Saturday, January 31, 2009

Precious moment.

I wanted to post this Sunday, but I forgot.
I was at the 10:30 Latin mass at my parish, and during the paternoster, I noticed someone on the other side of the aisle across from me singing it from memory with basically correct pronunciation.
He was about three or four years old.

Canon.

Pachelbel.


LULZ.

Concelbration.


We all know about concelbration. but I have a question: The reformers at V-II wanted to re-introduce concelbration because it had been an ancient practice of the Roman Rite, but why didn't they do it in the same way that it had actually been done?
The Ordo Romanus says of concelebration:
"On festivals, that is to say on Easter Day, Pentecost, St. Peter's Day, and Christmas Day, the cardinal Presbyters assemble, each one holding a Corporal in his hand, and the Archdeacon comes and offers each one of them three loaves. And when the Pontiff approaches the altar, they surround it on the right and the left, and say the Canon simultaneously with him, holding their loaves in their hands, and not placing them on the Altar, so that the Pontiff's voice may be heard the more strongly, and they simultaneously consecrate the body and blood of the Lord, but the Pontiff alone makes a Cross over the Altar."
From this, we see that:

1) Not all priests were allowed to concelebrate

2) It was only permitted four times a year.

3) They said all of the canon, but silently.

4)They each have their own bread to consecrate, which they hold in their hands.


Once again, the reformers fail at re-introducing something by ignoring, or simply failing to know about documented history.

*Dies Repeatedly*

The single most impressive photograph I've ever seen.

GO HERE.

NOW.

I was at the retreat thingy at the seminary that day. I actually saved my candle from the candlelight procession, and I put it next to my vocations prayer card. I really like this post on the sacrament of penance. It's just awesome. So read it. Read it NOW.

Friday, January 30, 2009

GO HERE.

NAOW.
Well, it's true. Unfortunately, a lot pf priests and bishops don't realize they;re often the cause of Catholics leaving the church. I get very, very angry when I think about all the beauties of Catholicism that many Catholics never know. They never know the beauty of truth, and they leave. Or worse, they do know, but cognitive dissonance gets a hold of them, and they leave. Indeed, sometimes the only reason I respect certain bishops is because of their apostolic authority. Otherwise, I'd be glad to indulge myself by calling them spineless self-serving fools whose interest is more in PC-ness and monetary gain than spreading the gospel. In fact, by my definitions, I'd say most American bishops are politicians I mean really, look at the USCCB and tell me that it does'nt work like a political party? The constanc concessions to the liberal elite who currently run the place, the crowd pleasing, the definitions-that-don't-define-anything. Fortunately, the Biological Solution should give us a chance to fix everything that the boomer generation screwed up in it's misguided and narrow attempt to be 'relevant.' Give us 20-30 nyears and things will be better.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Because it's almost plagiarism....

I've been watching these videos to help myself with improvisation/hymn arrangements. This guy's amazing. I mean really, listen to Duke Street or Diademata for instance. aside, some kind person e-mailed me a link to some free downloadable sheet music a day or so ago, so I'm set! Now, I have to talk to Fr. Navit at St. Francis de Sales about letting me practice there, and if that does'nt actually work out, there's St. Donatos, or I could ask Fr. James at Lourdes. Really, I need a place with proper reeds and some kind of 32' pedal stop. Off to practice!

*EDIT*
Great. I walk two blocks in the snow and ice for practice, and what do I find but that the priest, the secretary, and everyone else at the church have given themselves the day off. So no one's there with the key. I swear, next time I go to practice I'm sending my brother to the hardware store with the key to make a couple copies. I've had ust about enough pf these people randomly canceling my practices, having other choirs and musicians practice at my time, or simply not showing up with the key, all without bothering to call me before I walk all the way down there.

So I got the music, but these guys are giving me grief with practice.

This was my propsed music for the day:

Dialogue, Andante and Toccata in C minor- (My own composition)

Fantasia from BWV 542-Bach

hymn tune " St. Anne", with variations by me.

humn tune "Nicea" and improvisations.

Complete the Gloria and start the Santus from my Missa Prima for organ and five-part choir.

Random Improvisations.

SNOW DAY!

No school!

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

More Epic Awesomeness,

Edward Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance. Ignore that nasty overplayed bit in the middle and enjoy the beginning and end.

He's right , you know.

I'm beginning to agree that this whole "Stimulus plan" is really going to be a bit of a ridiculous failure, and is simply bad policy. Really, is'nt it only playing into and continuing many of the failing policies of the past, only with a shiny new face? Or is it just me?
Ron Paul

Cantate Domino.

It's the introit for next Sunday in the 2002 Roman Missal, but it's not in the Liber Usualis, nor was it in the 1962 missal. There's the introit 'Cantate Domino" on the fourth Sunday after Easter in the older missal, but it's completely different.

Monday, January 26, 2009

Abe Kun.


......

*Dies Repeatedly*

The Epic Awesomeness that is the allegro vivace from Widor's 5th organ symphony. I won't paste Diane Bish's interpretation, even though it's one of my favorites. I just can't.

I know how to fix the economy!

All we have to do is get rid of some of those damned poor people.*
I'm sure Mrs. Sanger would be extremely proud of..........Mrs. Pelosi.


*Most of them are minorities anyway. And yes, I wanted to use a word stronger than 'minorities'.

Part XI: Nobis Quoque to the Per ipsum.


The priest now prays a prayer for all of us :

"Nobis quoque peccatoribus famulis tuis, de multitudine miserationum tuarum sperantibus, partem aliquam, et societat em donare digneris, cum tuis sanctis Apostolis et Martyribus: cum Joanne, Stephano, Matthia, Barnaba, Ignatio, Alexandro, Marcellino, Petro, Felicitate, Perpetua, Agatha, Lucia, Agnete, Caecilia, Anastasis, et omnibus Sanctis tuis: intra quorum nos consortium, non aestimator meritim sed veniae, quaesumus, largitor admitte. Per Christum Dominum nostrum"

"To us sinners also, thy servants, who hope in the multitude of thy mercies, vouchsafe to grant some part and fellowship with thy holy Apostles and Martyrs: with John, Stephen, Matthias, Barnabas, Ignatius, Alexander, Marcellinus, Peter, Felicitas, Perpetua, Agatha, Lucy, Agnes, Cecilia, Anastasia, and with all thy saints: within whose fellowship,. we beseech Thee, admit us, not weighing our merit, but granting us forgiveness Through Christ our Lord."


In this prayer, we recall the sinfulness of man. Remember, not of your merits but of Christ's are you called to partake of the bread of angels. Blessed Tomas a Kempis says in a book on the blessed sacrament:

"But understand that you cannot by any merit of your own make this preparation well enough, though you spend a year in doing it and think of nothing else. It is only by My goodness and grace that you are allowed to approach My table, as though a beggar were invited to dinner by a rich man and he had nothing to offer in return for the gift but to humble himself and give thanks.

Do what you can and do that carefully. Receive the Body of the Lord, your beloved God Who deigns to come to you, not out of habit or necessity, but with fear, with reverence, and with love.

I am He that called you. I ordered it done. I will supply what you lack. Come and receive Me.

When I grant the grace of devotion, give thanks to God, not because you are worthy but because I have had mercy upon you. If you have it not and feel rather dry instead, continue in prayer, sigh and knock, and do not give up until you receive some crumb of saving grace."

Remembering our sinfulness, we beg God to grant us, through is tender mercies, some share i the heavenly glory of the blessed. For each of us individually is fulfilled the saying "
Remember also, where a king is, there also may be his court , so also it is that where our Lord is, there also are his glorified saints. The church wants us to remember this, and that we are not alone. We have all the saints to pray with us and for us four all our needs. So now, let us pray for tat purity to have made a large and clean upper room were our lord may make is place and eat the pasch with us. ( Mark 14:12-16), or as Thomas a Kempis says in te voiceof Crist:

"I AM the Lover of purity, the Giver of all holiness. I seek a pure heart and there is the place of My rest.

Prepare for Me a large room furnished and I with My disciples will keep the Pasch with you.
If you wish that I come to you and remain with you, purge out the old leaven and make clean the dwelling of your heart. Shut out the whole world with all the din of its vices. Sit as the sparrow lonely on the housetop, and think on your transgressions in bitterness of soul.
Everyone who loves prepares the best and most beautiful home for his beloved, because the love of the one receiving his lover is recognized thereby."

All of these saints made mention of in tis prayer are all saints commemorated by the early church at Rome. They were te St. Judes, St. Tereses and St. Pios of the day. We could now ask the intercession of our patron saints for any needs we have.
Lastly, a prayer is made in thanksgiving for all the gifts on the altar. The priest joins his hands and says:

"Per quem haec omnia Domine, semper bona creas, sanctificas, vivificas, benedicis et praestas nobis."
"Through whom, O Lord, thou dost ever create all these good things, dost sanctify, quicken, bless, and bestow them upon us."


Formerly, the food that the early Christians would eat at the agape meal that followed the holy liturgy would be blessed at this point wit these words. An agape meal can be thought of as an extended parish social, if you will.
The canon of the mass is ended wit a final offering to the Father, and the most visible one. The priest takes the chalice in one hand, and the host in the other, and holds them aloft facing the altar, te cross, ad mystically, to our Father in heaven. In such a position, it's quite obvious tat something is being offered to someone. But even still, a prayer accompanies tis ceremony. The priest says:

"Per ipsum, et cum ipso, et in ipso, est tibi Deo Patri omnipotenti, in unitate Spiritus Sancti, omnis honor et gloria, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen"
"Through him, and with him, and in him, God the Father almighty, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, all honor and glory are thine.Throughout all ages, world without end. Amen"


All respond "Amen". This is called the Little Elevation, because it is not given as much ceremony as the first at the consecration. This prayer comes from scripture like many of the prayers and actions of the mass, namely, from  Romans 11:36:h

 "Quóniam ex ipso et per ipsum et in ipsum ómnia. Ipsi glória in sæcula. Amen."

See now, for a final time, the priest presents our blessed redeemer before the Father as a willing victim, as St. Tomas Aquinas says in is Corpus Christi sequence; " Cum Isaac immolatur, Agnus pascae deputatur, Datur manna patribus" " Isaac bound, a victim willing, Pascal Lamb its life-blood spilling, manna to the fathers sent."

I promise.

Just translating second vespers for this. I actually finished a post for my explanation of the mass, but it got accidentally deleted. Anyway, I have to go back ad revise them all. I want to add some quotes from St. Cyprian, St.Atanasius, and St, Cyril of Jerusalem.

WOW....


missbimbo.com
I.....it's just WOW......
I can't even comment on tis. It was funny because of te name, but te actual site, It's sickening. It's supposed to be a game for little girls age 8-14, but the site puts beauty above all, even encouraging weight loss supplements and plastic surgery. It's also unrealistic. IN the game, eating junk food makes your characyer (refererred to as a "Bimbo" unhappy. That's a lie! Junk food most assuredly is the fifth best gift that our Lord has given us.
Indeed. Our Mother of Consolation was the first in the archdiocese to offer it regularly.
(BTW, one letter on my keyboard is broken. You can guess.)

Sunday, January 25, 2009

I'm Back.

From this.
Fr. Carey asked me not to be too nitpicky with the comments*, but I don't think I have anything bad to say.
The church building is very, very nice. Eerily, it reminds me to much of lourdes. The lack of pillars. the pointed arch barred vault ceiling, the large pointed arch that leads to the sanctuary. The main altars set up in the same way, even resembling each other. The side altars, even the paneling on the choir loft look similar. But, Lourdes has real devotional candles at it's shrines, a plus for me.
It was packed (Wow, big surprise.) The vestments were nice. (A cloth-of-gold roman set, heavily embroidered.) The music was Amazing. Wow! They blend very well, but they sang the gloria too slowly for my tastes. The schola was great too. In fact, the only thing that wasn't great were the servers. To be sure, they pretty much knew what they were doing, but there were certain awkward moments. ( like during communion, or at the first incensing.) But still, great for their first time. I saw Fr. James, my pastor, and two Mercedarian brothers from my parish, Bro. Daniel and Bro.David. I make no comments as to the simultaneous use of the biretta and monastic hood.
Now, if you want my opinion, I think the organ could be bigger. If they can't expand it without ruining the case, they could do digital ranks. See, despite what 95%of organists say, I like digital ranks and don't mind digital organs. If I could afford a Johannes, I'd buy one in a second.

*Like the NLM crowd. Good info, but avoid the comments. I can't stand nitpicking, probably a result of childhood.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

BE HERE.

At this.

I've never been to South Philly, so this'll be a trip. Actually, I haven't the slightest idea how to get there. 10th and Christian. But I did make it to that high mass at the Carmelite Monastery last year with 20 minutes to spare.

New Record.

I took my borrowed Liber Usualis on the El today on the way to school to learn Sunday's propers. It took me about 20 minute to learn them all. That's a new record. Tthe first time I tried to read gregorian chant (On the first Sunday of Advent.) It took a whole week, plus most of Sunday morning.
Though, Now I have to learn the propers for the fest of the Conversion of St. Paul, as I learned the ones of the Sunday (Per Annum) rather than the feast.
Interestingly, the antiphons at lauds/vespers are extremely repetitive. They all begin EXACTLY the same way.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Daily Scedule.

Weekdays:

6:30 : Wake up.

6:50: Actually get out of the bed, wash, dress.

7:10 Leave for school.

7:11-7:40: Lauds and angelus while I walk to the bus station and catch the bus.

7:45: Board the express train at 15th street.

8:00: Get off at Olney, get breakfast, Catch the 8 bus.

8:30-1:45: School. (Religion, geometry, social studies, speech, lunch, gym, English.)

1:45- 3:00 PM. Reverse process of going to school

(Wednesdays: 3:00- 4:00: Organ practice.)

3:00 (Or 4:15) - 5:55: Internetz, laze, eat, read, other non-work stuff.

6:00- 6:35: Vespers and angelus.

(Thursdays: 7:00-8:00: Eucharistic adoration at the parish church.)

6:40- 8:00 PM: Homework. ( 8:20-9:00.)

9:00: Compline and Private prayer.

10:00: Bedtime.

Saturday:
7:20. Wake up, Lauds and angelus.

8:30: Saturday salve mass.

9:20- 11:00: MOAR SLEEP.

11:00: Draw.

12:00: Sext, eat lunch.

12:15-2:00: Sleep, snack.

2:00-4:00 watch anime, snack. (Every other week: Confession.)

4:00- 5:55 Laze about.

6:00: First vespers of Sunday.

7:00: Cartoons, more snacks.

8:00: Compline, private prayer.

9:00: Bedtime.

Sundays:

7:00: Wake up, Lauds. (Unless I'm serving the 7:30 mass. Then wake up at 6:30)
-If serving the 7:30 mass: Leave at 6:40
- If serving the 9:00 mass: Leave at 8:30
-If serving the 10:30 mass: Leave at 9:40 (10:00: Terce.)
- If serving the 12:15 mass: Leave at 11:30. ( 11:50: Sext.)

3:00: None.

3:15-5:55: Laze about.

6:00: Second vespers of Sunday.

6:40-8:00 more lazing.

8:00: Compline, private prayer.

9:00: Bedtime.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Archdiocesan Boychoir.

They'll be singing at my parish, Our Lady of Lourdes on 63rd and Haverford on Sunday, February 22nd. two of my friends at the parish who are also altar servers are on this choir, so I'll be sure to go.
They'll be singing at the 12:15 pm mass. From what I know, the mass setting will be one of Pietro Yon's, so I'm excited. (I've never heard any of his works sung liturgically.)
If you want a taste of their sound, here's a not-very-good recording of them singing Mozart's Laudate Dominum. Here's another of them practicing Pueri concinite.
I like them, and I can see the above mentioned friends in the second video.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Notice something here?

Our Lady of Lourdes, Philadelphia.

S.Peter's basilica, Vatican City.
My parish has the exact same chasuble that they have at S.Peter's at the Vatican.
Talk about expressing our unity with Rome!

Photo credit.

What's all this "book of hours' about?

This is a book of hours.
Basically, I'm making an online one that uses modern texts and modern prayers. Like, for the little office of the blessed virgin Mary, I used the office in the Liturgy of the Hours, except the translation is a compilation of my others work and some of my own. In total, I'll do the office of the Blessed Virgin, the office of the Holy Spirit, of the Holy Cross, of the Precious Blood, of the Holy Trinity, and of Ss.Peter and Paul.
I'll add the seven penitential psalms and the litany of the saints, the office of the dead, and suffrages to Ss.Peter and Paul, S. John Neumann, S. Thomas Beckett, S. Micheal, and the 14 Holy Helpers.
Some prayers before and after communion, the litany of the blessed virgin, of the Sacred Heart, of the Precious blood, of the Holy Name, of S.Joseph, and some less known ones. Lastly, a guide to attending mass devoutly and reverently by S. Francis de Sales.

None.

V. O God, come unto my assistance.
R.O lord ,make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father.

Hymn:
Be mindful author of our health,
That thou sometime didst take on thee
Of a pure virgin being born,
The form of our humanity.

Mary that mother art of grace,
Of mercy mother also art,
Save and defend us from our foe,
Receive us when we hence depart.

Glory be unto thee O Lord,
That born was of the virgin pure,
With the father and the holy Ghost,
All ages ever to endure. Amen.

Under one antiphon are said:


Ant. Jesus therefore saith to his mother: Woman, behold thy son. After that, he saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother.
Psalm 125
When our Lord turned the captivity of Sion: we were made as men comforted.
Then was our mouth replenished with joy: and our tongue with joyfulness.
Then shall they say among the gentiles: our Lord hath dealt magnifically to do with them.
Our Lord hath dealt magnifically to do with us: we are made joyful.
Turn our captivity o Lord: as a brook in the south.
They that sow in tears: shall reap in joyfulness.
Going they went, and wept: casting their seeds.
But coming they shall come with jollity carrying their sheaves.

Psalm 126
Unless our Lord build the house: they have laboured in vain, that built it.
Unless our Lord shall keep the city: he watcheth in vain, that keepeth it.
It is in vain for you to rise before light: rise ye, after ye have sitten, which eat the bread of sorrow.
When he shall give sleep to his beloved behold the inheritance of our Lord, children the reward, the fruit of the womb.
As arrows in the hand of the mighty: so are the children of them that are shaken.
Blessed is the man, that hath filled his desire of them: he shall not be confounded when he shall speak to his enemies in the gate

Psalm 127
Blessed are all that fear our Lord: that walk in his ways.
Because thou shalt eat the labours of thy hands: blessed art thou, and it shall be well with thee.
Thy wife as a plentiful vine: in the sides of thy house.
Thy children as young plants of Olive trees: round about thy table.
Lo so shall the man be blessed: that feareth our Lord.
Our Lord out of Sion bless thee: and that thou mayest see the good things of Jerusalem, all the days of thy life.
And that thou mayest see thy children's children: peace upon Israel.
Ant. Jesus therefore saith to his mother: Woman, behold thy son. After that, he saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother.

Chapter
Judith 13:31
Blessed art thou by thy God in every tabernacle of Jacob, for in every nation which shall hear thy name, the God of Israel shall be magnified on occasion of thee.

V.Blessed art Thou amongst women.
R. And blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

Prayer from Lauds.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

I just read this about Obama's concert on another website:

"CNN is now claiming that we will have to purchase HBO in order to see the concert because the new president sold the broadcast rights for 5 million dollars. I thought that all the artists were donating their time."
Verification:

“2:30 pm/ET: HBO presents We Are One, a star-studded celebration on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Beyoncé, U2, Bruce Springsteen, Steve Carell and Jamie Foxx are among the well-wishing celebs expected to be on hand to perform and read historical passages.

7 pm, ET/PT and 11:30 pm, ET/PT: The show will be rebroadcast to cable and satellite subscribers as an open feed.”
TV Guide On-line

Now for the comments:
"I thought he was going to be the president of all people not just those with money!"

"That is just great! So a live feed for those that have the money to purchase HBO and regular folk have to wait. I have never heard of any other president pulling something like this. So are those with money going to get special favors from this president? I thought there was going to be change we could believe in."

"It turns out that only half of America will have access to this live concert because Obama wanted to make 5 million dollars. And a lot of this 50% - the poor and middle class voted for him."
HEHEHEEHAHAA!!!
They LOST. FAIL. He's not change, if his throwbacks from the Clinton era passed them by. He's showing his true colors, preference for the Liberal Socialist elite, and they're all shocked and appalled. It's wrong, I know, I'm praying for the president and those who supported him, but how could they be so oblivious? It's only funny because they're shocked at the obvious.
This is the kicker:
"We hired Obama to lead us, not entertain us."
To which I can only say....
You could have fooled me, with all the talk about his looks, how he talks, his speeches, and the general cult of personality he has. He's a celbrity. Celebrities entertain.

Link for verification.



Fly, Eagles fly. (Ritual Notes.)

The organist played it after mass today. I'm serious, he did. Actually, it was more of a Fantasie based on it, not the song straight through. It was actually pretty good, kind of Dupre-esque.
This is a double post, because I missed last week's.

Baptism of the Lord. (10:30 Latin Novus Ordo)

-This chasuble was worn, by the same priest, Fr. Brannan.
-No boat-bearer today, nor an M.C.
- " Songs of thankfulness and praise" as the entrance hymn. Salzburg is fast becoming my all-time favorite hymn tune, behind 'woodlands' and 'King's weston'. (Lauda Anima might be my real third favorite.)
-' Missa de Angelis'. We all knows this setting.
- The responsorial psalm was blah. I don't like the setting.
- 'Joy to the World' as the recessional. Good ol' BWV 533 as the postlude. I searched for months to find out what the name of this song was the first time I heard it.

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time.
(10:30 Latin Novus Ordo.)
I did'nt attend this mass because I was booked, but I have the service sheet.
-Entrance: "Praise to the Lord".
- Introit: Omnis terra, Roman Gradual. I learned this, and if I was'nt serving , I would have asked if I could sing with our Choir director.
- Mass setting:Orbis Factor, my favorite setting.
-Offertory: Iubilte deo, RG.
-Offertory Motet: Lord, Sanctify Me Wholly, Jean Psaquet. I love this one, especially the forte section and the fugal part.
-Communion Antiphon: Dicit Andreas, RG.
-Comunion Motet: Ave Verum Corpus, Edward Elgar. This is my all-time favorite motet ever. It never gets old.
Recessional: The Church's one Foundation.

I'm really sad I missed this mass. Except for the entrance and offertory, It's like my sample mass.

(English, 12:15 Mass*)
- Green gothic chasuble with gold and green woven orphreys. It's like the gold one, only they have different patterns.
- 'Praise to the Lord' as the entrance. It's a good hymn, but I would have gone with "Praise, my soul, the Kind of Heaven."
- 'Heritage mass' was the setting.
- The psalm tone was good, the response, not so much.
- Thanks be to God! He used the same alleluia that I've wanted to start using, though he played it wrong. It's gregorian, let it flow. Slow it down, don't try to to break it up into phrases just so that you can use the Plein Jeu. Really, full organ on the alleluia is so overdone.
-Wow. What a homily.
Outside the church there's no salvation, encourage your kids to become priests and religious, don't be 'Sunday mass only ' Catholics. dropping your kids off for RE so that you can drop them off for first communion and confiration is wrong, you must follow your vocation with the help of holy mother church, be obedient to the pope as the true vicar of Christ and successor of Peter, and ask for Our Lady's intercession.
That's really what he said.
Major props to Fr. Joseph for that homily. I'll be gloating to my less fortunate friends for weeks about this.
- Agnus dei in Latin.
-I'm not a fan of "One bread, one body", but He made it sound good.
- "Holy God, we praise thy name" as the recessional.
- Afore mentioned Toccatta Fantasie on "Fly, Eagles fly".

I notice also that they're using a much larger crucifix on the altar on the masses said facing the people. It's nice. It looks like the ones on the side altars, only more ornate.
I also note the new altar cards. They're more ornate than the old ones, kinda baroque inspired. Sorry, I'm a medeivalist. The old ones that looke d like 14th century illumination were better.

*In case you were not granted the blessing being a Philadelphian, Fly, Eagles Fly is the Eagles fight song. Everyone here knows it. The Eagles are playing the Cardinals right now. It looks better than it was at the beginning. E-A-G-L-E-S-EAGLES!

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Sext.


V. O God, come unto my assistance.
R.O lord ,make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father.

Hymn:
Be mindful author of our health,
That thou sometime didst take on thee
Of a pure virgin being born,
The form of our humanity.

Mary that mother art of grace,
Of mercy mother also art,
Save and defend us from our foe,
Receive us when we hence depart.

Glory be unto thee O Lord,
That born was of the virgin pure,
With the father and the holy Ghost,
All ages ever to endure. Amen.

Under one antiphon are said:

Ant. Said the Mother of Jesus unto them: Whatsoever he commandeth , do thou.
Psalm 122.
To thee have I lifted up mine eyes:
which dwellest in the heavens.
Behold as the eyes of servants:
are in the hands of their masters.
As the eyes of the handmaid in the hands of her mistress:
so are our eyes to the Lord our God, until he have mercy on us.
Lord have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us:
because we are much replenished with contempt.
Because our soul is much replenished:
reproach to them that abound, and contempt to the proud.

Psalm 123
But that the Lord was in us, let Israel now say:
but that the Lord was in us.
When men rose up against us:
perhaps they had swallowed us alive.
When their fury was angry against us:
perhaps water had swallowed us.
Our soul hath passed through a brook:
perhaps our soul had passed through an intolerable water.
Blessed be our Lord:
which hath not given us for a prey to their teeth.
Our soul as a sparrow is delivered:
from the snare of the fowlers.
The snare is broken:
and we are delivered.
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.

Psalm 124
They that trust in the Lord, as mount Sion:
he shall not be moved for ever, that dwelleth in Jerusalem.
Mountains round about it, and the Lord round about his people:
from henceforth, now, and for ever.
Because the Lord will not leave the rod of sinners upon the lot of the just:
that the just extend not their hands to iniquity.
Do well o Lord to the good: and right of heart.
But those that decline into bonds, our Lord shall bring with them that work iniquity:
peace upon Israel.

Ant. Said the Mother of Jesus unto them: Whatsoever he commandeth , do thou.

Chapter.
Zach. 9:9
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Sion, shout for joy, O daughter of Jerusalem: BEHOLD THY KING will come to thee, the just and saviour he is.

V.Blessed is the womb of the Virgin Mary, which bore the Son of the everlasting Father.
R.
And blessed are the paps which gave suck to Christ the Lord.

Prayer from Lauds.


*Dies Laghing*

Wow.... just.... wow. These people have nothing better to do with their lives. I did'nt know anyone took American Idol seriously. I mean, I only watch it for the Fail Auditions.
I need an excuse to post this on the Ship.

Studyin' up

I have a research project on a topic of my choosing due soon and I did'nt start! I picked Eugenics I already know that subject and I can get a good paper written quickly on it.
Now, I have to get pizza and fries from Sam's pizza on 63'rd and Girard so I can get started.
*Edited to correct Joe's dyslexia*.

Fail schoolbook is Fail.

Okay, so in my school (Which is a bit weird. It's a private Christian school, formerly fundamentalist/ ACE/Abeka, but now with high academic standards . All the teachers have different views, and it's all tolerated. It's all the flavours of Christianity wrapped up into one. Except there aren't any Anglicans, and I'm the only practicing Catholic.) One teacher likes to use These and These as a resource for teaching some of us. I haven't ranted on these yet, so it's time.
If those links don't give you enough surprise, let's talk about my new Social Studies booklet.

It starts off by condemning religious liberalism, (Pgs. 2-10.) which would have been fine for me, since 'liberal Catholics' seem to come off as nothing but giant contradictions anyway.
But, by religious liberalism, they mean any and all people who are not fundamentalists.
So yeah, we're covered.
No evolution ever happened, evolution is a lie and the only people who beleive in any form of it are atheists who hate God. (Pgs. 5-8)That's of course a Hasty Genralization.
Social Darwinism
is real Darwinism. In fact, it's a direct result of it. (Page 7.) Social Darwinism led to Marxist Socialism (Pgs. 7-8) Therefore, the Theory of Evolution led to the Holocaust and other atrocities (Pgs.-8.)
That of course simply does'nt follow logically. If you number the premises, they don't substantiate the first, only assume it. That only Beggs the Question.
Socialism is also a result of people who don't take the scriptures literallistically, or more specifically, in the fundamentalist view of scripture.( Pgs. 8-10) (Which by the way, does'nt work.) Even as a Christian who fully accepts what Pius XII says about the bible, the idea of the self-interpreting, self attesting, self-validating self- evident bible ( i.e, what some sola scripturists beleive.) is logical fallacious . It's a big logical circle.
Real Christians are Fundamentalists (Pgs, 10-14.)
This system prides itself on the fact that it's Not objective, Not comprehensive, and certainly anti-many good things. fund
But eh, what do you expect. They're fundies. They're suppossed to be all ridiculous and screwed up in the mind so that we can all laugh at them. But still, don't fall for this craptastic excuse for reasoning.
It uses vague definitions of the Social Gospel in order to entrap just about anyone in it. Basically, Loaded Language, another logical fallacy.
They let the teacher use them because she apparently gets good results with them. I'm surprised that someone with a master's like her would use this useless BS as a teaching tool.

Go Here for definitions of the logical fallacies in italics.

Friday, January 16, 2009

How Retarded is this?

I can't beleive how much of a social stigma it is to be a Philadelphian who did not vote for Obama. I'd like to avoid the inflammatory words, but that's It. I quit. Let's just be real here.
In the past week , I've been given no less than two projects where I was expected to extol the virtues of Obama. When I said that I did'nt support him, I was disbelieved. I mean, does'nt Everyone love our new Lord?
*That's just this week. During the campaign , the speech teacher had us watch Obama in debates, meorize is adresses and speeches and deliver them, and the "Multicurtural Video". I didn't talk about this one before, I don;t think. Basically, the after The One gave is speec after winning the election, the speech teacher printed the speech and had students of different races and sexes recite different parts.
Ha, like hell I was going to do that. But I do have my little tricks and loopholes. Like, during American History, I replaced "Democrat" with "Socialist** when describing him.
At an assignment where I was supposed to list ten Changes that The One would bring, I used ten Negative ones instead of the expected positive ones. The teacher marked me down a grade for it though. Mom and dad (both of whom are supposedly pro-life but not only are incosistent with their views on civilian terrorism, but also on the situation in Gaza.) subtley are kind of embarrassed when their friends find out about me. A young black kid, should I be absolutely raving over Obama? And I know a little about politics, should'nt I be loving his policies? I don't want to turn this into a rant, but during a free period I debated with a teacher over this. I supect that he came in with low expectations of my skills, but I think I proved myself a good oponnent. His weasel words and appeals to emotion, as well as suppressed evidence did'nt get by me. He seems to beleive that Aerica is;nt in any danger of real economic troubles. Unfortunately, a lot of scool faculty are either oblivious to any danger or hope that he'll fix it all. Of course, I don't subscribe to this BS.
**Edited.
For this, I' a bit proud to wear the stigma of a non-Obama supporter.
Yay Me!
*Well, it's true. I'd say any idiot knows it, but then again, he won so I guess there are some in La-la land who don't.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Yakitate!! Japan

Did I mention that this serious is totally K-A and deserves yours and everyone elses attention?
I've gotten up to chapter 79. Man, the French team is really. I don't know. Mean.
Kawachi is the Best character.

Go Here.

Now.
Interesting how long some priests have been advocating this idea of continuity withing the reform of the roman rite. This book is 19 years old.
I know that some of the Oratorians in England were given apporval os this practice, but I wonder if there is any reason for American priests to adopt the position at the foot of the altar for the penitential rite .

Terce.

V. O God, come unto my assistance.
R.O lord,make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father.

Hymn:
Be mindful author of our health,
That thou sometime didst take on thee
Of a pure virgin being born,
The form of our humanity.

Mary that mother art of grace,
Of mercy mother also art,
Save and defend us from our foe,
Receive us when we hence depart.

Glory be unto thee O Lord,
That born was of the virgin pure,
With the father and the holy Ghost,
All ages ever to endure. Amen.

Under one antiphon are said:

Ant.
All these were persevering with one mind in prayer with Mary the mother of Jesus.
Psalm 119
In my trouble I cried to the Lord:
and he heard me.
O Lord, deliver my soul from wicked lips,
and a deceitful tongue.
What shall be given to thee, or what shall be added to thee,
to a deceitful tongue.
The sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals that lay waste.
Woe is me, that my sojourning is prolonged!
I have dwelt with the inhabitants of cedar:
My soul hath been long a sojourner.
With them that hate peace I was peaceable:
when I spoke to them they fought against me without cause.

Psalm 120
I have lifted up mine eyes unto the mountains:
from whence help shall come to me.
My help is from the Lord:
which made heaven and earth.
Let him not give thy foot to be moved:
neither let him slumber that keepeth thee.
Lo he shall not slumber:
nor sleep, that keepeth Israel.
The Lord keepeth thee, our Lord is thy protection:
upon thy right hand.
By day the sun shall not burn thee:
nor the moon by night.
The Lord doth keep thee from all evil:
let the Lord keep thy soul.
Let the Lord keep thy coming in, and thy going out:
from henceforth, now and for ever.

Psalm 128
Often have they fought against me from my youth, let Israel now say.
Often have they fought against me from my youth:
but they could not prevail over me.
The wicked have wrought upon my back:
they have lengthened their iniquity.
The Lord who is just will cut the necks of sinners:
Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Sion.
Let them be as grass on the tops of houses:
which withered before it be plucked up:
Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand:
nor he that gathereth sheaves his bosom.
And they that have passed by have not said:
The blessing of the Lord be upon you:
we have blessed you in the name of the Lord.

Ant. All these were persevering with one mind in prayer with Mary the mother of Jesus.

Chapter:
Zephaniah 2:14, 15.
Give praise, O daughter of Sion: shout, O Israel: be glad, and rejoice with all thy heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. The king of Israel the Lord is in the midst of thee.

V. Yea, blessed are they who hear the word of God
R. And keep it.

Prayer from Lauds.


Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Lauds.


V. O God, come unto my assistance.
R.O lord,make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father.

Hymn:

O Lady set in glory great,
Above the stars in high degree,
That gave him suck with sacred breast,
By providence that formed thee.

By thy fair blossom thou restored,
What lamentable Eve decayed:
That wailing wights might mount the stars,
The heavens' window thou art made.

The gate thou art of the high king,
The port of light that glisters clear,
Since life was given by a maid.
Let freed men show joyful cheer.

Glory be unto thee O Lord,
That born was of the virgin pure.
With the father and holy Ghost,
All ages ever to endure. Amen.

Ant.I Blessed art thou, O Mary, for of thee the salvation of the world has come. Now because of thy glory, thou rejoicest before the Lord. Intercede for us to thy son.
Psalm 62.
O God my God: to thee I watch from the morning light.
My soul hath thirsted to thee: my flesh to thee very many ways.
In desert land, and inaccessible, and without water, so in the holy have I appeared to thee:
that I might see thy strength, and thy glory.
Because thy mercy is better than lives:
my lips shall praise thee.
So will I bless thee in my life: and in thy name I will lift up my hands.
As with lard and fatness let my soul be filled:
and my mouth shall praise with lips of joyfulness.
So have I been mindful of thee upon my bed, in the morning I will meditate on thee:
because thou hast been my helper.
And in the cover of thy wings I will rejoice, my soul hath cleaved after thee:
thy right hand hath received me.
Ant.I Blessed art thou, O Mary, for of thee the salvation of the world has come. Now because of thy glory, thou rejoicest before the Lord. Intercede for us to thy son.

Ant.II Thou art the glory of Jerusalem, thou art the rejoicing of Israel ,thou art the fairest honor of our race.
Canticle of the holy children.
All the works of our Lord bless ye our Lord:
praise and extol him for ever.
Bless our Lord ye Angels of our Lord:
the heavens bless our Lord.
All waters that are above the heavens, bless ye our Lord:
bless our Lord all ye powers of our Lord.
Sun and Moon bless ye our Lord:
stars of heaven bless ye our Lord.
Shower and dew bless ye our Lord:
every spirit of God bless ye our Lord.
Fire and heat bless ye our Lord:
cold and summer bless ye our Lord.
Dews, and hoar frost bless ye our Lord:
frost, and cold bless ye our Lord.
Ice, and snow bless ye our Lord:
nights and days bless ye our Lord.
Light, and darkness bless ye our Lord:
lightnings and clouds bless ye our Lord.
Let the earth bless our Lord:
let it praise, and extol him for ever.
Mountains and little hills bless ye our Lord:
all things that spring in the earth bless ye our Lord.
Bless our Lord ye fountains:
seas, and rivers bless ye our Lord.
Whales, and all that move in the waters, bless ye our Lord:
bless our Lord all ye fowls of the air.
All beasts and cattle bless ye our Lord:
sons of men bless ye our Lord.
Let Israel bless our Lord:
let it praise, and extol him for ever.
Priests of our Lord bless ye our Lord:
servants of our Lord bless ye our Lord.
Spirits, and souls of the just bless ye our Lord:
holy, and humble of heart bless ye our Lord.
Ananias, Azarias, Misael, bless ye our Lord:
praise and extol him for ever.
Let us bless the Father, and the Son with the Holy Ghost:'
let us praise, and extol him forever
Blessed art thou O Lord in the firmament of heaven:
and praised, and glorified, and extolled forever.
(Here is not said 'Glory be' or 'Amen')
Ant.II Thou art the glory of Jerusalem, thou art the rejoicing of Israel ,thou art the fairest honor of our race.

Ant.III O Virgin Mary, rejoice always, for thou hast merited to bear Christ the Saviour.
Psalm 149
Sing ye to our Lord a new song:
his praise in the church of saints.
Let Israel be joyful in him, that made him:
and let the daughters of Sion rejoice in their king.
Let them praise his name in dance:
on timbrel, and psaltery let them sing to him.
Because our Lord is well pleased in his people:
and he hath exalted the meek unto salvation.
The saints shall rejoice in glory:
they shall be joyful in their beds.
The joyfulness of God in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands.
To do revenge in the nations:
chastisements amongst his peoples.
To bind their kings in fetters:
and their nobles in iron manacles.
That they may do in them the judgment that is written:
this glory is to all his saints.
Ant.III O Virgin Mary, rejoice always, for thou hast merited to bear Christ the Saviour.

Chapter.
Is.61:10
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, and my soul shall be joyful in my God: for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation: and with the robe of justice he hath covered me, as a bridegroom decked with a crown, and as a bride adorned with her jewels.

Resp.
R. The Lord hath chosen her* and hath predestinated her
V.The Lord hath chosen her* and hath predestinated her
R. He hath made her to dwell in his tabernacle.
V. And hath predestinated her
R.Glory be.
V.The Lord hath chosen her* and hath predestinated her.

Ant. The portals of heaven through Eve were fixed shut; and through Mary the Virgin were opened wide.
Benedictus.
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel:
he hath visited and wrought the redemption of his people.
And hath erected the horn of salvation to us:
in the house of David his servant.
As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets:
that are from the beginning.
Salvation from our enemies:
and from the hand of all that hate us.
To work mercy with our fathers:'
and to remember his holy testament.
The oath, which he swore to Abraham our father:
that he would give to us.
That without fear being delivered from the hand of our enemies:
we may serve him.
In holiness and justice before him: all our days.
And thou child, shalt be called the prophet of the highest:
for thou shalt go before the face of our Lord, to prepare his ways.
To give knowledge of salvation to his people:
unto remission of their sins.
Through the dephth of the mercy of our God in which the orient from on high, hath visited us.
To illuminate them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death:
to direct our feet into the way of peace.
Ant. The portals of heaven through Eve were fixed shut; and through Mary the Virgin were opened wide.

Our Father.

In Advent:
O God, which wouldst thy word, should take flesh, of the womb of blessed Mary the virgin, the angel declaring it, grant unto us thy suppliants, that we which truly do believe her to be the mother of God: may be by her intercessions holpen with thee. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ thy son: who liveth and reigneth, God, with thee, in the unity of the holy Ghost, world without end.
In Christmas season:
O God, which by the fruitful virginity of the blessed virgin Mary, hast given unto mankind the rewards of eternal salvation: Grant we beseech thee, that we may perceive her to make intercession for us, by whom we have deserved to receive the author of life, our Lord Jesus Christ thy son. Who liveth and reigneth, God, with thee, in the unity of the holy Ghost, world without end.
In Lent and passiontide:
Grant aid O merciful God unto our fragility: that we which make memory of the holy mother of God: may by the help of her intercession arise from our iniquities. Through our Lord Jesus Christ thy son, who liveth and reigneth, God, with thee, in the unity of the holy Ghost, world without end.
Throughout the year:
O Lord God we beseech thee grant us thy servants, to enjoy perpetual health of mind, and body: and by the glorious intercession of the ever blessed virgin Mary, to be delivered from this present sorrow, and to enjoy gladness everlasting. Through our Lord Jesus Christ thy son: who liveth and reigneth, God, with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end.
Or:
May we be assisted, we beseech Thee, O Lord, by the worshipful intercession of Thy glorious Mother, the ever-Virgin Mary; that we, who have been enriched by her perpetual blessings, may be delivered from all dangers, and through her loving kindness made to be of one heart and mind: Who livest and reignest for ever and ever. Amen.
Blessing:
May The Lord bless us, and defend us from all evil, and bring us to life everlasting, Amen.

Then may be said silently:

To God Most Holy, in his Divine Majesty of Trinity in Unity;
To Jesus Christ, our Lord and God made man and crucified for us;
To blessed Mary Ever-Virgin, from whose glorious purity he took flesh;
And to the entire Company of the Saints of God, in heaven;
Be praise, honour, power, and glory, from every creature on earth:
And likewise to us sinners may there be full remission of all our sins:
Throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

V. Blessed is the womb of the Virgin Mary, which bore the Son of the everlasting Father.

R.And blessed are the paps which gave suck to Christ the Lord.

Jealousy.

I'm not usually jealous of too many things, that's the only good thing I really know about myself. But there is one thing which I've struggled with, one thing that I can;t seem to stop getting upset or jelous of others about.
It's music. I see a lot of young composers, especially young organists , mastering their work. I see people younger than me getting into and already accepted at the same music schools I wanted to apply for. I see kids my age leaps and bounds ahead of me in their execution, flawless in interpretation, I see 17 year old masters of counterpoint and 20 year old masters of choral composition, knowing how close I could have been to that.
Instead, It's taken months just for me to hash out a simple fantasia. I can't play any fugues or properly play hymns, and my only choral work is still incomplete. In the end, I don't think it's entirely my fault. There are things that I could do differently, but in the end, my situation in life dictates that I'll never develop my talent with music.
I have raw talent.
I can write a short Dialogue-Cantabile-Toccata set, I can play a few simple works, I've basically mastered trilling. My improvisation is okay, and I think I have chord progressions down.
But, my pedal work is crap, and I can't do counterpoint. I only get an hour of practice a week ,sometimes. Yes, sometimes. Without notice, I'll come to the church where I practice to find that they have something else going on*, so no practice for me. Ocassionally, I have to go three or more months without any practice at all.
Even when I can practice, the organ is'nt much. There's only two reeds, and in the pedal, only a Bourdon 15' and Violoncellon 8'. No solos, one string, the gedakts are partionally function, neither middle C# or Bflat an octave up work in the pedal, the couplers don't work very well, and nothing-to-pedal works on treble A, A flat, G or B flat. The lowest C does'nt connect to anything. The Tremulo does'nt work properly, and there are no pistons.
There's no piano or anything at home, only my keyboard with it's 18 broken keys. All of the C notes are broken, as are the A and F notes. So I can never play even a full chord. I can't afford lessons, and my parents don't care for my interest in music at all.
More aptly, they discourage it.
To them, it's simply another manifestation of Catholicism. That evil Romanism that they can't stand, though they've left off telling me so outright. They want me to leave off this usic, because they think badly of it.**
So they're reluctant to do anything to help me with it.
As such, I have no music books. I can't afford them on my own, and neither of them is willing to put up for them. All I have is a worn down, torn up , coverless copy of some of bach's fantasias, passacaglias and other minor works. There are pages missing here and there, so it's not much use.
Before I came to look seriously at my real-life situation, I thought I could get into Curtis. Yes! I thought I could get into Curtis!
So that's when and why I get jealous.
Because I see people who's parents had money. They had all the resources: The money, the lessons, the books, the teachers, the hours upon of hours of practice and suitable instruments. I have me in a cold, heatless church in the ghetto, on a barely functioning organ trying to teach myself what I can from my precious single book.
I guess it all boils down to class and caste. This kind of stuff is for the haves, not the have-nots.
Thus endeth my rant upon concluding my first practice since November.

*It always seems to be either children's choir practice or practice for their liturical dancers. I'm not making this up at all. I'm serious.

**Well, so do a lot of Catholics. Stick some Latinor other usic of the like in your average RC parish's mass and see if you don't get drawn and quartered.

Matins.


First is said silently: Then the rest aloud unless noted.
V.
Thou O Lord wilt open my lips.
R.
And my mouth shall declare thy praise.
V. Glory Be.
V.Ant.
O come, let us sing unto the Lord* as we keep memory of the Blessed Virgin Mary. R.Ant. O come, let us sing unto the Lord* as we keep memory of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Come let us rejoice unto our Lord, let us make joy to God our saviour: let us approach to his presence in confession, and in Psalms let us make joy unto him.
Ant.O come, let us sing unto the Lord as we keep memory of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
For God is a great Lord, and a great King above all Gods : because our Lord repelleth not his people: for that in his hand are all the bounds of the earth, and he beholdeth the heights of the mountains.
Ant
. As we keep memory of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
For the sea is his, and he made it: and his hands founded the dry land: come let us adore, and fall down before God: let us weep before our Lord, that made us: because he is the Lord our God: we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Ant.
O come, let us sing unto the Lord* as we keep memory of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
T
oday if ye shall hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation according to the day of temptation in the wilderness: where your fathers tempted me: proved, and saw my works.
Ant. As we keep memory of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
F
orty years was I nigh unto this generation: and said, they always err in heart: and they have not known my ways, to whom I swear in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest.
Ant. O come, let us sing unto the Lord* as we keep memory of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Glory be to the Father .
Ant.As we keep memory of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Ant. O come, let us sing unto the Lord* as we keep memory of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

HYMN

W
hom earth, and sea, and eke the skies,
Adore, and worship, and declare,
As ruler of the triple frame,
The closure of Maria bare.

Whom both the Moon, the Sun and all,
Do serve in their due time and space,
A maiden's inward parts doth bear,
Bedewed with celestial grace.

Blest is the mother by this gift,
Whose womb as in a coffer held,
The maker that surmounteth all,
Who in his hand the world doth weld.

She blessed is by heavenly news,
And fruitful by the holy Ghost,

From out whose womb was yielded forth,
Whom nations had desired most.

Glory be unto thee O Lord,

That born was of the virgin pure,

With the Father and Holy Ghost,

All ages ever to endure, Amen.


Ant.I.
Mary received blessing of the Lord: and mercy of God her saviour.
Psalm 24

T
he earth is our Lord's, and the fulness thereof:
the round world and all that dwell therein.
Because he hath founded it upon the seas:
and upon the floods hath prepared it.
Who shall ascend into the hill of our Lord:
or who shall stand in his holy place?

The innocent of hands, and of clean heart, that hath not taken his soul in vain:

nor sworn to his neighbour in guile.
He shall receive blessing of our Lord:
and mercy of God his saviour.
This is the generation of them that seek him:
of them that seek the face of the God of Jacob.
Lift up your gates ye princes, and be ye lifted up
O eternal gates:
and the king of glory shall enter in.
Who is the king of glory? our Lord strong and mighty:
our Lord mighty in battle.
Lift up your gates ye princes, and be ye lifted up O eternal gates:
and the king of glory shall enter in.

Who is this king of glory? the Lord of powers he is the king of glory.

Glory be.

Ant. Mary received blessing of the Lord: and mercy of God her saviour.

Ant.II The Lord hast sanctified his holy Tabernacle.
Our God is a refuge, and strength:
and helper in tribulations, which have found us exceedingly.

Therefore will we not fear when the earth shall be troubled:
and mountains transported into the heart of the sea.
These waters have sounded and were troubled:
the mountains were troubled in his strength.

The violence of the flood maketh the city of God joyful:
the highest hath sanctified his tabernacle.

God is in the midst thereof, it shall not be moved:
God will help it in the morning early.

Nations are troubled, and kingdoms are bowed:
he gave his voice, the earth was moved.

The Lord of hosts is with us: the God of Jacob is our defender
.
Come ye, and see the works of our Lord, what wonders he hath put upon the earth:
taking away wars even unto the end of the earth.

He shall destroy the bow, and break weapons:
and shields he shall burn with fire.
Be quiet and see, for that I am God:
I shall be exalted among the gentiles,
I shall be exalted in the earth.
The Lord of hosts is with us: the
God of Jacob is our defender.

Glory be.

Ant.II
The lord hast sanctified his holy Tabernacle.

Ant.III.
Glorious things are said of thee, O Blessed Virgin Mary
Psalm 86

T
he foundations thereof in the holy mountains:
our Lord loveth the gates of Sion above all the tabernacles of Jacob.
Glorious things are said of thee, o city of God.
I will be mindful of Raab, and Babylon:
knowing me.
Behold the strangers, and Tyre, and the people of the Ethiopians:
these were there.
Shall not Sion say, man, and man is born in her:

and the highest himself founded her?

Our Lord will declare in scriptures of peoples:

and of those princes, which have been in her,

As it were of all rejoicing: the habitation is in thee.

Glory be.

Ant.III.
Glorious things are said of thee, O Blessed Virgin Mary
V.
Mary Kept safe all these words.
R. And Cherished them in her heart .
First Lesson.

Of the Book of Isaiah the Prophet.
The Lord said to Achaz: 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
And there shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise up out of his root. And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: the spirit of wisdom, and of understanding, the spirit of counsel, and of fortitude, the spirit of knowledge, and of godliness.
And he shall be filled with the spirit of the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge according to the sight of the eyes, nor reprove according to the hearing of the ears.

But he shall judge the poor with justice, and shall reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: land he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked.


And justice shall be the girdle of his loins: and faith the girdle of his reins. The wolf shall dwell with the lamb: and the leopard shall lie down with the kid: the calf and the lion, and the sheep shall abide together, and a little child shall lead them. The calf and the bear shall feed: their young ones shall rest together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp: and the weaned child shall thrust his hand into the den of the basilisk. They shall not hurt, nor shall they kill in all my holy mountain, for the earth is filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the covering waters of the sea.

Responsory:
V. Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel.
R. And his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counsellor, God the Mighty.
V. His empire shall be multiplied, and there shall be no end of peace: he shall sit upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom

R.And his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counsellor, God the Mighty.

Second lesson.

From a sermon of St. Aelred the abbot.

Let us come to his bride, his mother, his perfect handmaid, for the blessed Mary is all of this. Bwhat are we to do for her? What kind of gifts shall we offer her? Would that we could at least return what we are in duty bound to do, for we owe her honor and service, we owe her love and praise. We owe her honor, for she is the mother of our Lord. He who fails to honor the mother clearly dishonors the son. Also, Scripture says: Honor you father and your mother.
What then, my brothers, shall we say? Is she not our mother? Yes, my brothers, she is indeed our mother, for through her we have been born, not for the world but for God.
Once we all lay in death, as you know and believe, in sin, in darkness, in misery. In death, because we had lost the Lord; in sin, because of our corruption; in darkness, for we were without the light of wisdom, and thus had perished utterly.

But then we were born, far better than through Eve, through Mary the blessed, because Christ was born of her. We have recovered new life in place of sin, immortality instead of mortality, light in place of darkness.
She is our mother - the mother of our life, the mother of our incarnation, the mother of our light. As the Apostle says of our Lord, he became for us by God’s power our wisdom and justice, and holiness and redemption.
She then, as mother of Christ, is the mother of our wisdom and justice, of our holiness and redemption. She is more our mother than the mother of our flesh. Our birth from her is better, for from her is born our holiness, our wisdom, our justice, our sanctification, our redemption.

Praise the Lord in his holy ones, say the Scriptures. If our Lord is to be praised in those holy ones through whom he brings to being deeds of power and miracles, how much more is he to be praised in her in whom he fashioned himself, who is wonderful beyond all wonders.


Resp.
R.Blessed are thou, O holy Virgin Mary, and most worthy of all praise,
V.For out of thee arose the Sun of Righteousness, even Christ our God; Through whom we are saved and redeemed.
R. With joy, let us celebrate the Blessed Virgin Mary
V.For out of thee arose the Sun of Righteousness, even Christ our God; Through whom we are saved and redeemed.
Then lauds is said immediately without versicles.



Tuesday, January 13, 2009

First Vespers.

First is said silently:
Open, O Lord, my mouth to bless thy holy Name; cleanse also my heart from all vain, evil, and wandering thoughts; enlighten my understanding and kindle my affections; that I may worthily, attentively, and devoutly say this Office, and so be meet to be heard before the presence of thy divine Majesty. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Lord, in union with that divine intention wherewith thou, whilst here on earth, didst render praises unto God, I desire to offer this my Office of prayer unto thee.Amen,

Then, and all the rest aloud unless noted:
V. O God, come unto my assistance.
R.O lord,make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father.

Hymn:

O Mary! who to every sigh
Of prayer, thy loving ear dost bend,
Behold us supppliant, hear our cry ,
And thy perpetual succour send.

Ah! succour us, if hateful chains
Of guilt our wretched souls should bind;
Break every fetter that retains
Enslaved to sin our heart or mind.

Ah! succour us, if led astray
By love of earth's seductive toys;
Lest from salvation's path we stray
Forgetting heaven's unfading joys.

Ah! succour us, if cares oppress,
If adverse fortune should impend ;
With peace serene life's journey bless
Till dawns the day that knows no end.

And when death's battle is at hand,
Thy children succour in the strife:
That, helped by thee we faithful stand ,
And win the crown, eternal life.

O Jesu, Virgin's son to thee,
Be glory and eternal praise;
And to the Father equally,
With Holy Ghost through endless days. Amen.


Antiphon I. Blessed art Thou, O Virgin Mary, who didst bear the creator of all the world.
Psalm 112.
Praise the Lord ye children:
praise ye the name of the Lord.
The name of the Lord be blessed:
from henceforth, now and for ever.
From the rising of the sun unto the going down:
the name of the Lord is laudable.
The Lord is high above all nations:
and his glory above the heavens.
Who is as the Lord our God that dwelleth on high:
and beholdeth the humble things in heaven and earth?
Raising up the needy from the earth:
and lifting up the poor out of the dung.
To place him with princes:
with the princes of his people.
Who maketh the barren woman to dwell in a house:
a joyful mother of children.
Glory be.
Antiphon I. Blessed art Thou, O Virgin Mary, who didst bear the creator of all the world.

Ant.II. Thou didst bear him who made thee, and yet remainest a virgin forever.
Psalm 147
O Jerusalem praise the Lord: praise thy God
o Sion.
Because he hath strengthened the locks of thy gates:
he hath blessed thy children in thee.
Who hath placed peace thy borders:
and filleth thee with the fat of corn?
Who sendeth forth his speech to the earth:
his word runneth swiftly.
Who giveth snow as wool:
scattereth mist as ashes.
He casteth his crystal as morsels:
before the face of his cold who shall abide?
He shall send forth his word, and shall melt them:
his spirit shall blow, and flow shall the waters.
Who declareth his word to Jacob:
justices, and his judgments to Israel.
He hath not done in like manner to every nation:
and his judgments he hath not made manifest to them.
Glory be.
Ant.II. Thou didst bear him who made thee, and yet remainest a virgin forever.

Ant.III. Blessed art thou O daughter of the Lord, for through thee we have receive the fruit of life.
Canticle Eph.1;3-10
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who hath blessed us with spiritual blessings in heavenly places, in Christ:
As he chose us in him before the foundation of the world,
that we should be holy and unspotted in his sight in charity.
Who hath predestinated us unto the adoption of children
through Jesus Christ unto himself:
according to the purpose of his will:
Unto the praise of the glory of his grace,
in which he hath graced us in his beloved son.
In whom we have redemption through his blood,
the remission of sins,
according to the riches of his grace,
Which hath superabounded in us in all wisdom and prudence,
That he might make known unto us the mystery of his will,
according to his good pleasure, which he hath purposed in him,
In the dispensation of the fulness of times,
to re-establish all things in Christ, that are in heaven and on earth, in him.
Glory be to the Father.
Ant.III. Blessed art thou O daughter of the Lord, for through thee we have receive the fruit of life.

Chapter. Gal 4;4-5
But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent his Son, made of a woman, made under the law: That he might redeem them who were under the law: that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Responsory.
V.After child-bearing, thou remainest a virgin forever.
R.After child-bearing, thou remainest a virgin forever.
V. Mother of God, intercede for us.
R.Thou remainest a virgin forever.
V.Glory be to to the Father.
R. After child-bearing, thou remainest a virgin forever.

Ant. The Lord hath regarded my humility, and he who is mighty hath done great things in me.
Magnificat.
My soul: doth magnify the Lord.
And my spirit hath rejoiced: in God my saviour.
Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid:
for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
Because he that is mighty, hath done great things to me:
and holy is his name.
And his mercy from generation unto generations:
to them that fear him.
He hath shewed might in his arm\:
he hath dispersed the proud in the conceit of their heart.
He hath deposed the mighty from their seat:
and hath exalted the humble.
The hungry he hath filled with good things:
and the rich he hath sent away empty.
He hath received Israel his child: being mindful of his mercy.
As he spake to our fathers: to Abraham, and his seed for ever.
Glory be to the Father.
Ant. The Lord hath regarded my humility, and he who is mighty hath done great things in me

Our Father.

In Advent:
O God, which wouldst thy word, should take flesh, of the womb of blessed Mary the virgin, the angel declaring it, grant unto us thy suppliants, that we which truly do believe her to be the mother of God: may be by her intercessions holpen with thee. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ thy son: who liveth and reigneth, God, with thee, in the unity of the holy Ghost, world without end.
In Christmas season:
O God, which by the fruitful virginity of the blessed virgin Mary, hast given unto mankind the rewards of eternal salvation: Grant we beseech thee, that we may perceive her to make intercession for us, by whom we have deserved to receive the author of life, our Lord Jesus Christ thy son. Who liveth and reigneth, God, with thee, in the unity of the holy Ghost, world without end.
In Lent and passiontide:
Grant aid O merciful God unto our fragility: that we which make memory of the holy mother of God: may by the help of her intercession arise from our iniquities. Through our Lord Jesus Christ thy son, who liveth and reigneth, God, with thee, in the unity of the holy Ghost, world without end.
Throughout the year:
O Lord God we beseech thee grant us thy servants, to enjoy perpetual health of mind, and body: and by the glorious intercession of the ever blessed virgin Mary, to be delivered from this present sorrow, and to enjoy gladness everlasting. Through our Lord Jesus Christ thy son: who liveth and reigneth, God, with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end.
Or:
May we be assisted, we beseech Thee, O Lord, by the worshipful intercession of Thy glorious Mother, the ever-Virgin Mary; that we, who have been enriched by her perpetual blessings, may be delivered from all dangers, and through her loving kindness made to be of one heart and mind: Who livest and reignest for ever and ever. Amen.
Blessing:
May The Lord bless us, and defend us from all evil, and bring us to life everlasting, Amen.

Then may be said silently:
To God Most Holy, in his Divine Majesty of Trinity in Unity;
To Jesus Christ, our Lord and God made man and crucified for us;
To blessed Mary Ever-Virgin, from whose glorious purity he took flesh;
And to the entire Company of the Saints of God, in heaven;
Be praise, honour, power, and glory, from every creature on earth:
And likewise to us sinners may there be full remission of all our sins:
Throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

V. Blessed is the womb of the Virgin Mary, which bore the Son of the everlasting Father.

R.And blessed are the paps which gave suck to Christ the Lord.