Author Archives: Steve Benner

Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/yv8p7hny Drop down dew from above, you heavens,and let the clouds rain down the Just One;let the earth be opened and bring forth a Savior. Isaiah 45 Almighty God,to whom all hearts are open,all desires, known,and from whom no secrets are hid:Cleanse the thoughts of our heartsby the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,that we may perfectlyContinue reading “Oremus for Wednesday, December 15, 2021”

John of the CrossBorn to an impoverished noble family near Avila in Spain in 1542, Juan de Yepes was brought up by his widowed mother and went to a charity school. He worked as a nurse and received further education from the Jesuits before entering the Carmelite order when he was twenty-one. Having distinguished himselfContinue reading “Oremus for Tuesday, December 14, 2021”

Samuel JohnsonSamuel Johnson was born in 1709 and is best known as a writer of dictionaries and a literary editor. Yet in his lifetime he was renowned for his religious beliefs and as a firm supporter of the practice and order of the Church of England. He had been converted to Christianity as young manContinue reading “Oremus for Monday, December 13, 2021”

Antiphon1 Ant. Rejoice in the Lord always; * again I say, rejoice.Let your forbearance be known to all men.The Lord is at hand.Do not be anxious over anything;but in all manner of prayer,let your requests be made known unto God.V. O Lord, you have favored your land, *and brought back the captives of Jacob.You forgave the guiltContinue reading “Oremus for Sunday, December 12, 2021”

Karl BarthBorn in Switzerland in 1886, Barth studied at several prestigious universities including Tübingen. After completing his studies, he served as pastor in Geneva and Safenwil. The events of the First World War led Barth to critically question the dominant theology of theday, which, in Barth’s view, held a too easy peace between theology andContinue reading “Oremus for Saturday, December 11, 2021”

Thomas MertonThomas Merton was born in France in 1915. His early life was unset-tled and it was not until he was at Columbia University in New York that he began to explore Christian faith and the religious life. He was baptised in 1938 and entered the Trappist order at Gethsemani, Kentucky, in 1941. The publicationContinue reading “Oremus for Friday, December 10, 2021”

Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/knfvtvew Look to your covenant, O Lord,and forget not the life of your poor ones for ever.Arise, O God, and defend your cause,and forget not the cries of those who seek you. Psalm 74 Almighty God,to whom all hearts are open,all desires, known,and from whom no secrets are hid:Cleanse the thoughts of our heartsbyContinue reading “Oremus for Thursday, December 9, 2021”

Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/ypfm8yec Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be consoled.Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,for they shall have their fill. Matthew 5 Almighty God,to whom all hearts are open,all desires, known,and from whom no secrets are hid:Cleanse the thoughts of our heartsby the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,that we may perfectlyContinue reading “Oremus for Wednesday, December 8, 2021”

AmbroseBorn in Trier in 339, Ambrose was of an aristocratic family and in the year 374 was governor of northern Italy, with his headquarters in Milan. Whilst trying to bring peace to the Christian community, with Arianism and orthodoxy each trying to gain the election of its man as bishop, Ambrose, known and respected byContinue reading “Oremus for Tuesday, December 7, 2021”

NicholasVery little is known about the life of Nicholas, except that he suffered torture and imprisonment during the persecution under the Emperor Diocletian. It is possible that he was one of the bishops attending the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea in 325. He was honored as a saint in Constantinople in the sixth century byContinue reading “Oremus for Monday, December 6, 2021”