If you, O Lord, will not give me who am miserable understanding, nor enlighten my heart, then, due to my great indifference, shall I be unable to recognize my ruin and decay.
Because I am trapped by the merciless enemy who oppresses me, with tears do I ceaselessly cry day and night to your goodness to deliver me from his snares. For hourly does he renew the trickery he wields against me; hourly does he disturb my soul with wanton thoughts and desire for pleasure.
May your power, O Christ, that rebuked the waves of the sea also rebuke him, that he may have no influence on me, your useless servant. Be quick to send, O Master, your grace that it might drive away from your servant the great serpent and all his defilements and evil thoughts. For the wounds that his arrows have inflicted on my heart have become fetid sores, and I in my folly try to hide them every way I can.
The good Physician calls me and demands no payment, nor does he spill my blood. But my slothfulness prevents me from going to him. He comes himself to heal me, but always finds me engaged in acts that prevent his remedies from rendering me their healing power.
O Lord, enlighten and sober me. Cure me and I will be cured!
-----Saint Ephrem the Syrian, deacon and hermit (+ 373). Reprinted in the Magnificat Feb.2010 p.33-34, from A Spiritual Psalter, Reflections on God, trans. by Antonina Janda, © 2004, The St. John of Kronstadt Press, www.sjkp.org.
Thursday, April 08, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
"This is the song of my sorrow"
An ancient chant from the Arab-Byzantine tradition for Good Friday. Sung in Arabic.
Two versions available for downloading from amazon.com :
1) Alyawm (Crucifixion) - from "Sacred Women" (track 1) by Sarband, featuring Fadia El-Hage
2) Al Yawm Ulliqa (The Lord is Suspended) - from "La Passion" by Sister Marie Keyrouz, Congrégation des Surs Basiliennes Chouérites
The lyrics are printed in their English translation in the CD jacket from version 1 above. They are as follows:
Today, He who had raised the earth from the waters was crucified on a piece of wood.
A crown of thorns was set upon the brow of the king of angels.
Draped in deceptive purple is He who can cast clouds in the sky.
Beaten is He who created Adam and baptized him in the Jordan River.
Nails are holding Him, the groom of the church, to the cross.
A lance is piercing Him, the Son of the Virgin.
We kneel down before Your pain, Messiah.
Let us also be witnesses to Your glorious resurrection.
Two versions available for downloading from amazon.com :
1) Alyawm (Crucifixion) - from "Sacred Women" (track 1) by Sarband, featuring Fadia El-Hage
2) Al Yawm Ulliqa (The Lord is Suspended) - from "La Passion" by Sister Marie Keyrouz, Congrégation des Surs Basiliennes Chouérites
The lyrics are printed in their English translation in the CD jacket from version 1 above. They are as follows:
Today, He who had raised the earth from the waters was crucified on a piece of wood.
A crown of thorns was set upon the brow of the king of angels.
Draped in deceptive purple is He who can cast clouds in the sky.
Beaten is He who created Adam and baptized him in the Jordan River.
Nails are holding Him, the groom of the church, to the cross.
A lance is piercing Him, the Son of the Virgin.
We kneel down before Your pain, Messiah.
Let us also be witnesses to Your glorious resurrection.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
God is Eternal and Infinite
There are many words in Hebrew that do not have an exact English equivalent. Some Hebrew words can mean many different things in English. For example, the word ___עוֹלָם___ (pronounced: nitzchiyut(?)) introduced in this chapter means both endless time (eternity) and endless space (universe). It can also mean world.~Source: Prayerbook Hebrew the Easy Way (ISBN 0939144328)
Sunday, September 06, 2009
The Pure Religion
22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Aug. 30, 2009)
Reading II
James 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27
Dearest brothers and sisters:
All good giving and every perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father of lights,
with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change.
He willed to give us birth by the word of truth
that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you
and is able to save your souls.
Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves.
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this:
to care for orphans and widows in their affliction
and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
Reading II
James 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27
Dearest brothers and sisters:
All good giving and every perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father of lights,
with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change.
He willed to give us birth by the word of truth
that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you
and is able to save your souls.
Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves.
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this:
to care for orphans and widows in their affliction
and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
Psalm 15
LORD, Who may abide in your tent? Who may dwell on your holy mountain?
Whoever walks without blame, doing what is right, speaking truth from the heart;
Who does not slander a neighbor, does no harm to another, never defames a friend;
Who disdains the wicked, but honors those who fear the LORD; Who keeps an oath despite the cost,
lends no money at interest, accepts no bribe against the innocent.
Whoever acts like this shall never be shaken.
Whoever walks without blame, doing what is right, speaking truth from the heart;
Who does not slander a neighbor, does no harm to another, never defames a friend;
Who disdains the wicked, but honors those who fear the LORD; Who keeps an oath despite the cost,
lends no money at interest, accepts no bribe against the innocent.
Whoever acts like this shall never be shaken.
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