Bishop’s Note: Committal Anthems

Bishop Eric Menees

Dear brothers and sisters,  I pray that this Bishop’s Note finds you safe and well this Easter Week! This Easter Week we continue our discussion of the Burial Rite in the 2019 Book of Common Prayer. As we did last week, today we will continue to look at the Committal. The Committal starts off with an optional set of anthems, or short sentences from scripture and other sources grouped together in a manner similar to the comfortable words of the Eucharist. Two sets of anthems are offered. The first section has had its language modernized, but otherwise the same sentences can be found going back to the original BCP in 1549. The second set was added at a later date for people who wanted only scripture to be read. What people focus on in the anthems dramatically changes their meaning. Many in the world hear the anthems as challenging their perceived place in life. Rather than just focusing on the here and now we’re told we have “but a short time to live,” that life is “full of misery,” that “in the midst of life we are in death” and that we face “the pains of eternal death.” It’s terrifying. As Christians having acknowledged all of that, this directs us to someone greater than ourselves. “Whom may we seek for help, but you, O Lord.” “O holy and most merciful Savior.” “Shut not your ears to our prayer,” “spare us,” “do not let us… fall away from you.” The anthems aren’t made to terrify us or make us wallow in despair, they’re made to make us wonder at how great and beautiful God’s mercy truly is. I hope you all have a blessed rest of Easter Week and a wonderful Second Sunday of Easter! The following anthems may be said Man born of woman has but a short time to live, and is full of misery. He springs up, and is cut down like a flower; he flees like a shadow, and never continues the same. In the midst of life we are in death; of whom may we seek for help, but you, O Lord, who for our sins are justly displeased? Yet, O Lord God most holy, O Lord most mighty, O holy and most merciful Savior, deliver us not into the pains of eternal death. You know, O Lord, the secrets of our hearts; shut not your ears to our prayer; but spare us, Lord most holy, O God most mighty, O holy and merciful Savior, most worthy Judge eternal; do not let us, in our final hour, through the pains of death, fall away from you. or this All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. John 6:37 He who raised Jesus Christ from the dead will also give new life to our mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells within us. Romans 8:11t Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices. My flesh also shall rest in hope. Psalm 16:10 You shall show me the path of life; in your presence is the fullness of joy, and at your right hand there is pleasure for evermore. Psalm 16:12