Ordo for Epiphany 6 (RCL Proper 6A, 12 February 2017)

The Sixth Sunday after Epiphany

12 February 2017

The Gathering of the Community

Gathering Music

Announcements

Opening Hymn

‘Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above’  Common Praise #310

Introductory Responses

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,

may all the earth be filled with the glory of God.

Light has sprung up for the righteous,

and joyful gladness for those who are true in heart. [i]

The Collect for Purity

Almighty God,

to you all hearts are open,

all desires known,

and from you no secrets are hidden.

Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts

by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,

that we may perfectly love you,

and worthily magnify your holy name;

through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

The Hymn of Praise

‘Let All the World in Every Corner Sing’  Common Praise #357

The Collect of the Day

Let us pray.

Living One,

in whose freedom creation was born as gift:

free us from the need

to possess, define and silence others,

so that we might rejoice

in the strangeness of your beauty

revealed in flesh and blood;

through Jesus Christ, our reconciliation.  Amen. [ii]

The Proclamation of the Word

The First Reading

A reading from Sirach (15.15-20).

^15.15 If you choose, you can keep the commandments, and to act faithfully is a matter of your own choice.  ¹⁶ [The Lord] has placed before you fire and water; stretch out your hand for whichever you choose.  ¹⁷ Before each person are life and death, and whichever one chooses will be given.  ¹⁸ For great is the wisdom of the Lord; he is mighty in power and sees everything; ¹⁹ his eyes are on those who fear him, and he knows every human action.  ²⁰ He has not commanded anyone to be wicked, and he has not given anyone permission to sin.

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.

Thanks be to God.

The Psalm

Psalm 119.1-8 with refrain from Songs for the Holy One.

Refrain (sung twice):  Holy One, teach us you way, and help us walk in it.

¹ Happy are they whose way is blameless, *

            who walk in the law of the Lord!

² Happy are they who observe your decrees *

            and seek you with all their hearts;

³ who never do any wrong, *

            but always walk in your ways.

⁴ You laid down your commandments, *

            that we should fully keep them.

Refrain:  Holy One, teach us you way, and help us walk in it.

⁵ Oh, that my ways were made so direct *

            that I might keep your statutes!

⁶ Then I should not be put to shame, *

            when I regard all your commandments.

⁷ I will thank you with an unfeigned heart, *

            when I have learned your righteous judgements.

⁸ I will keep your statutes; *

            do not utterly forsake me.

Refrain:  Holy One, teach us you way, and help us walk in it.

The Second Reading

A reading from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians (3.1-9)

            ^3.1 And so, brothers and sisters, I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but rather as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.  ² I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for solid food. Even now you are still not ready, ³ for you are still of the flesh.  For as long as there is jealousy and quarrelling among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving according to human inclinations?  ⁴ For when one says, “I belong to Paul,” and another, “I belong to Apollos,” are you not merely human?

            ⁵ What then is Apollos?  What is Paul?  Servants through whom you came to believe, as the Lord assigned to each.  ⁶ I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.  ⁷ So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.  ⁸ The one who plants and the one who waters have a common purpose, and each will receive wages according to the labour of each.  ⁹ For we are God’s servants, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building.

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.

Thanks be to God.

Hymn before the Gospel

‘Laudate Dominum’  Common Praise #313 (sung twice in Latin)

The Gospel

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew (5.21-37).

Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

            ^5.21 [Jesus said to his disciples,] “You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’  ²² But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire.  ²³ So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you,  ²⁴ leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.  ²⁵ Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison.  ²⁶ Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

            ²⁷ “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’  ²⁸ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.  ²⁹ If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.  ³⁰ And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell.

            ³¹ “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’  ³² But I say to you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

            ³³ “Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.’  ³⁴ But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, ³⁵ or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.  ³⁶ And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.  ³⁷ Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one.”

The Gospel of Christ.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Hymn after the Gospel

‘Laudate Dominum’  Common Praise #313 (sung twice in Latin)

The Homily

The Affirmation of Faith

Let us affirm our faith.

We believe and trust in God,

the Author of creation,

source of all being and life,

the one for whom we exist.

We believe and trust in God,

the Word of redemption,

who took our human nature,

died for us and rose again.

We believe and trust in God,

the Spirit of wisdom,

who gives life to the people of God

and makes Christ known in the world.

We believe and trust in one God,

Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

who was and is and is to come.  Amen. [iii]

The Prayers of the Community

Intercessions, Petitions and Thanksgivings

The Exchange of the Peace

May the peace of the Lord be always with you.

And also with you.

The Holy Communion

Offertory Hymn

‘Lord, We Hear Your Word with Gladness’  Common Praise #447

Prayer over the Gifts

Let us pray.

Blessed are you, O God, maker of all things.

Through your goodness

you have blessed us with these gifts: 

our selves, our time and our possessions.

Use us, and what we have gathered,

in feeding the world with your love,

through the one who gave himself for us,

Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.  Amen. [iv]

Thanksgiving at the Table

The Lord be with you. 

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts. 

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. 

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

It is indeed right, our duty and our joy,

that we should at all times and in all places

give thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God,

through our Saviour Jesus Christ. 

By the leading of a star he was shown forth to all nations;

in the waters of the Jordan you proclaimed him your beloved Son,

and in the miracle of water turned to wine he revealed your glory. 

And so, with all the choirs of angels,

with the church on earth and the hosts of heaven,

we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,

heaven and earth are full of your glory. 

Hosanna in the highest. 

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. 

Hosanna in the highest. [v]

The Thanksgiving continues with one of the following Thanksgivings.

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal: 

you we praise and glorify, you we worship and adore. 

You formed the earth from chaos;

you encircled the globe with air;

you created fire for warmth and light;

you nourish the lands with water. 

You moulded us in your image,

and with mercy higher than the mountains,

with grace deeper than the seas,

you blessed the Israelites and cherished them as your own. 

That also we, estranged and dying, might be adopted to live in your Spirit,

you called to us through the life and death of Jesus.

In the night in which he was betrayed,

our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks;

broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: 

Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. 

Do this for the remembrance of me.

Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks,

and gave it for all to drink, saying: 

This cup is the new covenant in my blood,

shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. 

Do this for the remembrance of me.

Together as the body of Christ,

we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 

Christ has died.  Christ is risen.  Christ will come again.

With this bread and cup we remember your Son,

the first-born of your new creation. 

We remember his life lived for others,

and his death and resurrection, which renews the face of the earth. 

We await his coming,

when, with the world made perfect through your wisdom,

all our sins and sorrows will be no more. 

Amen.  Come, Lord Jesus.

Holy God, holy and merciful, holy and compassionate,

send upon us and this meal your Holy Spirit,

whose breath revives us for life, whose fire rouses us to love. 

Enfold in your arms all who share this holy food. 

Nurture in us the fruits of the Spirit,

so that we may be a living tree,

sharing your bounty with all the world. 

Amen.  Come, Holy Spirit.

Holy and benevolent God,

receive our praise and petitions,

as Jesus received the cry of the needy,

and fill us with your blessing,

until, needy no longer and bound to you in love,

we feast forever in the triumph of the Lamb: 

through whom all glory and honour is yours,

O God, O Living One, with the Holy Spirit,

in your holy church, now and for ever.  Amen. [vi]

The Lord’s Prayer

As our Saviour taught us, let us pray,

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial,

and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power,

and the glory are yours,

now and for ever.  Amen. [vii]

The Breaking of the Bread

God of promise,

you prepare a banquet for us in your kingdom.

Happy are those who are called

to the supper of the Lamb.

The gifts of God for the people of God.

Thanks be to God.

The Communion

The Hymn after Communion

‘You Are God’s Work of Art’  Common Praise #39

The Sending Forth of the Community

Prayer after Communion

Let us pray.

Gracious God,

in this meal you have drawn us to your heart,

and nourished us at your table with food and drink,

the body and blood of Christ.

Now send us forth to be your people in the world,

and to proclaim your truth this day and evermore,

through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.  Amen. [viii]

Glory to God,

whose power, working in us,

can do infinitely more

than we can ask or imagine.

Glory to God from generation to generation,

in the Church and in Christ Jesus,

for ever and ever.  Amen.

Closing Hymn

‘God of Grace and God of Glory’  Common Praise #577

Dismissal

The Deacon sends the Community forth with an appropriate Dismissal.

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[i] Introductory Response for Incarnation in The Book of Alternative Services (1985), 96 alt.

[ii] Liturgy Task Force, ‘Trial Use Collects for Years A, B & C and Seasonal Prayers over the Gifts and after Communion’ 2016, 21.

[iii] Adapted from Common Worship  (2001) by the Rev’d Richard Geoffrey Leggett.

[iv] Liturgy Task Force, ‘Trial Use Collects for Years A, B & C and Seasonal Prayers over the Gifts and after Communion’ 2016, 160.

[v] Common Praise #735.

[vi] Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), 67 alt.

[vii] Common Praise #744.

[viii] Liturgy Task Force, ‘Trial Use Collects for Years A, B & C and Seasonal Prayers over the Gifts and after Communion’ 2016, 163.