The Sunday Next Before Advent and Ten Years

The Sunday Next Before Advent has always had a special place in my heart since I’ve become Anglican.  To me, “The Sunday Next Before Advent” just sounds Anglican.  More importantly, it means Advent is just about here.  In fact I am listening to Advent music as I type this.  Hey if the world pushes Christmas since before Halloween, I can begin celebrating Advent a week early.

As I was talking to a friend this past week, it occurred to me that it is ten years since I observed this Sunday in Oxford and at Pusey House.  That was a joyful Sunday for me indeed.

This post four years ago gives a good idea how much that Sunday and this Sunday means to me.  I hope it is special for you as well.

The Feast of St. Cuthbert

Today is the Feast of St. Cuthbert.

My reverence and appreciation of him has deepened in the past year. I’ve read more about his holy life, holiness that was well recognized long before his departure.

He would not have had it so. The man could not escape for the solitary life he yearned for without the church begging him to leave his little island to become bishop. And, indeed, this man who would rather live the life of a monk was a great and gentle leader during the sensitive time after the Synod of Whitby. He did finally die as he desired, accompanied only by selected brother monks on his lonely island. (Here is a photo of the island from Barry Miller Photography. A condensed biography of St. Cuthbert may be found here.)

Visiting his grave in Durham Cathedral this past September and walking part of the path his body took as monks fled the Vikings to take him, as it turned out, to Durham also affected me. Not to mention viewing some of his relics at the Cathedral.

Speaking of which, today is definitely a red letter day at Durham Cathedral.

If you would like to do your part to honor St. Cuthbert, one way is to visit the British Library, either online or in person, and join me in throwing in a pound or two to help the library acquire St. Cuthbert’s Gospel, which I had the pleasure to view last year.

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MORE: Ohio Anglican has posted a brief biography and propers for the day.