A hymn from my childhood…

~ Fr. John Chagnon ~ Leave a comment

I heard this hymn sung at a performance of “Smoke on the Mountain” last night in Branson. As I listened a quiet place from many years gone by came back and settled within me, even if just for a moment.

There is a Fountain…

There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
Lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.

The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Washed all my sins away, washed all my sins away;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.

Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood shall never lose its power
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.
Be saved, to sin no more, be saved, to sin no more;
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.

E’er since, by faith, I saw the stream Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.
And shall be till I die, and shall be till I die;
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.

When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.
Then in a nobler, sweeter song, I’ll sing Thy power to save,
I’ll sing Thy power to save,I’ll sing Thy power to save,
Then in a nobler, sweeter song, I’ll sing Thy power to save,

Lord, I believe Thou hast prepared, unworthy though I be,
For me a blood bought free reward, a golden harp for me!
’Tis strung and tuned for endless years, and formed by power divine,
To sound in God the Father’s ears no other name but Thine.

Of course…

~ Fr. John Chagnon ~ Leave a comment

there are t-shirt places all over the place and cheesy souvenir shops to boot. Want a rubber tomahawk? Branson is your place. Need a fix of over the top hillbilly music? Been there done that. Need to find a place where your money can be systematically extracted as you drive through? It’s just about a half hour south of Springfield, and an easy drive north of Arkansas.

But the mornings. The day and night may belong to the shopkeepers, the singers, the vendors and the faux hillbillies but the morning is still itself, the morning. Birds of all kinds. Quiet all around. Plenty of places to sit and think and pray. The day and night are all about the show that must go on but the mornings are as close to the primeval garden as can be had in easy access to indoor plumbing.

Some day I’ll return but without any ticket to anywhere, just a place to sit, holy books to read, and a prayer rope. Who knows what good could come from a week of such things? Heading north tomorrow I’ll already be working on the plan.

On anger…

~ Fr. John Chagnon ~ Leave a comment

Anger is by nature designed for waging war with the demons and for struggling with every kind of sinful pleasure. Therefore angels, arousing spiritual pleasure in us and giving us to taste its blessedness, incline us to direct our anger against the demons. But the demons, enticing us towards worldly lusts, make us use anger to fight with men, which is against nature, so that the mind, thus stupefied and darkened, should become a traitor to virtues. Abba Evagrius the Monk(Texts on Active Life no. 15)

Wisdom and Beauty…

~ Fr. John Chagnon ~ Leave a comment

“We who mystically represent the Cherubim and sing the Thrice Holy Hymn to the Life Giving Trinity. Let us now lay aside all earthly care that we may receive the King of All who comes invisibly upborne by the angelic hosts.”

The busy time of year…

~ Fr. John Chagnon ~ Leave a comment

is ahead smack in the middle of Nativity Lent. As per usual wresting time for holy things will be the greatest challenge in a world too busy during the day and too tired at night.

I do what I do for others. I know this. Behind every holiday there are a class of the seldom seen, people who plan and work and clean so that others can effortlessly celebrate the season. Serving at church and working at an assisted living facility I am one of those people, popping up at the right time to ensure that all is well and then quietly retiring to wash the plates. No complaints, it’s a gift given to any who would receive it and my joy to give.

Yet my hope, my prayer in all of this, is that I don’t lose the mystery, the awe, the grace of this holy season. When gatherings are over, when liturgies are served, and all is quiet and done, even for a short moment, I hope there’s a place inside of me that can stand with the shepherds in the presence of angels on Bethlehem’s starry night.

And now to the work ahead…

A Prayer of St. Symeon…

~ Fr. John Chagnon ~ Leave a comment

I give You thanks,
to me You are a light that knows no evening,
a sun that never sets.
You cannot remain hidden,
for You fill all things with your glory.
You never hide Yourself from anyone,
but we are always hiding from You,
not wishing to come near You.
For where could You hide Yourself,
since You have no place
in which to take Your rest?
Or why should You hide,
since You turn away from no one
and are afraid of none?

Pitch Your tent within me,
gracious Master;
Take up Your dwelling in me now
and remain in Your servant unceasingly,
inseparably, to the end.
At my departure from this life
and afterwards, may I be found in You and reign with You,
who are God over all.

Stay with me, Master, do not leave me alone.
When they find You dwelling within me,
my enemies who seek always to devour my soul,
will be put to flight;
They will have no more power against me,
when they see You,
who are more powerful than all,
lodging in the house of my humble soul.

You did not forget me, Master,
when I was in the world
and sunk in ignorance,
but You chose me
and separated me from the world
and set me up in the presence of Your glory.
Keep me constant and unshaken
in the interior dwelling-place
that You have made within me.

Though dead,
I live when I gaze on You;
Possessing You, though poor,
I am forever rich,
More wealthy than any ruler.

Eating and drinking You,
clothing myself in You from day to day,
I shall be filled with blessings and delight
beyond all telling.

For You are every blessing
and all splendor and joy,
and to You is due glory,
to the Holy, Consubstantial and Life-giving Trinity,
worshipped and confessed by all the faithful
and adored in Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
now and ever, and to the ages of ages.

Amen.

A Prayer…

~ Fr. John Chagnon ~ Leave a comment

And again we offer unto thee this reasonable service, for the whole world, for the holy catholic and apostolic Church, for those who live in chastity and holiness of life, for all civil Authorities, and our Armed Forces everywhere; grant them, O Lord, peaceful times, that we, in their tranquility, may lead a calm and peaceful life in all godliness and sanctity.