Music from Handel

Today is the 250th anniversary of Handel's death. Enjoy these selections from his work.

Christo Anesti! Alethos Anesti!! Christ is Risen! Alleluia! Alleluia! The Lord is Risen Indeed! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Holy Saturday- the Great and Blessed Sabbath: God has fallen asleep in the flesh

Something strange is happening - there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in the flesh and hell trembles with fear.

He has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve, he who is both God and the son of Eve. The Lord approached them bearing the cross, the weapon that had won him the victory. At the sight of him Adam, the first man he had created, struck his breast in terror and cried out to everyone: “My Lord be with you all”. Christ answered him: “And with your spirit”. He took him by the hand and raised him up, saying: “Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light”.
- from an ancient homily for Holy Saturday

William Johnson- Lamentations

Good Friday

This last image is one of the stations of the cross commissioned by St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Norwalk, Connecticut, and dedicated in Lent 1995. Gwyneth Leech is the artist, and all of the stations may be seen here. These stations depict the suffering Christ in our own time, in the faces of prisoners of war, those being tortured by insurgents, etc. Pray with them, and pray for all victims of violence on this day, that the power of the Cross of Christ will bring redemption and peace to all in our world.

Triduum Contemplations

Maundy Thursday

Jesus Washing Apostle's Feet

Moravian Foot washing service

Last Supper- El Greco

Last Supper- Tinteretto

Judas' Kiss- 5th century mosaic

Betrayal- Luiz Coelho

Blessed Feast of the Annunciation

I'm not blogging for Lent- but since today gives us a break from the Lenten fast as we ponder the mysteries of the Incarnation in the visit of the Archangel to the Blessed Virgin, I thought I'd take a break from my blogging fast to share a few images of the Annunciation that feed my soul on this day.

The Annunication is one of my favorite subjects for painting- for obvious reasons if you know me- but I have often wondered why the Mother of God always looks so old, when she was most likely a teen girl. Then I found Collier's painting, which places the scene in suburbia, and portrays the Virgin as a young teen. Just brilliant!!

Annunciation- John Collier

Annunciation- St. Gabriel's, London

off for Lent

be back after Lent.....