I suppose I should mention that, in the midst of it all, he wrote some incredibly beautiful music. The excerpt below, for instance, from his Mass for Four Voices. This is one of a large number of Catholic liturgical pieces Byrd composed in the 1590's and 1600's for use in illegal (and quite hazardous) Masses at the home of his patron, Sir John Petre.
Falling Yet Striving to Rise: Alma Redemptoris Mater
Falling Yet Striving Falling yet striving to rise. That's the life of a Christian. It's better than the alternative, of course, which is simply falling. In any case, this idea is central to the Marian prayer Alma Redemptoris Mater ("Loving Mother of the Redeemer"). This will be the Marian Antiphon from the 1st Sunday of … Continue reading Falling Yet Striving to Rise: Alma Redemptoris Mater
The Lorica of St. Patrick: Christ Shield Me
The Lorica of St. Patrick "The Lorica of St. Patrick" is a well-known prayer. Most people would recognize it as follows: Christ with me,Christ before me,Christ behind me,Christ in me,Christ beneath me,Christ above me,Christ on my right,Christ on my left,Christ when I lie down,Christ when I sit down,Christ when I arise,Christ in the heart of … Continue reading The Lorica of St. Patrick: Christ Shield Me
The Manifestation of the Lord: Epiphany
It is so very difficult for all of us to grasp the reality of the Incarnation that even the human parents of The Lord seem to struggle with it. And who could hope to have faith equal to theirs?
Let the Children: St. Genevieve and the 10th Day of Christmas
What did not change was the absolute trust she had in Jesus Christ. This held firm from her first vow as a seven year old until her death more than eight decades later.
The Holy Family and the Crisis of Our Family: 5th Day of Christmas
The trends that already looked alarming a century ago have now grown and metastasized. Our great grandparents would not believe by what is now commonplace. The family as traditionally understood is tottering under open and sustained attack.
The Attraction of Sanctity and Holy Innocents: 4th Day of Christmas
As I observed in my recent posts on St. Servulus, St. Nicasius, and St. Anastasia, lesser observances are often overwhelmed during great celebrations such as Christmas and Easter.
St. Stephen and Good King Wenceslas: 2nd Day of Christmas
Just as our Christmas joy is tempered by the realization that the child lying in the manger must someday hang on the Cross, St. Stephen reminds us, a mere day after the Feast of the Nativity itself, that following the Child of Bethlehem can mean our own Calvary.
Prepare the Way of the Lord – 2nd Sunday of Advent
Preparation is our watchword. Prepare the way. The Christ Child isn't here . . . yet. But He's coming.
The Midpoint Between The Nativity and The Passion
The Midpoint Today is the midpoint, the end of the beginning and the beginning of the end. Which is to say, today is the Feast of the Presentation, a perfect microcosm of both/and. The official Christmas Season ended a couple weeks ago on the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord. The Presentation of the baby Jesus … Continue reading The Midpoint Between The Nativity and The Passion