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2006/01/28

The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany

The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany

O GOD, who knowest us to be set in the midst of so many and great dangers, that by reason of the frailty of our nature we cannot always stand upright; Grant to us such strength and protection, as may support us in all dangers, and carry us through all temptations; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Source: Sacrementary of Bishop Gregory of Rome [600 AD]. This is based on the collect for the Ember Saturday in Lent. Gregory lived in a very troubled time for the Roman Empire as is indicated in this collect and aligned with the Gospel appointed for that day, Matt 8-23-27, the storm upon the sea, when the boat was so tossed that they disciples could not stand upright.

Romans xiii. 1   &   St. Matthew viii. 1

Homilies featuring Chrysostom on the Gospel


 
 
Announcements for the week beginning 29 Jan 06


Please hold all centurions in your prayers this week. You may like to use this Centurion's Daily Litany


Feasts, Memorials, and Fasts

Sundays are feast days our our Lord througout the year
Wednesdays and Fridays were days of fasting and special devotion in the early church
. Major Feasts and Fasts in bold

The Presentation of CHRIST in the Temple
commonly called

The Purification of Mary the Virgin
-- February 2nd


Chaplains of the USAT Dorchester February 3rd

Cornelius, Centurion at Caesarea, Bishop - February 4th

BIDDINGS

Centurions in harms way
Peace in the Mideast

 


--
IN HOC SIGNO VINCES - TIME DEUM ET OPERARE IUSTITIAM
               www.OrderofCenturions.org

2006/01/27

English Choral Evensong

I commend the BBC Choral Evensong. See and hear it here.
 
This week, the 25th of January, Evensong for the Conversion of Saint Paul is recorded from Birmingham Cathedral.
 
A delight.... you will need Real Player installed to hear this.
 
From the choral page click on the radio player button in the top right hand corner. Wait a moment and if you have RealPlayer installed with a plugin on your internet browser, you should start receiving the current broadcast. Click on the hyperlink that says Choral Evensong under Most Popular Shows and it should swithch you to the recorded evensong.
 
Enjoy!

Evensong - Minnesota Compline

I commend the Minnesota Compline Choir at this site for a weekly (or so) Choral Evening Prayer. This site will take you to a listen page where the different episodes are  shown, several a month, normally produced on Sunday. 
 
You will see an order of worship link that you can see some of the versicles and responses that will be helpful.
 
Enjoy
 
 

2006/01/24

Conversion of Saint Paul [25 Jan]

O GOD, who, through the preaching of the blessed Apostle Saint Paul, hast caused the light of the Gospel to shine throughout the world; Grant, we beseech thee, that we, having his wonderful conversion in remembrance, may show forth our thankfulness unto thee for the same, by following the holy doctrine which he taught; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Jeremiah i. 4,   Psalm 67,   Acts ix. 1   &  St. Matthew xix. 27
Homilies featuring John Crysostom on Acts

Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?

2006/01/22

The Third Sunday after the Epiphany

The Third Sunday after the Epiphany

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, mercifully look upon our infirmities, and in all our dangers and necessities stretch forth thy right hand to help and defend us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Source: Sarum Missal. Orginally related to the epistle appointed for this Sunday of Matthew 8:1-13 where Jesus put forth his hand

Is 41:8,   Ps 104,   Romans xii. 16   &   St. John ii. 1
Homilies

but thou hast kept the good wine until now

Announcements for the week beginning 22 Jan 06


Please hold all centurions in your prayers this week. You may like to use this Centurion's Daily Litany


Feasts, Memorials, and Fasts

Sundays are feast days our our Lord througout the year
Wednesdays and Fridays were days of fasting and special devotion in the early church
. Major Feasts and Fasts in bold

The Conversion of Paul -- January 25th

Maximinus, Legionary of the Imperial Guard Antioch, Martyr - January 26th

BIDDINGS


Centurions in harms way
Peace in the Mideast




--
IN HOC SIGNO VINCES - TIME DEUM ET OPERARE IUSTITIAM
               www.OrderofCenturions.org

2006/01/17

Suicide - Supreme Court Upholds

Supreme Court Upholds Oregon Suicide Law
 
 
 
Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him.[1 Sam 31:4-5]
 
 
Suicide = Self Murder - Thou shalt do no murder
 
For thought and discussion.
 
Jews and Christians have traditionally considered suicide to be a sin, and for those who count such, a mortal sin.
 
The Bible doesn't use the word suicide - but does speak of murder as we have seen above. Stories of it include Judas who hung himself, Saul, who fell on his sword, Abimelech who didn't wish to die by a woman's hand, and Sampson who took a house full of the enemy with him.
 
Several early church councils had disciplinary canons about it.
 
A bit later we have Augustine
The law, rightly interpreted, even prohibits suicide, where it says ‘Thou shalt not kill.’ This is proved especially by the omission of the word ‘thy neighbor’, which are inserted when false witness is forbidden in the commandment there is no limitation added nor exception made in favor of any one, and least of all in favor of him on whom the command is laid! (Augustine, book I, chapter 20)
Finally, a look at the Roman and Greek thought on suicide: The Cynic and Epicurean schools accepted it to avoid dishonor, grief, or service; but otherwise it was seen as dishonorable. Roman law prohibited it in some circumstances: for example soldiers and slaves.
 
Closely connected to the issue of physician-assited suicide in the ancient world is the Hippocratic Oath, the first samples have in the first Century Roman Empire:
 
I will neither give a deadly drug to anybody if asked for it, nor will I make a suggestion to this effect. Similarly, I will not give to a woman an abortive remedy. In purity and holiness I will guard my life and my art.
 
msc
 

2006/01/15

The Second Sunday after the Epiphany

The Second Sunday after the Epiphany
The Baptism is recognized on Jan 6 in the Orthodox Church - The Theophany

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who dost govern all things in heaven and earth; Mercifully hear the supplications of thy people, and grant us thy peace all the days of our life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Archbishop Cranmer translated this from Latin. Originally a prayer for outward peace, now for inner peace

coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him: and there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Isaiah 45:1,   Psalm 118,   Romans xii. 6   &   St. Mark i. 1

Announcements for the week beginning 15 Jan 06

Please hold all centurions in your prayers this week. You may like to use this Centurion's Daily Litany


Feasts, Memorials, and Fasts

Sundays are feast days our our Lord througout the year
Wednesdays and Fridays were days of fasting and special devotion in the early church
. Major Feasts and Fasts in bold

Sebastian, Centurion, Martyr - January 20th [Diocletian's Purge]


--
IN HOC SIGNO VINCES - TIME DEUM ET OPERARE IUSTITIAM
               www.OrderofCenturions.org

2006/01/11

Nativity of Jesus Christ - Nativity of John Baptist

The Baptist said of Jesus: He must increase and I must decrease. So the early church placed the feast of Jesus' birth on the shortest day of the year (in the Northern Hemisphere), and that of John the Baptist on the longest day. Now in January we have passed the solstice. Though it will be weeks before we notice the difference, the days are stretching. But daylight is still subdued, and we may feel something of a "morning-after" in the wake of Christmas. As the infant Jesus was growing, Mary and Joseph allowed themselves to dream of the future. Can I dream of the year ahead, and find something to aim at in these twelve months? What new skill will I have learned to keep me young? Who needs me? What fresh start can I make?
[Sacred Space ... link available on the Chapel of Centurions]
 
The Epiphany is a season when we remember the events of the life of our Lord up to his baptism, and his very special association with his elder cousin, John Baptist...
 

 

2006/01/08

Ancient Hymn - Earth has Many a Noble City

Here is an acient hynm of the early church that a fellow centurion selected for us in Church this morning on the First Sunday after the Epiphany
Words by Prudentius (348-413). The music we used is on this site http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/e/e004.html

Earth has many a noble city


Earth has many a noble city;
Bethlehem, thou dost all excel:
out of thee the Lord from heaven
came to rule his Israel.

Fairer than the sun at morning
was the star that told his birth,
to the world its God announcing
seen in fleshly form on earth.

Eastern sages at his cradle
make oblations rich and rare;
see them give, in deep devotion,
gold and frankincense and myrrh.

Sacred gifts of mystic meaning:
incense doth their God disclose,
gold the King of kings proclaimeth,
myrrh his sepulcher foreshows.

Jesus, whom the Gentiles worshiped
at thy glad epiphany,
unto thee, with God the Father
and the Spirit, glory be.


Words: Prudentius (348-413);
trans. Edward Caswall, 1849

Music: Stuttgart

Meter: 87 87



--
IN HOC SIGNO VINCES - TIME DEUM ET OPERARE IUSTITIAM
               www.OrderofCenturions.org

 

2006/01/07

First Sunday after the Epiphany

See announcements below

The First Sunday after the Epiphany
O LORD, we beseech thee mercifully to receive the prayers of thy people who call upon thee; and grant that they may both perceive and know what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to fulfil the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Source Sacramentary of Bishop Gregory of Rome [600 AD]. It is based on James 4:17, John 13:17, and Luke 12:47 -[Barbee and Zahl] = DO WHAT IS RIGHT!
all that heard him were astonished at his understanding

Announcements for the week beginning 8 Jan 06


Feasts, Memorials, and Fasts

Sundays are feast days our our Lord througout the year
Wednesdays and Fridays were days of fasting and special devotion in the early church
. Major Feasts and Fasts in bold
Typasius, Legionary of Tigava, Martyr - January 11th

BIDDINGS

Please pray for
Centurions in harms way
Peace in the Mideast

2006/01/05

Epiphany January 6

 

The Epiphany
or the Manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles

[January 6]

O GOD, who by the leading of a star didst manifest thy only-begotten Son to the Gentiles; Mercifully grant that we, who know thee now by faith, may after this life have the fruition of thy glorious Godhead; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Source Bishop Gregory of Rome [600 AD]. Cranmer in 1549 changed the original Latin which was "we who know thee now by faith, may be brought to the contemplation of thy Majesty through sight". Epiphany means "manifestation" and so this collect reinforces the first manifestation to the Gentiles by sight. We who only know our Master by faith, shall one day see him as a result of our faith. [Barbee & Zahl]

 
[They] fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.


2006/01/04

MacArthur-Roll Call

Roll Call

` by Jerry Ogles

 

One of my early heroes was General Douglas MacArthur. His image continues untarnished in my mind until this day. On a recent trip to the Philippine Islands, I met an officer of the Philippine military who confirmed to me a story I had heard as a boy. He said that in the Philippine Army, roll was called each formation as in armies all over the world; however, after the last name was called in the Philippine Army, the unit commander would call the name, "Douglas MacArthur" to which one of the unit members would respond, "Present".

Douglas MacArthur endeared himself to the Philippine people by promising to return and save their land from the ravages of the Japanese occupation - and he DID! So he is considered always "Present" to the Philippine people. Just so did Christ come and save His people from the ravages of sin. He promised to return and he will and, yet, He is "Present" with us always..."even to the end of the world.
 
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
"The soldier, above all other men, is required to practice the greatest act of religious training – sacrifice."
 
Editor's Note:  Posted on another forum 1/2/06. The Most Reverend Jerry Ogles is the Presiding Bishop of the Anglican Orthodox Church . The AOC includes congregations in the Philippines. My limited studies of MacArthur have revealed to me a man of remarkable character, courage and faith. I endorse MacArthur's last Roll Call -- his speech to the cadets at West Point:  Duty Honor Country - 12 May 1962.  (read of hear it here) http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/douglasmacarthurthayeraward.html  
 
--
IN HOC SIGNO VINCES - TIME DEUM ET OPERARE IUSTITIAM
               www.OrderofCenturions.org

 

2006/01/03

Sacramentum - 3 January

The Sacramentum
and
Feast of the Order

[3 January]

Almighty God, our sovereign Lord, who called Cornelius the Centurion to be the first Christian among the Gentiles, who healed the servant at Capernaum in accordance with the Centurion's great faith, and who inspired the Centurion at Calvary to glorify Jesus; strengthen us in our faith that we might follow their example to love, serve, and glorify you as faithful members of the Church Militant, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High

Office of the Renewal of Vows
Acts x. 1, Psalm 144, Matthew viii. 5., & Matt xxvii. 34
Homily of Cyprian