The Liturgical Life: The Lord Christ in the Church Hymns

1. The Liturgical Life:The Lord Christ in the Church Hymns

2. God’s Manifistation in Hymns • 11 And it came to pass when the priests came out of the Most Holy Place …12 and the Levites who were the singers, all those of Asaph and Heman and Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, stood at the east end of the altar, clothed in white linen, having cymbals, stringed instruments and harps, and with them one hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets— 13 indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying:      “For He is good,       For His mercy endures forever,”    that the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, 14 so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God. (2Ch 5)

3. Hymns Portray the Life of Christ • Joyful: Christ’s Birth; Christ’s Resurrection • Solemn: Christ’s Fasting • Sad: Christ’s Suffering • Trisagion: Agioc • Standard; Joyful; Mournful • Psalm • Lord Have Mercy: Kurie e~le/~con • Standard; Joyful; Mournful; Ascetic (great fast)

4. Experiencing Christ’s Life • Kiahk – jubilant – for the Advent of Christ • “When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.” (Lk 1:41) • Great Fast – solemn – asceticism with Christ in the wilderness • “…being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.” (Lk 4:2)

5. Experiencing Christ’s Life • Pascha Week – mournful – great sorrow of Christ • And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.“(Lk 22:44) • Resurrection – joyful – ultimate joy • “Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.” (Jn 16:22)

6. Praxis Response • Story of the Annunciation • Six stanzas • First 2 are low • “But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.” • “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” • From the third it gets higher and continues in “exaltation” • Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! • My soul magnifies the Lord… • For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.

7. Prayer of Reconciliation • Vnou] (O God): • three notes – Trinity; • High and long: Exalted God and His Gretness. • pisae~neh (the Eternal): • Very long – “no end” • four notes – passing through the 3 heavens, and into the heaven of Heavens into Eternity (2 Cor)

8. Prayer of Anaphora (Offering) • Axion ke dikeon: (Meet and right): • Declare that God (Trinity) is Meet and Right of worship and praise • First: very high – the heavenly hosts declare it • Second: slightly lower – the celestial heavens declare it • Third: very low – man, in all humility declare it

9. Prayer of Anaphora (Offering) • Af[icarx: (He was incarnate): • Starts very long – the long time that God awaited to prepare salvation • Ends with a joyous melody – His incarnation brought joy back into the world • “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.” (Lk 2:10)

10. ?~ Paryenoc • God is “Before the ages…”

11. Peky~ronoc • God reigns “Forever and ever…”

12. Megalou • Christ is fasting and practicing asceticism, but we understand Who He really is: • “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb 4:14-16)

13. A~ Pen[oic • Now, we entreat Him to forgive us…

14. Pimairwmi • Christ the compassionate, forgiver, redeemer • “But You are God, Ready to pardon, Gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, Abundant in kindness” (Neh 9:17) • Pleading tune: “I beg You”: ]]ho e~rok • “

15. Vai e~tafenf • Story of Salvation: • Long waiting • Exaltation on the Cross • Quick Salvation • Joy

16. Taisour/ n~noub • Mournful – 6th hour on Good Friday • Joy in the midst of sadness: • “Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.” (Jn 16:20) • The pain of the Virgin: • “a sword will pierce through your own soul also…” (Lk 2:35) • “…The world rejoices in receiving salvation, but my heart burns when I look at your crucifixion…” (Agpia)

17. Tou liyouc • “strange” low/sad tune in the midst of joy - procession • Remembering the burial • Slight high at “You arose” anect/c t~ri… • High exaltation at the glorification: doxa t/ a~nactaci

18. Panou] Panou] • The feeling of loneliness and abandonment: • “Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone.” (Jn 16:32) • “He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our grief And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.” (Isa 53:3-4)

19. Tenen • God in the fiery furnace • Hymn exalts at the mention of God: • Rational worship; unto You; Your Glory • Then “dips” low: • Daniel 3: • “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” • “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angeland delivered His servants who trusted in Him,