Fifth Sunday after Easter MMXII

O God, from whom all good things to come: Grant to us humble servants, that by thy holy inspiration we may think those thinks that be right, and by thy merciful  guiding may perform the same; through


Latin:
Deus, a quo bono cuncta procedunt: largire supplicibus, ut cogitemus, te inspirante, quea recta sunt: et, te gubernante, eadem faciamus. Per.
Gelasian Sacramentary


Introit: With the voice of singing declare ye,
and tell this...Halleluah.
 Ps: Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands B
 Epistle: James 1:22-27.  But be ye doers of the word...
 Gradual: Hallelujah. Hallelujah. It behooved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead ...
 Gospel:  John 16:23-30. Verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
http://www.archive.org/stream/commonserviceb00unknuoft#page/n91/mode/2up

Rogate is the name of this Sunday, but it does not have to do with the Gradual. In 452, the Bishop of Vienna instituted days of pilgrimages into the countryside to ask God's blessings after a period of scourges had occurred. Therefore the old custom continues in the weekdays following this Sunday before Ascension Thursday as "Rogation Days"

-- O God, from whom all good things to come:

God is the source of good in this world from his creation and  in his continual sustainment.  Those who are reconciled to God enjoy the peace of working in his good order.

 -- Grant to us  humble servants, that by thy holy inspiration

Without God on our side or perhaps better stated, we on God's side, all our works are in vain. We petition that God would then show us by his inspiration that good he would have us to do. He has done so in part through his Holy Scripture, and that is the first place to check anything a person claims as the new moving of the Spirit, or God's will for a new thing never recognized in the history of the people. Ask, "What saith scripture?"

--We may think those thinks that be right, and by thy merciful  guiding may perform the same

The petition clearly reflects the epistle of James appointed today. Hear, think, do.  Scripture is not so mysterious that we do not understand it. Man is devious enough to use every vain trick to attempt to twist it, however. That is what Satan tried on our Lord Jesus unsuccessfully, but with great success against Eve.  We are like Eve and unlike our Master in that we are vulnerable to stray like lost sheep- doing that which we ought not do and failing to do those things which we ought to do. We pray that God would guide us in paths of righteous deeds and good works for his name sake.

An homily of Augustine on John
 http://orderofcenturions.org/documents/easter5.html#homily
Finis

(Portions were paraphrased and passages cited from The Collect of the Day, by Paul Zeller Strodach, 1939, The United Lutheran Press, Philadelphia)  http://www.cyberhymnal.org/bio/s/t/r/strodach_pz.htm

The Ancient Collect: Its history and form
http://orderofcenturions.org/collect-form.html
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