Fourth Sunday after Easter & the Palatine Chapel at Aachen

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This week’s focus shifts from Byzantine mosaics to the Palatine Chapel at Aachen, Germany, built in the late 700s and early 800s by the Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne (Carolus Magnus, or Charles the Great). The first Holy Roman Emperor since sack of Rome in 455 A.D., Charlemagne sought to extend the reach of Christianity into the lands which formerly lived in fear of attacks by Vikings. By the end of his reign at his death in 814 A.D., his empire extended from the English Channel, the North Sea, nearly all of Spain, more than half of Italy, and southeast into what is now Austria and beyond.

The Palace was designed by Odo of Metz, the same Armenian designer whose work in France was illustrated earlier in this series. The Palace was consecrated by Pope Leo III in 805 A.D. The mosaic is Illustration No. 36 in our publication, Angels: In Scripture, Art & Christian Tradition. The influence of Byzantine styles from the age of Constantine and Justinian is clear. Damage to the structure during bombing in World War II was repaired between 1986 and 2011. The building was used for coronations for several centuries after the death of Charlemagne.

The Four Angels, the Holy Spirit and the Throne of God. Photo by Horst J. Meutler, Wikipedia Commons.

In this crazy time in the decline of Western Civilization and attacks upon Christianity around the world, it seems appropriate to close with these words from the Te Deum Laudamus canticle, presented in verse-and-response format as used in First Hour in our publication, Hear Us, O Lord: Daily Prayers for the Laity:

O Lord, save thy people, and bless thine heritage
Govern them and lift them up forever
Day by day we magnify thee
And we worship thy Name ever, world without end.
Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin.
O Lord, have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us.
O Lord, let thy mercy be upon us, as our trust is in thee.
O Lord, in thee have I trusted; let me never be confounded.

Thank you for your interest in these splendid examples of Christian art across the centures.

Glory be to God for all things! Amen!

New Resources for These Troubled Times

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Some good news to report this week.  The final version of The Gospel of John: Annotated & Illustrated has been sent to our publisher.  I am awaiting receipt of a final proof copy.  If there are not further delays, the book should be available later in August A.D. 2020.   My proof-reader is working on reviewing the next book in the series, The Gospel of Luke: Annotated & Illustrated.   She has completed the text and illustrations for the first third of the book.  She is currently working on Chapters 7 through 14. As you can imagine, this step is very time-consuming.   The final version will be a much larger book than the volume focused on John.  My goal is to get the Luke volume in print in time for Advent season.

Meanwhile, a new AIC resource I am making available today is this Blog version of the first of the six “offices” in Hear Us, O Lord: Daily Prayers for the Laity.   I had hoped to revive the podcast version which was recorded more than 10 years ago by members of my former parish.  These old files are currently unavailable owing to my switch from Windows to the Mac.  I will keep working to retrieve them from the archives.   Meanwhile, here is the text for First Hour, traditionally read at 6 A.M. or local sunrise..  Included in this text is the source of each part of the office.  If you want to use this office at home with family or friends, I have set the words which should be spoken by all and the response lines for the verse and responses in bold italic.  Each office requires about 15 minutes to complete.

First Hour 

The Invocation

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, one true God, to whom be glory and upon us mercy and compassion for ever and ever.  Amen.

The First Prayer

O LORD, our heavenly Father, Almighty and Everlasting God, who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day; Defend us in the same with thy mighty power; and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that all our doings, being ordered by thy governance, may be righteous in thy sight; through Jesus Christ Ξ our Lord. Amen.  [Morning Prayer Collect for Grace, 1928 BCP]

A General Confession

I CONFESS to God the Father Almighty, to His only-begotten Son Jesus Christ our Lord, and to God the Holy Ghost, and before the whole company of heaven, that I have sinned exceedingly, in thought, word, and deed, through my fault, through my own fault, through my own most grievous fault. Wherefore I beseech God the Father Almighty, His only-begotten Son Jesus Christ our Lord, and God the Holy Ghost, to pity me, and to have mercy upon me. The Almighty and merciful God grant to us pardon, absolution, and remission of all our sins. Amen. [Adapted from an English form of Compline]

The Lord’s Prayer [Luke 11:2-4]

OUR Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil.  Amen.

The First Chapter [1 John 1:7]

IF we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son.

The First Antiphon

O Lord, save thy people, and bless thine heritage.

Govern them and lift them up for ever.

Day by day we magnify thee;

And we worship thy Name ever, world without end.

Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin.

O Lord, have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us.

O Lord, let thy mercy be upon us, as our trust is in thee.

O Lord, in thee have I trusted; let me never be confounded.

[Te Deum laudamus, part 3, 1928 BCP]

The Second Prayer

I THANK thee, O Holy Trinity for this new day. Enlighten the eyes of my understanding, open my ears to receive thy words and teach me thy commandments.  Help me to do thy will, to confess thee from my heart, to extol thine all-holy Name, of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, now and for ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. [Adapted from an Eastern Orthodox Prayer of St. Basil the Great, 5th or 6th Century]

The Second Antiphon

Thee, God the Father, unbegotten

Thee, the only-begotten Son;

Thee, the Holy Ghost, the Comforter;

One and Holy and Undivided Trinity;

With our whole heart and with our mouth

We confess and praise thee.  To thee be glory for ever.  Amen.

[Sarum Antiphons, 13th to 14th Century England]

The Third Prayer

O MOST holy Trinity, Almighty God, who gives life and vigor to every creature, who sheds light eternal where there is darkness; We offer Thee our hearts, our souls, and our whole being that we may offer perfect praise and love to Thy glorious Name. Amen.[Roman Catholic Holy Trinity Prayer. Date unknown]

The Second Chapter [Zechariah 8:19]

Love the truth and peace, thus saith the Lord of Hosts.

The Third Antiphon  [Psalm 119:175, 176]

O, let my soul live, and it shall praise thee

And thy judgments shall help me.

I have gone astray like a sheep that was lost;

O seek thy servant, for I do not forget thy commandments.

The Fourth Prayer

O LORD, grant me to greet the rest of the coming day in peace. Help me in all things to rely upon thy holy will. In every hour of this day reveal thy will to me. Bless my dealings with all who surround me. Teach me to treat all that comes to me with peace of soul, and with firm conviction that thy will governs all. In all my deeds and words guide my thoughts and feelings. In unforeseen events let me not forget that all are sent by thee. Teach me to act firmly and wisely, without embittering and embarrassing others. Send down thy Holy Spirit to direct my will and to lead me in my prayer life this day; through Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Lord. Amen. [Adapted from a Russian Orthodox Morning Prayer, Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow, 19th Century]

The Psalm [Psalm 90]

LORD, thou hast been our refuge, * from one generation to another.

2. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever the earth and the world were made, * thou art God from everlasting, and world without end.

3. Thou turnest man to destruction; * again thou sayest, Come again, ye children of men.

4. For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, * and as a watch in the night.

5. As soon as thou scatterest them they are even as a sleep; * and fade away suddenly like the grass.

6. In the morning it is green, and groweth up; * but in the evening it is cut down, dried up, and withered.

7. For we consume away in thy displeasure, * and are afraid of thy wrathful indignation.

8. Thou hast set our misdeeds before thee; * and our secret sins in the sight of thy countenance.

9. For when thou art angry all our days are gone: * we bring our years to an end, as it were a tale that is told.

10. The days of our age are threescore years and ten; and though men be so strong that they come to fourscore years, * yet is their strength then but labour and sorrow; so soon passeth it away, and we are gone.

11. But who regardeth the power of thy wrath? * or feareth aright thy indignation?

12. So teach us to number our days, * that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

13. Turn thee again, O Lord, at the last, * and be gracious unto thy servants.

14. O satisfy us with thy mercy, and that soon: * so shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.

15. Comfort us again now after the time that thou last plagued us; * and for the years wherein we have suffered adversity.

16. Show thy servants thy work, * and their children thy glory.

17. And the glorious majesty of the Lord our God be upon us: * O prosper thou the work of our hands upon us; O prosper thou our handy-work.

The Third Chapter [1 Timothy 1:17]

Unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever.  Amen.

The Fourth Antiphon [Psalm 119:1-2, 12-16]

Blessed are those that are undefiled in the way,

And walk in the way of the Lord.

Blessed are they that keep his testimonies,

And seek him with their whole heart

Blessed art thou,  O Lord;

O teach me thy statutes.

With my lips have I been telling,

Of all the judgments of thy mouth.

I have had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies,

As in all manner of riches.

I will talk of thy commandments,

And have respect unto thy ways.

My delight shall be in thy statutes,

And I will not forget thy word.

The Fifth Prayer

WE give thee thanks, O Lord our God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for all thy goodness at all times and in all places, because thou hast shielded, rescued, and guided us all the days of our lives and brought us to this morning hour, permitting us again to stand before thee and implore forgiveness for our sins.  We pray and beseech thee, merciful God, to grant in thy goodness that we may spend this day and all the time of our lives without sin, in fulness of joy, health, safety, holiness and reverence of thee; Drive away from us all envy, fear, temptation, the influence of Satan, and the snares of wicked men.  Amen. [Adapted from the Liturgy of St. Mark the Apostle, 1st Century]

The Fifth Antiphon [Psalm 51:9-12]

Turn thy face from my sins, 

And put out all my misdeeds.

Make me a clean heart, O God, 

And renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from thy presence, 

And take not thy holy Spirit from me.

O give me the comfort of thy help again, 

And stablish me with thy free Spirit.

The Sixth Prayer

O GOD, the King eternal, who dividest the day from the darkness, and turnest the shadow of death into the morning; Drive far off from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to keep thy law, and guide our feet into the way of peace; that having done thy will with cheerfulness while it was day, we may, when the night cometh, rejoice to give thee thanks.  Amen. [Family Prayer, 1928 BCP]

The Grace [2 Corinthians 13:14]

THE grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen.

 

The full text of all the offices is available in Hear Us, O Lord: Daily Prayers for the Laity, available using the Virtual Bookstore link on each page.

 

New Testament: Gospels – Episodes 26 & 27

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NT-Gospels-Title1-revEpisode Twenty-six and Episode Twenty-seven, the first of twenty focused on the Gospel of St. John in the AIC Bible Study Video series, New Testament: Gospels, were uploaded this week.  In Episode Twenty-six I explore the history, authorship & themes and offer some suggestions on how to read the Gospel of St. John, plus a reading of the first five verses of John 1,the opening words in St. John’s ground-breaking Prelude.  In Episode Twenty-seven I read and discuss the whole Prelude:  John 1:1-18.     Among the many examples of historic art depictions of St. John is a remarkable and colorful example from the Carolingian era of the revived Holy Roman Empire in western Europe.  The manuscript, The Benedictional of Aethelwold, a service book for the Mass by the Bishop of Winchester, based on the Gallican and Gregorian Sacramentaries, was protected by various noble families after the English Reformation.  It was acquired from the Duke of Devonshire, Chatsworth, Devonshire, by the British Library in 1958 A.D.  Below is the only illumination of a Gospel author that has survived, St. John with the traditional Eagle symbol.

John-Writing-Aethelwold Bened-Addl 49598_f019v-v2
St. John Writing His Gospel.  Illumination in colored inks and gold on parchment, The Benedictional of Aethelwold, made at Winchester, England, for the use of Aethelwold, Bishop of Winchester, 963-984 A.D.   Ms. Additional 49598, Folio 19v, British Library, London, England.  Perspective correction applied.

Watch the Video of Episode Twenty-six.          Listen to the Podcast (Episode 26)

Watch the Video of Episode Twenty-seven.       Listen to the Podcast (Episode 27)

The text and audio of the next two episodes (28, 29) will be released during the week of Oct. 27th, with two more episodes each week until the entire revised series is complete later this year.

As always, thank you for your interest and support.  May God bless you in all that you do in His Name! Amen!   Glory be to God for all things! Amen!

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New Testament: Gospels – Episodes 24 and 25

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Luke-Writing His Gospel-Byzantine-Ms Additional 28815-f76v-BritLibr-PCA
St. Luke Writing His Gospel  Byzantine illumination in tempera and gold on parchment, 10th C. A.D., Constantinople.  From the Yorck Project (10000 Masterworks of Painting).  Original image is Ms. Additional 28815, Folio 76v, British Library, London, England.

Once again this week I have “doubled up” and uploaded two new episodes in the revised and extended version of our Bible Study Video series, New Testament: Gospels.  In Episode Twenty-four and Episode Twenty-five I complete my discussion of the Gospel of St. Luke.  Both episodes are focused on Unique Content in the Gospel of St. Luke.  Episode Twenty-four is focused on the Kingdom Lectures and the Restoration of Zaccheus.  Episode Twenty-five is focused on three topics, Jesus Before Herod, the Prayer Habits of Jesus, and the important roles for women in St. Luke’s Gospel.   The featured image is a 10th C. A.D. Byzantine illumination in tempera and gold on parchment made at Constantinople, showing St. Luke seated in an upholstered chair with a platform for his feet and in front of a large desk writing his Gospel.  The desk is filled with quills and what looks like a paper knife.  There are scrolls and a inkpot at his feet.  This version does not include the traditional image of an ox, the symbol of Luke.  The original is from Ms. Additional 28815, Folio 76v, British Library, London, England.  The British Library has not yet digitized much of the Additional Ms collection, including No. 28815.  This version is sourced from the Yorck Project, a DVD published in 2002 A.D. as 10,000 Masterworks of Painting.  The entire set of more than 10,000 images can be viewed on line.

Watch the Video of Episode 24.        Listen to the Podcast of Episode 24.

Watch the Video of Episode 25.        Listen to the Podcast of Episode 25.

I have recorded the first two of twenty revised and extended versions focused on the Gospel of St. John, these being episodes twenty-six to forty-five.  Episode Twenty-six and Episode Twenty-seven will be released during the week of October 20th. Episode Twenty-five is focused on a general introduction to the Gospel of St. John and a reading of St. John’s unique Prelude in verses 1-5.  Episode Twenty-seven begins with a discussion of John 1:1-5 and moves on to reading and discussion of John 1:5-18.  Later today I will record the next two episodes which will be released during the week of October 27th.   The slides and script for all remaining episodes have been completed but lack sound tracks and picture-to-sound correlation in iMovie.  The final slide in the series, in Episode Forty-five, will be No. 1560 (vs. No. 885 in the original series).  It has been a great and enjoyable adventure finding and editing the great Christian tradition of spiritually-minded images (vs. the modern representational forms in which the meaning often gets lost in the details and backgrounds).  I hope and pray that viewers find them spiritually enriching and helpful in understanding Scripture.

I have started work on a new series of Podcast Homilies based upon the appointed readings from Psalms and Lessons for Morning Prayer in the 1928 Book of Common Prayer, using the alternative which includes a Gospel reading for the Second Lesson.  These will be linked from the Podcast Homilies page and posted in the order of the Church Calendar beginning with First Sunday in Advent.  I hope to have the four Advent podcasts complete before the start of the new Church Year 2019-2020 on December 1st.

As always, thank you for your interest and support.  May God continue to bless you in all that you do in His Name! Amen!  Glory be to God for all things! Amen!

New Testament: Gospels – Episodes 22 & 23

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Episode Twenty-two and Episode Twenty-three in the revised and expanded version of the AIC Bible Study Video series, New Testament: Gospels, were uploaded to the AIC’s YouTube channel and Podbean channel this morning.

Thomas-Incredulity_XIV_C_Russian
The Incredulity of Thomas.   Icon in tempera and gilt on panel, 14th C. A.D., Monastery of the Metamorphosis, Meteora, Greece.  The icon was lost for centuries and was rediscovered in the early 1960s A.D.  There are several versions of the same scene currently available but with disputes over dates and location.  Some sources claim this version is a later Russian Orthodox copy.    Public Domain.

In order to finish the revisions in the series before year end, I decided to “double up” and complete two each week.  Both of this week’s premiers are about Unique Content in the Gospel of St. Luke, with Episode Twenty-two on Jesus’ discourses on Spiritual Light and the Hypocrisy of the Pharisees and Episode Twenty-three on His moral discourses.  The featured illustration is from the latter episode (in the context of “O You of little faith” Luke 12:28b).

Watch Episode Twenty-two.      Listen to Podcast of Episode Twenty-two

Watch Episode Twenty-three.    Listen to Podcast of Episode Twenty-three

The two remaining episodes on the Gospel of St. Luke will be completed and uploaded during the week of October 14th.

The first two episodes on the Gospel of St. John (Episodes Twenty-six and Twenty-seven) are nearly complete and, barring any technical glitches, should be available for upload during the week of October 21st.  I have completed the revisions of all the remaining slides and scripts in the series and hope to release two episodes per week with a goal of getting the whole series uploaded before Christmas.

As always, thank you for your interest and support.  May God bless you in all that you do in His Name!  Amen.  Glory be to God for all things! Amen!