Morning Prayer - Saturday, 21 September 2019

Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist

Psalm 49
Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all you that dwell in the world, you of low or high degree, both rich and poor together. My mouth shall speak of wisdom and my heart shall meditate on understanding. I will incline my ear to a parable; I will unfold my riddle with the lyre.

Why should I fear in evil days, when the malice of my foes surrounds me, such as trust in their goods and glory in the abundance of their riches?  For no one can indeed ransom another or pay to God the price of deliverance. To ransom a soul is too costly; there is no price one could pay for it, so that they might live for ever, and never see the grave. For we see that the wise die also; with the foolish and ignorant they perish and leave their riches to others. Their tomb is their home for ever, their dwelling through all generations, though they call their lands after their own names. Those who have honour, but lack understanding, are like the beasts that perish.

Such is the way of those who boast in themselves, the end of those who delight in their own words. Like a flock of sheep they are destined to die; death is their shepherd; they go down straight to the Pit. Their beauty shall waste away, and the land of the dead shall be their dwelling. But God shall ransom my soul; from the grasp of death will he take me.

Be not afraid if some grow rich and the glory of their house increases, Ffor they will carry nothing away when they die, nor will their glory follow after them. Though they count themselves happy while they live and praise you for your success, they shall enter the company of their ancestors who will nevermore see the light. Those who have honour, but lack understanding, are like the beasts that perish.

Psalm 117
O praise the Lord, all you nations; praise him, all you peoples. For great is his steadfast love towards us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures for ever. Alleluia.

1 Kings 19.15-2
Then the Lord said to him, ‘Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram. Also you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel; and you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place. Whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall kill; and whoever escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall kill. Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.’

So he set out from there, and found Elisha son of Shaphat, who was ploughing. There were twelve yoke of oxen ahead of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle over him. He left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, ‘Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.’ Then Elijah said to him, ‘Go back again; for what have I done to you?’ He returned from following him, took the yoke of oxen, and slaughtered them; using the equipment from the oxen, he boiled their flesh, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out and followed Elijah, and became his servant.

2 Timothy 3.14-17
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.

The Collect
O Almighty God, whose blessed Son called Matthew the tax collector to be an apostle and evangelist:
give us grace to forsake the selfish pursuit of gain and the possessive love of riches that we may follow in the way of your Son Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Morning Prayer - Friday, 21 September 2018

Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist

Psalm 49
Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all you that dwell in the world, you of low or high degree, both rich and poor together.
My mouth shall speak of wisdom and my heart shall meditate on understanding. I will incline my ear to a parable; I will unfold my riddle with the lyre.

Why should I fear in evil days, when the malice of my foes surrounds me, such as trust in their goods and glory in the abundance of their riches? For no one can indeed ransom another or pay to God the price of deliverance.

To ransom a soul is too costly; there is no price one could pay for it, so that they might live for ever, and never see the grave. For we see that the wise die also; with the foolish and ignorant they perish and leave their riches to others. Their tomb is their home for ever, their dwelling through all generations, though they call their lands after their own names. Those who have honour, but lack understanding, are like the beasts that perish.

Such is the way of those who boast in themselves, the end of those who delight in their own words. Like a flock of sheep they are destined to die; death is their shepherd; they go down straight to the Pit. Their beauty shall waste away, and the land of the dead shall be their dwelling. But God shall ransom my soul; from the grasp of death will he take me.

Be not afraid if some grow rich and the glory of their house increases, for they will carry nothing away when they die, nor will their glory follow after them. Though they count themselves happy while they live and praise you for your success, they shall enter the company of their ancestors who will nevermore see the light. Those who have honour, but lack understanding, are like the beasts that perish.

Psalm 117
O praise the Lord, all you nations; praise him, all you peoples. For great is his steadfast love towards us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures for ever. Alleluia.

1 Kings 19.15-21
Then the Lord said to him, ‘Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram. Also you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel; and you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place. Whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall kill; and whoever escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall kill. Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.’

So he set out from there, and found Elisha son of Shaphat, who was ploughing. There were twelve yoke of oxen ahead of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle over him. He left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, ‘Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.’ Then Elijah said to him, ‘Go back again; for what have I done to you?’ He returned from following him, took the yoke of oxen, and slaughtered them; using the equipment from the oxen, he boiled their flesh, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out and followed Elijah, and became his servant.

2 Timothy 3.14-17
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.

The Collect
O Almighty God, whose blessed Son called Matthew the tax collector to be an apostle and evangelist: give us grace to forsake the selfish pursuit of gain and the possessive love of riches that we may follow in the way of your Son Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Morning Prayer - Wednesday 21 September 2016

Psalm 49
Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all you that dwell in the world, You of low or high degree, both rich and poor together. My mouth shall speak of wisdom and my heart shall meditate on understanding. I will incline my ear to a parable; I will unfold my riddle with the lyre.

Why should I fear in evil days, when the malice of my foes surrounds me, Such as trust in their goods and glory in the abundance of their riches? For no one can indeed ransom another or pay to God the price of deliverance. To ransom a soul is too costly; there is no price one could pay for it, So that they might live for ever, and never see the grave. For we see that the wise die also; with the foolish and ignorant they perish and leave their riches to others. Their tomb is their home for ever, their dwelling through all generations, though they call their lands after their own names.

Those who have honour, but lack understanding, are like the beasts that perish. Such is the way of those who boast in themselves, the end of those who delight in their own words. Like a flock of sheep they are destined to die; death is their shepherd; they go down straight to the Pit. Their beauty shall waste away, and the land of the dead shall be their dwelling. But God shall ransom my soul; from the grasp of death will he take me.

Be not afraid if some grow rich and the glory of their house increases, For they will carry nothing away when they die, nor will their glory follow after them. Though they count themselves happy while they live and praise you for your success, They shall enter the company of their ancestors who will nevermore see the light. Those who have honour, but lack understanding, are like the beasts that perish.

Psalm 117
O praise the Lord, all you nations; praise him, all you peoples. For great is his steadfast love towards us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures for ever.
Alleluia.

1 Kings 19.15-21
Then the Lord said to him, ‘Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram. Also you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel; and you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place. Whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall kill; and whoever escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall kill. Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.’

So he set out from there, and found Elisha son of Shaphat, who was ploughing. There were twelve yoke of oxen ahead of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle over him. He left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, ‘Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.’ Then Elijah said to him, ‘Go back again; for what have I done to you?’ He returned from following him, took the yoke of oxen, and slaughtered them; using the equipment from the oxen, he boiled their flesh, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out and followed Elijah, and became his servant.

2 Timothy 3.14-17
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.

The Collect
O Almighty God, whose blessed Son called Matthew the tax collector to be an apostle and evangelist:
give us grace to forsake the selfish pursuit of gain and the possessive love of riches that we may follow in the way of your Son Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Morning Prayer - 21 September 2015

Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist

Psalm 49
Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all you that dwell in the world, you of low or high degree, both rich and poor together. My mouth shall speak of wisdom and my heart shall meditate on understanding. I will incline my ear to a parable; I will unfold my riddle with the lyre.

Why should I fear in evil days, when the malice of my foes surrounds me, such as trust in their goods and glory in the abundance of their riches? For no one can indeed ransom another or pay to God the price of deliverance. To ransom a soul is too costly; there is no price one could pay for it, so that they might live for ever, and never see the grave. For we see that the wise die also; with the foolish and ignorant they perish and leave their riches to others. Their tomb is their home for ever, their dwelling through all generations, though they call their lands after their own names.

Those who have honour, but lack understanding, are like the beasts that perish. Such is the way of those who boast in themselves, the end of those who delight in their own words. Like a flock of sheep they are destined to die; death is their shepherd; they go down straight to the Pit. Their beauty shall waste away, and the land of the dead shall be their dwelling. But God shall ransom my soul; from the grasp of death will he take me. 

Be not afraid if some grow rich and the glory of their house increases, for they will carry nothing away when they die, nor will their glory follow after them. Though they count themselves happy while they live and praise you for your success, they shall enter the company of their ancestors who will nevermore see the light. Those who have honour, but lack understanding, are like the beasts that perish.

Psalm 117
O praise the Lord, all you nations; praise him, all you peoples. For great is his steadfast love towards us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures for ever. Alleluia.

1 Kings 19.15-21
Then the Lord said to him, ‘Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram. Also you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel; and you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place. Whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall kill; and whoever escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall kill. Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.’
So he set out from there, and found Elisha son of Shaphat, who was ploughing. There were twelve yoke of oxen ahead of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle over him. He left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, ‘Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.’ Then Elijah said to him, ‘Go back again; for what have I done to you?’ He returned from following him, took the yoke of oxen, and slaughtered them; using the equipment from the oxen, he boiled their flesh, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out and followed Elijah, and became his servant.

2 Timothy 3.14-17
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.

The Collect
O Almighty God,
whose blessed Son called Matthew the tax collector to be an apostle and evangelist:
give us grace to forsake the selfish pursuit of gain and the possessive love of riches
that we may follow in the way of your Son Jesus Christ,
who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Can't make it to church? 28th December 14

Today we have remember the 'Holy Innocents' - the children who were put to death by Herod in his quest to ensure that any competition to being king was quite literally 'put down'.

If we looks at the Gospel reading (Matthew 2.13-18) we find the following:

"Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.’ Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I have called my son.’

When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:

‘A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.’

Thus says the Lord:
A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.

The Passage in Jeremiah to which the Gospel refers is our Old Testament reading for today (31.15-17 15):

"Thus says the Lord:
A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.

Thus says the Lord: Keep your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; for there is a reward for your work, says the Lord: they shall come back from the land of the enemy there is hope for your future, says the Lord: your children shall come back to their own country."

The commemoration today recalls the children who were put to death on the orders of Herod to ensure that Jesus was found and killed and this serves a couple of purposes for us in that first and foremost we realise that we are some two years into Jesus' life (which is why those boys who were up to the age of two were put to death) - a nice reminder that the Hallmark card moment of the Shepherds and Magi crowded into the stable is merely a nice image rather than a reality!

The second purpose is to remind us of the sort of bloke Herod was, for this puppet ruler was not averse to killing people who got in the way, especially if he thought they might be out to take his crown; and Jesus really fitted that bill from the description the Magi used of Him when they encountered Herod!

Herod had put to death his own children and so his actions were indeed in keeping with the story. Interestingly, outside of the Matthew account, we have little to add weight to the story until the late fourth/early fifth century when a Roman writer, Macrobius Ambrosius Theodosius. mentions it in one of his writings, the second book of 'Saturnalia' (chapter 4):

'When the Emperor Augustus heard that among the boys in Syria under two years old whom Herod, king of the Jews, had ordered to kill, was his own son, he (Augustus) said: it is better to be Herod's pig, than his son.'

The problem with the account from Matthew and the reality surrounding it is that whilst some have hundreds, thousands even, as the number of those boys put to death, the reality would have been (due to the size of Bethlehem) something around one or two dozen! This is such beer that it wouldn't generally be worth a mention outside of those people who had been directly affected by the event!

That said, historical accounts of the time (and the man) do appear to indicate that this is not out of character and would have been rather likely rather than something fictitious designed to support the claims of a bunch of 'religious nutters' (my words)!

So just as we found in Mary the first follower of Jesus; the first to put their life and their ambitions on the line for the Messiah - Today we are looking at the first to have their lives taken from them because of Jesus having come into the world. Stephen might have been the first to stand for Jesus as the Christ and so lose his life for it - but the male children of Bethlehem were the first to lose their lives because of the opposition to Jesus.

This is a tough call because whilst we recall the death we do so with an air of sadness that innocents were killed and remember that today, across our 'civilised world', they still do. Today should cause offence at those who use their power wrongly; who take life because they can and do so to meet their own ends. As the light comes into the world the response is for the wicked to turn up the darkness! Herod did it then - other continue to do it now.

So today is a call for us to take up the challenge and oppose the darkness - bringing the light that is within us into the world 'so that all may see by it!', and the New Testament reading (1 Corinthians 1.26-29) is of assistance here:

'Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.

But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise;

God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;

God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God.'

Christians are not called to 'leave their brains at the door; neither are they called to engage in self-serving cleverness to be something. No we are called to be salt and light and peace to the world - it's about humility not being one of the proud. It is about serving rather than being served!

So today the call is upon us to be everything the world isn't. It is a call for us:

To celebrate people rather than self-promoting wisdom.

To seek truth rather than being subjective and puffed up with clever egotistical tosh!

To seek peace and engage in dialogue where others will merely stuff fingers in their ears and ignore everything that they choose to ignore.

And so from this we pray the collect (and the Post Communion prayer)for today:

Heavenly Father, whose children suffered at the hands of Herod, 
though they had done no wrong:
by the suffering of your Son and by the innocence of our lives
frustrate all evil designs and establish your reign of justice and peace;
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.

Post Communion Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ,
in your humility you have stooped to share our human life with the most defenceless of your children:
may we who have received these gifts of your passion rejoice in celebrating the witness of the Holy Innocents to the purity of your sacrifice made once for all upon the cross;
for you are alive and reign, now and for ever. Amen.

Now there are that many songs or pieces of  music that I could offer you for this day and yet one that fits the bill is the 'Coventry Carol' which has within it references to the 'Holy Innocents' and their death:

The Eighth day of Christmas - The Beatie Cheweds

When I was a very young Christian (about six days in in fact) I was taken to task by some smug lifelong Christian in a flannels shirt and tie because I'd offended him by coming in late and wearing training gear (I'd just come off the water from doing some rowing).

I sat down and opening my Bible found the words 'Judge not lest you be judged yourself' and so went to him and asked him if he'd read the, 'Beatie Cheweds,' to which my superior fellow believer responded (which great accentuation applied), 'You mean Be-At-It-Tudes - and they're in Chapter five, not seven which is where the passage you're talking about is!' And with that put down complete he turned on his heels and left!

Later when I got to know the person better I came to realise that what I had encountered was living proof that light travels faster than sound for despite his appearance, it was once he'd opened his mouth that I discovered that he was one of those smug and obnoxious Christians! Thankfully he went back off to University and the potential thorn from my side was gone, never to return.

So here we are at Day Eight with the eight beatitudes (from the Latin 'beatitudo' - 'Blessed' which is part of the Sermon on the Mount) as found in Matthew Chapter Five (remember the // meaning 'in parallel with one or more Synoptics' - Day Four? They also appear in Luke - but there are indeed only eight of them!)):

'Blessed are:

1. ...the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (5.3)
2. ...those who mourn: for they will be comforted. (5.4)
3. ...the meek: for they will inherit the earth. (5.5)
4. ...those who hunger and thirst for righteousness: for they will be satisfied. (5.6)
5. ...the merciful: for they will be shown mercy. (5.7)
6. ...the pure in heart: for they will see God. (5.8)
7. ...the peacemakers: for they will be called children of God. (5.9)
8. ...those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (5.10)

(The // comes in to play as the 'blesséds' appear again) in Luke chapter 6 (Sermon on the Plain): 

Blessed are you:

• ...who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. (6.20)
• ...who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. (6.21a)
• ...you who weep now, for you will laugh. (6.21b)
• ...when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of man.(6.22)

And there's four 'Woes' which follow on from verse twenty-three:

'Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets. But woe to you . . :

• ...who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. (6.24)
• ...who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. (6.25a)
• ...who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. (6.25b)
• ...when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets. (6.26)

So here we are - some very important things, the beatitudes, because they bring two parts together:

The Condition (poor, meek, mourning, etc)

and

The Result of Jesus becoming man and being in the game for us (receive mercy, get fed, find joy, etc.)

Daily Office - Sept 21

Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist

Psalm 49
Hear this, all you peoples;
give ear, all inhabitants of the world, both low and high, rich and poor together.
My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the harp.

Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of my persecutors surrounds me,
those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?
Truly, no ransom avails for one’s life, there is no price one can give to God for it.
For the ransom of life is costly, and can never suffice,
that one should live on for ever and never see the grave.

When we look at the wise, they die;
fool and dolt perish together and leave their wealth to others.
Their graves are their homes for ever,
their dwelling-places to all generations,
though they named lands their own.
Mortals cannot abide in their pomp;
they are like the animals that perish.

Such is the fate of the foolhardy, the end of those who are pleased with their lot.
Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;
Death shall be their shepherd;
straight to the grave they descend, and their form shall waste away;
Sheol shall be their home.
But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me.

Do not be afraid when some become rich, when the wealth of their houses increases.
For when they die they will carry nothing away; their wealth will not go down after them.
Though in their lifetime they count themselves happy - for you are praised when you do well for yourself - they will go to the company of their ancestors, who will never again see the light.
Mortals cannot abide in their pomp; they are like the animals that perish.

Psalm 117
O praise the Lord, all you nations; praise him, all you peoples.
For great is his steadfast love towards us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures for ever.
Alleluia.

1 Kings 19.15-21
Then the Lord said to him, ‘Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram. Also you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel; and you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place. Whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall kill; and whoever escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall kill. Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.’
So he set out from there, and found Elisha son of Shaphat, who was ploughing. There were twelve yoke of oxen ahead of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle over him. He left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, ‘Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.’ Then Elijah said to him, ‘Go back again; for what have I done to you?’ He returned from following him, took the yoke of oxen, and slaughtered them; using the equipment from the oxen, he boiled their flesh, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out and followed Elijah, and became his servant.

2 Timothy 3.14-17
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.

The Collect
O Almighty God,
whose blessed Son called Matthew the tax collector to be an apostle and evangelist:
give us grace to forsake the selfish pursuit of gain and the possessive love of riches
that we may follow in the way of your Son Jesus Christ,
who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.