Author Archives: Steve Benner

The Holy InnocentsHerod ‘the Great’ was appointed King of the Jews by the Roman authorities in Palestine and he proved to be ruthlessly efficient in his thirty-three years of dealing with his subjects. In Matthew’s gospel, he tried to persuade the Magi, to whom he played the host on their journey seeking the one ‘whoContinue reading “Oremus for Saturday, December 28, 2024”

Saint John the EvangelistWhether or not John the Apostle and John the Evangelist are one and the same, the Church honours on this day the one who proclaims Jesus as the Word made flesh and who is ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved’. John was one of the sons of Zebedee, along with James and Peter,Continue reading “Oremus for Friday, December 27, 2024”

Saint StephenIn the book of the Acts of the Apostles, Stephen is described as one of the seven deacons whose job it is to care for the widows in the early Church in Jerusalem. His eloquent speech before the Sanhedrin, in which he shows the great sweep of Jewish history as leading to the birthContinue reading “Oremus for Thursday, December 26, 2024”

Antiphon1 Ant. Yours are the heavens, yours is the earth, * the world and the fullness thereof have been founded by you. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne.V. A God to be feared in the council of the holy ones, *great and awesome to all around him. Psalm 89 Music: https://tinyurl.com/ycn4djk5 O Lord, openContinue reading “Oremus for Wednesday, December 25, 2024”

Antiphon1 The glory of the Lord shall be revealed,and all flesh shall see the salvation which comes from our God.V. The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness, *the world, and those who dwell in it.It is he who set it on the seas; *on the rivers he made it firm. Isaiah 40, Psalm 24 Purify ourContinue reading “Oremus for Tuesday, December 24, 2024”

AntiphonChant https://tinyurl.com/y9mr4gll O Emmanuel,Rex et legifer noster,exspectatio Gentium, et Salvator earum:veni ad salvandum nos, Domine, Deus noster. O Emmanuel, our king and our lawgiver, the hope of the nations and their Saviour: Come and save us, O Lord our God. O Immanuel,child of promise and sign of hope,you come from a distance far beyond our reach,yetContinue reading “Oremus for Monday, December 23, 2024”

AntiphonChant: https://tinyurl.com/y97vabos O Rex Gentium, et desideratus earum,lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum:veni, et salva hominem,quem de limo formasti. O King of the nations, and their desire, the cornerstone making both one: Come and save the human race, which you fashioned from clay. O Ruler of all nations,Lord of all time and space,you hold humanity together.TrainContinue reading “Oremus for Sunday, December 22, 2024”

AntiphonChant: https://tinyurl.com/yar6cdh3 O Oriens,splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae:veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis. O Morning Star,splendour of light eternal and sun of righteousness:Come and enlighten those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death. O Rising Dawn,you shine with warm brightness and clean freshness,chasing the fearsome shadows of the night away:enlightenContinue reading “Oremus for Saturday, December 21, 2024”

AntiphonChant: https://tinyurl.com/y9a62bf3 O Clavis David, et sceptrum domus Israel;qui aperis, et nemo claudit;claudis, et nemo aperit:veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris,sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis. O Key of David and sceptre of the House of Israel; you open and no one can shut; you shut and no one can open: Come and lead theContinue reading “Oremus for Friday, December 20, 2024”

AntiphonChant: https://tinyurl.com/y8zya7wc O radix Jesse,qui stas in signum populorum,super quem continebunt reges os suum,quem Gentes deprecabuntur:veni ad liberandum nos, jam noli tardare. O Root of Jesse,standing as a sign among the peoples;before you kings will shut their mouths,to you the nations will make their prayer:Come and deliver us, and delay no longer. O Root of Jesse,youContinue reading “Oremus for Thursday, December 19, 2024”