Today, on Holy and Great Saturday, we remember our Lord's burial in the tomb and at the same time His descent into Hades to free the just souls. The Byzantine tradition for this morning, the Jersualem Matins (Orthros), includes a service known as the Lamentations at the Tomb, a set of hymns of lamentation interspersed with the verses of Psalm 119/118, the psalm in praise of the law of the Lord. The English text of the Matins can be found at the Metropolitan Cantor Institute, and below is an English recording by the Boston Byzantine Choir, a pan-Orthodox choir based in Cambridge, MA.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Monday, March 25, 2013
The Martyrdom of Lazarus
By the witness of Lazarus, the Good News was spread, and the Church grew, even before the Passion of Christ. He was a great witness, and thus a martyr, as the word originally means. How great was his witness? Great enough that the Jews wished him dead again, for many, many were converted by his witness to the wondrous works of God.
That is truly what Lazarus' testimony was, for we do not see him preaching in the Gospels. Instead, just by the fact that he received this astounding blessing from our Lord—that God did not let the righteous remain in Sheol—he converted many, leading them to believe in Jesus Christ. He was not the only to be a witness, a martyr, to the wondrous works of God. Is not the Bible, in some sense, such a witness? It begins with the wondrous, marvelous creation of all things by the Lord, and it ends with the expectation of that wondrous event to come, the Coming in Glory of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The historical books, the Books of Reigns and Kings, the Book of Judges, and all the others, tell the story of the Lord's love for His people Israel and for all mankind. They tell of His marvelous works, works that are marvels even if they do not seem so at the time. The First Ode tells of these works: Horse and chariot He has cast into the sea! The Psalms tell it too: He has defeated Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, the king of Bashan. All creation, too, joins in the praise of God's wonderful works, for all the earth tells the glory of God, and from His works we come to knowledge of Him, the Creator. For this reason the Three Holy Youth call on all of creation to bless the Lord, declaring His mighty deeds.
That is truly what Lazarus' testimony was, for we do not see him preaching in the Gospels. Instead, just by the fact that he received this astounding blessing from our Lord—that God did not let the righteous remain in Sheol—he converted many, leading them to believe in Jesus Christ. He was not the only to be a witness, a martyr, to the wondrous works of God. Is not the Bible, in some sense, such a witness? It begins with the wondrous, marvelous creation of all things by the Lord, and it ends with the expectation of that wondrous event to come, the Coming in Glory of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The historical books, the Books of Reigns and Kings, the Book of Judges, and all the others, tell the story of the Lord's love for His people Israel and for all mankind. They tell of His marvelous works, works that are marvels even if they do not seem so at the time. The First Ode tells of these works: Horse and chariot He has cast into the sea! The Psalms tell it too: He has defeated Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, the king of Bashan. All creation, too, joins in the praise of God's wonderful works, for all the earth tells the glory of God, and from His works we come to knowledge of Him, the Creator. For this reason the Three Holy Youth call on all of creation to bless the Lord, declaring His mighty deeds.
Saturday, March 23, 2013
An Ecumenical "St. Matthew's Passion"
To commemorate Passion (or Palm) Sunday tomorrow, here is the first movement from a setting of St. Matthew's Passion in Church Slavonic by Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev, Chairman of the Department of External Church Relations for the Russian Orthodox Patriarchate of Moscow, who attended Pope Francis' inaugural Mass last week.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Pope Francis' Words to the Faithful in the Plaza de Mayo
Because I want to use what skills I have to help others, I decided to translate the words Pope Francis sent to the faithful gathered in the Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires today, watching his inaugural Mass. The Spanish can be found here.
"Dear children, I know that you are in the plaza. I know that you are praying and making prayers, I need them much. It is so beautiful to pray. Thank you for that.
I want to ask you a favor. I want to ask you that we all walk together, that we protect one another, protect each other, do not harm each other, protect, protect the life of one another. Protect the family, protect nature, protect the children, protect the elderly; that there not be hate, that there not be fighting, leave to the side envy, do not bad-mouth anyone [Trans: the phrase the Pope uses is a colloquial one, literally meaning "do not take the leather to anyone"]. Dialogue, that among yourselves the desire to protect will live.
That the heart will be growing go closer to God. God is good, He always pardons, He understands, do not have fear; He is Father, go closer to Him. That the virgin bless you much, do not forget this bishop who is far away but loves you much. Pray for me."
[One grammar construction gave me some difficulties, because, from what I know, it can be either "that such-and-such happen" or "may such-and-such happen." I went with the former translation, but that may be incorrect.]
"Dear children, I know that you are in the plaza. I know that you are praying and making prayers, I need them much. It is so beautiful to pray. Thank you for that.
I want to ask you a favor. I want to ask you that we all walk together, that we protect one another, protect each other, do not harm each other, protect, protect the life of one another. Protect the family, protect nature, protect the children, protect the elderly; that there not be hate, that there not be fighting, leave to the side envy, do not bad-mouth anyone [Trans: the phrase the Pope uses is a colloquial one, literally meaning "do not take the leather to anyone"]. Dialogue, that among yourselves the desire to protect will live.
That the heart will be growing go closer to God. God is good, He always pardons, He understands, do not have fear; He is Father, go closer to Him. That the virgin bless you much, do not forget this bishop who is far away but loves you much. Pray for me."
[One grammar construction gave me some difficulties, because, from what I know, it can be either "that such-and-such happen" or "may such-and-such happen." I went with the former translation, but that may be incorrect.]
Translation ©2013 Brandon P. Otto. Licensed via CC BY-NC. Feel free to redistribute non-commercially, as long as credit is given to the author.
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