Pax et Bonum

The Online worship resource for St. James Parish

December 18, 2008

Hail Holy Mother!
The child to whom you gave birth
Is the King of heaven and earth for ever.
Mary, did you know
That your baby boy
Would someday walk on water?
Mary did you know
That your baby boy
Will save our sons and daughters?
Did you know
That your baby boy
Has come to make you new?
This child that you've delivered
Will soon deliver you.

The Third Week of Advent

In this issue of the Pax, there are two ancient forms of prayer included, along with a contemporary song, Mary, Did You Know? by Reba McIntire. The first ancient prayer is the Angelus, which is used during Advent, along with the Hail Mary, to remind us of Mary’s role as Theotokos, or God-bearer, and mother of our Lord.

The second prayer is a set of antiphons, known as the “O Antiphons” which are said the last week of Advent, beginning on December 17. Debra’s meditation focuses on these ancient part of Advent vespers.

The Angelus is a prayer that can be said daily, and adapted to an Anglican rosary, if that is helpful to you. The O Antiphons spoken or sung before and after the Magnifcat, Mary’s song of praise.

I hope you find these prayers both helpful and inspiring as draw near to the coming of our Lord.

Angelus

The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary:
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.

Hail Mary . . .

And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary . . .

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:

Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.

Amen.

Mary did you know
That your baby boy
Will give sight to a blind man?
Mary did you know
That your baby boy
Will calm the storm with his hand?
Did you know that your baby boy
Has walked where angels trod?
When you kiss your little baby
You've kissed the face of God.
The blind will see
The deaf will hear
The dead will live again
The lame will leap
The dumb will speak
The praises of the Lamb

O Sapienta Wisdom

O Wisdom, you came forth from the mouth of the Most High and, reaching from beginning to end, you ordered all things mightily and sweetly. Come, and teach us the way of prudence.

O Adonai and Ruler of the House of Israel, you appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush and on Mount Sinai gave him your law. Come, and with outstretched arm redeem us.

O Root of Jesse, you stand as a sign for the peoples; before you kings shall keep silence and to you all nations shall have recourse. Come, save us, and do not delay.

O Key of David and Scepter of the House of Israel; you open and no man closes; you close and no man opens. Come, and deliver from the chains of prison those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.

O Rising Dawn, Radiance of the Light eternal and Sun of Justice: come and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.

O King of the Gentiles and the Desired of all, you are the cornerstone that binds two into one. Come, and save man whom you fashioned out of clay.

O Emmanuel, our King and Lawgiver, the Expected of the nations and their Savior. Come and save us, O Lord our God.

Beginning on December 17, the church includes seven antiphons as part of the Evening liturgy. The first of these antiphons is called O Sapientia or O Wisdom. The antiphons refer to the many names of Christ. As we sing, we remind ourselves of the many ways that Christ reveals the mystery of His presence with us.

Just as the evening light fades, the poetry of the antiphons breaks the silence and warms the shadows. The Advent vespers services kindle a light within the darkness-- a light which reminds us of the many attributes of the one who is to come.

You can imagine the scene—a candle lit sanctuary, the sound of voices, and perhaps the lingering scent of incense. Quietly one voice chants and then others join gently. In short phrases these chants encompass the hope that we all wait for at this Advent of the year.

To help your imagination go to the following address and listen to the chant of O Sapientia:
Chantblog.blogspot.com/search/label/great "O" Antiphons

The antiphon on Wisdom speaks of wisdom engendering prudence. Wisdom is about discernment-telling one thing from another. Wisdom implies wise judgment.

Prudence, on the other hand, is an old-fashioned word that has gone out of favor, but it is the action that comes from wisdom.

Jesus, in His incarnation, is bringing wisdom to us in a new way. His actions as well as His example become for us the lesson of wisdom.

And yet, as is true of all the spiritual life, our learning of wisdom happens through watching and listening and being.

St. Paul reminds us in the final words of Romans that it is God’s desire that we learn wisdom through scripture and proclamation and the revelation of Jesus the Christ.

The babe that we await in the manger is also our teacher. Innocence and wisdom are wrapped in swaddling clothes on a winter night so that we might have a new vision of wisdom.

Discernment and prudence made manifest through love.

Blessings,
Debra

Daily Morning Prayer

Daily Morning Prayer

Mary did you know
That your baby boy
Is Lord of all creation?
Mary did you know
That your baby boy
Will one day rule the nations?
Did you know
That your baby boy
Is heaven's perfect Lamb?
This sleeping child you're holding
Is the Great I Am

This Week at St. James

Note: There will be no Pax et Bonum sent next week.

Prayers Etc.

Lord, our Saving Light who came to set us free,
Shine upon us in your glory.
May your light provide illumination for us
So that we recognize all those who need our help,
However much, however little.
Keep us from straying into the works of darkness,
Wipe away our tears
And grant us your light and blessings. AMEN
---Judy Bauer---

In Closing:

O COME, Redeemer of the earth,
and manifest thy virgin-birth.
Let every age in wonder fall:
such birth befits the God of all.
 
Begotten of no human will
but of the Spirit, Thou art still
the Word of God in flesh arrayed,
the promised fruit to man displayed.
 
The Virgin's womb that burden gained,
its virgin honor still unstained.
The banners there of virtue glow;
God in his temple dwells below.
 
O equal to the Father, Thou!
gird on Thy fleshly mantle now;
the weakness of our mortal state
with deathless might invigorate.
 
All praise, eternal Son, to Thee,
whose advent sets Thy people free,
whom, with the Father, we adore,
and Holy Ghost, for evermore. Amen.
--Ambrose of Milan (338-397); tr: John Mason Neale--

Pax et Bonum,
Loree+

<< BACK to Parish News