Berryman: Dream Song 47: April Fool's Day, or, St Mary of Egypt
—Thass a funny title, Mr Bones.
—When down she saw her feet, sweet fish, on the threshold,
she considered her fair shoulders
and all them hundreds who have them, all
the more who to her mime thickened & maled
from the supple stage,
and seeing her feet, in a visit, side by side
paused on the sill of The Tomb, she shrank: 'No.
They are not worthy,
fondled by many' and rushed from The Crucified
back through her followers out of the city ho
across the suburbs, plucky
to dare my desert in her late daylight
of animals and sands. She fall prone.
Only wind whistled.
And forty-seven years with our caps on,
whom God has not visited.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
Arms outstreched in love toward the further shore
Beyond courage, it is also possible to live in the ancient faith, which asserts that changes in the world, even if they be recognized more as a loss than a gain, take place within an eternal order that is not affected by their taking place. Whatever the difficulty of philosophy, the religious man has been told that process is not all. 'Tendebantque manus ripae ulterioris amore'.
George Grant, Lament for a Nation
[They were holding their arms outstreched in love toward the further shore. Vergil, Aenied Book VI]
Saturday, March 13, 2010
transmutes their cheerless blasphemy into a lover's word
When it was quite dark and there was no sound at all except of a difficult breathing coming up from the earth, and intermittently the half-cries of those who would call strongly from their several and lonely places, on
that Creature of Water, or on
some creature of their own kind by name, as on
gentle Margaret on
Amy, on Gwenfrewi
on Bella on Donabelle
on Aunt Birch on
Ned
long dead, on old dead Elfred, on great-uncle George, on Brigit the Kildare maid that kindled the fires for Billy of Clonmor in the hortus of Iverna. On Joan the maid that keeled the pots beyond the beige doors at Mrs Jack Horners. Or on those Bright ones to whose particular cults they were dedicate.
On God the Father of Heaven because with Him there is neither wounding nor unwounding. On God the Word because by Him we know the wound and the salve, on God the Life Giver because His workings are never according to plan and because of the balm under His wing, and because of Him even the G. O. C. In C.'s division before the Mill can shine with the spendour of order. The Sanctifier and bright Lord who is glorious in operation, the dispositioner, the effector of all trans-substantiations, who sets the traverse wall according to the measure of the angel with the reed, who knows best how to gather his epiklesis from that open plain, who transmutes their cheerless blasphemy into a lover's word, who spoke by Balaam and by Balaam's ass, who spoke also by Sgt. Bullcock.
On the Lamb because He was slain.
On the Word seen by men because He could not carry the cross-beam of his stauros.
On the Son of Mary, because like Peredur, He left His Mother to go for a soldier, for he would be a miles too.
On Mary because of her secret piercing, and because, but for her pliant fiat mihi, no womb-burden to joust with the fiend in the list of Hierosolyma, in his fragile habergeon: HUMANA NATURA.
On the Angel in skins because the soldiers asked him a question.
On the key-man, the sword-bearer, because he lied to a nosey girl and warmed his hands at a corporal's brazier.
On the chosen three because they slept at their posts.
On the God of the philosophers who is not in the fire, but who can yet make fire.
On Enoch's shining companion who walks by your side like an intimate confedrate, who chooses suddenly, so that the bearers look in vain for your body, who takes you alive to be his perpetual friend.
On Abraham's God who conditions his vows, who elects his own, who plucks out by tribe and sub-tribe and gens and family.
On the Dux Pacis
Unben Ariel Fryn
Urrol arbennig of Uru-height
sine genealogia, with neither beginning of time
nor end of days, assimilatus autem Filio Dei
MELCHISEDEC Wledig, he who
two millenia before the Abendmahl
foretokened that Oblation made on dies Iovis
noswyl dow Gwener
the day he was to suffer
pridie the Ides of Mars
about the time when bough begins to frond
and stella's aconite brights holt-edge
where men axe down the Dreaming lignum
against tomorrow's Immolation
in the first month
of the Romulean year Ab Urbe Condita
seven hundred and eighty-four.
By Levite intercalation
the Eve of the Preparation Day of
the Feast of Transit
a Dies Magna of obligation
for the gens Iudaica.
Feria V (in Cena Domini) of the Great Week.
Twenty centuries of waste land back
this summus sacredos and Rex Salem
had foreshewn, under the same signa
of Ceres fractured, of
Liber made confluent with
this, thy creature of water
yn y Caregl Rhagorol.
On all the devices of the peoples, on all anointed stones. On fertile goddesses, that covering arbours might spring up on that open plain for poor maimed men to make their couches there.
On her that wept for a wounded palm that she got by a mortal spear – that she might salve a gaping groin that the race might not be without generation.
On the unknown God.
Each calling according to what breasts had fed them – for rite follows matriarchate when y'r brain-pans stove in.
David Jones, from The Book of Balaam's Ass in The Sleeping Lord and Other Fragments (1974)
that Creature of Water, or on
some creature of their own kind by name, as on
gentle Margaret on
Amy, on Gwenfrewi
on Bella on Donabelle
on Aunt Birch on
Ned
long dead, on old dead Elfred, on great-uncle George, on Brigit the Kildare maid that kindled the fires for Billy of Clonmor in the hortus of Iverna. On Joan the maid that keeled the pots beyond the beige doors at Mrs Jack Horners. Or on those Bright ones to whose particular cults they were dedicate.
On God the Father of Heaven because with Him there is neither wounding nor unwounding. On God the Word because by Him we know the wound and the salve, on God the Life Giver because His workings are never according to plan and because of the balm under His wing, and because of Him even the G. O. C. In C.'s division before the Mill can shine with the spendour of order. The Sanctifier and bright Lord who is glorious in operation, the dispositioner, the effector of all trans-substantiations, who sets the traverse wall according to the measure of the angel with the reed, who knows best how to gather his epiklesis from that open plain, who transmutes their cheerless blasphemy into a lover's word, who spoke by Balaam and by Balaam's ass, who spoke also by Sgt. Bullcock.
On the Lamb because He was slain.
On the Word seen by men because He could not carry the cross-beam of his stauros.
On the Son of Mary, because like Peredur, He left His Mother to go for a soldier, for he would be a miles too.
On Mary because of her secret piercing, and because, but for her pliant fiat mihi, no womb-burden to joust with the fiend in the list of Hierosolyma, in his fragile habergeon: HUMANA NATURA.
On the Angel in skins because the soldiers asked him a question.
On the key-man, the sword-bearer, because he lied to a nosey girl and warmed his hands at a corporal's brazier.
On the chosen three because they slept at their posts.
On the God of the philosophers who is not in the fire, but who can yet make fire.
On Enoch's shining companion who walks by your side like an intimate confedrate, who chooses suddenly, so that the bearers look in vain for your body, who takes you alive to be his perpetual friend.
On Abraham's God who conditions his vows, who elects his own, who plucks out by tribe and sub-tribe and gens and family.
On the Dux Pacis
Unben Ariel Fryn
Urrol arbennig of Uru-height
sine genealogia, with neither beginning of time
nor end of days, assimilatus autem Filio Dei
MELCHISEDEC Wledig, he who
two millenia before the Abendmahl
foretokened that Oblation made on dies Iovis
noswyl dow Gwener
the day he was to suffer
pridie the Ides of Mars
about the time when bough begins to frond
and stella's aconite brights holt-edge
where men axe down the Dreaming lignum
against tomorrow's Immolation
in the first month
of the Romulean year Ab Urbe Condita
seven hundred and eighty-four.
By Levite intercalation
the Eve of the Preparation Day of
the Feast of Transit
a Dies Magna of obligation
for the gens Iudaica.
Feria V (in Cena Domini) of the Great Week.
Twenty centuries of waste land back
this summus sacredos and Rex Salem
had foreshewn, under the same signa
of Ceres fractured, of
Liber made confluent with
this, thy creature of water
yn y Caregl Rhagorol.
On all the devices of the peoples, on all anointed stones. On fertile goddesses, that covering arbours might spring up on that open plain for poor maimed men to make their couches there.
On her that wept for a wounded palm that she got by a mortal spear – that she might salve a gaping groin that the race might not be without generation.
On the unknown God.
Each calling according to what breasts had fed them – for rite follows matriarchate when y'r brain-pans stove in.
David Jones, from The Book of Balaam's Ass in The Sleeping Lord and Other Fragments (1974)
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Nothing more to long for
After the Eucharist there is nothing more to long for, but we have to stay here and learn how we can preserve this treasure to the end.
St Nicholas Cabasilas, The Life in Christ iv.1, 4, 15
St Nicholas Cabasilas, The Life in Christ iv.1, 4, 15
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Venantius Fortunatus: On Pascha (abridged and adapted)
Hail, festival day, to be reverenced throughout the world, on which God
has conquered hell, and gains the stars! The changes of the year and of
the months, the bounteous light of the days, the splendour of the hours, all things with voice applaud. Hence, in honour of you, the wood with its foliage applauds; hence the vine, with its silent shoot, gives thanks. Hence the thickets now resound with the whisper of birds; amidst these the sparrow sings with exuberant love.
O Christ, Thou Saviour of the world, merciful Creator and Redeemer, the
only offspring from the Godhead of the Father, flowing in an indescribable manner from the heart of Thy Parent, Thou self-existing Word, and powerful from the mouth of Thy Father, equal to Him, of one mind with Him, His fellow, coeval with the Father, from whom at first the world derived its origin! Thou dost suspend the firmament, Thou heapest together the soil, Thou dost pour forth the seas, by whose government all things that are fixed in their places flourish.
Seeing that the human race was plunged in the depth of misery, that Thou
mightest rescue man, didst Thyself also become man: nor wert Thou willing only to be born with a body, but Thou becamest flesh, which endured to be born and to die. Thou dost undergo funeral obsequies, Thyself the author of life and framer of the world, Thou dost enter the path of death, in giving the aid of salvation. The gloomy chains of the infernal law yielded, and chaos feared to be pressed by the presence of the light. Darkness perishes, put to flight by the brightness of Christ; the thick pall of eternal night falls.
But restore the promised pledge, I pray Thee, O power benign! The third day has returned; arise, my buried One; it is not becoming that Thy limbs should lie in the lowly sepulchre, nor that worthless stones should press that which is the ransom of the world. It is unworthy that a stone should shut in with a confining rock, and cover Him in whose fist all things are enclosed. Take away the linen clothes, I pray; leave the napkins in the tomb: Thou art sufficient for us, and without Thee there is nothing.
has conquered hell, and gains the stars! The changes of the year and of
the months, the bounteous light of the days, the splendour of the hours, all things with voice applaud. Hence, in honour of you, the wood with its foliage applauds; hence the vine, with its silent shoot, gives thanks. Hence the thickets now resound with the whisper of birds; amidst these the sparrow sings with exuberant love.
O Christ, Thou Saviour of the world, merciful Creator and Redeemer, the
only offspring from the Godhead of the Father, flowing in an indescribable manner from the heart of Thy Parent, Thou self-existing Word, and powerful from the mouth of Thy Father, equal to Him, of one mind with Him, His fellow, coeval with the Father, from whom at first the world derived its origin! Thou dost suspend the firmament, Thou heapest together the soil, Thou dost pour forth the seas, by whose government all things that are fixed in their places flourish.
Seeing that the human race was plunged in the depth of misery, that Thou
mightest rescue man, didst Thyself also become man: nor wert Thou willing only to be born with a body, but Thou becamest flesh, which endured to be born and to die. Thou dost undergo funeral obsequies, Thyself the author of life and framer of the world, Thou dost enter the path of death, in giving the aid of salvation. The gloomy chains of the infernal law yielded, and chaos feared to be pressed by the presence of the light. Darkness perishes, put to flight by the brightness of Christ; the thick pall of eternal night falls.
But restore the promised pledge, I pray Thee, O power benign! The third day has returned; arise, my buried One; it is not becoming that Thy limbs should lie in the lowly sepulchre, nor that worthless stones should press that which is the ransom of the world. It is unworthy that a stone should shut in with a confining rock, and cover Him in whose fist all things are enclosed. Take away the linen clothes, I pray; leave the napkins in the tomb: Thou art sufficient for us, and without Thee there is nothing.
The Divine Liturgy is the most powerful means of pastoral service
The priestly service includes many responsibilities. The priest must satisfy all the requirements of his rank. They include the duties of teaching, spiritual guidance, missionary work, and divine service, taking care of the sick, prisoners, sorrowful, and many other things....
However, God can give or not give certain talents to a priest as to anyone. A priest may prove to be a poor speaker or incapable administrator of his parish, a dull instructor of the Holy Scripture. He can be an insensitive or even too demanding a confessor. He can be at a loss socially. But this will be forgiven him and will not blot out the worth of his spiritual work, if only he possesses a feeling for the Eucharist, if his main occupation is the stewardship of the Mysteries and service at the Divine Liturgy for the mystical union of himself and his flock to the body of Christ, for the sake of being partakers of the divine nature in the words of the Apostle Peter (2 Peter 1:4). A priest is given no greater authority or mystical means than this service to the Mystery of the Body and Blood of Christ. This must be the life's work of the priest.... Nowhere and by no method are prayer and spiritual expoit so realized in a priest as in the sacrament of the Eucharistic sacrifice....
The most spiritually compelling priests always took great joy in their celebration of the eucharistic service and its prayers...
Summing up what has been said about the pastoral gift, we must draw the following conclusion. A special gift is given to the pastor in the laying on of hands... the joyous responsibility of renewing and enlivening souls for the Kingdom of God. This renewal can be accomplished in part through a moral influence upon the personality of those guided, through compassionate love for the guilty, through a sympathetic encounter with their personalities, but, mainly, through the Eucharistic service and joining the faithful, through it, to the mysterious Body of the Church. Anyone beside a priest can influence a neighbour. A mother and educator can commiserate. A close friend can share one's sorrows. But the leading of the celebration of the Eucharist is the responsibility of the priest. The Divine Liturgy is the most powerful means of pastoral service... A priest must always remember that he is called to bring God's mysteries into the heart of the community... [this] is the most powerful means of pastoral influence through which to breing about the moral and mystical revival of the faithful and the parish.
Archimandrite Kyprian Kern, Orthodox Pastoral Service
However, God can give or not give certain talents to a priest as to anyone. A priest may prove to be a poor speaker or incapable administrator of his parish, a dull instructor of the Holy Scripture. He can be an insensitive or even too demanding a confessor. He can be at a loss socially. But this will be forgiven him and will not blot out the worth of his spiritual work, if only he possesses a feeling for the Eucharist, if his main occupation is the stewardship of the Mysteries and service at the Divine Liturgy for the mystical union of himself and his flock to the body of Christ, for the sake of being partakers of the divine nature in the words of the Apostle Peter (2 Peter 1:4). A priest is given no greater authority or mystical means than this service to the Mystery of the Body and Blood of Christ. This must be the life's work of the priest.... Nowhere and by no method are prayer and spiritual expoit so realized in a priest as in the sacrament of the Eucharistic sacrifice....
The most spiritually compelling priests always took great joy in their celebration of the eucharistic service and its prayers...
Summing up what has been said about the pastoral gift, we must draw the following conclusion. A special gift is given to the pastor in the laying on of hands... the joyous responsibility of renewing and enlivening souls for the Kingdom of God. This renewal can be accomplished in part through a moral influence upon the personality of those guided, through compassionate love for the guilty, through a sympathetic encounter with their personalities, but, mainly, through the Eucharistic service and joining the faithful, through it, to the mysterious Body of the Church. Anyone beside a priest can influence a neighbour. A mother and educator can commiserate. A close friend can share one's sorrows. But the leading of the celebration of the Eucharist is the responsibility of the priest. The Divine Liturgy is the most powerful means of pastoral service... A priest must always remember that he is called to bring God's mysteries into the heart of the community... [this] is the most powerful means of pastoral influence through which to breing about the moral and mystical revival of the faithful and the parish.
Archimandrite Kyprian Kern, Orthodox Pastoral Service
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
A, a, a, DOMINE DEUS
I said, Ah! what shall I write?
I enquired up and down
(He's tricked me before
with his manifold lurking-places.)
I looked for His symbol at the door.
I have looked for a long while
at the textures and contours.
I have run a hand over the trivial intersections.
I have journeyed among the dead forms
causation projects from pillar to pylon.
I have tired the eyes of the mind
regarding the colours and lights.
I have felt for His wounds
in nozzles and containers.
I have wondered for the automatic devices.
I have tested the inane patterns
without prejudice.
I have been on my guard
not to condemn the unfamiliar.
For it is easy to miss Him
at the turn of a civilisation.
I have watched the wheels go round in case I might see the living crea-
tures like the appearance of lamps, in case I might see the living God
projected from the machine. I have said to the perfected steel, be my sister
and for the glassy towers I thought I felt some beginnings of His creature,
but A,a,a, Domine Deus, my hands found the glazed work unrefined and the
terrible crystal a stage-paste.... Eia, Domine Deus.
David Jones, in The Sleeping Lord and Other Poems (1974)
I enquired up and down
(He's tricked me before
with his manifold lurking-places.)
I looked for His symbol at the door.
I have looked for a long while
at the textures and contours.
I have run a hand over the trivial intersections.
I have journeyed among the dead forms
causation projects from pillar to pylon.
I have tired the eyes of the mind
regarding the colours and lights.
I have felt for His wounds
in nozzles and containers.
I have wondered for the automatic devices.
I have tested the inane patterns
without prejudice.
I have been on my guard
not to condemn the unfamiliar.
For it is easy to miss Him
at the turn of a civilisation.
I have watched the wheels go round in case I might see the living crea-
tures like the appearance of lamps, in case I might see the living God
projected from the machine. I have said to the perfected steel, be my sister
and for the glassy towers I thought I felt some beginnings of His creature,
but A,a,a, Domine Deus, my hands found the glazed work unrefined and the
terrible crystal a stage-paste.... Eia, Domine Deus.
David Jones, in The Sleeping Lord and Other Poems (1974)
Offertory
O Lord, our God, who hast created us and brought us into this life; who hast shown us the ways to salvation, and bestowed on us the revelation of heavenly mysteries: Thou art the One who has appointed us to this service in the power of Thy Holy Spirit. Therefore, O Lord, enable us to be ministers of Thy New Covenant and servants of Thy holy Mysteries. Thorough the greatness of Thy mercy, accept us as we draw near to Thy holy altar, so that we may be worthy to offer to Thee this reasonable and bloodless sacrifice for our sins and for the errors of Thy people. Having received it upon Thy holy, heavenly and noetic altar as a sweet spiritual fragrance, send down upon us in return the grace of Thy Holy Spirit. Look down on us, O God, and behold this our service. Receive it as Thou didst receive the gifts of Abel, the sacrifices of Noah, the whole burnt offerings of Abraham, the priestly offices of Moses and Aaron, and the peace offerings of Samuel. Even as Thou didst receive from Thy holy apostles this true worship, so now, in Thy goodness, accept these gifts from the hands of us sinners, O Lord; that having been accounted worthy to serve without offence at Thy holy altar, we may receive the reward of wise and faithful stewards on the awesome day of Thy just retribution.
Liturgy of St Basil
Liturgy of St Basil
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