sacred Heart.
Maybe these anniversaries this week bring back memories and are part of my Advent preparation for Christmas.
On Saturday, we begin the O Antiphons so I will take one each day for prayer and use some points given by Reverend Mother Janet Erskine Stuart, RSCJ.
Tonight I will just end with a prayer for blessing your Christmas tree: "Blessed are you, Lord our God, before whom all the trees of the forest sing for joy, for you have come to rule the earth, and all its peoples in your Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. By his death on the cross and his rising in glory, the tree of our defeat has become our tree of victory and the pure light of Christ forever gladdens our waiting world.
We ask you to send your blessing upon this tree which we have decorated in honor of your Son's birth. Let it help us to celebrate this holy season as living branches of him, and bear the fruit of good works for your glory this day and every day both now and forever. Amen. (Fr. Michael Kwatera, in Give Us This Day.)
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