Tag Archive for 'collect'

Week starting September 5

Published on August 31, 2010 in liturgy. 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

torreCommentary on the collect for today and the week following, from NZPB

Textweek resources

It is Fathers Day in Australia and New Zealand, but not in Canada, USA, or UK,…

This is the start of the Creation Season for some. This site is against abandoning the RCL, or RC three year lectionary. In my opinion, it is possible to make allusions and references to creation, including from the set readings. I have recently been arguing against the increasing of “Special Sundays“.

A creation reading of the lectionary:

The First Testament readings and psalms has creation like clay in the potter’s hand. We are known and formed – my inward parts – you knit me together in my mother’s womb. They speak of land, heaven, and earth, life and death, trees planted by streams of water. The gospel speaks of calculating the cost and simplifying our lifestyle.

The month of September, launched by the Eastern Orthodox starting of the liturgical year on September 1 and preparing for the feast of St Francis, has increasingly a focus on creation. This site is committed to the three year lectionary (RC) and its derivative, the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL). Rather than departing from that lectionary, resources will be provided here that can be used to have a particular focus.

The historic 1989 encyclical letter (link off this site) of the Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios I in which he urged Christians to observe September 1st as a day of prayer for the protection of the environment.

Drawn from Creation Season where you will find further resources.

Other Collects in use today

Common Worship (CofE):

Almighty God,
whose only Son has opened for us
a new and living way into your presence:
give us pure hearts and steadfast wills
to worship you in spirit and in truth;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

BCP (TEC USA):

Grant us, O Lord,
to trust in you with all our hearts;
for, as you always resist the proud who confide in their own strength,
so you never forsake those who make their boast of your mercy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

Please add ideas for sermons, hymns, ways to adapt for Fathers Day, Creation Season, etc.

Week starting August 29

Published on August 24, 2010 in liturgy. 4 Comments Tags: , , , .

english

The readings
Textweek resources

collect/opening prayer reflection August 29 and week following [NZPB]
collect/opening prayer reflection August 29 and week following [BCP TEC]

Almighty God,
who called your Church to bear witness
that you were in Christ reconciling the world to yourself:
help us to proclaim the good news of your love,
that all who hear it may be drawn to you;
through him who was lifted up on the cross,
and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

13th Sunday after Trinity Common Worship CofE

You can share any comments as well as any resources, ideas, sermon-starters, children’s activities, hymns, prayers, etc. in the comments section below.

Even further delays in English Missal?

Published on August 21, 2010 in liturgy. 8 Comments Tags: , , , , .

This site, as one of the most significant English-language ones on liturgy, has tried to keep people abreast of developments in English-speaking Roman Catholicism in relation to the new English missal.

There has been the news that the new English translation was approved by the pope.

The New Zealand RC bishops announced that the new translation would come into effect here Advent Sunday 2010. Apparently collects/opening prayers and other propers would not be used yet. But priests and bishops met for days with the new approved texts. Laity also had special meetings. A liturgical expert, Fr Paul Turner, led these meetings.

In other countries it appears that nothing will happen for at least a year later than in New Zealand. So in comments here, and emails, people were astonished, and in some cases incredulous that this actually was going to happen here.

Well, those people may yet prove to be correct. It appears impossible to ascertain what is actually going on. But it appears that the new translation has actually not received papal approval. Behind closed doors there are mutterings of … embarrassing… anger… ICEL… Vox Clara… sham… show…

The New Zealand Catholic, a fortnightly newspaper I subscribe to, states on its current front-page story:

… despite Vatican approval for the new translations in April, the final texts had yet to be released by Rome at the time NZ Catholic went to press. Fr Turner told a national workshop … that the delay was unexpected. “No one expected that this would happen and everyone is feeling a bit confused by it,” Fr Turner said, adding that he was sure the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments was simply making a few final corrections and changes.

Call me slow here, but I thought that the Vatican’s approval (recognitio) on April 30, 2010 was of English texts which had previously been voted on by the different Roman Catholic regional Bishops’ Conferences. That being the case, those texts are in the hands of the bishops and others already. Does it not now appear that the process is being reversed? Rather than the Vatican approving texts voted on by English-speaking Roman Catholic Bishops’ Conferences, does it not now appear that the Vatican is altering those texts and that these altered texts are not being sent back to the Conferences for their consideration?

Does this not give further weight to the concerns expressed by Marilyn Elliston in the latest Tui Motu, a NZ Roman Catholic magazine, in which in her article “do this in memory of me” she laments the shortcomings of the new translation and also reminds the readers of the teachings of Vatican II that the bishops of each region have the authority to produce local liturgical translations, subject to Vatican approval. She also reminds us of ICEL’s 1998 translation which was rejected by Rome.

In all this confusion, it is once again from overseas that we hear that all that may be altering in New Zealand in November is the congregational parts. This is termed “the New Zealand Plan”. Old priest’s parts with new people’s parts – a mongrel Mass.

Loss of ecumenically agreed texts
Delays in new missal

Update: returning to the overseas site, Gotta sing gotta pray, from which I got “the New Zealand plan” above, I notice that they have just now received from the Vatican “the final text of the Roman Missal for the Dioceses of the United States” (does anyone have the link to the mentioned press release?). My understanding would be that this will be, barring spelling differences, the same text for New Zealand and elsewhere – but I might be wrong. Different English speaking Roman Catholic regions use different translations for the readings and the Divine Office. Keep an eye on the NZ National Liturgy Office site for developments. Alterations the Vatican made to the American (presumably all) translation included in the absolution, creed, and Eucharistic prayers. The people’s response, “Christ has died,…” (again very popular internationally ecumenically following RC lead) the Vatican has forbidden.

Sample of a Eucharistic prayer - other texts can be found from the links there.

Update 2: Here is a pdf of the text approved for USA, I’m assuming that, except for changes (corrections? ;-) ) to the spelling of “Savior” the English/NZ/Australian text will be the same?

Week starting August 22

Published on August 17, 2010 in liturgy. 3 Comments Tags: , , , .

Burns_DSC01574-medium

There is a difference in the gospel reading this Sunday between the Roman Catholic and the Revised Common Lectionaries.

Textweek resources

collect/opening prayer reflection August 22 and week following [NZPB]
collect/opening prayer reflection August 22 and week following [Common Worship CofE]

BCP (TEC):

Grant, O merciful God, that your Church, being gathered
together in unity by your Holy Spirit, may show forth your
power among all peoples, to the glory of your Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The above collect is the 1928 new collect for Tuesday in Whitsun Week. The preamble originates from a Gregorian collect for Friday after Pentecost (# 542). The petition is new.

You can share any comments as well as any resources, ideas, sermon-starters, children’s activities, hymns, prayers, etc. in the comments section below.

My own notes preparing for Sunday’s sermon around the concept of healing on the Sabbath:
Activities prohibited on Shabbat
Sabbath mode
My refrigerator has “Sabbath Mode”
The Geek Guide to Kosher Machines

Image: Christ healing the crippled woman who was bent over (mid fourth century sarcophagus).

Week starting August 15

Published on August 10, 2010 in liturgy. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

The Readings for the Ordinary Sunday
Textweek resources
Assumption and Dormition of Mary Textweek resources

collect/opening prayer reflection August 15 and week following [NZPB]
collect/opening prayer reflection August 15 and week following [BCP TEC]
St Mary, the mother of Jesus/Dormition/Assumption

Collect from Common Worship

O God, you declare your almighty power
most chiefly in showing mercy and pity:
mercifully grant to us such a measure of your grace,
that we, running the way of your commandments,
may receive your gracious promises,
and be made partakers of your heavenly treasure;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

The origin of the feast day of the Blessed Virgin Mary on August 15 is unknown. It is possibly the date of the dedication of some church in her name.

Some quotes worthy of reflection from Mary: Grace and Hope in Christ – joint statement of the Anglican – Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC):

The dogmas of the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption raise a special problem for those Anglicans who do not consider that the precise definitions given by these dogmas are sufficiently supported by Scripture….

In the East the feast was known as the ‘dormition’, which implied her death but did not exclude her being taken into heaven. In the West the term used was ‘assumption’,which emphasized her being taken into heaven but did not exclude the possibility of her dying….

One consequence of our separation has been a tendency for Anglicans and Roman Catholics alike to exaggerate the importance of the Marian dogmas in themselves at the expense of the other truths more closely related to the foundation of the Christian faith. Anglicans and Roman Catholics agree that the doctrines of the Assumption and the Immaculate Conception of Mary must be understood in the light of the more central truth of her identity as Theotókos, which itself depends on faith in the Incarnation. We recognize that, following the Second Vatican Council and the teaching of recent Popes, the Christological and ecclesiological context for the Church’s doctrine concerning Mary is being re-received within the Roman Catholic Church. We now suggest that the adoption of an eschatological perspective may deepen our shared understanding of the place of Mary in the economy of grace, and the tradition of the Church concerning Mary which both our communions receive. Our hope is that the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion will recognize a common faith in the agreement concerning Mary which we here offer. Such a re-reception would mean the Marian teaching and devotion within our respective communities, including differences of emphasis, would be seen to be authentic expressions of Christian belief….

As a result of our study, the Commission offers the following agreements, which we believe significantly advance our consensus regarding Mary. We affirm together

- the teaching that God has taken the Blessed Virgin Mary in the fullness of her person into his glory as consonant with Scripture, and only to be understood in the light of Scripture (paragraph 58);

- that in view of her vocation to be the mother of the Holy One, Christ’s redeeming work reached ‘back’ in Mary to the depths of her being and to her earliest beginnings (paragraph 59);

- that the teaching about Mary in the two definitions of the Assumption and the Immaculate Conception, understood within the biblical pattern of the economy of hope and grace, can be said to be consonant with the teaching of the Scriptures and the ancient common traditions (paragraph 60);

- that this agreement, when accepted by our two Communions, would place the questions about authority which arise from the two definitions of 1854 and 1950 in a new ecumenical context (paragraphs 61-63);

- that Mary has a continuing ministry which serves the ministry of Christ, our unique mediator, that Mary and the saints pray for the whole Church and that the practice of asking Mary and the saints to pray for us is not communion-dividing.

Almighty God,
who looked upon the lowliness of the Blessed Virgin Mary
and chose her to be the mother of your only Son:
grant that we who are redeemed by his blood
may share with her in the glory of your eternal kingdom;
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.

You can share any comments as well as any resources, ideas, sermon-starters, children’s activities, hymns, prayers, etc. in the comments section below.

In New Zealand, General Synod has also assigned this to be Religious Vocation Sunday.

Week starting August 8

Published on August 3, 2010 in liturgy. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .
Educating the Rich on the Globe

Educating the Rich on the Globe

The Readings
Textweek resources

collect/opening prayer reflection August 8 and week following [NZPB]

BCP (TEC)

Grant to us, Lord, we pray,
the spirit to think and do always those things that are right,
that we, who cannot exist without you,
may by you be enabled to live according to your will;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Common Worship (CofE)

Let your merciful ears, O Lord,
be open to the prayers of your humble servants;
and that they may obtain their petitions
make them to ask such things as shall please you;
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.

You can share any comments as well as any resources, ideas, sermon-starters, children’s activities, hymns, prayers, etc. in the comments section below.

Image: The New York sculptor, Tom Otterness, displayed a number of his works along upper Broadway near subway stops. A number of the pieces poked fun at the city’s drive to make money.

This piece, “Educating the Rich on the Globe” (1997) is well suited to be read along with today’s scripture selection from Luke, particularly verse 34: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

preparation for new Missal

Published on July 27, 2010 in liturgy. 4 Comments Tags: , , , , .

turner-paulFr Paul Turner has been touring New Zealand to help clergy and laity prepare for the new Mass translation. The intention is that this commence Advent Sunday this year in New Zealand. I am not sure that this timeline will be realised. As I understand it currently, only the Mass text has received the Vatican’s authorisation – the propers, translations of the collects/opening prayer are yet to receive authorisation. This helps to understand why New Zealand appears to be a year ahead of other parts of the English-speaking world. I think the intention is that New Zealand use the new Mass text with the current propers, prayers etc. Also, I understand, central questions like the positioning of the Peace (current RC practice of prior to communion or current Anglican practice of at the Preparation of the Gifts) have not yet been decided or approved. I am very happy in comments to receive anyone’s better information on any of these things.

Thanks to a reader of this site, here are links to the presentations:

Fr_Paul_Turner-Clergy_Workshop_Notes.pdf
Fr_Paul_Turner-National_Workshop_Notes.pdf
Fr_Paul_Turner-Lay_Faithful_Workshop_Notes.pdf

These are from

http://www.nlo.org.nz/missal5.html

Paul Turner has his own excellent website
with a lot of good material on the new Missal

Paul Turner is pastor of St. Munchin parish in Cameron, MO and its mission, St. Aloysius in Maysville. A priest of the diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, he holds a doctorate in sacred theology from Sant’ Anselmo in Rome, and has published many books.

He is a former President of the North American Academy of Liturgy and a team member for the North American Forum on the Catechumenate. He serves as a facilitator for the International Commission on English in the Liturgy.

Further reflections on the new Missal on this site:

English Mass translation launch
Further delays in English Missal
pope gives approval to new English Mass translation

Week starting August 1

Published on July 26, 2010 in liturgy. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Mafa002

The readings
textweek resources

collect/opening prayer reflection August 1 and week following [NZPB]

Proper 13 BCP (TEC)

Let your continual mercy, O Lord,
cleanse and defend your Church;
and, because it cannot continue in safety without your help,
protect and govern it always by your goodness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Common Worship (CofE)

Almighty God,
who sent your Holy Spirit
to be the life and light of your Church:
open our hearts to the riches of your grace,
that we may bring forth the fruit of the Spirit
in love and joy 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.

You can share any comments as well as any resources, ideas, sermon-starters, children’s activities, hymns, prayers, etc. in the comments section below.

image source

Week starting July 25

Published on July 21, 2010 in liturgy. 4 Comments Tags: , , , .

17collect/opening prayer reflection July 25 and week following [NZPB]
collect/opening prayer reflection July 25 and week following [BCP TEC]

Common Worship (CofE) – The Eighth Sunday after Trinity

Almighty Lord and everlasting God,
we beseech you to direct, sanctify and govern
both our hearts and bodies
in the ways of your laws
and the works of your commandments;
that through your most mighty protection, both here and ever,
we may be preserved in body and soul;
through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Saint James July 25 (BCP TEC)

O gracious God,
we remember before you today your servant and apostle James,
first among the Twelve to suffer martyrdom for the Name of Jesus Christ;
and we pray that you will pour out upon the leaders of your Church
that spirit of self-denying service
by which alone they may have true authority among your people;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Common Worship (CofE)

Merciful God,
whose holy apostle Saint James,
leaving his father and all that he had,
was obedient to the calling of your Son Jesus Christ
and followed him even to death:
help us, forsaking the false attractions of the world,
to be ready at all times to answer your call without delay;
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.

You can share any comments as well as any resources, ideas, sermon-starters, children’s activities, hymns, prayers, etc. in the comments section below. Eg. does the gospel really imply that nagging God works?…

Week starting July 18

Published on July 13, 2010 in liturgy. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

marta_maria01

collect/opening prayer reflection July 18 and week following [NZPB]
collect/opening prayer reflection July 18 and week following [Common Worship CofE]

Collect from BCP (TEC):

Almighty God,
the fountain of all wisdom,
you know our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking:
Have compassion on our weakness,
and mercifully give us those things which for our unworthiness we dare not,
and for our blindness we cannot ask;
through the worthiness of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

You can share any comments as well as any resources, ideas, sermon-starters, children’s activities, hymns, prayers, etc. in the comments section below.

Week starting July 11

Published on July 6, 2010 in liturgy. 2 Comments Tags: , , , .

samaritan

Image obviously by Van Gogh and points to the well-known gospel story this Sunday. How can we say something fresh about this? Or is that asking the wrong question? Do we notice that this story is an answer to a question? Or do we notice it doesn’t actually answer the question, who is my neighbour – but Jesus changes it to answering, who is neighbourly?

collect/opening prayer reflection July 11 and week following [NZPB]
collect/opening prayer reflection July 11 and week following [Common Worship CofE]

Collect from BCP (TEC)

O Lord,
mercifully receive the prayers of your people who call upon you,
and grant that they may know and understand what things they ought to do,
and also may have grace and power faithfully to accomplish them;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Earliest occurrence of this collect is in the Gregorian Sacramentary for a Sunday after Christmas (86), and in the supplement for the first Sunday after Epiphany (1096). The Sarum Missal has it for the Sunday after the octave of the Epiphany:

Vota, quaesimus, Domine, supplicantis populi coelesti pietate prosequere: ut et quae agenda sunt videant, et ad implenda quae viderint convalescant.

BCP 1549 has for the first Sunday after the Epiphany:

LORDE we beseche the mercyfullye to receive the praiers of thy people which cal upon thee; and graunt that they maie both perceave and knowe what thinges they ought to do, and also have grace and power faithfully to fulfill the same [through Jesus Christ our lord - added 1552]

It is a good summary of prayer: to learn God’s will, and to be strengthened to do it.

You can share any comments as well as any resources, ideas, sermon-starters, children’s activities, hymns, prayers, etc. in the comments section below.

Week starting July 4

Published on June 29, 2010 in liturgy. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

sem14_3

collect/opening prayer reflection July 4 and week following [NZPB]
collect/opening prayer reflection July 4 and week following [Common Worship CofE]

BCP (TEC):

O God,
you have taught us to keep all your commandments
by loving you and our neighbor:
Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit,
that we may be devoted to your with our whole heart,
and united to one another with pure affection;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

You can share any comments as well as any resources, ideas, sermon-starters, children’s activities, hymns, prayers, etc. in the comments section below.

Week starting June 27

Published on June 22, 2010 in liturgy. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

collect/opening prayer reflection June 27 and week following [NZPB]
collect/opening prayer reflection June 27 and week following [Common Worship CofE]

BCP (TEC):

Almighty God,
you have built your Church upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone:
Grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their teaching,
that we may be made a holy temple acceptable to you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

You can share any comments as well as any resources, ideas, sermon-starters, children’s activities, hymns, prayers, etc. in the comments section below.

Week starting June 20

Published on June 15, 2010 in liturgy. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Occasionally the revisions in the RCL depart from the Gospel chosen by the Vatican in the original three year lectionary. This Sunday is one of those Sundays. Everyone is reading essentially the same passage from Galatians, but the other readings set for this Sunday will not match between Roman Catholic and RCL communities.

It is fascinating, however, that on this Sunday Roman Catholics, Episcopalians (Anglicans), and others are praying the same collect (opening prayer) this Sunday. Here is a commentary to that prayer.

Others are using a different collect.
Commentary for the collect set for New Zealand Anglicans.
Commentary for the collect set for Common Worship (CofE).

You can share any comments as well as any resources, ideas, sermon-starters, children’s activities, hymns, prayers, etc. in the comments section below.

Week starting June 13

Published on June 9, 2010 in liturgy. 5 Comments Tags: , , , .

Mafa052-medium

Image by JESUS MAFA; source

collect/opening prayer reflection June 13 and week following [Common Worship CofE]

The collect from BCP (TEC):

Keep, O Lord, your household the Church in your steadfast faith and love,
that through your grace we may proclaim your truth with boldness,
and minister your justice with compassion;
for the sake of our Savior Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

You can share any comments as well as any resources, ideas, sermon-starters, children’s activities, hymns, prayers, etc. in the comments section below.