Shabbot Slalom

sla · lom (noun)

any winding or zigzag course marked by obstacles or barriers

sla · lom (verb)

to follow a course with many twists and turns

This is not the first week I'm muttering "Shabbot slalom" to myself.  By 1:00 this afternoon, I felt like I was hurtling through an obstacle course on the way to Sabbath...peace? Yet another week when I think I might have to observe (if I could dare call it that) Sabbath from sundown on Saturday to sundown on Sunday, rather than starting at sundown tonight, Friday.

I suppose it could be worse, or at least more complicated. 

If I were an uber-observant Jew, I'd have to get everything prepared before sundown. I am not uber-observant (anything), but each Thursday I start feeling a certain urgency around making sure my apartment is clean, laundry has been done, and there's enough food for the weekend. (Do not ask how I define "enough food.") 

I have my Jewish mother to thank for this deeply embedded pattern because this went on in our home when I was growing up. Thursday was house cleaning, laundry, ironing, and food shopping day. It was also the day my mother went to The Beauty Parlor and the day I generally got yelled at to clean my already impeccably tidy room.  

On Friday night, usually after sundown, we'd light Sabbath candles, recite prayers, and tuck into something of the fish persuasion before schlepping off to synagogue. Yes, fish on Fridays in our Jewish home, which is probably why I start hankering for sushi by 4:00 pm on Fridays.  Go figure. Go...fish?

O Antiphons! O Yay!

Yet another year when I feel compelled to point out how I love the tradition of chanting or singing or reading and, hopefully, contemplating the O Antiphons. 


I think of them as a sacred countdown to Christmas Vigil. Visit The Virtual Abbey blog from December 17th through the 23rd to see some great artwork for each O.


December 17
O Sapientia (Wisdom)
Isaiah 11:2-3, 28:29

December 18
O Adonai (Lord)
Isaiah 11:4-5, 33:22

December 19
O Radix Jesse (Root of Jesse)
Isaiah 11:1, 10

December 20
O Clavis David (Key of David)
Isaiah 9:6, 22:22

December 21
O Oriens (Rising Sun)
Isaiah 9:1

December 22
O Rex Gentium (King of All Nations)
Isaiah 2:4, 9:5, 28:16

December 23
O Emmanuel (God With Us)
Isaiah 7:14, 8:8

1st Sunday in Advent (2011)

Psst . . . Miriam . . .

The Magi Arrive! (2011)

The Magi didn't expect the Holy Family to be
so much larger than life. Quite the Epiphany!
And the trip was such a schlep,
they decided to head home another way.

Magi Getting Closer

The Magi felt quite welcomed. . .

at the wrong manger.

Approaching the 4th Sunday of Advent . . .

Two Magi

listened to the Holy Spirit.

One, sidetracked by a caterpillar,*

swiftly experienced consequences.

*For those who need help with this literary reference, click here. And yes, this will be on the Final.

O! It's the O Antiphon Time of the Year!!

I have absolutely no idea why I have this thing for the O Antiphons, but I start getting seriously giddy about Christmas when December 17th rolls around.*

If you visit The Virtual Abbey blog from December 17th through the 23rd, you'll find more evidence of my passion for this O-so-lovely tradition.


December 17
O Sapientia (Wisdom)
Isaiah 11:2-3, 28:29

December 18
O Adonai (Lord)
Isaiah 11:4-5, 33:22

December 19
O Radix Jesse (Root of Jesse)
Isaiah 11:1, 10




December 20
O Clavis David (Key of David)
Isaiah 9:6, 22:22

December 21
O Oriens (Rising Sun)
Isaiah 9:1

December 22
O Rex Gentium (King of All Nations)
Isaiah 2:4, 9:5, 28:16

December 23
O Emmanuel (God With Us)
Isaiah 7:14, 8:8

*Truth to tell, this is a relatively recent development. Advent and Christmas were near total bummers until the turn of this century. You can count on me having more to say/write about that.

Gaudete Sunday (Advent 2010)

It's the 3rd week of Advent
and the Magi finally have a clue.

Schlep of the Magi Begins Again (2010)

The Magi begin their journey

with a lively round of paper, scissors, rock

to determine who will take the lead.

Some-Not-All About Me Announcements!

Much to be grateful for this Thanksgiving. If you read this blog, you can probably recite my gratitude list which, in alpha order, begins with Almighty God. Baltimore comes next, along with the Brendae. (I now have two fabulous gal pals named Brenda.)Baltimore double dips as Charm City because it is all that for realz, hon.

No, I won't drag you through my gratitude list, but will mention that the Virtual Abbey (@Virtual_Abbey) has captured the "V" spot as a segue to these announcements for the season we now enter.

* Please visit The Virtual Abbey blog and check out our Thanksgiving Day post, wherein we offer links to hunger-relief charitable organizations. While you're at it, clicking on this badge will lead you to where you can make help make a difference:

* No News (for some people) Announcement: The liturgical season of Advent begins this Sunday. I'll finish Striking the Set of Ordinary Time on Saturday and invite you to: 1) do the same; and 2) resist all secular temptation to start with the Christmas stuff before Christmas Vigil.

If you have a Twitter account, I invite you to add the #Advent2010 twibbon to your avatar and keep it there until December 24. Designed by yours truly, the twibbon features a violet ribbon plus a pink star to represent the 3rd Sunday in Advent (Gaudete Sunday).

* Shameless Self-Promotion: At a loss as to what to do for Advent beyond lighting special candles in a special wreath and marching your Magi toward the manger? If so (and even if not), please help me march toward earning royalties by ordering The Catholic Home: Celebrations and Traditions for Holidays, Feast Days, and Every Day (Doubleday). Despite the title, the tips in this book will help anyone in a "high" church tradition celebrate the liturgical year.

Home By Another Way

At least one of the Magi wondered if their
detour through the frozen tundra was kosher.

The Magi Arrive!

The Magi didn't expect the Holy Family to be
so much larger than life. Quite the Epiphany!
And the trip was such a schlep,
they decided to head home another way.

Magi Getting Closer

The Magi thought Sodom and Gomorrah

were nowhere near Bethlehem.

On the way to the Christ child. . .

The Magi are a bit stunned by an odd
encounter on their way to Bethlehem.

O Antiphons!

It's time to chant the O Antiphons!

This year, I'm especially grateful this tradition is shared by Christians without denominational squabbling (e.g., "We started it!" "We enhanced it!).

And once again, the practice of lectio divina will be how I get into and stay with these passages on my journey to the manger. Meet you there next week. Amen?

December 17
O Sapientia (Wisdom)
Isaiah 11:2-3, 28:29

December 18
O Adonai (Lord)
Isaiah 11:4-5, 33:22

December 19
O Radix Jesse (Root of Jesse)
Isaiah 11:1, 10

December 20
O Clavis David (Key of David)
Isaiah 9:6, 22:22

December 21
O Oriens (Rising Sun)
Isaiah 9:1

December 22
O Rex Gentium (King of All Nations)
Isaiah 2:4, 9:5, 28:16

December 23
O Emmanuel (God With Us)
Isaiah 7:14, 8:8

Schlep of the Magi Begins Again

The Magi did not at all anticipate
that this year's journey would involve
an early encounter with gluten-free party mix.

Come, Holy Connectivity

For Pentecost, our choir will be singing what I consider a really awful translation of Veni Sancte Spiritus. The English words are so out of whack with the traditional chant, that we were still screwing up after a half dozen attempts. In my rarely humble opinion. there's some liturgical stuff that should never have been translated into the vernacular.

And yes, I do appreciate the irony of making a case for chanting in Latin while downloading UberTwitter onto my Blackberry Curve during choir practice.

Lent at the Western Wall

At some point during the next 12 hours, I'll hunker down to prepare a prayer for transport to Jerusalem where it'll get tucked into the Western Wall next week.

Yes, I believe God will have already received my prayer before its physical arrival, but I like this tradition. Plus, it should come as no surprise that I think Catholic-Jewish relations could use some divine intervention these days. Petitioning God during Lent at the remains of the Second Temple makes cosmic sense to me.

So as not to suck up too much space, I'm planning to use a teeny slip of paper, although I really shouldn't worry about generating sacred litter. To make room for more prayers, notes are cleared out before Passover and Rosh Hashonah, and then buried on the Mount of Olives.

This practice of tucking notes into the Wall began during the 18th century which, considering the scope of Jewish history, makes it a relatively recent custom. Even more recent is the option of sending a prayer to Jerusalem via email, where it will be written out and then placed in the Wall for you. Kidding you, I am not.

This service is offered by Aish HaTorah (free and donations welcomed), Virtual Jerusalem (free), and the enterprising folks at Writing to God, who have recently marked their service fee down to $7.97 from $12.97 ("It's easy, It's fast, It's simple.")

I'm sure you can find other options on the Internet. In any case, I invite you to join me in praying for reconciliation among all God's people -- this year in Jerusalem.

The Magi Arrive at Long Last!

The Magi didn't expect the Holy Family to be so much larger than life. Quite the Epiphany! And the trip was such a schlep, they decided to head home another way.

Magi Getting Closer

The Magi thought they heard someone say something
about a mountain of olives.