| « |
November 2009 |
» |
 |
| S |
M |
T |
W |
T |
F |
S |
| 1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
| 8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
| 15 |
16 |
17 |
18 |
19 |
20 |
21 |
| 22 |
23 |
24 |
25 |
26 |
27 |
28 |
| 29 |
30 |
|
|
Providence Anglican Pages
Friday, 27 November 2009
Preparing for Advent 1
Mood:
 happy
Liturgical material for Advent: Psalm antiphons: On that day, the mountains shall drop down sweetness, and the hills shall flow with milk and honey, alleluia. Be glad, O daughter of Zion, and rejoice exceedingly, O daughter of Jerusalem, alleluia. Behold, the Lord shall come, and all his saints with him, and there shall be a great light on that day, alleluia. All you who thirst, come to the waters, seek the Lord while he may be found, alleluia. Responsories (to be used between the readings) Come to deliver us, O Lord God of hosts. Come to deliver us, O Lord God of hosts. Show us your face, and we shall be saved. O Lord God of hosts. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Come to deliver us, O Lord God of hosts. Show us, O Lord, your mercy. Show us, O Lord, your mercy. And grant us your salvation. Your mercy. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Show us, O Lord, your mercy. Upon you, O Jerusalem, the Lord shall shine. Upon you, O Jerusalem, the Lord shall shine. And his glory shall appear over you. The Lord shall shine. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Upon you, O Jerusalem, the Lord shall shine. Magnificat and Benedictus antiphons for Advent 1: Magnificant antiphon: You will see 'the Son of Man coming in a cloud' with power and great glory.
Benedictus antiphon: When you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. (The psalm antiphons and responsories are taken from the Benziger Roman Breviary, 1964, and the antiphons for the canticles come from the RCL Gospel reading for Advent 1, in the wording of the NRSV, All this material is for private use, since no one reads these pages, except their author.) * * * Two books to read: The Myth of the Rational Market: A History of Risk, Reward and Delusion on Wall Street by Justin Fox Cheap: The High Cost of Discount Culture
Sunday, 15 November 2009
11-15-09 Un domingo de tantos
Mood:
 chatty
A lovely Sunday, beginning with a lovely liturgy at the church: nice hymns, superb organ playing, and a fine homily, delivered without any notes, without the homilist's breaking a sweat (at least from where I was sitting). If a priest can make preaching look easy, chances are pretty good, I think, that he is in the correct profession. It is a pity the current Interim Rector is not in the running for a permanent position. A funny thing happened in the middle of the service -- they invited new members to stand up, be recognized and prayed over, and no one did, so the liturgy proceeded. We turned in our filled-out pledge cards: it occurs to me that pledging without knowing who the new Rector will be is a little like "buying a pig in a poke" (in a sack), a saying that was old when I heard as a little boy in the South. So promising to support the parish financially is a leap in faith, even more so than trying on "pre-owned" clothing (a venture that turned out very well, netting me a pair of Arizona Jeans that fit like a glove and two great shirts, one of them the only Perry Ellis I have ever owned.)
As previously noted, the gospel reading was apocalyptic, and I was interested to see how apocalyptic (which is a noun as well as an adjective), would be handled during the homily. The priest who preached did a fine job, linking Mark 13 to the new movie, 2012, which, judging from the trailer, has impressive special effects. The priest assured us the world will not end in late 2012, as suggested by, if I remember correctly, the Mayan Calendar; he knows that because astronomers have told the public there is nothing out there coming our way that could cause the demise of our fragile planet, which is good to hear. In my recollection, today's homily concluded approximately where the selection from Mark's gospel does: the end is not yet. The music that accompanies the liturgy is, I am guessing, chosen by the choirmaster, and this morning some of it seemed to relate to Veterans Day, last Monday (which just occurred to me), or, as I thought this morning, to the appalling killing at Fort Hood, the most recent unforeseen tragedy that has recently presented itself. Veterans Day makes a lot more sense, so I now understand why the final hymn was "Onward, Christian Soldiers." The problem with that hymn is that "the foe" is never identified in the text of the hymn, so "the foe" could be understood as anyone the US goverment wishes to demonize, whether the Japanese in the 1940's, or communism during the fifties and sixties, or Muslims today. So I decided I could live perfectly happily without joining in singing the recessional hymn, which was the only jarring note in church this morning. I feel really very lucky to be in Providence, where there is such a fine parish, with such gorgeous music.
Friday, 13 November 2009
Mark 13, NT Apocalyptic
Mood:
 quizzical
Sunday's gospel, Mark 13: 1-8, a few chapters before the end of Mark's account, is a paragraph about the end of the world, read a few Sundays before the end of the liturgical year. This is the first time I have looked at biblical Greek in over a decade: it is not completely undecipherable, it just takes a little more time. I am still a biblicist (a really neat word, in my opinion). That is a result of being among Baptists during my impressionable youth -- I will always want to know what scripture says about any topic under discussion. This gospel will be read in churches where some people, having lost their jobs or even their homes, feel they have been already been hit with the worst thing that could happen, the absolutely worst possibility they could imagine. For them, in a sense, not one stone is left on another, from their former lives. With the help of the marginal notes in the Nestle-Aland Greek NT, one discovers that Sunday's gospel draws on a number of older apocalyptic texts, both canonical (Isaiah) and the non- (or deutero-) canonical 2 Esdras 13:29-31: "Behold, the days come, when the most High will begin to deliver them that are upon the earth. And he shall come to the astonishment of them that dwell on the earth. And one shall undertake to fight against another, one city against another, one place against another, one people against another, and one realm against another." So there will come a time when things are cosmically falling apart, and the whole world will see that and tremble. In great fear and perplexity, people will begin to look for solutions, a way out. Apocalyptic is a word of encouragement to a faith community under stress. During a late 1st century CE assault by the Roman imperial authorities on the Jews in Judea, known, misleadingly, as the "Jewish war," (which the Jews called the "Great Rebellion") Christian believers were caught in the middle, with no allies and nowhere to turn. Truly, their world was cracking up. This gospel portion was written for them. Was it also written for us, for people who face a different kind of disaster? The challenges we face are also devastating, and, at the risk of stating the obvious, the advice of the gospel writer is helpful today as well: "Do not be alarmed" at the disastrous news, that seems to appear almost weekly, for "the end is yet to come," that is, the Almighty has not yet spoken the final word, which is a word and a judgment of redemption and peace. The gospel writer also tells us, "Beware that no one leads you astray." Amidst catastrophic conditions, many will appear with their solutions, but the truth of the gospel abides; believers have permanent good news, which is unshaken by world disorder. We are citizens of a heavenly country, sojourners here below, and, as such, we are greatly blessed, for we know that our lives are in God's hands.
Thoughts before Stewardship Sunday
Mood:
 chillin'
Last Sunday was the last Sunday before pledge cards are turned in, at the conclusion of the parish pledge drive. It has been a long time since I contributed regularly to any house of worship, and the choice of whether or not to do so has put me in a somewhat reflective mood. As it happens, last Sunday's gospel was the selection from Mark about the widow's mite, she gave everything she had. From that text, the homilist drew the lesson that worshipers face a choice: greed and fear or generosity and friendship with the Deity. Which is not a bad commentary on the story. The hymns, which always seem to be carefully selected, also had lines that spoke to the topic of stewardship. So they sent me a pledge card, and I face the decision during the next approximately 39 hours. I already said that I was willing to make a modest contribution, because I am so in love with the music, so now it is just a question of how much.
Thursday, 5 November 2009
An alternative Daily Office version
Topic: Contemporary Prayer
At the bottom left of the page, I have added a series of links to Morning and Evening Prayer from the Church of England. The offices come from a new English prayer book, called Common Worship, which looks like a wonderful resource for people who pray the Daily Office. I am continuing to read Morning and Evening Prayer from the BCP of the Episcopal Church, and I very miuch enjoy the Daily Office in that form. The Episcopal prayer book has a two-year cycle of readings for the the daily office, and the amount of scripture one would cover in reading the office for two years is quite large, so that in addition to the Psalter, the office brings the worshiper a great deal of scripture. Really a good situation, I think.
I have begun to add antiphons and responsories for the Daily Office on great feasts, like All Saints, which we just celebrated, drawing upon scripture and other liturgical sources. * * * It may be that we are going to move to Mount Pleasant, which, reportedly, is a very nice neighborhood. I have to see the place this weekend. The Bobster is kind of excited by the idea of living in a nicer environment. We are just hanging on here, while this particular neighborhood goes downhill at an acclerating rate. It is possible, however, that we could end up deciding to live in Providence by default, which would not be that great, since it is such an important decision. However, if I retire next year, it really won't matter where I live, and I like Providence a lot.
Tuesday, 3 November 2009
Why I could never be an atheist
Mood:
 lucky
About three years ago, on a Saturday evening, I was walking home from downtown with my friend Shane, his girlfriend and their daughter. Our paths diverged; they waited for me to cross a street. As I reached the other side, a car jumped the curb and came to rest close enough to me to leave dirt from the raised numbers on its tire, on my pants leg.
Then, between my sixtieth and sixty-first birthdays, I got bitten by a dog, but the dog was small and belonged to our neighbors, who are rich and keep the dog's shots up to date, and I got hit by a car as I was crossing underneath a red light, but the car was going very slowly, and I fell forward on the hood, rather than backwards, so the driver (thank God!) saw me and stopped. I did not immediately know that the driver was going to stop, and, as I was on the hood of his car, I thought that was it for me, and I remember thinking two things: "Damn, I forgot to make a will," so my friend would only get the insurance, and, "Wow, this is unique; I really wonder what is gonna happen next" (because that would settle the argument between believers and the rest of humanity). But the car stopped, as I said.
So my theology, done from experience (and some scripture), would always have to posit Someone or Something out there (if only gracious Coincidence), I think.
Sunday, 1 November 2009
Liturgical materials for All Souls Day
Responsory (between the lessons): I know that my Redeemer lives and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And in my flesh I will see God. I myself will see him with my own eyes -- I, and not another. And in my flesh I will see God.
[Antiphon on the Benedictus:] I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever has faith in me shall live, even though he dies; and no one who lives and has faith in me shall ever die. [Antiphon on the Magnificat:] All that the Father gives me will come to me, and anyone who comes to me I will never turn away. O God, the Maker and Redeemer of all believers: Grant to the faithful departed the unsearchable benefits of the passion of your Son; that on the day of his appearing they may be manifested as your children; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and ever. Amen or Eternal Lord God, You hold all souls in life: Give to your whole Church in paradise and on earth your light and your peace; and grant that we, following the good examples of those who have served you here and are now at rest, may at the last enter with them into your everlasting joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. [Sources: The responsory is from Job 19:25, 26, 27, from the NIV. The antiphon for the Benedictus is John 11:25, and the antiphon for the Magnificat is John 6:37, both from the Revised English Bible. The first collect is found at http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/AllSouls.htm, and the second comes from the the BCP 1979.]
A glorious All Saints in Providence
Mood:
 a-ok
This morning's parish Eucharist was even more impressive than I had expected. The processional hymn, "For all the saints," was glorious, and we also got to sing "Ye watchers and ye holy ones" and "Ye holy angels bright." The choir sang the Gloria from the "Little Organ Mass," a composition in which one phrase is piled on top of another, in a unique polyphony, which means the Gloria in Excelsis takes only about 2 minutes. This is High Church worship without Anglo-Catholic extravagance. It is really very beautiful, I love it, and it was appropriate for the celebration of All Saints. In his homily, the preacher pointed out that we are "the saints," the New Testament expression for believers, and he also opined that the phrase "All Saints" means inclusion, everyone gets to be a part of the church of the saints. Really a glorious morning, just about a transcendent experience. I thought of the Advent, since the service was very long, with a prayer for the Search Committee, a personal testimony for the Stewardship Drive, and blessing the prayer shawls (which really are knitted shawls), a particular custom of this parish. I am very happy with the church.
Psalm antiphons for All Saints
[Antiphon 1] I saw a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, standing before the throne. [Antiphon 2] And all the angels stood round about the throne, and they fell down before the throne upon their faces, and adored God. [Sources: The antiphons are from The Roman Breviary, published by Benziger Brothers, 1964.]
Saturday, 31 October 2009
Liturgical materials for All Saints
Mood:
a-ok
Topic: Breviary antiphons
Antiphon on the Benedictus: The glorious choir of the Apostles, the admirable company of the Prophets, the white-robed Army of Martyrs, praise you. All the Saints and elect, with one voice, do acknowledge you, O blessed Trinity, one God. Antiphon on the Magnificat: O how glorious is the kingdom wherein all the Saints rejoice with Christ; clothed in white robes, they follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes! Responsory (between the first and second Lessons): Be glad, you righteous, and rejoice in the Lord. [repeated] And be joyful, all you who are true of heart and rejoice in the Lord. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Be glad, you righteous, and rejoice in the Lord. [Sources: The antiphons are from The Roman Breviary, published by Benziger Brothers, 1964. The responsory is adapted from The Monastic Diurnal, edited by Canon W. Douglas, published by Oxford U.P., in 1940.]
Newer | Latest | Older
|
|
|
