Proper Prayers for the 2nd Sunday after Christmas (5 January 2020)

For those congregations not keeping Epiphany on 5 January 2020.

Proper Prayers for RCL Christmas 2

Jeremiah 31.7-14 or Sirach 24.1-12; Psalm 147.12-20 (BAS 147.13-21) or Wisdom 10.15-21 (as a canticle); Ephesians 1.3.14; John 1.(1-9), 10-18

Collect of the Day

God of power and life, the glory of all who believe in you, fill the world with your splendour and show the nations the light of your truth; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.  [1]

or

Almighty God, you have filled all the earth with the light of your incarnate Word.  By your grace empower us to reflect your light in all that we do, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.  [2]

or

O God our redeemer, you created light that we might live, and you illumine our world with your beloved Son.  By your Spirit comfort us in all darkness, and turn us toward the light of Jesus Christ our Saviour, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.  [2]

or

Almighty God, you have filled all the earth with the light of your incarnate Word.  By your grace empower us to reflect your image in all that we do, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.  [3]

or

Gracious God, you have redeemed us through Jesus Christ, the first-born of all creation, whose birth we celebrate in the child of Bethlehem.  Grant us every spiritual blessing, so that we may live as your adopted children and witness to your glory with praise and thanksgiving, now and for ever.  Amen.  [3]

or

God most high, your only Son embraced the weakness of our flesh to give us the power to become your children; your eternal Word chose to well among us, that/so that  we might live in your presence.  Grant us a spirit of wisdom to know how rich is the glory you have made our own, and how great the hope to which we are called in Jesus Christ, your Word made flesh, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, in the splendour of eternal  light, God for ever and ever.  Amen.  [4]

or

Hidden God, who made the face of Moses shine with the gift of your friendship:  teach us the law of love, carried by breath of spirit and planted in hearts of flesh that/so that we might be children again and world restored to you; through Jesus Christ, the Glory of God.  Amen.  [5]

Prayer over the Gifts

Source of love and life, receive all we offer you this day, and through the coming of your Son, help us to see in others him who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.  [1]

or

Good and loving God, we rejoice in the birth of Jesus, who came among the poor to bring the riches of your grace.  As you have blessed us with your gifts, let them be blessing for others.  With the trees of the field, with all earth and heaven, we shout for joy at the coming of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.  [2]

Preface

Blessed are you, gracious God, creator of heaven and earth; we give you thanks and praise through Jesus Christ our Lord, who in the mystery of his incarnation was made perfect man of the flesh of the Virgin Mary his mother; in him we have seen a new and radiant vision of your glory.  Therefore with all the angels of heaven, we lift our voices and sing our joyful hymn of praise to proclaim the glory of your name.  [1]

or

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.  In the wonder and mystery of the Word made flesh you have opened the eyes of faith to a new and radiant vision of your glory, that beholding the God made visible, we may be drawn to love the God whom we cannot see.  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:  [2]

The Breaking of the Bread

We break the bread of life, and that life is the light of the world.

God here among us, light in the midst of us, bring us to light and life.  [1]

Prayer after Communion

Light eternal, you have nourished us in the mystery of the body and blood of your Son.  By your grace keep us ever faithful to your word, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.  [1]

or

Radiant God, with our eyes we have seen your salvation, and in this meal we have feasted on your grace.  May your Word take flesh in us, that/so that we may be your holy people, revealing your glory made known to us in Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.  Amen.  [2]

Blessing

May the God of infinite goodness scatter the darkness of sin and brighten your hearts with holiness; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always.  Amen.  [1]

or

May the God of infinite goodness scatter the darkness of sin and brighten your hearts with holiness; and the blessing of God almighty, the Author of creation, the Word of redemption and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always.  Amen.  [1 alt.]

or

May the God of infinite goodness scatter the darkness of sin and brighten your hearts with holiness; and the blessing of God almighty, the Source of all being, the Word of redemption and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always.  Amen.  [1 alt.]

or

May the God of infinite goodness scatter the darkness of sin and brighten your hearts with holiness; and the blessing of God almighty, the Holy One of Israel, the Word of God incarnate and the Power of the Most High, be among you and remain with you always.  Amen.  [1 alt.]

or

May Christ, who by his Incarnation gathered into one things earthly and heavenly, fill you with his joy and peace; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be among you, and remain with you always.  Amen.  [7]

or

May Christ, who by his Incarnation gathered into one things earthly and heavenly, fill you with his joy and peace; and the blessing of God almighty, the Author of creation, the Word of redemption and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always.  Amen.  [7 alt.]

or

May Christ, who by his Incarnation gathered into one things earthly and heavenly, fill you with his joy and peace; and the blessing of God almighty, the Holy One of Israel, the Word of God incarnate and the Power of the Most High, be among you and remain with you always.  Amen.  [7 alt.]

or

May Christ, who by his Incarnation gathered into one things earthly and heavenly, fill you with his joy and peace; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Author of creation, the Word of redemption and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always.  Amen.  [7 alt.]

Notes

[1]        The Book of Alternative Services 1985

[2]       Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2006

[2a]     Evangelical Lutheran Worship:  Leaders Desk Edition 2006

[3]       Alternative Collects for Years A, B & C of the RCL and Seasonal Prayers over the Gifts and after Communion 2019

[4]        Opening Prayers:  Collects in Contemporary Language 1997

[5]        Prayers for an Inclusive Church 2009

[6]        Revised Common Lectionary Prayers 2002

[7]        Book of Occasional Services 2003

N.B.  Text in italics are possible alternatives suggested by the Ven. Richard Geoffrey Leggett, Ph.D.

Proper Prayers for the 1st Sunday after Christmas (Year A: 29 December 2019)

Proper Prayers for RCL Christmas 1A

Isaiah 63.7-9; Psalm 148; Hebrews 2.10-18; Matthew 2.13-23

Collect of the Day

Almighty God, you have shed upon us the new light of your incarnate Word.  May this light, enkindled in our hearts, shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.  [1]

or

O Lord God, you know that cannot place our trust in our own powers.  As you protected the infant Jesus, so defend us and all the needy from harm and adversity, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.  [2]

or

Loving God, guardian of our homes, when you entrusted your Son to the care of Mary and Joseph, you did not spare them the pains that touch the life of every family.  Teach us to rely on your word, that/so that in our trials as in our joys we may be clothed in gentleness and patience and united in love.  Make us ever thankful for the blessings you give us through Jesus Christ, your Word made flesh, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, in the splendour of eternal light, God for ever and ever.  Amen.  [4]

or

God of the refugees, sharing the exile road with all who flee the violence that enslaves and kills:  as your Son sought asylum in a foreign land make us ready to welcome the refugee and receive from her a new language of life and hope; through Jesus Christ, Rachel’s child.  Amen.  [5]

or

Praise is our cry, O Holy One of Israel, for you have come among us and borne our burdens.  Give us open hearts, that/so that we might embrace our suffering sisters and brothers, and welcome Jesus in the hospitality we show to exiles; through Jesus Christ, your Word made flesh, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, in the splendour of eternal light, God for ever and ever.  Amen.  [6]

Prayer over the Gifts

God of light, in the birth of your Son/Jesus we see your glory.  May we who share in this mystery grow daily in your love.  This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord/Jesus, the Word made flesh.  Amen.  [1]

or

Good and loving God, we rejoice in the birth of Jesus, who came among the poor to bring the riches of your grace.  As you have blessed us with your gifts, let them be blessing for others.  With the trees of the field, with all earth and heaven, we shout for joy at the coming of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.  [2]

Preface

Blessed are you, gracious God, creator of heaven and earth; we give you thanks and praise through Jesus Christ our Lord, who in the mystery of his incarnation was made perfect man of the flesh of the Virgin Mary his mother; in him we have seen a new and radiant vision of your glory.  Therefore with all the angels of heaven, we lift our voices and sing our joyful hymn of praise to proclaim the glory of your name.  [1]

or

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.  In the wonder and mystery of the Word made flesh you have opened the eyes of faith to a new and radiant vision of your glory, that beholding the God made visible, we may be drawn to love the God whom we cannot see.  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:  [2]

The Breaking of the Bread

We break the bread of life, and that life is the light of the world.

God here among us, light in the midst of us, bring us to light and life.  [1]

Prayer after Communion

Faithful God, we thank you for feeing us with this heavenly banquet.  Help us always to hear the prophet’s call to turn our hearts to you; in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord.  Amen.  [1]

or

Radiant God, with our eyes we have seen your salvation, and in this meal we have feasted on your grace.  May your Word take flesh in us, that/so that we may be your holy people, revealing your glory made known to us in Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.  Amen.  [2]

Blessing

May the God of infinite goodness scatter the darkness of sin and brighten your hearts with holiness; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always.  Amen.  [1]

or

May the God of infinite goodness scatter the darkness of sin and brighten your hearts with holiness; and the blessing of God almighty, the Author of creation, the Word of redemption and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always.  Amen.  [1 alt.]

or

May the God of infinite goodness scatter the darkness of sin and brighten your hearts with holiness; and the blessing of God almighty, the Source of all being, the Word of redemption and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always.  Amen.  [1 alt.]

or

May the God of infinite goodness scatter the darkness of sin and brighten your hearts with holiness; and the blessing of God almighty, the Holy One of Israel, the Word of God incarnate and the Power of the Most High, be among you and remain with you always.  Amen.  [1 alt.]

Notes

[1]        The Book of Alternative Services 1985

[2]       Evangelical Lutheran Worship 2006

[2a]     Evangelical Lutheran Worship:  Leaders Desk Edition 2006

[3]      Alternative Collects for Years A, B & C of the RCL and Seasonal Prayers over the Gifts and after Communion 2019

[4]        Opening Prayers:  Collects in Contemporary Language 1997

[5]        Prayers for an Inclusive Church 2009

[6]        Revised Common Lectionary Prayers 2002

[7]        Book of Occasional Services 2003

N.B.  Text in italics are possible alternatives suggested by the Ven. Richard Geoffrey Leggett, Ph.D.

Reflections on Luke 2.41-52 by the Rev'd Tasha Carrothers (RCL Christmas 1C, 30 December 2018)

Here is today's sermon as preached by the Rev'd Tasha Carrothers, 

our Honorary Assistant Curate, at the 10.00 Eucharist.

Click here to listen to an audio recording of the Sermon.

Sermon for Holy Family Sunday

Luke 2:41-52

December 30, 2018

Holy Trinity Cathedral, New Westminster

I was in the car, in the middle of pre-Christmas errands, feeling hard-done-by because there was too much to do and not enough time, when yet another Christmas song came on the radio. But this song I had never heard before. It was Three Generations, by Canadian singer-songwriter Hawksley Workman. 

Wash the dishes
Wash the dishes
The Christmas dinner dishes
Three generations in the kitchen all at once
And go and get a camera
And go and wake up grandpa
Three generations in the kitchen all at once

The song goes on about putting the turkey away for sandwiches, making soup from the bones (except the wishbone!), putting the good china away until next year, all those banal details that repeat themselves every year, if we’re lucky.

And I became a bit weepy, and finally felt some Christmas spirit. This was a scene that I could relate to and feel nostalgic about; endless dishes that you didn’t really mind doing because there were lots of people around helping out. And I realized that Christmas is about feeling joyful, yes, but it is also about feeling sad, missing people and places that are far away or gone forever. And then I realized that on some level it is about missing something that never happened, a nostalgia for the perfect Christmas that no one has actually experienced. All of these feelings are inextricably mixed up with each other, like the ingredients in a loaf of bread. 

I think we see that mixture in today’s gospel reading. The original perfect family would have to be the Holy Family: Mary, Joseph and Jesus. And I suspect that they are also the perfect family that never was, hidden behind those golden creche scenes.  

Those tensions between perfection and reality are present in today’s reading from Luke. We often see depictions of the scene of Jesus in the Temple, sitting in the middle of the teachers as they listen to his wisdom. We see this preternaturally wise boy, holding his own in the company of the great religious leaders of the day. The image of the perfect young Jesus, hinting broadly at the man he would become. 

We don’t usually see Mary and Joseph in their frantic search for their missing son. He’s only twelve years old, and he’s missing for as many as five days, in a strange city full of soldiers and travelers. We don’t see them retracing their steps, to the rooms where they stayed, the market stalls where they got food, the streets and alleys. When they finally find him, Mary asks the question all parents ask, and no child can answer—why did you do this to us? Why did you do this to your father and me? 

Faced with this story that includes the very real and imperfect family losing track of their child as well as the amazingly wise boy taking his place with the elders, we tend to let the imperfection slip into obscurity. 

But perhaps the imperfect Holy Family is just what we need right now, a reminder that, in Jesus, God is born into this imperfection. They do their best; the text tells us that Mary and Joseph are faithful people who go every year to Jerusalem to observe Passover. This year, when Jesus was twelve years old, they went as usual. It is only after they have been travelling home for a day that they realize that their boy is not among their relatives and friends. When they finally find him back in Jerusalem, days later, they have this extraordinary exchange. Well, it starts ordinarily enough—"why have you treated us like this? We’ve been sick!”. But Jesus gives an extraordinary reply: “Didn’t you know that I would be in my Father’s house?” I imagine that it just came to him in that moment; the first words to come out of his mouth, unfiltered. “But of course I’m here, where I belong.” And of course Mary and Joseph, being ordinary parents, don’t understand at all. Then the story gets back into familiar territory: having found their son, they all return to Nazareth where, the story goes, Jesus was obedient to his parents. Back to being an ordinary family after that glimpse of what was to come. I wonder, though, if he really was all that obedient, or if he was an ordinary child who sometimes did as he was told and at other times was headstrong. 

Interestingly, this is the only story about the young Jesus that made it into Scripture. There are other stories that came later, and they are pretty fantastical. It is as if later storytellers felt the need to add a little something more interesting; possibly the account in the book of Luke didn’t meet their expectations. There’s the one about the time that five-year-old Jesus made little birds out of clay, then set them to flight with a clap of his hands. There’s the more sinister story about the time he was accused of pushing a child to his death off a roof. Outraged by the accusation, Jesus brought the boy back to life so that he could testify that it wasn’t Jesus who did the pushing. By comparison, the story in Luke is pretty restrained. The writer of the gospel chose to tell a story that reflected a more ordinary child—no superpowers—as a better way for us to learn about who this extraordinary Jesus was. 

Crucially, Luke’s story takes place in the temple. This is where years earlier Mary and Joseph, the good observant parents, brought infant Jesus to be dedicated, where Anna and Simeon recognized him for who he was. And once again, now that he is twelve, it takes others to see Jesus for who he is. “And they (the teachers and observers in the Temple) were amazed by his answers.” 

And here we are today, hanging for a moment between Christmas and New Year’s, between nostalgia and striving for the future. How do we know who we are? Perhaps, like Jesus, we learn who we are by how others see us. Perhaps others can see a calling in us that we can’t see for ourselves. 

Maybe you just had the perfect Christmas of your expectations, or maybe you just got by. Whichever it was, know that Jesus was born into this world of imperfection, that God comes right alongside us. And as you contemplate New Year’s resolutions, you might wonder about what amazing things your community sees in you, that have been there from your birth and that God is calling you to live into. 

Liturgical Suggestions for Christmas and Epiphany

Dear Friends,

I am sharing links to two 'internal' documents I have prepared as Vicar of Holy Trinity Cathedral in preparation for (i) Christmas and the Sundays after Christmas and (ii) Epiphany and the Sundays after Epiphany.  I am sharing these documents with you 'as is' --- the highlighting represents changes to our existing ordos for Christmas and Epiphany.

Click here for a link to our 'Christmas Ordo'.

Click here for a link to our 'Epiphany Ordo'.

I hope that these may give you some ideas as to how to make our celebrations of the Incarnation cycle more meaningful to our people.

Blessings,

Richard +

Vicar of Holy Trinity Cathedral in New Westminster BC
Archdeacon of Westminster in the Diocese of New Westminster