Circumcision - Collect Study - MMXI

The Feast of the Circumcision - Octave of Christmas

 

The Collect

 

Almighty God, whose only-begotten this day  received the circumcision of the body (that the law not  pay that which had come to fulfill): Grant spiritual circumcision which has an incentive to cleanse your minds from all vices, and may he pour upon you a blessing.  Amen.

Latin original Collect:

 

Omnipotens Deus, cujus unigenitus hodierna die, ne legem solverent, quam adimplere venerat, corporalem suscepit circumcisionem: spiritali circumcisione mentes vestras ab omnibus vitiorum incentivis expurget, et suam in vos infundat benedictionem. Amen .

--  Gregorian Sacramentary

 

Introit: O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name...

Epistle: Galatians 3:23ff   But before faith came, we were kept under the law…

Gradual.  All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God…

Gospel :Luke 2:21ff  And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising …

 

See it all here

 http://www.archive.org/stream/commonserviceb00unknuoft#page/n63/mode/2up

 

I took the liberty of crafting a rough translation of the Latin in order to bring it closer to its original as I understand it. One will note the collect as it departs from the normal form; it has no doxology, but rather ends in a benediction. 

 

This is the Octave of the Nativity and the Feast the Circumcision… sometimes also known in these later days by some as the Holy Name of Jesus.  It falls on what is to us reckoned the "New Year".  That was not the case many centuries ago. The Medieval Church, even up until the time of the Reformation, was celebrating new years on the Feast of the Annunciation – 25 March. 

 

This feast takes precedence over the collect appointed for the First Sunday after Christmas, and so when Christmas falls on a Sunday, it is followed the next Sunday with the Feast of the Circumcision – a feast of our Lord. 

 

The Circumcision is important to us in that it reminds us that our Lord was a Jew who met every valid command.  "And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant."

 

Many of the things that our Lord did in obedience to the Jewish code, he did for our sake, as an example. That is what the collect teaches in its attributes section  Christ humbled himself unto the law for man, was sinless, observant of the whole law, that he might become Law unto us.  "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth"

The Circumcision was of course limited to males, and marked the rite of recognition that a man-child was a benefactor of the Covenant. Through a man, his female kin were reckoned to be of the Covenant.  Many hold that Christ instituted Baptism as the sign of the New Covenant in his Great Commission recorded in Matthew -- for both male and female, Jew and Gentile:  " Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost"

 

 

 

JESUS

There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. 

Merry Christmas!

 

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

 

--
Released by Primus Pilus
Legio Christi-Ecclesia Militans
"Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another" [St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans 14:19]

* ORDO CENTURIONUM * IN HOC SIGNO VINCES * TIME DEUM ET OPERARE IUSTITIAM

Christmas Day - Collect Study - MMXI

Christmas Day

 

The Collect

 

Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that the new birth of thine only-begotten Son in the flesh may set us free who are held in the old bondage under the yoke of sin; through the same Lord.…

 

Latin original Collect:

 

Concede, quaesumus ominipotents Deus: ut not Unigeniti tui nova per carnem Nativitas liberet: quos sub peccati jugo vetusta servitus tenet. Per eundem Dominum.

--  Gregorian Sacramentary

 

Introit: Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder. And his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace….

Epistle: Hebrews 1: 1-11.  God, who at sundry times and in divers manners……

Gradual.  All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God…

Gospel John 1:1-14.  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God…

 

See it all here http://www.archive.org/stream/commonserviceb00unknuoft#page/n61/mode/2up

 

Note in this day's collect, the author spoke of the "old bondage".  Luther, who of course prayed this prayer throughout his life, wrote a book called "Bondage of the Will".  I wonder if this specific collect had affect on his choice of title and allusion to the sin burden that man suffers.  The bondage of one's will is broken from Sin and Satan to become yoked to Christ for Good and God -- when Jesus is Master of a man's heart.

 

In his first act of public ministry after his wilderness fast, Jesus read from Isaiah, [God] "hath sent me to preach deliverance to the captives…to set at liberty them that are bruised"  When we abide with Jesus we shall be free indeed, and that yoke of sin that drags us down will be destroyed forever.  This is the gift of God that was given to the elect on morning of our Lord's nativity.

 

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

 

Merry Christmas!

 

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

 

--
Released by Primus Pilus
Legio Christi-Ecclesia Militans
"Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another" [St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans 14:19]

* ORDO CENTURIONUM * IN HOC SIGNO VINCES * TIME DEUM ET OPERARE IUSTITIAM

Christmas Eve - Collect Study MMXI

The Eve of the Nativity

 

The Collect

 

O God, who has made this most holy night to shine with the brightness of the true light: Grant, we beseech thee, that as we have known on earth the mysteries of that light, we may also come to the fullness of his joys in heaven; who liveth and reigneth…

 

Latin original Collect:

 

Dues, qui hanc sacratissimam noctern veri luminis fecisti illustratione clearescere: da, quaesumus, ut cujus mysteria in terra cognovimus, ejus quoque gaudiis in coelo perfraumur: Qui tecum vivt et regnat.

--  Gregorian Sacramentary

 

 

Introit: The Lord hath said unto me, thou art my Son: this day have I begotten thee.….

Epistle: Titus 2:11-14  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men…

              Isaiah 9: 2-7  The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light...

Gospel Luke 2 1-14.  And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree…

 

See it all here http://www.archive.org/stream/commonserviceb00unknuoft#page/n60/mode/2up

 

The eve of Christmas the church breaks into the season of light from the Advent preparation. In many churches, this is shown visibly in moving from the Advent colors of blue and purple, into the white of Christmas and Epiphany.

 

This is the first major festival of the church year.  It is a festival of the Lord, and so occupies a very special place in our hearts.  It is one of the three festivals in which it was appointed that all Christians should take communion.  The early celebration has its history in the ancient church, which celebrated Christ's Mass after midnight, at the cockcrow, and would be followed by a later service.  This is the dawning of a new day for God's people especially, and for the whole world generally. It is the arising of the Sun of Righteousness with healing in his wings.

 

The octave of Christmas runs until the Feast of the Circumcision. Yet, we celebrate over the full 12 days the Christmas season, We consider the birth of our Lord in all humbleness to be a "light to lighten the Gentiles and the Glory of his people Israel".  Jesus is not just "a light" among many, but the true (veri luminis) light which the people of God had awaited for so many centuries.  This was prophesied by Isaiah who wrote of a "great light" who is to be called the Prince of Peace, Everlasting Father, Mighty God, Wonderful, Counselor. He should come to occupy the throne of David and rule the Kingdom of God.  In the Gospel of Luke we have the Christmas story in all of its richness and imagery.

 

 

Merry Christmas!

 

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

 

--
Released by Primus Pilus
Legio Christi-Ecclesia Militans
"Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another" [St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans 14:19]

* ORDO CENTURIONUM * IN HOC SIGNO VINCES * TIME DEUM ET OPERARE IUSTITIAM

The Fourth Sunday in Advent MMXI

The Collect

 

Stir up, O Lord, we beseech thee, thy power, and come, and with great might succor us, that by the help of thy grace whatsoever is hindered by our sins may be speedily accomplished, through thy mercy and satisfaction, by...

 

Latin original Collect:

 

Excita, Domine, potentiam tuam; et magna nobis virtute succurre: ut per auxilium gloriae tuae, quod nostra peccata praependiunt, indulgentia tuae propitiationis acceleret. Per --

Gelesian Sacramentary

 

 

Gelasius

 

Introit: The heavens declare the glory of God: and the firmament showeth his handiwork….

Epistle: Philippians 4:4-7  Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say, rejoice…

Gospel: John 1: 19-28  And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?...

See it all here http://www.archive.org/stream/commonserviceb00unknuoft#page/n59/mode/2up

 

Last week the Introit was from Philippians 4:4ff, and this week it is the appointed Epistle. 

 

Rejoice! Christmas draws neigh. We are stirred up and exited about the coming event on our feast that is so dear to us. It is the annual remembrance of the coming of our Lord in Nativity.  "Stir up" has been a recurrent theme in these Sundays before Christmas… both for the Lord to stir up his power and might, and to stir up our hearts.

 

This is not vain repetition of the season. We are persistent in our prayer.  It serves rather to build the expectation of his Advent, past and future. 

 

The prayer this Sunday focuses on our fallen nature.  We are hindered by our sins, and this is central in this last prayer of Advent.  God, through his Son, will mitigate this awful burden for us.  I am reminded in this season of the novel Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. I recall that Ghost of Christmas Past whose chains hindered him.  In that same age men of England regularly prayed at church and confessed their "devices and desires of the heart" which led them astray…and prayed that God would restore them who were penitent.  In the same sort of way, this prayer asks that God would come into our lives to mercifully relieve us of sin, and that those good things left undone might be realized expeditiously.

Come Lord Jesus!

 

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

 

--
Released by Primus Pilus
Legio Christi-Ecclesia Militans
"Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another" [St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans 14:19]

* ORDO CENTURIONUM * IN HOC SIGNO VINCES * TIME DEUM ET OPERARE IUSTITIAM

Third Sunday in Advent MMXI

The Collect

 

Lord, we beseech thee, give ear to our prayers, and lighten the darkness of our hearts by thy gracious visitation; through….

 

Latin original Collect:

 

Aurem tuam, quaesumus Domine, precibus nostris accomoda: et mentis nostrae tenebras, gratia tuae visitatonis illustra. Per…

Gelasian Sacramentary

 

 

 

Gelasius

 

Introit: Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice….

Epistle: 1 Cor i:4-5  Let a man so account of us…

Gradual: Thou that dwelleth between the cherubim shine forth: stir up thy strength and come

Gospel: Matt xi: 2-10.. Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ…

See it all here http://www.archive.org/stream/commonserviceb00unknuoft#page/n57/mode/2up

 

This is one of those special Sundays in the year that is marked by the colors used in the Church. It is Gaudete or Rose Sunday.  You may find some of the churches have a rose colored candle in the Advent wreath for this Sunday. The name and mood for his day comes from the traditional introit of "Rejoice"   

 

The prayer calls for the Lord to visit (visitatonis) us and lighten our darkness. One may be reminded of the many scriptures that bear witness to the reality of Light in his first coming, such as:  Luke i… "To give light to them that sit in darkness, and to guide our feet in the way of peace" Luke ii…"To be a light to lighten the Gentiles" and the promise of his Second Coming.. Revelation xxi, "for the glory of the Lord did lighten it [New Jerusalem] and the Lamb is the light thereof…"

 

It also a timely prayer with the approach the Winter Solstice.  Its eve is the darkest (shortest) day of the year, and with Christmas, the days become longer (note, old Roman Calendar, Winter Solstice was reckoned on 25 December.)  In the same way that there is a physical darkness in the world, there exists a darkness of every man's heart, which may only be lightened and cleansed by our Lord Jesus Christ for those he has called his own.  The number of verses that deal with the Light of Christ are many: to numerous for this short homily, but let us close with this one

 

I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

[John viii. 12)

 

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

 

-- 
Released by Primus Pilus
Legio Christi-Ecclesia Militans
"Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another" [St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans 14:19]

* ORDO CENTURIONUM * IN HOC SIGNO VINCES * TIME DEUM ET OPERARE IUSTITIAM

The Second Sunday in Advent - MMXI

The Collect

Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to make ready the way of thine only begotten Son, so that by his coming we may be enabled to serve thee with pure minds; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord….

 

Latin original Collect:

 

Exita, Domine, quaesumus, corda nostra ad praeparandas Unigeniti tui vias: ut per eius adventum perificatis tibi serviire mentibus mereamur. Per… 

Gelasian Sacramentary

 

In this second collect of the Advent season, as with the first, the collect begins with "Stir up"  (Exita), and reminds us of the "coming" (adventum) of the Lord Jesus.  In this prayer the petition is for an awakening of our hearts (corda nostra) -- the symbolic center of affection toward our Lord. "A man's heart deviseth his way" and " The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth"

 

Prepare the way of the Lord, was the cry that went up from John Baptist… the coming of the Lord, the Son of God, is one his people have been made ready in. The Jewish nation was prepared for eons for that day, beginning with God's promise in the Garden and then through his prophets like Isaiah, until his last prophet, John Baptist, for his First Coming as a babe in the manger, later to be the teacher, and finally King and Savior. We, his people, ought to be prepared by his word and command for his promised Second Coming in all spender of his grace, power, might, and awesome presence.

 

As we recite this ancient prayer for this coming week, we may contemplate the humble saint who composed it. He was certainly aware of his mortality, and of the need for the  Lord to come and raise the Church up to that level of purity of mind and spirit to which the saints aspired in order to honor their King. 

 

Propers for this Sunday may be found on the www here: 

Isaiah 55, Psalms 80, 82 | 25, 26 Romans xv. 4    St. Luke xxi. 25

 

Gelasius

  

Note that the Latin original did not always complete the doxology at the end, but left that to the minister to use according to the custom. The Latin here ends with "per" (through), and in other places with "per Dominum". This style is to be found in the older sacramentaries of Leonine (Leo 440-461) and Gelasian (Gelasius 492-496). Whereas, we find the doxology complete in the Gregorian Sacrementary (Gregory 590-604)

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

 

-- 
Released by Primus Pilus
Legio Christi-Ecclesia Militans
"Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another" [St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans 14:19]

* ORDO CENTURIONUM * IN HOC SIGNO VINCES * TIME DEUM ET OPERARE IUSTITIAM