大象传媒

Please note:

This script cannot exactly reflect the transmission, as it was prepared before the service was broadcast. It may include editorial notes prepared by the producer, and minor spelling and other errors that were corrected before the radio broadcast.

It may contain gaps to be filled in at the time so that prayers may reflect the needs of the world, and changes may also be made at the last minute for timing reasons, or to reflect current events.

Sunday Worship was recorded in Worcester College, Oxford earlier this year.

Music: O Trinity Most Blessed Light (Malcolm Archer)
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Dr. Susan Gillingham:
Good morning and welcome to the Chapel of Worcester College, Oxford, as we come together to worship God 鈥� the three in one, through word, music and prayer. This year the college celebrates its three-hundredth anniversary 鈥� and in this Chapel there have been three centuries of worship, where people have knelt and prayer has been valid to God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit - Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier.听 Our Chaplain, the Revd Dr. Jonathan Arnold will be reflecting upon the harmony of the Trinity. So let鈥檚 sing praises to God the heavenly creator in our next hymn: 鈥楬oly, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty鈥�.

Music: Holy, holy, holy (Nicaea)

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Susan:
As we gather to offer our praises to the holy and undivided Trinity,
and to worship him in spirit and in truth,
let us call to mind our sins.
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Father, you come to meet us when we return to you.
Lord have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
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Jesus, you died on the cross for our sins.
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
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Spirit, you give us life and peace.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins
And bring us to everlasting life
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
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Reader:
The first reading is taken from the prophecy of Isaiah, chapter forty:
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Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand
and marked off the heavens with a span,
enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure,
and weighed the mountains in scales
and the hills in a balance?
13 Who has directed the spirit of the LORD,
or as his counsellor has instructed him?
14 Whom did he consult for his enlightenment,
and who taught him the path of justice?
Who taught him knowledge,
and showed him the way of understanding?
15 Even the nations are like a drop from a bucket,
and are accounted as dust on the scales;
see, he takes up the isles like fine dust.
16 Lebanon would not provide fuel enough,
nor are its animals enough for a burnt-offering.
17 All the nations are as nothing before him;
they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.
听This is the Word of the Lord
All: Thanks be to God

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Music: Responsorial Psalm 8

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Jonathan Arnold:
May I speak in the name of God, Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier. Amen.
Many years ago, there was a man who decided to write a book on the doctrine of Trinity. Whilst musing on his great subject, he took a walk on the seashore. On the beach he found a boy who had made a little hole in the sand and, with a small spoon, was scooping water from the sea into the small pit. When the scholar asked the boy what he was doing, he answered that he was trying to ladle the whole sea into the little hole in the sand. 鈥榃hat?鈥� said the writer, 鈥業t is impossible that such a sea, so great and large should be ladled into that little pit with such a small spoon鈥�.听 鈥榊es鈥�, said the boy, 鈥榖ut it is more likely that I shall draw all the water of the sea into this little crater than that you shall bring the mystery of the Trinity into your small understanding; for the mystery of the Trinity is greater and larger in comparison to your intelligence and brain than is the great sea to this little pit.鈥� The person musing on the Trinity was Saint Augustine.
As the story shows, comprehension of the Trinity with our minds is an impossible task, for it requires naming the unnameable. For, as Augustine himself wrote, all the creeds are only 鈥榓n alternative to silence鈥�. But he also wrote that 鈥楪od is music鈥�. Therefore, this morning, I would like to explore this mystery through the idea of music, which can often help us approach the numinous and the ineffable, and can inspire our hearts, that we may come to know the truth of God鈥檚 reality as Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier, through faith and experience. So let鈥檚 consider our God the Creator.

In the reading from the Prophecy of Isaiah that we heard read this morning, God鈥檚 sovereignty over creation is a powerful theme, especially in relation to human power, wisdom or knowledge 鈥� no one is counsellor to God, or instructs God, or enlightens God with regard to justice. In comparison, the nations, even great nations, are like a drop of water in a whole bucket full of water, or a speck of dust in a mountain of earth. Human beings are challenged, in this passage, to see themselves in relation to the infinite universe and the infinitely powerful God. And in Psalm 8, which we sang, humanity鈥檚 relation to the divine is examined once again. This time, the human voice is heard, expressing a sense of wonder at the universe.
From the creation narrative onwards, the story of the Old Testament is one of relationship, of God鈥檚 relationship to his people and to creation. This relationship is often expressed in music, which is frequently at the heart of that story, whether it be through songs of victory over enemies, or despair at exile, or joy at reconciliation 鈥� and it is not just people who respond in music, but the whole of creation, in songs of praise to God the Creator each day.
Around the walls of this Chapel are painted some words from the Apocrypha, known as the 鈥楤enedicite鈥�, which speak of creation鈥檚 response to the divine, calling all the works of the Lord, the sun and the moon, light and darkness, green things and animals of every kind to bless the Lord and magnify him forever. For our three-hundredth anniversary celebrations, we have commissioned a new setting of this text by the composer, and former student of this college, Deborah Pritchard. She has a synaesthetic approach to composition, which brings together the senses, especially, in this work, the sense of sight with the sound.
Deborah鈥檚 piece only demonstrates the luminous colours of the narrative through the bright sound of the trumpet and choir, but is also a reflection on her own faith. An excerpt from this new commission will be sung for us now by the Chapel Choir with trumpeter Simon Desbruslais.

Music: Benedicite (Deborah Pritchard - short version)

Jonathan:
One unifying musical feature of the New Testament is 鈥榬edemption鈥�, such as we see in the remarkable Gospel of St. Luke. Even in the first two chapters, people burst into song four times, from Mary in the Magnificat (My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord), Zechariah鈥檚 Benedictus (Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel), Simeon鈥檚 Nunc Dimittis (Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, and the Angels singing Glory to God in Luke chapter 2.
All of these songs represent a fulfilment of God鈥檚 redemptive promise in Christ, and we might forget, as we sing or listen to one of the many, many settings of these words, how radical they are in their theology, especially Mary鈥檚 song, including phrases such as 鈥楬e hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble and meek鈥�. Mary鈥檚 words are not just innocent praise. This is singing as radical social commentary on what 鈥榠s鈥� and what 鈥榦ught to be鈥�. Indeed, a great deal of the music-making surrounding the theme of liberation from oppression in the Bible, is sung by women.

When there are still so many stories in the news today of women鈥檚 oppression throughout the world, such songs are more relevant than ever.听
Another very significant musical moment in Luke, that is a revelation of God鈥檚 redemptive work but might easily go unnoticed, is found in the parable of the prodigal son. The profligate and ungrateful son has gone his own way and left his father鈥檚 house, ending up destitute. Realizing the error of his ways, he decides to return home and beg forgiveness. We鈥檒l hear now how the parable ends:

Reader:
鈥楴ow his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing.26He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on.27He replied, 鈥淵our brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.鈥�28Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him.29But he answered his father, 鈥淟isten! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends.30But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!鈥�31Then the father said to him, 鈥淪on, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.32But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.鈥�

Jonathan:
You might have noticed, in that passage, that when the elder son approached the house, 鈥榟e heard music and dancing.鈥�
At first sight there is nothing particularly revealing about this. At a party, one might expect there to be music and dancing. However, it is the language used that is so significant. The Greek word used for 鈥榤usic鈥� in this passage is 鈥楽ymphonias鈥�, which literally means 鈥榯ogether sounding鈥� or 鈥榠n-tune鈥�. The harmony of the music reflects the harmony of the reunion between father and son, or between heaven and earth, or Christ and his Church.

One theologian who realized this connection was the South-German mystic and composer, Hildegard of Bingen, who in her eightieth year of life (in 1178) wrote a letter to the prelates of Mainz, complaining against the wrongful banning of music in her abbey. Hildegard explains in her letter that music is essential to her community, but also to the wider world. To lose the music meant that they were unable to fulfil their goal of living out 鈥榯he harmony of body and soul through their continual singing of praises to God鈥�. She wrote 鈥楾he Soul is Symphonic鈥�. Thus, her community, and the wider church, is a place where they practised in 鈥榮ymphony鈥� or 鈥榟armony鈥�, and they lived in such a way that each individual joined to form a single consonance reflecting the music and dance of heaven. It is this sympathetic and responsive way of being that seeks to emulate and even join in with the harmony of the Triune God.

Music: Laus Trinitati, Praise to the Trinity (Hildegard of Bingen)

Jonathan:
Laus Trinitati, 鈥楶raise to the Trinity鈥�, by Hildegard of Bingen.
Because we are flawed human beings, the art of being 鈥榠n-tune鈥� with one another needs a lot of practice and the help of the third person of the Trinity 鈥� the Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier, which operates through the whole of creation, beyond the limits of our denominational boundaries and across religious faiths. The Spirit is often known as the comforter, giving consolation or perhaps courage, but it is also the Spirit of truth and understanding, which, in our divided world, is our desperate need. The great Argentinean-Israeli conductor and pianist, Daniel Barenboim and the Palestinian-American scholar, Edward Said, founded the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra听 in 1999, now based in Seville, which takes musicians from the Middle East, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria. The aim of the Orchestra, of course, is to make music, but also to promote understanding between Israelis and Palestinians. But Barenboim says: 鈥楾he Divan is not a love story, and it is not a peace story 鈥� The Divan was conceived as a project against ignorance. A project against the fact that it is absolutely essential for people to get to know the other, to understand what the other thinks and feels, without necessarily agreeing with it. I鈥檓 not trying to convert the Arab members of the Divan to the Israeli point of view, and [I'm] not trying to convince the Israelis to the Arab point of view. But I want to 鈥� create a platform where the two sides can disagree and not resort to knives.鈥�
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I love this unsentimental tale of learning and understanding through co-operation, because, as Barenboim and Said knew, it is not easy to produce such harmony out of diversity. To live in the Spirit of harmony means to surrender to the music in a way that involves participation, sensitivity and awareness of others. In order for us to comprehend the Spirit of God across the self-imposed divisions of our societies, we could do worse that to return to our God as Creator and Redeemer. For, in each moment of precious time we can only learn, or know, teach or explore because of the infinite variety and possibilities with God鈥檚 redeemed creation. In our exploration of the finite and the material, whether it be music, or art, or nature, we are led by God鈥檚 wisdom to touch upon the transcendent and infinite, leading us back to encounter that divine spark within us responding to God鈥檚 call and know him afresh, as if for the first time.

We鈥檙e going to listen now to the harmony, melody and rhythm of music. As we do, perhaps consider that it is God鈥檚 gift to you and his invitation to join him in the symphony and the dance of the Holy Trinity. The dance doesn鈥檛 require you to comprehend God, only to offer your heart to him through faith and to sing his praises, just as the choir now sing to the music of Thomas Tallis 鈥榃ith all our hearts and mouths, we confess, praise and bless thee.鈥�

Music: With all our hearts (Thomas Tallis)
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Susan:
So, trusting in the mystery of the divine, let us affirm our faith in the undivided Trinity:
Do you believe and trust in God the Father,
source of all being and life,
the one for whom we exist?
We believe and trust in him.
Do you believe and trust in God the Son,
who took our human nature,
died for us and rose again?
We believe and trust in him.
Do you believe and trust in God the Holy Spirit,
who gives life to the people of God
and makes Christ known in the world?
We believe and trust in him.
This is the faith of the Church.
This is our faith.
We believe and trust in one God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Amen.

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Intercessor:
We come boldly to the throne of grace,
Praying to the almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit
For mercy and grace

We plead before your throne in heaven.

[God of delight,
you Wisdom sings your Word
at the crossroads where humanity and divinity meet.
Invite us into your joyful being
where you know and are known
in each beginning,
in all sustenance,
in every redemption,
that we may manifest your unity
in the diverse ministries you entrust to us,
truly reflecting your triune majesty
in the faith that acts,
in the hope that does not disappoint,
and in the love that endures.

We plead before your throne in heaven.]
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Father of heaven, whose love profound
A ransom for our souls has found:
We pray for the world, created by your love,
For its nations and governments ...
Extend to them your peace, pardoning love, mercy and grace.
We plead before your throne in heaven.
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Almighty Son, incarnate Word,
Our Prophet, Priest, Redeemer, Lord:
We pray for the Church, created for your glory,
For its ministry to reflect those work of yours ....
Extend to us your salvation, growth, mercy and grace.

We plead before your throne in heaven.
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Eternal Spirit, by whose breath
The soul is raised from sin and death:
We pray for families and individuals, created in your image,
For the lonely, the bereaved, the sick and the dying ...
Breathe on them the breath of life
And bring them to your mercy and grace.

We plead before your throne in heaven.
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Thrice Holy! Father, Spirit, Son,
Mysterious Godhead, Three in One:
We pray for ourselves,
For your Church, for all whom we remember before you ....
Bring us all to bow before your throne in heaven,
To receive life and pardon, mercy and grace for all eternity.

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[Merciful Father
Accept these prayers
For the sake of your Son
Our Saviour Jesus Christ
Amen.]
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Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.听 Amen.

Music: I bind unto myself (St Patrick鈥檚 Breastplate)

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Jonathan:
I hope you have enjoyed exploring the nature of the Trinity through music with me this morning. As we journey on, let鈥檚 remember that, at our best as human beings, we begin to join in the symphony and the dance of the divine Trinity of God. The Spirit invites us and draws us into the Godhead by his love and grace given freely to us, and it is in this music and dance, that we begin to glimpse the divine. That鈥檚 why composers and performers, who strive for greater perfection of their art, can help to bring us closer to the perfect reality of the ultimate harmony: the three in one. It鈥檚 my hope that each one of us can respond to the invitation of the Spirit to join the Godhead in faith and love, which will guide us into all truth and peace.

Music: God the Holy Trinity (David Halls)

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Organ Voluntary: Paean (Kenneth Leighton)
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