Behold the wood of the cross on which hung the saviour of the world!

[MoreCoffee]

The sorrowful mother stood ... a meditation on the sorrow of Blessed Mary as she stood at the foot of the cross, her beloved son and saviour of the world dying before her.

Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford - Stabat Mater(Browne) - YouTube

Lyrics ...



At the Cross her station keeping,
stood the mournful Mother weeping,
close to her Son to the last.

Through her heart, His sorrow sharing,
all His bitter anguish bearing,
now at length the sword has passed.

O how sad and sore distressed
was that Mother, highly blest,
of the sole-begotten One.

Christ above in torment hangs,
she beneath beholds the pangs
of her dying glorious Son.

Is there one who would not weep,
whelmed in miseries so deep,
Christ's dear Mother to behold?

Can the human heart refrain
from partaking in her pain,
in that Mother's pain untold?

For the sins of His own nation,
She saw Jesus wracked with torment,
All with scourges rent:

She beheld her tender Child,
Saw Him hang in desolation,
Till His spirit forth He sent.

O thou Mother! fount of love!
Touch my spirit from above,
make my heart with thine accord:

Make me feel as thou hast felt;
make my soul to glow and melt
with the love of Christ my Lord.

Holy Mother! pierce me through,
in my heart each wound renew
of my Savior crucified:

Let me share with thee His pain,
who for all my sins was slain,
who for me in torments died.

Let me mingle tears with thee,
mourning Him who mourned for me,
all the days that I may live:

By the Cross with thee to stay,
there with thee to weep and pray,
is all I ask of thee to give.

Virgin of all virgins blest!,
Listen to my fond request:
let me share thy grief divine;

Let me, to my latest breath,
in my body bear the death
of that dying Son of thine.

Wounded with His every wound,
steep my soul till it hath swooned,
in His very Blood away;

Be to me, O Virgin, nigh,
lest in flames I burn and die,
in His awful Judgment Day.

Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence,
be Thy Mother my defense,
be Thy Cross my victory;

While my body here decays,
may my soul Thy goodness praise,
Safe in Paradise with Thee.

Translation by Edward Caswall
Lyra Catholica (1849)

 

[MoreCoffee]

Is it Hampton Court or Christ's Church in the photos? And yes they did.

I am not sure which building is which, perhaps one of our English friends will tell us.

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

This was originally a protestant hymn in adoration of our Lord and the Holy Cross.

It is used Good Friday in virtually every Lutheran Congregation in LCC.

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.


Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.


See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?


His dying crimson, like a robe,
Spreads o’er His body on the tree;
Then I am dead to all the globe,
And all the globe is dead to me.


Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.



To Christ, who won for sinners grace
By bitter grief and anguish sore,
Be praise from all the ransomed race
Forever and forevermore.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9eCUqz_x5A

 

[MoreCoffee]

This was originally a protestant hymn in adoration of our Lord and the Holy Cross.

It is used Good Friday in virtually every Lutheran Congregation in LCC.

King's College Cambridge 2011 Easter #10 When I survey the Wonderous Cross Rockingham - YouTube

Lovely hymn.

 

[MoreCoffee]

During the Good Friday communion service what we sing when the cross is brought to the front of the church from the entry doors at the back we sing this.

Behold the wood of the Cross - YouTube

 

[MoreCoffee]

This is also sung by some Anglo-Catholic parishes.

Reproaches in English - YouTube

 

[MoreCoffee]

This is a setting of the reproaches is very moving

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTZqJlyK5qU

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

This is a setting of the reproaches is very moving

Conception Abbey - Good Friday - Reproaches - YouTube

Thanks for posting this; we too sing the reproaches as part of the Tenebrae service for Good Friday. Here is a link to the typical format that this service takes: http://www.peacealma.org/repository/Bulletins/GOOD FRIDAY TENEBRAE 2010.pdf

The hymn response is taken from the hymn “Lamb of God, Pure and Holy" which is an expanded paraphrase of the Agnus Dei: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKqlIpHv8C4

Most of our Congregations have retained the traditional historic use of black paraments and vestments for Good Friday as well Purple for Lent.

This is Trinity in Detroit:

 

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

Lead Me To The Cross-Hillsong - YouTube

 

[MoreCoffee]

Lead Me To The Cross-Hillsong - YouTube

HillSong produces many songs that are couched in first person singular language and use contemporary (pop) music style and themes. They sound like something one might expect to hear on music radio or a commercial CD. It seems that Hillsong is very popular in charismatic and pentecostal circles; which is no surprise when one realises that Hillsong is an Australian mega church in Sydney and that it is basically an AoG congregation.

Some of the psalms are written in the first person and draw the reader (and singer) to contemplate their own inner thoughts and feelings about God and about situations in life. This can be a healthy thing to do. Yet it is troubling when thinking along such lines comes to dominate congregational singing during a service (or a mass).

The cross of Christ is a subject for deep contemplation and when a congregation sings of it there ought to be depth in the ways and means by which the faithful are invited to enter into the grace of God shown by the cross of Jesus Christ. Hence the variety of songs written over the centuries about the cross of Christ. Consider the song in the first post "Behold the wood of the cross on which hung our salvation! O come let us adore." and the many chants and choral songs included thus far in this thread and the idea of depth mixed in variety of expression comes to the fore.

My preference is to give greater emphasis in the mass to objective statement of the mystery of the passion and invitation to participate as a people in it and lesser emphasis to individual reflection. Hence my selection of songs.

I am writing this as an explanation of my perspective rather than as proscribing what others ought to think and do in worship.

Palestrina, Missa Papae Marcelli. The Tallis Scholars, Peter Phillips - YouTube

 

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

HillSong produces many songs that are couched in first person singular language and use contemporary (pop) music style and themes. They sound like something one might expect to hear on music radio or a commercial CD. It seems that Hillsong is very popular in charismatic and pentecostal circles; which is no surprise when one realises that Hillsong is an Australian mega church in Sydney and that it is basically an AoG congregation.

Some of the psalms are written in the first person and drawn the reader (and singer) to contemplate their own inner thoughts and feelings about God and about situations in life. This can be a healthy thing to do. Yet it is troubling when thinking along such lines comes to dominate congregational singing during a service (or a mass).

To contemplate inner feelings and thoughts about God is to me the proper worship attitute because in doing so it becomes the connective of fellowship with God. When congregations sing along those lines God is lifted up on high by the many voices there. Bringing self into the equation to me is paramount. Whereas (and altho there are some beautiful songs posted in the thread) the example used in this post sounds very impersonnal. More like a night at the opera where you feel emotions of what is being sung rather than an intellectual knowledge. I suppose that's where objective and subjective are not balanced between Catholic and Protestant thoughts about and toward God. The emotions engaged or the mind engaged in both, the human spirit needs the connection of God the Holy Spirit to become an act of worship. My selection of songs (except for the last one ) have been the songs that have been my favored worship songs during the years and have special meaning to me as worship songs. I'll post below what I was actually going to post as a personal favorite of mine.

The cross of Christ is a subject for deep contemplation and when a congregation sings of it there ought to be depth in the ways and means by which the faithful are invited to enter into the grace of God shown by the cross of Jesus Christ. Hence the variety of songs written over the centuries about the cross of Christ. Consider the song in the first post "Behold the wood of the cross on which hung our salvation! O come let us adore." and the many chants and choral songs included thus far in this thread and the idea of depth mixed in variety of expression comes to the fore.

My preference is to give greater emphasis in the mass to objective statement of the mystery of the passion and invitation to participate as a people in it and lesser emphasis to individual reflection. Hence my selection of songs.

I am writing this as an explanation of my perspective rather than as proscribing what others ought to think and do in worship.

Palestrina, Missa Papae Marcelli. The Tallis Scholars, Peter Phillips - YouTube

Mighty Wave - Ulf Christiansson - YouTube

 

[MoreCoffee]

To contemplate inner feelings and thoughts about God is to me the proper worship attitute because in doing so it becomes the connective of fellowship with God. When congregations sing along those lines God is lifted up on high by the many voices there. Bringing self into the equation to me is paramount. Whereas (and altho there are some beautiful songs posted in the thread) the example used in this post sounds very impersonnal. More like a night at the opera where you feel emotions of what is being sung rather than an intellectual knowledge. I suppose that's where objective and subjective are not balanced between Catholic and Protestant thoughts about and toward God. The emotions engaged or the mind engaged in both, the human spirit needs the connection of God the Holy Spirit to become an act of worship. My selection of songs (except for the last one ) have been the songs that have been my favored worship songs during the years and have special meaning to me as worship songs. I'll post below what I was actually going to post as a personal favorite of mine.

First person singular songs about the cross of Christ are good and useful but find their best uses in private and personal prayer and worship.

That's my story and I am sticking to it.

 

[James Is Back]

No, He built it with Himself.

Read my sig!

 

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

First person singular songs about the cross of Christ are good and useful but find their best uses in private and personal prayer and worship.

That's my story and I am sticking to it.

Of course personal preference is never a matter of debate.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Singing and contemplating songs, prayers, etc. as "we" instead of "I" have had a profound impact on me as well.

We sing "Lord have mercy on us" in some places.

I treasure that personal connection and worship time - always have and I expect I always will (God willing!). But to come to an understanding of "us" as a Church, petitioning God - has its own kind of profundity and is precious in a different way.

To appreciate the love God has for mankind - and not for me alone - is pretty awesome as well.

It's all pretty amazing.

 

[James Is Back]

Too bad I can't sing yet. Will be taking singing lessons though in an operatic like style.

 

[MoreCoffee]

Too bad I can't sing yet. Will be taking singing lessons though in an operatic like style.

You can join the choir when you're ready

 

[MoreCoffee]

Latin chants can sound rather heavenly

Improperia aka The Reproaches aka Popule meus - YouTube

 

[Targaryen]

Latin chants can sound rather heavenly

Improperia aka The Reproaches aka Popule meus - YouTube

All the ancient chants are rather gorgeous to behold.

I'm partial too, to the English choirs...but I think y'all know why

 

[MoreCoffee]

All the ancient chants are rather gorgeous to behold.

I'm partial too, to the English choirs...but I think y'all know why

I like some of the Anglican chants; some are quite exquisite.

I don't think this is Anglican but it is exquisite

Improperia Maiora - Popule meus - YouTube