Category: The Lord Jesus

Story of John Stainer

John Stainer (1840–1901) was an English composer and organist. His music, although rarely performed today, was quite popular during his lifetime. Let me share some key points about him:

  1. Early Years:

    • Born in Southwark, London, in 1840, Stainer was the eighth of nine children.
    • He became a chorister at St. Paul’s Cathedral at the age of ten.
    • His exceptional musical abilities led him to sing in the first English performance of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion.
    • Stainer received a solid education at St. Paul’s Cathedral, where he excelled in various subjects.

  2. Career Highlights:

    • Stainer served as an organist at Magdalen College, Oxford, and later at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
    • His work as a choir trainer and organist set standards for Anglican church music that continue to influence the field.
    • Notably, his composition “The Crucifixion” is still heard during Passiontide in some Anglican churches.

  3. Legacy:

    • Stainer’s contributions extended beyond music. He became the Heather Professor of Music at Oxford University.
    • Unfortunately, he passed away unexpectedly while on holiday in Italy in 1901.

Despite the relative obscurity of his music today, Stainer’s impact on Anglican church music remains significant1. If you’d like to explore more, you can visit the John Stainer Wikipedia page or learn about his hymns on Hymnary.org

The Tomb

Mark 15:42-47

The Burial of Jesus
42 It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. 44 Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. 45 When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. 46 So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down theSee the source image body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where he was laid.

Although I used this reading from Luke yesterday to cover the Crucifixion, I decided to use it again because this was ‘Preparation Day’ the day that Jesus was buried in the tomb by Joseph of Arimathea with his mother Mary and  Mary Magdalene looking on..

Doubting Faith

Lamentations 3 New International Version

2 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassion’s never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
    therefore I will wait for him.”

25 The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
    to the one who seeks him;
26 it is good to wait quietly
    for the salvation of the Lord.
27 It is good for a man to bear the yoke
    while he is young.

No doubt you like I have had many times where we have had cause to doubt our faith and this can sometimes make us feel quite down.

What we have to remember in situations like these is that the Lord is with us ‘though we may not think or feel his presence at the time’ guiding us.

If we loose faith in God especially, in order to get it back we have to come to him in prayer, because our God is a faithful God. This is only one of the hymns I turn to at times like these as I think the words are just beautiful.

Great is Thy Faithfulness, O God my Father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
Thou changes not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be

Great is Thy faithfulness
Great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
And all I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
And Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all amine, with ten thousand beside

Great is Thy Faithfulness
Great is Thy Faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
And all I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me

Trinity Sunday

Matthew 28:16-20

16Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”See the source image

Prayer to the Holy Trinity
Glory be to the Father,
Who by His almighty power and love created me,
making me in the image and likeness of God.

Glory be to the Son,
Who by His Precious Blood delivered me from hell,
and opened for me the gates of heaven.

Glory be to the Holy Spirit,
Who has sanctified me in the sacrament of Baptism,
and continues to sanctify me
by the graces I receive daily from His bounty.

Glory be to the Three adorable Persons of the Holy Trinity,
now and forever.