As I begin my Latin studies, I shall keep this in mind:
Friday, February 22, 2008
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Psalm 51
This is, undoubtedly, one of the most beautiful Psalms, and contains several parts of the liturgy. "What?" you say. "Your liturgy isn't something you made up?" No, no it's not.
PSALM 51
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Bread (not the band)
Martin Luther from his House Postil concerning the temptation of Christ under Satan (specifically the "first" temptation):
"The first lesson as regards the initial temptation is that we must learn to value God's Word as highly as we do eternal life. For It is the kind of food and nourishment that bestows eternal life on everyone who eats of It, that is, believes It. Just as Christ says to the Jews (John 6:27): 'Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall give unto you'. Mark this well. Temporal bread, on the other hand, after which the whole world scrapes and scratches, endures only until the last crumb is eaten, and then everlasting hunger sets in."
I am reminded of the Explanation of the Third Commandment from the Small Catechism:
"We should fear and love God so that we do not despise preaching and His Word, but gladly hear and learn it."
"The first lesson as regards the initial temptation is that we must learn to value God's Word as highly as we do eternal life. For It is the kind of food and nourishment that bestows eternal life on everyone who eats of It, that is, believes It. Just as Christ says to the Jews (John 6:27): 'Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall give unto you'. Mark this well. Temporal bread, on the other hand, after which the whole world scrapes and scratches, endures only until the last crumb is eaten, and then everlasting hunger sets in."
I am reminded of the Explanation of the Third Commandment from the Small Catechism:
"We should fear and love God so that we do not despise preaching and His Word, but gladly hear and learn it."
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Been Around the World and I, I, I,...
I sent the link to this blog to a friend of mine, whom I happen to work for for a few years. He tongue-in-cheek asked where his photo credit was for my "profile image". It's such a nice one, I decided he was high right. That started my mind wandering through the experiences we got up to during those couple of years. For instance, the photo on the right was taken in the office of Bjarne Stroustrap, the creator of C++. Those are his actual notes on the board. The guy is a genius, but works in College Station, TX at A&M...A&M!!! Well, here are some highlights, in no particular order (chronologically, or otherwise):
-I've been to Moscow. I've eaten beluga caviar on Pushkin Square, followed by the most supreme Russian vodka you can't get in America. I traversed the subway system of Moscow, by myself, and purchased wall paper (which was some feat).
-I've stayed at a Ritz Carleton (in Montreal).
-I met Floyd Landis before he was officially guilty, and almost broke his Tour de France trophy.
-I've been to a real, bizarre catillian in Laredo where the girls dressed up like Martha Washington.
-I had never been to California before we covered Team T-Mobile for Stern (a German magazine...it's always cooler saying your with the foreign press). On this trip I got to see Napa and Sanoma, eat an amazing meal in Monterey accompanied by an amazing wine made down the road, see miles of artichoke fields, see San Francisco, walk on the Golden Gate Bridge, see some cycling heros of mine up and close, and most importantly, prep for the Tour de France.
-I've stood in a field in Kansas waiting for a meteorite hunter to dig a hole while the freezing wind whipped around (this was the second trip, but that's another story).
-I've been deep inside a bat cave populated by about 2 million bats. The trek in was up and down guano piles three times my height. With nothing but headlamps to light the way, and in head to toe biohazard gear, it felt like walking on the moon. Just as we started setting up lights to shoot in the cave, I got really dehydrated, and started panicking because I didn't think I was going to make it out. I really thought I was going to pass out and Brent and our guide were going to have to drag me out over these hills of bat crap. Later on, after escaping from the cave, I held a light extended over the topside opening cave as hundreds of thousands of bat swirled like a hurricane below, waiting to make their nightly voyage.
-I've been to Augusta. It is beautiful.
-I've been on the sidelines during a University of Texas game.
-I've seen the sun set over Portland. I've eaten sushi in Portland. I can't decide which was more divine.
-I've camped in the valley of the Swiss Alps, and woken up to the sounds of a waterfall, church bells echoing in the valley, a sheep's bell tingling near my tent.
-I've hiked in the Swiss alps.
-I've had Belgian Abby Ale in Belgium.
-I've hiked the French Alps.
-I've climbed some of the most infamous ascents in the Tour.
-I've been to an olive orchard in Provance, and tasted olive oil that had just been pressed.
-I've eaten calamari in Marsielle.
-I've climbed to the top of a mountain just north of Marsielle and looked out over the city and to the Mediterranian beyond.
-I've eaten fresh roast pig in the Pyraneese.
-I've talked politics, education, religion, and the general state of the world with the Dutch.
-I've been to Germany...indescribable.
-I saw New Orleans not long after Katrina.
-I've been to Scarface's house, and ridden in a Kennedy boat just out side of Miami.
-I got to work with one of the great portrait photographers, Mark Seliger, and hang out with Quinten Tarrantino and Fionna Apple.
-I've driven a 5ft. stake into the bed of a river while up to my waist in the water.
-I've RUN with the donkeys in Colorado.
-I've ridden in a NASCAR around the Texas Motor Speedway, and been in the pit during a race.
-I've been in a cherry-picker overlooking thousands of people dancing to the Chili Peppers on a perfect night with all of Chicago as the backdrop.
-I've met many musical heros during Lalapalooza and the two ACL Fests I've worked.
-I've met the Chairman of the Republican National Committee.
-I've been on the campaign trail with Ron Paul.
-I've met a recognized terrorist in the desert of Arizona.
-I've worn a real astronaut suit and eaten astronaut food...the previous was more fun.
-I've eaten great Chinese food with unbelievable Ping Pong players.
There are so many things that I'm forgetting, but all of this is to say "thanks" Brent.
-I've been to Moscow. I've eaten beluga caviar on Pushkin Square, followed by the most supreme Russian vodka you can't get in America. I traversed the subway system of Moscow, by myself, and purchased wall paper (which was some feat).
-I've stayed at a Ritz Carleton (in Montreal).
-I met Floyd Landis before he was officially guilty, and almost broke his Tour de France trophy.
-I've been to a real, bizarre catillian in Laredo where the girls dressed up like Martha Washington.
-I had never been to California before we covered Team T-Mobile for Stern (a German magazine...it's always cooler saying your with the foreign press). On this trip I got to see Napa and Sanoma, eat an amazing meal in Monterey accompanied by an amazing wine made down the road, see miles of artichoke fields, see San Francisco, walk on the Golden Gate Bridge, see some cycling heros of mine up and close, and most importantly, prep for the Tour de France.
-I've stood in a field in Kansas waiting for a meteorite hunter to dig a hole while the freezing wind whipped around (this was the second trip, but that's another story).
-I've been deep inside a bat cave populated by about 2 million bats. The trek in was up and down guano piles three times my height. With nothing but headlamps to light the way, and in head to toe biohazard gear, it felt like walking on the moon. Just as we started setting up lights to shoot in the cave, I got really dehydrated, and started panicking because I didn't think I was going to make it out. I really thought I was going to pass out and Brent and our guide were going to have to drag me out over these hills of bat crap. Later on, after escaping from the cave, I held a light extended over the topside opening cave as hundreds of thousands of bat swirled like a hurricane below, waiting to make their nightly voyage.
-I've been to Augusta. It is beautiful.
-I've been on the sidelines during a University of Texas game.
-I've seen the sun set over Portland. I've eaten sushi in Portland. I can't decide which was more divine.
-I've camped in the valley of the Swiss Alps, and woken up to the sounds of a waterfall, church bells echoing in the valley, a sheep's bell tingling near my tent.
-I've hiked in the Swiss alps.
-I've had Belgian Abby Ale in Belgium.
-I've hiked the French Alps.
-I've climbed some of the most infamous ascents in the Tour.
-I've been to an olive orchard in Provance, and tasted olive oil that had just been pressed.
-I've eaten calamari in Marsielle.
-I've climbed to the top of a mountain just north of Marsielle and looked out over the city and to the Mediterranian beyond.
-I've eaten fresh roast pig in the Pyraneese.
-I've talked politics, education, religion, and the general state of the world with the Dutch.
-I've been to Germany...indescribable.
-I saw New Orleans not long after Katrina.
-I've been to Scarface's house, and ridden in a Kennedy boat just out side of Miami.
-I got to work with one of the great portrait photographers, Mark Seliger, and hang out with Quinten Tarrantino and Fionna Apple.
-I've driven a 5ft. stake into the bed of a river while up to my waist in the water.
-I've RUN with the donkeys in Colorado.
-I've ridden in a NASCAR around the Texas Motor Speedway, and been in the pit during a race.
-I've been in a cherry-picker overlooking thousands of people dancing to the Chili Peppers on a perfect night with all of Chicago as the backdrop.
-I've met many musical heros during Lalapalooza and the two ACL Fests I've worked.
-I've met the Chairman of the Republican National Committee.
-I've been on the campaign trail with Ron Paul.
-I've met a recognized terrorist in the desert of Arizona.
-I've worn a real astronaut suit and eaten astronaut food...the previous was more fun.
-I've eaten great Chinese food with unbelievable Ping Pong players.
There are so many things that I'm forgetting, but all of this is to say "thanks" Brent.
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