Third Sunday after Trinity

Nativity of Saint John Baptist
June 24
Homily of John Chrysostom
John Baptist Nativity Home

ALMIGHTY God, by whose providence thy servant John Baptist was wonderfully born, and sent to prepare the way of thy Son our Saviour by preaching repentance; Make us so to follow his doctrine and holy life, that we may truly repent according to his preaching; and after his example constantly speak the truth, boldly rebuke vice, and patiently suffer for the truth's sake; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The 24th of June is midsummer. It is exactly six months from the birth of Jesus, in accordance with the timing given in Luke This was a great Midsummer Feast day with many old traditions. "June 23 - is the Vigil of the Nativity of John the Baptist. This is the night when one can wait to see if the Sun will rise just a tiny bit South on the horizon that it did the day before. On the Day when you might be able to see that the Sun has risen slightly to the South presaging that the hours of light are getting shorter, the Saint whose job was to say the Light is coming is celebrated! Likewise, on the opposite end of the year, December 25th (based on the old calendar), the day when you can first tell that the days are getting longer, the Light of the World, Jesus, is born."

Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist

Isaiah xl. 1   &   St. Luke i. 57
Homily of Chrysostom on John Baptist

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel;
for he hath visited and redeemed his people

THE GREAT FORERUNNER OF THE MORN

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Bulletin

 

Bidding

 

For a fellow centurion enroute to Iraq

 

O LORD God of Hosts, stretch forth, we pray thee, thine almighty arm to strengthen and protect our brother centurion, his comrades, and all the soldiers of our country; Support them in the day of battle, and in the time of peace keep them safe from all evil; endue them with courage and loyalty; and grant that in all things they may serve without reproach; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Amen

 

 

Calendar

 

Peter the Apostle -- June 29th

 

 

 

 

Commentary

Nativity of St. John Baptist. This is one of the few Holy Days that has precedence over a Sunday. Today's homily by Chrysostom is new this year on the Order. We have no homilies of Chrysostom that I've found on Luke, but he comments in this homily on Luke's account of John.   

 

400 Anniversary of the first Holy Communion in the American Colonies . I post early today for I am bound to a Holy Communion in Jamestown, Virginia in recognition of the 400 ^th Anniversary of the first communion in the colonies that formed the United States. There, in 1607, the Reverend Robert Hunt celebrated Holy Communion according to the 1559 (Elizabeth I's) Prayer Book. He gathered the folk together that 3rd Sunday after Trinity under a sail that had been stretched between trees to give protection from the elements. That little colony almost didn't make it. They were plagued with disease and hunger. However, help arrived, unexpectedly, from the Caribbean with a shipload of supplies to sustain them.