Feast of St Mechthild of Magdeburg 2010.

Exeter College Chapel
Heilige
Mechth
Mechthild von Mag
Magdeburg
Frauenmystik, 1280
Festal
Evensong
Friday 19th
November 2010
The Introit
Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179)
O virtus Sapientiae, quae circuiens circuisti
comprehendendo omnia in una via, quae habet vitam, tres alas habens,
quarum una in altum volat,
et altera de terra sudat,
et tertia undique volat.
Laus tibi sit, sicut te decet, O Sapientia.
O strength of Wisdom who, circling, circled,
enclosing all in one lifegiving path, three wings you have:
one soars to the heights,
one distils its essence upon the earth,
and the third is everywhere.
Praise to you, as is fitting, O Wisdom.
The Opening Reading
Mechthild von Magdeburg (c1207-c1280)
Ich mag nit tanzen, herre, du enleitest mich,
Wilt du das ich sere springe,
So muost du selber voran springen.
So springe ich in die minne.
Von der minne in bekantnisse
Von bekantnisse in gebruchunge,
Von gebruchunge über alle menschliche sinne
Da wil ich bliben und will do vürbas crisen.
Das fließende Licht der Gottheit
I cannot dance, Lord, if you don’t lead me.
If you want me to leap with abandon,
You must leap on ahead.
Then I shall leap into love,
From love into knowledge,
From knowledge into enjoyment,
And from enjoyment beyond all human sensations.
There I shall remain, yet will circle higher still.
The Flowing Light of the Godhead
Preces and Responses
Plainsong
Priest
Choir
Priest
Choir
Priest
Choir
Priest
Choir
O Lord, open thou our lips
And our mouths shall shew forth thy praise
O God, make speed to save us
O Lord, make haste to help us
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be:
world without end. Amen.
Praise ye the Lord
The Lord’s name be praised
The Psalmody
Psalm 63, Deus, Deus meus
1.
2.
O God, thou art my God : early will I seek thee.
My soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh also longeth after thee :
in a barren and dry land where no water is.
3. Thus have I looked for thee in holiness : that I might behold thy power and glory.
4. For thy loving-kindness is better than the life itself : my lips shall praise thee.
5. As long as I live will I magnify thee on this manner :
and lift up my hands in thy Name.
6. My soul shall be satisfied, even as it were with marrow and fatness :
when my mouth praiseth thee with joyful lips.
7. Have I not remembered thee in my bed :
and thought upon thee when I was waking?
8. Because thou hast been my helper :
therefore under the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.
9. My soul hangeth upon thee : thy right hand hath upholden me.
10. These also that seek the hurt of my soul : they shall go under the earth.
11. Let them fall upon the edge of the sword : that they may be a portion for foxes.
12. But the King shall rejoice in God; all they also that swear by him shall be
commended : for the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped. Gloria
At the end of the Psalm, sit for
The First Lesson
Isaiah 61.10-62.5
Read in German by Andrew Miles (2008, German)
Translation
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has
clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of
righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns
herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes
what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to
spring up before all the nations. For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for
Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her vindication shines out like the dawn, and her
salvation like a burning torch. The nations shall see your vindication, and all the kings
your glory; and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give.
You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand
of your God. You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be
termed Desolate; but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married;
for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married. For as a young man
marries a young woman, so shall your builder marry you, and as the bridegroom
rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.
At the end of the lesson, stand for
The Magnificat
Heinrich Schütz (1582-1672)
Meine Seele erhebt den Herren,
Und mein Geist freuet sich Gottes, meines Heilandes.
Denn er hat seine elende Magd angesehn.
Siehe, von nun an werden mich selig preisen alle Kindeskind.
Denn Er hat große Dinge an mir getan,
Der da mächtig ist und dessen Name heilig ist.
Und seine Barmherzigkeit währet immer für und für,
Bei denen, die ihn fürchten.
Er übet Gewalt mit seinem Arm,
Er zerstreuet, die hoffärtig sind in ihres Herzens Sinn.
Er stößet die Gewaltigen vom Stuhl
Er höhet die Niedrigen.
Die Hungerigen füllet er mit Gütern,
Und läßt die Reichen leer.
Er denket der Barmherzigkeit
Und hilft seinem Diener Israel auf,
Wie er geredt hat unsern Vätern,
Abraham und seinen Samen in Ewiglich.
Ehre sei dem Vater und dem Sohn
und auch dem Heilgen Geiste,
wie es war Anfang, itzt und immerdar,
und von Ewigkeit. Amen.
My soul doth magnify the Lord,
and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden.
For behold, from henceforth
all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me; and holy is his name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him
throughout all generations.
He hath shewed strength with his arm;
he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seats,
and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things;
and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel,
as he promised to our forefathers,
Abraham and his seed, forever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now,
and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.
After the Magnificat, sit for
The Second Lesson
Luke 12.32-37
Read by Dr Regina Sachers (Tutor in German)
Translation
Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the
kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not
wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth
destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Be dressed for
action and have your lamps lit; be like those who are waiting for their master to return
from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he
comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds alert when he
comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will
come and serve them.
At the end of the lesson, stand for
The Nunc Dimittis
Johannes Eccard (1553-1611)
Maria wallt zum Heilig tum und bringt ihr Kindlein dar,
das schaut der greise Simeon, wie ihm verheißen war.
Da nimmt er Jesum in den Arm und singt im Geiste froh:
Nun fahr' ich hin mit Freud, dich, Heiland, sah ich heut,
du Trost von Israel, das Licht der Welt.
Mary went to the temple and brought her beloved child there,
who was seen by the aged Simeon, as the prophets had foretold.
Simeon took Jesus in his arms, and joyfully sang:
Now I go forth with joy, for today I have seen You, Saviour —
comfort of Israel, light of the World.
After the Nunc Dimittis, turn to face the altar for
The Creed
I believe in God the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth:
and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried.
He descended into hell;
the third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty;
from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church;
the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins;
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Responses and Collects
Priest
Choir
Priest
The Lord be with you
And with thy spirit
Let us pray
All kneel
Priest
Choir
Priest
Choir
Priest
Choir
Priest
Choir
Priest
Choir
Priest
Choir
Priest
Choir
Priest
Choir
Lord, have mercy upon us
Christ, have mercy upon us
Lord, have mercy upon us
Our Father,
which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be
done, in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And
forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And
lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Amen.
O Lord, shew thy mercy upon us
And grant us thy salvation
O Lord, save the Queen
And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee
Endue thy ministers with righteousness
And make thy chosen people joyful
O Lord, save thy people
And bless thine inheritance
Give peace in our time, O Lord
Because there is none other that fighteth for us, but only thou, O God
O God, make clean our hearts within us
And take not thy Holy Spirit from us
The Collects are sung
The Anthem
Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
Geistliches Lied
Laß dich nur nichts nicht dauren mit Trauren,
sei stille, wie Gott es fügt,
so sei vergnügt mein Wille!
Was willst du heute sorgen auf morgen?
Der Eine steht allem für,
der gibt auch dir das Deine.
Sei nur in allem Handel ohn Wandel,
steh feste, was Gott beschleußt,
das ist und heißt das Beste. Amen.
Do not be sorrowful or regretful;
Be calm, as God has ordained,
and thus my will shall be content.
What care will you take today for tomorrow?
There is One who stands above all
who gives you, too, what is yours.
Only be steadfast in all you do,
stand firm; what God has decided,
that is and must be the best. Amen.
The Sermon
Professor Helen Watanabe-O’Kelly
Chair, Modern Languages Faculty Board
Fellow in German, Exeter College, Oxford
The Intercessions
All kneel for the prayers. At the end of the prayers, the following is said by all:
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with us all evermore. Amen.
All stand for
The Hymn
Lobe den Herren, den mächtigen König der Ehren!
Meine geliebete Seele, das ist mein Begehren.
Kommet zu Hauf. Psalter und Harfe wacht auf,
Laßet den Lobgesang hören!
Lobe den Herren, der alles so herrlich regieret,
Der dich auf Adelers Fittichen sicher geführet,
Der dich erhält, wie es dir selber gefällt;
Hast du nicht dieses verspüret?
Lobe den Herren, der künstlich und fein dich bereitet,
der dir Gesundheit Verliehen, dich freundlich geleitet.
In wieviel Not hat dich der gnädige Gott
Über dir Flügel gebreitet.
Lobe den Herren, der deinen Stand sichtbar gesegnet,
Der aus dem Himmel mit Strömen der Liebe geregnet.
Denke daran, was der Allmächtige kann,
Der dir mit Liebe begegnet.
Lobe den Herren; Was in mir ist, lobe den Namen.
Lob ihn mit allen, die seine Verheißung bekamen.
Er ist dein Licht; Seele, vergiß es ja nicht;
Lob ihn und schließe mit Amen!
Words: Joachim Neander (1650-80)
Music: Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
(NEH 440)
The congregation remains standing as the choir, Chaplain and Fellows depart.