Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity MMXII

Almighty and everlasting God, give unto us the increase of faith, hope and charity; and, that we may obtain that which thou dost promise, make us to love that which thou dost command; through...

Latin:

 Omnipoteus sempiterne Deus, da nobis Fidie, Spei, et Caritatis augmentum; et ut  mereamur assequi, quod promitis, fac nos amare, quod praecipis,   per

[Leonine Sacramentary]

Introit: Have respect, O Lord, unto thy covenant...

Ps:  O God, why hast thou cast us off forever...

Epistle: Galatians 3:15-22  Brethren, I speak after the manner of men...

Gradual: Have respect, O Lord, unto thy covenant

Gospel: Luke 10:23-37  And he turned him unto his disciples...

http://www.archive.org/stream/commonserviceb00unknuoft#page/n107/mode/2up

The translation is from the English Book of Common Prayer.  This early collect has a brief address to God who is both Almighty and Everlasting, and then the prayer turns to a most important petition based on Paul's first letter to the Corinthians on Love (chapter 13).  We ask that God would give to us an increase of faith, hope and charity.  These are the three Spiritual or Christian virtues. They form the second part of the seven cardinal virtues that the Church has long recognized. Here they are from the Book of Wisdom and Paul's epistle:

"If a man loves righteousness, her labours are virtues; for she teacheth temperance and prudence, justice and fortitude, which are such things as man can have nothing more profitable in their life." (Wisdom of Solomon 8:7) "And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity" (1 Corenthians 13:13) 

 In the Gospel today, Jesus tells the story of the Good Samaritan.  We find that of the priest, Levite, and Samaritan, only the Samaritan showed that most important virtue of Charity (Love).  He not only felt compassion, but took direct action to love his neighbor who was gravely injured.   He had hope and faith that God would work through him and the innkeeper to restore his "neighbor" to good health.

Now, notice the collect asks for an increase in these virtures.  God gives to those he calls a modicum of faith to confess the Lord Jesus Christ, and without that God-given faith no man may truly do so. Likewise he gives virtues of hope and charity. There is always the call to grow more and more into the likeness of Christ. We seek increase in the manifestation of those virtures which characterize the true Christian: Faith, Hope, and Charity.

This first petition is followed by yet another: that God would make (cause) us to love that which he commands.  Make (fac) is the operative term here. We cannot by nature love God's law. The ancient Israelite proved that time and again. It was Jeremiah who prophesied of a new covenant, wherein the Sovereign God would actually write true law in the hearts of his chosen, those whom he would make his people.   I think that was exactly what Jesus was teaching with the Samaritan.  Here was a man completely outside of the religious working of Israel, and yet he, and not the Levite (priestly tribe of Levi), nor the priest, lived out the ultimate law of God - Charity - Love of one's neighbor. It is they who have been so blessed with God's mercy and good gifts that will love and live by this law, and who will finally realize his promises.

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 Twelfth Sunday after Trinity MMXII

ALMIGHTY and merciful God, of whose gift it cometh that thou art served worthily and laudably by thy faithful ones; Grant, that we may run after thy promises without stumbling; through ... 

Latin:

Omnipotens et misericors Deus, de cuus muere venit, ut tibi a fidelibus tuis digne et laudabiliter serviatur, tribue, ut ad promissiones tuas sine offensione curramus, per

[Leonine Sacramentary]

Introit: Make haste, O God, to deliver me

Ps:  Let them be turned backward and put to confusion

Epistle: 2 Cor 3:4-11  And such trust as we have through Christ to God-ward:

Gradual: I will bless the lord at all times:

Gospel: Mark 7:31-37  And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon...

http://www.archive.org/stream/commonserviceb00unknuoft#page/n107/mode/2up

In the first English translation, Thomas Cranmer changed the collect to read as shown here: 

ALMIGHTY and merciful God, of whose only gift it cometh that thy faithful people do unto thee true and laudable service; Grant, we beseech thee, that we may so faithfully serve thee in this life, that we fail not finally to attain thy heavenly promises; through ...

This original prayer gives credit to the correct source. True and laudable service is not something we have a right to boast in, but rather to be thankful for in that God has so called us and inspired us to serve and worship him, and has given to us gifts for service.  If it were not for his will in our lives, there would be no laudable service.  

The problem I have with Cramner's version is that it makes God's grace seem conditional. That was not the prayer of the early church, but was certainly the understanding of the medieval church--which was heavily works-oriented with a belief that one had to earn one's way into heaven through works.

In the early Church the collect called the folk to run to his promises. We find those promises enshrined in such verses as John 3:16, "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." and, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." 

But what of Christian service?  It is a fruit of this communion the elect have with the Holy Ghost. God gives each of his own a role and and a way according to the measure of faith he has granted, and gifts he has bestowed.  

This truth is expounded by Paul in today's epistle. He wrote, "Such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; and again by the Prophet Zechariah, the LORD spoke saying, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit." 

Our primary service then is one faith, and a concomitant service of following Christ and imitating his goodness in our daily lives through love of our neighbor as he calls and enables us so to do. Some are called to a special ministry as Paul explained saying, "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers"  But to all his he gave the gift of faith and the power to believe. That is a common work for all who have been called.

An homily of Chrysostom on today's epistle

http://orderofcenturions.org/documents/trinity12.html

ps. one may note that the collects in the BCP are off  by one since Trinity 3 from those in the Lutheran Service Book. 

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

Eleventh Sunday after Trinity MMXII

Almighty and everlasting God,

who art always more ready to hear than we to pray,

and art wont to give more than either we desire or deserve,

pour down upon us the abundance of thy mercy,

forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid,

and giving us those good things which we are not worthy to ask.

through ... 

 

Latin:

Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, qui abundantia pietatis tuae et merita supplicum excedis et vota; effunde super nos misericordiam tuam ut dimittas quae conscientia metuit, et adjicias quod oratio non praesumit; per

[Leonine& Galatian Sacramentaries]

Introit: God is in his holy habitation

Ps:  Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered...

Epistle: 1 Cor 15:1-10  Moreover, brethern, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you...

Gradual: My heart trusteth in God...

Gospel: Lke 18:9-14  And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves ...

http://www.archive.org/stream/commonserviceb00unknuoft#page/n103/mode/2up

You may have noted there is a citation with two sacramentaries below the collect.  The first original of this prayer appeared in the Leonine Sacramentary, and then later the author of the Gelasian Sacramentary did some editing to word-dress it.  This then is the Latin "second original."  The English translation is a good example of poetic license. Thomas Cranmer expanded on the thoughts a bit in the first English translation for of 1549.   Then in the BCP revision of 1662, John Cosin made some additional changes mainly in the smoothing of the termination. 

 (by the way, we approach the 350th anniversary of the 1662 BCP on St Bartholomew's Day, 24 August 2012. The 1662 is a book still in daily use around the world, as well as those BCPs based directly on it like the 1928 American version and perhaps some others like our Lutheran Service Book under study this year.  I am sure that several of our brethren use the 1662 daily.)

In the Gospel, our Lord teaches the parable of the Pharisee and the publican praying in the Temple. He taught that the publican went down justified, while the Pharisee did not!  Why? Because of the Sin of Pride.  The Pharisee never indicated that his conscience was afraid for anything. He could not have prayed "Thou art wont to give more than either we desire or deserve." He felt he deserved it all. He self-justified his salvation on his perceived merits. He was blind to his faults, and his chief fault was pride of heart.  Conversely, the publican confessed his faults with a true, contrite, and penitent heart; and Jesus said that God heard him and justified him.  

God is ready to receive our humble prayers, and more ready than we to give them. There are many in the modern church who have discarded the idea of sin and fallen man. There is no confession-no remorse-only self justification and Pride of Life.  A fellow Centurion lamented to me this past Sunday that he had left a certain church when they put down the Bible and began teaching from a book entitled "I'm OK, You're OK" in adult Sunday School.  We agreed that it is a false Gospel. (The true Gospel is more like "I'm not OK and neither are you, but that is OK if you are Christ's own". HT to brother David)

On Friday of this week in Evening Prayer (1928 BCP) this message of the waywardness of man was loud and clear,

Micah in chapter 7 wrote,  "The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men", 

and Paul in Romans 7 wrote, "For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I"

Paul concluded this passage with the solution: O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

An homily of Gregory on "How the humble and the haughty are to be admonished"

http://orderofcenturions.org/documents/trinity11_07.html

"I' not OK, neither are you" thoughts from the secular press and mental health profession

http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life/im-not-okay-neither-are-you-20111013-1llyu.html

ps. one may note that the collects in the BCP are off  by one since Trinity 3 from those in the Lutheran Service Book. 

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

Tenth Sunday after Trinity MMXII

O God, who manifests thy almighty power most chiefly in sparing and mercy: multiply upon us thy grace, that we running to thy promises, may come to partake of thy heavenly treasures. Through...

 

Latin:

Deus, qui omnipotentiam tuam parcendo maxime it miserando manifestas; multiplica super nos gratiam tuam: ut ad tua promissa currentes, coelestium bonorum facias esse consortes. per .

Leonine Sacramentary 

Introit:  As for me I will call upon the Lord

Ps:  Give ear to my prayer, O God

Epistle: 1 Cor 12:1-11 Now concerning spiritual gifts.. .

Gradual:   Keep me, O Lord, as the apple of the eye... 

Gospel: Luke 19:41-48. And when he was come near, he beheld the city...

http://www.archive.org/stream/commonserviceb00unknuoft#page/n105/mode/2up

I have reworked this prayer from the BCP version  to a more literal version so that we may appreciate the collect of the early church.

O God, who manifests thy almighty power most chiefly in sparing and mercy

Deus, qui omnipotentiam tuam parcendo maxime it miserando manifestas;

We begin with a wonderful attribute of God. What greater gift has God given, and what mightier act of his almighty power, than to spare us miserable sinners?  God accomplished this through the ultimate act of sacrificing his Son, our Lord, whose death on the cross is the propitiation for this sins of the whole world. Those who have offended God through their sin are spared through his love.  Through this act and offering given once and for always he has blessed all those he has called and to whom he has given his holy Spirit. They alone are able to proclaim his name in faith, and in no wise may ever blaspheme the Spirit.  Paul teaches this truth in the epistle as he speaks to the work of the Spirit in the elect.

Then follows the petition:

 multiply upon us thy grace, that we running to thy promises, 

multiplica super nos gratiam tuam:ut ad tua promiissa currentes, coelestium bonorum facias esse consortes.

We who have been blessed with God's presence in our lives pray diligently that he would work in us greater blessing and grace; leading us and teaching us to follow after his promises

Finally, the result:

may come to partake of thy heavenly treasures.

coelestium bonorum facias esse consortes

What more may we hope for in this life but to fulfill his will for us and to come into his joy in the fullness of time.  The reward of all those who are called and persevere shall be the good things of Paradise.

An homily of Chrysostom on the Epistle

http://orderofcenturions.org/documents/trinity10.html

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

Ninth Sunday after Trinity MMXII

Let thy merciful ears, O Lord, be open to the prayers of thy humble servants; and, that they may obtain their petitions, make them to ask such things as shall please thee; through ... 

 

Latin:

Ad autes misericordiae tuae, Domine, supplicum vota perveniant; et ut possimus impetrare, quae poscimus, fac, nos semper tibi placita postulare, per .

Leonine Sacramentary 

Introit:   Behold, God is mine helper

Ps:  Save me, O God, by thy name

Epistle: 1 Cor 10:6-13. Now these thing were our examples ...

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

Gospel: Luke 16:1-9. And he said unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man...

http://www.archive.org/stream/commonserviceb00unknuoft#page/n103/mode/2up

The collect this day begins with the attribute of the the Lord's mercy (misericordiae tuae, Domine).  Next comes our petition, that God would hear the prayers of his supplicants that come before him (supplicum vota perveniant;).  Following this is the expected result -- in order that we might receive that which we beg, that he would grant that we always ask what is acceptable to him (quae poscimus, fac, nos semper tibi placita postulare).  Finally the prayer concludes though our Lord Jesus Christ.

David sang,

LORD, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee. 

Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. [Ps 141:1-3]

The appointed epistle has a very specific application and compliments today's collect.  Paul gives stern warning about conduct -- and by way of inference -- the murmurings of our hearts: Lust not after that which is evil (see how Paul defines that evil).   "Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed, lest he fall" [1 Cor 10:12]  

Ensure that your prayers are in accord with his Word, and seek his aid in prayer.  "He that turneth away from his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination" [Proverbs 28:9]

An homily 

http://orderofcenturions.org/documents/trinity9.html

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

--