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.
Dialogue, dialogue, dialogue. Encounter. Who am I to judge? Encounter dialogue. The poor! Dialogue encounter. The poor.
So I came across a fascinating piece about the liturgical rubrics for the pontifical blessing of military armor, swords, and military banners. But how can this be? War is never the answer! Oh, except when it is. Anyway, here is what a bishop is to say when blessing a sword:
Let us pray. Deign Thou to + bless this sword, we ask Thee, Lord; and with the guard of Thy holiness defend this Thy servant, who at Thy inspiration desires to receive it, and keep him from every harm. Through Christ, our Lord. R. Amen.
The bishop sprinkles the sword with holy water, then hands it to the person who is to receive it as the latter kneels before him, saying:
Receive this sword, in the name of the Fa+ther, the + Son and the Holy + Spirit, and may thou use it for thy defense, and that of the Holy Church of God, and to the confounding of the enemies of the Cross of Christ, and of the Christian faith: and as far as human frailty shall permit, may thou harm no one with it unjustly. And may He deign to grant this to thee, Who with the Father and the Holy Spirit….
How ’bout them apples.