This posting is a test to see if I can figure out how to post a video to my blog. I found this great a capella version of the Doxology for the test. There are also a couple of verses of the hymn, All People That On Earth Do Dwell. Just for your information, there are a number of hymns that use this same tune, which is known as the Old 100th. It is called the Old 100th because of its original association with the 100th Psalm. Old 100th was written in the mid 16th century. What we commonly know as the Doxology was written over 100 years after that and is the 11th (Yes! eleven verses) and last verse of the hymn, Awake, My Soul, and with the Sun.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
So, what are you doing for Lent?
Tomorrow begins the season of Lent. Lent the period of 40 days that runs from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday. You may notice that there are actually more than 40 days in this time period. That is because Sundays are not counted in the calculation. Lent is a time of self-examination, repentance, fasting and purposeful focus on the sufferings of Christ leading to His crucifixion on Good Friday. The reason Sundays are not “counted” is because Sunday is looked upon as a day of celebration – a mini-Easter if you will.
You may choose to do something special during Lent this year. Perhaps you have chosen a special book to read or topical Bible study to go through from now to Easter. Others may deny themselves a certain luxury or pleasure and “give up” such things as deserts or other food items, eating between meals,
$5 daily lattes, going out to eat, television, etc. Really, it could be just about anything.
Still others may choose add something to their lives instead of or in addition to giving something up. This could be spending extra time in prayer or Bible reading. I could be helping out at a food shelf or shelter or volunteering in some other worthy cause.
Whatever one chooses to do or not do during Lent should be done as unto the Lord, with the purpose of drawing closer to Him during this time. Ultimately, some of these practices will continue once we get past Easter and become part of our daily discipline as we seek to be molded by Him into His image and as we seek to honor Him in every aspect of our lives.
For those who have chosen to fast during Lent, whether it be a day a week, a meal or two a day, or a complete fast for an extended period of time, I have included an original prayer for fasting. Perhaps it will be of help to you.
PRAYER FOR FASTING
Lord, I commit this fast to you.
Grant that I would draw close to You during this time,
and not simply abstain from the pleasures of food.
When I feel hungry and desire to eat,
give me a greater hunger for You;
remind me that “man does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God;”
move me to feed upon Jesus, the Bread of Life,
the True Manna come down from heaven;
place within me a hunger and thirst for righteousness
with the assurance from Your word that I shall be filled.
Should I be troubled by headaches or stomach pain,
cause me to remember and meditate upon
the sufferings You willingly endured for me.
If I should become crabby or irritable,
draw me into Your presence; for in Your presence is
is fullness of joy.
If I am feeling particularly weak,
let me experience
the joy of the Lord which is my strength;
let me understand
that Your strength is made perfect in my weakness;
let me know
that when I am weak, then I can be truly strong.
If I wonder if I will be able to continue,
pour out Your abundant grace and that will be sufficient for me.
Throughout my fast,
increase my hunger for You;
allow me to taste and see that the Lord is good;
let me feast at the spiritual table You have set for me.
I ask these things for Your glory. Amen.
You may choose to do something special during Lent this year. Perhaps you have chosen a special book to read or topical Bible study to go through from now to Easter. Others may deny themselves a certain luxury or pleasure and “give up” such things as deserts or other food items, eating between meals,
$5 daily lattes, going out to eat, television, etc. Really, it could be just about anything.
Still others may choose add something to their lives instead of or in addition to giving something up. This could be spending extra time in prayer or Bible reading. I could be helping out at a food shelf or shelter or volunteering in some other worthy cause.
Whatever one chooses to do or not do during Lent should be done as unto the Lord, with the purpose of drawing closer to Him during this time. Ultimately, some of these practices will continue once we get past Easter and become part of our daily discipline as we seek to be molded by Him into His image and as we seek to honor Him in every aspect of our lives.
For those who have chosen to fast during Lent, whether it be a day a week, a meal or two a day, or a complete fast for an extended period of time, I have included an original prayer for fasting. Perhaps it will be of help to you.
PRAYER FOR FASTING
Lord, I commit this fast to you.
Grant that I would draw close to You during this time,
and not simply abstain from the pleasures of food.
When I feel hungry and desire to eat,
give me a greater hunger for You;
remind me that “man does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God;”
move me to feed upon Jesus, the Bread of Life,
the True Manna come down from heaven;
place within me a hunger and thirst for righteousness
with the assurance from Your word that I shall be filled.
Should I be troubled by headaches or stomach pain,
cause me to remember and meditate upon
the sufferings You willingly endured for me.
If I should become crabby or irritable,
draw me into Your presence; for in Your presence is
is fullness of joy.
If I am feeling particularly weak,
let me experience
the joy of the Lord which is my strength;
let me understand
that Your strength is made perfect in my weakness;
let me know
that when I am weak, then I can be truly strong.
If I wonder if I will be able to continue,
pour out Your abundant grace and that will be sufficient for me.
Throughout my fast,
increase my hunger for You;
allow me to taste and see that the Lord is good;
let me feast at the spiritual table You have set for me.
I ask these things for Your glory. Amen.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Shack Attack!
Well, I just finished reading The Shack, by William Paul Young. This is the current "hot book" in the country, especially in Christian circles. As of this morning, it is #1 on the New York Times Bestsellers list, #4 on Amazon and #14 on Barnes and Noble.
It is a different kind of read: weird in spots, borderline blasphemous in others, heart wrenching, soul stirring and thought provoking throughout.
This book has been criticized and condemned, as is often the case, by those who probably didn't read the whole book. The biggest bone of contention is how the author deals with the Persons of the Trinity. I'm not going to give any spoilers here and ruin it for those who haven't read it yet, but I will say this: The Shack is about how God is with us amidst tragedy and loss and suffering. It is not a theological treatise on the Godhead or a systematic study of the Trinity. IT IS A NOVEL, A WORK OF FICTION!
The Shack has a certain something that will bring healing to many who have lost a loved one due to tragedy or sickness. Its central message is one of hope and comfort and God's love in spite of circumstances. The message of the critics misses the point of The Shack, as well at the grace and comfort that can be found in its pages.
It is a different kind of read: weird in spots, borderline blasphemous in others, heart wrenching, soul stirring and thought provoking throughout.
This book has been criticized and condemned, as is often the case, by those who probably didn't read the whole book. The biggest bone of contention is how the author deals with the Persons of the Trinity. I'm not going to give any spoilers here and ruin it for those who haven't read it yet, but I will say this: The Shack is about how God is with us amidst tragedy and loss and suffering. It is not a theological treatise on the Godhead or a systematic study of the Trinity. IT IS A NOVEL, A WORK OF FICTION!
The Shack has a certain something that will bring healing to many who have lost a loved one due to tragedy or sickness. Its central message is one of hope and comfort and God's love in spite of circumstances. The message of the critics misses the point of The Shack, as well at the grace and comfort that can be found in its pages.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Devotions? or Devoted?
I have said, "God has not called us to do devotions, but to a devoted life." Now, "doing devotions" might be a part of the devoted life, but it is surely not a substitute for it.
William Law, (1686-1761) in his book, A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life, shared similar thoughts. Here a few snippets from one chapter in that book.
"...who does not know, that it is better to be pure and holy than to talk about purity and holiness?"
"...it is better to be holy than to have holy prayers."
"...I do not intend to lessen the true and great value of prayers, either public or private; but only to show [the reader] that they are certainly but a very slender part of devotion, when compared to a devout life."
"For God is to be glorified , holiness is to be practiced, and the spirit of religion is to be the common spirit of every Christian, in every state and condition of life."
Oh, for those of you who are hung up over the word "religion" and are, in the "Christianity-isn't-a-religion-it's-a-relationship" camp, I simply say,
"CHRISTIANITY IS A RELIGION...GET OVER IT!
William Law, (1686-1761) in his book, A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life, shared similar thoughts. Here a few snippets from one chapter in that book.
"...who does not know, that it is better to be pure and holy than to talk about purity and holiness?"
"...it is better to be holy than to have holy prayers."
"...I do not intend to lessen the true and great value of prayers, either public or private; but only to show [the reader] that they are certainly but a very slender part of devotion, when compared to a devout life."
"For God is to be glorified , holiness is to be practiced, and the spirit of religion is to be the common spirit of every Christian, in every state and condition of life."
Oh, for those of you who are hung up over the word "religion" and are, in the "Christianity-isn't-a-religion-it's-a-relationship" camp, I simply say,
"CHRISTIANITY IS A RELIGION...GET OVER IT!
Monday, January 12, 2009
Nifty New Feature Added
I've added RefTagger to my blog site. This is great! When I add a Scripture reference to my blog, RefTagger automatically underlines it and when you put your mouse cursor over the reference the verse pops up for you in a separate box. Give it a try: John 3:16-18.
If you want to add it to your site, you can get it free at http://www.reftagger.com/ . It is so easy to add, even I figured out how to do it.
If you want to add it to your site, you can get it free at http://www.reftagger.com/ . It is so easy to add, even I figured out how to do it.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Proud to be Humble
I have seen tee shirts that read, "Proud to be a Christian!" I must tell you that phrase irritates me more than chewing aluminum foil. A more correct slogan would be, "Humbled to be a Christian" but even that expresses pride.
Humility is a somewhat of a "tricky virtue" to attain. For those who desire to be Christ-like it is something absolutely necessary, and is to be deeply desired and diligently sought after, for it exudes the very fragrance of the Savior. Here's the tricky part - once you begin to recognize it in your own life, it begins to leave you.
Philippians 2:5-8 reads:
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
Notice again the words, "Let this mind [a mind of humility] be in you which was also in Christ." From time to time, we may pray to have "the mind of Christ" about a particular situation or a decision we must make. A key ingredient to having the mind of Christ is humility.
May you always look for and pursue humility in your life, but hope never to find it.
Humility is a somewhat of a "tricky virtue" to attain. For those who desire to be Christ-like it is something absolutely necessary, and is to be deeply desired and diligently sought after, for it exudes the very fragrance of the Savior. Here's the tricky part - once you begin to recognize it in your own life, it begins to leave you.
Philippians 2:5-8 reads:
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
Notice again the words, "Let this mind [a mind of humility] be in you which was also in Christ." From time to time, we may pray to have "the mind of Christ" about a particular situation or a decision we must make. A key ingredient to having the mind of Christ is humility.
May you always look for and pursue humility in your life, but hope never to find it.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Too Busy to be at Peace?
It is ironic that during the Christmas season we talk about and sing songs about "Peace on earth," yet there is no busier, frustrating and anxiety-filled time of the year. We have so much to do, so many places to go, so many people to see. With all the commotion we just don't have time to fit this "peace stuff" into our schedule. We say, "I'll sure be glad when the holidays are over so I can rest up."
If you can relate to that and are looking for a little peace in your life, you might want to consider what Thomas a Kempis called "Four Things That Bring Peace to the Soul," or, "The Truest Way of Peace and Perfect Liberty."
1. Study [or endeavor] to fulfill another man's will rather than your own.
2. Choose to have little worldly riches rather than much.
3. Seek the lowest place and desire to be under others rather than above them.
4. Desire always and pray that the will of God may be wholly done in you.
Let's see now. We have: servanthood, self-denial, humility and surrender to God. If that is what brings peace to our souls, no wonder why so many lack it. This is, simply and far too often, contrary to the way we choose to live our lives.
May you take the necessary steps to know, experience and live in the peace of God as you enter the New Year!
If you can relate to that and are looking for a little peace in your life, you might want to consider what Thomas a Kempis called "Four Things That Bring Peace to the Soul," or, "The Truest Way of Peace and Perfect Liberty."
1. Study [or endeavor] to fulfill another man's will rather than your own.
2. Choose to have little worldly riches rather than much.
3. Seek the lowest place and desire to be under others rather than above them.
4. Desire always and pray that the will of God may be wholly done in you.
Let's see now. We have: servanthood, self-denial, humility and surrender to God. If that is what brings peace to our souls, no wonder why so many lack it. This is, simply and far too often, contrary to the way we choose to live our lives.
May you take the necessary steps to know, experience and live in the peace of God as you enter the New Year!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
A Revelation "revelation"
The Book of Revelation, the Revelation of St. John the Divine, the Apocalypse, call it by which ever name you prefer, (but never in the plural - "Revelations" - also, please don't refer to a single Psalm as in the plural , for example, "Turn with me to Psalms 23." Sorry, just a pet peeve of mine.) the Book of Revelation has been read, discussed, argued, interpreted, misinterpreted, dissected and analyzed since the day it left the island of Patmos late in the first century.
Usually the Book of Revelation is seen as a prophetic book that foretells what will happen in the final days of the Last Days or at the End of the Age. The number of interpretations of the details of Revelation nearly numbers the number of angelic beings seen in the Book ("ten thousand time ten thousand and thousands of thousands." Of course, I speak hyperbolically.) Yes, I agree, Revelation tells us what will happen with, to, on and in earth and heaven in the future - perhaps near future for us.
But notice something else in the Book. We see a glimpse of Heaven. We get a taste of worship in Heaven and around the Throne of God. Observe the sights and sounds and smells. See the angels bowing in unison; hear them worshiping in unison; smell the incense; note the altar, the lampstands and other sacred articles that are also seen in Jewish Temple-worship. We see structured, ordered and unified worship. We see....... (drum roll please) ........... LITURGY!
This is just an interesting observation that causes me to ponder.
Usually the Book of Revelation is seen as a prophetic book that foretells what will happen in the final days of the Last Days or at the End of the Age. The number of interpretations of the details of Revelation nearly numbers the number of angelic beings seen in the Book ("ten thousand time ten thousand and thousands of thousands." Of course, I speak hyperbolically.) Yes, I agree, Revelation tells us what will happen with, to, on and in earth and heaven in the future - perhaps near future for us.
But notice something else in the Book. We see a glimpse of Heaven. We get a taste of worship in Heaven and around the Throne of God. Observe the sights and sounds and smells. See the angels bowing in unison; hear them worshiping in unison; smell the incense; note the altar, the lampstands and other sacred articles that are also seen in Jewish Temple-worship. We see structured, ordered and unified worship. We see....... (drum roll please) ........... LITURGY!
This is just an interesting observation that causes me to ponder.
Friday, December 12, 2008
St. Patrick's Breastplate
Another consideration for starting your day off right, would be the Celtic prayer known as "St. Patrick's Breastplate." It is a "Please bless my day, Lord" prayer expanded out to some very specific areas. It is a very power-filled prayer.
We are told in Ephesians 6:11 to "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." (NKJV) One piece of that armor is the "breastplate of righteousness" (v.14). Perhaps the prayer that follows gives us a glimpse of what St. Patrick looked like getting dressed for battle each morning. Maybe this shows us the intricate details of one of his pieces of armor. You will notice, as in many Celtic prayers, the heavy emphasis of the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
Saint Patrick’s Breastplate
I bind myself today to
Mighty strength, invoking the Trinity,
Though believing in threeness,
I confess the oneness of creation’s Creator
I bind myself today to
The power of the Incarnation of Christ and His Baptism,
The power of His crucifixion and His burial,
The power of His Resurrection and His Ascension,
The power of His coming on the Day of Judgment.
I bind myself today to
The power of the love of seraphim,
The obedience of angels,
The hope of resurrection unto reward,
The prayers of Patriarchs,
The predictions of Prophets,
The preaching of Apostles,
The faith of Confessors,
The purity of holy virgins,
The deeds of righteous men.
I bind myself today to
The power of Heaven, the brilliance of the sun,
The radiance of the moon, the splendor of fire,
The flashing of lightning, the swiftness of wind,
The depth of sea, the stability of earth,
The firmness of rocks.
I bind myself today to
God's Power to guide me,
God's Might to uphold me,
God's Wisdom to teach me,
God's Eye to watch over me,
God's Ear to hear me,
God's Word to give me speech,
God's Hand to guide me,
God's Way to lie before me,
God's Shield to shelter me
God's Host to deliver me,
From the snares of demons,
From evil temptations,
From the lusts of nature,
From everyone who devises injury to me,
Whether far or near, whether few or many.
Today I invoke all these powers
Against every hostile merciless force
Which may assail my body and my soul,
Against the incantations of false prophets,
Against the black laws of paganism,
Against the false laws of heresy,
Against the deceits of idolatry,
Against the spells of women, and smiths, and druids,
Against every knowledge that holds the soul of man in bondage.
Christ, protect me today
Against every poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
That I may receive abundant reward.
Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ within me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ at my right, Christ at my left,
Christ in my lying, Christ in my sitting,
Christ in my rising.
Christ in the heart of all who think of me,
Christ on the tongue all who speak to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
I bind myself today to
Mighty strength, invoking the Trinity,
Though believing in threeness,
I confess the oneness
Of creation’s Creator.
For to the Father belongs salvation;
And to the Spirit belongs salvation;
And to Christ belongs salvation.
May your salvation, Lord, be with us always.
Amen!
We are told in Ephesians 6:11 to "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." (NKJV) One piece of that armor is the "breastplate of righteousness" (v.14). Perhaps the prayer that follows gives us a glimpse of what St. Patrick looked like getting dressed for battle each morning. Maybe this shows us the intricate details of one of his pieces of armor. You will notice, as in many Celtic prayers, the heavy emphasis of the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
Saint Patrick’s Breastplate
I bind myself today to
Mighty strength, invoking the Trinity,
Though believing in threeness,
I confess the oneness of creation’s Creator
I bind myself today to
The power of the Incarnation of Christ and His Baptism,
The power of His crucifixion and His burial,
The power of His Resurrection and His Ascension,
The power of His coming on the Day of Judgment.
I bind myself today to
The power of the love of seraphim,
The obedience of angels,
The hope of resurrection unto reward,
The prayers of Patriarchs,
The predictions of Prophets,
The preaching of Apostles,
The faith of Confessors,
The purity of holy virgins,
The deeds of righteous men.
I bind myself today to
The power of Heaven, the brilliance of the sun,
The radiance of the moon, the splendor of fire,
The flashing of lightning, the swiftness of wind,
The depth of sea, the stability of earth,
The firmness of rocks.
I bind myself today to
God's Power to guide me,
God's Might to uphold me,
God's Wisdom to teach me,
God's Eye to watch over me,
God's Ear to hear me,
God's Word to give me speech,
God's Hand to guide me,
God's Way to lie before me,
God's Shield to shelter me
God's Host to deliver me,
From the snares of demons,
From evil temptations,
From the lusts of nature,
From everyone who devises injury to me,
Whether far or near, whether few or many.
Today I invoke all these powers
Against every hostile merciless force
Which may assail my body and my soul,
Against the incantations of false prophets,
Against the black laws of paganism,
Against the false laws of heresy,
Against the deceits of idolatry,
Against the spells of women, and smiths, and druids,
Against every knowledge that holds the soul of man in bondage.
Christ, protect me today
Against every poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
That I may receive abundant reward.
Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ within me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ at my right, Christ at my left,
Christ in my lying, Christ in my sitting,
Christ in my rising.
Christ in the heart of all who think of me,
Christ on the tongue all who speak to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
I bind myself today to
Mighty strength, invoking the Trinity,
Though believing in threeness,
I confess the oneness
Of creation’s Creator.
For to the Father belongs salvation;
And to the Spirit belongs salvation;
And to Christ belongs salvation.
May your salvation, Lord, be with us always.
Amen!
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Take my life... Please!
Ok! So the title of this post is a play on words of the well known Henny Youngman quote and the title of his autobiography. But, "Take My Life" is the title of the the following Frances R. Havergal hymn.
Take My Life
Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee
Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love
Take my feet, and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee
Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King
Take my silver and my gold
not a mite would I withhold
Take my moments and my days
Let them flow in ceaseless praise
Take my will, and make it Thine
It shall be no longer mine
Take my heart, it is Thine own
It shall be Thy royal throne
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose
Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee
Now, ask yourself, "Is this just a song we sing once in a while in church? Or, is this truly the prayer and desire of my heart?"
Consider printing out the words of this song and and putting them in your Bible to be used as a prayer of personal commitment and dedication of yourself to the Lord. You might choose to do this daily, weekly or simply from time to time. Think about it.
Take My Life
Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee
Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love
Take my feet, and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee
Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King
Take my silver and my gold
not a mite would I withhold
Take my moments and my days
Let them flow in ceaseless praise
Take my will, and make it Thine
It shall be no longer mine
Take my heart, it is Thine own
It shall be Thy royal throne
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose
Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee
Now, ask yourself, "Is this just a song we sing once in a while in church? Or, is this truly the prayer and desire of my heart?"
Consider printing out the words of this song and and putting them in your Bible to be used as a prayer of personal commitment and dedication of yourself to the Lord. You might choose to do this daily, weekly or simply from time to time. Think about it.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Te Deum or not Te Deum...
Well, yesterday was "Black Friday," which tells us we've now entered the official Christmas shopping season. Retailers across our land are hoping consumers will thumb their noses at the economy and drive themselves deeper into debt. Children are busy compiling voluminous tomes they simply refer to as their "Christmas wish lists." The lists usually consist of "just-have-to-haves" that will become outdated, boring and "old-school" before the rubbish man has picked up its packaging and wrapping paper from the trash.
If we are not careful, our prayers can sometimes resemble a wish list or shopping list. "God, I want this. God, I want that. God, give me, give me, give me............ And, oh, yeah, in-Jesus'-name-amen!" I think you know what I mean. Although there is a place for bringing our needs (not our selfish desires) and holy petitions before God, the greatest focus of prayer should be worship, with the object of prayer being God, Himself. After all, it is all about Him, not all about us.
Below is a fourth century prayer or hymn known as the Te Deum laudamus, which simply means, We Praise You, O God. It is considered by many to be one of the greatest non-biblical hymns of the Christian church. By the way, non-biblical doesn't always mean unscriptural. (I thought I'd throw that in for free) Though you will notice certain requests are made of God toward the end of the prayer, the requests are made on the basis of God's greatness and mercy and not on the basis of our need (or whim.) What follows is my paraphrase of the version found in the 1549 Book of Common Prayer. I tried to remain true to the text while smoothing out some of the awkwardness of the archaic spellings and wordings.
Prayers like this are never outdated, boring or "old-school." They are continually fresh and rich because their goal is simply to worship Him who alone is worthy.
Te Deum laudamus
If we are not careful, our prayers can sometimes resemble a wish list or shopping list. "God, I want this. God, I want that. God, give me, give me, give me............ And, oh, yeah, in-Jesus'-name-amen!" I think you know what I mean. Although there is a place for bringing our needs (not our selfish desires) and holy petitions before God, the greatest focus of prayer should be worship, with the object of prayer being God, Himself. After all, it is all about Him, not all about us.
Below is a fourth century prayer or hymn known as the Te Deum laudamus, which simply means, We Praise You, O God. It is considered by many to be one of the greatest non-biblical hymns of the Christian church. By the way, non-biblical doesn't always mean unscriptural. (I thought I'd throw that in for free) Though you will notice certain requests are made of God toward the end of the prayer, the requests are made on the basis of God's greatness and mercy and not on the basis of our need (or whim.) What follows is my paraphrase of the version found in the 1549 Book of Common Prayer. I tried to remain true to the text while smoothing out some of the awkwardness of the archaic spellings and wordings.
Prayers like this are never outdated, boring or "old-school." They are continually fresh and rich because their goal is simply to worship Him who alone is worthy.
Te Deum laudamus
We praise You, O God; we acknowledge You to be the Lord.
All the earth worships You, the Father Everlasting.
To You all angels, the powers of heavens, cry aloud with the
cherubim and seraphim who continually cry,
"Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts. Heaven and
earth are full of the majesty of Your glory."
The glorious company of the apostles praise You.
The goodly fellowship of the prophets praise You.
The noble army of martyrs praise You.
The holy church throughout all the world acknowledges You:
the Father of infinite majesty;
Your honorable, true and only Son;
and the Holy Ghost, who is also our Comforter.
You are the King of Glory, O Christ
You are the everlasting Son of the Father.
When You took upon Yourself to deliver mankind, You did not despise the Virgin's womb.
When You overcame the sting of death, You opened the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers.
You sit at the right hand of God, in the glory of the Father.
We believe that You will come to be our Judge.
Therefore, we pray that You would help Your servants, whom You have redeemed with Your precious blood.
Make them to be numbered with Your saints, in everlasting glory.
O Lord, save Your people and bless Your heritage.
Govern them and lift them up forever.
Every day we will be mindful to magnify You.
And we will worship Your name forever in a world without end.
In Your gracious favor, keep us from sin today.
O Lord, have mercy on us; have mercy on us.
O Lord, let Your mercy rest upon us, because our trust is in You.
O Lord, I have trusted in You. Let me never be confounded.
All the earth worships You, the Father Everlasting.
To You all angels, the powers of heavens, cry aloud with the
cherubim and seraphim who continually cry,
"Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts. Heaven and
earth are full of the majesty of Your glory."
The glorious company of the apostles praise You.
The goodly fellowship of the prophets praise You.
The noble army of martyrs praise You.
The holy church throughout all the world acknowledges You:
the Father of infinite majesty;
Your honorable, true and only Son;
and the Holy Ghost, who is also our Comforter.
You are the King of Glory, O Christ
You are the everlasting Son of the Father.
When You took upon Yourself to deliver mankind, You did not despise the Virgin's womb.
When You overcame the sting of death, You opened the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers.
You sit at the right hand of God, in the glory of the Father.
We believe that You will come to be our Judge.
Therefore, we pray that You would help Your servants, whom You have redeemed with Your precious blood.
Make them to be numbered with Your saints, in everlasting glory.
O Lord, save Your people and bless Your heritage.
Govern them and lift them up forever.
Every day we will be mindful to magnify You.
And we will worship Your name forever in a world without end.
In Your gracious favor, keep us from sin today.
O Lord, have mercy on us; have mercy on us.
O Lord, let Your mercy rest upon us, because our trust is in You.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Yeah, but he still said some good things...
In the "Time for an exam" post below I listed the twenty-two questions the members of the Holy Club would ask themselves each evening. If that seems a bit much to you, perhaps St. Ignatius Loyola's ( 1491-1556) General Examination of Conscience would serve you better. With only five questions you could consider it simply "a quiz."
St. Ignatius' General Examination of Conscience
1. Give thanks to God our Lord for the favors received
2. Ask for the grace to know your sins
3. Examine how you have lived this day
4. Ask forgiveness for any faults
5. Resolve to amend with the grace of God
Ignatius said some really great things, some beautiful things. For example, prayerfully read the two following prayers which are attributed to him. We would do well to pray these kinds of prayer.
Generosity
Lord, teach me to be generous.
Teach me to serve you as you deserve;
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labor and not to ask for reward,save that of knowing that I do your will.
Surrender
Take, O Lord, and receive my entire liberty, my memory, my understanding and my whole will.
All that I am and all that I possess You have given me:
I surrender itall to You to be disposed of according to Your will.
Give me only Your love and Your grace;
with these I will be rich enough, and will desire nothing more.
Not everything Ignatius said should received with such enthusiasm. He also believed in self-flagellation as a suitable form of penance. He said, “The safest and most suitable form of penance seems to be that which causes pain in the flesh but does not penetrate to the bones, that is, which causes suffering but not sickness. So the best way seems to be to scourge oneself with thin cords which hurt superficially, rather than to use some other means which might produce serious internal injury.”
Please note that the biblical call that goes forth is to "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." The call is not to do penance.
Ignatius also said, "We should always be disposed to believe that that which appears white is really black, if the hierarchy of the Church so decides."
No! Brother Ignatius. If it is white...it is white, no matter who declares it to be otherwise. Here's one for you Ignatius, "The truth is the truth even when spoken by devils; and a lie is a lie even when spoken by the hierarchy of the Church or even the pope himself."
So, dear readers, when reading someone like Ignatius (or, anyone for that matter...yes! even me) do like one of my college professors said, "Eat the meat and spit out the bones."
Remember, the Apostle Paul commended the Bereans (Acts 17:10,11) and called the more noble than the Thessalonians because they "received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so."
The Bereans were wise to appraise even Paul's words in the light of Scripture. Let us use the same wisdom when reading or listening to the words of others.
St. Ignatius' General Examination of Conscience
1. Give thanks to God our Lord for the favors received
2. Ask for the grace to know your sins
3. Examine how you have lived this day
4. Ask forgiveness for any faults
5. Resolve to amend with the grace of God
Ignatius said some really great things, some beautiful things. For example, prayerfully read the two following prayers which are attributed to him. We would do well to pray these kinds of prayer.
Generosity
Lord, teach me to be generous.
Teach me to serve you as you deserve;
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labor and not to ask for reward,save that of knowing that I do your will.
Surrender
Take, O Lord, and receive my entire liberty, my memory, my understanding and my whole will.
All that I am and all that I possess You have given me:
I surrender itall to You to be disposed of according to Your will.
Give me only Your love and Your grace;
with these I will be rich enough, and will desire nothing more.
Not everything Ignatius said should received with such enthusiasm. He also believed in self-flagellation as a suitable form of penance. He said, “The safest and most suitable form of penance seems to be that which causes pain in the flesh but does not penetrate to the bones, that is, which causes suffering but not sickness. So the best way seems to be to scourge oneself with thin cords which hurt superficially, rather than to use some other means which might produce serious internal injury.”
Please note that the biblical call that goes forth is to "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." The call is not to do penance.
Ignatius also said, "We should always be disposed to believe that that which appears white is really black, if the hierarchy of the Church so decides."
No! Brother Ignatius. If it is white...it is white, no matter who declares it to be otherwise. Here's one for you Ignatius, "The truth is the truth even when spoken by devils; and a lie is a lie even when spoken by the hierarchy of the Church or even the pope himself."
So, dear readers, when reading someone like Ignatius (or, anyone for that matter...yes! even me) do like one of my college professors said, "Eat the meat and spit out the bones."
Remember, the Apostle Paul commended the Bereans (Acts 17:10,11) and called the more noble than the Thessalonians because they "received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so."
The Bereans were wise to appraise even Paul's words in the light of Scripture. Let us use the same wisdom when reading or listening to the words of others.
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