EASTER SUNDAY 2007
HE IS RISEN AS HE SAID!
I will lift up mine eyes unto the mountains: From whence shall my help come? My help shall come from the Lord who made heaven and earth
Psalm 121
Looking towards sunrise over the Bavarian Alps from St Ottilien
Spring is on the way in St Ottilien
A VERY HAPPY AND HOLY EASTER TO YOU ALL
Easter Sunday readings
The Bells of St Ottilien in Bavaria
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Translation of short commentary during the ringing of the Kluniazenerluten - Pealing of Cluny
Regina Caeli
Queen of heaven rejoice! alleluia:
For He whom thou didst merit to bear, alleluia,
Hath arisen as he said, alleluia.
Pray for us to God, alleluia.
V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.
R. Because the Lord is truly risen, alleluia.
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Courtesy of the Benedictine Monks of the Abbey of St Maurice & St Maur, Clervaux from the 1950s.
A PERSONAL THOUGHT & REMINISCENCE
Today I think back to the happy days at St Pats Church Hill in Sydney some 20 odd years ago.
I loved my choir and we all became good friends and a real little community within this historic Australian parish. Our former organist fell in love with one of our sopranos and is happily married with a family today. The shrine of St Patricks Church Hill is truly the spiritual centre of the Rocks and CBD of Sydney.
St Pats by night
It is a spiritual oasis for those on their lunch break, with permanent exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, masses and confessions going on for most of the day. Id love to say a prayer today for the whole Marist pastoral team and community at St Pats this Easter.
The photos from the parish website used of St Patricks Church Hill gratefully acknowledged.
MUSIC TO HELP US ON OUR WAY
The ResurrectionSymphony No2 final movement
by Gustav MahlerClick Here to Download (download will take several minutes I suggest you put on the kettle for a cuppa as we say in Australia!)
I hope you enjoy the final movement of this great Symphony of Gustav Mahler the text of the first eight lines were taken from the ode Aufersteh'n- Rise by Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock. Mahler omitted the final four lines of this ode and wrote the rest himself (beginning at "O glaube - o believe"). Id suggest this is a piece to listen to at sunset in the peace and quiet of a lovely golden Australian afternoon.
I think this poem says it all for us this Easter:
Rise again, yes, you shall rise again,
my dust, after brief rest!
Immortal life
will be given by Him who called you!
You are sown to bloom again.
The Lord of the harvest goes
and gathers sheaves of us,
who have died.
O believe, my heart, believe:
Nothing is lost to you!
All you have desired is yours, yes, yours!
Yours, what you have loved and fought for!
O believe, you were not born in vain!
You have not lived or suffered in vain!
All that is created must perish.
All that has perished rises again.
Cease trembling!
Prepare to live!
O Pain, all-pervading,
I have escaped from you!
O Death, all-conquering,
now you are conquered!
With wings which I have won
In loves ardent striving,
I shall soar upwards
to the light which no eye has penetrated!
I shall die in order to live!
Rise again, yes, you shall rise again,
my heart, in an instant!
Your beating
shall lead you to God!
Gustav Mahler biography
FOR OUR NIGHT PRAYER
Salve Regina
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Eia, ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte. Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.
O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria. Amen.
HAIL holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us. And after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Amen.
The Salve Regina or Hail Holy Queen is the final hymn sung throughout the Churchs history in all cloisters at Compline or night prayer. To conclude our reflections over these special three days I would like to share with you, the Missionary Benedictine Monks of St Ottilien singing the beautiful Salve Regina in their abbey church of St Ottilien.
The last five days have been an enriching spiritual experience for me and I would like to thank all our discussion board members who have taken the time to read and listen to these reflections. I would especially like to thank Christopher, our administrator, for his kind permission to post my reflections.
Gute Nacht von St Ottilien.
