Tag Archive for 'epiphany'

Week starting February 14

Published on February 9, 2010 in lectionary and liturgy. 0 Comments Tags: catechumenate, collect, epiphany, Lent, new zealand, opening prayer, Revised Common Lectionary, transfiguration.

Reflections based on the collect

6th Sunday in Ordinary Time February 14 reflection from the collect/opening prayer
6th Sunday after the Epiphany February 14 reflection from the collect/opening prayer (TEC BCP USA)

Most using the Revised Common Lectionary will be celebrating Transfiguration Sunday this Sunday (the Sunday before Lent), with the Gospel reading as Luke 9:28-36, (37-43). The Roman Catholic Three Year Cycle, the source of the Revised Common Lectionary has the Transfiguration always as the Second Sunday in Lent. New Zealand Anglicans have always been offered the Transfiguration story or the RCL Gospel on the Second Sunday in Lent, and not the Transfiguration as even an option on this Sunday. There is no explanation in our lectionary. This year, unlike previous years (and again with no explanation of the change), no alternatives are offered on the Second Sunday in Lent. We are only offered the Transfiguration.

It is, of course, also Valentine’s Day

During the week:

Shrove Tuesday – the Tuesday prior to Lent (Tuesday Feb 16 2010)
Ash Wednesday – A Service for the Beginning of Lent
A few simple suggestion during Lent
What is Lent – especially translating it to the Southern Hemisphere

“Alleluia” is not used during Lent. If it needs to be referred to, it is called the “A word” (or maybe the “H word” )

The Gloria is not used in the Eucharist during Lent.

For communities that follow a catechumenal process in which Lent is central:
Lenten preparation (catechumenate)
receiving the Lord’s Prayer (catechumenate)
receiving the creed (catechumenate)
enrolment for baptism (catechumenate)

Please add any comments, suggestions, hymns, prayers, reflections in the comments section.

Cana miracle hymn

Published on January 23, 2010 in liturgy. 1 Comment Tags: epiphany.

I know the reading of the miracle at Cana (John 2:1-11) was last Sunday, but the following hymn appropriate for it only came online at the end of that day – so I place it here for when you next celebrate that reading. H/t Conjubilant with Song:

Glory to thee, O Christ,
Who by thy mighty power
Didst manifest thy glory forth
In Cana’s marriage hour.

Thou spakest: it was done:
Obedient to thy word,
The water redd’ning into wine
Proclaimed the present Lord.

Blest were the guests who saw
That wondrous mystery,
The great beginning of thy works
That kindled faith in thee.

And blessèd they who know
Thine unseen presence true,
When in the promise of thy grace
Thou makest all things new.

For by thy loving hand
Thy people still are fed;
Thine is the cup of blessing here
And thine the heav’nly bread.

O may that grace be ours,
Ever in thee to live,
And drink of those refreshing streams,
Which thou alone canst give.

So, led from strength to strength,
Grant us, O Christ, to see
The promised supper of the Lamb,
Thy great Epiphany.

Hyde W. Beaton, 1863; alt.
Tune: ST. MICHAEL (S.M.)
Louis Bourgeois, 1551
adapt. William Crotch, 1836

Can be sung to any 6686 tune.

Week starting January 24

Published on January 20, 2010 in lectionary and liturgy. 0 Comments Tags: collect, epiphany, opening prayer, ordinary time.

sinag1

Click on the link for a reflections for Sunday January 24 from the collect/opening prayer for that Sunday and the week following:

3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (3rd Sunday of Epiphany)

Please add below any resources, ideas, or comments for the readings, prayers etc. for Sunday.

Journey to Epiphany

Published on December 31, 2009 in liturgy. 3 Comments Tags: anglicans, collect, epiphany, episcopalians, roman catholics.

reyes001

At Epiphany Anglicans (Episcopalians) and Roman Catholics pray variations of the following collect/opening prayer:

O God,
by the leading of a star
you manifested your only Son to the Peoples of the earth:
Lead us, who know you now by faith,
to your presence, where we may see your glory face to face;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

IMO attempts at dating the “star” miss the story’s point that it moved in a quite un-astronomical way to indicate the birthplace precisely. Those readers here interested in exploring at least one theory might go here.

Personally, I am more interested in allowing the story to fully impact me, rather than get too heated about historical details (interesting though they be) that will not impact and transform my life. So as we leave the Year of Our Lord 2009 for AD 2010, I pray all visitors here God’s richest blessing, and leave you with the strong poem Journey of the Magi by T. S. Eliot .

A cold coming we had of it,
Just the worst time of the year
For a journey, and such a journey:
The ways deep and the weather sharp,
The very dead of winter.’
And the camels galled, sore-footed, refractory,
Lying down in the melting snow.
There were times we regretted
The summer palaces on slopes, the terraces
,
And the silken girls bringing sherbet.
Then the camel men cursing and grumbling
And running away, and wanting their liquor and women,
And the night-fires going out, and the lack of shelters,
And the cities hostile and the towns unfriendly
And the villages dirty and charging high prices:
A hard time we had of it.
At the end we preferred to travel all night,
Sleeping in snatches,
With the voices in our ears, saying
That this was all folly.

Then at dawn we came down to a temperate valley,
Wet, below the snow line, smelling of vegetation;
With a running stream and a water-mill beating the darkness,
And three trees on the low sky,
And an old white horse galloped away in the meadow.
Then we came to a tavern with vine-leaves over the lintel,
Six hands at an open door dicing for pieces of silver,
And feet kicking the empty wine-skins.
But there was no information, and so we continued
And arrived at evening, not a moment too soon
Finding the place; it was (you may say) satisfactory.

All this was a long time ago, I remember,
And I would do it again, but set down
This set down
This: were we led all that way for
Birth or Death? There was a Birth, certainly,
We had evidence and no doubt. I had seen birth and death,
But had thought they were different; this Birth was
Hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death.
We returned to our places, these Kingdoms,
But no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation,
With an alien people clutching their gods.
I should be glad of another death.

Resources for Christmas

Published on December 21, 2009 in liturgy. 0 Comments Tags: badge, christmas, christmas day, collect, epiphany, opening prayer.

If you would like to put a Christmas badge on your website, you can find the HTML on the liturgy home page.

There is the Online Chapel with lots of resources of prayers and readings and reflections – many changing daily.

If you are on Facebook, you can send these badges to your friends there using church stuff

Please also add quality Christmas resources and ideas in the comments.

Reflections

Christmas Midnight Christmas Eve December 24 reflection from the collect/opening prayer

Christmas Day December 25 reflection from the collect/opening prayer

Christmas prayers and reflections

1st Sunday after Christmas December 27 reflection from the collect/opening prayer

Epiphany January 3 or 6 reflection from the collect/opening prayer

Reflect on Transfiguration Sunday (Sunday before Lent)

Published on February 10, 2009 in lectionary and liturgy. 3 Comments Tags: after epiphany, collect, epiphany, faith, gospel, Jesus, lectio, lectionary, liturgy, new testament, opening prayer, ordinary time, prayer, transfiguration.

Transfiguration Icon

Whilst February 22 Roman Catholics, New Zealand Anglicans and others will be reading Mark 2:1-12 etc., those following the Revised Common Lectionary will generally be celebrating the Transfiguration with the following readings.

Mark 9:2-9

This describes an altered state of consciousness understood and experienced in 90% of cultures studied by anthropologists, but blocked in the contemporary, secular, materialististic Western culture, where we deny and fear that which we cannot control. Some scholars see this as a resurrection story projected back into Jesus’ life, others describe it as “eschatological” – a “preview of coming attractions”. Jesus is there with the great lawgiver and the great prophet. Mountan, witnesses, signs, and shared experience are common to similar biblical theophanies (Exodus 19-20; 34; 1 Kings 19:4-18). Jesus’ sonship, declared in Mark 1:1, and 1:11 is re-arffirmed here at the centre of the gospel – this will lead to its declaration at the end by the centurion. This underscores the nature of Jesus’ group (kin-like), his mission, and the challenge to be loyal to him.

Please add your insights, reflections, sermon suggestions, hymn suggestions – anything positive and useful (even layout and web organisational ideas) – in the comments box. I will choose to publish from what is sent here. Do not send anonymous comments. You can follow comments (and posts) by the Entries Feed and Comments Feed at the bottom of the page.

Don’t forget: each week I also publish a reflection on the collect/opening prayer.

Reflect on readings February 22

Published on February 10, 2009 in lectionary and liturgy. 2 Comments Tags: after epiphany, collect, epiphany, faith, gospel, Jesus, lectio, lectionary, liturgy, new testament, opening prayer, ordinary time, prayer.

7th Sunday in Ordinary Time – 7th Sunday after Epiphany – 1st Sunday before Lent

Text of the readings
Reflect on Transfiguration readings
Reflect on readings February 15
All reflections at Category: Lectionary

I am aware that on this Sunday, many following the Revised Common Lectionary will be celebrating the Transfiguration with different readings. Please go to that linked post to add your reflections there. Roman Catholics and others will be using the following readings. New Zealand Anglicans had the option in their lectionary to celebrate the Transfiguration on this day, but that was stopped, without any explanation I can find, after 2005. Anyone who knows why that option was removed for the last four years, please add that in the comments also.

Isaiah 43:18-25

The context of this Second Isaiah section, addressing the Israelite audience living in Babylon towards the end of the exile (597-539BCE) is the previous verses (11-17):

11 I, I am the LORD (YHWH), and besides me there is no savior…
13 I am God, and also henceforth I am He; …
14 Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: …
15 I am the LORD, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.
16 Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters,
17 who brings out chariot and horse, army and warrior; … (of whom Moses is an image)

Psalm 41

2 Corinthians 1:18-22

Many scholars consider 2 Corinthians to be a collection of fragments of possibly five letters to the Corinthians around a dispute. 2 Corinthians 1:1-2:13; 7:5-16 is possibly written after the dispute about what Paul terms “super apostles” (2 Corinthians 10:1-13:14).

Paul had broken his promise to visit Corinth (1 Corinthians 16:5). Middle Eastern culture of shame and honour requires one to answer a question, saying what I think you will want to hear. If I have no answer, I would be shamed. Hence I will give you one anyway. Your task is to work out if my answer is reliable. Paul’s broken promise, within this context, leads to doubting both the trustworthiness of Paul, and of his message. 1 Corinthians 1:23-22 is Paul’s attempt to justify not making his third, promised visit.

Mark 2:1-12

This is the fourth Sunday healing gospel in a row – each with a different emphasis:
Mark 1:21-28 An Unclean Spirit
Mark 1:29-39 A Fever
Mark 1:40-45 Leprosy
Mark 2:1-12 Paralysis

The Mediterannean gossip network is functioning effectively. Jesus “at home” is more “Jesus is now where everyone knows him” than a geographical statement. Mark’s “mat” (Gk krabattos) indicates the poor social status of the man (and probably of his community). He is upgraded in Matthew and Luke to having a “bed” (kline) – this may indicate a different social status of Matthew and Luke’s communities. The commitment of the community to its weak, poor members is highlighted.

“Do you believe in Jesus?” in my ministry context is regularly confused with “Do you accept that Jesus was actually a historical person?” Faith in the New Testament would be better translated as “commitment” or “loyalty”. It is the faith and loyalty of the group of friends rather than that of the sick man that leads to Jesus’ action.

A house in Rafid They “dig through the roof” is an historically more accurate description of the design of the houses.

Rafid, located on the Golan Heights about 30 kilometers East of the Sea of Galilee, was destroyed in the Yom Kippur War and the subsequent military activities between Israel and Syria. It had numerous ancient buildings including examples of building styles typical during the Roman period. These were standing from foundation to rafters and had been thoroughly surveyed after the Six Day War by Dan Urman, Shmuel Bar-Lev, and Moshe Hartal. “Because of the scarcity of timber, the houses in Rafid were completely built of basalt, including the ceiling. Corbel stones projected from the walls and long basalt beams were laid across them with the resulting space covered by cross slabs. This was then covered with plaster to make it waterproof.” (see image; source).

“Which is easier, to say?”
1) actually it is just as easy to say one as the other
2) it appears easier to forgive sins – as that is an “invisible reality”
3) it is actually easier to have the man stand up, take up his mat and walk – as forgiveness is a much deeper reality.

Leviticus 21:16-24, Deuteronomy 23:1-2 highlights that in their context a lame person is excluded from God’s holy community. Disease focuses on the medical issues. Illness focuses on the social issues. We cure a disease. We heal an illness. Jesus first heals the paralytic. He addresses him as “son”. He is made a member of Jesus’ kinship group – the kindom of heaven (sic.) Upon the grumbling of the scribes Jesus cures the man as well. “Go home” – Jesus restores him to his own community.

Don’t forget: each week I also publish a reflection on the collect/opening prayer.

Reflect with me on the readings for February 8

Published on January 24, 2009 in lectionary and liturgy. 18 Comments Tags: after epiphany, Anglican, bible, catholic, catholics, collect, epiphany, episcopalians, gospel, Jesus, jude, lectio, lectio divina, lectionary, liturgy, marriage, opening prayer, ordinary time, prayer, roman catholic, roman catholics, simon.

Previously I have provided a brief introduction to the Sunday readings, with context and background (example). I am experimentally trying something new here: You can add your insights, reflections, sermon suggestions, hymn suggestions – anything positive and useful (even layout and web organisational ideas) – in the comments box. I will choose to publish from what is sent here. Do not send anonymous comments. This is in the nature of community lectio divina. If you know anywhere else on the internet where the Sunday readings are being discussed, please send that URL as a resource. I think we will look about two weeks ahead. Hence we begin with

5th Sunday in Ordinary Time – 5th Sunday after Epiphany – 3rd Sunday before Lent

Text of the readings

Isaiah 40:21-31

“Second Isaiah” Chapters 40-55 addresses those living in exile in Babylon towards the end of the Babylonian exile (597-539 BCE). “Deutero-Isaiah” builds on the eighth century prophet Isaiah’s message of holiness, with words of consolation. Whilst some Judean exiles would have thought their God had been defeated by Babylonia’s gods, the argument from 40:12 highlights the LORD is the only true God, leading to the conclusion in today’s text.
(Roman Catholics use Job 7:1-4, 6-7)

Psalm 147:1-11, 20c

1 Corinthians 9:16-23

The Macedonians were in fact supporting Paul as he wrote this (2 Corinthians 11:7-9), so his claim that the gospel is free is primarily to make a point. In this early Mediterranean world people understood there to be a limited total amount of goods. So if I give you something – then I have less. Furthermore, my giving to you would demand that you give something to me. This text cuts across this cultural expectation.

Mark 1:29-39

Simon’s mother-in-law would be expected to be with her husband, or if she is a widow, with her sons. This story is suggesting that within her culture she is suffering far more than a physical illness. Jesus, as so often in his healing stories, is not merely healing her physically, the story indicates he restores her to her meaningful place within the community.

The floor-plan of the first century house of St Peter in Capernaum (illustrated from The Holy Land: An Oxford Archaeological Guide (Oxford Archaeological Guides)

“The city’s basalt houses are grouped around two large courtyards, one to the north and the other to the south. One large room in particular, near the east side and joining both courtyards, was especially large (sides about 7.5 meters long) and roughly square. An open space on the eastern side contained a brick oven. A threshold which allowed crossing between the two courtyards remains well-preserved to this day.” Wikipedia (link off this site) In such a complex lived Jonah, his sons Andrew and Simon (Peter), Simon’s wife, possible children, and today’s mother-inlaw. The patrilocal practice of marriage meant that the bride moved in to the home prepared by the groom in or adjacent to that of his father.

Reconstruction and excavation

The image (left) shows a reconstruction of this house as it may have appeared in Jesus’ day, and the excavations. This is drawn from this Bible Encyclopaedia.

Richard Bauckham Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony argues (following Cuthbert Turner’s 1925 suggestion) that the plural-to-singular narrative device seen here (”they…they…they…he…) characteristic in Mark (and turned to singulars in Matthew and Luke’s parallels!) indicate Peter’s telling of this story behind Mark’s account. The awkward Markan phrasing could be a reworking of “We left the synagogue and came into our house with our fellow-disciples James and John. My mother-in-law was in bed with fever, and he is told about her” (page 159 – quoting Turner).

Don’t forget: each week I also publish a reflection on the collect/opening prayer.

Epiphany – Catholics and Anglicans share prayer

Published on January 6, 2009 in liturgy and liturgy of the hours. Closed Tags: Anglican, collect, epiphany, episcopalians, opening prayer, roman catholics.

Once again Episcopalians (Anglicans) and Roman Catholics will pray the same prayer.

Deus, qui hodierna die Unigenitum tuum gentibus stella duce revelasti: concede propitius; ut, qui jam te ex fide cognovimus, usque ad contemplandam speciem tuae celsitudinis perducamur. Per eumdem Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum, Filium tuum; qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti, Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

This collect originates from the Gregorian Sacramentary (no. 87), and is translated as

Father,
you revealed your Son to the nations
by the guidance of a star.
Lead us to your glory in heaven by the light of faith. Through…

Roman Catholic (ICEL)

O God, by the leading of a star
you revealed your Son Jesus Christ to the gentiles;
grant that your Church may be a light to the nations,
so that the whole world may come to see
the splendour of your glory;

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.

NZPB p. 560

O God,
who by the leading of a star
manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth:
mercifully grant that we,
who know you now by faith,
may at last behold your glory face to face;
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.

Common Worship (Church of England)

BCP (USA) TEC p. 214

Epiphany, “Twelfth Day” – ie. the twelfth day from Christmas focuses on the Magi and the star. The three gifts led to the tradition that there were three wise men – although the text does not give a number. It is also possible that these were not gifts, but that Matthew is presenting these astrologers as giving up their inappropriate practices on encountering the Christ child, and hence leaving behind the tools of their craft.

Attempts at dating the “star” misses the story’s point that it moved in a quite un-astronomical way to indicate the birthplace precisely.

Epiphany means “manifestation” or “appearance” as we celebrate the manifestation of Christ in the world. We have this celebration at least from some Christian groups in the second century. January 6 was also the birthday of Osiris. Epiphany was associated with the wise men, the baptism of Christ (cf. the Nile’s significance in the Osiris cult), and the first miracle at Cana.

There we read”…that we who know you now by faith may be brought to the contemplation of your Majesty by sight.” an insight also in 2 Corinthians 5:7 and comparing the wise men’s leading by the sight of a star with our being led to seeing God by the gift of faith.

Some, particularly around Christmas and Epiphany, still follow a practice of several collects at the start of the Eucharist. This site advocates for a bidding, silent prayer of the community collected by a single collect prayed aloud by the presider and affirmed in the “Amen” of the gathered community.

As well as the shared feast of Christ the King, I have discovered four other days (and week following) that Anglicans and Catholics pray the same prayer:

October 26
October 12
October 5
August 31