16 January 2008

A Version of the Blazhen Muzh based on the Psalter in The Book of Common Prayer, 1979

The Russian Blazhen Muzh is a pastiche of verses from Psalms 1, 2, and 3 that are used in the Vespers services of the Eastern Churches. Using the Psalter found in the Episcopal prayer book, I have pieced together a rendition of the Blazen Muzh into a form familiar to The Book of Common Prayer, 1979 so that Episcopalians may also enrich their own Office of Evensong. If using this for an Invitatory Psalm, omit the Gloria Patri. The Blazhen Muzh is not appropriate during Lent, but is especially appropriate for Easter, as an ‘evening equivalent’ to the Pascha Nostrum.

Happy are they who have not walked in the counsel of the wicked, *
for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked is doomed. Alleluia.

Submit to the Lord with fear, *
and with trembling bow before him. Alleluia.

Happy are they all *
who take refuge in him! Alleluia.

Rise up, O Lord; set me free, O my God. *
Deliverance belongs to the Lord,
and your blessing is upon your people. Alleluia.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.



Joshua Ligan 2008.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Licence. You are free to share, copy, distribute, display, and perform the work; or to make derivative works, provided that you attribute the work in the manner specified by the author or licensor. You may not use this work for commercial

14 January 2008

A Reflection for the Feast of Sinulog


Photo of the Holy Child statue taken at Auntie Lea's home on a 2007 visit to Cebu.

Yesterday was Sinulog (see-NOO-lug), the liturgical feast of the Infant Lord Jesus, the Sovereign Holy Child of Cebu (Señor Santo Niño de Cebú), which is celebrated the third Sunday in January by Episcopalians/Anglicans, Roman Catholics, and Aglipayans of Cebuano extraction. My mother hails from the Province of Cebu, the first island to be colonized by the Roman Catholic Spanish. As an American who has Cebuano ancestry, this local tradition is very, very dear to my heart.

Now, I suppose I could give you a list of all the REALLY cool cultural traditions, liturgical dances, purported miracles, weird superstitions, and old legends that surround the statue of the Sovereign Holy Child, but I think I'll save that for later in the week, should I feel like posting about it.

It's hard to place someone so helpless as a babe, as the ruler of our hearts and souls. It really does not make sense to make a king of a baby of questionable birth, carried by his mother. Of course, it would be foolish! How can a baby who cannot walk, talk, or fully see be the Chief of chiefs and Lord of lords?

Yet this is the God who dared and yearns (and still yearns) to share the fullness of his divinity with mere humans, and he had a plan "not by might, nor by power, but by his Spirit." (Zechariah 4.6)

As the Holy Spirit overshadowed the womb of the Virgin and Ever-blessed Bearer of God, so by the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ our God incarnates through Holy Mother Church in its ministry and in the administration of the sacraments. As the Word of God is planted into our hearts, that seed germinates from the baptized dust that composes our human bodies and births Christ to the world. We simply and humbly offer our own frail lives, God "who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine." (Ephesians 3.20)

We are clay. God is the potter. And we become vessels of honour and of God's grace.

God didn't come by force or strength to overcome sin and death, but it was through the birth of a small child, God himself, that God came to deliver us from the power of evil. Therefore, let us humbly offer ourselves to give birth to Christ's redemptive and reconciling work again and again with a resounding "Fiat!" as we yield to the workings of the divine Spirit of Holiness that merges and tabernacles within us.

"I am the handmaid of the Lord! Let it be done to me according to your word." (St. Luke 1.48)

And so then, give birth to a King.

Lord Jesus Christ,
the Sovereign Holy Child of Cebu,
we consecrate today our thoughts of you,
only with you shall they be occupied;
our words, only of you shall they speak;
our sufferings, that we may endure them for your sake.
We beg you, Sovereign Holy Child,
illumine our understanding, kindle our will,
cleanse our body, sanctify our soul.
We wish what you wish,
because you wish, as you wish,
as long as you wish.
Amen.

12 January 2008

A Litany with the Saints

I was burning midnight oil the other night, and created this Joshed-out spin on the contemporary version of the Litany of the Saints. The ending collects (prayers) are from the Book of Common Prayer, 1979. Let me know what you think. Hope you enjoy!

Compassionate God, whose mercy is steadfast for all time,
surround us with your love.

Saviour Christ, who sets us free from sin,
surround us with your grace.

Restoring Spirit, who bears witness to our spirits that we are children of God,
surround us with your presence.

Blessed Trinity, one God in three persons,
surround us with your power.

Holy Mary, Virgin Bearer of God,
pray with us.

Holy Joseph, Mary's spouse,
pray with us.

John the Baptist,
pray with us.

Peter and Paul,
pray with us.

Matthias the Apostle,
pray with us.

Mark the Evangelist,
pray with us.

Philip and James,
pray with us.

Barnabas the Apostle,
pray with us.

Mary the Magdalene,
pray with us.

James the Apostle,
pray with us.

Bartholomew the Apostle,
pray with us.

Luke the Evangelist,
pray with us.

John of Jerusalem,
pray with us.

Simon and Jude,
pray with us.

Andrew the Apostle,
pray with us.

Thomas the Apostle,
pray with us.

John the Beloved,
pray with us.

Joachim and Anne,
pray with us.

Anna and Simeon,
pray with us.

Mary and Martha of Bethany,
pray with us.

Veronica the Favoured,
pray with us.

Stephen the Martyr,
pray with us.

Cornelius the Centurion,
pray with us.

Timothy and Titus,
pray with us.

Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Ishmael,
pray with us.

Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, Leach, and Hagar,
pray with us.

Isaiah and Elijah,
pray with us.

All you Prophets, Seers, and Sages,
pray with us.

All you Holy Martyrs,
pray with us.

All you Witnesses to God,
pray with us.

All who looked to God in hope,
pray with us.

All you Pastors and Teachers,
pray with us.

All you Holy Souls Departed,
pray with us.

All you Holy Men and Women,
pray with us.

With all your saints, we invoke your Mighty Name, Redeemer Christ,
Jesus, we invoke your Name.

With all your Church past and present,
Jesus, we invoke your Name.

For your One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, and for its members and mission,
Jesus, we invoke your Name.

For all Bishops, Priests, and Deacons,
Jesus, we invoke your Name.

For our Nation and all in authority,
Jesus, we invoke your Name.

For our city and community,
Jesus, we invoke your Name.

For all who suffer and all those in trouble,
Jesus, we invoke your Name.

For all those who are dear to us.
Jesus, we invoke your Name.

For the salvation of our souls and the forgiveness of our sins,
Jesus, we invoke your Name.

For all those who those who do not know you,
Jesus, we invoke your Name.

For the peace of the departed,
Jesus, we invoke your Name.

For all our prayers and petitions,
Jesus, we invoke your Name.

Giving you all our thanks,
Jesus, we invoke your Name.

Declaring your works and wonders,
Jesus, we invoke your Name.

Recalling your life, death, and resurrection,
Jesus, we invoke your Name.

Pleading your Blood and merits,
Jesus, we invoke your Name.

Awaiting your coming in glory,
Jesus, we invoke your Name.

Opening our hearts and hands,
Jesus, we invoke your Name.

Approaching boldly the throne of grace, as you taught us we now pray

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial,
and deliver us from evil.
Amen.


Give thanks to God, all you saints of God,
God's mercy endures for ever!

Let us pray.

Almighty God,
by your Holy Spirit
you have made us one with your saints
in heaven and on earth:
Grant that in our earthly pilgrimage
we may always be supported
by this fellowship of love and prayer,
and know ourselves to be surrounded
by their witness to your power and mercy.
We ask this for the sake of Jesus Christ,
in whom all our intercessions
are acceptable through the Spirit,
and who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Amen.

or

Almighty God,
with whom still live the spirits
of those who die in the Lord,
and with whom the souls of the faithful
are in joy and felicity:
We give you heartfelt thanks
for the good examples of all your servants,
who, having finished their course in faith,
now find rest and refreshment.
May we, with all who have died
in the true faith of your holy Name,
have perfect fulfillment and bliss
in your eternal and everlasting glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.




Joshua Ligan 2008.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Licence. You are free to share, copy, distribute, display, and perform the work; or to make derivative works, provided that you attribute the work in the manner specified by the author or licensor. You may not use this work for commercial purposes.

4 January 2008

I want s'more soup, please...

As I'm typing this, I'm in bed sniffling, tearing, and feeling downright sick since I got drenched in the rain yesterday afternoon. So forgive me if I sound a little foggy-minded, and if my post lacks the usual lustre.

Sometimes I have this longing I can't explain sometimes. It's like a relentless hunger and thirst to know more, and to feel such union with God that you can never be separated from him again. Night after night this feeling bugs you, morning after morning, you sigh with utter yearning. You search for God in a myriad of ways - through different spiritual techniques, meditation, prayer, books, pilgrimages, and even trying to live your life in simplicity. Yet you can't find him, and most of the time, you feel the hem of his garment, and then suddenly, you've lost grasp of it. You can't help but feel empty.

It never satisfies you. Holy Communion or meditating on scripture may satisfy you for one moment, but then you want more. It's like a climax of a high that you wish you could prolong, but nah, it fades after a few moments of basking in the wonder. You want that joy, and you want it NOW. Because it is want keeps you going on toward the goal. And not only that, but you want to share that same joy with others.

Do you ever feel like that? Searching, pining, desiring more? Is it greedy or selfish to feel like this?

***********************************

As discussed on AIM with Eric B.

Eric: yay! my internet is back

Josh: I'm glad.

Eric: i'm listening to the liturgical music you sent me a while back - "The Earth Is Full of the Goodness of the Lord" (love it)

Josh: Ah, yes. The responsorial psalm.

Eric: so, what's on your mind, melon rind?

Josh: *sigh*

Josh: A lot of stuff.

Josh: But I've been having this weird feeling lately.

Eric: *hands josh an e-martini*

Eric: Yeah?

Josh: Thanks.

Josh: It's something I haven't felt since I was Pentecostal, y'know.

Josh: Like this utter longing and yearning for God.

Josh: And it doesn't see, rational.

Josh: *seem

Josh: I mean, we all admire the mystics.

Josh: Although some question them.

Josh: And if we do seek their examples or read their works, they’ll say we're trying to validate our own spiritualities.

Josh: But sometimes you really just want a touch from God, right?

Josh: To plunge into his depths and drink of your fill.

Eric: Exactly

Josh: It's like trying to prolong a high you get from the Holy Communion.

Josh: And you try to do it even in your daily life.

Josh: To live Communion.

Josh: But it's not enough.

Eric: Yes

Josh: You want more, and more, and more.

Josh: Is it wrong to have these feelings?

Eric: Absolutely not

Josh: Is it pride?

Eric: You know, what? I'm going to e-mail you a page from Brian McLaren's book

Eric: He describes exactly what you're going through (maybe)

Eric: It's about the relationship between Catholic mystics and Pentecostal Christians

Eric: And wanting more of God

Josh: Oooooooh.

Eric: It's fascinating

Josh: Thanks!

Eric: Because that's definitely not weird...and it's probably a sign and a call from God herself :P Be honest 'bout it

Eric: *grins* When God's got a job, she calls in the Bitch Squad