Trinity Sunday

The Collect

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who hast given unto us thy servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of the Divine Majesty to worship the Unity; We beseech thee that thou wouldest keep us stedfast in this faith, and evermore defend us from all adversities, who livest and reignest, one God, world without end. Amen.

The Epistle (Revelation iv. 1)

AFTER this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes before and behind. And the first was like a lion, and the second like a calf, and the third had a face as a man, and the fourth was like a flying eagle. And the four living creatures had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. And when those living creatures give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, the four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are, and were created.

The Gospel (St. John iii. 1)

THERE was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: the same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Trinity Sunday - Message in a Minute

Time and time again we see in scripture that human beings use freedom badly. We set out to act in our own interest, but our perceptions are distorted, so we go against what the Lord wants us to do. To get everything back on track God had to intervene.

God's cure is for people to be born again through a new outpouring of God's creative activity. Jesus teaches us that we have to be born again to go to heaven. We have to be born of water and the Spirit. We use water to baptize because Jesus says so and we use the formula "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" because Jesus says so.

Jesus prescribes this Trinitarian formula, because in baptism we are taken up into the life of the Holy Trinity and united with it. We are born again as organic parts of God. God the Father adopts us as his own children. We experience the death and resurrection of the Son as we become grafted into his body. The power that makes this all happen, and which ties us to God forever, is the Holy Ghost.

The Holy Trinity is not a theological riddle, or a reality that exists only in some misty realm far away from us. The Trinity describes the life of God. The purpose of his life is to send himself out to us and to all of creation. Love and power radiate from the Father. The love and power is the Holy Ghost who reveals himself perfectly in the Son. We are members of the Son's body.

+++

Easter Monday

 The Collect

O GOD, whose blessed Son did manifest himself to his disciples in the breaking of bread; Open, we pray thee, the eyes of our faith, that we may behold thee in all thy works, through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Alleluia! Christ is Risen!

The reading from the Gospel of Luke today describes an encounter on the road and a supper that follows. It states that while a disciple named Cleopas was walking towards Emmaus with another disciple, they met Jesus. They did not recognize him, and discussed their sadness at recent events with him. They persuaded him to come and eat with them, and in the course of the meal they recognized him.

Readings: Acts x. 34; Saint Luke xxiv. 13.

He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

+++

Easter Day

The Collect

O GOD, who for our redemption didst give thine only-begotten Son to the death of the Cross, and by his glorious resurrection hast delivered us from the power of our enemy; Grant us so to die daily from sin, that we may evermore live with him in the joy of his resurrection; through the same thy Son Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle (Colossians iii. 1)

IF ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

The Gospel (St. John xx. 1)

THE first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him. Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, and the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.

Easter Day - Message in a Minute

Everything -- All things.

The ultimate good news of Easter Day is that because Jesus Christ rose from the dead in his body we are going to rise from the dead in our bodies, and that in the fullness of time everything is going to be all right.

It is important to remember that his body was a body that could eat, a body that could be touched, a body that was recognizably related to the body that was crucified but it was also a new kind of body: a body that could appear and disappear at will; a body that could make its way through walls -- even the walls of a tomb.

The resurrection of the flesh is not something we just believe happened to Jesus. If we are baptized into Jesus' body, God almighty will raise us from death too. We will be resurrected in bodies at the last day to go to heaven to enjoy eternity with God at his heavenly banquet.

"All things work together for good to them that love God." All things. "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." All. "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God." Amen and amen.

+++

Holy Saturday... He descended into Hell

Why is Holy Saturday important, and what does it mean that Christ descended into Hell?

Tradition affirms that immediately after the death of Christ, he went down in triumph into the place where the souls of those justified under the Old Law were held. While called hell (hades in Greek, sheol in Hebrew), the Creed is actually referencing a place where souls were separated from the presence of God and not the hell of eternal damnation.

Scripture calls this place the Abraham's bosom (St. Luke 16:22). The place where faithful, covenanted people waited for the Messiah to open the gates of heaven to them. Among them included the Old Testament patriarchs as Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, David and even our Lord’s foster Father St. Joseph. Christological discourses identify this as the last phase of Jesus’ messianic mission.

St. John 5:25 teaches that "the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live". It would not be fair to those who lived before Jesus if they did nor have a chance to hear the Gospel and be saved. On Holy Saturday we remember that even the dead had the chance to hear and be saved.

The Collect

GRANT, O Lord, that as we are baptized into the death of thy blessed Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, so by continual mortifying our corrupt affections we may be buried with him; and that through the grave, and gate of death, we may pass to our joyful resurrection: for his merits, who died, and was buried, and rose again for us, the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Easter Even Readings: (1 Saint Peter iii. 17; Saint Matthew xxvii. 57)

+++

Good Friday

 BEHOLD the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. (Saint John 1:29)

The Collects

ALMIGHTY God, we beseech thee graciously to behold this thy family, for which our Lord Jesus Christ was contented to be betrayed, and given up into the hands of wicked men, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end, Amen.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of the Church is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers, which we offer before thee for all estates of men in thy holy Church, that every member of the same, in his vocation and ministry, may truly and godly serve thee; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

O MERCIFUL God, who hast made all men, and hatest nothing that thou hast made, nor wouldest the death of the sinner, but rather that he should be converted and live: Have mercy upon all who know thee not as thou art revealed in the Gospel of thy Son. Take from them all ignorance, hardness of heart, and contempt of thy Word, and so fetch them home, blessed Lord, to thy fold, that they may be made one flock under one shepherd, Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

Reading: (Hebrews x. 1; Saint John xix. 1)

+++

Maundy Thursday

 

ALMIGHTY Father, whose dear Son, on the night before he suffered, did institute the Sacrament of his Body and Blood: Mercifully grant that we many thankfully receive the same in remembrance of him, who in these holy mysteries giveth is a pledge of life eternal; the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who now liveth and reigheth with thee and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Readings: (1 Corinthians xi. 23; Saint Luke xxiii. 1)

+++

Ash Wednesday

The Collect

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who hatest nothing that thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all those who are penitent; Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle (Joel ii. 12) 

TURN ye even to me, saith the LORD, with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat-offering and a drink-offering unto the LORD your God? Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?

The Gospel (St. Matthew vi. 16)

WHEN ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

+++

Septuagesima Sunday

Septuagesima and Lent serve as times of penance, Septuagesima is a time of voluntary  fasting in preparation for the obligatory Great Fast of Lent. The theme is the Babylonian exile, and through it we must endure, patiently waiting for Holy Jerusalem.

The Sundays of Septugesima are named for their distance away from Easter:

• The first Sunday of Septuagesima gives its name to the entire season as it is known as Septuagesima. Septuagesima means seventy, and Septuagesima Sunday comes roughly seventy days before Easter. This seventy represents the seventy years of the Babylonian Captivity. It is on this Sunday that the alleluia is "put away," not to be said again until the Vigil of Easter.

• The second Sunday of Septuagesima is known as Sexagesima, which means sixty. Sexagesima Sunday comes roughly sixty days before Easter.

• The third Sunday of Septuagesima is known as Quinquagesima, which means fifty and which comes roughly fifty days before Easter.

Throughout this ancient Season the Church immerses herself into a deepening feeling of penance and somberness, culminating in Passiontide. This ends with the sudden and joyous Vigil of Easter on Holy Saturday when the alleluia returns and Christ's Body is restored and glorified.

Readings: (1 Corinthians ix. 24; St. Matthew xx. 1)

+++

The Epiphany, or the Manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles

The Collects

O God, who by the leading of a star didst manifest thy only-begotten Son to the Gentiles; Mercifully grant, that we, which know thee now by faith, may after this life have the fruition of thy glorious Godhead; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

ALMIGHTY God, whose voice bare witness to the baptism of they beloved Son Jesus Christ: Grant we beseech thee, that we may deserve to be inwardly created anew, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Readings: (Ephesians iii. 1; St. Matthew ii. 1)

And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. (Matthew 2:11)

The Epiphany - Message in a Minute

The mystery of Epiphany has to do with the inclusiveness of God. The manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles teaches us that through Jesus everybody can become one of God's chosen people. From Abraham to Jesus chosenness was limited to Jews. Now chosenness is for everyone -- both Jew and Gentile. 

The word gentile in this context refers to the non-Jew. Jesus came to earth to make it possible for Gentiles to join the chosen people through baptism, and so become honorary Jews. St. Paul teaches "that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel." So the fellowship of the mystery turns out to be a Church where membership is available to all humanity. 

After we learn what the mystery of Epiphany is the following reflective questions lie before us, "Do we accept this mystery? Do we want to join the fellowship?" 

Jesus says, "Many are called, but few are chosen." People must ask of themselves, "Do I choose to be chosen?" God has shown now that he has chosen us. Will we now choose him? 

+++

Feast of the Holy Innocents

The Collect

O ALMIGHTY God, who out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast ordained strength, and madest infants to glorify thee by their deaths: Mortify and kill all vices in us, and so strengthen us by thy grace, that by the innocency of our lives, and constancy of our faith even unto death, we may glorify thy holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle (Rev. xiv. 1)

I LOOKED, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: and they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.

The Gospel (St. Matthew ii. 13)

THE angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saving, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, an be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: and was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. Then Herod, when he maw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, amid slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

+++

Feast of Saint John, Apostle & Evangelist

The Collect

MERCIFUL Lord, we beseech thee to cast thy bright beams of light upon thy Church, that it, being enlightened by the doctrine of thy blessed Apostle and Evangelist Saint John, may so walk in the light of thy truth, that it may at length attain to everlasting light; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle (1 St. John i. 1)

THAT which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our bands have handled, of the Word of life; (for the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

The Gospel (St. John xxi. 19)

JESUS saith unto Peter, Follow me. Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, he shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true. And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.

+++

Feast of Saint Stephen, Martyr and Deacon

The Collect

Grant, O Lord, that, in all our sufferings here upon earth for the testimony of thy truth, we may stedfastly look up to heaven, and by faith behold the glory that shall be revealed; and being filled with the Holy Ghost may learn to love and bless our persecutors by the example of thy first Martyr Saint Stephen; who prayed for his murderers to thee, O blessed Jesus, who standest at the right hand of God to succour all those that suffer for thee, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.

The Epistle (Acts vii. 55)

Stephen, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

The Gospel (St. Matthew xxiii. 34)

BEHOLD, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

+++

Christmas Day

The Collect

Almighty God, who hast given us thy only. begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and as at this time to be born of a pure virgin; Grant that we being regenerate, and made thy children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by thy holy Spirit; through the same our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same Spirit ever, one God, world without end. Amen.

Readings: (Titus ii. 11; St. Luke ii. 1)

Christmas Day - Message in a Minute

The proclamation of Christmas is that Jesus the Christ is born and that God himself was on earth; or as Saint Paul says, "God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself." Other religions and philosophies talk about the influence of God or the gods on the affairs of men, but only Christianity asserts that God himself walked among us at a specific time and in a specific place.

Micah wrote, "Thou Bethlehem out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel: whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." So even though Jesus was conceived in Nazareth where his mother lived, he had to be born in "the city of David, which is called Bethlehem."

The Gospel writers are definite about the importance of places. Jesus died and rose again in Jerusalem. He preached around the Sea of Galilee. He grew up in Nazareth. Those are all places well-known to other ancient writers, and we can still locate them now. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, a town just south of Jerusalem, a shepherding centre in the first century and a focal point of strife in the West Bank today.

The Nativity of Our Lord offers each of us what it first offered the world two thousand years ago -- a new hope, a new beginning and a new life. The baby of Bethlehem is still Emmanuel, God-with-us. And he tells us, "Marvel not that I said unto thee, 'Ye must be born again." And he assures us, "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out...This is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day."

+++

Feast of All Saints' Day

The Collect

O ALMIGHTY God, who hast knit together thine elect in one communion and fellowship, in the mystical body of thy Son Christ our Lord; Grant us grace so to follow thy blessed Saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those unspeakable joys which thou hast prepared for those who unfeignedly love thee; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Readings: (Revelation vii. 2; St. Matthew v. 1)

All Saints' Day occurs the day after All Hallows' Eve or Halloween and it is an opportunity for believers to remember all saints and martyrs, both known and unknown, throughout our Christian history.

Remembering saints and martyrs, and dedicating a specific day to them during the year has been a Christian tradition since the 4th century AD, but it wasn't until 609 that Pope Boniface IV decided to remember all-martyrs. Originally 13th May was designated as the Feast of All Holy Martyrs. Later, Pope Gregory IV extended the festival to remember all the saints, changing its name to Feast of All Saints and changed the date to 1st November.

+++

Feast of Saint Luke the Evangelist

The Collect

ALMIGHTY God, who didst inspire thy servant Saint Luke the Physician, to set forth in the Gospel the love and healing power of thy Son: Manifest in thy Church the like power and love, to the healing of our bodies and souls; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle (2 St. Timothy 4.5-15)

WATCH thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an Evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me: for Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Take Mark and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry. And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus. The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee; and the books, but especially the parchments. Alexander the copper-smith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works. Of whom be thou ware also, for he hath greatly withstood our words.

The Gospel 9 (St. Luke 10.1-7)

THE Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place whither he himself would come. Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. Go your ways; behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes, and salute no man by the way. And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again. And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire.

+++

Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene

The Collect

O ALMIGHTY God, whose blessed Son did sanctify Mary Magdalene, and call her to be a witness to his Resurrection: Mercifully grant that by thy grace we may be healed of all our infirmities, and serve thee in the power of his endless life; who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth, one God, world without end. Amen.

Readings: (2 Corinthians v. 14; Saint John xx. 1)

Saint Mary was given the name Magdalene because, though a Jewish girl, she lived in a Gentile town called Magdale, in northern Galilee, and her culture and manners were those of a Gentile. St. Luke records that she was a notorious sinner, and had seven devils removed from her.

Mary Magdalene is affirmed as a saint by the Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican and Lutheran churches and today is her feast day.

+++

Feast of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist

The Collect

ALMIGHTY God, by whose providence they servant John Baptist was wonderfully born, and sent to prepare the way of thy Son our Saviour by preaching repentance. Make us so to follow his doctrine and holy life, that we may truly repent according to his preaching, and after his example constantly speak the truth, boldly rebuke vice, and patiently suffer for the truth's sake; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Readings: (Isaiah xl. 1; Saint Luke 1. 57)

+++

Ascensiontide

 The Collect

GRANT, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that like as we do believe thy only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ to have ascended into the heavens; so we may also in heart and mind thither ascend, and with him continually dwell, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

Readings: (Acts i. 1; Saint Luke xxiv, 49)

“And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight." (Acts 1:9)

The fortieth day after Easter Sunday commemorates the Ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven. The term used in the Western Church, ascensio signifies that Christ was raised up by His own powers. Within the Eastern Church this feast was known as analepsis, the taking up, and also as the episozomene, salvation from on high – denoting that by ascending Christ completed the work of our redemption. Holy Tradition designates Mount Olivet near Bethany as the place where Christ left the earth. As an Ecumenical feast it ranks with the feasts of the Passion, of Easter, and of Pentecost as being amongst the most solemn of the liturgical calender.

The Ascension is the capstone of the life of Jesus Christ, and is made up of three key events: (1) Christ's final departure from the earth; (2) His going up into heaven; and, (3) The taking of His place at the right hand of the Father. These events are affirmed in the Nicene Creed and in the Apostles' Creed, and implies Jesus' humanity as being taken into Heaven.

The historical observance of the Ascension is located in the time of the Church Fathers, and although there is little evidence of it prior to the fifth century, St. Augustine affirmed that it is of Apostolic origin and claimed that it was of universal observance before his time. Mention of the feast is also found in the writings of St. John Chrysostom, St. Gregory of Nyssa, and in the Constitution of the Apostles.

Certain local customs are connected with the liturgy during this feast, such as the blessing of beans and grapes after the Commemoration of the Dead in the Latin Canon, the blessing of first fruits within the English Book of Common Prayer on Rogation Days, and processions with banners outside the churches to commemorate the entry of Christ into heaven. There is also a uniquely English custom of carrying at the head of the procession a banner bearing the device of the lion, and at the foot the banner, an image of a dragon to symbolize the triumph of Christ in His ascension over the evil one.

The story of Christ's ascension can be found in the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts.

+++

Feast of Saints Philip and James, Apostles

 The Collect

O ALMIGHTY God, whom truly to know is everlasting life: Grant us perfectly to know thy Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life; that, following the steps of thy holy Apostles, Saint Philip and Saint James, we may stedfastly walk in the way that leadeth to eternal life; through the same thy son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Readings: (Saint James i. 1; Saint John xiv. 1)

As in the case all of the faithful disciples of Jesus Christ, we see in James and Philip men who became foundation stones of the Church, and we are reminded that holiness and its consequent work of the spirit are entirely the gift of God, not a matter of human achieving. All power is God’s power, even the power of human freedom to accept his gifts. “You will be clothed with power from on high,” Jesus told Philip and the others. Their first commission had been to expel unclean spirits, heal diseases, announce the kingdom. They learned, gradually, that these externals were sacraments of an even greater miracle inside their persons -- the divine power to love like God.

+++

Easter Tuesday

 The Collect

GRANT, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that we who celebrate with reverence the Paschal feast, may be found worthy to attain to everlasting joys; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. (St. Luke xxiv: 36)

Readings: (Acts xiii. 26; Saint Luke xxiv. 36)

+++