Music for 10th. Sunday after Pentecost -Gradual 'Custodi Me'

 

 

 

 

Thanks to Leutgeb for alerting me last Sunday to this piece of chant from today's Mass (10th. Sunday after Pentecost , Usus Antiquior ; 15th. Sunday in Ordinary Time, Years A&C, Usus Recentior.). It is, of course, the same verse and response used at Compline, frm which my blog title is taken.

 

Custódi me, Dómine, ut pupíllam óculi: sub umbra alárum tuárum prótege me.
Vs. De vultu tuo judícium meum pródeat: óculi tui vídeant æquitátem.Keep me, O Lord, as the apple of your eye; shield me under the shadow of your wings.
Vs. Let judgment in my favour come forth from your presence; may your eyes discern what is right.

There is a rather better version of the chant here, but I wasn't able to upload the video.

Music in Praise of Our Lady - Salve Mater Misericordiae

This is a particularly beautful rendition of a very beautiful Marian Hymn.

I have been hearing this quite a bit lately, as it is among the latest additions to the Blackfen choir's repertoire. They may need a little more time* to equal the choir on the recording, but are doing an excellent and very commendable job.






* At the rate they are progressing under Leutgeb's direction, I estimate about six months. (Now, I wonder if that compliment is enough to secure me a slice of bara brith next time some is made - and perhaps some very exclusive jam to go with it, if it hasn't all gone ;-))

St James, pray for them

I was planning to write a post for the feast of St. James the Greater, one of my personal patrons.

I have, however, heard on this morning's news of the tragic rail crash yesterday in Spain, very close to one of St. James' principal shrines at Santiago de Compostela. This tragedy will naturally overshadow the Feast in the city.

Please join me in asking the prayers of St. James for all those injured in the crash, and more urgently for those who died: the crash scene has been described as being 'like Hell' - may those poor souls who experienced it be quickly freed from the fires of Purgatory.

 

Requiem aeternum dona eis, Domine,

Et lux perpetua luceat eis:

Requiescant in pace.

Amen

 

 

Sancte Iacobe, ora pro nobis.

 

 

 





St. Mary Magdalene

It would be possible to write volumes about St. Mary Magdalene. However, I am writing this late at night, at the end of a long, hot day, and so will be quite brief (thankfully I hear you say ;-)).

Tradition holds that Mary was a prostitute, but it is evident that she was not someone driven to selling herself out of desparation, duress or poverty. Rather, she appears to have been what today we might euphemistically call a 'good time girl', using her body to gain wealth, attention, extravagant  gifts (how did she come to have that jar of fantastically expensive scented oil?), possibly even a sort of celebrity through notoriety.

We see so much of this in our society - the most obvious example must be the 'Belle de Jour' who hit the media a few years ago, but also the small army of singers, actresses and others who flaunt themselves with the seemingly single objective of causing shock and outrage.

Of course, they are all convinced they are in control, having a good time, and so on, but really they gain a low reputation and are seen for what they really are.

Mary, of course, had the great fortune to encounter Our Lord, and to experience the true and unconditonal Love of God to the extent that she realised her own wretchedness and made dramatic statement of penitence, anointing Christ's feet with oil and tears, drying them with her hair, then subequently watching Him die, witnessing to her conversion, and ultimately being rewarded by being one of the first to see Him risen.

 

 

A happy feast to everyone, especially Fr. Ray Blake and his parishioners in Brighton, on the occasion of their patronal feast.



Music for Our Lady - Ave Maris Stella

The Feast of Our Lady of Carmel also gives me the opportunity to post this rather beautiful version of Ave Maris Stella, which I discovered on Youtube.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the Brown Scapular

From the St. Andrew Daily Missal:-

The Order of Mount Carmel was founded in the 12th. century by a Calabrian Priest, and claims to carry on the centuries-old monastic traditions of Mount Carmel, which perhaps go back to the prophet Elias. On July 16, 1251, Our Lady appeared to St. Simon Stock, the English general of the order and promised special blessings to all its members and all who wore its habit. Pope Innocent IV approved the Carmelite rule and granted many privileges to members of the Confraternity of Mount Carmel who wear the scapular.

The feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel was instituted for the Carmelites in 1332, and extended to the whole Church by Benedict XIII in 1726.

The Carmelites are perhaps unique among Religious in that they claim to have taken over the traditions of a pre-Christian monastic order and used them to form the basis of their Rule.




The Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

The Brown Scapular, the oldest, and probably the best known of the scapulars is the Habit of Carmel in miniature. It is worn as part of the full habit of Carmelite Friars and Sisters, over the basic tunic and under the white mantle. Secular Tertiaries, and by extension, anyone who has been invested into the Confraternity of Carmel, wear a small version under their clothing. It can also be replaced in circumstances where wearing the actual scapular is impractical by a Scapular Medal, worn or carried about the person. The Brown Scapular brings numerous privileges to those who wear it worthily, most notably the Sabbatine Privilege. This stems from the appearance of Our Lady to St. Simon Stock, in which she promised that she would descend from Heaven to Purgatory and bring home, on the Saturday following their death, all who have died wearing the Brown Scapular. The Brown Scapular also forms part of the Fivefold Scapular (I will post on this at some point).

I commend enrollment with the Scapular.

 

 

Feast of the Visitation

"Benedicta tu inter mulieres, et benedictus fructus ventris tui."

 

 

Happy Feast!

Feast of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ

 

Remember, Lord, Thy creatures, who Thou hast redeemed by Thy Precious Blood.

 

Litany of the Most Precious Blood

 



Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

God, the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.

Blood of Christ, only-begotten Son of the Eternal Father, save us.
Blood of Christ, Incarnate Word of God, save us.
Blood of Christ, of the New and Eternal Testament, save us.
Blood of Christ, falling upon the earth in the Agony, save us.
Blood of Christ, shed profusely in the Scourging, save us.
Blood of Christ, flowing forth in the Crowning with Thorns, save us.
Blood of Christ, poured out on the Cross, save us.
Blood of Christ, price of our salvation, save us.
Blood of Christ, without which there is no forgiveness, save us.
Blood of Christ, Eucharistic drink and refreshment of souls, save us.
Blood of Christ, stream of mercy, save us.
Blood of Christ, victor over demons, save us.
Blood of Christ, courage of Martyrs, save us.
Blood of Christ, strength of Confessors, save us.
Blood of Christ, bringing forth Virgins, save us.
Blood of Christ, help of those in peril, save us.
Blood of Christ, relief of the burdened, save us.
Blood of Christ, solace in sorrow, save us.
Blood of Christ, hope of the penitent, save us.
Blood of Christ, consolation of the dying, save us.
Blood of Christ, peace and tenderness of hearts, save us.
Blood of Christ, pledge of eternal life, save us.
Blood of Christ, freeing souls from purgatory, save us.
Blood of Christ, most worthy of all glory and honor, save us.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord!.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord!.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

V/. Thou hast redeemed us, O Lord, in Thy Blood.
R/. And made us, for our God, a kingdom.

Let us pray. Almighty and everlasting God, Who didst appoint Thine only-begotten Son the Redeemer of the world, and hast willed to be appeased by His Blood; grant unto us, we beseech Thee, so to venerate (with solemn worship) the price of our redemption, and by its power be so defended against the evils of this life, that we may enjoy the fruit thereof forevermore in Heaven. Through the same Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. R/. Amen.