Tenth Sunday after Trinity - 2016

The Tenth Sunday after Trinity.

Psalm 119.73-80

Manus tuae fecerunt me

THY hands have made me and fashioned me: O give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.

74. They that fear thee will be glad when they see me : because I have put my trust in thy word.

75. I know, O Lord, that thy judgements are right : and that thou of very faithfulness hast caused me to be troubled.

76. O let thy merciful kindness be my comfort : according to thy word unto thy servant.

77. O let thy loving mercies come unto me, that I may live : for thy law is my delight.

78. Let the proud be confounded, for they go wickedly about to destroy me : but I will be occupied in thy commandments.

79. Let such as fear thee, and have known thy testimonies : be turned unto me.

80. O let my heart be sound in thy statutes : that I be not ashamed.

The Collect.

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 Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Old Testament Reading: Lamentations 1.1-12

Psalter: Psalm 61, 62 | 48, 49

Epistle Reading: 1 Corinthians 12.1-11

Gospel Reading: St. Luke 19.41-46

Homily: http://orderofcenturions.org/documents/trinity10_07.html

Here’s my review of a good little commentary on Lamentations: http://mphilliber.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-message-of-lamentations-by.html

Ninth Sunday after Trinity and St. James the Apostle (25 July) - 2016

The Ninth Sunday after Trinity.

Psalm 119.65-72

Bonitatem fecisti

O LORD, thou hast dealt graciously with thy servant : according unto thy word.

66. O learn me true understanding and knowledge : for I have believed thy commandments.

67. Before I was troubled, I went wrong : but now I have kept thy word.

68. Thou art good and gracious : O teach me thy statutes.

69. The proud have imagined a lie against me : but I will keep thy commandments with my whole heart.

70. Their heart is as fat as brawn : but my delight hath been in thy law.

71. It is good for me that I have been in trouble : that I may learn thy statutes.

72. The law of thy mouth is dearer unto me : than thousands of gold and silver.

The Collect.

GRANT to us, Lord, we beseech thee, the spirit to think and do always such things as be rightful; that we, who cannot do any thing that is good without thee, may by thee be enabled to live according to thy will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Old Testament Reading: 1 Kings 10.1-25

Psalter: Psalm 46, 47 | 44, 45

Epistle Reading: 1 Corinthians 10.1-13

Gospel Reading: St. Luke 16.1-9

Homily: http://orderofcenturions.org/documents/trinity9_08.html

Saint James the Apostle – 25 July

Psalm 148

Laudate Dominum

O PRAISE the Lord of heaven : praise him in the height.

2. Praise him, all ye angels of his : praise him, all his host.

3. Praise him, sun and moon : praise him, all ye stars and light.

4. Praise him, all ye heavens : and ye waters that are above the heavens.

5. Let them praise the Name of the Lord : for he spake the word, and they were made; he commanded, and they were created.

6. He hath made them fast for ever and ever : he hath given them a law which shall not be broken.

7. Praise the Lord upon earth : ye dragons, and all deeps;

8. Fire and hail, snow and vapours : wind and storm, fulfilling his word;

9. Mountains and all hills : fruitful trees and all cedars;

10. Beasts and all cattle : worms and feathered fowls;

11. Kings of the earth and all people : princes and all judges of the world;

12. Young men and maidens, old men and children, praise the Name of the Lord : for his Name only is excellent, and his praise above heaven and earth.

13. He shalt exalt the horn of his people; all his saints shall praise him : even the children of Israel, even the people the serveth him.

The Collect

Grant, O merciful God, that as thine holy Apostle Saint James, leaving his father and all that he had, without delay was obedient unto the calling of thy Son Jesus Christ, and followed him; so we, forsaking all worldly and carnal affections, may be evermore ready to follow thy holy commandments; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 45.1-5

Psalter: Psalm 34

Epistle Reading: Acts 11.27-12.3

Gospel Reading: St. Matthew 20.20-28

Homily:  http://orderofcenturions.org/documents/james.html#homily

Eighth Sunday after Trinity - 2016

The Eighth Sunday after Trinity.

Psalm 119.57-64

Portio mea, Domine

THOU art my portion, O Lord : I have promised to keep thy law.

58. I made my humble petition in thy presence with my whole heart : O be merciful unto me, according to thy word.

59. I called mine own ways to remembrance : and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.

60. I made haste, and prolonged not the time : to keep thy commandments.

61. The congregations of the ungodly have robbed me : but I have not forgotten thy law.

62. At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee : because of thy righteous judgements.

63. I am a companion of all them that fear thee : and keep thy commandments.

64. The earth, O Lord, is full of thy mercy : O teach me thy statutes.

The Collect.

O GOD, whose never-failing providence ordereth all things both in heaven and earth; We humbly beseech thee to put away from us all hurtful things, and to give us those things which be profitable for us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Old Testament Reading: Zechariah 4.1-10 (11-14)

Psalter: Psalm 39, 41 | 37

Epistle Reading: Romans 8.12-17

Gospel Reading: St. Matthew 7.15-21

Homily:  http://orderofcenturions.org/documents/trinity8_07.html

Personal Recommendation: If you're serving in the priesthood or are a minister, I think you will find "In Praise of Plodders" a delightfully helpful book. Here is my review of it: 

http://mphilliber.blogspot.com/2016/07/in-praise-of-plodders-by-warren-w.html

Seventh Sunday after Trinity - 2016

The Seventh Sunday after Trinity.

Psalm 119.49-56

Memor esto servi tui

O THINK upon thy servant, as concerning thy world : wherein thou hast caused me to put my trust.

50. The same is my comfort in my trouble : for thy word hath quickened me.

51. The proud have had me exceedingly in derision : yet have I not shrinked from thy law.

52. For I remembered thine everlasting judgements, O Lord : and received comfort.

53. I am horribly afraid : for the ungodly that forsake thy law.

54. Thy statutes have been my songs : in the house of my pilgrimage.

55. I have thought upon thy Name, O Lord, in the night-season : and have kept thy law.

56. This I had : because I kept thy commandments.

The Collect.

LORD of all power and might, who art the author and giver of all good things; Graft in our hearts the love of thy Name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and of thy great mercy keep us in the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Old Testament Reading: Hosea 14.1-9

Psalter: Psalm 32, 36 | 33, 34

Epistle Reading: Romans 6.19-23

Gospel Reading: St. Mark 8.1-9

Homily: http://orderofcenturions.org/documents/trinity7_chrysostom_gospel.html

The Sixth Sunday after Trinity (and Independence Day USA) - 2016

The Sixth Sunday after Trinity.

Psalm 119.41-48

Et veniat super me

LET thy loving mercy come also unto me, O Lord : even thy salvation, according unto thy word.

42. So shall I make answer unto my blasphemers : for my trust is in thy word.

43. O take not the word of thy truth utterly out of my mouth : for my hope is in thy judgements.

44. So shall I alway keep thy law : yea, for ever and ever.

45. And I will walk at liberty : for I seek thy commandments.

46. I will speak of thy testimonies also, even before kings : and will not be ashamed.

47. And my delight shall be in thy commandments : which I have loved.

48. My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved : and my study shall be in thy statutes.

The Collect.

O GOD, who hast prepared for them that love thee such good things as pass man’s understanding; Pour into our hearts such love toward thee, that we, loving thee above all things, may obtain thy promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 57.13b-19

Psalter: Psalm 28, 29 | 30, 31

Epistle Reading: Romans 6.3-11

Gospel Reading: St. Matthew 5.20-26

Homily: http://orderofcenturions.org/documents/trinity6_07.html

Independence Day (USA)

July 4

The Collect

O ETERNAL God, through whose mighty power our fathers won their liberties of old; Grant, we beseech thee, that we and all the people of this land may have grace to maintain these liberties in righteousness and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For the Epistle. Deuteronomy x. 17: THE LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward: he doth execute the judg-ment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment. Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name. He is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen.