The Comforter Has Come

O spread the tidings ’round, wherever man is found,
Wherever human hearts and human woes abound;
Let ev’ry Christian tongue proclaim the joyful sound:
The Comforter has come!

Refrain:
The Comforter has come, the Comforter has come!
The Holy Ghost from Heav’n, the Father’s promise giv’n;
O spread the tidings ’round, wherever man is found—
The Comforter has come!

The long, long night is past, the morning breaks at last,
And hushed the dreadful wail and fury of the blast,
As o’er the golden hills the day advances fast!
The Comforter has come!

Refrain

Lo, the great King of kings, with healing in His wings,
To ev’ry captive soul a full deliverance brings;
And through the vacant cells the song of triumph rings;
The Comforter has come!

Refrain

O boundless love divine! How shall this tongue of mine
To wond’ring mortals tell the matchless grace divine—
That I, a child of hell, should in His image shine!
The Comforter has come!

Refrain


Words: Frank Bottome, 1890, in Precious Times of Refreshing and Revival.
Music: William J Kirkpatrick
Ref. http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/c/o/comfortr.htm (midi file available)
Icon from http://www.comeandseeicons.com/

Some Gems from Pentecost Sunday

Some gems from Rev Daniel Tan's sermon on Pentecost Sunday:
* "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another." (Galatians 5:22-26, ESV) Here the Bible says "fruit" (singular), not "fruits" . So it is the fruit of the Spirit, one fruit with nine flavours. The presence of the Holy Spirit in us should produce all of the 9 virtues, not just one or some of them, as the nine are actually one.
* This passage is related to John 15 about remaining in Christ as the branch remains in the Vine, otherwise the branch cannot bear fruit [and will die!].
* "those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh.." we are to crucify our flesh [in Gospels, Lord Jesus uses the term "carry your cross"] i.e. to deny ourself and give up our sinful desires. We need to let go of them, unlike a bowler doing funny movements as if he can control the bowling ball that is no more in his hand.

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Some gems from Theng Eng's sharing during Dawnbreakers' choir practice:
* Holy Spirit guides us into the whole truth, e.g. as non-Christians when we read the Bible, we found it hard to understand, but after we believe, we are given growing understanding when we read the Bible and see the relevance of its content.
* Galatians 5 speaks of "the works of the flesh" vs "the fruit of the Spirit". Fruit is something natural, as long as we are in Christ (spiritually healthy and growing), naturally we bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Works are something added on, not as natural as fruit... when we are in grace, although occasionally we still fall, we don't work [purposely plan and desire] to produce sins.
* Holy Spirit is very gentle to us. He doesn't just come and at once force us to remove all sins, since we would not be able to bear that. He works progressively to help us to leave our sinful desires and to set right the things in our life.
* As Rev Lilian Ang preached last week, instead of trying to have more of Holy Spirit, we should let Him have more of us.

O Wondrous Sight! O Vision Fair!

Another translation have "O wondrous sight!" instead of "O wondrous type!", such as found in United Methodist Hymnal number 258. It has another stanza (not found in oremus.org) right after the first stanza, as below:

From age to age the tale declares
how with the three disciples there
where Moses and Elijah meet,
the Lord holds converse high and sweet.

Refer to http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh258.sht for more information [including naming the Latin source as Sarum Breviary], and audio using piano or organ or bell.

O Wondrous Type! O Vision Fair!

O wondrous type! O vision fair
of glory that the Church may share,
which Christ upon the mountain shows,
where brighter than the sun He glows!



The law and prophets there have place,
the chosen witnesses of grace;
the Father's voice from our the cloud
proclaims His only Son aloud.









With shining face and bright array,
Christ deigns to manifest today
what glory shall be theirs above
who joy in God with perfect love.




And faithful hearts are raised on high
by this great vision's mystery;
for which in joyful strains we raise
the voice of prayer, the hymns of praise.

O Father, with the eternal Son,
and Holy Spirit, ever One,
vouchsafe to bring us by Thy grace
to see Thy glory face to face.




Words: Latin, fifteenth century; trans. Hymns Ancient & Modern, 1861
Music: Wareham, Aeterne Rex altissime, O nata Lux de Lumine, Sandys Psalm 8 (refer to oremus.org link below for audio)
Meter: LM
[words taken from: http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/o/o709.html ; icons from various Orthodox sites (as below)]

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The icons above are "Holy Transfiguration". To know more about the feast, related Biblical passages, explanation of the icon, related Orthodox hymns, and theological significance of the Transfiguration, please refer to links below:
http://www.goarch.org/en/special/listen_learn_share/transfiguration/learn/
http://www.theologic.com/oflweb/feasts/08-06.htm
http://www.incommunion.org/forest-flier/books/the-transfiguration-icon/

Some gems from Sunday's sermon (20 May)

Some gems collected from Rev Lilian Ang's sermon on last Sunday (20 May, Wesley Methodist Church):
* A great Christian e.g. D L Moody [and many more of course, IMO especially the Saints] doesn't have more of Holy Spirit, but Holy Spirit has more of him.
* We often invite God into our life but restrict His access. We often only allow Him to remain at our "living room", but not into our "bedroom", "storeroom", "kitchen", etc. We still keep certain things and sins to ourself, in fact saying to God: "this is my own business". To live a full life, we must surrender all to Him.
* Most of us are afraid of losing control if we surrender all to Christ. Yet the truth is that by trying to master things without Him, we end up being their slaves. Only when Christ is in control of our life, we will be really free.

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Kyrie, eleison! Lord, have mercy!

From Glory to Glory

"From glory to glory He's changing me,
Changing me, changing me.
His likeness and image to perfect in me,
The love of God shown to the world.
He's changing, changing me,
From earthly things to the heavenly,
His likeness and image to perfect in me,
The love of God shown to the world."

Today's ODB (http://www.rbc.org/odb/odb-05-21-07.shtml) 's reading is from 2 Corinthians 3, especially verse 18:
"and we all, with unvailed face, the glory of the Lord beholding in a mirror, to the same image are being transformed, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."
[Young's Literal Translation http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians%203:11-18;&version=15; ]
... or in NKJV version:
"But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."

Thus I remembered the beautiful song - "From Glory to Glory"! St Paul the Holy Apostle in this verse tells us a very important, deep and joyful thing: we are being transformed by Holy Spirit into the glorious image of our Lord Jesus Christ! Hallelujah! :D

In spite of all our weaknesses, sins, problems, struggles, etc etc... we who put our faith in Christ are being transformed - we are works in progress - to be like Christ Who is The True Image of God. Rejoice!

The verse not only says "to glory" but also "from glory", because God is the Cause - the Beginning - of our transformation. God Who is All-loving and All-merciful in His eternal glory intends to share His glory with us all. St Peter the Holy Apostle even says "by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." [2 Pet 1:4, NKJV] So this glory is truly glorious i.e. partaking in the divine nature [God's energeia - "Theosis"].

C S Lewis says "Nothing is yet in its true form."... we all have potentials to either share God's glory or to share demons' damnation. By His abundant grace, Christ invites us all to share His glory. Let's surrender ourself to be transformed by His Spirit. Rejoice!

"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
[Hebrews 12:1-2, NKJV]

21 May 2007 - Morning

A Beautiful Prayer to Our Lord Jesus Christ

Sweetest Lord Jesus, strong Son of God, Who didst shed Thy precious Blood and die for love of my love, I am ready to die for love of Thy love. Sweetest Jesus, my Life and my All, I love and adore Thee. Thee only do I wish for my Spouse, as Thou dost wish me for Thy bride. I give myself to Thee. I surrender myself to Thee. O Jesus, Thou Whose heart is ever turned to me, heal my heart, that I may feel the sweetness of Thy love, that I may taste no sweetness but Thee, seek no love but Thee, love no beauty but Thee. I have no desire but to please Thee and to do Thy will. Teach me to repent, and to take up the Cross daily and follow Thee with joy. Teach me to pray with faith and love. Thyself pray in me, that with Thee I may love my enemies and pray for them. Jesus, Thou art life in my death, strength in my weakness, light in my darkness, joy in my sorrow, courage in my faint heartedness, peace in my agitation, obedience in my prayer, glory in my dishonour, and deliverance from my dishonour. Glory and thanks to Thee Jesus my Saviour and Healer. Amen.

[taken from Prayer Book of The Holy Ressurection Orthodox Christian Church of Singapore]

Memory, Lorn and Lonely

Grasses are swinging,
in the midst of wind;
Redder the ev'ning,
colder th' heart growin'....

Falls leaf after leaf;
Trodden path grows dim;
Steps to onward;
Could they stream?

T'ward sea facin',
a flock of benches;
Aren't you there sittin',
serenely waiting...

And you smile,
in my mind sweetly;
O how I wish,
'tis a reality....

I long to sit there,
only two of us;
Hands holding,
hearts as one...

Gentle breeze,
brushing your hair;
'tis like silk,
enshrouds me fair...

I miss you;
Where have you been?
Why my love,
only I can feel?

Your gentle warmth,
I took for a gain;
Yet you perceive me,
as no more than friend.

It shatters my heart,
the moment I know;
Love so beautiful,
illusion - not more.

I wish you're happy;
I wish this forget;
Nor should I here tarry,
lorn and lonely.

* A fading memory :)

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Juta NLS
Indonesian version: 27 April 2007 15:30 Breezy Friday
English translation: 3 May 2007 14:30 Rainy Thursday


Indonesian version: http://puisi-kalbu.blogspot.com/2007/05/angan-sepi-dan-sendiri.html