"My Favourite Things"

With the 500th Anniversary of the Coronation of Henry VIII last week, I have been listening to some of my favourite Tudor Anthem recordings:

Admittedly my list of such favourites is much longer, but these three I recommend to those who are just starting a sacred music collection or don't know quite where to begin in acquiring CD's featuring Tudor period anthems.

And for those who prefer Mp3 downloads rather than purchasing CD's ... an excellent composer of a somewhat earlier era than those listed above is Nicholas Ludford whose music is sung so beautifully in the recording listed below as to make both angel and mortal weep for the beauty of it all:

Prayers from the Anglican Heritage

O LORD God Almighty, whose glory Cherubim and Seraphim and all the hosts of heaven with ceaseless voice proclaim ; Hear and accept, we humbly beseech thee, the praises of thy Church below ; and pour down upon thy ministers in choir and sanctuary such a spirit of faith, reverence and joy as shall lift both their hymns and their lives unto thee ; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O GOD and Father of all, whom the whole heavens adore ; Let the whole earth also worship thee, all kingdoms obey thee, all tongues confess and bless thee, and the sons of men love thee and serve thee in peace ; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O LORD, who hast warned us that thou wilt require much of those to whom much is given ; Grant that we, whose lot is cast in so goodly a heritage, may strive together the more abundantly, by prayer, by almsgiving, by fasting, and by all appointed means to extend to those who know thee not what we so richly enjoy ; and as we have entered into the labours of others, so to labour that others many enter into ours, to the fulfillment of thy holy will, and the salvation of all mankind ; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

from After the Third Collect (Anglican), 1952

Prayer for Priests

FOR THE INCREASE OF PRIESTS
O ALMIGHTY God, look mercifully upon thy Church, and incline the hearts of many of her sons to offer themselves for the work of the sacred ministry, so that by their labours, thy Light may shine in the darkness of the world, and the coming of thy Kingdom may be hastened by the perfecting of thine elect. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

FOR A PRIEST
O LORD Jesus Christ, great High Priest and gracious Shepherd; receive thy servant N., whom thou hast consecrated to minister to thee in holy things; and grant him such purity of heart and life, and such zeal for souls that he may bring many into union with thee, and fulfill his ministry in holiness to thy glory, our Lord and Saviour. Who livest and reignest, world without end. Amen.

ANOTHER PRAYER FOR A PRIEST
JESUS, eternal Priest, keep this thy holy one within the shelter of thy Sacred Heart, where none may touch him. Keep unstained his anointed hands, which daily touch thy sacred Body; keep unsullied his lips, purpled with thy precious Blood; keep pure and unearthly his heart, sealed with sublime marks of thy glorious priesthood. Let thy holy love surround him, and keep him ever unspotted from the world. Bless his labours with abundant fruit, and may they to whom he has ministered be here below his joy and consolation, and in heaven his beautiful and everlasting crown. Amen.

from St. Augustine's Prayer Book (Anglican), 1967
+