Pater Noster

 

Jesus taught us to pray, Our Father, Pater Noster. Here's wisdom from Austin Farrer:

CHRIST taught us to pray for daily bread in saying the Pater Noster, and added some comments to the prayer. He taught that for the very reason that God is our Father and we his family, it is fitting that we should seek our bread from his hand. We say the Pater Noster in this sacrament, remembering how Christ went from the Last Supper straight to Gethsemane, and prayed to his Father there in the spirit of a true Son. Abba, Father, he said, asking for the wholesome bread of life if he could have it, but willing to receive the bitter cup of death and shame if it was his Father’s will. St. Paul says that it is the Spirit of Sonship, overflowing from Christ to us, which speaks in our hearts when we say Our Father. We kneel with Christ in Gethsemane to say that prayer, and even then it is not truly said unless Christ says it in us through the Holy Ghost.

 

St. Paul says that it is the Spirit of Sonship, overflowing from Christ to us, which speaks in our hearts when we say Our Father. We kneel with Christ in Gethsemane to say that prayer, and even then it is not truly said unless Christ says it in us through the Holy Ghost.

Amen to that,

LSP 

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And for all you Latin dogs:

PATER NOSTER, qui es in caelis, sanctificetur nomen tuum. Adveniat regnum tuum. Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in caelo et in terra. Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie, et dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Et ne nos inducas in tentationem, sed libera nos a malo. Amen.

 

They say the Devil, like an English schoolboy, hates Latin. 

The Feast of The Assumption

 

It's the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary today and we offered the Mass outdoors on the front porch of Mission #1, St. Mary's. Check out the ever helpful New Liturgical Movement for some background to the Feast and, in the meanwhile, here's a prayer:

Omnípotens sempiterne Deus, qui Immaculátam Vírginem Maríam, Fílii tui Genitrícem, córpore et ánima ad caelestem gloriam assumpsisti: concéde, quáesumus; ut ad superna semper intenti, ipsíus gloriae mereámur esse consortes. Per eundem Dóminum nostrum.

 

And in English: 

Almighty and everlasting God, who hast assumed the Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of Thy Son, body and soul into heavenly glory: grant, we beseech, that ever intent on the things above, we may deserve to be partakers of her glory. Through the same our Lord.

 

Amen and bless you all,

LSP

Holy Water

 

The Devil runs from Holy Water, seriously, I have that on good, established authority. And no wonder, Holy Water is a sacramental made up of exorcised elements, salt and water, with the express purpose of putting demons to flight, and it does.

Here's the prayer of benediction in English, from the Roman Ritual:

P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.     All: Who made heaven and earth.

2. The exorcism of salt follows: 

God's creature, salt, I cast out the demon from you by the living  God, by the true  God, by the holy  God, by God who ordered you to be thrown into the water-spring by Eliseus to heal it of its barrenness. May you be a purified salt, a means of health for those who believe, a medicine for body and soul for all who make use of you. May all evil fancies of the foul fiend, his malice and cunning, be driven afar from the place where you are sprinkled. And let every unclean spirit be repulsed by Him who is coming to judge both the living and the dead and the world by fire.   All: Amen.

Let us pray.

Almighty everlasting God, we humbly appeal to your mercy and goodness to graciously bless  this creature, salt, which you have given for mankind's use. May all who use it find in it a remedy for body and mind. And may everything that it touches or sprinkles be freed from uncleanness and any influence of the evil spirit; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

Exorcism of the water:

God's creature, water, I cast out the demon from you in the name of God  the Father almighty, in the name of Jesus  Christ, His Son, our Lord, and in the power of the Holy  Spirit. May you be a purified water, empowered to drive afar all power of the enemy, in fact, to root out and banish the enemy himself, along with his fallen angels. We ask this through the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,who is coming to judge both the living and the dead and the world by fire.    All: Amen.

Let us pray.

O God, who for man's welfare established the most wonderful mysteries in the substance of water, hearken to our prayer, and pour forth your blessing  on this element now being prepared with various purifying rites. May this creature of yours, used in your mysteries and endowed with your grace, serve to cast out demons and to banish disease. May everything that this water sprinkles in the homes and gatherings of the faithful be delivered from all that is unclean and hurtful; let no breath of contagion hover there, no taint of corruption; let all the wiles of the lurking enemy come to nothing. By the sprinkling of this water may everything opposed to the safety and peace of the occupants of these homes be banished, so that in calling on your holy name they may know the well-being they desire, and be protected from every peril; through Christ our Lord.    All: Amen.

3. Now the priest pours the salt into the water in the form of a cross, saying:

May this salt and water be mixed together; in the name of the Father , and of the Son , and of the Holy Spirit.     All: Amen.

P: The Lord be with you. All: And with thy spirit.

Let us pray.

God, source of irresistible might and king of an invincible realm, the ever-glorious conqueror; who restrains the force of the adversary, silencing the uproar of his rage, and valiantly subduing his wickedness; in awe and humility we beg you, O Lord, to regard with favor  this creaturely thing of salt and water, to let the light of your kindness shine upon it, and to hallow it with the dew of your mercy; so that  wherever it is sprinkled and your holy name invoked, every assault of the unclean spirit may be baffled, and all dread of the serpent's venom be cast out. To us who entreat your mercy grant that the Holy Spirit may be with us wherever we may be, through Christ our Lord.  All: Amen.

And in the more powerful Latin:

V. Adjutorium nostrum in nomine Domini.  R. Qui fecit cælum et terram.

Deinde absolute incipit exorcismum salis:

Exorcizo te, creatura salis, per Deum + vivum, per Deum + verum, per Deum + sanctum, per Deum, qui te per Eliseum Prophetam in aquam mitti jussit, ut sanaretur sterilitas aquæ: ut efficiaris sal exorcizatum in salutem credentium; et sis omnibus sumentibus te sanitas animæ et corporis; et effigiat, atque discedat a loco, in quo aspersum fueris, omnis phantasia, et nequitia, vel versutia diabolicæ fraudis, omnisque spiritus immundus, adjuratus per eum, qui venturus est judicare vivos et mortuos, et sæculum per ignem. R. Amen.

Oremus.

Oratio

Immensam clementiam tuam, omnipoten æterne Deus, humiliter imploramus, ut hanc creaturam salis, quam in usum generis humani tribuisti, bene + dicere et sancti +ficare tua pietate digneris: ut sit omnibus sumentibus salus mentis et corporis; et quidquid ex eo tactum vel respersum fuerit, careat omni immunditia, omnique impugnatione spiritalis nequitiæ. Per Dominum. R. Amen.

Exorcismus aquæ: et dicitur absolute:

Exorcizo te, creatura aquæ, in nomine Dei + Patris omnipotentis, et in nomine Jesu + Christi Filii ejus Domini nostri, et in virtute Spiritus + Sancti: ut fias aqua exorcizata ad effugandam omnem potestatem inimici, et ipsum inimicum eradicare et explantare valeas cum angelis suis apostaticis, per virtutem ajusdem Domini nostri Jesu Christi: qui venturus est judicare vivos et mortuos, et sæculum per ignem. R. Amen.

Oremus.

Oratio

Deus, qui ad salutem humani generis, maxima quæque sacramenta in aquarum substantia condidisti: adesto propitius invocationibus nostris, et elemento huic multìmodis purificationibus præparato, virtutem tuæ bene + dictionis infunde: ut creatura tua, mysteriis tuis serviens, ad abigendos dæmones, morbosque pellendos, divinæ gratiæ sumat effectum; ut quidquid in domibus, vel in locis fidelium, hæc unda resperserit, careat omni immunditia, liberetur a noxa: non illic resideat spiritus pestilens, non aura corrumpens: discedant omnes insidiæ latentis inimici; et si quid est, quod aut incolumitati habitantium invidet, aut quieti, aspersione hujus aquæ effugiat: ut salubritas, per invocationem sancti tui nominis expetita, ab omnibus sit impugnationibus defensa. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium tuum: Qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus per omnia sæcula sæculorum. R. Amen.

Hic termittat sal in aquam in modum crucis, dicendo semel:

Commixtio salis et aquæ pariter fiat, in nomine Pa+tris, et Fi+lii, et Spiritus + Sancti. R. Amen.

V. Dominus vobiscum. R. Et cum spiritu tuo.

Oremus.

Oratio

Deus, invictæ virtutis auctor, et insuperabilis imperii Rex, ac semper magnificus triumphator: qui adversæ dominationis vires reprimis: qui inimici rugientis sævitiam superas: qui hostiles nequitias potenter expugnas: te, Domine, trementes et supplices deprecamur, ac petimus: ut hanc creaturam salis et aquæ dignanter aspicias, benignus illustres, pietatis tuæ rore sanctifices; ut, ubicumque fuerit aspersa, per invocationem sancti nominis tui, omnis infestatio immundi spiritus abigatur: terrorque venenosi serpentis procul pellatur: et præsentia Santi Spiritus nobis, misericordiam tuam poscentibus, ubique adesse dignetur. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium tuum: Qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate ejusdem Spiritus Sancti Deus per omnia sæcula sæculorum. R. Amen.

Exorcists tell me the latter form works best, which implies Satan, like an English schoolboy, abhors Latin. All the more reason to use it, eh? That in mind, I'm off to bless some water by way doing my part, however small, in the war against evil. 

Speaking of which, watch Nefarious, a realistic cinematic portrayal of the  Adversary, if a little preachy.

Out Demons Out,

LSP

The Sound of Violent Extremism - Asperges Me

 

I was brought up with this tune, as an Anglican in Oxford, and I loved it, I still do. But you'll notice the ethnically violent, colonial oppression cant of the thing. To boot, "Thou shalt wash me and I shall become whiter than snow." Wow, what hideous RMVE (racially motivated violent extremism). 

Perhaps you think I'm joking, think again. Years ago, in a beautiful church outside of Philly I had a POC organist. He was paid 45 grand a year to enhance the liturgy which, when I arrived, included the Asperges. And guess what, he taught the choir, such as it was, to change the words of the chanted psalm to "cleaner" as opposed to "whiter."

This is your enemy

You see, "whiter than snow" was racist to him on his oppressed POC 45k. So I fired that fraudulent, no account, trifling mountebank and the people heaved a sigh of relief. But that was then, this is now. Just picture all those RTCs storming Mammon on the Capitol, consecrated in their mission by the Mass.

That in mind, maybe the Godless FBI has a point. Could it be that genuine Christianity's a threat to them, that it's a spear in the eye of their Father, Satan.

Libera nos a malo,

LSP

Mother's Day

 

Respect, love and joy to our mothers, not least the great Mother of God, Mary most holy. Here's a prayer:

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, hail, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve: to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears. Turn then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus, O merciful, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Amen.

And in the better and martial Latin:

Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae:

Vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve.

Ad te clamamus, exsules, filii Hevae.

Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes

in hac lacrimarum valle.

Eia ergo, Advocata nostra,

illos tuos misericordes oculos

ad nos converte.

Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,

nobis, post hoc exsilium ostende.

O clemens: O pia: O dulcis

Virgo Maria.

To Motherhood, life and the Blessed Virgin,

LSP

Excelsior!

 

Do you feel we're living at the very end of an age? That in mind, let's hear it for Procul  Harum. Grand Hotel, what an album. And it reminds me of a South African Latin teacher who used to command us to strike our heads against 18th C desks if we messed up vocab tests.

"I like Harum and Purple," he'd exclaim. "Strike your head against the desk ten times. Harder." Well, it was the '70s.

Cheers,

LSP