Well, I don't know what you did today, but here's what we did. We went on a Date, the Queen of the house and I.
First, today was a Solemnity. That makes it equal to a Sunday, a great celebration and not so much a day of penance, even though it's lent. I kept my lenten penance, but didn't worry to much beyond that.
The day was, a day, filled with the quotidian concerns of a middle aged man, an early retiree, and an indulgent grandpa. but come evening, well, come evening the day went into high gear, and it was a wonderful day indeed.
The Queen of the house and i attended Solemn Vespers for the Solemnity at our parish. Our parish is one of the principle blessings in my life, and I thank go for it.
The Liturgy of Hours was celebrated to a very high standard, with our AMAZING CHOIR! The introit was sung in Latin, well chanted actually, in English: "The righteous man shall flourish like the palm tree; he shall grow up like the cedar of Lebanon: for his is planted in the house of the lord, in the courts of our God. It is good to five praise to the lord: and to sing in honor of your name, O Most High. Glory to the Father, and the Son, and to the Holy Spirit...."
The liturgy was sung by the Choir, the People and the Presider. The hymn was "look Down to Us Saint Joseph" to the tune 'Merle's tune'.
The Psalmody was also sung,with the first Psalm being 15, with the choir serving as Cantor, and the Men and women alternating verses. It was sung to Meinrad Tone V. The alternation of Men's and Women's voices underscores, I think, the idea of the complementarity of of the sexes, and the role that complementarity plays in matrimony--a subtext of this Solemnity. The second Psalm was Psalm 112 and again the men/women alternation was used, to Meinrad tone I This was the manner used in the New Testament Canticle, taken from Revelations 15, 3-4, to Meinrad tone IV. All of this is straight out of the Liturgy of Hours. as was the reading.
The reading was Collossians 3:23-24. This was followed by a very short homily, Delivered by one of our deacons, on work as part of creation, and how our work, at home and in the economic sphere builds, a bit at a time, the Kingdom of God.
This was followed by a Choral Meditation, consisting of Justus ut palma, by Palestrina, and a piece called "God be in My Head" by John Rutter, a translation of a medieval English devotional prayer for laymen.
The responsory was chanted, using the Cantor/Congregation method.
The Magnificat was chanted by all of us together, with a a Cantor leading the Antiphon. We used a Gelineau Tone for this. I have to say that even though the Meinrad Tones are closer to the Gregorian for English than the Gelineau Tones, I prefer the latter, are they are more accessible for congregational singing.
Then we had the Litany of St. Joseph, lead by our pastor (who is the finest priest I have ever met!) in song. We used the Manual of Prayers, Pontifical North American College, for that. There was insence burning throughout the Litany in a stationary censor for this. (Father censed the altar and congregation after the Magnificat, IIRC.)
The intercessions followed, and the Lord's Prayer was chanted by the congregation, followed by the Closing Prayer from the liturgy of Hours and a (sung) Solemn Blessing.
But Wait! THERE'S MORE!
After Vespers, we went into the Parish Hall, for the St.Josephs Dinner. This is an annual event at our Parish, where we have a wonderful Italian dinner, served to us by the Highs School Youth Group. We had a lovely salad, and a choice of three main courses, or a sampler of all three. (The chicken with Alfredo and the italian sausage with rigatoni and peppers were especially good!) and a choice of several desserts. This was served to us at our tables--no "church supper line up" for the feast of Solemnity of St. Joseph!
What makes this really special was that it was served to us by the kids we see every Sunday. I see them, and think "kids', but they were so professional and adult tonight that I was impressed by them. Especially since they all worked together, and we are an ethnically diverse parish. (Historically German, with every European ethnicity, oddball converts [like me], Asian, African, Latin etc.) and they worked together an enjoyed it.
Our table was marked by hilarity and jokes, to the point our server broke into giggles and asked 'Whats the problem with this table any way?'.
I fell into conversation with a priest in attendance, about the loss to Christendom that is the death of the Coptic leader, Pope Shinouda III. After we discussed it, I mentioned that perhaps four westerners part of his appeal was the very cool name "Shenouda". He got an grin and said some one should write a song " Budda Budda Bump Da Bump Da Bump Da MY SHENOUDA!"
Yes, as a matter of fact, wine was on the menu, and I have committed to making the wine for next years dinner.
It was a great date. It was a great community experience. And it was a wonderful chance to reflect on my own life.
The Queen of the House will no marry me, because I am unworthy of her. We were married and I betrayed an hurt her deeply, an series of acts of which I am ashamed of in a way I can't even describe. But she forgave me. I pay rent to live here, and I have my rooms in a converted attic while hers are on the ground floor. We limit ourselves to physical affection that would not embarrass you to find your teenager engaging in. We seldom kiss, we demonstrate our affection through hugs, and back scratches, foot rubs and chaste caresses. Straight up, I'm not a good enough man to do this, but it is easy with her, because of the esteem in which I hold her. She has shown me how merciful God can be, and it is up to me to show her how valuable she is as one of Gods daughters.
I understand, in a very direct and personal way, St. Joseph being Chaste with Our Lady. And i think that the healing we have had, in our family life, and for me personally, has been as a result, in large part, of his prayers as a real man, a practical man, who Knows what it is to love and desire to show love, in a way in accordance with the will of God. I thank God for this chance to be with my family, to love my grandchildren, to experience, in a very pure and wonderful way, the love of a great woman. I am un worth to have christ enter under my roof, yet he has done so, and given me a wonderful, inspiring role model, and a great advocate and intercessor, in St. Joseph.
Pray for me, that I don't blow it again.
First, today was a Solemnity. That makes it equal to a Sunday, a great celebration and not so much a day of penance, even though it's lent. I kept my lenten penance, but didn't worry to much beyond that.
The day was, a day, filled with the quotidian concerns of a middle aged man, an early retiree, and an indulgent grandpa. but come evening, well, come evening the day went into high gear, and it was a wonderful day indeed.
The Queen of the house and i attended Solemn Vespers for the Solemnity at our parish. Our parish is one of the principle blessings in my life, and I thank go for it.
The Liturgy of Hours was celebrated to a very high standard, with our AMAZING CHOIR! The introit was sung in Latin, well chanted actually, in English: "The righteous man shall flourish like the palm tree; he shall grow up like the cedar of Lebanon: for his is planted in the house of the lord, in the courts of our God. It is good to five praise to the lord: and to sing in honor of your name, O Most High. Glory to the Father, and the Son, and to the Holy Spirit...."
The liturgy was sung by the Choir, the People and the Presider. The hymn was "look Down to Us Saint Joseph" to the tune 'Merle's tune'.
The Psalmody was also sung,with the first Psalm being 15, with the choir serving as Cantor, and the Men and women alternating verses. It was sung to Meinrad Tone V. The alternation of Men's and Women's voices underscores, I think, the idea of the complementarity of of the sexes, and the role that complementarity plays in matrimony--a subtext of this Solemnity. The second Psalm was Psalm 112 and again the men/women alternation was used, to Meinrad tone I This was the manner used in the New Testament Canticle, taken from Revelations 15, 3-4, to Meinrad tone IV. All of this is straight out of the Liturgy of Hours. as was the reading.
The reading was Collossians 3:23-24. This was followed by a very short homily, Delivered by one of our deacons, on work as part of creation, and how our work, at home and in the economic sphere builds, a bit at a time, the Kingdom of God.
This was followed by a Choral Meditation, consisting of Justus ut palma, by Palestrina, and a piece called "God be in My Head" by John Rutter, a translation of a medieval English devotional prayer for laymen.
The responsory was chanted, using the Cantor/Congregation method.
The Magnificat was chanted by all of us together, with a a Cantor leading the Antiphon. We used a Gelineau Tone for this. I have to say that even though the Meinrad Tones are closer to the Gregorian for English than the Gelineau Tones, I prefer the latter, are they are more accessible for congregational singing.
Then we had the Litany of St. Joseph, lead by our pastor (who is the finest priest I have ever met!) in song. We used the Manual of Prayers, Pontifical North American College, for that. There was insence burning throughout the Litany in a stationary censor for this. (Father censed the altar and congregation after the Magnificat, IIRC.)
The intercessions followed, and the Lord's Prayer was chanted by the congregation, followed by the Closing Prayer from the liturgy of Hours and a (sung) Solemn Blessing.
But Wait! THERE'S MORE!
After Vespers, we went into the Parish Hall, for the St.Josephs Dinner. This is an annual event at our Parish, where we have a wonderful Italian dinner, served to us by the Highs School Youth Group. We had a lovely salad, and a choice of three main courses, or a sampler of all three. (The chicken with Alfredo and the italian sausage with rigatoni and peppers were especially good!) and a choice of several desserts. This was served to us at our tables--no "church supper line up" for the feast of Solemnity of St. Joseph!
What makes this really special was that it was served to us by the kids we see every Sunday. I see them, and think "kids', but they were so professional and adult tonight that I was impressed by them. Especially since they all worked together, and we are an ethnically diverse parish. (Historically German, with every European ethnicity, oddball converts [like me], Asian, African, Latin etc.) and they worked together an enjoyed it.
Our table was marked by hilarity and jokes, to the point our server broke into giggles and asked 'Whats the problem with this table any way?'.
I fell into conversation with a priest in attendance, about the loss to Christendom that is the death of the Coptic leader, Pope Shinouda III. After we discussed it, I mentioned that perhaps four westerners part of his appeal was the very cool name "Shenouda". He got an grin and said some one should write a song " Budda Budda Bump Da Bump Da Bump Da MY SHENOUDA!"
Yes, as a matter of fact, wine was on the menu, and I have committed to making the wine for next years dinner.
It was a great date. It was a great community experience. And it was a wonderful chance to reflect on my own life.
The Queen of the House will no marry me, because I am unworthy of her. We were married and I betrayed an hurt her deeply, an series of acts of which I am ashamed of in a way I can't even describe. But she forgave me. I pay rent to live here, and I have my rooms in a converted attic while hers are on the ground floor. We limit ourselves to physical affection that would not embarrass you to find your teenager engaging in. We seldom kiss, we demonstrate our affection through hugs, and back scratches, foot rubs and chaste caresses. Straight up, I'm not a good enough man to do this, but it is easy with her, because of the esteem in which I hold her. She has shown me how merciful God can be, and it is up to me to show her how valuable she is as one of Gods daughters.
I understand, in a very direct and personal way, St. Joseph being Chaste with Our Lady. And i think that the healing we have had, in our family life, and for me personally, has been as a result, in large part, of his prayers as a real man, a practical man, who Knows what it is to love and desire to show love, in a way in accordance with the will of God. I thank God for this chance to be with my family, to love my grandchildren, to experience, in a very pure and wonderful way, the love of a great woman. I am un worth to have christ enter under my roof, yet he has done so, and given me a wonderful, inspiring role model, and a great advocate and intercessor, in St. Joseph.
Pray for me, that I don't blow it again.
