“They say Aslan is on the move perhaps has already landed.” And now a very curious thing happened. None of the children knew who Aslan was any more than you do; but the moment the Beaver had spoken these words everyone felt quite different. Perhaps it has sometimes happened to you in a dream that someone says something which you don’t understand but in the dream it feels as if it had some enormous meaning—either a terrifying one which turns the whole dream into a nightmare or else a lovely meaning too lovely to put into words, which makes the dream so beautiful that you remember it all your life and are always wishing you could get into that dream again. It was like now. At the name of Aslan each one of the children felt something jump in its inside. Edmund felt a sensation of mysterious horror. Peter felt suddenly brave and adventurous. Susan felt as if some delicious smell or some delightful strain of music had just floated by her. And Lucy got the feeling you have when you wake up in the morning and realize that it is the beginning of the holidays or beginning of summer.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
ISAIAH 60:1-6
1 Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
2 For behold, darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will be seen upon you.
3 And nations shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your rising.
4 Lift up your eyes all around, and see;
they all gather together, they come to you;
your sons shall come from afar,
and your daughters shall be carried on the hip.
5 Then you shall see and be radiant;
your heart shall thrill and exult,
because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you,
the wealth of the nations shall come to you.
6 A multitude of camels shall cover you,
the young camels of Midian and Ephah;
all those from Sheba shall come.
They shall bring gold and frankincense,
and shall bring good news, the praises of the Lord.
COLLECT FOR ADVENT
Blessed Lord, who has caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience, and comfort of the holy word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast the Blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou Hast given us in our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
ART APPRECIATION
Michelangelo painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel from 1508-1512. His work in the Sistine Chapel is a cornerstone of the High Renaissance. The middle of the ceiling contains nine scenes from the book of Genesis of which The Creation of Adam is the most famous. In this portion of the painting, we see God’s right arm outstretched to give the spark of life from his finger to Adam’s finger. Adam’s left arm is extended in a pose mirroring God’s, a reminder that man is created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26). Notice that Adam’s finger and God’s finger are not touching. This gives the appearance that God, the giver of life, is reaching out to Adam and Adam is receiving.
1
Michelangelo (1475-1569) was born in March, 1475, in Caprese, Italy. His family moved to Florence shortly after his birth. It was Florence that Michelangelo always considered his home, which was fortuitous because Florence was considered the center of the arts during the Renaissance. Michelangelo was surrounded by great artists in many different media. His talent was soon recognized by Lorenzo di Medici, a well-known and very rich art patron who took Michelangelo under his wing and gave him a place to live in his palace. Though Michelangelo was famous for his mural painting in the Sistine Chapel, he considered himself a sculptor foremost. His sculpture of David is considered technically perfect and has been viewed by millions who visit Florence.
2
MUSIC APPRECIATION
“Hallelujah” (Chorus) from Messiah from George Frideric Handel
Handel composed Messiah without getting much sleep or even eating much food. When his assistants brought him his meals, they were often left uneaten. His servants would often find him in tears as he composed. When he completed “Hallelujah,” he reportedly told his servant, “I did think I did see all Heaven before me, and the great God Himself seated on His throne, with His company of Angels.”
3
George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) was a German-born English composer of the late Baroque era, noted particularly for his operas, oratorios, and instrumental compositions. He wrote the most famous of all oratorios, Messiah (1741), and is also known for such occasional pieces as Water Music (1717) and Music for the Royal Fireworks (1749). 4
- Lange, Krista, and Leigh Lowe. First Grade Enrichment: Classical Core Curriculum. Teacher Guide. Memoria Press, 2017. ↩︎
- Ibid. ↩︎
- “The History of ‘Hallelujah’ Chorus from Handel’s Messiah.” Tabernacle Choir, Tabernacle Choir, 10 Nov. 2023, http://www.thetabernaclechoir.org/articles/history-of-handels-hallelujah-chorus.html?lang=eng.
↩︎ - “George Frideric Handel.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., 5 Nov. 2024, http://www.britannica.com/biography/George-Frideric-Handel. ↩︎
Providence School of Tifton 