Friday, the last day of 2010

His Name 

shall be called 

Emmanuel: God-with-us.

As we have heard, so have we seen.... 

           Psalm 46: Christmas antiphon. Psalm 48:7

Evening Prayer of Dec 30th

The Lord 

is my light 

and 

my salvation; 

whom then 

shall I fear? 
The Lord is the 
strength of my life;
of whom, then, 
shall I be
afraid? 

Psalm 27:1

Thursday, December 30

grant that this light, enkindled in our hearts, may ashine forth in our lives

Collect: I Christmas 

Holy Innocents #2

Receive, 

we pray, into the arms of your mercy, all innocent victims 

            Collect for Holy Innocents Day

Feast of the Holy Innocents, transferred

  

Where charity 

stands watching, 

and faith 

holds wide the 

door, the 

dark night wakes,

the morning breaks 

and Christmas comes once more.         

                                                  "O Little Town of Bethlehem”

Vespers of St John

The light now shines in our darkness,

uncreated, ever new.   

St John the Evangelist, transfered

In the tender 
compassion
 of our God 
the dawn 
from on high 
has broken 
upon us

Based on The Benedictus 

The Feast of Stephen, transfered

The Lord is the strength of his people... 

Psalm 1 Antiphon on the Feast of Stephen

Evening Prayer of the First Sunday after Christians

an angel 

of the Lord 

appeared to him 

in a dream 

and said 

“Joseph, 

do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife...”              Matthew 1:20

The First Sunday after Christmas (Heck, the first DAY! )

Let the heavens 

rejoice, 

and let the earth 

be glad 

before the Lord, 

for he has come. 

Christmas antiphon on Psalm 96

Back to Christmas day here!

"You are my son, this day have I begotten you."  

Christmas antiphon Psalm 2

December 26, The Feast of Stephen

So soon 

the cost 

of love

is known, 

alleluia. 

Christmas Eve Evening Prayer

Your love, 

O Lord, 

forever 

will I sing 

Psalm 89:1

Christmas eve

Unto us a child is born, 

unto us a son is given;

and he shall be called the Prince of Peace, alleluia. 

Antiphon on the Magnificat at the First Vespers of Christmas 

Christmas eve morning (#2)

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom: like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing... They shall see the glory of the Lord and the majesty of our God. Isaiah 35: 1-2 

Christmas eve morning (#1)

Be still then and know that I am God 

Psalm 46:11 

Dec 23 O Emmanuel

  

O Emmanuel, 

our King and Lawgiver, the Desire of all nations and their Salvation:

Come and 

save us, 

O Lord, 

our God.   

Thursday in the 4th week of Advent

      

          Shine forth 

you that are enthroned upon the cherubim, show the
light of your countenance and we shall be saved Psalm 80:1b, 7b                                                          

December 22 O Rex Gentium

  

        

O King of the nations 

      and their Desire,   

           you are the               cornerstone 

that makes us both one:

      Come
and save the creatures 

whom you fashioned
          from clay.

Wednesday in the 4th week of advent.. closer and closer!

Our king 

and savior 

now draws 

near, 

Come, 

let us adore him. 

Advent antiphon on the Venite at Morning Prayer

December 21st O Antiphon, O Oriens

O Dayspring,  Brightness 

of the 

Light eternal,

 and Sun of Righteousness:

Come and enlighten those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death.

The Feats of St Thomas the Apostle

I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear but 

now my eye sees you.  Job 42:5

Evening Prayer collect, Monday

                                   Pre-eclipse moonrise 12/20/10

Give

to us 

that peace 

which the world cannot give. 

Monday in the 4th Week of Advent

You. O Lord, 

have been 

my refuge, 

a strong tower 

against the enemy. 

Antiphon: Psalm 61

Nothing metaphorical here as the Irish took refuge from the marauding Norwegians in these towers. They climbed up by a ladder and pulled it in after them, hoping and praying for the best...

       Keep scrolling for Dec 20th O Antiphon... 

O antiphon December 20

             O Key of David, and Scepter of the house of Israel, you open and no one can shut, you shut and no one can open: Come and bring the captives out of the prison house, those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death. 

Sunday vespers 4 Advent

As shoes 

for your feet 

put on 

whatever 

will help you 

proclaim 

the gospel of peace. 

Ephesians 6:15

The Fourth Sunday of Advent

Blow the trumpet in Zion, for the day of the Lord is near at hand. Behold, he comes to save us, hallelujah. Advent Antiphon: Psalm 24

Scroll down
for EVening Prayer O Antiphon: 

December 19th O Antiphon

          

O Root of Jesse, 

you stand 

as an ensign

to the peoples,

before you 

kings will 

shut their mouths, 

and nations 

bow in worship

Come and deliver us and tarry not.  

Saturday Evening Prayer, 3 Advent

 I called 

and you answered me, you increased my strength within me. 

Psalm 138:4

The trial commemoration of Lillian Trasher, Missionary in Egypt (1887-1961)

Cast your burden upon the Lord and he will sustain you. Psalm 55:24    

                             Scroll down for O Antiphon for tonight

December 18 O Antiphon

O Adonai, and Leader of the house of David, you appeared 

in the bush to Moses in a flame of fire, and gave him the law on SInai: Come and redeem us with an outstretched arm. 

     

Ember Friday in the third week of Advent

        

              Happy are they who trust in the Lord! 

                                     Psalm 40:4

There are two verses this morning. The first is from Morning Prayer; the second is the first O Antiphon! O Antiphons are the countdown to Christmas - they mean that Christmas is coming whether the goose is getting fat or not...  (If you know about antiphons and O Antiphons, don’t bother reading this. But if you don’t:)

Antiphons are sentences that introduce the psalm or Daily Office canticle on a special feast day, occasion or season. It changes the em-pha-sis as my old music teacher, choir director, organist and friend Mr Ellfeldt - “Mr E” to us kids! - used to say. Antiphons are a real blessing to those who say the psalms and canticles on a repeated basis year after year. adding variety and focus. 

The O Antiphons are antiphons on the Song of Mary, Magnificat, (BCP Pg 119) the invariable canticle at Evening Prayer. They begin today, December 17, and end on December 23rd, the night before Christmas Eve, The are called “O Antiphons” simply because they all begin with O..... You know them without knowing it if you know the Advent hymn “O Come, O come, Emmanuel.” (Now it’ll be singing itself in our heads for hours, huh?...  “Re-joice, re-joice,E-ma-a-an-uel  shall come to thee O I-i-is-rael.”)  In the current Episcopal Hymnal, it is Hymn # 56 and it has the dates they are each used and a brief explanation at the bottom of the page.)  If you don't see an O Antiphon in the morning from now until the 23rd, it'll be there later!) 

And so, here is the first O Antiphon - long awaited by some of us! -  of 2010,  scroll down  : 

O Antiphon for December 17th

 O Wisdom, 

    you come forth from the mouth of the Most High, 

   and reach from one end of the earth to the other, 

mightily and sweetly ordering all things: 

Come and teach us the way of prudence.

Thursday in the Third Week of Advent

You alone 

are the Holy One,

You alone 

are the Lord,

You alone

are the Most High

Gloria in excelsis

Evening Prayer Ember Wednesday

As it is written 

in the prophet Isaiah,

See, I am 

sending my messenger 

ahead of you 

who will 

prepare your way. 

Mark 1:2

Ember Wednesday

  

            Remember 

            your word 

     to your servant, 

       because you have 

         given me hope. 

       

         Psalm 119: 49

Mother Mary, you have started on a journey and you know not where it will lead. “Sufficient unto the day....” We none of us could go on if we knew all that lay ahead, least of all you, because faith and courage, love and hope, and endurance, are apportioned day by day as needed. Right now you are facing birth in unknown place far from home and comfort - your first birth with all the attendant fear and excitement. Faithful daughter of Abraham, was this verse your prayer too as you journeyed with your beloved Joseph to Bethlehem? 

St John of the Cross, Discalced Carmelite and mystic (1542-1591)

Forget your people and your father's house and head with me into the unknown future. 

Detail of the Blessed Virgin from the Ghent altarpiece. 

The end of  a very long road.

St Lucy (Santa Lucia) whose name means light and who was martyred in 304 in Syracuse, Sicily during the reign of terror of Diocletian

              The people who walked in darkness 

                    have seen a great light;

those who lived in a land of deep darkness -  

on them, the light has shined. Isaiah 9:2b

Congratulations to the inimitable Fr Rempfer Whitehouse on the 58th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood today! 

#2 3 Advent

Sing to the Lord with the harp,

with the harp and the voice of song, 

With trumpets and the sound of the horn, 

shout with joy before the Lord, the King. 

Psalm 98:6-7

III Advent

Saturday, First Vespers of III Advent

Let us live righteous and godly lives, 

looking for that blessed hope,

 the coming 

of the Lord, hallelujah. 

Advent antiphon: Psalm 42