The little old lady laughs like a little girl, going On with the tale of this and that happy day. Says the little old lady, “Oh, what times were they When I fell in love without Grandmother’s knowing!” The little old lady is a little rogue, showing A malicious twinkle in the depths of her eyes. How distinct the silver of her hair one descries Against the caramel-tinted skin glowing.
The little old lady forgets how dull or shady Life may be; and the wrinkles laugh over her face. Sweet tremors through her blessed old body race: And my dear looks at me and I look at my dear, And we laugh, and we laugh . . . all the while we hear The white history of the loves of the little old lady.
-Manuel Magallanes Moure (1878-1924) Chile Translated by Muna Lee
“I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape – the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter. Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn’t show.”
The service of Royal Hours of Theophany, which we prayed this evening as part of the forefeast of baptism of Christ, is so rich; it “brings the mind into the heart,” as we say. We read and sang several Old Testament readings, as many Epistle and Gospel Readings, and many Psalms chosen for the feast. When I came home afterward I found the liturgical texts online, hoping to hold on to the “afterglow” a little longer. Tomorrow we will continue our celebration of this major feast, on through the 7th.
Here are a very few portions of the service:
To the voice of one crying in the wilderness, “Prepare the way of the Lord,” Thou didst come, O Lord, taking the form of servant. Thou didst ask to be baptized though Thou hast no knowledge of sin. The waters saw Thee and were afraid. The Forerunner trembled and cried aloud: “How will the Lamp illumine the Light? How will a servant lay his hand on the Master? Thou takest away the sin of the world, O Savior. Sanctify both me and the waters!”
From the Psalter of Eleanor of Aquitaine, c. 1185
The Father bore witness to Thee, and the Divine Spirit in the form of a dove descended to Thee, as Thou camest in flesh to the Jordan, O Lord. Thou didst desire to be baptized in human form, that in Thy compassion Thou mightest enlighten us who have gone astray, and deliver us from all the snares and wiles of the Dragon. Make Thy home in our souls, O Thou Who lovest mankind.
Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.
Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth.
Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.
Isaiah 12:3-6
Ethiopia
Titus 3
4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
The first lines of the carol “Gabriel’s Message” take my imagination straight up to Heaven, and down again to the encounter the Virgin Mary had with the Angel Gabriel. This song of the Annunciation I heard for the first time a couple of years ago. Nowadays, if I so much as think about it once in the morning, or often even without consciously bringing it to mind, it plays in my head all day, beautifully, joyously.
In looking for a YouTube video of it to share here, I found that I don’t like the ones in which boys’ choirs are singing sweetly bird-like. It seems a strong man’s voice should speak the message of the first two stanzas, which come from Gabriel.
This version is my all around favorite, in which a choir sings in lower registers.
This man singing solois my favorite manly rendition. I like the way he sings it straight, and the only way I’d improve on it is to not have to look at him as the performer.
I was interested to see that there aren’t many icons or paintings of Gabriel in which his wings look anything like drifted snow. In fact, the image of drifted snow doesn’t evoke the idea of the strength that would be necessary for the swift messenger of God we know an angel to be. In many paintings Gabriel’s wings look very powerful, and poised to be in flight in an instant, at the next word from God. But the phrase does make me think of purity, and certainly the scene of fresh snow is somewhat other-worldly.
Angels do not have any inherent form; they are spiritual beings who only take on human-like form in order to be seen by those who are given the spiritual eyes to see. We don’t have a record of how the Archangel Gabriel appeared to the eyes of the Virgin, but we do know his message:
GABRIEL’S MESSAGE
1 The angel Gabriel from heaven came, his wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame; “All hail,” said he to meek and lowly Mary, “most highly favored maiden.” Gloria!
2 “I come from heav’n to tell the Lord’s decree: a blessed virgin mother you shall be. Your Son shall be Immanuel, by seers foretold, most highly favored maiden.” Gloria!
3 Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head; “To me be as it pleases God,” she said. “My soul shall laud and magnify his holy name.” Most highly favored maiden, Gloria!
4 Of her, Immanuel, the Christ, was born In Bethlehem, all on a Christmas morn, and Christian folk throughout the world will ever say, “Most highly favored maiden.” Gloria!
