The Reproaches
Here are the Reproaches sung
(right click to open in a new tab so that you can read and listen at the same time) by Rev. Douglas Punke of Zion Lutheran Church in Ft. Wayne and then Sem. Matthew Jeffords, now pastor of Incarnate Word Lutheran Church in Florence, SC. The Reproaches were sung at Redeemer on Good Friday, 2005. The tune is the Gregorian tune from the Liber Usualis. The English translation was provided by the St. Andrew Daily Missal.
Rev. Jeffords wasn't miked so he is a bit tough to hear, but Rev. Punke comes through very nicely.
Historically, the Reproaches weren't used in their entirety the way we do here at Redeemer. The Reproaches follow the procession and unveiling of the cross. They were sung while the people came forward to adore the cross similar to the way we might use distribution hymns. But here, at Redeemer, only the celebrant, deacon, and subdeacon adore in that way, with a kiss and prostration, while the people simply sit or kneel, in adoration, and all of the Reproaches are sung. Certainly we could cut some, but why? They are moving and appropriate and we are in no rush.
Here is the text:
PART I
Pastor: O My people, what have I done unto thee, or wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against Me. Because I brought thee forth from the land of Egypt: thou hast prepared a Cross for thy Saviour.
Cantor I: Agios o Theos.
Cantor II: Holy God.
Cantor I: Agios ischyros.
Cantor II: Holy mighty.
Cantor I: Agios athanatos, eleison imas.
Cantor II: Holy and immortal, have mercy upon us.
Pastor: Because I led thee through the desert forty years, and fed thee with manna, and brought thee into a land exceeding good: thou hast prepared a Cross for thy Saviour.
Cantor I: Agios o Theos.
Cantor II: Holy God.
Cantor I: Agios ischyros.
Cantor II: Holy mighty.
Cantor I: Agios athanatos, eleison imas.
Cantor II: Holy and immortal, have mercy upon us.
Pastor: What more could I have done unto thee that I have not done? I indeed did plant thee, O My vineyard, with exceeding fair fruit: and thou art become very bitter unto Me: for vinegar, mingled with gall, thou gavest Me when thirsty: and hast pierced with a spear the side of thy Saviour.
Cantor I: Agios o Theos.
Cantor II: Holy God.
Cantor I: Agios ischyros.
Cantor II: Holy mighty.
Cantor I: Agios athanatos, eleison imas.
Cantor II: Holy and immortal, have mercy upon us.
PART II
Pastor: I did scourge Egypt with her first-born for thy sake: and thou hast scourged Me and delivered Me up.
Cantor I: O My people, what have I done unto thee, or wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against Me.
Pastor: I led thee forth out of Egypt, drowning Pharaoh in the Red Sea: and thou hast delivered Me up unto the chief priests.
Cantor I: O my people, what have I done unto thee, or wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against Me.
Pastor: I did open the sea before thee: and thou hast opened My side with a spear.
Cantor I: O my people, what have I done unto thee, or wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against me.
Pastor: I did go before thee in the pillar of cloud: and thou hast led Me unto the judgment-hall of Pilate.
Cantor I: O My people, what have I done unto thee, or wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against Me.
Pastor: I did feed thee with manna in the desert: and thou hast stricken Me with blows and scourges.
Cantor I: O My people, what have I done unto thee, or wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against Me.
Pastor: I did give thee to drink the water of life from the Rock: and thou hast given Me to drink but gall and vinegar.
Cantor I: O My people, what have I done unto thee, or wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against Me.
Pastor: I did smite the kings of the Canaanites for thy sake: and thou hast smitten My head with a reed.
Cantor I: O My people, what have I done unto thee, or wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against Me.
Pastor: I did give thee a royal sceptre: and thou hast given unto My head a crown of thorns.
Cantor I: O My people, what have I done unto thee, or wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against Me.
Pastor: I did raise thee on high with great power: and thou hast hanged Me upon the gibbet of the Cross.
Cantor I: O My people, what have I done unto thee, or wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against Me.
PART III
Pastor: We venerate Thy Cross, O Lord: and praise and glorify Thy holy Resurrection: for by virtue of the Cross joy has come to the whole world. God be merciful unto us and bless us.
Cantor I: And shew us the light of His countenance, and be merciful unto us.
Pastor: We venerate Thy Cross, O Lord: and praise and glorify Thy holy Resurrection: for by virtue of the Cross joy has come to the whole world.
Cantor I: Faithful Cross, above all other, one and only noble Tree: none in foliage, none in blossom, none in fruit thy peer may be. Sweetest wood, and sweetest iron, sweetest weight is hung on thee.
Here, again, is the link to the audio: http://79456.info/axisdata/redeemer/audio/488.mp3
Rev. Jeffords wasn't miked so he is a bit tough to hear, but Rev. Punke comes through very nicely.
Historically, the Reproaches weren't used in their entirety the way we do here at Redeemer. The Reproaches follow the procession and unveiling of the cross. They were sung while the people came forward to adore the cross similar to the way we might use distribution hymns. But here, at Redeemer, only the celebrant, deacon, and subdeacon adore in that way, with a kiss and prostration, while the people simply sit or kneel, in adoration, and all of the Reproaches are sung. Certainly we could cut some, but why? They are moving and appropriate and we are in no rush.
Here is the text:
PART I
Pastor: O My people, what have I done unto thee, or wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against Me. Because I brought thee forth from the land of Egypt: thou hast prepared a Cross for thy Saviour.
Cantor I: Agios o Theos.
Cantor II: Holy God.
Cantor I: Agios ischyros.
Cantor II: Holy mighty.
Cantor I: Agios athanatos, eleison imas.
Cantor II: Holy and immortal, have mercy upon us.
Pastor: Because I led thee through the desert forty years, and fed thee with manna, and brought thee into a land exceeding good: thou hast prepared a Cross for thy Saviour.
Cantor I: Agios o Theos.
Cantor II: Holy God.
Cantor I: Agios ischyros.
Cantor II: Holy mighty.
Cantor I: Agios athanatos, eleison imas.
Cantor II: Holy and immortal, have mercy upon us.
Pastor: What more could I have done unto thee that I have not done? I indeed did plant thee, O My vineyard, with exceeding fair fruit: and thou art become very bitter unto Me: for vinegar, mingled with gall, thou gavest Me when thirsty: and hast pierced with a spear the side of thy Saviour.
Cantor I: Agios o Theos.
Cantor II: Holy God.
Cantor I: Agios ischyros.
Cantor II: Holy mighty.
Cantor I: Agios athanatos, eleison imas.
Cantor II: Holy and immortal, have mercy upon us.
PART II
Pastor: I did scourge Egypt with her first-born for thy sake: and thou hast scourged Me and delivered Me up.
Cantor I: O My people, what have I done unto thee, or wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against Me.
Pastor: I led thee forth out of Egypt, drowning Pharaoh in the Red Sea: and thou hast delivered Me up unto the chief priests.
Cantor I: O my people, what have I done unto thee, or wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against Me.
Pastor: I did open the sea before thee: and thou hast opened My side with a spear.
Cantor I: O my people, what have I done unto thee, or wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against me.
Pastor: I did go before thee in the pillar of cloud: and thou hast led Me unto the judgment-hall of Pilate.
Cantor I: O My people, what have I done unto thee, or wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against Me.
Pastor: I did feed thee with manna in the desert: and thou hast stricken Me with blows and scourges.
Cantor I: O My people, what have I done unto thee, or wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against Me.
Pastor: I did give thee to drink the water of life from the Rock: and thou hast given Me to drink but gall and vinegar.
Cantor I: O My people, what have I done unto thee, or wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against Me.
Pastor: I did smite the kings of the Canaanites for thy sake: and thou hast smitten My head with a reed.
Cantor I: O My people, what have I done unto thee, or wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against Me.
Pastor: I did give thee a royal sceptre: and thou hast given unto My head a crown of thorns.
Cantor I: O My people, what have I done unto thee, or wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against Me.
Pastor: I did raise thee on high with great power: and thou hast hanged Me upon the gibbet of the Cross.
Cantor I: O My people, what have I done unto thee, or wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against Me.
PART III
Pastor: We venerate Thy Cross, O Lord: and praise and glorify Thy holy Resurrection: for by virtue of the Cross joy has come to the whole world. God be merciful unto us and bless us.
Cantor I: And shew us the light of His countenance, and be merciful unto us.
Pastor: We venerate Thy Cross, O Lord: and praise and glorify Thy holy Resurrection: for by virtue of the Cross joy has come to the whole world.
Cantor I: Faithful Cross, above all other, one and only noble Tree: none in foliage, none in blossom, none in fruit thy peer may be. Sweetest wood, and sweetest iron, sweetest weight is hung on thee.
Here, again, is the link to the audio: http://79456.info/axisdata/redeemer/audio/488.mp3