Advent Embertide - Traditional Catholic Preparation for Christmas
Justin Haggerty | The Daily Knight
As practiced in the Church's Rogation Days, Ember Days were developed in the ancient Church as a penitential period in observance of the changing of the four seasons. Winter's observance fell within Advent, also a penitential period within the liturgical calendar, and provided a short period for fasting and prayer before the celebration of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
The 1909 Catholic Encyclopedia illustrated that the purpose of Ember Days, including "prayer and fasting, was to thank God for the gifts of nature, to teach men to make use of them in moderation, and to assist the needy." Within two centuries after the Resurrection of Christ, "the Church in Rome had fasts in June, September, and December; the exact days were not fixed but were announced by the priests." Moreover, "the ‘Liber Pontificalis’ ascribes to Pope Callistus (217-222) a law ordering the fast" in its penitential form, and "Leo the Great (440-461) consider[ed] it an Apostolic institution.”
Under the pontificate of Pope St. Gregory the Great (590-604), Ember Days were observed throughout the Church, and universally ordered by the Roman Synod of 1078 under Pope St. Gregory VII. Advent Embertide was established for the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday following December 13th, otherwise known as the Feast of St. Lucy.
The Roman Catholic Daily Missal, 1962, described the period as an opportunity "to thank God for blessings obtained during the past year and to implore further graces for the new season."
Traditional Fast for Advent (read more)
The penitential fast during Advent, which was practiced since the early centuries of the Church, encompassed the same approach of Lent by the end of the 6th century near the pontificate of Pope St. Gregory the Great. Starting from the Feast of St. Martin, the period of strict fasting and prayer became known as St. Martin's Lent. By the 12th Century, a general abstinence replaced the fast for most practicing Catholics, and only religious orders maintained the custom of fasting during Advent. Most monasteries, convents, and priories, including the Vatican, observed St. Martin's Lent up through the 14th Century. For a more detailed account of the fast, refer to Traditional Fasting for Advent.
Advent Ember Days - Traditional Liturgy
"The present Roman Missal, in the formulary for the Ember days, retains in part the old practice of lessons from Scripture in addition to the ordinary two: for the Wednesdays three, for the Saturdays six, and seven for the Saturday in December. Some of these lessons contain promises of a bountiful harvest for those that serve God." ~ Catholic Encyclopedia, 1909
Liturgy and text taken from Roman Catholic Daily Missal, 1962.
WEDNESDAY IN EMBER WEEK OF ADVENT
On the Wednesday of Ember week in Advent, the Mystery of the Annunciation is commemorated by many Churches. The Mass is sung early in the morning. That 1Mass is sometimes called the Golden Mass, Rorate Mass, or Messias Mass. On that occasion the Church is illuminated, as a token that the world was still in darkness when the Light of the world appeared. The Mass is called the Golden Mass possibly because in the Middle Ages the whole of the Mass or at least the initial letters were written in gold, or on account of the Golden magnificence of the Solemnity, or more probably on account of the special, great, "golden" grace which, at the time, is obtained by the numerous prayers. It is called Rorate Mass after the first words of the Introit of the Mass: Rorate Coeli; and Messias Mass because of the Church, like Our Lady, expresses on that day her longing for the arrival of the Messias. INTROIT Isa. 45:8; Ps. 18:2
Drop down dew, you heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the Just: let the earth open and bud forth a Saviour. (Psalm) The heavens show forth the glory of God: and the firmament declared the work of His hands. Glory be to the Father. Drop...
After the Kyrie Ellison the Priest says:
Let us pray.
Let us kneel.
Arise.
COLLECT
Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that the coming Solemnity of our redemption may both confer upon us assistance in this present life and bestow the rewards of everlasting blessedness. Through our Lord.
LESSON Isa. 2:2-5
In those days, the Prophet Isaias said:
In the last days the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be prepared on the top of mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go, and say: Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob, and He will teach us His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for the law shall come forth from Sion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And He shall judge the Gentiles, and rebuke many people: and they shall turn their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into sickles: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they be exercised any more to war. O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord our God.
GRADUAL Ps. 23:7, 3, 4
Lift up your gates, O ye princes: and be ye lifted up, O eternal gates: and the King of glory shall enter in. Who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord? or who shall stand in His holy place? The innocent in hands and clean of heart.
COLLECT
Hasten, we beseech Thee, O Lord, tarry not: and grant us the help of Thy heavenly power, that they who trust in Thy loving kindness may be relieved by the consolations of Thy coming: Who lives and reignest.
LESSON Isa. 7:10-15
In those days, the Lord spoke again to Achaz, saying: "Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God, either unto the depth of hell, or unto the height above." And Achaz said: "I will not ask, and I will not tempt the Lord." And he said: "Hear ye therefore, O house of David: Is it a small thing for you to be grievous to men, that you are grievous to my God also? Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign. Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son and His name shall be called Emmanuel. He shall eat butter and honey, that He may know to refuse the evil, and to choose the good."
GRADUAL Ps. 144:18, 21
The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth.
My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord: and let all flesh bless His holy name.
GOSPEL Luke 1:26-38
At that time the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David: and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel being come in, said unto her: "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women." Who having heard, was troubled at his saying and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said to her: "Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God. Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and shalt bring forth a son: and thou shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father: and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever. And of his kingdom there shall be no end." And Mary said to the angel: "How shall this be done, because I know not man?" And the angel answering, said to her: "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And behold thy cousin Elizabeth, she also hath conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren. Because no word shall be impossible with God." And Mary said: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it done to me according to thy word."
OFFERTORY Isa. 35:4
Take courage, and now fear not: for behold our God will bring judgement: He Himself will come and will save us.
SECRET
May our fasts, we beseech Thee, O Lord, be acceptable unto Thee, and by expiating our sins, make us worthy of Thy grace, and bring us to Thine everlasting promise. Through our Lord.
COMMUNION