THINE IS THE POWER, THE GLORY, THE BLESSING AND
THE HONOR, FOREVER AMEN………..
During the Passion Week, the Holy Church concentrates
on one subject: The Lord Jesus Christ's suffering. For this reason,
the Psalm readings and the Canonical Hours which cover various subjects
relating to the Lord Jesus Christ including His Holy Birth, His Ministry,
His Resurrection, Ascension and sitting on the Father's right hand
and His Second Coming in His Glory, are replaced by a special hymn
chosen by the Church especially for the Pascha Week in which we address
the Lord suffering for us saying:
-
"THINE IS THE POWER, THE GLORY, THE BLESSING
AND THE
HONOR, FOREVER AMEN, EMMANUEL OUR GOD AND KING."
- "THINE IS THE POWER, THE GLORY, THE BLESSING AND THE
HONOR, FOREVER AMEN, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST."
- THINE IS THE POWER, THE GLORY, THE BLESSING AND THE
HONOR, FOREVER AMEN…" adding to it…"OUR GOOD SAVIOUR"
from Wednesday night, as the plot to betray the Lord Christ
was the practical step toward salvation.
We sing this hymn to the Lord Christ all through the Passion Week,
following all His movements. We sing it instead of the Canonical Hours,
the five-day prayers and the five night prayers (First, Third, Sixth,
Ninth and Eleventh Hours). We repeat the hymn twelve times in each
prayer instead of the twelve Psalms that are included in each prayer
of the Canonical Hours.
The Lord Christ left Jerusalem to Bethany, where we follow Him saying,
"THINE IS THE POWER, THE GLORY, THE BLESSING AND THE HONOR…."
The chief priests were annoyed when the Lord cleared the Temple and
said, "By what authority are You doing these things?" But we say,
"THINE IS THE POWER, THE GLORY, THE BLESSING AND THE HONOR…. EMMANUEL
OUR GOD AND KING…" They planned to kill Him while we defend Him
saying, "THINE IS THE POWER, THE GLORY, THE BLESSING AND THE HONOR…FOREVER
AMEN…."
The Lord, in humility, bent to wash the Disciples feet, and we praise
Him saying, "THINE IS THE POWER, THE GLORY, THE BLESSING AND THE
HONOR…." The Lord was praying at Gethsemane in such agony that
His sweat was like drops of blood, and we proclaim, "THINE IS THE
POWER AND THE GLORY…"
We follow Him hour by hour; when arrested, put under trial in the
presence of His enemies, crowned with thorns, flogged, falling under
the weight of the Cross, nailed until He commended His Spirit into
the Hands of the Father and when He took the robber on His right with
Him into Paradise and we sing to Him all the time with the Hymn, "THINE
IS THE POWER, THE GLORY, THE BLESSING AND HONOR…FOREVER AMEN."
In each of these prayers we turn to our God and Savior in His Passions
and say, "we know who You are, for "THINE IS THE POWER, GLORY,
BLESSING AND HONOR, FOREVER AMEN."
