Tag: 4th Century

A Canticle of Christ (1)

resurrection-carl-heinrich-bloch

Christ Jesus,
the true Word,
eternal God,
born of a virgin,
tender shoot from the stump of Jesse,
blessed Lamb,
by him souls were set free,
through his blood all were redeemed,
the earth rejoiced because the enemy departed,
death of death,
hell’s destruction,
you gave freedom to your new creation
that rejoices to call you Master.
Jesus, Lamb of God,
you forgive the sins of the world.
We call on your holy name.

Source: Greek Papyrus Fragment, Cairo Museum, Fourth Century

Source of this version: The New Archaeological Discoveries and their Bearing upon the New Testament by Camdem McCormick Cobern, Funk & Wagnalls Company, 1918, p. 292

Text gaps freely reconstructed by Paul C. Stratman.

“Christ Jesus, the true Word, the God of eternity” is a reference to John 1:1

“born of a virgin” is a reference to Isaiah 7:14 and Luke 1:34

“a tender shoot” is a reference to Isaiah 53:2

“Stump of Jesse” is a reference to Isaiah 11:1

“through his blood” is a reference to 1 Peter 1:19

“death of death, hell’s destruction” on p. 293 of The New Archaeological Discoveries… a similar prayer has the phrase, “the one that has abolished death and the grave (Hades).” The phrase “death of death…” is from the hymn “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah” by William Williams.

“new creation” is a reference to 2 Corinthians 5:17

“Lamb of God” is a reference to John 1:29

Text as it reads in The New Archaeological Discoveries and their Bearing upon the New Testament  without gaps reconstructed:

Christ…
the true Word,
the God of eternity
…
the blessed Lamb,
by him souls were set free
through his blood …
the earth rejoiced because the enemy departed
…
You gave freedom to the creation
that asked for a Master.
Jesus, you …
forgive sins …
we call on your holy name.

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“A Canticle of Christ” from a Greek Papyrus Fragment as reconstructed by Paul C. Stratman is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Please contact for any commercial usage.

O Single, Unequaled Mystery

800px-mathis_gothart_grc3bcnewald_007It is truly good and right
that we should give thanks to you, Lord God,
through Jesus Christ your Son,
who, being God eternal,
was pleased to become fully human for our salvation.

O single, unequaled Mystery of our Savior!
For he, being one and the same,
God most high, and perfect Man,
both supreme High Priest and most sacred Sacrifice,
according to his divine power created all things,
and according to his human condition delivered man.
By virtue of his Sacrifice he atoned for those stained by sin,
in right of his priesthood he reconciled those alienated from God.

O single, unequaled Mystery of redemption
by which those ancient wounds
were healed by the Lord’s new medicine,
and the judgment passed before on the first man
was lifted by the gifts of our Savior.

In self-indulgence Adam reached his hands to the tree.
In loving patience Christ fixed his hands to the cross.
Therefore the punishment borne by innocence
became the freedom of the debtor,
for debts are remitted to debtors
paid by him who owed nothing.

Source: Ancient Gallican Missal, freely modified from  Ancient Collects, ed. William Bright p, 41#1

 

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After the Holy Communion

We thank you, O God and Father of Jesus our Savior,
for your holy name,
which you have made to dwell among us;
and that knowledge
of faith, love, and immortality which you have given us
through your Son Jesus.
O Almighty Lord,
God of the universe,
by your Son
you have created the world,
and all that is in it.
You have planted your law in our souls,
and prepared things to provide for our needs.
O God of our holy and blameless fathers,
Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob,
your faithful servants,
God powerful, faithful and true,
you are faithful to all your promises.
You sent Jesus your Christ to live with men on earth as a man,
when he was God the Word,
and man to take away error by the roots.
For his sake, remember this, your holy Church,
which you have purchased with the precious blood of your Christ,
and deliver it from all evil,
and perfect it in your love and your truth,
and gather us all together into your kingdom which you have prepared.
Let this your kingdom come. Amen.

Source: Apostolic Constitutions

Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Early Church, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1953

 

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For the Holy Communion

We thank you, our Father,
for that life which you have made known to us by Jesus your Son,
by whom you made all things,
and take care of the whole world.
You sent him to become man for our salvation.
You allowed him to suffer and to die.
You raised him up,
glorified him,
and have set him at your right hand,
and in him you have promised us the resurrection of the dead.
O Lord Almighty, eternal God,
gather together your Church from the ends of the earth into your kingdom,
as grain was once scattered,
and now has become one loaf.
Our Father,
we also thank you for the precious blood of Jesus Christ,
which was shed for us,
and for his precious body,
as himself appointed us,
“to proclaim his death.”
For through him glory is to be given to you forever. Amen.

Source: Apostolic Constitutions

Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Early Church, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1953

 

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For a Safe Voyage

Blessed are all your saints, my God and King,
who have travelled over the tempestuous sea of mortality,
and have at last made the desired port of peace and happiness.
Be gracious to us who are still in our dangerous voyage.
Remember and help us in our distress,
and remember those who are exposed
to the rough storms of troubles and temptations.
Strengthen our weakness,
that we may fight valiantly in this spiritual war.
Help us fight against our own negligence and cowardice,
and defend us from the treachery of our unfaithful hearts.
We are very frail,
and unable to carry out any virtuous and gallant undertaking.
Grant, O Lord, that we may bring our vessel safe to shore,
to our desired haven. Amen.

Source: Augustine of Hippo

Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Early Church, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1953

 

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For Mercy and Grace

O God, our true Life,
in whom and by whom all things live,
you command us to seek you,
and you are ready to be found.
You command us to knock,
and open when we do so.
To know you is life,
to serve you is freedom,
to enjoy you is a kingdom,
to praise you is the joy and happiness of the soul.
I praise, bless, and adore you,
I worship you, I glorify you, I give thanks to you for your great glory.
I humbly ask you to remain with me,
to reign in me,
to make my heart your holy temple,
a fit habitation for your Divine majesty.
Maker and Preserver of all things, visible and invisible,
preserve the work of your own hands,
your people who trust in your mercy alone for safety and protection.
Guard me with the power of your grace,
here and in all places,
now and at all times, forevermore. Amen.

Source: Augustine of Hippo

Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Early Church, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1953

 

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For More Love

Most merciful God,
descend into my soul,
which you prepared for your reception
by the desire you breathed into it.
Before ever I cried to you,
you, most Merciful,
you called and sought me,
that I might find you,
and finding you, love you.
Even so I sought and found you, Lord,
and desire to love you.
Increase my desire,
and grant me what I ask.
See, I love you, but too little.
Strengthen my love.
When my spirit aspires to you,
and meditates on your unspeakable goodness,
the burden of the flesh becomes less heavy,
the tumult of thought is stilled,
the weight of mortality is less oppressive.
Then my soul would find wings,
and my spirit rise in tireless flight
upwards to your glorious throne,
and there be filled with the refreshing solace
that belongs to the citizens of heaven. Amen.

Source: Augustine of Hippo

Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Early Church, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1953

 

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For Perfect Light

O holy and unspeakable,
wonderful and mighty God,
your power and wisdom have no end.
Before you all powers tremble,
at your glance the heavens and the earth flee away.
You are Love,
you are my Father,
and I will love and worship you forever and ever!

You have shown pity on me,
and a ray from your light has shone on mine inward eye.
Guide me into the perfect light,
that it may illumine me wholly,
and that all darkness may flee away.
Let the holy flame of your love
burn in my heart that it be made pure,
and I may see you, O God.
It is the pure in heart who see you.
You have set me free.
You have drawn me to you.
Therefore forsake me not,
but keep me always in your grace.
Guide me, rule me, and perfect me for your kingdom. Amen.

Source: Augustine of Hippo

Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Early Church, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1953

 

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Perfect Love

Grant me, even me, my dearest Lord,
to know you, and love you, and rejoice in you.
And, if I cannot do these perfectly in this life,
let me at least advance to higher degrees every day,
until I can come to do them in perfection.
Let the knowledge of you increase in me here,
that it may be full hereafter.
Let the love of you grow every day more and more here,
that it may be perfect hereafter;
that my joy may be full in you.
I know, O God, that you are a God of truth,
O make good your gracious promises to me,
that my joy may be full;
to your honor and glory,
with the Father and the Holy Spirit you live and reign,
one God, now and forever. Amen.

Source: Augustine of Hippo

Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Early Church, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1953

 

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For Mercy

Come, O Lord,
with much mercy down into my soul,
and take possession and dwell there.
A lowly dwelling, I confess,
for so glorious a Majesty,
but you yourself are preparing it to receive you
by the holy and fervent desires you inspire.
Enter then, and adorn,
and make it what you would inhabit,
since it is the work of your hands.
Give me your own self,
for without you,
even though you should give me all that you have ever made,
my desires could not be satisfied.
Let my soul always seek you,
and let me persist in seeking,
until I have found you,
and am in full possession of you. Amen.

Source: Augustine of Hippo

Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Early Church, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1953

 

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