Picking though the rubble of the day we reflect, repent, rejoice, and resolve to to better with all before us tomorrow.
That done, we lay it all (in a neat pile) at the foot of the Cross and head for our beds.
Showing posts with label candlemas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label candlemas. Show all posts
Tuesday, 2 February 2021
Monday, 1 February 2016
Can't make it to church? 31 January 2016
Today is the day when the Nativity scene in our house gets put away. There are two 'right' times for this to happen, the Christmas stuff either gets put away on 'twelfth night' (the twelve days of Christmas beginning on Christmas Day) or on the day when we remember Mary going to the temple in Jerusalem for the rite of purification (which we call 'Candlemas' or 'the Purification'). As a child I can remember my Mother talking about being 'churched' some days after my birth; this happened in the chapel of Bart's Hospital. As a choir boy (yeah, honest, I was!) when bored (most weeks) during the service would flick through the Book of Common Prayer (BCP) and read who I could and couldn't marry and wonder what the 'Churching of Women' bit was about.
It all comes from the instructions for 'purification after birth in Leviticus 12:
“Speak to the Israelites. Tell them, ‘Suppose a woman becomes pregnant and has a baby boy. Then she will be “unclean” for seven days. It is the same as when she is “unclean” during her monthly period. On the eighth day the boy must be circumcised. After that, the woman must wait for 33 days to be made pure from her bleeding. She must not touch anything sacred until the 33 days are over. During that time she must not go to the sacred tent. But suppose she has a baby girl. Then she will be “unclean” for two weeks. It is the same as during her period. After the two weeks, she must wait for 66 days to be made pure from her bleeding. After she has waited the required number of days to be made pure, she must bring two offerings. She must take them to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting. She must bring a lamb a year old for a burnt offering. She must also bring a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering. The priest must offer them to the Lord. They will pay for her sin. Then she will be “clean” from her bleeding.
'These are the rules for a woman who has a baby boy or girl.But suppose she can’t afford a lamb. Then she must bring two doves or two young pigeons. One is for a burnt offering. The other is for a sin offering. The priest will sacrifice those offerings. That will pay for her sin. And she will be “clean.” ’ "
So the prime reason for Joseph, Mary and Jesus being at the temple is clear, but there is an added dimension in that we find God incarnate entering the temple that exists to worship Him. This is the fulfilment of prophecy as 'God enters His house'. (Can you imagine the announcement over the PA? "Ladies and gentlemen, God has entered the building!")
Simeon and Ann are the means by which Jesus is recognised, the former in the words of the Nunc Dimittis (Lord, now let your servant depart in peace) which is Simeon's attestation that in Jesus he has had the Christ revealed to him - the end of Epiphany results in one last epiphany for Simeon and also for Anna; whose words we know little of other than the 'rising and falling of many and the wound that Mary's heart that will suffer'. We began Epiphany with Jesus being revealed to the Magi, we end with Him being revealed to two faithful believers who were looking to, and hoping for, God's redemptive plan to be put into action. In Jesus, the Christ, it is.
We also call today 'Candlemas' because traditionally it was a day when the candles were blessed.
As we read the Hebrews passage we find the bit from just before the passage (which would have been helpful) is missing. So here it is - with Jesus quoting Isaiah 8 (v18): 'And again he says, “Here I am. Here are the children God has given me.” '
They are flesh and blood and so too has Jesus - who 'became like them to die for them (us)'. God becomes man (that's who Anna and Simeon see) and does so to die for us. This is the plan to reconcile us to God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) Jesus, in dying and rising from the dead breaks the power of death, which is the penalty for sin, and in doing so removes all the power that satan has and takes control of his kingdom. This is the place where we understand what the power of the cross truly is!
The Malachi passage adds to the equation the warning that along with the redemption of humanity from the kingdom of death (which was satan's domain) there will also be a judgement. Now this isn't popular and I know many of my colleagues preach that this is not to be believed (because they find it distasteful and unpopular) but 'when He appears' (at the second coming) I can't help think that this is part of the expectation we should have. Don't like the prospect of it? Then we all better get working at the way we live and treat others hadn't we?
Sorry if this spoils the party today should be! Perhaps we need to be transformed then:
The Collect
God of heaven, you send the gospel to the ends of the earth and your messengers to every nation:
send your Holy Spirit to transform us by the good news of everlasting life in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Malachi 3.1-5
The Lord who rules over all says, “I will send my messenger. He will prepare my way for me. Then suddenly the Lord you are looking for will come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant will come. He is the one you long for.” But who can live through the day when he comes? Who will be left standing when he appears? He will be like a fire that makes things pure. He will be like soap that makes things clean. He will act like one who makes silver pure. And he will purify the Levites, just as gold and silver are purified with fire. Then these men will bring proper offerings to the Lord. And the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to him. It will be as it was in days and years gone by.
“So I will come and put you on trial. I will be quick to bring charges against all of you,” says the Lord who rules over all. “I will bring charges against you sinful people who do not have any respect for me. That includes those who practice evil magic. It includes those who commit adultery and those who tell lies in court. It includes those who cheat workers out of their pay. It includes those who treat widows badly. It also includes those who mistreat children whose fathers have died. And it includes those who take away the rights of outsiders in the courts.
Hebrews 2.14-18
Those children have bodies made out of flesh and blood. So Jesus became human like them in order to die for them. By doing this, he could break the power of the devil. The devil is the one who rules over the kingdom of death. Jesus could set people free who were afraid of death. All their lives they were held as slaves by that fear. It is certainly Abraham’s children that he helps. He doesn’t help angels. So he had to be made like people, fully human in every way. Then he could serve God as a kind and faithful high priest. And then he could pay for the sins of the people by dying for them. He himself suffered when he was tempted. Now he is able to help others who are being tempted.
Luke 2:22 - 40
The time came for making Mary “clean” as required by the Law of Moses. So Joseph and Mary took Jesus to Jerusalem. There they presented him to the Lord. In the Law of the Lord it says, “The first boy born in every family must be set apart for the Lord.” They also offered a sacrifice. They did it in keeping with the Law, which says, “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”
In Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was a good and godly man. He was waiting for God’s promise to Israel to come true. The Holy Spirit was with him. The Spirit had told Simeon that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. The Spirit led him into the temple courtyard. Then Jesus’ parents brought the child in. They came to do for him what the Law required. Simeon took Jesus in his arms and praised God. He said,
“Lord, you are the King over all. Now let me, your servant, go in peace. That is what you promised. My eyes have seen your salvation. You have prepared it in the sight of all nations. It is a light to be given to the Gentiles. It will be the glory of your people Israel.”
The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them. He said to Mary, Jesus’ mother, “This child is going to cause many people in Israel to fall and to rise. God has sent him. But many will speak against him. The thoughts of many hearts will be known. A sword will wound your own soul too.” There was also a prophet named Anna. She was the daughter of Penuel from the tribe of Asher. Anna was very old. After getting married, she lived with her husband seven years. Then she was a widow until she was 84. She never left the temple. She worshiped night and day, praying and going without food. Anna came up to Jesus’ family at that moment. She gave thanks to God. And she spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the time when Jerusalem would be set free.
Joseph and Mary did everything the Law of the Lord required. Then they returned to Galilee. They went to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong. He was very wise. He was blessed by God’s grace.
Post Communion Prayer
Lord, you fulfilled the hope of Simeon and Anna, who lived to welcome the Messiah: may we, who have received these gifts beyond words, prepare to meet Christ Jesus when he comes to bring us to eternal life; for he is alive and reigns, now and for ever. Amen.
It all comes from the instructions for 'purification after birth in Leviticus 12:
“Speak to the Israelites. Tell them, ‘Suppose a woman becomes pregnant and has a baby boy. Then she will be “unclean” for seven days. It is the same as when she is “unclean” during her monthly period. On the eighth day the boy must be circumcised. After that, the woman must wait for 33 days to be made pure from her bleeding. She must not touch anything sacred until the 33 days are over. During that time she must not go to the sacred tent. But suppose she has a baby girl. Then she will be “unclean” for two weeks. It is the same as during her period. After the two weeks, she must wait for 66 days to be made pure from her bleeding. After she has waited the required number of days to be made pure, she must bring two offerings. She must take them to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting. She must bring a lamb a year old for a burnt offering. She must also bring a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering. The priest must offer them to the Lord. They will pay for her sin. Then she will be “clean” from her bleeding.
'These are the rules for a woman who has a baby boy or girl.But suppose she can’t afford a lamb. Then she must bring two doves or two young pigeons. One is for a burnt offering. The other is for a sin offering. The priest will sacrifice those offerings. That will pay for her sin. And she will be “clean.” ’ "
So the prime reason for Joseph, Mary and Jesus being at the temple is clear, but there is an added dimension in that we find God incarnate entering the temple that exists to worship Him. This is the fulfilment of prophecy as 'God enters His house'. (Can you imagine the announcement over the PA? "Ladies and gentlemen, God has entered the building!")
Simeon and Ann are the means by which Jesus is recognised, the former in the words of the Nunc Dimittis (Lord, now let your servant depart in peace) which is Simeon's attestation that in Jesus he has had the Christ revealed to him - the end of Epiphany results in one last epiphany for Simeon and also for Anna; whose words we know little of other than the 'rising and falling of many and the wound that Mary's heart that will suffer'. We began Epiphany with Jesus being revealed to the Magi, we end with Him being revealed to two faithful believers who were looking to, and hoping for, God's redemptive plan to be put into action. In Jesus, the Christ, it is.
We also call today 'Candlemas' because traditionally it was a day when the candles were blessed.
As we read the Hebrews passage we find the bit from just before the passage (which would have been helpful) is missing. So here it is - with Jesus quoting Isaiah 8 (v18): 'And again he says, “Here I am. Here are the children God has given me.” '
They are flesh and blood and so too has Jesus - who 'became like them to die for them (us)'. God becomes man (that's who Anna and Simeon see) and does so to die for us. This is the plan to reconcile us to God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) Jesus, in dying and rising from the dead breaks the power of death, which is the penalty for sin, and in doing so removes all the power that satan has and takes control of his kingdom. This is the place where we understand what the power of the cross truly is!
The Malachi passage adds to the equation the warning that along with the redemption of humanity from the kingdom of death (which was satan's domain) there will also be a judgement. Now this isn't popular and I know many of my colleagues preach that this is not to be believed (because they find it distasteful and unpopular) but 'when He appears' (at the second coming) I can't help think that this is part of the expectation we should have. Don't like the prospect of it? Then we all better get working at the way we live and treat others hadn't we?
Sorry if this spoils the party today should be! Perhaps we need to be transformed then:
The Collect
God of heaven, you send the gospel to the ends of the earth and your messengers to every nation:
send your Holy Spirit to transform us by the good news of everlasting life in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Malachi 3.1-5
The Lord who rules over all says, “I will send my messenger. He will prepare my way for me. Then suddenly the Lord you are looking for will come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant will come. He is the one you long for.” But who can live through the day when he comes? Who will be left standing when he appears? He will be like a fire that makes things pure. He will be like soap that makes things clean. He will act like one who makes silver pure. And he will purify the Levites, just as gold and silver are purified with fire. Then these men will bring proper offerings to the Lord. And the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to him. It will be as it was in days and years gone by.
“So I will come and put you on trial. I will be quick to bring charges against all of you,” says the Lord who rules over all. “I will bring charges against you sinful people who do not have any respect for me. That includes those who practice evil magic. It includes those who commit adultery and those who tell lies in court. It includes those who cheat workers out of their pay. It includes those who treat widows badly. It also includes those who mistreat children whose fathers have died. And it includes those who take away the rights of outsiders in the courts.
Hebrews 2.14-18
Those children have bodies made out of flesh and blood. So Jesus became human like them in order to die for them. By doing this, he could break the power of the devil. The devil is the one who rules over the kingdom of death. Jesus could set people free who were afraid of death. All their lives they were held as slaves by that fear. It is certainly Abraham’s children that he helps. He doesn’t help angels. So he had to be made like people, fully human in every way. Then he could serve God as a kind and faithful high priest. And then he could pay for the sins of the people by dying for them. He himself suffered when he was tempted. Now he is able to help others who are being tempted.
Luke 2:22 - 40
The time came for making Mary “clean” as required by the Law of Moses. So Joseph and Mary took Jesus to Jerusalem. There they presented him to the Lord. In the Law of the Lord it says, “The first boy born in every family must be set apart for the Lord.” They also offered a sacrifice. They did it in keeping with the Law, which says, “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”
In Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was a good and godly man. He was waiting for God’s promise to Israel to come true. The Holy Spirit was with him. The Spirit had told Simeon that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. The Spirit led him into the temple courtyard. Then Jesus’ parents brought the child in. They came to do for him what the Law required. Simeon took Jesus in his arms and praised God. He said,
“Lord, you are the King over all. Now let me, your servant, go in peace. That is what you promised. My eyes have seen your salvation. You have prepared it in the sight of all nations. It is a light to be given to the Gentiles. It will be the glory of your people Israel.”
The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them. He said to Mary, Jesus’ mother, “This child is going to cause many people in Israel to fall and to rise. God has sent him. But many will speak against him. The thoughts of many hearts will be known. A sword will wound your own soul too.” There was also a prophet named Anna. She was the daughter of Penuel from the tribe of Asher. Anna was very old. After getting married, she lived with her husband seven years. Then she was a widow until she was 84. She never left the temple. She worshiped night and day, praying and going without food. Anna came up to Jesus’ family at that moment. She gave thanks to God. And she spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the time when Jerusalem would be set free.
Joseph and Mary did everything the Law of the Lord required. Then they returned to Galilee. They went to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong. He was very wise. He was blessed by God’s grace.
Post Communion Prayer
Lord, you fulfilled the hope of Simeon and Anna, who lived to welcome the Messiah: may we, who have received these gifts beyond words, prepare to meet Christ Jesus when he comes to bring us to eternal life; for he is alive and reigns, now and for ever. Amen.
Monday, 2 February 2015
Morning Prayer - 2 February 15
The Presentation of Christ in the Temple: Candlemas
Psalm 48
Great is the Lord and highly to be praised, in the city of our God. His holy mountain is fair and lifted high, the joy of all the earth. On Mount Zion, the divine dwelling place, stands the city of the great king. In her palaces God has shown himself to be a sure refuge.
For behold, the kings of the earth assembled and swept forward together. They saw, and were dumbfounded; dismayed, they fled in terror. Trembling seized them there; they writhed like a woman in labour, as when the east wind shatters the ships of Tarshish. As we had heard, so have we see in the city of the Lord of hosts, the city of our God: God has established her for ever. R
We have waited on your loving-kindness, O God, in the midst of your temple. As with your name, O God, so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is full of justice. Let Mount Zion rejoice and the daughters of Judah be glad, because of your judgements, O Lord. Walk about Zion and go round about her; count all her towers; consider well her bulwarks; pass through her citadels, That you may tell those who come after that such is our God for ever and ever. It is he that shall be our guide for evermore.
Psalm 146
Alleluia.
Praise the Lord, O my soul: while I live will I praise the Lord; as long as I have any being, I will sing praises to my God.
Put not your trust in princes, nor in any human power, for there is no help in them. When their breath goes forth, they return to the earth; on that day all their thoughts perish.
Happy are those who have the God of Jacob for their help, whose hope is in the Lord their God;
Who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them;
who keeps his promise for ever;
Who gives justice to those that suffer wrong and bread to those who hunger.
The Lord looses those that are bound;
the Lord opens the eyes of the blind;
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous;
The Lord watches over the stranger in the land; he upholds the orphan and widow; but the way of the wicked he turns upside down.
The Lord shall reign for ever, your God, O Zion, throughout all generations.
Alleluia.
Exodus 13.1-16
The Lord said to Moses: Consecrate to me all the firstborn; whatever is the first to open the womb among the Israelites, of human beings and animals, is mine.
Moses said to the people, ‘Remember this day on which you came out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, because the Lord brought you out from there by strength of hand; no leavened bread shall be eaten. Today, in the month of Abib, you are going out. When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he swore to your ancestors to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you shall keep this observance in this month. For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a festival to the Lord. Unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days; no leavened bread shall be seen in your possession, and no leaven shall be seen among you in all your territory. You shall tell your child on that day, “It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.” It shall serve for you as a sign on your hand and as a reminder on your forehead, so that the teaching of the Lord may be on your lips; for with a strong hand the Lord brought you out of Egypt. You shall keep this ordinance at its proper time from year to year.
‘When the Lord has brought you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and your ancestors, and has given it to you, you shall set apart to the Lord all that first opens the womb. All the firstborn of your livestock that are males shall be the Lord’s. But every firstborn donkey you shall redeem with a sheep; if you do not redeem it, you must break its neck. Every firstborn male among your children you shall redeem. When in the future your child asks you, “What does this mean?” you shall answer, “By strength of hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from human firstborn to the firstborn of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to the Lord every male that first opens the womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem.” It shall serve as a sign on your hand and as an emblem on your forehead that by strength of hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt.’
Romans 12.1-5
I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgement, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.
The Collect
Almighty and ever-living God, clothed in majesty, whose beloved Son was this day presented in the Temple, in substance of our flesh: grant that we may be presented to you with pure and clean hearts, by your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Psalm 48
Great is the Lord and highly to be praised, in the city of our God. His holy mountain is fair and lifted high, the joy of all the earth. On Mount Zion, the divine dwelling place, stands the city of the great king. In her palaces God has shown himself to be a sure refuge.
For behold, the kings of the earth assembled and swept forward together. They saw, and were dumbfounded; dismayed, they fled in terror. Trembling seized them there; they writhed like a woman in labour, as when the east wind shatters the ships of Tarshish. As we had heard, so have we see in the city of the Lord of hosts, the city of our God: God has established her for ever. R
We have waited on your loving-kindness, O God, in the midst of your temple. As with your name, O God, so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is full of justice. Let Mount Zion rejoice and the daughters of Judah be glad, because of your judgements, O Lord. Walk about Zion and go round about her; count all her towers; consider well her bulwarks; pass through her citadels, That you may tell those who come after that such is our God for ever and ever. It is he that shall be our guide for evermore.
Psalm 146
Alleluia.
Praise the Lord, O my soul: while I live will I praise the Lord; as long as I have any being, I will sing praises to my God.
Put not your trust in princes, nor in any human power, for there is no help in them. When their breath goes forth, they return to the earth; on that day all their thoughts perish.
Happy are those who have the God of Jacob for their help, whose hope is in the Lord their God;
Who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them;
who keeps his promise for ever;
Who gives justice to those that suffer wrong and bread to those who hunger.
The Lord looses those that are bound;
the Lord opens the eyes of the blind;
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous;
The Lord watches over the stranger in the land; he upholds the orphan and widow; but the way of the wicked he turns upside down.
The Lord shall reign for ever, your God, O Zion, throughout all generations.
Alleluia.
Exodus 13.1-16
The Lord said to Moses: Consecrate to me all the firstborn; whatever is the first to open the womb among the Israelites, of human beings and animals, is mine.
Moses said to the people, ‘Remember this day on which you came out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, because the Lord brought you out from there by strength of hand; no leavened bread shall be eaten. Today, in the month of Abib, you are going out. When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he swore to your ancestors to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you shall keep this observance in this month. For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a festival to the Lord. Unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days; no leavened bread shall be seen in your possession, and no leaven shall be seen among you in all your territory. You shall tell your child on that day, “It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.” It shall serve for you as a sign on your hand and as a reminder on your forehead, so that the teaching of the Lord may be on your lips; for with a strong hand the Lord brought you out of Egypt. You shall keep this ordinance at its proper time from year to year.
‘When the Lord has brought you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and your ancestors, and has given it to you, you shall set apart to the Lord all that first opens the womb. All the firstborn of your livestock that are males shall be the Lord’s. But every firstborn donkey you shall redeem with a sheep; if you do not redeem it, you must break its neck. Every firstborn male among your children you shall redeem. When in the future your child asks you, “What does this mean?” you shall answer, “By strength of hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from human firstborn to the firstborn of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to the Lord every male that first opens the womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem.” It shall serve as a sign on your hand and as an emblem on your forehead that by strength of hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt.’
Romans 12.1-5
I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgement, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.
The Collect
Almighty and ever-living God, clothed in majesty, whose beloved Son was this day presented in the Temple, in substance of our flesh: grant that we may be presented to you with pure and clean hearts, by your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Saturday, 2 February 2013
Daily Office - Feb 2
The Presentation of Christ in the Temple [Candlemas]
Psalm 48
Great is the Lord and highly to be praised, in the city of our God.
His holy mountain is fair and lifted high, the joy of all the earth.
On Mount Zion, the divine dwelling place, stands the city of the great king.
In her palaces God has shown himself to be a sure refuge.
For behold, the kings of the earth assembled and swept forward together.
They saw, and were dumbfounded; dismayed, they fled in terror.
Trembling seized them there; they writhed like a woman in labour,
as when the east wind shatters the ships of Tarshish.
As we had heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts,
the city of our God: God has established her for ever.
We have waited on your loving-kindness, O God, in the midst of your temple.
As with your name, O God, so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth;
your right hand is full of justice.
Let Mount Zion rejoice and the daughters of Judah be glad,
because of your judgements, O Lord.
Walk about Zion and go round about her;
count all her towers;
consider well her bulwarks; pass through her citadels,
That you may tell those who come after
that such is our God for ever and ever.
It is he that shall be our guide for evermore.
Psalm 146
Alleluia.
Praise the Lord, O my soul:
while I live will I praise the Lord; as long as I have any being,
I will sing praises to my God.
Put not your trust in princes, nor in any human power,
for there is no help in them.
When their breath goes forth, they return to the earth;
on that day all their thoughts perish.
Happy are those who have the God of Jacob for their help,
whose hope is in the Lord their God;
Who made heaven and earth,the sea and all that is in them;
who keeps his promise for ever;
Who gives justice to those that suffer wrong and bread to those who hunger.
The Lord looses those that are bound;
the Lord opens the eyes of the blind;
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous;
The Lord watches over the stranger in the land; he upholds the orphan and widow; but the way of the wicked he turns upside down.
The Lord shall reign for ever, your God, O Zion, throughout all generations.
Alleluia.
Exodus 13.1-16
The Lord said to Moses: Consecrate to me all the firstborn; whatever is the first to open the womb among the Israelites, of human beings and animals, is mine.
Moses said to the people,
‘Remember this day on which you came out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, because the Lord brought you out from there by strength of hand; no leavened bread shall be eaten.
Today, in the month of Abib, you are going out.
When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he swore to your ancestors to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you shall keep this observance in this month.
For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a festival to the Lord.
Unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days; no leavened bread shall be seen in your possession, and no leaven shall be seen among you in all your territory.
You shall tell your child on that day,
“It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.”
It shall serve for you as a sign on your hand and as a reminder on your forehead, so that the teaching of the Lord may be on your lips; for with a strong hand the Lord brought you out of Egypt. You shall keep this ordinance at its proper time from year to year.
‘When the Lord has brought you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and your ancestors, and has given it to you, you shall set apart to the Lord all that first opens the womb. All the firstborn of your livestock that are males shall be the Lord’s. But every firstborn donkey you shall redeem with a sheep; if you do not redeem it, you must break its neck.
Every firstborn male among your children you shall redeem.
When in the future your child asks you,
“What does this mean?”
you shall answer,
“By strength of hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from human firstborn to the firstborn of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to the Lord every male that first opens the womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem.” It shall serve as a sign on your hand and as an emblem on your forehead that by strength of hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt.’
Romans 12.1-5
I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God - what is good and acceptable and perfect.
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgement, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.
The Collect
Almighty and ever-living God,
clothed in majesty,
whose beloved Son was this day presented in the Temple,
in substance of our flesh:
grant that we may be presented to you with pure and clean hearts,
by your Son Jesus Christ our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Thursday, 2 February 2012
Last Day of Christmas
Today, being Candlemas, is the last day of the Christmas season and as we leave this happy time we look to Lent and the long (is it really only forty days?) road to the cross.
As I got out of the car this morning, one of the local British Legion members was approaching and, without breaking step or stopping, asked me what I thought of the 'revolting Vicars'. My mind immediately starting searching through the directory of those I know when he added, "Them that wants gay weddings!" I have to say that my mind was on very different issues and so I merely turned the question back to him and asked him what he thought. "Load of bloody loonies," was the stern reply and with that he carried on his way; conversation done!
I do love living in an urban priority area and 'living over the shop' such that once out of the car (or the front door)I find myself readily available for a variety of encounters ranging from the brief (although the record goes to the man on the bicycle who engagement with me was the pronouncement, "Them Vicars in London need stuffing!" No conversation, just his assessment of OLSX and St Paul's) encounter through to the 'I'm already stretched for time and this isn't helping' conversation.
The problem is that having worked hard to get the people to realise that I'm there for them I really have to be there for them and it is funny how many generally unchurched or dechurched have an opinion and how often that opinion sets them further away from church. It is amazing how many people will come and engage me in conversations that seem to want me to absolve them from putting 'going to' and 'church' together as a declaration of state.
Other conversations will assume that I am an information office, street warden, police office, litter-picker (I kid you not, had a lady who saw me getting out of the car and crossed over to inform me that 'people' have been throwing beer cans in the car park and that 'someone' (presumably me) ought to do something about putting them in the bin) and more besides.
I am the personification of all that is wrong in the church and the reason they don't go any more.
I am the conduit that provides information to, and from, Rowan and, once told, can make 'the loonies, those in ivory towers, the hypocrites and many others prick up their ears and conform to that which is so obviously right.
I am the one to bear the brunt of the 'and he said he would baptise the baby' clerics and the one to bear responsibility because 'the vicar wouldn't marry us because they said . . . . ' scenarios.
Yes indeed - Christmas is over and now it's all about sacrifice, obedience and submission - or you can write an open letter or merely hide behind the hedge and wait for me to come out (of the car - no need to write to the newspapers!).
Hey ho
As I got out of the car this morning, one of the local British Legion members was approaching and, without breaking step or stopping, asked me what I thought of the 'revolting Vicars'. My mind immediately starting searching through the directory of those I know when he added, "Them that wants gay weddings!" I have to say that my mind was on very different issues and so I merely turned the question back to him and asked him what he thought. "Load of bloody loonies," was the stern reply and with that he carried on his way; conversation done!
I do love living in an urban priority area and 'living over the shop' such that once out of the car (or the front door)I find myself readily available for a variety of encounters ranging from the brief (although the record goes to the man on the bicycle who engagement with me was the pronouncement, "Them Vicars in London need stuffing!" No conversation, just his assessment of OLSX and St Paul's) encounter through to the 'I'm already stretched for time and this isn't helping' conversation.
The problem is that having worked hard to get the people to realise that I'm there for them I really have to be there for them and it is funny how many generally unchurched or dechurched have an opinion and how often that opinion sets them further away from church. It is amazing how many people will come and engage me in conversations that seem to want me to absolve them from putting 'going to' and 'church' together as a declaration of state.
Other conversations will assume that I am an information office, street warden, police office, litter-picker (I kid you not, had a lady who saw me getting out of the car and crossed over to inform me that 'people' have been throwing beer cans in the car park and that 'someone' (presumably me) ought to do something about putting them in the bin) and more besides.
I am the personification of all that is wrong in the church and the reason they don't go any more.
I am the conduit that provides information to, and from, Rowan and, once told, can make 'the loonies, those in ivory towers, the hypocrites and many others prick up their ears and conform to that which is so obviously right.
I am the one to bear the brunt of the 'and he said he would baptise the baby' clerics and the one to bear responsibility because 'the vicar wouldn't marry us because they said . . . . ' scenarios.
Yes indeed - Christmas is over and now it's all about sacrifice, obedience and submission - or you can write an open letter or merely hide behind the hedge and wait for me to come out (of the car - no need to write to the newspapers!).
Hey ho
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)