Prayer Meeting Podcast

Lent Movie Club: Ordet; Kyrie Eleison; I Bind Unto Myself Today; Be Thou My Vision; Make Me More Like Thee; Jesus, Jesus; and more (Ep. 028)

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This episode I share about “Ordet”, the fourth selection of the Lenten Movie Club, which, at the time of this writing, is available to all members of Hulu+ streaming (which may have a trial subscription).

The movie is an allegory about the then current state of Christian belief, but also works as a comedy.

There is a father of three sons, one has retained his mainline denominational upbringing, one has become an agnostic, and one who has gone mad, thinking that he is “Jesus.”

The director and screenwriter seem to have two concerns about Christianity today: first, that people of faith seem to have lost a sense of the miraculous. Secondly, that we are far more interested in petty doctrinal differences than we need be.

The scenes where the two fathers are arguing over their doctrinal differences are both humorous, but they are grounded in reality that exists far too often today.

This is not to say that there isn’t a need for apologetics, nor does it excuse those who disagree with central historic Christian teaching, such as the Deity of Christ or the doctrine of the Trinity. But when it comes to lesser issues, it is more important to convey charity.

The acting in this film is not realistic; it’s more of an over-dramatization, something akin to what you’d find in a silent movie or an opera. That is your cue that this film is to be taken allegorically.

The brilliance of the film’s having a mad character–the one who thinks he is Jesus–is that it is a way to actually introduce Jesus in the movie, what He would actually say to these other characters (in the screenwriter’s opinion), today.

The story also introduces the parson, a religious authority figure, who plainly denies that he prays for miracles. The director seems to be challenging this position: why not pray for miracles?

The schedule is as follows:

Lent 1: The Diary of a Country Priest (available on Hulu+)

Lent 2: A Man For All Seasons (available on Amazon Prime)
Lent 3: Into Great Silence (available on Netflix)
Lent 4: Ordet (available on Hulu+)
Lent 5: The Passion of Joan of Arc (available on Hulu+)
HolyWeek: The Gospel According to St. Matthew (avail on Hulu)

A songsheet is available for this episode.  Right-click here and select “Save As” to retrieve it.

SONG OF THE WEEK

“Kyrie Eleison” by Jodi Page Clark
From the album “Amazing Grace” by The Community of Celebration (c) 1992 Copyright (c) 1976 Celebration, P.O. Box 309, Aliquippa, PA 15001

There is a powerful CBS News Special from its time that has been posted on YouTube, detailing the rise of the renewal from this mainline denominational parish.

Episode Log Times

3:59 – Worship Session (Music and Prayer)
5:16 – O God, The Lot, Reward and Prize
8:02 – I Bind Unto Myself Today
13:46 – The Fast, As Taught By Holy Lore/Jesus, Jesus
17:24 – Make Me More Like Thee / Be Thou My Vision
20:26 – Opórtet Te Fíli
21:57 – Spoken, Spontaneous Prayer
29:05 – Song of the Week (“Kyrie Eleison” by Jodi Page Clark)
40:05 – Reflections (Lent Movie:”Ordet”)
51:57 – Final Comments and Doxology

********************SONGS***********************

O GOD, THE LOT, REWARD AND PRIZE

M.L.Herold’s Gesangbuch, 1808 (AGM)

1. O God, the lot, reward and prize;

He crowns Thy martyr’s victories,
Grant, while we sing this martyr’s prais,
We may renounce our evil ways.

2. The world with specious cheats disguised,

He soon discovered and despised,
And labor’d for a nobler gain,
Than palling pleasures mixed with pain.

3. No force could make his mind relent,

No racks his resolution bent;
Fearless of death he sheds his blood,
And wades to heaven through the flood.

4. O vocal blood, now pierce the skies,

And deal with heav’n to hear our cries,
That on his glorious triumph we
May find indulgence, Lord with Thee.

5. May age to age for ever sing

The Virgin’s Son and angels’ King;
And praise with the celestial host
The Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

Public Domain;

I BIND UNTO MYSELF TODAY

Bridge Arrangement by Nick Alexander
Cecil Frances Humphreys Alexander, St. Patrick

1. I bind unto myself today

The strong name of the Trinity
By invocation of the same
The Three in One and One in Three

2. I bind this day to me forever

By power of faith Christ’s incarnation
His baptism in the Jordan River
His death on cross for my salvation

3. I bind unto myself the power

Of great love of cherubim
The sweet “well done!” in judgment hour
The service of the seraphim
Confessors’ faith apostles’ word
The patriarchs’ prayers the prophets’ scrolls
All good deeds done unto the Lord
And purity of virgin souls

4. I bind unto myself today

The power of God to hold and lead
His eye to watch His might to stay
His ear to hearken to my need
The wisdom of my God to teach
His hand to guide His shield to ward
The word of God to give me speech
His heavenly host to be my guard

Christ be with me Christ within me

Christ behind me Christ before me
Christ beside me Christ to win me
Christ to comfort and restore me
Christ beneath me Christ above me
Christ in quiet Christ in danger
Christ in hearts of all that love me
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger

5. I bind unto myself the name

The strong name of the Trinity
By invocation of the same
The Three in One and One in Three

Public Domain

THE FAST, AS TAUGHT BY HOLY LORE

St. Gregory the Great, 540-604;
Tr. by J. M. Nealer (1818-1866)
‘Christliches Gesangbuchlein,’ 1568

The fast, as taught by holy lore,

We keep in solemn course once more:
The fast to all men known, and bound
In Forty days of yearly round.

Thy grace have we offended sore,

By sins O God, which we deplore;
But pour upon us from on high
O pard’ning One, Thy clemency.

Remember Thou, though frail we be

That yet Thine handiwork are we;
Nor let the honor of Thy Name
Be by another put to shame.

Forgive the sin that we have wrought

Increase the good that we have sought;
That we at length our wand’rings o’er,
May please Thee here and evermore.

Blest Three in One, and One in Three

Almighty God , we pray to Thee
That this our fast of forty days,
May work our profit and Thy praise.

Public Domain

JESUS, JESUS

Unknown, new arr by Nick Alexander

Jesus, Jesus, can I tell You what we know.

You have granted us forgiveness; we love You so.

Jesus, Jesus, can we tell You how we feel.

You have given us Your Spirit, that You might heal.

Public Domain

MAKE ME MORE LIKE THEE

Author Unknown

Make me more like Thee, Jesus

Make me more like Thee.
Give me a heart that’s filled with love
And make me more like Thee.

Copyright Unknown

BE THOU MY VISION

Traditional Irish Melody

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart

Naught be all else to me, save that for art
Thou my best thought by day or by night
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word

I ever with Thee and Thou with me Lord
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son
Thou in my dwelling, and I in Thee one.

Public Domain

OPORTET TE FILI

Roman Gradual

Opórtet te fíli gaudére, quia fráter túus mórtuus fúerat,

Et revíxit; períerat, et invéntus est.

It’s time for thee, O son, to rejoice!

Since that brother of yours, he had died and passed on.
And now he lives! He once was lost, but he’s alive now.

Public Domain

All songs are in the public domain, unless otherwise noted.

Any songs written or adapted by Nick Alexander are available on music notation, for those who wish to introduce these songs in their own communities.

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Prayer Meeting PodcastBy Nick Alexander