Cathedral News “The End That Escorts A New Beginning” Fr. Okonkwo Reflects on the Liturgical Year
Inside: The Real St. Nicholas Preparing for Christmas at Holy Family Cathedral School The Second Anniversary of Wednesdays at the Cathedral: A Year in Pictures
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Newsletter, December 2017
“THE END THAT ESCORTS A NEW BEGINNING (Reflection on the Liturgical Year) “ by Very Rev. Chukwudi Jovita Okonkwo, Ph.D.
MYSTICAL DANCE As you watch the daylight fade and night progressively take its turn until it is pitch dark and then the eastern sun announces another day, you cannot but marvel at the cyclical dance that takes place. The first chapter of the book of Genesis has it that “Evening came and morning came…the next day,” always without asking permission of each other or by our beckoning. The order has been firmly set (Psalm 93:3). One of the greatest experiences you’ll ever have is to watch as the night gives way to morning. As a child, I never experienced the coming of daylight because my family woke up at 5am when it was still dark and stayed in prayer until daybreak. In the seminary too, it was customary to be in the chapel for Lauds (Morning Prayer) before morning breaks. But about fifteen years ago, I experienced physically for the first time the transition from night to daylight. I’d fallen sick and called a priest friend to cover the 6 o’clock Mass for me. I woke up at 5am the next day, as is customary; but drained by fever and lacking any energy, I couldn’t still get out of bed (and needn’t get out of bed, anyway). It was the coming of morning which revealed to me that I didn’t pull the drapes when I went in. Because my bed faced the east, I had the moving experience of seeing the eastern sun rise and light overcoming darkness at a gradual pace. As the sun tears into the darkness of the night, a combat ensues in which the night bloodies the sun upon its arrival. Like a tenacious warrior who wouldn’t surrender, the sun absorbs the blows of the night until it fights its way through, transforming the clouds around it to beautiful and chirpy orange coronets, often exposing the moon, too, in its horizon. The dull mask that comes upon early morning reveals
a tiredness as the sun musters the last breath in its arsenal to fight off the night. It further reenergizes to tower over the night revealing the first brightness that announces the daybreak. The above was how my ‘sickened’ mind observed the coming of the day that fateful morning. And perhaps, only a sick body stationed in its inertia can be still at that time of the day when the hustling and busting of the world’s inhabitants is at feverpitch. Yet, the mystery is that whether or not we stop to observe it, the coming of evening and morning continues unstopped, just as envisioned by the Creator. Time is that way too—in its ambivalent association with us: it moves on without asking our permission, “like a predatory villain with whom we must all contend” (Hildebrand). We can’t induce it to go slower for us to meet up with our appointment or to go faster so the boring sermon can be over and we get on our way. Last month, as we were nearing the month of November, a family member told me she wished time could slow down because she wasn’t ready yet for the craziness of the Christmas season. But time doesn’t care what we feel or think; it gets on its course, come what may. TIME: A CREATURE OF GOD St. Augustine saw time as made by God to become inseparable from our human experience. In the Confessions, he alluded to the Maker’s desire that it would have an encompassing presence in our lives: “You have made all times, and you are before all times, and not at any time was there no time.” As one epoch comes to an end, another begins. As one cycle ends, it escorts the next. And so, we find ourselves at the beginning of another liturgical year of grace when we renew our relationship with the Lord as disciples in our journey towards eternity. As we enter the season of Advent this year, my reflection centers on liturgical time, where the All Holy God encounters us through the revelation of Himself in the life of Christ.
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THE LITURGICAL CYCLE You may have heard me say that the Church’s gift of the liturgical year and its division into three cycles A, B, C is probably the most biblical piece of the Church’s life, deriving directly from the three synoptic gospels – Matthew, Mark and Luke. Matthew is the gospel for Year A, Mark for Year B, and Luke for Year C. The gospels tell the good news (evangelion) of the Incarnate Word of God coming to live among us. As we liturgically read and live the gospel of Mark this year, we enter into the divine arena where we meet Christ, the protagonist of this encounter. It is the life of Christ that pervades the seasons of the year. When we immerse ourselves in liturgical time, we become united with the All Holy God who grants that through participation in His life, we too may flourish in our quest for meaning and contentment in our land of exile. By incorporating time into the liturgy, the Church seeks to take hold of time, stripping it of its villainy, and turning it into an instrument for our sanctification and salvation. The mystic, Thomas Merton, sees liturgical time as a means through which the Redeemer of the world has given special meaning and power to the cycle of the seasons. As made by God, they remain ‘good’ by their very nature, always retaining the capacity granted them to signify our life in God and express the cadence of natural life. Unfortunately, they also express for fallen and unredeemed humanity a linear flight from God, and even a spiritual prison that perpetually renew and perpetual death as the ultimate end (Merton). For the believer in Christ, however, the cycle of the seasons is something entirely new, taking on the garb of a cycle of salvation. Hence, the year is not just another year, it is the year of the Lord: a new year in which the immutable grace of God follows the believer from the natural spring and fruitfulness of material existence to a fullness of life with the redeemed in heaven. THE LITURGY AND LITURGICAL SEASONS SANCTIFY OUR LIVES Whether it is the Divine Office celebrated at
Newsletter, December 2017
different intervals within the 24-hour cycle or the Mass in which we unite with the hosts of heaven in praise of the Lamb of God or the liturgical seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter and Ordinary Time, the liturgy sanctifies every moment of our lives (CCC 1171). Each new celebration, each Mass, each new season makes existentially contemporaneous the mystery of Christ present and living in His Church. The Liturgy of the Hours sanctifies every moment of our day and night, uniting us with the Lord who on the day of creation commanded that evening and morning should come. The hymn “The day Thou Gavest” by J. Ellerton (1826-93) sung at Night Prayer in the English Breviary captures the essence of the liturgical praise of God. Permit me to quote a few verses: As over continent and island The dawn leads on another day, The voice of prayer is never silent, Nor dies the strain of praise away.
The sun that bids us rest is waking Our brethren ‘neath the western sky, And hour by hour fresh lips are making Thy wondrous doings heard on high. Similarly, each recurring season draws us into a new mystery of His life: in Advent, we await His coming as man and look forward to His coming again in glory; in Christmas, we celebrate the Emmanuel (God-withus) whose humble entrance into the world frees us from sin and the power of our ancient foe; in Lent, we enter into the mystery of His passion and death, walking the royal road of the cross that led to our redemption; in Easter, we rejoice that He has conquered death by His dying and rising again, assuring us of immortality; in the Ordinary Time, we flourish together with Him in a luminosity that pervades our being, especially in the ordinariness of life where the holy lies hidden. Each feast of the saints, the Blessed Mother, the apostles, martyrs, pastors, doctors, virgins, holy men and women, dedication of altars, the sacraments etc., is a
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celebration of His life, and an awakening to the ecstasy of love.
Newsletter, November 2017
The Real St. Nicholas Contributed by catholiceducation.org by Fr. William Saunders
ADVENT OF GOD’S LOVE In his Meditations on the Liturgy, Thomas Merton quotes Dom Odo Casel who compared the liturgical year to a ring which Christ’s virgin bride, the Church, triumphantly displays as a sign of her union with the Incarnate Word. This holy ring, according to Merton, is the gift of Christ to His bride, as a pledge of His love and His fidelity to His promises. The cyclical nature of the ring typifies the liturgical cycle, which even at its end escorts a new beginning, a symbol of the unity of God, the “Ancient of Days,” who remains forever the same, yet ever new. It is a form of dialogue, where heaven and earth meet, God and man unite in an affair in which the hosts of heaven and the inhabitants of the earthly city embrace and become of one heart. It is such a great miracle, tremendous and awe inspiring, approved and consecrated by the Father who so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son for our salvation (John 3:16). Each of us is invited this Advent to enter anew into the mystery of the liturgical year with the awareness that liturgy is per se a communal work and experience in collaboration with the Divine Redeemer. Aware of this eternal value of the liturgy, we begin a new year, pulling together the past and the future made present in the now of Advent. Merton calls it “a telescoping of time and eternity, of the universal and the personal, that is common to all ages, what is above and beyond all time and place, and what is most particular and most immediate to our own time and place.” Though we presently celebrate Advent, we always remember that it is but one paragraph in a full page history of our Redemption in Christ. We beckon on the Redemptoris Mater (Mother of the Redeemer) to reveal Christ anew to us this Advent, and, when she gives Him to the world at Christmas, may we be filled with the same ecstasy that was granted her as she beheld the Incarnate Word of God.
Is there a Santa Claus? Yes, there is a Santa Claus. However, we know him more as St. Nicholas. Unfortunately, we have little historical evidence about this popular saint. Tradition holds that he was born in Patara in Lycia, a province in Asia Minor. He was born to a rather wealthy Christian family and benefitted from a solid Christian upbringing. Some say that at age five he began to study the teachings of the Church. He practiced virtue and piety. His parents died when he was young and left him with a substantial inheritance, which he used for many good works. One popular story tells of a widower who had three daughters. He was going to sell them into prostitution since he could not afford to provide the necessary dowries for their marriages. St. Nicholas heard of the plight of the daughters and decided to help. In the dark of the night, he went to their home and tossed a bag of gold through an open window of the man's house, thereby supplying the money for a proper dowry for the oldest daughter. The next two nights, he did the same. St. Nicholas' generosity spared the girls from a sad fate. St. Nicholas' reputation as a holy man spread. Upon the bishop's death, St. Nicholas was chosen to succeed him as the Bishop of Myra. Several accounts agree that St. Nicholas suffered imprisonment and torture for the faith during the persecution waged by Emperor Diocletian in the latter part of the 300s. Some sources attest that after the legalization of Christianity, he was present at the Council of Nicea (325) and joined in the condemnation of the heresy of Arianism, which denied the divinity of Christ. A later story tells of how St. Nicholas intervened to spare three innocent men sentenced to death by a corrupt governor named Eustathius, whom St. Nicholas confronted and moved to
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Newsletter, November 2017
do penance. He died in the fourth century between the there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love years 345 and 352 on Dec. 6th, and was buried at his and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that cathedral. they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! How dreary would be the world if there St. Nicholas has been continually venerated as a great were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there saint. In the sixth century, Emperor Justinian I built a were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith church in honor of St. Nicholas at Constantinople, and then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this St. John Chrysostom included his name in the liturgy. In existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in the 10th century, an anonymous Greek author wrote, sense and sight. The external light with which "The West as well as the East acclaims and glorifies childhood fills the world would be extinguished.... him. Wherever there are people, in the country and Nobody sees Santa Claus but that is no sign that there the town, in the villages, in isles, in the furthest parts of is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are the earth, his name is revered and churches are built in those that neither children nor men can see.... Thank his honor. All Christians, young and old, men and God! He lives, and he lives forever." For me, this is a women, boys and girls, reverence the memory and call pretty good testimonial of St. Nicholas and the joy he upon his protection." After the Moslem invasion and brings to our Christmas celebration. May St. Nicholas persecution of Christianity, his body was taken by inspire us with his prayers and example to celebrate a Italian merchants in 1087 and entombed in a new faith-filled Christmas. Church in Bari, Italy. The devotion to St. Nicholas was distorted by the Dutch Protestants, who wanted to erase his "Catholic trappings." For instance, St. Nicholas was rendered Sint Klaes and later Santa Claus. They also stripped him of his bishop's regalia and made him a more nordic looking Father Christmas with a red suit. In the 19th century, American authors also helped Holy Family Cathedral School 2017-2018 change the "bishop's image" of St. Nicholas. In 1820, Washington Irving wrote a story of Santa Claus flying Dear Holy Family Cathedral Parishioners, in a wagon to deliver presents to children. Three years Advent season is upon us, later, Clement Moore wrote A Visit from St. Nicholas and here at school we are (known better as The Night Before Christmas, busily preparing our hearts, describing Santa Claus as a "jolly old elf" with a round minds, and souls for belly, cheeks likes roses and a nose like a cherry. In Christmas. Our school 1882, Thomas Nast drew a picture of Santa Claus community has a number of based on Moore's description and even added that traditions to ensure that this the North Pole was his home. Finally, Haddom time of preparation and Sundblom, an advertising artist for Coca-Cola, expectation is meaningful for transformed Santa Claus into the red-suited, biggerour students. One of my than-life and even Coke-drinking jolly character we favorites is our Monday easily picture in our minds today. morning celebrations. Before the official start of the school Nevertheless, is there a Santa Claus? I remember day, every student and every teacher gathers reading once the response of the editor of The New together in our main hallway and our eighth grade York Sun in 1897 to an 8-year-old girl named students lead us in prayer service as we light the Virginia who asked the same question. Part of the candles on our Advent Wreath. We close our answer, which still applies, was this: "Yes, Virginia, celebration with song. The hallway reverberates with the sweet, clear voices of children singing “O Come, O
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Come Emmanuel.” God is truly with us.
Newsletter, November 2017
Second Anniversary of Wednesdays at Christmas Cathedral: 2017 A Year in Pictures
Another favorite tradition is the Program. This year, the “program” will look a little different than in years past. Our students will offer up their gifts in a variety of ways, including a dramatic production of “The Least of These,” a heart-warming story about the true meaning of Christmas. Additionally, our band and choir students will be performing a Christmas Concert featuring sacred and seasonal music to lift our spirits and prepare our hearts to receive the Messiah. Finally, this year sees the return of Christmas Around the World where our community explores and celebrates the Christmas sights, songs, tastes, and traditions of lands near and far.
By Monica Conro, Director of Family Faith Formation
The weekly Wednesdays at Cathedral program was born out of a desire for every Catholic to more fully grasp the beauty of his faith and to grow a sense of community among parishioners. As we begin Advent and the start of the new liturgical year, it is the perfect time to get involved! Celebrate, pray, serve, and learn along side fellow parishioners while forging new friendships built on the foundation of our awesome faith! Celebrate: January Epiphany Party
This year also sees the return of our Fill the Fence community service project. Our school community is collecting socks, gloves, hats, scarves, non-perishable food items, bottled water, blankets, and gently used outerwear for members of our local downtown community who find themselves, alone, cold, and with nowhere to lay their heads this Christmas season. Last year, the generosity of our students and families allowed us to completely fill the playground fence on both the south and eastern sections, and we hope to do even better this year. 2017 ushers in a new tradition for our community, the first ever Holy Family Cathedral School Christmas Bazaar. The Bazaar includes a pancake breakfast in the Cafeteria, pictures with Santa, student-made crafts for sale, and a performance by our choir to help raise funds to support the school’s Fine Arts program. We hope that your family enjoys your Advent and Christmas traditions as much as our Family enjoys ours. As you move through the next weeks, please keep us in your prayers, and know that you are always in ours. May the light of Christ bring joy to you this Advent Season. “God is light, walk in the light” 1 John 1:5-7 Yours in Christ, Mrs. Southerland
Pray and Sing: Family Stations of the Cross
Holy Family Cathedral
Newsletter, November 2017
All Souls’ Day at Calvary Cemetery
Adult Formation: Ecumenical Panel: “Beyond the Reformation,” Vespers and tour of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church
Serve: Catholic Charities Dinner for Residents
Fr. Don Wolfe: Blessed Stanley Rother Presentation
Family Faith Formation: Learning about the faith and the saints in the classroom, or performing a play for parishioners.
Holy Family Cathedral PO Box 3204 Tulsa, OK 74101-3204 Electronic Service Requested
Most Rev. David A. Konderla, Bishop of Tulsa Most Rev. Edward J. Slattery, Bishop Emeritus Very Rev. Jovita C. Okonkwo, Rector Rev. John Grant, Associate Pastor Rev. Msgr. Gregory A. Gier, Rector Emeritus Deacon Tom Gorman Deacon Greg Stice Deacon Kevin Tulipana Deacon Jerry Mattox Deacon B.D. Tidmore Deacon Jon Conro Holy Family Cathedral Parish PO Box 3204, Tulsa, OK 74101-3204 918-582-6247 HolyFamilyCathedralParish.com TulsaCathedral@gmail.com Holy Family Cathedral School 820 South Boulder Avenue, Tulsa, OK 74119 918-582-0422 HolyFamilyCathedralSchool.com
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Weekend Mass Schedule: 5:00 p.m. Saturday 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 12:00 Noon, and 5:00 p.m. Sunday Weekday Mass Schedule: 12:05 p.m. Monday 7:00 a.m. & 12:05 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday 7:00 a.m., 12:05 & 5:05 p.m. Friday 8:00 a.m. Saturday Tuesday-Saturday daily Masses are usually in the Chapel of Peace. Confessions: Ten minutes before all Masses, and 3:30 - 4:45 p.m. Saturday Friday Evening Holy Hour: 5:05 p.m. Mass, followed by Adoration and Benediction until 6:30 p.m.