Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Higher up and farther in



Hey all, my innernet allotment is just about spent for the month. Can't re-charge until the 25th so I'll be mainly off until July or so.

I woke up this morning at five thirty, and knew that the time for fooling around is up. I've been given a sort of reprieve, from cancer, from the consequences of my sins etc. and I have been instructed that I am not to waste it.

Sang Laudes this morning and toddled off to Mass. I had a sort of a ... thing ... this morning at Mass. First time I've been to a weekday Mass in ages. I just can't keep kidding myself that wasting time on the net is anything other than a vice, plainly put. I'll pop in now and then, but things are mainly slowing down for the time being.

I leave you with this: a psalm that seems to encapsulate a whole programme of life

How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts!
My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.
Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God.
Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.
Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.
Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.
They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.
O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah.
Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed.
For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.

In other words, you can't get to Aslan's Country by staying on this side of the door.



~

4 comments:

Mark said...

Forgive me, I know this might seem out of topic, but what book do you use to recite the divine office? I remember way back that you recommended and had a link to an english version of the 1955 (?) breviary for sale, but I don't remember or have the link saved. Just wondering as I want to take up the more ancient form, currently saying saying the modern one.

Thanks.

James C. said...

Dear Mark,

I myself am grateful to pray the traditional Benedictine Office. I've had a Monastic Diurnal (all the hours except Matins) published by St Michael's Abbey in Farnborough, England, since about 2007 and it has held up wonderfully after many rough trips in my trouser pocket!

Buy it from monks. If you're in Europe, try Farnborough's abbey shop:

http://www.theabbeyshop.com/product_info.php?products_id=745

If you're in America, buy it from the Clear Creek Benedictines:

http://www.clearcreekmonks.org/_product/monastic-diurnal-liturgical-book.html

If you're in Italy, go to Norcia and buy it from the monks there (they don't have an online shop).

An added advantage: The Benedictines of Norcia and of Le Barroux both pipe part of their daily Office online. What better than to sing the Office with actual traditional Benedictines?

http://osbnorcia.org/en/category/audio

http://barrouxchant.com/

Mark said...

Thank you!

Anonymous said...

Oh Hilly,
I'm going to miss you! Hurry back.

A.R.