De Profundis

In the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church , Psalm 129(130) is traditionally used as a prayer for the dead. It is used in the Office of the Dead , which is a set of prayers said or sung for the deceased that are part of the Liturgy of the Hours , a large set or cycle of psalms and prayers which are said or sung every day throughout the year. In modern bibles it appears as Psalm 130 but its traditional number in Catholic worship is 129, as it appears in the Vulgate, the Latin translation of the Bible. Psalm 129(130) is traditionally called by its first words in Latin, the "De Profundis".

In the Liturgy of the Hours it's also used at other times. For instance, it's currently used on Wednesdays for Compline, or Night Prayer. It is also one of the Penetential Psalms , psalms used traditionally to express remorse and pray for forgiveness.

1 Out of the depths I have cried to you, O Lord:

2 Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.

3 If you, O Lord, will mark iniquities: Lord, who shall stand it.

4 For with you there is merciful forgiveness: and by reason of your law,
I have waited for you, O Lord. My soul has relied on his word:

5 My soul has hoped in the Lord.

6 From the morning watch even until night, let Israel hope in the Lord.

7 Because with the Lord there is mercy: and with him plentiful redemption.

8 And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities

The composer Josquin des Prez set the psalm to music. His setting can be heard performed by the Hilliard Ensemble here:

Josquin: De Profundis Clamavi

Who Killed the Electric Car?

I saw part of this documentary which I thought was pretty good.

Movie website: http://www.whokilledtheelectriccar.com/

Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Killed_the_Electric_Car%3F

Haiti

To help Haiti:

Mercy Corps

Catholic Relief Services

American Red Cross

International Red Cross

The Hunger Site

Partners In Health

Aid To The Church in Need
Food For the Poor

Happy Up Here

Röyksopp's "Happy Up Here", the marching band version:

Super-Electric

One of my favorite songs from one of my favorite bands, Stereolab:

Movie Posters

Movie Posters of the (past) Year.

link

Omnes de Saba

Gradual chant for the Feast of the Epiphany, Omnes de Saba:



Courtesy of Chantblog.

The rest of the chants for Mass on the Feast of the Epiphany are found here.

Traditional date of the Epiphany

Today, January 6, is the traditional date for the Feast of the Epiphany. In Spain and Latin America today, not Christmas Day, is the traditional date for exchanging gifts and it is the Three Wise Men who bring the children their gifts.

All about Epiphany from Churchyear.net.

Because it is still the Christmas season(!)
All about Christmas, also from the Churchyear site.

History of the feast:Epiphany,
from the old Catholic Encyclopedia.

Todays's Office of Readings: Office of Readings for the the Feast of the Epiphany , from Universalis.

From today's Liturgy of the Hours,

At Lauds (Morning Prayer), the antiphon for the Canticle of Zechariah:

"Today the Bridegroom claims his bride, the Church, since Christ has washed her sins away in Jordan's waters; the Magi hasten with thir gifts to the royal wedding; and the wedding guests rejoice, for Christ has changed water into wine, alleluia."

At Second Vespers (Evening Prayer II), the antiphon for the Magnificat, or Canticle of Mary:

"Three Mysteries mark this holy day: today the star leads the Magi to the infant Christ; today water is changed into wine for the wedding feast; today Christ wills to be baptized by John in the river Jordan to bring us salvation."

Corde Natus

Lyrics: Corde Natus ( Of the Father's Heart Begotten)

An Epiphany Vespers

A performance by Piffaro, the Rennaisance Music Band:

Liturgy and fleas

An interesting post from Fr. Ray Blake at the St. Mary Magdalen blog from the U.K, about love of the liturgy and love of the poor among priests.

Why is it that those who love the liturgy don't have fleas anymore?

The Epiphany

"We have seen his star in the east, and have come with gifts to adore the Lord."
-communion antiphon from the Roman Missal

Despite the previous post, in most places today would have been observed as either the second Sunday after Christmas or, in the U.S., as the Feast of the Epiphany (traditionally observed on January 6). Therefore if you had gone to Mass at a Catholic Church today in the U.S.A, the readings you would have heard would have been for the Epiphany. You can read today's readings below:

Readings for the Epiphany

The readings for this feast are the same for each year of the 3-year cycle of Sunday Readings, so one can read last year's reflection on the readings from Dr. Scott Hahn: Newborn King

The Holy Name

Some articles on the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus, restored to the modern calendar of the Roman Rite as an optional memorial by Pope John Paul II.

Wikipedia article: Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus

From CatholicCulture.org: Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus

Short article from the old Catholic Encyclopedia: Feast of the Holy Name

An article from the Catholic Herald in Arlington, Virginia:
Straight Answers: The Holy Name of Jesus

From the blog Communio:
The Most Holy Name of Jesus

Last but not least, "Spreading devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus. Yesterday, Today, and Forever.":
The Holy Name Society

Plus (because this might come in handy) How to Make a Holy Hour: How to Make a Holy Hour