This brief service of music and sacred scripture is offered in praise of God, and for the benefit of any who would like to worship in this manner.
4th Sunday of Easter 2021
Opening acclamation and organ prelude: “I know that My Redeemer lives”, by Diane Bish, performing from St. Jacob’s Church, Prague, on a program entitled “Easter Alleluias”, used in accordance with Creative Commons license.
First Reading: Acts 4: 5-12, World English Bible.
Psalm 23: “The Lord’s My Shepherd” by the choir of St. Giles Cathedral with guest organist Diane Bish, featured on the Joy of Music program 2407 “Hymns and Sacred Songs from England,” used in accordance with Creative Commons license.
Second Reading: 1 John 3: 16-24, World English Bible.
Motet: Giovanni de Palestrina (1525-1594) “Haec Dies” by the Tudor Consort, 2006, used in accordance with the Creative Commons License. Translation: “This is the day the Lord has made: let us rejoice and be glad in it, Alleluia.“
Gospel Reading: John 10: 11-18, World English Bible.
Lord’s Prayer: from Luke.
Benediction: From Romans.
Postlude: “Erschienen ist der herrlich Tag” performed by Jens Engel on the organ of Kreuzkirche Sieglar, used in accordance with Creative Commons license.
Prelude: Concerto for 2 Trumpets in C major, RV 537, by Antonio Vivaldi, performed by Michael Rondeau. Available at MusOpen.
Reading: Acts 3:12-19, from the World English Bible, by Librivox.
Hymn: “Thine Be The Glory, Risen Conquering Son (Traditional Easter Hymn)”, From Internet Archives.
Reading: Psalm 4, from the King James Version, by Librivox.
Music: “Gloria Patri” by Antonio Vivaldi, from Dixit Dominus, RV594, performed by Ghislieri Choir & Consort, uploaded to YouTube by Centro di Musica Antica Fondazione Ghislieri, and used in accordance with Creative Commons license.
Reading: 1 John 3: 1-7, World English Bible.
Music: Jacob Handl (1550-1591) “Alleluia in Resurrectione” performed by La Coral DIVISI de Valencia, used in accordance with Creative Commons license.
Gospel Reading: Luke 24: 36-48, World English Bible.
The Lord’s Prayer, King James Version
Choral benediction: C. P. Lutkin (1858-1931) “The Lord Bless You and Keep You” sung by the Csehy Summer School, used in accordance with Creative Commons license.
Prelude: Concerto for 2 Trumpets in D Major, by Johann Molter, MWV 6.30 – III. Allegro. From a European Archive, at MusOpen.
First Reading: Acts 4:32-35, World English Bible.
Psalm 133, KJV with background music, uploaded to YouTube by “Book of Psalms” and used in accordance with Creative Commons License.
Hymn: “The Strife is O’er The Battle Won”, Choir of Ss Simon and Jude Cathedral, Pheonix, in 2013, by “ad te levavi”, available in Wikimedia Commons under Creative Commons License.
Second Reading: I John 1:1-2:2, World English Bible.
Hymn: “O Filii et Filiae”, uploaded to YouTube in 2016 by “Catholique de France”, used in accordance with Creative Commons license. English version: “Alleluia, alleluia,alleluia, alleluia!
1 O sons and daughters of the King, whom heavenly hosts in glory sing, today the grave has lost its sting. Alleluia!
2 That Easter morn at break of day, the faithful women went their way to seek the tomb where Jesus lay. Alleluia!
3 An angel clad in white they see, who sat and spoke unto the three, “Your Lord has gone to Galilee.” Alleluia!
4 When Thomas first the tidings heard that some had seen the risen Lord, he doubted the disciples’ word. Lord, have mercy!
5 At night the apostles met in fear; among them came their Master dear and said, “My peace be with you here.” Alleluia!
6 “My pierced side, O Thomas, see, and look upon my hands, my feet; not faithless but believing be.” Alleluia!
7 No longer Thomas then denied; he saw the feet, the hands, the side. “You are my Lord and God!” he cried. Alleluia!
8 How blest are they who have not seen and yet whose faith has constant been, for they eternal life shall win. Alleluia.
Gospel reading: John 20:19-31, World English Bible.
The Lord’s Prayer: From the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.
Blessing: From Second Corinthians.
Organ Postlude: L Farnum (1885-1930) “Toccata on O Filie et Filiae”, Performed by Diane Bish at St. Michaels Church, Munich Germany; From “Joy of Music 9611 FAVORITE SACRED CLASSICS”, used in accordance with Creative Commons license.
The Bible passages were recorded by Librivox, and are in the public domain. Readings correspond to the Revised Common Lectionary. All audio files are given with attribution where known.
I have put together an audio file of readings and music, offered in praise of God and for the benefit of any who might find in it a blessing on this day of ongoing isolation due to the pandemic. The readings and music are taken from audio files that are in the public domain.
Prelude: Concerto for 2 Trumpets in D Major, by Johann Molter, MWV 6.30. From a European Archive, at MusOpen.
I have watched again as a kind of Holy Week devotion, the grisly Mel Gibson film “The Passion of the Christ”. This movie takes viewers deep into the horrors experienced by Jesus in his final hours. (Too deep, say some critics—A reviewer writing in Slate called it a “two-hour-and-six-minute snuff movie” and asks “What does this protracted exercise in sadomasochism have to do with Christian faith?” Roger Ebert on the other hand answered this question; “This is not a sermon or a homily, but a visualization of the central event in the Christian religion. Take it or leave it”).
As if the biblical subject matter weren’t gut rending enough, a disturbing image is inserted into the flogging scene. As the Roman whips rip chunks out of Jesus’ flesh, our messianic torture victim looks up and sees a vision of the oddly androgynous Satan holding a creepy looking baby that has the face of a leering middle aged man.
This image has confused many. Of course, none of the Satan appearances are exactly biblical, though it may be supposed that the forces of darkness were fully arrayed in Jesus’ last moments. Mr. Gibson gave an explanation that sounds as though this scene might have been thrown in merely for its weirdness effect. “It’s evil distorting what’s good,” Gibson told Christianity Today. “What is more tender and beautiful than a mother and a child? So the Devil takes that and distorts it just a little bit. Instead of a normal mother and child you have an androgynous figure holding a 40-year-old ‘baby’ with hair on his back. It is weird, it is shocking, it’s almost too much — just like turning Jesus over to continue scourging him on his chest is shocking and almost too much, which is the exact moment when this appearance of the Devil and the baby takes place.”
I rather liked the image, extra-biblical though it is, as a metaphor for lost humanity. Before God rescues us from sin, humans both collectively and individually are like that stunted disgusting thing that sucks at the teat of evil, drawing a form of power but ultimately being kept from growing into what we were intended to become.
Spiritually speaking we begin life like rather like those miserable Orcs in Tolkien’s famous tale, of whom Saruman the wizard says: “Do you know how the Orcs first came into being? They were elves once, taken by the dark powers, tortured and mutilated. A ruined and terrible form of life.”
Somehow, by what Jesus went through on that otherwise horrible occasion, we have the chance to be reconciled to God and brought back into glory. Another writer concurs: “And there in the background is Christ, on the path to the cross, to break those “maternal” bonds to Satan and replace them with bonds to our true father in heaven.” (in All about Jesus Christ)
We get a second chance to shed our debased orc nature, and become elves again. That is why this day is “Good Friday”.
Hymn: “O Sacred Head Now Wounded.” From a Good Friday service in 2018 at the First Congregational Church of LA, used in accordance with Creative Commons License.
First Reading: Isaiah 52:13-53:12, King James Bible.
Motet: Thomas Tallis (1505-1588) “Salvator Mundi”, uploaded to YouTube by “mk671tv”, used in accordance with Creative Commons license. Text in English: O Saviour of the world, save us, who by thy cross and blood hast redeemed us, help us, we pray thee, O Lord our God.
Psalm 22 from the King James Bible.
Motet: Antonio Lotti (1667-1740) “Crucifixus”, Performed by Coro Universidad Nacional de Rio Corto, used in accordance with Creative Commons license. Text in English: He was crucified also for us, under Pontius Pilate he suffered and was buried.
Second Reading: Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9, World English Bible.
Motet: Tomas Luis de Victoria (1548-1611) “O Vos Omnes”, Performed by the Tudor Consort. Available on YouTube at “Free Music Channel” under Creative Commons license. Text in English: All you who walk by on the road, pay attention and see if there be any sorrow like my sorrow. Pay attention, all people, and look at my sorrow: if there be any sorrow like my sorrow.
A Reading of the Passion Narrative from John 18:1–19:42, World English Bible.
Organ postlude: Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706) “Da Jesus an dem Kreuze stund” performed by Jean-Dominique Pasquet on the grand organ of l’Oratoire du Louvre à Paris, used in accordance with Creative Commons License.
The Bible passages were recorded by Librivox, and are in the public domain. Readings correspond to the Revised Common Lectionary. All audio files are given with attribution where known.
Today the church remembers the occasion when Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. He gave his disciples (and us) a “new commandment”, to love one another in the same way that he loved them. The Gospel lesson according to the Revised Common Lectionary is John 13:1-17 and 31-35:
Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that his time had come that he would depart from this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he came from God, and was going to God,arose from supper, and laid aside his outer garments. He took a towel and wrapped a towel around his waist. Then he poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. Then he came to Simon Peter. He said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?”
Jesus answered him, “You don’t know what I am doing now, but you will understand later.”
Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet!”
Jesus answered him, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”
Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!”
Jesus said to him, “Someone who has bathed only needs to have his feet washed, but is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.” For he knew him who would betray him, therefore he said, “You are not all clean.” So when he had washed their feet, put his outer garment back on, and sat down again, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call me, ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord.’ You say so correctly, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should also do as I have done to you. Most certainly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his lord, neither is one who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
…When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him immediately. Little children, I will be with you a little while longer. You will seek me, and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you can’t come,’ so now I tell you. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Gospel reading for Maundy Thursday, from Librivox
Music: “I give you a new Commandment” by John Sheppard (1515-1558). This was performed by Greensboro Early Music, October 14, 2011. It was uploaded to YouTube by Andy Bonner, and is used here in accordance with the Creative Commons license.
