O Christ the King, the Royal Banners Rise

O Christ the King, the royal banners rise.
Thy Cross, thy standard we raise to the skies,
And hail thee, “Lord!” and bow before thine eyes.
Alleluia. Alleluia.

Transfigured thou upon the mountain’s height
Revealed the glory of the Bridegroom’s face
And showed to them thy purpose and thy Light.
Alleluia. Alleluia.

The Cross, thy throne where thou wast lifted high
Embracing all the broken world’s dark heart
Till blood and water gushed when pierced was thine.
Alleluia. Alleluia.

Death could not hold thee, nor a tomb contain,
O Love and Life, who now from heav’n dost reign,
The King of kings, the Lord who healeth pain.
Alleluia. Alleluia.

____________________________
Copyright © 2006 by Vincent Uher
This text is sung to the tune Sine Nomine

The Reign of Christ: Christ the King Sunday

Behold, how like a monarch

Behold, how like a monarch
Peace enters in to reign
when all things rightly ordered
proclaim Christ's true domain.
God crowns each true peacemaker
with blessings from above
to share with friend and neighbour
the treasure of God's love.

The very life of Jesus,
his rising from the dead,
his sending of the Spirit
turns this world on its head.
The promise of our Saviour
cries, 'Heaven is at hand.
Receive the Holy Spirit.
Peace to you and your land.'

Long nights we knew of warfare,
of desperate people's cries.
We see how nations falter
destroyed by greed and lies.
Christ's Cross, a contradiction
"Lay down your life for friends
so justice, hope, and mercy
fill the world's farthest ends."

To put an end to terror
we long to do what's right.
To save the world from horrors,
to vanquish evil's might.
Unless God leads and guides us
we turn Earth into hell.
Christ, shepherd all the nations
so all things shall be well!

Christ's peace, the Church's power,
His peace, our bravest song.
His sacrifice, his bleeding
make peace where once was wrong.
His Gospel mark our actions.
Our actions be as prayers
till Christ rules all creation,
swords beat into ploughshares.

Creator of all nature,
the Word through whom Life came,
the Spirit through us moving,
One God, we praise your Name.
We tell out your great goodness,
your tenderness and might
by which you end all terror.
Your peace crowns all with light.

Words: Copyright © 2003, 2007 Vincent Uher. All rights reserved.
Suggested tunes: Es flog ein kleins Waldvöglein (Woodbird)
or Passion Chorale (Herzlich thut mich verlangen)
Meter: 76 76 D

MARIAN PRAYER OF SAINT GREGORY OF NAREK (A.D. 1010)

Assist me by the wings of your prayers,
O you who are called the Mother of the living,
so that on my exit from this valley of tears
I may be able to advance without torment
to the dwelling of life
that has been prepared for us
to lighten the end of a life burdened by my iniquity.

Healer of the sorrows of Eve,
change my day of anguish into a feast of gladness.
Be my Advocate,
ask and supplicate.
For as I believe in your inexpressible purity,
so do I also believe in
the good reception that is given to your word.

O you who are blessed among women,
help me with your tears
for I am in danger.
Bend the knee to obtain my reconciliation,
O Mother of God.

Be solicitous for me for I am miserable,
O Tabernacle of the Most High.
Hold out your hand to me as I fall,
O heavenly Temple.

Glorify your Son in you:
may he be pleased to operate Divinely in me
the miracle of forgiveness and mercy.
Handmaid and Mother of God,
may your honour be exalted by me,
and may my salvation be manifested through you.

Amen.

Illness, Infirmity & Suffering

Sadly I have not been able to continue this blog as I have desired. I suffer from crippling neuropathic pain that is at least in part related to a syrinx within my spinal cord. There are other medical problems to boot due to stroke, but what makes each day a marathon to endure is simply coping with pain. Imagine if the lower half of your body was on fire -- you are then getting close to what I have dealt with for years.

I feel very blessed that there have been long stretches in my life when this pain has inexplicably alleviated. During such times I tried to accomplish as much as possible not knowing if or when the physical ordeal would begin again in earnest. During the times of abatement or times like those of the present in which I barely make it through each day, Jesus and the Communion of Saints have been present to me and with me in the most wondrous ways. These consolations have been the manna in my wilderness of illness, infirmity and suffering.