Friday, May 17, 2013

Pentecost Day 2013

Pentecost...
...is upon us. This coming Sunday, we will celebrate one of the great Feasts of the Church - the giving of the Holy Spirit.  Here is a contemporary rendition of one of the most well known hymns of Pentecost - Veni Creator Spiritus..(The English tranlation used below is found in our Hymnal - p.504)
 
 
 

Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire, and lighten with celestial fire. 
Thou the annointed Spirit art, who dost thy seven-fold gifts impart.
 
Thy blessed unction from above is comfort, life and fire of love,
Enable with perpetual light the dullness of our blinded silght.
 
Annoint and cheer our soiled face with the abundance of thy grace.
Keep far our foes, give peace at home:  where thou art guide, no ill can come.
 
Teach us to know the Father, Son and thee, of both, to be but One,
that through the ages all along, this may be our endless song:
 
Praise to thy eternal merit, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
 

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Ascension Day 2013


Ascension Day seems to be fading from view - which is a significant theological loss. Always celebrated on the 40th day of Easter and always on a Thursday. Here is a little inspiration...

From a longer poem- Meditation 20-  by Edward Taylor- 1664-1729

 

God is Gone up with a triumphant shout:
The Lord with sounding Trumpets melodies:

Sing Praise, sing Praise, sing Praise, sing Praises out,
Unto our King sing praise seraphick-wise!
Lift up your Heads, ye lasting Doore, they sing,

And let the King of Glory Enter in.


Art thou ascended up on high, my Lord,
And must I be without thee here below?

Art thou the sweetest joy the Heavens afford?
Oh! that I with thee was! What shall I do?

Should I pluck Feathers from an Angells Wing,
They could not waft me up to thee my King.

 

Lend mee thy Wings, my Lord, I’st fly apace,
My Soules Arms stud with thy strong Quills, true Faith;

My Quills then Feather with thy Saving Grace,
My Wings will take the Winde thy Word displai’th.
Then I shall fly up to thy glorious Throne

With my strong Wings whose Feathers are thine own.

 

 Here, too, are two images...the first from Giotto and the second from Dali...what do you make of them? 

 
And lastly, a performance from the choir of Wells Cathedral of Hail the Day that Sees Him Rise with text by Amos Bull and music by Charles Wesley.