Friends, Our Salvation and Redemption begin now. Please post your favourite art, music, and poetry related - as best you think - to the institution of the most holy memorial, remembrance, and thanksgiving of our Lord's Eucharist. I invite everyone to keep a silent, solemn, prayerful attitude in the next three days. Let our mortal controversies cease in this sacred Triduum - this One Day in Three - for the love of Christ and one another. Let all mortal flesh keep silence and stand with fear and trembling, and lift itself above all earthly thought. For the King of kings and Lord of lords, Christ our God, comes forth to be our oblation, and to be given for Food to the faithful. Before Him come the choirs of angels with every principality and power; the Cherubim with many eyes, and wingèd Seraphim, who veil their faces as they shout exultingly the hymn: Alleluia!
There is much to remember this sacred day and night: the servile washing of feet by the Master, the New Commandment to Love one another and all, the institution of the memorial of His blesséd sacrifice, and the beauty of the Perfect First & Last Adam revealed in the intimacy of a final supper with fallen humanity. Approach with fear & trembling to the Lord's Supper tonight, if you are able to go anywhere it is offered. George Herbert: Love III Love bade me welcome, yet my soul drew back, Guilty of dust and sin. But quick-ey'd Love, observing me grow slack From my first entrance in, Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning If I lack'd anything. "A guest," I answer'd, "worthy to be here"; Love said, "You shall be he." "I, the unkind, the ungrateful? ah my dear, I cannot look on thee." Love took my hand and smiling did reply, "Who made the eyes but I?" "Truth, Lord, but I have marr'd them; let my shame Go where it doth deserve." "And know you not," says Love, "who bore the blame?" "My dear, then I will serve." "You must sit down," says Love, "and taste my meat." So I did sit and eat.
Since this is the day the Lord instituted our most Christian celebration, worship, and divine service in the Eucharist, it seems right to post this poem, also by Herbert: The Holy Communion “Not in rich furniture, or fine array, Nor in a wedge of gold, Thou, who for me wast sold, To me dost now thy self convey; For so thou should’st without me still have been, Leaving within me sin: But by the way of nourishment and strength Thou creep’st into my breast Making thy way my rest, And thy small quantities my length; Which spread their forces into every part, Meeting sin's force and art. Yet can these not get over to my soul, Leaping the wall that parts Our souls and fleshy hearts; But as th’ outworks, they may control My rebel-flesh, and carrying thy name, Affright both sin and shame. Onley thy grace, which with these elements comes, Knoweth the ready way, And hath the privie key, Op’ning the souls most subtile rooms; While those to spiritis refin’d, at door attend Dispatches from their friend. Give me my captive soul, or take My body also thither. Another lift like this will make Them both to be together. Before that sin turn’d flesh to stone, And all our lump to leaven; A fervent sigh might well have blown Our innocent earth to heaven. Thou hast restor’d us to this ease By this thy heav’nly bloud; Which I can go to, when I please, And leave th’earth to their food.”
Anima Christi, anon. 14th century, metrically translated into English as "Soul of my Saviour"... Look to the Last Supper not only as the intimate final meal with His Disciples, but the promise of Redemption by His most precious blood. Soul of my Savior sanctify my breast, Body of Christ, be thou my saving guest, Blood of my Savior, bathe me in thy tide, wash me with waters gushing from thy side. Strength and protection may thy passion be, O blessèd Jesus, hear and answer me; deep in thy wounds, Lord, hide and shelter me, so shall I never, never part from thee. Guard and defend me from the foe malign, in death's dread moments make me only thine; call me and bid me come to thee on high where I may praise thee with thy saints for ay.
On the solemn Night of the Passover, the Seder that was celebrated for the final time in human history included Psalms 113-118, the "Hallel". One of them may well be the "hymn" sung by the Apostles before they went to the Mount of Olives. If you can do nothing else tonight, pray these psalms with our Lord, knowing He Himself sang aloud to God in our frail human body. Recall that Psalm 116:3 says "I shall find trouble and heaviness, and I shall call upon the name of the Lord: O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul" the Lord Jesus sang this for us before heading out to begin the Holy Salvation. 116:10: "I will receive the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord". What a glorious supper and commemoration of LOVE. Here is one of the Praise Psalms, 114, in Anglican chant. It is particularly germane to our celebration of redemption from Sin because of its allegory with Israel's exodus from Egypt.
1 Jesu, thou joy of loving hearts! Thou Fount of life! Thou Light of men! From the best bliss that earth imparts We turn unfilled to Thee again. 2 Thy truth unchanged hath ever stood; Thou savest those that on Thee call; To them that seek Thee, Thou art good, To them that find Thee, all in all. 3 We taste Thee, O Thou living Bread! And long to feast upon Thee still; We drink of Thee, the Fountain Head, And thirst from Thee our souls to fill. 4 Our restless spirits yearn for Thee, Where'er our changeful lot is cast; Glad when Thy gracious smile we see, Blest when our faith can hold Thee fast. 5 O Jesu, ever with us stay! Make all our moments calm and bright! Chase the dark night of sin away! Shed o'er the world Thy holy light! (Bernard of Clairvaux, trans Ray Palmer)
There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins; And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains. Lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains; And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains. The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day; And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away. Washed all my sins away, washed all my sins away; And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away. Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood shall never lose its power Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more. Be saved, to sin no more, be saved, to sin no more; Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more. E’er since, by faith, I saw the stream Thy flowing wounds supply, Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die. And shall be till I die, and shall be till I die; Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die. When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave. Then in a nobler, sweeter song, I’ll sing Thy power to save, I’ll sing Thy power to save,I’ll sing Thy power to save, Then in a nobler, sweeter song, I’ll sing Thy power to save, Lord, I believe Thou hast prepared, unworthy though I be, For me a blood bought free reward, a golden harp for me! ’Tis strung and tuned for endless years, and formed by power divine, To sound in God the Father’s ears no other name but Thine. (William Cowper) I find the second and third verses especially moving