The fast, as taught by holy lore,
We keep in solemn course once more;
The fast to all men known, and bound
In forty days of yearly round.

The laws and seers that were of old
In diverse ways this Lent foretold,
Which Christ, all seasons’ King and Guide,
In after ages sanctified.

More sparing therefore let us make
The words we speak, the food we take,
Our sleep and mirth, and closer barred
Be every sense in holy guard.

In prayer together let us fall,
And cry for mercy, one and all,
And weep before the Judge’s feet,
And his avenging wrath entreat.

Thy grace have we offended sore,
By sins, O God, which we deplore;
But pour upon us from on high,
O pardoning One, Thy clemency.

Remember Thou, though frail we be,
That yet Thine handiwork are we;
Nor let the honor of Thy name
Be by another put to shame.

Forgive the sin that we have wrought;
Increase the good that we have sought;
That we at length, our wanderings o’er,
May please Thee here and evermore.

We pray Thee, Holy Trinity,
One God, unchanging Unity,
That we from this our abstinence
May reap the fruits of penitence.
Amen.

_________

Ex more docti mystico, 6th century, trans. by J.M. Neale.
*An excerpt from The Brotherhood Prayer Book.

“Among the early Christians the holy season of Lent was a season of devotion and prayer, and it was spent in special meditations upon the sufferings of Jesus. This custom is observed among Christians to this day. While Satan has induced the children of the world to enter upon the season of Lent, not with prayer and devotion, but with drunkenness, masquerades, gluttony, dissipation, and wickedness, whereby they show that they care nothing for the crucified Jesus Christ, and trample His blood under foot, the children of God have a different spirit: they regard these things with horror.

1. They begin this season with prayer and singing, thus preparing their hearts for the contemplation of the suffering of Jesus.
2. They place before their eyes the entire passion of Jesus: Jesus in Gethsemene, before the council of the Jews, before the judgment-seat of Pilate, upon Golgotha, and on the cross; and while contemplating each detail, they say: All this was done for me!
3. While instituting these sacred meditations at home and at church, they do not rest satisfied with the mere history of these events, nor do they allow their devotion to vanish with the passing of Lent; but since they intend to draw comfort from the wounds of Jesus throughout the time of their life, and also in their dying hour, they remember the crucified and risen Jesus as long as they live.
4. This rememberence prompts them to crucify their lusts and desires, causing them to live no longer after the manner of the world, or to sin purposely, but to die unto sin, and to rise spiritually. God blesses such diligence, zeal, and desire for the sanctification of their lives.

________________

*an excerpt from Starck’s Prayer Book, Exhortation on Entering upon the Holy Season of Lent

And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto Him, and asked him, saying: What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? And he made answer: Lord, that I may receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight, thy faith hath saved thee: And immediately he received his sight and followed Him, glorifying God.

–An excerpt from The Brotherhood Prayer Book, corresponding with this Sunday’s Gospel reading: Luke 18: 31-43.

The Magnificat is the chief hymn for the order of Vespers. Mary’s Song has always held a special place in the worship of the Church. She, a type of the Church, gives voice to the community of saints that have the indwelliing of Christ by faith. The Magnificat’s antiphon carries the weekly theme as it is contained in Sunday’s Gospel text. We are providing the Antiphon for your devotional edification, so that you can add the Magnificat to your weekly devotion and echo the theme for the week.

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Collect: O Lord, we beseech Thee: mercifully hear our prayers, and, having set us free from the bonds of sin, defend us from all evil; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost: ever one God, world without end. Amen.

The season of Lent is a particular time of repentance for Christians. Ash Wednesday represents the beginning of a forty-day journey into the wilderness that ends with Jesus leading us into the promised land of heaven by His perfect death and sacrifice. In baptism, our Lord Jesus Christ began in us a living faith, and we return to the promise of our baptism every time we confess our sins and receive forgiveness. Thus the purpose of a Beichtspiegel is to help us reflect upon our individual sins and lead us to the soothing balm of the absolution. True repentance is both sorrow over sin and faith in Christ’s forgiveness.

A Beichtspiegel helps us to consider our sins according to the Ten Commandments. As stated in its introduction:

The Small Catechism urges us to consider our place in life according to the Ten Commandments. The Commandments act as a mirror to reflect our sinful thoughts, words, and deeds. This honest reflection, on account of God’s holy Word working in us, will bear the fruit of repentance. In private confession and absolution we repent before our pastor of those sins which we know and feel in our heart, and he, in turn, grants us Christ’s forgiveness individually.

Examining ourselves is not merely for the purpose of causing shame over our wretched sinfulness, but to focus us on the only source of comfort: Jesus. It is forgiveness that we Christians seek, not a perfect and exhaustive confession. Yet when we are able to better understand and articulate in what ways and how often we sin, the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross becomes a necessary and most precious thing.

After confessing the guilt of our trespasses against the Ten Commandments, the Beichtspiegel then closes with a clear proclamation of Christ’s grace and mercy:

Do I believe that my sins are serious in the eyes of God and believe that Jesus Christ died for all of my sins and gives forgiveness to me through His Word and through the Sacraments?

If you believe this, my dear brother or sister in Christ, then come and unburden your conscience before your pastor who has been placed in the stead of Jesus for your comfort. Your confession does not need to be perfect, for the Absolution that Jesus gives is.

May your meditation upon Christ’s suffering and death be to you a consolation and source of strength this Lenten season.

**Through Lent, we are also offering a 20% off sale on The Brotherhood Prayer Book, the BPB Text Edition, and the accompanying CD with over 450 tracks of Gregorian chant. The Brotherhood Prayer Book includes the Beichtspiegel along with services for the day (Matins, Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vepsers, and Compline), the entire Psalter, and daily propers.

Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables, said Jesus unto His disciples. 

–An excerpt from The Brotherhood Prayer Book, corresponding with this Sunday’s Gospel reading: Luke 8:4-15. 

The Magnificat is the chief hymn for the order of Vespers. Mary’s Song has always held a special place in the worship of the Church. She, a type of the Church, gives voice to the community of saints that have the indwelliing of Christ by faith. The Magnificat’s antiphon carries the weekly theme as it is contained in Sunday’s Gospel text. We are providing the Antiphon for your devotional edification, so that you can add the Magnificat to your weekly devotion and echo the theme for the week.

________________

Collect: O God, who seest that we put not our trust in anything that we do: mercifully grant that by Thy power, we may be defended against all adversity; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost: ever one God, world without end.  Amen.

The householder saith unto the labourers, Why stand ye here all the day idle?  They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us.  Go ye also into the vineyard: and whatsoever is right, I will give you.

–An excerpt from The Brotherhood Prayer Book, corresponding with this Sunday’s Gospel reading: Matthew 20:1-16.

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Collect: O Lord, we beseech Thee: favorably to hear the prayers of Thy people, that we, who are justly punished for our offenses, may be mercifully delivered by Thy goodness, for the glory of Thy name; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost: ever one God, world without end.  Amen.

Let every age proclaimer be
How, on this day, the chosen three
With Moses and Elias heard
The Lord speak many a gracious word.

As witnesses to grace are nigh
Those twain, the Law and Prophecy;
And to the Son, from out the cloud,
The Father’s record thunders loud.

With garments whiter than the snows,
And shining face, Lord Jesus shows
What glory for those saints shall be
Who joy in God with piety.

The vision and the mystery
Make faithful hearts beat quick and high,
So on this solemn day of days
The cry goes up of prayer and praise.

O God the Father, God the Son,
And Holy Spirit, Three in One,
Vouchsafe to bring us, by Thy grace,
To see Thy glory face to face. Amen.

—————

Caelestis formam gloriae, 15th century, translated by R. E. Roberts

William Loehe, Seed-Grains of Prayer, #266

Our new Christmas cards have now arrived and are ready for shipment.  Visit our Christmas cards page to have a closer look at the cover art and inside text as well as details about the price and other specifics.

In addition to the gorgeous artwork and the joyous confession of our Savior’s birth, there is a fascinating historical backdrop, as is stated in the introduction to these cards:

“The beautiful artwork on our Christmas cards comes from the Imperial Cathedral of Speyer, Germany. These Nazarene-style frescos were painted in the cathedral’s interior walls in the mid-1800s by Johann von Schraudolph at the behest of King Ludwig I of Bavaria. The city of Speyer is significant in Reformation history; adherents of the Reformation were first called Protestants when they protested the Holy Roman Empire’s ban against Martin Luther and his teachings at an Imperial Diet in Speyer in 1529.”

Additionally, because we have found a marvelous local printer here in Fort Wayne, we are able to offer a reasonable price for these Christmas cards as well as reduce the price on the
other cards we offer.  Take a look at our other cards, which are offered individually, and add a few to your order.  We offer a variety of fresco and stained glass notecards, an Easter card, and Baptism cards in both German and English.

(Originally posted on November 11, 2011)