Christ is Born!

He who holds the whole creation in the hollow of His hand today is born of the Virgin.
He whom in essence none can touch is wrapped in swaddling clothes as a mortal.
God who in the beginning founded the heavens lies in a manger.
He who rained manna down on the people in the wilderness is fed on milk from His Mother’s breast.
He who is the Bridegroom of the Church calls unto Himself the Magi.
The Son of the Virgin accepts their gifts.
We worship Thy birth, O Christ.
Show us also Thy divine Theophany.

-The Eve of the Nativity, from the hymns of the Ninth Hour

Memory Eternal

We said memorial prayers at Vespers last night for Archbishop Job, who died two years ago today. He is greatly missed in our diocese.

Wangerin Gets It Right

right here.

Psalm 130

While on my way to work the other day, I listened to a recording I have heard a hundred gazillion times, John Rutter's Requiem. The whole work is beautiful, but on that particular day, this musical movement and even the Psalm itself came to my ears as if I'd never heard it before.

Out of the deep have I called unto thee, O Lord:

Lord, hear my voice.

O let thine ears consider well:

the voice of my complaint.

If thou, Lord, wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss:

O Lord, who may abide it?

For there is mercy with thee:

therefore shalt thou be feared.

I look for the Lord; my soul doth wait for him:

and in his word is my trust.

My soul fleeth unto the Lord:

before the morning watch,

I say, before the morning watch.

O Israel, trust in the Lord,

for with the Lord there is mercy:

and with him is plenteous redemption.

And he shall redeem Israel: from all his sins.

Also fascinating to hear this brief presentation by the composer about his arrangement of this Psalm:

A Thought on 9/11/11

While I was glad that we remembered in prayer at church today those who died ten years ago at the hands of religious fanatics, the families of those who died, and those who were wounded in that incident, it made me a little sad that we did not also pray for those non-American innocents who have died at our hands since that day, because of that tragedy.

Lord, have mercy ... on them all ... and on us.

Help Wanted

Two shy, black, 1 year old Australians (Australorps) and one 3 year old, pushy, blonde American (Buff Orpington) seek to add two workers to their diverse, all-girl production operation in the northern metro area of the Twin Cities, MN.
Candidates will be females, 5-7 months old, calm and good-natured, have a sense of humor, and be self-starters. No experience or training necessary. Preference will be given to those candidates who are clean, disease and parasite-free, well-groomed and in possession of at least most of their feathers.
Compensation includes board and room in semi-private, clean, dry, apartment for one month, then board and room in a shared, comfortable NS, ND house with small yard for life.
Sorry, no roosters.


We are interviewing a couple of promising candidates from Cannon Falls this afternoon.

So We Built It!

Well, actually my brother built it. I just spent the morning holding "this," handing him "that," and finding his pencil, which he couldn't ever find when he set it down. But all in all, I'd say he did a very respectable job and this should provide a fine home for a couple of new girls for a month. All we have to do is find a couple of residents.