MY RELIGION: Armor of Light

VESTING PRAYERS

These prayers should be repeated by the Priest as he respectfully vests in

God’s Armor of Light.  St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians 6:10-13

AMICE:

PLACE, O LORD, the helmet of salvation upon my head, to repel the assaults of the devil.

ALB:

CLEANSE ME, O LORD, and purify my heart, that washed in the Blood of the Lamb, I may attain everlasting joy.

GIRDLE:

GIRD ME, O LORD, with the Girdle of purity and quench in me the fire of concupiscence; that the virtue of continence and chastity may remain in me.

MANIPLE:

GRANT ME, O LORD, to bear the Maniple of tears and sorrow; that I may with exultation receive the reward of my labor. Amen.

STOLE:

GRANT ME AGAIN, O LORD, the stole of immortality, which I have lost in the sin of my first parent; and although I, unworthy, approach Thy sacred Mystery, grant to me, nevertheless, everlasting joy.

CHASUBLE:

O LORD, who hast said, “My yoke is easy and My burden light,” grant that I may be able so to bear it, that I may obtain Thy grace. Amen.

In Christ's love, Fr. Robert Pax

MY RELIGION: Looking Inward

THE DAILY EXAMEN

The examen, or examination of conscience, is a quick time of prayer to help you see where God was active in your day. Usually done for 15 to 20 minutes at the end of a day, the prayer was popularized by St. Ignatius Loyola in his classic text The Spiritual Exercises. Use these five easy steps to pray the examen every day, and soon you’ll begin to notice God’s presence more easily.

1. Presence: Remember that you’re in the presence of God in a special way when you pray. Ask God for help in prayer.

2. Gratitude: Recall two or three things that happened today for which you are especially grateful. Savor them. Then thank God for these gifts.

3. Review: Review your day from start to finish, noticing where you experienced God’s presence. Notice everything from large to small: from an enjoyable interaction with a friend to the feel of the sun on your face. When did you love? When were you loved?

4. Sorrow: You may have sinned today or done something you regret. Express your sorrow to God and ask for forgiveness. If it’s a grave sin, pray about seeking forgiveness from the person offended, or the sacrament of reconciliation.

5. Grace: You may want to return to a meaningful part of your prayer and speak to God about how you felt. At the close of the prayer, ask for God’s grace for the following day.

Over time, as you use the examen, you’ll notice God’s presence in the moment, rather than just at the end of the day. You’ll see that your whole day can be a kind of prayer. Soon you’ll discover that you’ve become, as Jesuits like to say, a “contemplative in action.”

In Christ's love, Fr. Robert Pax

MY RELIGION: Thoughts on Preaching

PREACHING THE SERMON OR HOMILY

“In the beginning was the Word.

And the Word was with God,

And the Word was God.”

The Gospel of St. John, 1:1

            “When we are preaching we have only to assist the working of God within the hearts of men and women, we have only to grasp the seed of repentance which He sows in them, and to strengthen it.”                                                                   St. John of Kronstadt,

                                                                        Counsels on the Christian Priesthood

            “Shortly after being ordained priest, I asked a Greek bishop for advice on the preaching of sermons.  His reply was specific and concise, ‘Every sermon,’ he said, ‘should contain three points:  neither less nor more.’”

                                                                        Bishop Kallistos Ware,

                                                                        The Orthodox Way

            “Following the proclamation of the Word of God through the words of the Holy Gospel, a liturgical sermon or homily is preached.  The sermon normally proclaims, and not seldom explains, the significance of the Divine Word received at the particular liturgy for the life of the People of God and the destiny of the world.  In Orthodox tradition, the sermon is an essential part of the Eucharistic liturgy and participates in its general sacramental character.”                                    

                                                                        Father Thomas Hopko,

                                                                        The Orthodox Faith, Volume ii, Worship

In Christ's love, Fr. Robert Pax

MY RELIGION: Sermon Structure

THE SERMON

The preacher, whether Bishop, Priest, or Deacon, now addresses the People,

            all standing.

From the _______ chapter of

the Holy Gospel according to Saint _______,

verse(s) _______ (to _______).

A section of the Gospel of the Day is read.

Upon conclusion of the reading is said,

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be alway acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength and my redeemer.                                     Psalm 19:14.

or

The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.             St. John 4:23.

or

In the name of (+) God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost.

The People sit and listen to the Sermon.

I.   Introduction – Thesis, the Beginning

II.  Sermon Body – The Detail, supported from the Bible, Antiquity, and Reason

            A. First Point – The Glory of God, His Greatness

            B. Second Point – Our Iniquity, The Undeserving

            C. Third Point – The Thanksgiving, Mercy Given

III. Conclusion – Reiterate the Sermon Points

The sentence from the Gospel of the Day is reread.

Upon conclusion of the reading is said,

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore.                                                             2 Cor. 13:14.

or

In the name of (+) God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost.

The Sermon is concluded.

In Christ's love, Fr. Robert Pax

MY RELIGION: God and Being

GOD IS

Omnipotent - all powerful, limited only by covenant

           Omnipresent - not bound by time and space

           Omniscient - all knowing

           Creator - source of all things

Immutable - communicating whenever and wherever

           Perfect - complete, faultless, exact, entire

           Trinity - the three persons of the Godhead,

            God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost

STATES OF BEING

            Triumphant - in Heaven, in the presence of God,

            with the angels and saints

Purgatory - some believe there is a third state after death, a place or time of learning and purification,

            [recognition, repentance, and release from sin,

            like the thief on the cross, but not a necessary

            belief for salvation]

Militant - of this world, in faith, striving, yearning, worshipping in obedience

            Damned - in hell, in torment, the absence of God,

            the absence of Love and Hope, and light

In Christ's love, Fr. Robert Pax

MY RELIGION: By the Numbers

THE ANGLICAN THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION:

ORTHODOX AND CATHOLIC,

FREE OF INNOVATION

“One canon [the Bible] reduced to writing by God himself,

two testaments, three creeds, four general councils,

five centuries, and the series of fathers in that period -

the centuries, that is, before Constantine, and two after,

determine the boundary of our faith.”

Lancelot Andrews

SEVEN PRINCIPAL VIRTUES

            THEOLOGICAL VIRTUES - Faith, Hope, Charity (Love in Action)

            CARDINAL VIRTUES - Prudence, Temperance,

                                                                        Justice, Fortitude

CORPORAL WORKS OF MERCY

            - To feed the Hungry.

            - To give drink to the Thirsty.

            - To entertain the Stranger.

            - To clothe the Naked.

            - To visit the Sick.

            - To comfort those in Prison.

            - To bury the faithful departed [added much later]

NINE DEADLY SINS

            Pride, Idolatry, Avarice, Lust,

            Anger, Sloth, Hatred, Cruelty, Lying

SPIRITUAL WORKS OF MERCY

            - Converting the sinner

            - Instructing the ignorant

            - Counseling the doubtful

            - Comforting the sorrowful

            - Bearing wrongs patiently

            - Forgiving injuries

            - Praying for the living and the dead:

 FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT

            Love, Joy, Peace,

                        Longsuffering, Gentleness, Goodness,

                                    Faith, Meekness, Temperance

AIDS TO RECONCILIATION

            - Prayer.

            - Fasting.

            - Works of Mercy.

ANIMA CHRISTI

Soul of Christ, sanctify me.

Body of Christ, save me;

Blood of Christ, inebriate me;

Water from the side of Christ, wash me;

Passion of Christ, strengthen me;

O good Jesu, hear me;

Within thy wounds hide me;

Suffer me not to be separated from thee;

From the malicious enemy defend me;

In the hour of my death call me,

And bid me come to thee.

That with thy Saints I may praise thee

For ever and ever.  Amen

Mother Mary’s Commandment

“His mother saith unto the servants,

Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.” 

                                                                        Saint John 2:5

In Christ's love, Fr. Robert Pax

PRAYERS AND BLESSINGS: Trisagian

The Trisagion Prayers

Non-liturgical payers to be said before each Daily Office and to prepare for the Divine Liturgy.

(+) In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

                        Glory to thee, our God, glory to thee.

O heavenly King, O Comforter, the Spirit of truth, who art in all places and fillest all things; treasury of good things and Giver of life:  Come and dwell in us and cleanse us from every stain, and save our souls, O gracious Lord.

                        Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal:

                                    have mercy on us.

                        Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal:

                                    have mercy on us.

                        Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal:

                                    have mercy on us.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: 

Now and ever, and unto ages of ages.  Amen.

All-holy Trinity, have mercy on us.  Lord, cleanse us from our sins. 

Master, pardon our iniquities.  Holy God, visit and heal our infirmities

for thy Name’s sake.

                        Lord, have mercy.

                        Lord, have mercy.

                        Lord, have mercy.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: 

Now and ever, and unto ages of ages.  Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer or Pater Noster

In Christ's love, Fr. Robert Pax

MY RELIGION: Liturgical Development

ANGLICAN LITURGICAL DEVELOPMENT

Our Lord’s Institution ~ Jerusalem (Biblical)

 Apostolic Development ~ Didichae and Antioch

  Liturgy of Sts. John & Paul ~ Ephesus

   Liturgy of Lyon ~ Gaul (France)

    Liturgy of Britain ~ Sister to that at Tours

     Augustine’s Revised Liturgy of Brittan (A.D. 600 c.)

      Missals of the English Church ~ Salisbury, York, & others

       Nonjuror’s Renewal of the British Liturgy (A.D. 1688 c.)

        Adoption by the Scottish Episcopal Church (A.D. 1716)

         Protestant Episcopal Church of America (A.D. 1789)

          1928 Book of Common Prayer (with minor revisions)

   The Most Reverend Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, believed that worship should be in the vernacular of the people.  His genius can be seen in the economy of the prayer book (A.D. 1549), the standardization of conventions, his use and preservation of the condensed Benedictine Office of the Hours for Morning and Evening Prayer, as adapted by Spanish Cardinal Francisco de Quinones in A.D. 1535.

  The Roman Church received their liturgy from Antioch with the missionary visit of St. Peter in the first century.  Holy Orthodoxy received their liturgy from yet other Sees, as did other sacramental Christian churches.  Yet, all these communions believe in the “Real Presence” of Christ in the Mass, and follow His Eucharistic command:

“And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you:  this do in remembrance of me.  Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.” 

The Gospel of Saint Luke, 22:19 & 20

In Christ's love, Fr. Robert Pax

MY RELIGION: Daily Schedule

A DAILY MONASTIC SCHEDULE FOR MC

The Divine Offices,

Private Prayer and Devotion,

Religious Study

6:00 am            - Morning Prayer, Matins

                        - Lauds, “Dear’s Cry” recited,

                                    private prayer and devotions

7:00 am            - Prime, The Mass or religious study

9:00 am            - Tierce, The Angelus or Regina Coeli, the 3rd hour

12:00 nn            - Sext, The Angelus or Regina Coeli, the 6th hour

3:00 pm            - Nones, The Angelus or Regina Coeli, the 9th hour

6:00 pm            - Evening Prayer, Evensong

(sun down, first prayer of the new day)

7:00 pm            - Compline, worship (optional)

(contained within Evening Prayer)

12:00 mt            - Nocturnes, psalm reading (optional)(monastic community)

3:00 am            - Vigils, litanies (optional)(monastic community)

Day by day, dear Lord,

of thee three things I pray:

to see thee more clearly,

love thee more dearly,

follow thee more nearly,

day by day.

Richard of Chichester (A.D. 1197-1253)

In Christ's love, Fr. Robert Pax

MY RELIGION: Devotions to Mother Mary

THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

   “Well may we make the words of one of our English bishops, the pious and affectionate Bishop Hall, our own, "But how gladly do we second the angel in the praise of her, which was more ours than his! How justly do we bless her, whom the angel pronounced blessed. How worthily is she honoured of men, whom the angel proclaimed beloved of God! O blessed Mary, he cannot bless thee, he cannot honour thee too much, that deifies thee not. That which the angel said of thee, thou hast prophesied of thyself: we believe the angel and thee; 'All generations shall call thee blessed’ by the fruit of whose womb all generations are blessed."

The Catholic Religion, The Rev. Vernon Staley, 20^th Edition, A.D. 1917

  The Blessed Virgin Mary, the bearer of God, is for us the great example of how one who is only human can live as the example and model of a loving believer.  This loving and brilliant young woman, so clean to be the only vessel to be chosen by God the Father, bore the Son-divine giving of her own human nature.  The care, nurturing, and supporting of Jesus would be her life’s work and joy, and sorrow.  Mary, the daughter of Joachim and Anna, did not invent or innovate.  What she could not comprehend she pondered in her heart.  Praise God there are many saints, and praise God for the Queen of Heaven, the Blessed Virgin Mary.

HAIL MARY (from Matins)

Luke 1:28 & 1:42

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou among women,

and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners,

now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

MAGNIFICAT (from Vespers)

(The Song of Mary, The Canticle of Mary, or The Ode of the Theotokos)

Luke 1:46-55

My soul doth magnify the Lord:

and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

For he hath regarded:

the lowliness of his handmaiden.

For behold, from henceforth:

all generations shall call me blessed.

For he that is mighty hath magnified me:

and holy is his Name.

And his mercy is on them that fear him:

throughout all generations.

He hath shewed strength with his arm:

he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

He hath put down the mighty from their seat:

and hath exalted the humble and meek.

He hath filled the hungry with good things:

and the rich he hath sent empty away.

He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel:

as he promised to our forefathers,

Abraham and his seed for ever.*

*One of four hymns from the Holy Gospel of St. Luke.  The others are:

BENEDICTUS

The Hymn of Zechariah, Luke 1:67-79

GLORIA IN EXCELSIS

The Hymn of the Angels, Luke 2:13-14

NUNC DIMITTIS 

The Hymn of Simeon, Luke 2:28-32

FESTIVALS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Conception, December 8

Visitation, July 2

Saint Anne, July 26

Assumption or Dormition, August 15

Nativity of Mary, September 8

VIGILS, FASTS, AND DAYS OF ABSTINENCE

The Purification of the

   Blessed Virgin Mary

The Annunciation of the

   Blessed Virgin Mary

HONORING THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Reciting The Angelus or Regina Coeli (9:00 am, 12:00 noon, 3:00 pm)

The Discipline of Reciting the Holy Rosary, with various Mysteries

NOTE: None of these actions can be considered as “worshipping” the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Anglicans do not pray to Mary, though we ask her for her prayers and study her example as a great saint of the Church.  She is not co-equal to the Trinity or a unique species of creature.  And knowing this, I still wonder how blessed and purified she must be to have bore the Christ child in her womb and held Him through His life and at His death.

THE ANGELUS

Note: Make the sign of the cross where the text is marked with a (+),

recited 9:00 am, 12:00 noon, and 3:00 pm.

The Angel of the Lord announced unto Mary,

            and she conceived by the Holy Ghost.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.

Hail, Mary,...

And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.

Hail, Mary,...

[V] Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.

[R] That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.

We beseech thee, O Lord, pour thy grace into our hearts:

            that, as we have known the incarnation of thy Son Jesus Christ

            by the message of an angel, so by his cross and passion 

            we may be brought unto the glory of his resurrection.

(+) Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

REGINA COELI

Note: The Regina Coeli should be used in place of the Angelus from Easter day until the Saturday after Pentecost.

O Queen of heaven, be joyful, alleluia;

      Because he whom so meetly thou bearest, alleluia,

      Hath arisen, as he promised, alleluia:

      Pray for us to the Father, alleluia.

[V.] Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.

[R.] For the Lord is risen indeed, alleluia.

Let us pray.

O God, who, by the resurrection of thy Son Jesus Christ,

      didst vouchsafe to give gladness unto the world:

      grant, we beseech thee, that we, being holpen by the Virgin Mary,

      his Mother, may attain unto the joys of everlasting life.

(+) Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

In Christ's love, Fr. Robert Pax