Te Deum Laudamus: We Praise Thee, O God

This prayer is an early chant of the Western Church. In the legend of the Church, this prayer is ascribed to an “ecstatic outburst” of St. Ambrose when he baptized St. Augustine. The prayer is now widely attributed to Bishop Nicetas of Dacia (c. 335-414). The prayer is part of the classic devotional guide, The Book of Common Prayer.

The Wondrous Cross TUMI Annual 2009-2010 Church Addition

Te Deum Laudamus

You are God: we praise you; You are the Lord; we acclaim you; You are the eternal Father: All creation worships you. To you all angels, all the powers of heaven, Cherubim and Seraphim, sing endless praise: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory.

The glorious company of apostles praise you. The noble fellowship of prophets praise you. The white-robed army of martyrs praise you. Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you; Father, of majesty unbounded, your true and only Son, worth of all worship, and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.

You, Christ, are the king of glory, the eternal Son of the Father. When you became man to set us free you did not shun the Virgin’s womb. You overcame the sting of death and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. You are seated at God’s right hand in glory. We believe that you will come and be our judge. Come then, Lord, and help your people, bought with the price of your own blood, and bring us with your saints to glory everlasting. 

Two Walks

I went for two walks this week.

The first one was at the gym. My regular work out routine happens in group settings--yoga classes, early morning boot camp sessions. I missed my yoga class on Tuesday, so I went to the gym after work and walked on the track. As I walked, I started praying. I often pray when I walk, since I don't exercise with an iPod. Praying is a good way to focus my thoughts and to get my mind off the fact that I'm exercising.

I asked God to help me with things I was worrying about. I prayed for members of The Journey who came to mind. I decided what I was going to cook for dinner. (That last one wasn't a prayer of supplication, but I figure I was just chatting with God and dinner was on my mind, so it counts.)

I walked for about half an hour, then stopped. I don't even remember if I said amen.

The second walk I went on was from the front door of my office building to my car in the parking lot. It was Wednesday of this week, a warmish, sunny day. The bright sun hit my face, and I closed my eyes for a minute to feel the warmth. I remembered how beautiful nature is and thanked God for making it and hoped that it soon would be warm so I could spend more time outside.

Then I opened my eyes and kept on walking.


~~~ Submitted by Amy Delamaide ~~~

Psalm 8

For the director of music. According to gittith.

A psalm of David.

1 O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
above the heavens.

2 From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise
because of your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.

3 When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,

4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?

5 You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.

6 You made him ruler over the works of your hands;
you put everything under his feet:

7 all flocks and herds,
and the beasts of the field,

8 the birds of the air,
and the fish of the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.

9 O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Sometimes Christians are called to turn the world upside down. To bring the exact opposite of what we find in our world. St. Francis' prayer is a bold one, asking for strength to give of ourselves to meet the needs of others. He recognises that it "is in giving that we receive", that as we give of ourselves, we receive the peace and blessing of our risen Lord Jesus. We cannot earn eternal life, but that we are pardoned from the sins that block our claim on it.  Think about the situations that you are involved in that require peace, consolation, hope, light and joy.  Then, if you're bold enough, pray the prayer!  (http://www.prayerguide.org.uk/stfrancis.htm)

The Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi 

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

"...then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

Wow!  What a great formula for success!  If (people = humble  + pray + seek + turn), then (God = hear + forgive + heal.)  Great!  Now we know how to pray!

Or not.  Despite the existence of significant theological differences regarding a myriad of Biblical topics, one point of agreement among most Christians is that prayer does not work like a mathematical formula.  If not that, then, perhaps prayer works on a volume basis...the more people who pray in agreement, the more likely God is to respond?  Or maybe like a vending machine, a bank account, or a scorecard?   If none of these, how DOES prayer work? Or does it work?  If we're not sure how it works, is there a point to even doing it? 

What is the point of prayer if not to express our heart’s desire, especially when it matches what we know to be God’s will on earth?  Who knows what will happen when we pray what we know God desires?

I once envisioned intercession as bringing requests to God that God may not have thought of, then talking God into granting them.  Now I see intercession as an increase in my awareness.  When I pray for another person, I am praying for God to open my eyes so that I can see that person as God does, and then enter into the stream of love that God already directs toward that person.  (Philip Yancey, Prayer, p. 268, 303)

Thoughts?

"...will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways..." Hmmmm..... Is it any wonder that we so often feel as if God is far off and either uninvolved or unconcerned about our lives? In this short phrase are contained four conditions that the average person is not likely to want to jump at. We are commanded to 1) humble ourselves 2) actually pray 3) seek the Lord and 4) turn from our wicked ways. Far easier is it to whine, question, cry, assume and blame. How very human to want to reward without putting in the effort. Yet how much the time and effort is worth it!

BE ENCOURAGED! Along with the commandments come promises..

12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:12-12

17 I love those who love me,

and those who seek me find me. Proverbs 8:17

7"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8