Christmas day (4)

 

EARTH TODAY REJOICES 

Earth today rejoices,
Alleluya, Alleluya, Alleluya,
Death can hurt no more;
And celestial voices,
Alleluya, Alleluya, Alleluya,
Tell that sin is o'er.
David's sling destroys the foe:
Samson lays the temple low:
War and strife are done,
God and man are one.

Reconciliation,
Alleluya, Alleluya, Alleluya,
Peace that lasts for aye.
Gladness and salvation,
Alleluya, Alleluya, Alleluya,
Came on Christmas Day.
Gideon's Fleece is wet with dew,
Solomon is crown'd anew:
War and strife are done.
God and man are one.

Though the cold grows stronger,
Alleluya, Alleluya, Alleluya,
Though the world loves night,
Yet the days grow longer,
Alleluya, Alleluya, Alleluya,
Chris is born our Light.
Now the Dial's type is learnt,
Burns the Bush that is not burnt:
War and strife are done;
God and man are one.

 The words and lyrics of the old Christmas carol 'Earth Today Rejoices' were written by John Mason Neale (1830-1894)'.John Mason Neale was born in London, the son of a Minister and was educated at Cambridge and he was ordained in May 1842. He was famous for writing the words of Good King Wenceslas. The music is from the Piae Cantiones. The Piae Cantiones is a collection of medieval Latin songs which originate from Finland. The first collection of these songs were published in the 1600's by Theodoricus Petri Rutha. The first English edition was published in 1910 by G.R. Woodward.

 

Christmas Eve (4)

 

Nativity Prayer from The Orthodox Liturgy

Your nativity, O Christ our God,

has shed the light of knowledge upon the world.

Through it,

those who had been star-worshipers

learned through a star to worship you,

O Sun of Justice,

and to recognize in you the one who rises

and who comes from on high.

O Lord, glory to you!

Feast of the Nativity Liturgy

the Lords Prayer Old English

The Lord's Prayer

(Old English - Anglo-Saxon)

Fæder ure þu þe eart on heofonum;

Si þin nama gehalgod

to becume þin rice

gewurþe ðin willa

on eorðan swa swa on heofonum.

urne gedæghwamlican hlaf syle us todæg

and forgyf us ure gyltas

swa swa we forgyfað urum gyltendum

and ne gelæd þu us on costnunge

ac alys us of yfele soþlice

Translation of Old English Text
Father our thou that art in heavens
be thy name hallowed
come thy kingdom
be-done thy will
on earth as in heavens
our daily bread give us today
and forgive us our sins
as we forgive those-who-have-sinned-against-us
and not lead thou us into temptation
but deliver us from evil. truly

The O Antiphions

THE seven "O Antiphons" (also called the "Greater Antiphons" or "Major Antiphons") are prayers that come from the Breviary's Vespers during the Octave before Christmas Eve, a time which is called the "Golden Nights." The week leading up to Christmas EVE.





Each Antiphon begins with "O" and addresses Jesus with a unique title which comes from the prophecies of Isaias and Micheas (Micah), and whose initials, when read backwards, form an acrostic for the Latin "Ero Cras" which means "Tomorrow I come." Those titles for Christ are:


Sapientia


Adonai


Radix Jesse


Clavis David


Oriens


Rex Gentium


Emmanuel


These titles in more detail:


Dec. 17th Sapientia


Wisdom


Isaias 11:2-3
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.


Isaias 28:29
This also is come forth from the Lord God of hosts, to make his counsel wonderful, and magnify justice.



Dec. 18th
Adonai


Lord of Israel


Isaias 11:4-5
But he shall judge the poor with justice, and shall reprove with equity the meek of the earth: and 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.


Isaias 33:22
For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king: he will save us.


Dec 19th
Radix Jesse


Root of Jesse


Isaias 11:1
And there shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise up out of his root.


Isaias 11:10
In that day the root of Jesse, who standeth for an ensign of the people, him the Gentiles shall beseech, and his sepulchre shall be glorious.


Micheas 5:1
Now shalt thou be laid waste, O daughter of the robber: they have laid siege against us, with a rod shall they strike the cheek of the judge of Israel.


Romans 15:8-13
For I say that Christ Jesus was minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers. But that the Gentiles are to glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: Therefore will I confess to thee, O Lord, among the Gentiles, and will sing to thy name. And again he saith: Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. And again: Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and magnify him, all ye people. And again Isaias saith: There shall be a root of Jesse; and he that shall rise up to rule the Gentiles, in him the Gentiles shall hope. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing; that you may abound in hope, and in the power of the Holy Ghost.


Apocalypse 5:1-5
And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne, a book written within and without, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel, proclaiming with a loud voice: Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man was able, neither in heaven, nor on earth, nor under the earth, to open the book, nor to look on it. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open the book, nor to see it. And one of the ancients said to me: Weep not; behold the lion of the tribe of Juda, the root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.


Dec. 20th
Clavis David


Key of David


Isaias 22:22
And I will lay the key of the house of David upon his shoulder: and he shall open, and none shall shut: and he shall shut, and none shall open.


Isaias 9:6
For a child is born to us, and a son is given to us, and the government is upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, God the Mighty, the Father of the world to come, the Prince of Peace.


Dec. 21st
Oriens


Radiant Dawn, Dayspring


Isaias 9:2
The people that walked in darkness, have seen a great light: to them that dwelt in the region of the shadow of death, light is risen.


Malachias 4:1-3
For behold the day shall come kindled as a furnace: and all the proud, and all that do wickedly shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall set them on fire, saith the Lord of hosts, it shall not leave them root, nor branch. But unto you that fear my name, the Sun of justice shall arise, and health in his wings: and you shall go forth, and shall leap like calves of the herd. And you shall tread down the wicked when they shall be ashes under the sole of your feet in the day that I do this, saith the Lord of hosts.


Dec. 22nd
Rex Gentium


King of all Nations, King of the Gentiles


Isaias 9:7
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; to establish it and strengthen it with judgment and with justice, from henceforth and for ever: the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.


Isaias 2:4
And he shall judge the Gentiles, and rebuke many people: and they shall turn their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into sickles: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they be exercised any more to war.


Dec. 23rd
Emmanuel


God with us


Isaias 7:14
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.

















http://fisheaters.com/customsadvent10.html

Thomas Merton (1915 - 1968)

O land alive with miracles!O clad in streams. Lift your blue trees into the early sun!
O country wild with talentIs there an hour in you that does not rouse our mind with songs?The boughs that bend in the weak windOpen us momentary windows, here and there,Into those deep and purple galleries,Disclosing us the birds your genius.
 
O brilliant wood! Yours is the voice of a new world;And all the hills burn with such blinding art
That Christ and angels walk among us, everywhere.These are their ways, their fiery footsteps,That flash and vanish, smile and pass;--By those bright passengers our groves are all inspired.Lo, we have seen you, we have seized you, wonder,Caught you, half held you in the larch and lighted birch:But in that capture you have sailed us half-mile-high into the air
 
To taste the silences of the inimitable hawk:But in the dazzled, high and unelectric airSeized in the talons of the terrible DoveThe huge, unwounding Spirit,We suddenly escape the drag of earthFly from the dizzy paw of gravityAnd swimming in the wind that lies beyond the trackOf thought and genius and of desire,
 
Trample the white, appalling stratosphere.~

Thomas Merton

The Kingdom of God ( Jesus teaching on the kingdom) Pt 1

Matthew 3:2

“Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near. ”

Matthew 4:17

“From then on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”’

Matthew 5:3

“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.”

Matthew 5:10“God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.”

Matthew 6:33“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”

Matthew 12:28“But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you.”

Matthew 19:24“I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”

Matthew 21:31“Which of the two obeyed his father?” They replied, “The first.” Then Jesus explained his meaning: “I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do.”

Mark 1:15

“The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!”

Mark 4:11“He replied, ‘You are permitted to understand the secret of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables for everything I say to outsiders,”’

Mark 4:26“Jesus also said, ‘The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground.’”

Mark 4:30“Jesus said, ‘How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it?’”

Mark 9:1

“Jesus went on to say, “I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Kingdom of God arrive in great power!”

Mark 10:14

“When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, ‘Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children.’”

Mark 10:15“I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”

Mark 10:23“Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!”

Mark 12:34“Realizing how much the man understood, Jesus said to him, ‘You are not far from the Kingdom of God.’”