The Songbird and the Swede

   Good old Silas.  He was an octogenarian Swedish Lutheran who was a faithful member of my parish.  He had been a widower for a number of years but came regularly to Sunday morning Services.  He, like most men of his generation was laconic and stolid.  He didn’t talk a whole lot and he never chattered.  But the twinkle in his eye when he would try and kid with me was genuine and endearing.

   I was told that he had been taken from the retirement community to the local hospital.  I was told by family and medical staff that he was dying and probably would not last the week.  I was told that he was in an unresponsive unconscious state, though not a coma, and may not wake up or show recognition.

I went to visit him with my Communion kit in case he did wake up.  I had my Bible and my Hymnal as well.

This was a small hospital in a small town but Silas had his own room.

I entered and sat down on a chair by the side of his bed.  Silas looked older than I had remembered seeing him the weeks before his hospitalization.  He looked like he did not have a lot of time left.  It is a sin what age and disease, i.e. sin, does to sinners--tall and muscular young men reduced to shrunken and emaciated wisps.

As I could not wake him I did not commune him.  After having read some Scripture, part of Sunday's upcoming homily, and sharing with him a devotion (from Fr. Fritz’s breviary - - Rev’d B.F. Eckardt not the other guy) I thought of something that I had never done for a shut-in or a hospital patient before—I would sing to him.

Now to be honest, I think I only arrived at this daring “audible” because Silas was unconscious.  Parishioners who have heard what comes out of my mouth, which I imaginatively call singing or chanting, know that this was a gamble.  I might very well have sent Silas to Abraham’s bosom even more quickly than the Angels could have borne him home.  I looked around and determined that no nurses or orderlies were skulking about in the immediate vicinity, and started singing.  I sang every old reliable hymn that I thought Silas might have enjoyed.  I sang more hymns than I’ve ever sung in one setting before.  I sang hymns that I didn’t even like and that I’m sure I butchered badly.  Me carrying a tune is like Sisyphus trying to roll that rock up the pointy hill.  I was singing for Silas’ Peace and Joy which I had hitherto preached into his ears.  I was singing to Him the stories of His Lord Jesus’ love and forgiveness.  I was saying goodbye to an old and tired warrior.  I ended up by singing my favorite TLH hymn “Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart” (# 429).  I sang it with more gusto than beauty.  When I finished it, I wiped my eyes, and got up to leave.  I joked to the unconscious veteran of the cross: “Silas, I’m leaving for some Lutefisk (he used to tease me about my reluctance to eat rotten fish) I WILL SEE YOU AGAIN!"

I meant in my own heart, I would see Him again in Heaven at the Parousia. 

I saw Silas again, and again.  He woke up the following day and was released back to the nursing home the following week.  And while I had numerous more shut-in visits with this tough old saint, he never once mentioned the fact that I had sung to him for well over 30 minutes.  He may not have been aware of it.  Or, in his tough but tender-hearted decency he may have simply been saving me from an honest critique.

I miss Silas. And I will still sing for my parishioners… upon request.

TOP TEN REASONS WALTHER WAS "Cooler" THAN WE HYPER-EUROS GIVE HIM CREDIT FOR:

                              With [no] apologies to David Letterman, I give you the
          TOP TEN REASONS WALTHER HAD SWAG
                                                  (as the young kids say these days)

 

10. Tried to insert an article into the first 'LC-MS' constitution mandating beer gardens 
       in all undercrofts.

9.    Smoked a pipe, talked like Gandalf, and liked the "little people."

8.    Favorite Bible Story?  2 Kings 2. 23-25.  Favorite Disciple?  Judas Not Iscariot

7.    Always spoke Latin in front of the local Methodists.

6.    By adding the extra "middle" name and using the C.F.W. ubiquitously, 
       kept the LWML and confirmands from using 'Pastor Carl.'

5.    Secretly always pined for the lost 'pointy hats' and crosiers.

4.    Hated the Cubs.

3.    Kind of like them bad-ass Irish dudes in Boondock Saints, had Lehre and Wehre
       tattooed on his left and right hands.

2.    When no one else was within earshot at Altenburg, told Vehse to "bissen mich."

AND THE NUMBER ONE REASON C.F.W. WALTHER still rocks  (drum roll please)

1.    Dying Words?   "UNALTERED AUGSBURG CONFESSION FOREVER!"

Ode to the "Innocents"

 

INNOCENT IN THE INNOCENT ONE

Where are Mother Rachel’s children?   

Slain by the swords of cruel men
Where are Bethlehem’s infant boys?
Titled “Innocents” by their Church

They rest safe without guilt or stain

Grasped firmly in His wounded palms
Carved in His flesh; scribed in His Book
Mystery past understanding
All tears and sorrows wiped away

Eat and drink with these young lads

Ever-kings who sit with angels
Join their praise to the Redeemer
Behold Peace flowing from His altar
Celebrate with these enthroned souls
The Innocent Lamb’s death for all  

PATMOSIAN POETRY

                 A Patmos Elegy

 

The younger of Zebedee’s famous boys

one of the first to follow The Rabbi -

now rests weary and broken

an old man…last of the dodeka

 

Called Son of Thunder

honored to be in the inner circle of three -

now at peace with being a tiny branch

of the Vine of Life, a feeble old under-shepherd

 

Fishing in Tiberius had been back-breaking work

fishing for men was cruciforming and Spirit filled -

distributing loaves and fishes had exhilarated

feeding souls with the Body and Blood of God gave eternal peace

 

Growing up wet from water and sweat, and smelling of fish

growing old wet from Blood and Baptism and smelling of lilies

assisting the Prince of the Apostles with the last Pascha preparation

celebrating said Petros in a Requiem Mass of Resurrection victory

 

Seeing the Paraclete’s Dove, Elias and The Lawgiver

seeing His tears over Lazarus and His drops of sweat as blood

witnessing Jairus’, and the Bethany sister’s joy

feeling the Magdalene’s anguish, and the sword piercing the heart of The Virgin Mother

 

Following a Lord Who cast out demoniacs and withered a tree

worshipping a Savior jeered by devils as He was hanged on a tree

laying his own young head on the very breast of God

now closing his dimming eyes with His Lord embracing him forever

Proto-Martyr Poetry

   I wrote the following poem (which I sing to the tune of the Old Hundredth) today in honor of Saint Stephen, the Deacon, and Proto-Martyr.
I dedicate this simple scribbling to my new (and old) friend, Chad Bird - - faithful Lutheran and poet extraordinaire.

 

BEATIFIC VISION IN BLOOD

[Tune: Old Hundredth]

This day we see Saint Stephen’s face

This day all angels mark his place

This day beyond all earthly sight

Christ Jesus sits in glori’ous light

 

He preached the Law to sinners bold

He preached their story from of old

He preached above their gnashing teeth

Christ Jesus throned with nimbus wreath

 

From Christ the Blood of mercy flows

From Christ the Gospel here bestows

From Christ within the Scriptured Word

Christ Jesus the True Deacon Lord

 

Drink Christ the Fruit from wood-crossed vine

Eat Christ’s true Body Man Divine

And with the martyr Stephen greet

God, Father, + Son and Paraclete

 

Laud Christ from Whom all blessings feed

Laud Christ all brethren here in need

Laud Him above ye fiery Host

Laud Father + Son and Holy Ghost

Homily for FEAST OF THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD:

“MADE FLESH AND DWELLS AMONG US”

Saint John 1. 1-14

The Feast of The NATIVITY OF OUR LORD: 25 December Anno Domini 2012

Fr. Jay Watson SSP

In The Name of The Father and of + The Son and of The Holy Ghost

  “In the beginning!”  A perfect way to start a story—our story—your story—“The” Christmas Story!  All true!  All, so wonderful, it’s hard to believe. Yet you DO believe…but not by your own efforts, intellect or choice.  You believe because you have been called through the Gospel by God the Holy Ghost.

   “In the beginning!”  “In the beginning God created the heaven and earth…the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters…and God said let there be light…And god said ‘Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness’…male and female…created He them…And God saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good.”  [Gen. 1 assorted vv]

   Not only very good, but perfect.

   Then came the “fall” of man.  Adam’s fall.  Your fall.  The sins of the father inherited by the sons.  The seed of the forbidden fruit not falling far from the tree. 

   Every thing ruined.  It was like having your new house or car, or church, viciously vandalized.  It was like having the garden you’ve worked with all spring and early summer wiped out n a hail storm.  It was like have the world’s greatest art masterpiece “graffiti-ed over” in black spray paint.  It was like having your dear little child disfigured by acid.  Well, yes, . . . AND, it was like having everything that was made true, good, and beautiful (in the “image and likeness of God”) turning false, ugly, and bad.  Now, Adam, and you, would grow old, loose loved ones, make sinful mistakes, and chose to trespass daily.  Now, Adam, and you, would suffer heartache, grow feeble with disease and pain, and then die and rot away.

   “Awww, pastor…this Christmas Day…do you have to talk about dying and decaying and children disfigured?”

    Yes, yes I do.  But now I’m done with that.  I’m done because God is done with that—“it is finished!”  Because God did not let the devil, or your sinful natures have the last word.  Christmas is about a present GIVEN (“for you”) and a about a present send and received (“Immanuel” “for you”).  

   The Holy Trinity sent The WORD to save you—from yourselves!  The Father sent His Son first in the PROMISE of the WORD…almost from the very beginning: “and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her Seed, It shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heal.” [Gen. 3.15]

   There you have it…the Evangel, the favor of God on His still beloved children, RIGHT AFTER the “fall.”  There was your Lord telling the cur, the cur-sed serpent that The Christ-Child would come to crush his slimy evil head…BUT, by having His own Sacred Head wounded; by having His own precious heal bruised.

And oh how it was bruised—pierced through with cruel nails.

   The Babe of Bethlehem did not come to be cute and cuddly.  He did not have Himself born on a frosty, snow-covered evening so that Hallmark Cards, evergreen tree farms, and Time-Life Records could market and sell moods, festive spirits, memories or nostalgia.  He came to do battle with Sin, Death, and the Devil.  He came to obey and die.  Now, that is not very “chrissmissy” is it?  No, maybe not as area merchants, chambers of commerce, or even some of your relatives and friends have come to be misguided; but it is all about CHRIST.  Christ was anointed to be the Paschal Lamb of Sacrifice! We are called Christ-ians and this Mass is called the Christ Mass! 

   The reason that the celebration of the Nativity of Our Lord (25 December) was not observed during the first couple of centuries of the New Testament Church’s existence (as we would now know it) was not because those first century believers doubted or denigrated the Incarnation, NO!  Rather, they correctly viewed Luke 2 as the pre-cursor, the “set up,” the initial thrust of God in the Flesh into our world of sin and sorrow, which came to its’ climactic victorious crescendo on the Cross of Good Friday and in the Empty Tomb of Easter morn!  They knew Christ had come and they knew WHY Christ had come.  For them, every Sunday, which was a mini-celebration of Easter, was ALSO a celebration of the Incarnated One.  They like you understood the “EN-FLESHMENT” of God.  This gift, which you today receive with the mouth and tongue, would later become calendarized as Christmas—“THE” service where the Body and Blood of Jesus…the real Jesus…the Jesus that was born in that stable…the Jesus that hung bloody and bruised on Calvary…was REALLY given to them, Sacramentally, to be food and drink for the forgiveness of sins.  The Light and Life is feasted on in the Mass—Christ is The Supper.

   From the time of His Holy, Sprit-wrought Conception, and His birth from the Blessed Virgin, the Christ Child has been about His SAVING WORK.  It has all been about His Flesh and His Blood, and His Word which brings Him to you!  There has been blood along the way; and suffering.  His Circumcision on the 8^th day after His Nativity—even then God allowing His precious Flesh to be cut, His Holy Blood to be shed.  The Holy Innocents of Bethlehem, those infant boys under the age of two, slaughtered by Herod.  The Bethlehem stable is all part & parcel of the Golgotha hilltop.  The wood of the manger…the wood of the cross.  Was He only laid in a feeding trough because there was no basinet, or, was it not because He would later tell His Disciples: “I AM the living bread which came down from heaven…for My Flesh is meat indeed, and My Blood is drink indeed…”  [Jn. 6. 51a, 55]  He Who was wrapped in “swaddling” clothes would later be wrapped in a burial shroud.  He Who would soon be worshipped by Magi bearing myrrh…would later have myrrh brought by the faithful Magdalene to the tomb on Sunday at dawn for burial anointment.

   Christmas is the Christ Mass.  This Mass is the Flesh and Blood of God bringing forgiveness, salvation, and life eternal to His hitherto enslaved people. You ARE rescued dear brothers and sisters; you are “Captive Israel” no more - - the ransom has been paid.  He gives you Peace, this Prince from Heaven!  He is about so much more than mere earthly peace between you and your spouse or children (although that will come in a family which receives Him).  He is about so much more than peace between you and your brethren.  He is your Peace and He is your Brother Who puts you back into the arms of a loving Father.  The Favor/Grace announced by the Angel to the Blessed Virgin; the Peace proclaimed by the Heavenly Sabaoth in the Judean fields to the shepherds; the Peace of the Risen Christ which comforted the Disciples on Easter eve; IS the Peace that I now Gospel into your ears; and will soon Gospel onto your tongues—the Pax Christi…in The Flesh.  Your sinful fallen flesh is transformed and glorified by His Holy Flesh...from Bethlehem, to Calvary, to the Right Hand of Majesty, to Shawnee, to Augsburg’s Altar, to you—FOR YOU!

   That is why this IS a happy morn!

   “IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD, AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD, AND THE WORD WAS GOD…AND THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH AND DWELT AMONG US, AND WE BEHELD HIS GLORY, THE GLORY AS OF THE ONLY BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER, FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH.”

In The Name of The Father and of + The Son and of The Holy Ghost

Homily for RORATE COELI

“AND HE CONFESSED”

Saint John 1. 19-28

Rorate Coeli: 4^th Sunday of Advent—23 December Anno Domini 2012

Fr. Jay Watson SSP 

In The + Name of Jesus

 

   “And this is the record of John…” by the word of John the Evangelist, brother of James, about John Baptizer. These are the words of said Baptizer about Christ Jesus! Jesus is the Word of God—the Word made flesh.

   John was not a cloistered monk.  John was not an ivory-towered “lecturer” with no stomach for the parish.  John was a Spirit-called and Spirit-filled Prophet of the Highest. He spoke in public, in the open, to great crowds. His light was set high on a pedestal—bony-framed, camel haired covered, leather cinctured, dripping of honey and smelling of sweat and locust.

   A Temple delegation came to John for answers. John did better than respond, he confessed; he gave more than answers, he gave Truth and Truth-enfleshed.  The Council’s legation wanted to know who John was and why he had introduced this new doctrine of public baptism for the forgiveness of sins.  They were concerned, possibly worried, and not amused.  They wanted to know if John was the long-awaited Messiah.

   As Aaron the High Priest and Levite was the forerunner and spokesman for Moses, so too John the Prophet and Levite was the forerunner and spokesman for the Christ.  Moses and his brother were the two most prominent men in the Old Testament and were always together—especially in the minds of faithful Jews.  John and his Nazarene kinsman are the two most prominent figures in the New Testament and are forever linked in the minds of the faithful.  Moses sent to rescue and redeem the captives of Pharaoh, with Aaron going before his face to speak for him and announce the great Law. Blessed Jesus sent by The loving Father to rescue and redeem you, and all the world, held captive to sin, death, and the devil, with John Baptizer going before His radiant face to announce repentance unto faith.

   That Jerusalem committee at least knew some of the Scriptures. They knew about Malachi 4 and the prophesied “return of Elias (Elijah)” prior to the terrifying “day of the Lord.”  Whether they actually believed any of it is another matter.  John said that he was not Elias. This was true, even though Jesus at a different time [Mt. 11.4] did in fact call John: Elias.  Both Christ and the Baptizer simply meant that John was not the original historical Elias come back to terra firma. Rather John was the “Elias to come,” i.e. he ministered in the spirit of Elias.  This is exactly what Gabriel had told Zacharias [Lk 1.17] when he told the old man that his son-to-be would come in the “spirit and power of Elias.”

   John was the greatest of all Prophets; so, when he also denied that he was not “the Prophet” he meant that he was not like the other Hebrew holy men looking into the distant future.  John was not prophesying from afar, but he was the Aaron, standing right next to the Moses…the kinsman right next to his God brother, in place and in time!    John testified that he was what God has made him to be—a wilderness preacher of repentance.  His “call” was to prepare the way for the Messiah. He was what every pastor is to be!  John both denied himself and preached Christ.  This is all the Lord’s will.  The Baptizing one was not some protestant, self-chosen, made-up ministry, schwermerai (i.e. enthusiast) but a man in Holy Orders, in the Pastoral Ministry of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, called and ordained by the Holy Trinity. 

   John was not “The” Light, but, he was the torch handle.  John was that final “hinge” between the receding darker night of the Hebrews and the dawning of a Son-shine brightness.  John pointed to The Lamb and said the Son is rising. 

   Jesus shone forth through His own God-lit little torch John, because Jesus is Himself the uncreated and eternal Light of Light.  Jesus also sprouts forth the Righteous Branch from a withered root—the stump of Jesse.  Yes, Christ born from a blooming Virgin even as John closed out the Old Testament lesson by being born from an old woman.  John carried the Missal Stand of his service, to the Gospel horn of the altar and let Christ sing into your ears!

   As the Levites blew the trumpets calling the Israelites together; as they sounded the horns to lead the 12 tribes into battle and to precede before the Ark of the Covenant; so too John trumpeted the arrival of the Incarnated God/Man—the Ark of the Godhead Itself.  As you prepare during Adventide, you are waiting for that final trumpet blast wherein Gabriel will herald the return of the Christ in glory.

Thus the Gospel is always preceded by the Law, the Absolution by the contrition, and the Peace, by the Person and Work of Jesus!

   For John, and all of us, it is only and always Soli Deo Gloria!   His confession, your confession, “The” confession—“the only way to the Father is through the Son; there is no other Name under heaven whereby you are saved!” [Jn. 14.6; Acts 4.12]

    The Sanhedrin was a very smart group. They got it all wrong. Your “old Adams” get it wrong on as well.  So Jesus does it—does it all.

   Jesus through John then, and through His called ones now, Jesus baptizing you and cleansing you from sin; Jesus’ voice preaching and forgiving you from trespasses; and Jesus’ hands feeding you His Body and Blood.  Christ does it all for you as the Apostle reminded the Corinthians “for God exhorts through us.”  That too is why the fiery light, the tongue of flame. was atop the heads of the Apostle’s at Pentecost; it shows that the Light of Jesus, the Word of The Word, is now on and in His called ones: Christ speaking through them!

    John was born first from Elisabeth, before the Blessed Virgin went to Bethlehem, yes, but the Light, Logos, Son of God, existed before John.  The Christ is God and is eternal.  John said he was not worthy to untie the Lord’s sandal strap—quite true, but in fact, the Messias let the Sanhedrin’s thugs and torturers, the Roman executioners, do that very thing to Him; as well as take off his tunic.  Jesus let Himself be bound and tied to a Tree that He might untie you, loose you. 

   Christ stepped into the midst of the Jordan for you; into the middle of the crucifix for you!  Aaron burned incense in the presence of the Easter—Lilly Lord, and, Paul acknowledged that it is Jesus Who offered Himself up as a sweet fragrance. [Eph. 5.2]

   Today Messias has brought you to Bethabara—the place of crossing, the passage way. It was probably there that hundreds and hundreds of years earlier, Jesus had led the Children of Israel across the Jordan into Canaan. The Ark was carried by Joshua’s Levites into the midst of the river wherein the water flood pooled up and let the Israelites pass on dry ground.  Christ, your true Ark, Christ the real Throne of Grace stepped into the same river, steps into the + same font, steps into the same line-of-fire that your sins have created, and is your Mediator and Advocate. The flood of divine wrath drenches Him so that you may pass into the Fatherland safe and secure.

   “And this is the record of John…about the One Who standeth among you.”

In The Name of The Father and of + The Son and of The Holy Ghost

Test Post # 8: Luther on THE MAGNIFICAT

 

"True humility, therefore, never knows that it is humble, as I have said; for if it knew this, it would turn proud from contemplation of so fine a virtue.

But it clings with all its heart and mind and senses to lowly things, sets them continually before its eyes, and ponders them in its thoughts. And because it sets them before its eyes, it cannot see itself nor become aware of itself, much less of lofty things.
...
False humility, on the other hand, never knows that it is proud; for if it knew this, it would soon grow humble from contemplation of that ugly vice. But it clings with heart and mind and senses to lofty things, sets them continually before its eyes, and ponders them in its thoughts. And because it does this, it cannot see itself nor become aware of itself. Hence honors come to it not unawares nor unexpectedly, but find it immersed in thoughts of them. But dishonor and humiliation take it unawares and when it is thinking of something far different.

It is in vain, therefore, to teach men to be humble by teaching them to set their eyes on lowly things, nor does any one become proud by setting his eyes on lofty things. Not the things, but our eyes, must be changed; for we must needs spend our life here in the midst of things both lowly and lofty." - 

Martin Luther, Commentary on the Magnificat.

Test Post # 7 : The Visitation

One can never have too many pictures of The VISITATION - -
This one was suggested to me by the new FaceBook cover photo of my friend the Rev'd Fr. Anthony Voltatorrni.

Deo Vindice,
Fr.W SSP

Test Post # 6 THE INFANT PRIEST

Here is a video of a hymn being sung by the famed Kantorei (the student singing group) of Concordia Theological Seminary.  The hymn is one of my favorites (The Infant Priest).  The lyrics are by my cyber friend Chad Bird.

Deo Vindice,
Fr. Watson

Test Post # 5 TRUE DIVINE SERVICE

  

 "Our Lord speaks and we listen.  His Word bestows what it says.  Faith that is born from what is heard acknowledges the gifts received with eager thankfulness nad praise.  Music is drawn into this thankfulness and praise, enlarging and elevating the adoration of our gracious giver God.
   Saying back to Him what He has said to us, we repeat what is most true and sure.  Most true and sure is His Name, which He put upon us with the water of our Baptism.  We are His.  This we acknowledge at the beginning of the Divine Service.  Where His Name is, there is He.  Before Him we acknowledge that we are sinners, and we plead for forgiveness.  His forgiveness is given us, and we, freed and forgiven, acclaim Him as our great and gracious God as we apply to ourselves the words He has used to make Himself known to us.
   The rhythm of our worship is from Him to us, and then from us back to Him.  He gives His gifts, and together we receive and extol them.  We build one another up as we speak to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.  Our Lord gives us His Body to eat and His Blood to drink.  Finally His blessing moves us out into our calling, where His gifts have their fruition.  How best to do this we may learn from His Word and from the way His Word has prompted His worship through the centuries.  We are heirs of an astonishingly rich tradition..."

- - - from INTRODUCTION, Lutheran Worship, 1982, page 6


"...God wishes us to believe Him, and to receive from Him blessings, and this He declares to be true divine service..." 
- - - Apology to the Augburg Confession, Chapter III, Article VI, paragraph 107, page 122 Jacobs translation

"Thus the worship and divine service of the Gospel, is to receive from God gifts..."
- - - Apology to the Augsburg Confession, Chapter III, Article VI, paragraph 188, page 145 Jacobs translation

Test Post # 4 THEOTOKOS

"On account of this personal union and communion of the natures, Mary, the most blessed Virgin, bore not a mere man, but, as the angel [Gabriel] testifies, such a man as is truly the Son of the most high God, who showed His divine majesty even in His mother's womb, inasmuch as He was born of a virgin, with her virginity inviolate. Therefore she is truly the mother of God, and nevertheless remained a virgin."

 - - The Solid Declaration of the Forumula of Concord, Art. VIII (The Person of Christ) par. 24, Book of Concord 1580

 

Test Post # 3   MEGALUNEI - - Indeed!

The original language of the Magnificat is Koine Greek, the language of the New Testament. However, in the liturgical and devotional use of the Western Church, it is most often found in Latin or the vernacular.

Greek

Μεγαλύνει ἡ ψυχή μου τὸν Κύριον

καὶ ἠγαλλίασεν τὸ πνεῦμά μου ἐπὶ τῷ Θεῷ τῷ σωτῆρί μου,

ὅτι ἐπέβλεψεν ἐπὶ τὴν ταπείνωσιν τῆς δούλης αυτοῦ.

ἰδού γὰρ ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν μακαριοῦσίν με πᾶσαι αἱ γενεαί,

ὅτι ἐποίησέν μοι μεγάλα ὁ δυνατός,

καὶ ἅγιον τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ,

καὶ τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ εἰς γενεὰς καὶ γενεὰς

τοῖς φοβουμένοις αυτόν.

Ἐποίησεν κράτος ἐν βραχίονι αὐτοῦ,

διεσκόρπισεν ὑπερηφάνους διανοίᾳ καρδίας αὐτῶν·

καθεῖλεν δυνάστας ἀπὸ θρόνων

καὶ ὕψωσεν ταπεινούς,

πεινῶντας ἐνέπλησεν ἀγαθῶν

καὶ πλουτοῦντας ἐξαπέστειλεν κενούς.

ἀντελάβετο Ἰσραὴλ παιδὸς αὐτοῦ,

μνησθῆναι ἐλέους,

καθὼς ἐλάλησεν πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν

τῷ Αβραὰμ καὶ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα

Test Post # 2

Test Post # 1