May: Thomas Traherne on the Blessed Mother

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The sainted Anglican priest-poet and mystic Thomas Traherne writes:

"And first, O Lord, I praise and magnify thy Name

For the Most Holy Virgin-Mother of God, 

who is the Highest of thy Saints.

The most Glorious of thy Creatures.

The most Perfect of all thy Works.

The nearest unto Thee in the Throne of God.

Whom thou didst please to make

Daughter of the Eternal Father,

Mother of the Eternal Son.

Spouse of the Eternal Spirit,

Tabernacle of the most Glorious Trinity.

Mother of Jesus.

Mother of the Messias.

Mother of him who was the Desire of all Nations.

Mother of the Prince of Peace.

Mother of the King of Heaven.

Mother of our Creator.

Mother and Virgin.

Mirror of Humility and Obedience.

Mirror of Wisdom and Devotion.

Mirror of Modesty and Chastity.

Mother of Sweetness and Resignation.

Mirror of Sanctity.

Mirror of all Virtues.

The most illustrious Light in the Church,

wearing over all her beauties the veil of Humility 

to shine the more resplendently in thy Eternal Glory ..."

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Anglican Patrimony: Wales, Post-communion, 1984

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The Book

of Common Prayer

for use in

The Church in Wales

1984

TREFN GWASANAETH

Y CYMUN BENDIGAID

A ELWIR HEFYD YR OFFEREN

Diolchwch i'r Arglwydd, oblegid graslon yw ef;
       Oherwydd ei drugaredd sy'n dragywydd.


O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious;
       For his mercy endureth for ever.

Almighty and everlasting God, we thank thee for the spiritual food of the Body and Blood of thy Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, which thou hast given us in these holy mysteries, assuring us thereby of thy favour and goodness towards us who are members of the mystical body of thy Son, and heirs through hope of thy eternal kingdom:

Wherefore, we offer and present unto thee, O Lord,
ourselves, our souls and bodies,
to be a reasonable, holy, and living sacrifice unto thee,
beseeching thee
to keep us, by thy grace, in this holy fellowship
and to enable us to to do all those good works
which thou hast prepared for us to walk in;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom with thee and the Holy Spirit
be all honour and glory,
world without end. Amen.

In the liturgical excerpt above, I begin with the versicle and response that begins the Post-communion rite in the Welsh 1984 Book of Common Prayer.  This element was borrowed from a Liturgy of the Scottish Episcopal Church. First printed above in Welsh, it is followed in English translation

No rubrics are printed to indicate who says what. Ordinary typeface in that prayer book indicates the part to be said by the Celebrant. The boldface is for all of the assembled congregation.

The second element in English is a refinement of part of that prayer most Anglicans would recognise as the traditional post-communion prayer of the various versions of the The Book of Common Prayer. This element is spoken by the priest who is Celebrant of the Eucharist.

The third element  i.e., ourselves, our souls and bodies. is found in one of the optional post-communion prayers of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, the Canon of the Scottish Episcopal Liturgy (1929), the Eucharistic Prayer of The Book of Common Prayer 1928 (USA), and the rejected Book of Common Prayer 1928 of the Church of England. The remaining part (beseeching theee to keep us, by thy grace...) comes from the Post-communion prayer mentioned in the second element above.

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The Rosy Sequence: Anglican Patrimony

Sarum Gradual, 1527
Cento from Dulcis Iesu Memoria
Translated by J.M. Neale

JESU! the very thought is sweet !

In that dear name all heart-joys meet ;

But sweeter than the honey far

The glimpses of his presence are.

No word is sung more sweet than this :

No name is heard more full of bliss ;

No thought brings sweeter comfort nigh,

Than JESUS, Son of God most high.

JESUS, the hope of souls forlorn,

How good to them for sin that mourn ;

To them that seek thee, O How kind ;

But what art thou to them that find ?

JESUS, thou sweetness, pure and blest,

Truth's fountain, light of souls distrest,

Surpassing all that heart requires,

Exceeding all that soul desires !

No tongue of mortal can express,

No letters write its blessedness :

Alone who hath thee in his heart

Knows, love of JESUS, what thou art.

I seek for JESUS in repose,

Where round my heart the shadows close;

Abroad, and when I shut the door,

I long for JESUS evermore.

As Mary in the morning gloom

Sought out her Master at the tomb,

So now, with love's most earnest cry,

I seek with heart and not with eye.

JESUS, to God the Father gone,

Is seated on the heavenly throne;

My heart hath also passed from me,

That where he is there it may be.

We follow JESUS now, and raise

The voice of prayer, the hymn of praise,

That he at last may make us meet

With him to gain the heavenly seat.

+Iesu dulcis memoria

VIgil of the Assumption

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The Falling-Asleep of the Blessed Virgin Mary  

INTROIT. Vultum tuum. Ps. 45.
THE rich among the people shall make their supplication before thee: the virgins that be her fellows shall bear her company and shall be brought unto thee with joy and gladness. Ps. ibid. My heart is inditing of a good matter: I speak of the things that I have made unto the King. Glory be.

COLLECT.
O GOD, who didst vouchsafe to choose the Virgin womb of blessed Mary wherein to make thy dwelling-place: grant, we beseech thee; that we, being defended by her protection, may of thee be enabled to attain with gladness to her coming festival. Who livest and reignest with the Father.

The Epistle. Ecclesiasticus 24.17
As the vine brought I forth pleasant savour: and my flowers are the fruit of honour and riches. I am the mother of fair love, and fear, and knowledge, and holy hope. I therefore, being eternal, am given to all my children which are named of him. Come unto me, all ye that be desirous of me, and fill yourselves with my fruits. For my memorial is sweeter than honey, and mine inheritance than the honeycomb. They that eat me shall yet be hungry: and they that drink me shall yet be thirsty. He that obeyeth me shall never be confounded, and they that work by me shall not do amiss. They who seek me out shall have eternal life.

GRADUAL.  

Blessed and worshipful art thou, O Virgin Mary who a maiden undefiled, hast our Saviour for thy Child. V. Virgin Mother of God, the whole world cannot contain him: yet made man for our sake, hidden he lies in thy womb.

The Gospel. St Luke 11.27
At that time: It came to pass as Jesus spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him: Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. But he said: Yea, rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it.

OFFERTORY.  

Blessed art thou, O Virgin Mary, who didst bear the Creator of all things: thou didst give birth to thy Maker, and for ever remainest a Virgin.

SECRET.
GRANT, O Lord, that, like as thou didst take the blessed Mother of God from this life, to the intent that she might faithfully make intercession before thee for the remission of our sins: so now her prayers may render these our oblations acceptable in the sight of thy mercy. Through the same.

PREFACE OF THE B.V.M.  Preface, page B47, The People's Anglican Missal.

COMMUNION.  

Blessed is the womb of the Virgin Mary, that bore the Son of the everlasting Father.

POSTCOMMUNION.
GRANT, O Lord, we pray thee, the protection of thy mercy to the frailty of our mortal nature: that we, who here prevent the festival of the holy Mother of God; may by the help of her intercession die to our former sins, and rise again to newness of life. Through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.

+ Ave Maria!

The Beatitudes of the Lord Jesus Christ

The Liturgy of Comprehension

To be said in place of the Ten Commandments:

OUR Lord Christ spake these words and said, 
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 
Lord have mercy upon us, and make us partakers of this blessing. 

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Lord have mercy upon us, and make us partakers of this blessing. 

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Lord have mercy upon us, and make us partakers of this blessing. 

Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Lord have mercy upon us, and make us partakers of this blessing. 

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Lord have mercy upon us, and make us partakers of this blessing. 

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Lord have mercy upon us, and make us partakers of this blessing. 

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Lord have mercy upon us, and make us partakers of this blessing. 

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 
Lord, have mercy upon us, and endue us with all these graces, and make us partakers of the blessedness promised to them, we humbly beseech thee.

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The Offertory Rite

The Nigerian United Liturgy of 1965

All stand, and the offertory sentences are said

Minister   Behold, how good and joyful a thing it is, brethren, to dwell together in unity. 

              We who are many are one bread, one body, for we all partake of the one bread.

People       I will offer in His dwelling an oblation with great gladness, I will sing and speak praises unto the Lord.

A hymn is now sung, and the bread and wine for the Communion, together with the alms of the people, are brought forward and placed on the Table.

While all remain standing, the minister says

Holy Father, who through the blood of Thy dear Son hast consecrated for us a new and living way to Thy throne of grace, we come to Thee through Him, unworthy as we are, and we humbly beseech Thee to accept and use us and these our gifts for Thy glory.  All that is in heaven and earth is Thine, and of Thine own do we give to Thee.

People  Amen.

All kneel and say together

Be present, be present, O Jesus, Thou good High Priest, as Thou wast in the midst of Thy disciples, and make Thyself known to us in the breaking of the bread, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

The minister stands and continues with the Sursum Corda saying, The Lord be with you.

The Anglican Church in Nigeria

Church of the Province of West Africa

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Our Lord's Summary of the Law

The Nigerian United Liturgy of 1965

Minister

Our Lord Jesus Christ said: The first commandment is, 

Hear, O Israel, 

the Lord, our God, the Lord is one : 

and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, 

and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.

People

Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Minister

The second is this: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  There is none other commandment greater than these.

People

Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Minister

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; even as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

People

Lord, have mercy upon us, and write these Thy laws in our hearts, we beseech Thee.

Minister

Brethren, we have come together to hear God's most holy Word, and to receive the body and blood of the Lord. Let us, therefore, kneel and examine ourselves in silence, seeking God's grace that we may draw near to Him with repentance and faith.

Then follows a short period of silence

Minister

Ye that do truly and earnestly repent you of your sins and are in love and charity with your neighbours, and intend to lead a new life, following the Commandments of God, and walking from henceforth in his holy ways, make your humble confession to Almighty God, that you may be reconciled anew to Him through our Lord Jesus Christ.

All

Heavenly Father, we confess that we have sinned against Thee and our neighbour.  We have walked in darkness rather than in light; we have named the name of Christ, but have not departed from iniquity.  Have mercy upon us, we beseech Thee; for the sake of Jesus Christ forgive us all our sins; cleanse us by Thy Holy Spirit; quicken our consciences; and enable us to forgive others, that we may henceforth serve Thee in newness of life, to the glory of Thy Holy Name. Amen.

Anglican Church in Nigeria

Church of the Province of West Africa

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Madagascar Liturgy 1945

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Please note the epiclesis ('Hear us, O merciful Father') within the following excerpt from the Eucharistic Prayer of The Madagascar Liturgy 1945 of the Anglican Diocese of Madagascar (Church of the Province of the Indian Ocean) in the translation of the Revd Alan D. Rogers from the Malagasy language:

Wherefore, O Lord and heavenly Father, we thy servants offer this thy holy gift and make before thee the memorial which thy Son hath ordained to be made by us, and we remember his holy Passion and his precious Death, his mighty Resurrection and his glorious Ascension; and we give thee true thanks for the innumerable gifts which he procured for us thereby.

Hear us, O merciful Father, we humbly beseech thee, and of thy goodness vouchsafe by thy Word and Holy Spirit to bless and consecrate these thy gifts, the Bread and Wine, that they may be the Body and Blood of thy dearly beloved Son.

And we thy servants desire thy fatherly goodness mercifully to accept this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving.  And we humbly beseech thee to grant that by the merits and Death of thy Son Jesus Christ, and through our trust in his Blood, we and the Church may receive forgiveness of our sins, and all the grace that comes from his Passion.

And we beseech thee that all who receive this Holy Communion may worthily receive the Body and precious Blood of Christ, and may be filled with thy grace and heavenly blessing, and be made one body with Christ.

And here we offer and present, O Lord, our minds and souls and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy and living sacrifice.  And although through our manifold sins we are unworthy to offer any sacrifice to thee, yet we beseech thee graciously to accept this our duty and service; not weighing our merits, but pardoning our sins;

Through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom be given glory and praise, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, together with thee, O heavenly Father, for ever and for ever. Amen. 

The translator of the above, the Revd Alan D. Rogers, was until 1966 the Diocesan Secretary of the Anglican Diocese of Madagascar.

Please pray for the people of Madagascar and for God's blessings upon His Church and all Christian people on the island nation and throughout the nations of and around the Indian Ocean. 

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PRIERE D’HUMBLE ACCES

The Prayer of Humble Access

PRIERE D’HUMBLE ACCES (tous agenouillés)

Nous n’avons point la présomption, ô miséricordieux Seigneur, de nous approcher de ta Table, confiants en notre propre justice, mais en tes multiples et grands compassions. Nous ne sommes même pas dignes de recueillir les miettes qui tombent de ta Table. Mais toi, tu es le même Seigneur dont la nature est d’être toujours miséricordieuse. Accorde-nous donc la grâce, ô Dieu clément, de manger la chair de ton bien-aimé fils Jésus-Christ, et de boire son sang, de telle manière que nos corps soient purifiés de tout péché par son corps, et nos âmes lavées par son sang très précieux et que nous demeurions pour toujours en lui, et lui en nous. Amen.

Anglican Diocese of Guinée

West Africa

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NLM: The English Missal

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The positive development arising from an unfortunate statement by an Ordinariate hierarch  is that attention is focused now on the The English Missal, that magnificent liturgical book that puts the Extraordinary Form of the Mass into the most beautiful sacral English ever devised by the mind of man under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. 

I invite my readers to visit the New Liturgical Movement blog and read the fine article they have posted regarding The English Missal and its potentiality for the Ordinariates and for the Church.  The link to the article is HERE.

+Exaudi nos, Domine.

From 'An Office of Preparation'

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V.  I said, Lord, be merciful unto me;

R.  Heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee.

Turn thee again, O Lord, at the last;

And be gracious unto thy servants.

Let thy merciful kindness, O Lord, be upon us.

Like as we do put our trust in thee.

Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness;

And thy saints sing with joyfulness.

Cleanse thou me from my secret faults;

Keep thy servant also from presumptuous sins.

Lord, hear my prayer;

And let my cry come unto thee.

The Lord be with you;

And with thy spirit.

Let us pray.

MOST gracious God, incline thy merciful ears to our prayers, and enlighten our hearts by the grace of thy Holy Spirit; that we may worthily approach thy holy Mysteries, and love thee with an everlasting love.

     O Lord, we beseech thee, may the Comforter who proceedeth from thee illuminate our minds, and lead us, as thy Son hath promised, into all truth.

     O Lord, we beseech thee, may the power of the Holy Ghost be with us, and both mercifully cleanse and purge our hearts, and defend us from all adversities.

     Cleanse our consciences, we beseech thee, O Lord, by thy visitation; that thy Son our LORD JESUS Christ, when he cometh, may find in us a dwelling-place prepared for himself; who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, behold we approach the Sacrament of thy only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.  As sick, we come to the Physician of life: as unclean, to the Fountain of mercy: as blind, to the Light of eternal splendour: as needy, to the Lord of heaven and earth: as naked, to the King of glory.

     We pray thee, therefore, of the abundance of thine infinite majesty, that thou wouldest vouchsafe to heal our sickness, to wash our foulness, to lighten our darkness, to enrich our poverty, to clothe our nakedness; that we may receive the Bread of angels, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, with such reverence and fear, such contrition and love, such faith and purity, such devotion and humility, as is expedient for the welfare of our souls.  Grant, we beseech thee, that we may receive not only the outward sign of the Lord's Body and Blood, but also the very gift and virtue of the same.  O most merciful God, grant us so to receive the Body of thy only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ, which he took of the Virgin Mary, that we may be incorporated into his mystical Body, and ever reckoned among his members.  And, O most loving Father, grant that whom we now purpose to receive under a veil we may at length behold with open face, even thy beloved Son, who with thee and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth ever one God, world without end. Amen.

JOY with peace, amendment of life, time for true repentance, the grace and comfort of thy Holy Spirit, perseverance in good works, grant us, O almighty and merciful Lord. Amen.

The Lord be with you;

And with thy spirit.

Let us bless the Lord;

Thanks be to God.

BLESSED be God, who blesseth and sanctifieth us through our partaking of his holy and precious and heavenly Mysteries, now and for ever and world without end. Amen.

The Cuddesdon College Office Book

London: Oxford University Press, 1961

+Exaudi nos, Domine

Dismissal of the Catechumens: Anglican Patrimony

Nyasaland Liturgy


After the reading of the Gospel and before the Nicene Creed:


Priest  
You catechumens, pray to the Lord.


Catechumens   
Lord, have mercy upon us. 
Lord, have mercy upon us.  
Lord, have mercy upon us.


Priest   You Christians, pray for the Catechumens.
People  Lord, have mercy upon them.


Priest   Make them to know thy truth.
People  Lord, have mercy upon them.


Priest   Reveal to them the Gospel of Righteousness.
People  Lord, have mercy upon them.


Priest   Grant them a new heart and a prepared spirit.
People  Lord have mercy upon them.


Priest   Lead them into thy Holy Church.
People  Lord, have mercy upon them.


Priest   
You Catechumens, worship the Lord.


Catechumens  
Thou art our God; and we praise thee.  
Thou art our God and we praise thee.  
Thou art our God and we praise thee.


Priest   
Let us pray.
Almighty God, who dost daily give to thy Church new Children; grant to these Catechumens that they truly increase in knowledge and in faith, till they are born again in Holy Baptism and made thy children by adoption and grace; through Jesus Christ, our Redeemer.  Amen.


Priest   
You Catechumens, depart in peace.

+Pax vobiscum.

Anglican Chant: Anglican Patrimony

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Psalm 138, Coverdale Psalter, 1662 BCP Recension The Choir of Westminster Abbey (Royal Peculiar of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II)Papal Visitation to England 2010

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At A Wedding Feast In Cana : Anglican Patrimony

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At a wedding feast in Cana

Jesus, Mary, and their friends

joined to celebrate a marriage-

covenant which on Love depends.

And the party it went on

till the bowls of wine were gone.

Mary nudged her Son Christ Jesus,

urged him to step up and please us.

"Dearest woman, let's have no show.

You know well it's not my time."

Mary smiled and told the servants,

"Follow all his words sublime.

Do whatever he may say.

It's the way he'll save the day."

And the servants did her bidding

and to Jesus all were listening.

Jesus guided all their actions

and turned water into wine.

How amazing this great wonder

his first miracle and sign!

It was not to raise the dead

or to heal as it is said,

but to keep a party going --

this his first and wondrous showing.

Let us hearken then to Mary

and do all that Christ shall say.

Heal the sick and feed the hungry,

love the living of each day.

Walk on water when we must,

make disciples of the lost.

Raise the dead and banish demons.

Preach and teach through all the seasons.

Praise and worship to the Father

Laud and glory to the Son,

For the Holy Spirit muster

songs of joy on every tongue.

With Our Lady walk the way

leading to Christ's glorious day

when the faithful rise to meet him

and rejoicing we will greet him!

Words: Copyright © 1998 by Vincent Uher. All rights reserved.

Music: Genevan Psalm 42 ("Comfort, Comfort, ye my people")

Meter: 87877788

O Christ The King, The Royal Banners : Anglican Patrimony

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This hymn text was written in honour of The Revd Fr James T Moore, PhD, 

Founding Pastor, The Catholic Church of Our Lady of Walsingham (Anglican Use), 

Houston, Texas, in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston

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Click on the image below to enlarge it.

+Laus Deo!

"Christ Is Our Hope Whom We Have Seen" : Anglican Patrimony

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Click on each image below in order to enlarge it.

 

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"Fill thou my life, O Lord my God"

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Fill thou my life, O Lord my God,

in every part with praise,

that my whole being may proclaim

thy being and thy ways.

Not for the lip of praise alone,

nor e’en the praising heart

I ask, but for a life made up

of praise in every part:

Praise in the common things of life,

its goings out and in;

praise in each duty and each deed,

however small and mean.

Fill every part of me with praise:

let all my being speak

of thee, and of thy love, O Lord,

poor though I be and weak.

So shalt thou, Lord, receive from me

the praise and glory due;

and so shall I begin on earth

the song for ever new.

So shall each fear, each fret, each care,

be turnèd into song;

and every winding of the way

the echo shall prolong.

So shall no part of day or night

unblest or common be,

but all my life, in every step,

be fellowship with thee.

Words: Horatius Bonar (1808-1889)

Tune: Richmond

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