THE FIRST LESSON Ecclesiasticus 43. 11-26 Read by the Dean of Windsor
Look at the rainbow and praise its Maker; it shines with a supreme beauty, rounding the sky with its gleaming arc, a bow bent by the hands of the Most High. His command speeds the snow storm and sends the swift lightning to execute his sentence. To that end the storehouses are opened, and the clouds fly out like birds. By his mighty power the clouds are piled up and the hailstones broken small. The crash of his thunder makes the earth writhe, and, when he appears, an earthquake shakes the hills. At his will the south wind blows, the squall from the north and the hurricane. He scatters the snow-flakes like birds alighting; they settle like a swarm of locusts. The eye is dazzled by their beautiful whiteness, and as they fall the mind is entranced. He spreads frost on the earth like salt, and icicles form like pointed stakes. A cold blast from the north, and ice grows hard on the water, settling on every pool, as though the water were putting on a breastplate. He consumes the hills, scorches the wilderness, and withers the grass like fire. Cloudy weather quickly puts all to rights, and dew brings welcome relief after heat. By the power of his thought he tamed the deep and planted it with islands. Those who sail the sea tell stories of its dangers, which astonish all who hear them; in it are strange and wonderful creatures, all kinds of living things and huge sea-monsters. By his own action he achieves his end, and by his word all things are held together.
I went for a walk in Prince Edward County very early this morning -- take that Doug Ford -- and saw virtually no humans but lots of birds as I rambled along.
On my drive home I turned on the radio for the CBC news and was frustrated that it was the funeral for Prince Philip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth. Of course I believe that Philip deserves a decent funeral and I was saddened to discover that after 73 years of marriage our monarch was sitting alone because he was the only person in her COVID bubble. I just didn't care about what was planned as a relatively brief and small ceremony, or so I thought.
It turns out the Duke of Edinburgh had been planning his own funeral for something like 18 years, down to the smallest details. He insisted that there be no homily or sermon, and no eulogies. It was mostly music, which he chose, and his selections for scripture.
PSALM 104
The Duke of Edinburgh requested that Psalm 104 should be set to music by William Lovelady. Originally composed as a cantata in three movements, it was first sung in honour of His Royal Highness's 75th Birthday.
My soul give praise unto the Lord of heaven, In majesty and honour clothed; The earth he made will not be moved, The seas he made to be its robe. Give praise. The waters rise above the highest mountain, And flow down to the vales and leas; At springs, wild asses quench their thirst, And birds make nest amid the trees. The trees the Lord has made are full of vigour, The fir tree is a home for storks; Wild goats find refuge in the hills, From foes the conies shelter in the rocks. My soul give praise unto the Lord of heaven, In majesty and honour clothed; The earth he made will not be moved, The seas he made to be its robe. Give praise. O Lord, how manifold is your creation, All things in wisdom you provide; You give your riches to the earth, And to the sea so great and wide. You take your creatures breath and life is ended, Your breath goes forth and life begins; Your hand renews the face of earth, Your praise my whole life I will sing. My soul give praise unto the Lord of heaven, In majesty and honour clothed; The earth he made will not be moved, The seas he made to be its robe. Give praise.
William Lovelady (b. 1945) abridged and arranged for choir and organ by James Vivian (b. 1974) with the composer's permission Words from Psalm 104, adapted by Sam Dyer (b. 1945)
One of the pieces of music was a setting of my favourite psalm, which is 104, and it was beautiful. If I heard correctly, Philip commissioned this piece. And there was a scripture passage which sounded like something from the book of Job, yet wasn't entirely familiar to me. It was actually from the book of Ecclesiasticus, which is not in our Protestant bible (and not Ecclesiastes.) I found it upon my return home. Then there was the hymn Eternal Father Strong to Save which became important to me when I began my ministry in outport Newfoundland in 1980.
I've included both the reading and the words for the music for your consideration.
Well Prince Philip, you surprised me, and pleasantly so. Thank you, and rest in peace.
1 Eternal Father, strong to save, whose arm has bound the restless wave,
who bade the mighty ocean deep its own appointed limits keep:
O hear us when we cry to thee for those in peril on the sea.
2 O Christ, whose voice the waters heard, and hushed their raging at thy word,
who walked upon the foaming deep, and calm amid the storm did sleep:
O hear us when we cry to thee for those in peril on the sea.
3 O Holy Spirit, who didst brood upon the chaos dark and rude,
and bade its angry tumult cease, and gave for wild confusion, peace:
O hear us when we cry to thee for those in peril on the sea.
4 O Trinity of love and power, all travellers guard in danger's hour.
From rock and tempest, fire and foe, protect them wheresoe'er they go:
thus evermore shall rise to thee glad hymns of praise from land and sea.
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