Alleluia, this is the day the Lord has made!
May 1, Workers of the World Unite. Yes, May Day, Communist Workers' Day, now Anarchists and Occupy Whatever Day - all around the world. Fools and Useful Idiots aim to impede, no, destroy the sources of their livelihoods, and the livelihoods of the rest of us.
May 1, however, is a wonderful feast day, as well. It is dedicated to St. Joseph the Worker, the Carpenter, the Foster-Father of Our Lord. If Adam and Eve had not sinned, there would be no need for work. Work is a punishment. We shall earn our bread by the sweat of our brow and bring forth our children in sorrow. Yet work is also a blessing. Through our work(s) we show our love for our families, our neighbor, and, offering our days to God in whatever we do, we are gaining merit in Heaven. Jesus Christ worked, undoubtedly as a carpenter, with Joseph as His teacher, before He began His public life. He worked for our salvation and died for it.
The Epistle of the day's Mass (St. Paul to Col. 3:14-15, 17, 23-24) exhorts: "Brethren, Have charity, which is the bond of perfection, and let the peace of Christ rejoice in your hearts, wherein also you are called in one body; and be ye thankful. all whatsoever you do in word or in work do all in the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him. Whatsoever you do, do it from the heart: as to the Lord, and not to men: knowing that you shall receive of the Lord the reward of inheritance. Serve ye the Lord Christ."
The Offertory prayer is Psalm 89:17. "Let the brightness of the Lord our God be upon us, and direct Thou the works of our hands over us; yea, the work of our hands do Thou direct. Alleluia." We can be sure that Joseph, Mary and Jesus prayed the Psalms daily. Joseph quite likely took this Psalm to heart. We should follow St. Joseph as a model and patron in our work-a-day lives.
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Following on yesterday's blog, I continue today with explanation of the Sunday recitation of Lauds, the morning prayer of the Church. The explanations are not mine, but I glean from what is written in my own copy of these "Hours." I quote in English, but the Hours are best read,chanted or sung in Latin. The rhythm suits the words. But, most people, outside of religious and priests, will recite them in private, in English, or whatever the language is that they are reading.
Sunday is consecrated to the Holy Trinity. We are grateful to the Father for having created us, to the Son for having redeemed us, to the Holy Ghost for having sanctified us. This mystery, the Trinity, is the first thought of the day. The second is Christ's Resurrection. Each Sunday is "Easter repeated." This is the day that the Lord has made. It is the Resurrection that gives this a joyful spirit.
As I have begun in several blogs, the Hours open with "O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help me." The Doxology follows: "Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Alleluia."
In one blog I said that the prayers in Lauds almost seem to MAKE the day begin. At Lauds we begin with the picture of nature awakening in Psalm 92, then our pilgrimage to the sancturay in Psalm 99. In Psalm 62 we reach a loving union with God and we end with the morning praise offered by all creation in the Benedicite, Psalm 148 and the Canticle of Zachary.
Psalm 92 is a thanksgiving. The Psalmist, David, celebrates God's sovereignty. God has rescued Israel from her foes and dominates the enemies of His people as He ruled the elements at the dawn of creation. It is said that the Jews recited this Psalm on Fridays as their morning offering, a hymn in honor of the completion of creation on the sixth day.
"The Lord hath reigned, He is clothed with beauty: the Lord is clothed with strength and hath girded Himself. For He hath established the world which shall not be moved........."
Psalm 99 was used as a processional hymn, chanted by the people as they went up to the Temple for joyful thanksgiving sacrifices. It commemorates Israel's choice as God's favored people and their deliverance from Babylon. It calls for the whole earth to join in worship of God, whose mercy is proof of His power and sovereignty over all mankind.
"Sing joyfully to God, all the earth: serve ye the Lord with gladness........."
Psalm 62 shows a most ardent love of God. It is a sad and pathetic cry from the heart of David as he fled from his son, Absalom. David offered up his morning prayer hoping for delivery through God's help. It is a Psalm that we can easily pray today for salvation from the persecutors of Christians all over the world.
"O God, my God, to thee do I watch at break of day........."
Lauds continues with the Benedicite, Canticle of the Three Young Men in Daniel 3:57-88 and 56. This is such a wonderful praise psalm. All creatures praise the Lord. As the short introductory says: "Our prayer has come from nature (Ps. 92) to men (Ps. 99) and now we are intimately united with God (Ps. 62)." Our hearts are too small to praise Him, so we call on all creation to join us. The three young men, thrown into the fiery furnace, did not fear, but blessed God.
"All ye works of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all forever......"
Try to read all of the Canticle. It is so beautiful. In fact, find all the Psalms and read them in their entirety. Note: the difference between a Psalm and a Canticle. As I understand it, a Psalm was sung accompanied by an instrument, a Canticle was unaccompanied. I need to check on the exact differences.
Psalm 148 (Everything that has a breath, praise the Lord!) was written for liturgical use, and people gathered to commemorate some special occasion of rejoicing. The introduction says: "Since man is the crown of creation, and Israel is God's servant for the redemption of humanity, then all things in Heaven and on earth must rejoice when Israel is raised from humiliation to honor."
"Praise ye the Lord from the heavens: praise ye Him in the high places.........."
(After calling upon all nature to praise God, the Psalm ends:)
"Kings of the earth and all people: princes and all judges of the earth:
Young men and maidens: let the old with the younger, praise the name of the Lord: for His name alone
is exalted.
The praise of Him is above heaven and earth: and He hath exalted the horn of his people.
A hymn to all his saints: to the children of Israel, a people approaching to Him."
From Apocalypse 7:12 is then read: "Benediction, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, honor, and power, and strength to our God forever and ever Amen." (and) Thanks be to God.
There are short responses and such interspersed within the prayers. One beautiful hymn which is sung is this:
Behold night's darkness is lifting and dawn's blushing light is gleaming in the sky.
In humble prayer and with melodious voice let us beseech the Lord of creation.
To have mercy on those guilty of sin, to banish all trouble of mind, to bestow health and to give us the
good blessings of everlasting peace.
May the blessed God, whose glory resounds through all creation, Father, Son, and likewise the Holy
Ghost, grant us this. Amen.
The Canticle of Zachary is the climax of Lauds (Luke 1:68-79). It is "a hymn in priase of man's redemption, a greeting to the dawning day of salvation. This is Zachary's thanksgiving for his son, who will be John the Baptist. "And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways." The Church takes Zachary's place. Every day the Church greets the Savior, "the rising light of day, the divine Sun."
Domine, exaudi orationem meam. Et clamor meus ad te veniat.
O Lord, hear my prayer. And let my cry come unto Thee.
Benedicamus Domino. Deo Gratias.
Let us bless the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Fidelium animae per misericordiam Dei requiescant in pace. Amen.
May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
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