Intercessions for Epiphany 2013
First, a statement from Church House (verbatim, I am not making this up):
In 2013, the Feast of the Epiphany (6 January)...
Lord, you have taught us that all our doings without love are nothing worth: send your Holy Spirit and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of love, the true bond of peace and of all virtues, without which whoever lives is counted dead before you. Grant this for your only Son Jesus Christ’s sake, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
¶ The Liturgy of the Word
First Reading: 1 Samuel 15.34 – 16.13
Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house in Gibeah of Saul. Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul. And the Lord was sorry that he had made Saul king over Israel. The Lord said to Samuel, ‘How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.’ Samuel said, ‘How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.’ And the Lord said, ‘Take a heifer with you, and say, “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.” Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you.’ Samuel did what the Lord commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, ‘Do you come peaceably?’ He said, ‘Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.’ And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, ‘Surely the Lord’s anointed is now before the Lord.’ But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’ Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, ‘Neither has the Lord chosen this one.’ Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, ‘Neither has the Lord chosen this one.’ Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, ‘The Lord has not chosen any of these.’ Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Are all your sons here?’ And he said, ‘There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.’ And Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.’ He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The Lord said, ‘Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.’ Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.
Psalm 20
Refrain: We will call on the name of the Lord our God.
May the Lord hear you in the day of trouble, * the name of the God of Jacob defend you;
Send you help from his sanctuary * and strengthen you out of Zion;
Remember all your offerings * and accept your burnt sacrifice;
Grant you your heart’s desire * and fulfil all your mind.
May we rejoice in your salvation and triumph in the name of our God; * may the Lord perform all your petitions. R
Now I know that the Lord will save his anointed; * he will answer him from his holy heaven, with the mighty strength of his right hand.
Some put their trust in chariots and some in horses, * but we will call only on the name of the Lord our God.
They are brought down and fallen, * but we are risen and stand upright.
O Lord, save the king * and answer us when we call upon you.
Refrain: We will call on the name of the Lord our God.
Merciful God,
purify our hearts in the flame of your Spirit
and transform our toil into an offering of praise,
that we may reject the proud rule of might
and trust in Christ alone,
for he is our Lord for ever and ever.
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 5.6-10(11-13)14-17
Brothers and sisters, we are always confident; even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord – for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we do have confidence, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For all of us must appear before the judgement seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade others; but we ourselves are well known to God, and I hope that we are also well known to your consciences. We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast in outward appearance and not in the heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. The love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. And he died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them. From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!
Gospel Reading: Mark 4.26-34
Such a large crowd gathered around Jesus that he got into a boat and began to teach them using many parables. Jesus said, ‘The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.’ Jesus also said, ‘With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.’ With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.
The RSCM (2009) has: “We are so often plunged into another of Jesus’ wonderful parables and analogies throughout the gospels that we forget the preface, ‘the kingdom of God is like…’ Nearly all his stories and sayings meant to point to this kingdom. So what is it like? St Mark’s record includes the hope of planting, the trust of leaving things to God, the wonder of growth and the faith of starting small. A place of hope, trust, wonder and faith. Is this the kingdom we convey in what we say?”
You can read Jane Williams here by searching ‘alarm’ (p.80).
Prayers of Intercession
That we may grow in the service of Christ, Lord, we pray in his name.
¶The Church of Christ
Lord, when we feel daunted at the sheer number and weight of the tasks which face our Church, mindful that we are fewer and fewer in number, remind us once more of the mustard seed and the hazelnut of Julian of Norwich. If we look solely at externals, we see only how puny is the material we have to work with. But, small and insignificant though they may be, these spheres each contain within them spinning atoms of vast universes beyond all our imagining.
Lord, help us to see a world in a grain of sand: in your mercy, hear our prayer
¶Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority
Lord, we pray for those who govern the nations of our world on behalf of the people. Give them strength in time of trouble, grant them your light and your wisdom, and support them through the prayers of our hearts. Lord of compassion, guide all those who bear public office that they may use their power for the common good. May they remember their promise to serve all the people and take from them, we pray, the thirst for power and wealth.
Lord, help us to see a world in a grain of sand: in your mercy, hear our prayer
¶The local community
Lord, we ask for your help in all our efforts at building communities within our community. You have promised us that, no matter how small the initiative, if we will plant it and tend it, you will send the sun and the rain to help it flourish. Though we may not succeed at first attempt, give us the courage to try again, and the readiness continually to persevere, should that be needed. And may all that we do be to your greater glory.
Lord, help us to see a world in a grain of sand: in your mercy, hear our prayer
¶Those who suffer
Lord, we bring before you all those who pray for shelter from the storm, and protection from thunder, lightning and rain. Teach us instead how to undergo the tempests of this life, which come to all. Instead of craving security above all, show us the comfort of sheltering with friends and sharing the bare necessities. Help us to comfort each other in moments of shared danger or distress. Bring us hope out of our emptiness, energy out of fear and new life out of grief and loss.
Lord, help us to see a world in a grain of sand: in your mercy, hear our prayer
¶The communion of saints
Lord, we pray for those who have triumphed over death and the grave and come home to you. May they rest in peace and rise in glory.
Mosaic from Palermo c.1150 via Wikimedia under CCL
The Collect
Almighty and everlasting God, who in your tender love towards the human race sent your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ to take upon him our flesh and to suffer death upon the cross: grant that we may follow the example of his patience and humility, and also be made partakers of his resurrection; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
¶ The Liturgy of the Word
[Liturgy of the Psalms
Mark 11.1-11
When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.’” They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, some of the bystanders said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it. Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple; and when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.]
Liturgy of the Passion
First Reading: Isaiah 50.4-9a
The servant of the Lord said: The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens – wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught. The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backwards. I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting. The Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame;
he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me. It is the Lord God who helps me; who will declare me guilty?
All of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up.
Psalm 118.1-2,19-24
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; * his mercy endures for ever.
Let Israel now proclaim, * ‘His mercy endures for ever.’
Open to me the gates of righteousness, * that I may enter and give thanks to the Lord.
This is the gate of the Lord; * the righteous shall enter through it.
I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me * and have become my salvation.
The stone which the builders rejected * has become the chief cornerstone.
This is the Lord’s doing, * and it is marvellous in our eyes.
This is the day that the Lord has made; * we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Second Reading: Philippians 2.5-11
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Gospel Reading: Mark 14.1-15.47
Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.
Christ humbled himself and became obedient unto death,
even death on a cross.
Therefore God has highly exalted him
and given him the name that is above every name.
AllPraise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.
It was two days before the Passover and the festival of Unleavened Bread. The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him; for they said, ‘Not during the festival, or there may be a riot among the people.’ While he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head. But some were there who said to one another in anger, ‘Why was the ointment wasted in this way? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.’ And they scolded her. But Jesus said, ‘Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.’ Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. When they heard it, they were greatly pleased, and promised to give him money. So he began to look for an opportunity to betray him. On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, his disciples said to him, ‘Where do you want us to go and make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?’ So he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, ‘Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him, and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, “The Teacher asks, Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?” He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.’ So the disciples set out and went to the city, and found everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal. When it was evening, he came with the twelve. And when they had taken their places and were eating, Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.’ They began to be distressed and to say to him one after another, ‘Surely, not I?’ He said to them, ‘It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the bowl with me. For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.’ While they were eating, he took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to them, and said, ‘Take; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it. He said to them, ‘This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.’ When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. And Jesus said to them, ‘You will all become deserters; for it is written, “I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.” But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.’ Peter said to him, ‘Even though all become deserters, I will not.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Truly I tell you, this day, this very night, before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.’ But he said vehemently, ‘Even though I must die with you, I will not deny you.’ And all of them said the same. They went to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while I pray.’ He took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be distressed and agitated. And said to them, ‘I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and keep awake.’ And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. He said, ‘Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want.’ He came and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, ‘Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep awake one hour? Keep awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.’ And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. And once more he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to say to him. He came a third time and said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Enough! The hour has come; the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.’ Immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; and with him there was a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, ‘The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.’ So when he came, he went up to him at once and said, ‘Rabbi!’ and kissed him. Then they laid hands on him and arrested him. But one of those who stood near drew his sword and struck the slave of the high priest, cutting off his ear. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as though I were a bandit? Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not arrest me. But let the scriptures be fulfilled.’ All of them deserted him and fled. A certain young man was following Jesus, wearing nothing but a linen cloth. They caught hold of him, but he left the linen cloth and ran off naked. They took Jesus to the high priest; and all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes were assembled. Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest; and he was sitting with the guards, warming himself at the fire. Now the chief priests and the whole council were looking for testimony against Jesus to put him to death; but they found none. For many gave false testimony against him, and their testimony did not agree. Some stood up and gave false testimony against him, saying, ‘We heard him say, “I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.”’ But even on this point their testimony did not agree. Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, ‘Have you no answer? What is it that they testify against you?’ But he was silent and did not answer. Again the high priest asked him, ‘Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?’ Jesus said,‘I am; and “you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power,” and “coming with the clouds of heaven.”’ Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, ‘Why do we still need witnesses? You have heard his blasphemy! What is your decision?’ All of them condemned him as deserving death. Some began to spit on him, to blindfold him, and to strike him, saying to him, ‘Prophesy!’ The guards also took him over and beat him. While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant-girls of the high priest came by. When she saw Peter warming himself, she stared at him and said, ‘You also were with Jesus, the man from Nazareth.’ But he denied it, saying, ‘I do not know or understand what you are talking about.’ And he went out into the forecourt. Then the cock crowed. And the servant-girl, on seeing him, began again to say to the bystanders, ‘This man is one of them.’ But again he denied it. Then after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, ‘Certainly you are one of them; for you are a Galilean.’ But he began to curse, and he swore an oath, ‘I do not know this man you are talking about.’ At that moment the cock crowed for the second time. Then Peter remembered that Jesus had said to him, ‘Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.’ And he broke down and wept. As soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. Pilate asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ He answered him, ‘You say so.’ Then the chief priests accused him of many things. Pilate asked him again, ‘Have you no answer? See how many charges they bring against you.’ But Jesus made no further reply, so that Pilate was amazed. Now at the festival he used to release a prisoner for them, anyone for whom they asked. Now a man called Barabbas was in prison with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection. So the crowd came and began to ask Pilate to do for them according to his custom. Then he answered them, ‘Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?’ For he realized that it was out of jealousy that the chief priests had handed him over. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them instead. Pilate spoke to them again, ‘Then what do you wish me to do with the man you call the King of the Jews?’ They shouted back, ‘Crucify him!’ Pilate asked them, ‘Why, what evil has he done?’ But they shouted all the more, ‘Crucify him!’ So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified. Then the soldiers led him into the courtyard of the palace (that is, the governor’s headquarters); and they called together the whole cohort. And they clothed him in a purple cloak; and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on him. And they began saluting him, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ They struck his head with a reed, spat upon him, and knelt down in homage to him. After mocking him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him. They compelled a passer-by, who was coming in from the country, to carry his cross; it was Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus. Then they brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means the place of a skull). And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh; but he did not take it. And they crucified him, and divided his clothes among them, casting lots to decide what each should take. It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him. The inscription of the charge against him read, ‘The King of the Jews.’ And with him they crucified two bandits, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying, ‘Aha! You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself, and come down from the cross!’ In the same way the chief priests, along with the scribes, were also mocking him among themselves and saying, ‘He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down from the cross now, so that we may see and believe.’ Those who were crucified with him also taunted him. When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. At three o’clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’ which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, ‘Listen, he is calling for Elijah.’ And someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, ‘Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.’ Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. Now when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, ‘Truly this man was God’s Son!’ There were also women looking on from a distance; among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. These used to follow him and provided for him when he was in Galilee; and there were many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem. When evening had come, and since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate wondered if he were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he had been dead for some time. When he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the body to Joseph. Then Joseph bought a linen cloth, and taking down the body, wrapped it in the linen cloth, and laid it in a tomb that had been hewn out of the rock. He then rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where the body was laid.
A complicated day. The RSCM has: ‘The joy, expectation and hope will soon turn to fear, pain and despair: today we try to hold both together. As he entered Jerusalem on a donkey, Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah and showed he was a king: in embracing humiliation, injustice and a cruel death, he accepted the mantle of Isaiah’s Suffering Servant. So two threads of ancient promise are united in the king who came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
The Revd Alan Garrow writes (p.133): ‘Jesus set his face like flint and endured the torture that was laid on him because he had an unshakeable grasp of where his priorities lay and what his life was for. There are all kinds of pressures which, while not of the same order as those endured by Jesus, are constantly capable of blowing our churches, and Christian lives, off course. We must be constantly aware of God’s future purpose for us if we are to avoid being pressured into comfortable, but ultimately useless, cul-de-sacs.
Prayers of Intercession
¶The Church of Christ
Lord, we pray for your Church and people. You are our hope of victory, yet, like your disciples of old, we constantly betray you. Grant us so to recognise your coming that in our answering clamour we may yet show firm commitment. And in our answering awe, when words die away, may the very stones cry aloud your name.
Lord of pain, of passion and compassion: in your mercy, hear our prayer.
¶Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority
Lord, bless us with holy anger at injustice, oppression, and the exploitation of people. You are wounded in the weeping of Africa. You are suffering on the scarred streets of Europe. You bleed in the bombings of the Middle East. Lord, help us to direct your righteous anger so that we may work tirelessly for justice, freedom, and peace among all people.
Lord of pain, of passion and compassion: in your mercy, hear our prayer.
¶The local community
Lord, lend us your eyes to see the world around us as you see it. Show us what needs to be done, and give us the imagination and strength to do it. Bless us with enough foolishness to believe that we really can make a difference in this world, so that we are able, through your grace, to do what others claim cannot be done. Bless us with a restless discomfort about easy answers, half-truths and superficial relationships, so that we may seek truth boldly and love deep within our hearts.
Lord of pain, of passion and compassion: in your mercy, hear our prayer.
¶Those who suffer
Lord, we pray for those who suffer in body, mind or spirit, remembering always the example of Jesus our brother, who followed the path which necessity dictated and, as he was repudiated by more and more people on the way to the Cross, felt forsaken and desolate. Lord, bless us with the gift of tears to shed for others, so that, in your name, we may reach out our hands to comfort them, in the knowlege that God is with them, and that the God who is with them cannot be defeated.
Lord of pain, of passion and compassion: in your mercy, hear our prayer.
¶The communion of saints
Lord of the cross, we give thanks for your holy martyrs, for all who have suffered for others and for truth. For those who have sacrificed for us and are now at rest. Through your cross and passion, may we share with them in your glory.
Merciful Father, accept these prayers…
Today’s prayers are based on a four-fold benedictine blessing – Sr. Ruth Marlene Fox, OSB – 1985 shared by Christians Tired of Being Misrepresented. Also Janet Morley’s ‘All Desires Known.’
Prayer after Communion
Lord Jesus Christ,
you humbled yourself in taking the form of a servant,
and in obedience died on the cross for our salvation:
give us the mind to follow you
and to proclaim you as Lord and King,
to the glory of God the Father.
Christian Arrives at the Cross and Sepulchre
Thus far did I come loaden with my sin;
Nor could aught ease the grief that I was in
Till I came hither: What a place is this!
Must here be the beginning of my bliss?
Must here the Burden fall from off my back?
Must here the strings that bound it to me crack?
Blessed Cross! Blessed Sepulchre! Blessed rather be
The man that there was put to shame for me.
Did anything good ever come out of Nazareth? Copyright: PathDoc via Shutterstock
The Collect
Almighty God, in Christ you make all things new: transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace, and in the renewal of our lives make known your heavenly glory; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
¶ The Liturgy of the Word
First Reading: 1 Samuel 3.1-10 (11-20)
Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread. At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord , where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ and he said, ‘Here I am!’ and ran to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ But he said, ‘I did not call; lie down again.’ So he went and lay down. The Lord called again, ‘Samuel!’ Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ But he said, ‘I did not call, my son; lie down again.’ Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord , and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. The Lord called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, ‘Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, “Speak, Lord , for your servant is listening.”’ So Samuel went and lay down in his place. Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ And Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’ Then the Lord said to Samuel, ‘See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle. On that day I will fulfil against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. For I have told him that I am about to punish his house for ever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be expiated by sacrifice or offering for ever.’ Samuel lay there until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. But Eli called Samuel and said, ‘Samuel, my son.’ He said, ‘Here I am.’ Eli said, ‘What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also, if you hide anything from me of all that he told you.’ So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. Then he said, ‘It is the Lord ; let him do what seems good to him.’ As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was a trustworthy prophet of the Lord.
Psalm 139.1-5,12-18
O Lord, you have searched me out and known me; * you know my sitting down and my rising up; you discern my thoughts from afar.
You mark out my journeys and my resting place * and are acquainted with all my ways.
For there is not a word on my tongue, * but you, O Lord, know it altogether.
You encompass me behind and before * and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, * so high that I cannot attain it.
For you yourself created my inmost parts; * you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I thank you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; * marvellous are your works, my soul knows well.
My frame was not hidden from you, * when I was made in secret and woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes beheld my form, as yet unfinished; * already in your book were all my members written,
As day by day they were fashioned * when as yet there was none of them.
How deep are your counsels to me, O God! * How great is the sum of them!
If I count them, they are more in number than the sand, * and at the end, I am still in your presence.
Second Reading: Revelation 5.1-10
I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll written on the inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals; and I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?’ And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. And I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep. See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.’ Then I saw between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders a Lamb standing as if it had been slaughtered, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He went and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne. When he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell before the Lamb, each holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. They sing a new song: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slaughtered and by your blood you ransomed for God saints from every tribe and language and people and nation; you have made them to be a kingdom and priests serving our God, and they will reign on earth.’
Gospel Reading: John 1.43-51
The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, ‘Follow me.’ Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.’ Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’ Philip said to him, ‘Come and see.’ When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, ‘Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!’ Nathanael asked him, ‘Where did you come to know me?’ Jesus answered, ‘I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.’ Nathanael replied, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!’ Jesus answered, ‘Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.’ And he said to him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.’
To explain this week’s illustration – there are four Sundays of Epiphany, and the lectionary of each one contains a little epiphany of its own. This week, the know-it-all cynic, Nathanael, asks drily whether anything good can come out of Nazareth before losing all his bluster at once when faced with the reality of Christ. What Jacob only dreamed of, they will see for themselves: a way between earth and heaven opened by Jesus himself.
The Revd Alan Garrow expands on this in The Ministry of the Word (p.56) and you can read Jane Williams here: searching ‘rackets’ will take you to pages 22-23.
Prayers of Intercession
We who are disciples of Christ in our time, join in prayer for his Church and for all people.
¶The Church of Christ
Lord, we pray for your Church. Help us to keep our minds open to the possibility of wonder, and save us from leaping to judgement of new ideas before they have even been tried. Before deciding that ‘what has been done is what will be done; and that there is nothing new under the sun’, let us remember the surprise and awe when the Christ child was born. Keep us always alive to the possibilities of life with you, to the opportunities for metamorphosis and transformation, as base metal was said to be transmuted into gold.
Lord, transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace: in your mercy, hear our prayer
¶Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority
Lord, we pray for all those in positions of power. Whether in Church or State, give us guidance in choosing people to place in positions of authority who understand how to govern: that they do not do so by divine right, but to be effective can only govern with the consent and support of the people.
Lord, transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace: in your mercy, hear our prayer
¶The local community
Lord, you constantly call us to new ventures, to new visions. We pray for the communities to which we belong, that their ways of doing things may not become locked in position, and incapable of being modified. Help us to open ourselves to the ideas of newcomers, and of young people, that our structures may bloom and grow, wither and perish like the flowers in due season, constantly renewing themselves with the changes in our society.
Lord, transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace: in your mercy, hear our prayer
¶Those who suffer
Lord, we pray for those whose trust falters, who see all that is wrong in the world and in their own hearts, all the lies, the betrayals and the hatreds. Devoid of all hope, they seek to flee from your presence in the depths of the earth, the uttermost shores of the sea or the pitch darkness of a star-less night. Scour our hearts, we pray, refine our thoughts, strengthen our wills and guide us in your way. Above all, flood us with the comfort of your presence and the knowledge of your overwhelming love.
Lord, transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace: in your mercy, hear our prayer
¶The communion of saints
Lord, we give thanks for those who were called to be saints, not through their own merit but by your grace. May they be joyful in the life that was promised from the beginning.
Eternal God, who made this most holy night to shine with the brightness of your one true light: bring us, who have known the revelation of that light on earth, to see the radiance of your heavenly glory; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
¶ The Liturgy of the Word
First Reading: Isaiah 9.2-7
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder. For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and for ever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
Psalm 96
Refrain: O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
Sing to the Lord a new song; * sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing to the Lord and bless his name; * tell out his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations * and his wonders among all peoples. R
For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; * he is more to be feared than all gods.
For all the gods of the nations are but idols; * it is the Lord who made the heavens.
Honour and majesty are before him; * power and splendour are in his sanctuary. R
Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples; * ascribe to the Lord honour and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the honour due to his name; * bring offerings and come into his courts.
O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; * let the whole earth tremble before him.
Tell it out among the nations that the Lord is king. * He has made the world so firm that it cannot be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity. R
Let the heavens rejoice and let the earth be glad; * let the sea thunder and all that is in it;
Let the fields be joyful and all that is in them; * let all the trees of the wood shout for joy before the Lord.
For he comes, he comes to judge the earth; * with righteousness he will judge the world and the peoples with his truth.
Refrain: O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
Second Reading: Titus 2.11-14
The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
Gospel Reading
The Word became flesh and dwelt among us,
and we have seen his glory. John 1.14
Luke 2.1-14(15-20)
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. There were shepherds living out in the fields near by, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Prayers of Intercession
Visual Liturgy offers:
Let us pray to Jesus our Saviour.
Christ, born in a stable,
give courage to all who are homeless:
Jesus, Saviour,
hear our prayer.
Christ, for whom the angels sang,
give the song of the kingdom to all who weep:
Jesus, Saviour,
hear our prayer.
Christ, worshipped by the shepherds,
give peace on earth to all who are oppressed:
Jesus, Saviour,
hear our prayer.
Christ, before whom the wise men knelt,
give humility and wisdom to all who govern:
Jesus, Saviour,
hear our prayer.
Christ, whose radiance filled a lowly manger,
give the glory of your resurrection to all who rest in you:
Jesus, Saviour,
hear our prayer.
Lord Jesus Christ, child of Mary
you know us and love us,
you share our lives
and hear our prayer.
Glory to you for ever. Amen.
Post-Communion Prayer
Lord God, you draw us by your beauty
and transform us by your holiness;
let our worship echo all creation’s praise
and declare your glory to the nations;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Ian Black is Vicar of Peterborough and Canon Residentiary of Peterborough Cathedral. He previously served for 10 years in Leeds, as Vicar of Whitkirk and as a member of the Chapter of Ripon Cathedral. He has also worked in Kent in Maidstone and as priest-in-charge of a group of parishes 10 miles north west of Canterbury. He was a Minor Canon of Canterbury Cathedral, a prison chaplain and Assistant Director of Post-Ordination Training for the Diocese of Canterbury.
Prior to ordination Ian had a career in tax, both with the Inland Revenue as a PAYE auditor and in a firm of chartered accountants as a tax accountant. Ian is married with two sons. He is the author of three books on prayer: Prayers for All Occasions(SPCK, 2011), Intercessions for Years A, B & C (SPCK, 2009), and Intercessions for the Calendar of Saints and Holy Days (SPCK, 2005). He has been writing online since the late 1990s and you can catch his ‘Byte-sized spiritual comments’ via his blog at www.ianblack.org.uk.
A collection of intercessions to accompany the Church of England Common Worship Lectionary, years A, B & C, all in one volume. Each petition includes a focusing bidding with some dots (. . .), to indicate where intercessors may address specific concerns, a gathering sentence and a responsory. The intercessions are compatible with the traditional areas of church, political governance/world concerns, neighbourhood, sick and deceased.
As the author has drawn primarily on the gospel for inspiration, the prayers will be relevant however many readings are used in a given service
God our redeemer, who prepared the Blessed Virgin Mary to be the mother of your Son: grant that, as she looked for his coming as our saviour, so we may be ready to greet him when he comes again as our judge; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
¶ The Liturgy of the Word
First Reading : 2 Samuel 7.1-11,16
Now when David, the king was settled in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, the king said to the prophet Nathan, ‘See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in a tent.’ Nathan said to the king, ‘Go, do all that you have in mind; for the Lord is with you.’ But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the Lord : Are you the one to build me a house to live in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built me a house of cedar?’ Now therefore you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel; and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover the Lord declares to you, David, that the Lord will make you a house. Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before me; your throne shall be established for ever.
Psalm: The Magnificat – Luke 1.46
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour; * he has looked with favour on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed; *the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is his name.
He has mercy on those who fear him, *from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm *and has scattered the proud in their conceit,
Casting down the mighty from their thrones *and lifting up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things *and sent the rich away empty.
He has come to the aid of his servant Israel, *to remember his promise of mercy,
The promise made to our ancestors, *to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen.
Second Reading: Romans 16.25-27
To God who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith – to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory for ever! Amen.
Gospel Reading: Luke 1.26-38
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.’ But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’ The angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.’ Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her.
Prayers of Intercession
Visual Liturgy suggests:
In joyful expectation of his coming to our aid we pray to Jesus.
Come to your Church as Lord and judge. We pray for …
Help us to live in the light of your coming
and give us a longing for your kingdom.
Maranatha: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Come to your world as King of the nations. We pray for …
Before you rulers will stand in silence.
Maranatha: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Come to the suffering as Saviour and comforter. We pray for …
Break into our lives, where we struggle with sickness and distress,
and set us free to serve you for ever.
Maranatha: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Come to us as shepherd and guardian of our souls. We remember …
Give us with all the faithful departed
a share in your victory over evil and death.
Maranatha: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Come from heaven, Lord Jesus, with power and great glory. Lift us up to meet you,
that with all your saints & angels we may live & reign with you in your new creation.
Maranatha: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Silence is kept.
Come, Lord Jesus, do not delay; give new courage to your people, who trust in your love. By your coming, raise us to share in the joy of your kingdom on earth as in heaven, where you live and reign with the Father and the Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.
Our Lord says, ‘I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
May the Lord, when he comes, find us watching and waiting.
Amen.
Jane Williams says:
When David offers to make God a home, God explains that his home has always been with his people. He has gone with them, preparing things for them, making provisions for them in ways that they never even noticed. He knows that they long for a home, but perhaps they do not realise that they can have no home without him. All the things that we long for, that we search for throughout the world, throughout our lives – love, security, peace, fulfilment, joy – all of these things are to be found in God, our only real home. So now, God is preparing, as Advent moves towards Christmas, to come to us, in our own place, in what we call ‘home’ and yet are never quite content with. He will make it, and us, his home, so that we can come to our true home, at last.
Eternal Spirit of the living God, be for us a flame of warmth and light, steadying and transforming our desires so that, lovingly and truthfully, we may pray and we may live.
¶The Church of Christ
Lord, as we reach the shortest days of the year, we ask you for night vision that we may see you in the dark. May we find in the shadows, the contours of your presence. If all our hopes for the Church have not yet been realised, then our fears may yet be misplaced. Oh, let it be so! As we look forward to celebrating the birth of your Son, let us search once more the corners of your Church where your people, united in your purpose, may yet be able to shine your light and offer the water and the nourishment needed for new life.
Lord, turn our faces gently to the sun: in your mercy, hear our prayer.
¶Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority
Lord, it matters what we pray, but so does what we eat. It matters what we believe, but so does what we buy. It matters what we love, but so does our stewardship of all the bounty of this planet. It matters how we worship, but also where we work. It matters that we sing hymns of praise to you, but so does the care we take of this world that we call home.
Lord, turn our faces gently to the sun: in your mercy, hear our prayer.
¶The local community
Lord, you take the earth and all its inhabitants, and orchestrate the Babel of competing voices into a world of beauty. However discordant the different strands may be, if we allow ourselves to receive your grace, you are always creating new harmonies. Let there be peace on earth this Christmastide. Let there be peace among nations and peace within nations. Let there be peace in our community and peace in our homes. And let it begin with me.
Lord, turn our faces gently to the sun: in your mercy, hear our prayer.
¶Those who suffer
Lord, we are hard-pressed by anxiety and discord while you shower blessings on the just and unjust. You endure with us the showers of black rain, and the pain and evil that we face is but a drop in the vast ocean of your love. Lord, we are cold, empty, hungry, thirsty and broken . Come fire, come food, come glue, come glory; Comforter come to us.
Lord, turn our faces gently to the sun: in your mercy, hear our prayer.
¶The communion of saints
Creator of mankind, we are mortal, formed of the earth and to earth we return. Only you are immortal. Give rest to your servants with your saints, where sorrow and pain are no more, but give way to life everlasting.
Lord, turn our faces gently to the sun: in your mercy, hear our prayer.
The prayers today are drawn from a variety of sources, including Jim Cotter’s ‘Out of Silence’, and Gerald Kelly’s ‘Twitturgies‘, which offers new insights every time I open its pages.
Merciful Lord, absolve your people from their offences, that through your bountiful goodness we may all be delivered from the chains of those sins which by our frailty we have committed; grant this, heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ’s sake, our blessed Lord and Saviour, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
¶ The Liturgy of the Word
First Reading: 1 Samuel 16.1-13
The Lord said to Samuel, ‘How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.’ Samuel said, ‘How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.’ And the Lord said, ‘Take a heifer with you, and say, “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.” Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you.’ Samuel did what the Lord commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, ‘Do you come peaceably?’ He said, ‘Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.’ And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, ‘Surely the Lord’s anointed is now before the Lord.’ But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’ Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, ‘Neither has the Lord chosen this one.’ Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, ‘Neither has the Lord chosen this one.’ Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, ‘The Lord has not chosen any of these.’ Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Are all your sons here?’ And he said, ‘There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.’ And Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.’ He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The Lord said, ‘Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.’ Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.
Psalm 23
Refrain: I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
The Lord is my shepherd; *therefore can I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures *and leads me beside still waters. R
He shall refresh my soul *and guide me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; * for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. R
You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me; * you have anointed my head with oil and my cup shall be full.
Surely goodness and loving mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, * and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Refrain: I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Second Reading: Ephesians 5.8-14
Once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light – for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly; but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, ‘Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’
Gospel Reading: John 9.1-41
As Jesus walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ Jesus answered, ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.’ When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, saying to him, ‘Go, wash in the pool of Siloam’ (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. The neighbours and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, ‘Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?’ Some were saying, ‘It is he.’ Others were saying, ‘No, but it is someone like him.’ He kept saying, ‘I am the man.’ But they kept asking him, ‘Then how were your eyes opened?’ He answered, ‘The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, “Go to Siloam and wash.”Then I went and washed and received my sight.’ They said to him, ‘Where is he?’ He said, ‘I do not know.’ They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, ‘He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.’ Some of the Pharisees said, ‘This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath.’ But others said, ‘How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?’ And they were divided. So they said again to the blind man, ‘What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.’ He said, ‘He is a prophet.’ The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight and asked them, ‘Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?’ His parents answered, ‘We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.’ His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, ‘He is of age; ask him.’ So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, ‘Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.’ He answered, ‘I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.’ They said to him, ‘What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?’ He answered them, ‘I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?’ Then they reviled him, saying, ‘You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.’ The man answered, ‘Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.’ They answered him, ‘You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?’ And they drove him out. Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ He answered, ‘And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him.’ Jesus said to him, ‘You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.’ He said, ‘Lord, I believe.’ And he worshipped him. Jesus said, ‘I came into this world for judgement so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind.’ Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him, ‘Surely we are not blind, are we?’ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, “We see”, your sin remains.
Jeffrey John has some interesting things to say about today’s gospel reading in his book on the miracles, and I will put up an extract later in the week. Meanwhile, the story is “about the healing of people’s spiritual, rather than physical, senses. They look to the day when the mysterious barrier in communication between God and his people will finally be torn down.’ (see pp 134-142)
Prayers of Intercession
¶The Church of Christ
Lord, look down on your Church and sharpen our vision of your glory and our hearing of your call, for without a truer vision of you we shall surely perish. Strengthen, we pray, our collective grasp on reality. Breathe life into our response to your love and our sensitivity to others. Enhance our response to the wonder of your love and the light that shines on our world through the incarnation of your son, Jesus Christ. Help your Church reflect all this so that we may truly be known as Christians through our love for one another.
Lord, light of the world, lead us out of our darkness: in your mercy, hear our prayer
¶Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority
Lord, we open our eyes to the glory and sunshine in your creation, whose beauty is beyond our imagining, and whose power we cannot comprehend. As we open our hearts to you, we ask that you take the scales from our eyes so that we may see the glory of your creation as far as we can grasp it, but are shielded from knowing more than we can bear until we may look upon you without fear.
Lord, light of the world, lead us out of our darkness: in your mercy, hear our prayer
¶The local community
Lord, we live in community, and this is not always easy. Help us to bear with one another, and to forgive each other, as you have forgiven us. Merciful father, prone as we are to blame others and to hate ourselves, take from our eyes the dust that blinds us, that we may treat one another by the light of your compassion and in the spirit of your son, our saviour.
Lord, light of the world, lead us out of our darkness: in your mercy, hear our prayer
¶Those who suffer
Lord, when we feel surrounded by darkness, thick and impenetrable, teach us how to light a candle. Help us to accept that we can never, on our own, vanquish all the darkness in the world but that we can begin, with your help, to illumine one small corner of it. And then, step by tiny step, and strengthened by you, we can use the first spark to illumine the next beacon in a virtuous circle of hope. For the darkness is no darkness with you.
Lord, light of the world, lead us out of our darkness: in your mercy, hear our prayer
¶The communion of saints
Lord, we pray for all those who have found their way through the valley of death to you, for those who were blind but now can see. Comfort us with your protecting presence and your angels of goodness and love, that we also may come home and dwell within your house for ever.
Lord, light of the world, lead us out of our darkness: in your mercy, hear our prayer
Almighty God, who in the place of the traitor Judas chose your faithful servant Matthias to be of the number of the Twelve: preserve your Church from false apostles and, by the ministry of faithful pastors and teachers, keep us steadfast in your truth; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Liturgy of the Word
First Reading: Isaiah 22.15-25
Thus says the Lord God of hosts: Come, go to this steward, to Shebna, who is master of the household, and say to him: What right do you have here? Who are your relatives here, that you have cut out a tomb here for yourself, cutting a tomb on the height, and carving a habitation for yourself in the rock? The Lord is about to hurl you away violently, my man. He will seize firm hold of you, whirl you round and round, and throw you like a ball into a wide land; there you shall die, and there your splendid chariots shall lie, O you disgrace to your master’s house! I will thrust you from your office, and you will be pulled down from your post. On that day I will call my servant Eliakim son of Hilkiah, and will clothe him with your robe and bind your sash on him. I will commit your authority to his hand, and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David; he shall open, and no one shall shut; he shall shut, and no one shall open. I will fasten him like a peg in a secure place, and he will become a throne of honour to his ancestral house. And they will hang on him the whole weight of his ancestral house, the offspring and issue, every small vessel, from the cups to all the flagons. On that day, says the Lord of hosts, the peg that was fastened in a secure place will give way; it will be cut down and fall, and the load that was on it will perish, for the Lord has spoken.
Psalm 15
Refrain: Through the greatness of your mercy, I will come into your house.
Lord, who may dwell in your tabernacle? *Who may rest upon your holy hill?
Whoever leads an uncorrupt life *and does the thing that is right;
Who speaks the truth from the heart *and bears no deceit on the tongue;
Who does no evil to a friend *and pours no scorn on a neighbour;
In whose sight the wicked are not esteemed, *but who honours those who fear the Lord.
Whoever has sworn to a neighbour *and never goes back on that word;
Who does not lend money in hope of gain, *nor takes a bribe against the innocent;
Whoever does these things *shall never fall.
Refrain: Through the greatness of your mercy, I will come into your house.
Second Reading: Acts 1.15-26
In those days Peter stood up among the believers (together the crowd numbered about one hundred and twenty people) and said, ‘Friends, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit through David foretold concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus – for he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.’ (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. This became known to all the residents of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their language Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) ‘For it is written in the book of Psalms, “Let his homestead become desolate, and let there be no one to live in it!”; and “Let another take his position of overseer.” So one of the men who have accompanied us throughout the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us – one of these must become a witness with us to his resurrection.’ So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. Then they prayed and said, ‘Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.’ And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.
Gospel Reading: John 15.9-17
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. ‘This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.’
Who was St. Matthias the Apostle, mentioned only once in the bible (Acts 1.23-26)?
Matthias was chosen to replace Judas Iscariot after Judas had betrayed Jesus and committed suicide.
In the time between Christ’s Ascension and Pentecost, the small band of disciples, numbering about 120, gathered together. Peter spoke of the necessity of selecting a twelfth apostle to replace Judas and set out two criteria for the office of apostle: He must have been a follower of Jesus from the Baptism to the Ascension, and he must be a witness to the resurrected Lord. This meant that apostles had to be able to proclaim Jesus as Lord from first-hand personal experience. Two of the brothers were found to fulfill those qualifications: Matthias and Joseph called Barsabbas also called the Just. Matthias was chosen by lot. Neither of these two men is referred to by name in the four Gospels, although several early church witnesses, including Clement of Alexandria and Eusebius of Caesarea, report that Matthias was one of the seventy-two disciples…..Clement of Alexandria says that Matthias, like all the other apostles, was not chosen by Jesus for what he already was, but for what Jesus foresaw he would become. He was elected not because he was worthy but because he would become worthy.
According to a Greek tradition, he preached the Gospel in Cappadocia and in regions bordering the Caspian Sea. Tradition tells us he suffered martyrdom in present day Ethiopia, where he was stoned, and then beheaded. This sentence is attributed to him:
“We must combat the flesh, taking what advantages we can without giving it blameworthy delights. Regarding the soul, we should develop it through intelligence and faith.”
Challenged by Father Philip Manktelow to produce some intercessions for this feast day, I have been musing on the lessons St Matthias offers us in 2014. What stands out first of all to me (perhaps because I do these intercessions once a week!) is that he represents the vast majority of Christians, who find their natural home among the 72 disciples. That is to say, they (probably) helped pay for Christ’s ministry, made the arrangements for travel and found food to eat and places to sleep – all, shall we say, the Martha functions. Then there suddenly arises a gap in the ranks of the Marys – another apostle is needed to spread the good news of the gospel, to preach and teach. St Matthias finds himself tapped on the shoulder, and the rest is history. Those who already lead intercessions will know what I mean when I say the experience has deepened and broadened my faith. Now we just need to persuade the rest of our congregations to join us in offering ‘the prayers of the people’. Or, as it says in The Last Battle, ‘come further up! Come further in!’.
Prayers of Intercession
¶The Church of Christ
Lord, we pray for all who lead worship in your Church, for all those ordained as bishops, priests or deacons. We also pray for those who have not felt your call to be ministers in your Church but who yet have the desire to share their love for you outwardly during worship. Draw from your disciples in the congregation a steady stream of those able to assist the priest at the altar, or to say the prayers. And may they find that, as they grow more involved in the outward celebration of your presence, they may grow also in your inward and spiritual grace.
Lord, help us like Matthias to serve you in the way you most desire from us: in your mercy, hear our prayer.
¶Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority
Lord, who are the honoured guests in your tent? Who may commune with those who are lovingly embraced as the union of friends? Help us to be numbered among those who speak the truth from our hearts and do not slander with our tongues; among those who give their word to their neighbour and do not go back on their promises; among those who recognise the outcast as the one whom they need, who forgive to seventy times seven; those who depend on the mercy of God and live the highest law that is love.
Lord, help us like Matthias to serve you in the way you most desire from us: in your mercy, hear our prayer.
¶The local community
Lord, when we think there is no one in our community able to carry out a certain task, give us the grace to look again. Give us the inspiration to look at our neighbours in a new light, and to see in them the possibilities that you see. And then if the task is in accordance with your will, we ask you to inspire them, the overlooked, to offer themselves up for service.
Lord, help us like Matthias to serve you in the way you most desire from us: in your mercy, hear our prayer.
¶Those who suffer
Lord, let us not fear the suffering that may come with giving ourselves to you and acknowledging that fact to the world. We bring before you all those martyrs in the past, who suffered for their faith. And we bring before you most urgently the plight of Christians in countries where they are now being persecuted to the point of violence. We ask you both to fortify them and also to soften the hearts of their enemies against them.
Lord, help us like Matthias to serve you in the way you most desire from us: in your mercy, hear our prayer.
¶The communion of saints
Lord, we thank you for all your saints of every time and place. May we be filled with the Spirit that blessed them, so that, having shared their faith on earth, we may also know their peace in your kingdom.
Lord, help us like Matthias to serve you in the way you most desire from us: in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Illustration Georg Pämer, Saint Matthias, 1696. Polychrome wood statue, Pfarrkirche Mariä Himmelfahrt (Parish Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary), Grassau, Chiemgau, Bavaria.
Almighty God, who wonderfully created us in your own image and yet more wonderfully restored us through your Son Jesus Christ: grant that, as he came to share in our humanity, so we may share the life of his divinity; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
¶ The Liturgy of the Word
First Reading: Isaiah 63.7-9
I will tell of the kindnesses of the Lord, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the Lord has done for us – yes, the many good things he has done for the house of Israel, according to his compassion and many kindnesses. He said, “Surely they are my people, sons who will not be false to me”; and so he became their Saviour. In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.
Psalm 148
Refrain: O praise the name of the Lord.
Alleluia. Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights.
Praise him, all you his angels; *praise him, all his host.
Praise him, sun and moon; *praise him, all you stars of light.
Praise him, heaven of heavens, *and you waters above the heavens.
Let them praise the name of the Lord; *for he commanded and they were created.
He made them fast for ever and ever; *he gave them a law which shall not pass away. R
Praise the Lord from the earth, *you sea monsters and all deeps;
Fire and hail, snow and mist, *tempestuous wind, fulfilling his word;
Mountains and all hills, *fruit trees and all cedars;
Wild beasts and all cattle, *creeping things and birds on the wing;
Kings of the earth and all peoples, *princes and all rulers of the world;
Young men and women, old and young together; *let them praise the name of the Lord.
For his name only is exalted, *his splendour above earth and heaven.
He has raised up the horn of his people and praise for all his faithful servants, *the children of Israel, a people who are near him. Alleluia.
Refrain: O praise the name of the Lord.
Second Reading: Hebrews 2.10-18
In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. He says,“I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises.”And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again he says, “Here am I, and the children God has given me.” Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 2.13-23
When the Magi had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” When Herod realised that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.” After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.” So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”
Christ, born in a stable, give courage to all who are homeless:
Jesus, Saviour, hear our prayer.
Christ, for whom the angels sang, give the song of the kingdom to all who weep:
Jesus, Saviour, hear our prayer.
Christ, worshipped by the shepherds, give peace on earth to all who are oppressed:
Jesus, Saviour, hear our prayer.
Christ, before whom the wise men knelt, give humility and wisdom to all who govern:
Jesus, Saviour,hear our prayer.
Christ, whose radiance filled a lowly manger, give the glory of your resurrection to all who rest in you:
Jesus, Saviour, hear our prayer.
Lord Jesus Christ, child of Mary, you know us and love us, you share our lives and hear our prayer.
Glory to you for ever. Amen.
Today’s theme seems pretty clear: Venite adoremus, or O Come Let Us Adore Him! The shepherds have been and gone, the three kings have not yet arrived – just for a moment, the ‘people of the nations’ have a chance to venerate the new born Christ on a quiet day in the stable.
¶The Church of Christ
Lord, as we celebrate once more the wondrous story of your incarnation on earth, let the alleluias ring out in the dark! Your people are dazzled by the mystery of your love, which pours out as it overflows. We praise you as you transform us, making us the best that we can be if we but allow ourselves to be renewed by you. So too, transfiguring God, can your Church be renewed as we seek to share the glorious news of Christ’s birth.
Lord, as we praise you in gratitude for your transfiguring love: in your mercy, hear our prayer.
¶Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority
Lord, whose creation is renewed at this Christmas tide, let the sun and the moon, the earth and the ocean sing their praise. Seeds yield their life in the darkness of the earth; the flowers, the fruits and the grains all grow. All changes and may seem to be lost, and we too know death and decline. Yet working within us, unnoticed and unseen, is the thread that unites and transforms your whole creation. In the new creation that rises from the dead, we fall silent in wonder and awe and love at the mystery that is the source of our being and the goal of our longing.
Lord, as we praise you in gratitude for your transfiguring love: in your mercy, hear our prayer.
¶The local community
Lord, unite our neighbourhood with that same transforming love, which binds us all with your invisible, gossamer thread that reaches out to connect all your creation. At this time above all, may we rise above all petty differences, lost in wonder, love and praise.
Lord, as we praise you in gratitude for your transfiguring love: in your mercy, hear our prayer.
¶Those who suffer
Lord, we remember before you all those who suffer, whatever form that suffering may take. Make your presence a reality to those without homes and families, and to those who are estranged from those whom they love. Strengthen all those for whom the reality of family togetherness has exposed stresses and strains that are difficult to overcome. God of your goodness, give us yourself, for you are all that we need, and if we ask for anything less we shall always be in want. Only in you we have all.
Lord, as we praise you in gratitude for your transfiguring love: in your mercy, hear our prayer.
¶The communion of saints
Lord, your whole creation sings your marvellous work; may heaven’s praise so echo in our hearts that we may be good stewards here on earth and hereafter at last in our heavenly home, where we are reunited with those whom we have loved.
Lord, as we praise you in gratitude for your transfiguring love: in your mercy, hear our prayer.
The Pilgrim At The End Of His Journey: Thomas Cole
The Collect
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness and to put on the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility; that on the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
¶ The Liturgy of the Word
First Reading: Isaiah 2.1-5
This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem: In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war any more. Come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the Lord.”
Psalm 122
Refrain: How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts.
I was glad when they said to me, *‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’
And now our feet are standing *within your gates, O Jerusalem;
Jerusalem, built as a city *that is at unity in itself.
Thither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, *as is decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord.
For there are set the thrones of judgement, *the thrones of the house of David. R
O pray for the peace of Jerusalem: *‘May they prosper who love you.
‘Peace be within your walls *and tranquillity within your palaces.’
For my kindred and companions’ sake, *I will pray that peace be with you.
For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, *I will seek to do you good.
Refrain: How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts.
Second Reading: Romans 13.11-14
Brothers and sisters, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armour of light; let us live honourably as in the day, not in revelling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarrelling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 24.36-44
Jesus said: “No-one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”
Prayers of Intercession
(These are supplied by the Church of England in Visual Liturgy, and are suitable for use throughout Advent).
In joyful expectation of his coming to our aid we pray to Jesus.
Come to your Church as Lord and judge.
We pray for …
Help us to live in the light of your coming and give us a longing for your kingdom.
Maranatha:
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Come to your world as King of the nations.
We pray for …
Before you rulers will stand in silence.
Maranatha:
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Come to the suffering as Saviour and comforter.
We pray for …
Break into our lives, where we struggle with sickness and distress, and set us free to serve you for ever.
Maranatha:
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Come to us as shepherd and guardian of our souls.
We remember …
Give us with all the faithful departed a share in your victory over evil and death.
Maranatha:
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Come from heaven, Lord Jesus, with power and great glory.
Lift us up to meet you, that with [N and] all your saints and angels we may live and reign with you in your new creation.
Maranatha:
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Come, Lord Jesus, do not delay; give new courage to your people, who trust in your love. By your coming, raise us to share in the joy of your kingdom on earth as in heaven, where you live and reign with the Father and the Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.
I usually listen to some appropriate music as I write these prayers. I have tried having jolly hymns in the background, but that doesn’t quite work. I have tried Gregorian chant, but that is quite remote. I have now discovered the You Tube page of Fr Alexandr Avraham Winogradsky Frenkel. He has one of the most challenging of any ministries that I know as Archpriest in the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem. I follow him on Facebook and Twitter and, although we have never met face to face, our relationship is perfectly ‘real’. He is in the middle of a sequence of ‘Allilous Prayer’, intercessionary chants. Today we have reached #8:
¶The Church of Christ
Lord, we rejoice when we come into the house of our God together with our companions in faith. Even weary and tired, yet our feet will stand within the gates of the city of peace. Drawn ever closer to the celestial city, to the place of prayer and of presence, to faith renewed and hope restored, we your people make the long ascent to your summit, to the seat of your judgment and mercy. Jerusalem, the goal of our longing, where the pilgrims gather in unity.
Lord, raise up our eyes that we may see the city of all our dreams: in your mercy, hear our prayer.
¶Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority
Lord, you created the world and saw that it was good. But the human institutions that have grown up are flawed, and in some places the powerful oppress the weak. Your people pray for change, but we also fear it. Help us this Advent to accept the challenge to say ‘yes’, to see that even the largest waves can be surfed by the bold and determined, and that action in your name undertaken as part of the Body of Christ need not overwhelm us in defeat but may take us on the most exhilarating of journeys together on the way to a shining city on a hill.
Lord, raise up our eyes that we may see the city of all our dreams: in your mercy, hear our prayer.
¶The local community
Lord, prepare us in our own community for your coming. Be ever-present in our homes, as we prepare for you. Fill the hearts of our families, friends and neighbours with your spirit so that we may see you more clearly in them day by day. May your love inspire them to put aside all conflict and be the best that they can be. And may they be inspired to join us all in our great Christian journey.
Lord, raise up our eyes that we may see the city of all our dreams: in your mercy, hear our prayer.
¶Those who suffer
Lord, strengthen us to be ready to enter into the pain and sorrow of others. Help us to put you first, and to respond with your love, and in your name, to a world in need. Make us instruments of your healing and, where there is despair, let us sow hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. May we not so much seek to be consoled as to console, or to be loved as to love. For you have no hands or feet but ours.
Lord, raise up our eyes that we may see the city of all our dreams: in your mercy, hear our prayer.
¶The communion of saints
Lord, come down, come in among us so that we may know that life is eternal, that those whom we love, but who have departed this life, are in your safe-keeping. May they rest in peace and rise in glory.
Lord, raise up our eyes that we may see the city of all our dreams: in your mercy, hear our prayer.
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God, the giver of life, whose Holy Spirit wells up within your Church: by the Spirit’s gifts equip us to live the gospel of Christ and make us eager to do your will, that we may share with the whole creation the joys of eternal life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
¶ The Liturgy of the Word
First Reading: Jeremiah 29.1,4-7
These are the words of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the remaining elders among the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.
Psalm 66.1-11
Be joyful in God, all the earth; *sing the glory of his name; sing the glory of his praise.
Say to God, ‘How awesome are your deeds! *Because of your great strength your enemies shall bow before you.
‘All the earth shall worship you, *sing to you, sing praise to your name.’
Come now and behold the works of God, *how wonderful he is in his dealings with humankind.
He turned the sea into dry land; the river they passed through on foot; *there we rejoiced in him.
In his might he rules for ever; his eyes keep watch over the nations; * let no rebel rise up against him.
Bless our God, O you peoples; *make the voice of his praise to be heard,
Who holds our souls in life *and suffers not our feet to slip.
For you, O God, have proved us; *you have tried us as silver is tried.
You brought us into the snare; * you laid heavy burdens upon our backs.
You let enemies ride over our heads; we went through fire and water; * but you brought us out into a place of liberty.
Second Reading: 2 Timothy 2.8-15
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David – that is my gospel, for which I suffer hardship, even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, so that they may also obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. The saying is sure: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful – for he cannot deny himself. Remind them of this, and warn them before God that they are to avoid wrangling over words, which does no good but only ruins those who are listening. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth.
Gospel Reading: Luke 17.11-19
On his way to Jerusalem, Jesus travelled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him – and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no-one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”
This week’s theme is, I think, well encapsulated by the Collect – when we are lucky enough to sense the Holy Spirit well up within ourselves and our Church, let us make the most of the moment, take joy in creation, and use the energy to do what we know to be God’s will for us, and mankind. And, since through grace we experience these moments, and this energy, let us praise God and thank him.
Prayers of Intercession
As our prayers flow into those of generations past who have blazed a trail for us, we say with them: ‘Lord, let your light shine in our world.’ Forgive our thanklessness, and in the fullness of your grace, make us grateful.
¶The Church of Christ
Lord, you know we are frail. You know that we fail. We fear and we falter. And yet you call us to be a people of the future, to build your Church of the future. When we feel daunted by the task of building and spreading your word that lies ahead, remind us of your words to the apostles, which echo through time unchanged, but changing everything: ‘Trust the Father, Receive the Spirit and Tell the story of the Son’.
Lord, we thank you with our lips, help us also to thank you with your lives. In your mercy, hear our prayer.
¶Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority
Lord, arrest us with the beauty of your world. Open our eyes to look out beyond ourselves to your glory. Thank-you, Lord, for having created us. As a gracious gardener, we ask you to grow us. As a sculptor, we ask you to shape our souls. We are none of us finished, none done, but we ask you to make us whole. And we humbly thank you that at times you work through us, unfinished and imperfect though we may be, even if at times you also have to work in spite of us.
Lord, we thank you with our lips, help us also to thank you with your lives. In your mercy, hear our prayer.
¶The local community
Lord, your kingdom is a jungle of people, a garden growing human fruit. Teach us to delight in the rainbow of colours, and the kaleidoscope of shapes and sizes, of all that grows in your garden. Each has their season of beauty in turn, and each reflects and complements the others. Help us, Lord, to know and love the people that you have planted in this place.
Lord, we thank you with our lips, help us also to thank you with your lives. In your mercy, hear our prayer.
¶Those who suffer
Lord, may the wounds that we have borne bear fruit in love. May the pain we have suffered create compassion in us. From brokenness, let kindness rise from us so that we can truly feel the suffering of others. Lord, grant them courage for all that lies ahead. Give them night vision to see you in the dark. May they find in the shadows the contours of your presence.
Lord, we thank you with our lips, help us also to thank you with your lives. In your mercy, hear our prayer.
¶The communion of saints
Lord, we pray for those whom we love but see no longer. You gave them breath and called them to yourself. Receive them now in your infinite tenderness, and give them peace.
Lord, we thank you with our lips, help us also to thank you with your lives. In your mercy, hear our prayer.
The image is ‘Rising Up’ by James Martin, by kind permission of Veritasse. Inspired by ‘Those whose hope is in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles …’ (Isaiah 40, 31), James says: “I love to paint big cloudscapes with their drama of huge space, light and shadow. Soaring like eagles in God’s warmth and light is what this is about”.
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