Build your house on the rock

There's nothing like and good song to explain the reading of the day.



St. Luke 6:39


And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch? The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye. For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

Psalm 25 The Twenty-Fifth Psalm Ad te, Domine, levavi.

Aarhus Baroque Choir singing at a concert in March 2008.
Motet for five voices, from the collection 'Praetum Spirituale', 1620

Ad te levavi oculos meos,
qui habitas in coelis.
Ecce sicut oculi servorum
in manibus dominorum suorum,
sicut oculi ancillae
in manibus dominae suae,
ita oculi nostri
ad Dominum Deum nostrum,
donec misereatur nostri.
Miserere nostri, Domine
quia multum repleti sumus despectione.


UNTO thee, O LORD, will I lift up my soul; my God, I have put my trust in thee: * O let me not be confounded, neither let mine enemies triumph over me.

For all they that hope in thee shall not be ashamed; * but such as transgress without a cause shall be put to confusion.

Show me thy ways, O LORD, * and teach me thy paths.

Lead me forth in thy truth, and learn me: * for thou art the God of my salvation; in thee hath been my hope all the day long.

Call to remembrance, O LORD, thy tender mercies, * and thy loving-kindnesses, which have been ever of old.

O remember not the sins and offences of my youth; * but according to thy mercy think thou upon me, O LORD, for thy goodness.

Gracious and righteous is the LORD; * therefore, will he teach sinners in the way.

Them that are meek shall he guide in judgment; * and such as are gentle, them shall he learn his way.

All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth, * unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.

For thy Name's sake, O LORD, * be merciful unto my sin; for it is great.

What man is he that feareth the LORD? * him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.

His soul shall dwell at ease, * and his seed shall inherit the land.

The secret of the LORD is among them that fear him; * and he will show them his covenant.

Mine eyes are ever looking unto the LORD; * for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.

Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; * for I am desolate, and in misery.

The sorrows of my heart are enlarged: * O bring thou me out of my troubles.

Look upon my adversity and misery, * and forgive me all my sin.

Consider mine enemies, how many they are; * and they bear a tyrannous hate against me.

O keep my soul, and deliver me: * let me not be confounded, for I have put my trust in thee.

Let perfectness and righteous dealing wait upon me; * for my hope hath been in thee.

Deliver Israel, O God, * out of all his troubles. 

In te, Domine, speravi...

(Psalm 71)... Speravi in Latin (to hope) comes from sparevi, speravi ... which means to be aware of our abilities and character.  So "In te Domine, speravi" is to be aware of God's abilities and character. This is what gives us hope.  We to often forget to be AWARE that God is the great I Am and we are not.

Hence this hymn: http://www.ccel.org/ccel/watts/psalmshymns.Ps.152.html

In 1719 Isaac Watts wrote this hymn based on Psalm 71

The aged saint's reflection and hope.

My God, my everlasting hope, I live upon thy truth; Thine hands have held my childhood up, And strengthened all my youth.

My flesh was fashioned by thy power, With all these limbs of mine; And from my mother's painful hour, I've been entirely thine.

Still has my life new wonders seen Repeated every year; Behold, my days that yet remain, I trust them to thy care.

Cast me not off when strength declines, When hoary hairs arise; And round me let thy glory shine, Whene'er thy servant dies.

Then in the hist'ry of my age,

When men review my days,

They'll read thy love in every page,

In every line thy praise.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote the following lines:

Shall we sit idly down and say,
The night hath come; it is no longer day?
The night hath not yet come; we are not quite
Cut off from labor by the failing light;
Something remains for us to do or dare;
Even the oldest tree some fruit may bear.

Whitsunday Sermon

This is a great homily on our comforter, the Holy Ghost:
MP3 AUDIO SERMON: The Sunday after the Ascension, 2008: The Comforter Recorded on May 4, AD 2008 at Christ Church Cathedral




Today's Scripture Readings

John 14 

“I will ask the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter.” John 14:16

Hymns Supplied Through the Gracious Generosity
of the Cyber Hymnal Website

Play MIDI

   

Holy Ghost, dispel our sadness;
Pierce the clouds of nature’s night;
Come, great Source of joy and gladness,
Breathe Your life, and spread Your light.
From the height which knows no measure,
As a gracious shower descend,
Bringing down the richest treasure
Man can wish, or God can send.

Author of the new creation,
Come with blessing and with power.
Make our hearts your habitation;
On our souls Your graces shower.
Hear, O hear our supplication,
Blessèd Spirit, God of peace!
Rest upon this congregation,
With the fullness of Your grace.

Homoousion versus Homoiousion: Nicea

Philip Schaff:
The council of Nicaea is the most important event of the fourth century, and its bloodless intellectual victory over dangerous error is of far greater consequence to the progress of true civilization, than all the bloody victories Constantine and his successors.

Athanasius
Homoousion:  being of one essence
Homoiousion:  of like essence

Archbishop McLaughlin's Podbeam

I just added a new link to Archbishop's McLaughlin's podbeam.  I hope you enjoy the homilies available.

The Apostles' Creed

THE GRADUAL FORMATION OF THE APOSTLES' CREED.

This Table shows the date of the several Articles and the verbal variations of the Apostles' Creed, as far as they can be ascertained, from the earliest rules of faith to the eighth century, or from Irenæus to Pirminius. The first occurrence of any word or phrase of the Creed is marked by small capitals.

"The Apostles' Creed is unlike all other creeds of other religions, whether humanist, Buddhist, Moslem, Hindu, or otherwise.  The faith of all other religions is in a body of ideas or claims concerning reality.  It may be a belief in the ultimacy of man, or the ultimacy of nothingness, in the office of a man (Mohammed as prophet), or an ultimate dualism or monism, but, in any event, it demands a belief in certain ideas or claims.  The Apostles' Creed is radically different:  it offers a synopsis of history, created by God the Father Almighty, requiring salvation by Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, who entered, lived, died, and was resurrected in history, and is now the Lord and judge of history.  His holy congregatuion is operative in history, which culminates in the general resurrection and everlasting life.  The whole creed therefore is a declaration concerning history."