Sunday after Ascension Day - 2017

Sunday after Ascension-Day.

Psalm 93

Dominus regnavit

THE Lord is King, and hath put on glorious apparel : the Lord hath put on his apparel, and girded himself with strength.

2. He hath made the round world so sure : that it cannot be moved.

3. Ever since the world began hath thy seat been prepared : thou art from everlasting.

4. The floods are risen, O Lord, the floods have lift up their voice : the floods lift up their waves.

5. The waves of the sea are mighty, and rage horribly : but yet the Lord, who dwelleth on high, is mightier.

6. Thy testimonies, O Lord, are very sure : holiness becometh thine house for ever.

The Collect.

O GOD the King of glory, who hast exalted thine only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph unto thy kingdom in heaven; We beseech thee, leave us not comfortless; but send to us thine Holy Ghost to comfort us, and exalt us unto the same place whither our Saviour Christ is gone before, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 65.17-25

Psalter: Psalm 108, 110 | 46, 47

Epistle Reading: 1 Peter 4.7-11

Gospel Reading: St. John 15.26-16.4

Homily: http://orderofcenturions.org/documents/ascension1_08.html

The Ascension Day - 2017

The Ascension-Day.

Psalm 8

Domine, Dominus noster

O LORD our Governor, how excellent is thy Name in all the world : thou hast set thy glory above the heavens!

2. Out of the mouth of very babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength, because of thine enemies : that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.

3. For I will consider thy heavens, even the works of thy fingers : the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained.

4. What is man, that thou art mindful of him : and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

5. Thou madest him lower than the angels : to crown him with glory and worship.

6. Thou makest him to have dominion of the works of thy hands : and thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet;

7. All sheep and oxen : yea, and the beasts of the field;

8. The fowls of the air, and the fishes of the sea : and whatsoever walketh through the paths of the seas.

9. O Lord our Governor : how excellent is thy Name in all the world!

The Collect.

GRANT, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that like as we do believe thy only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ to have ascended into the heavens; so we may also in heart and mind thither ascend, and with him continually dwell, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

Old Testament Reading: Daniel 7.9-14

Psalter: Psalm 96

Epistle Reading: Acts 1.1-11

Gospel Reading: St. Luke 24.49-53

Homily: http://orderofcenturions.org/documents/ascension_chrysostom_acts1_1.html

Fifth Sunday after Easter (or Rogation Sunday) and Rogation Days - 2017

The Fifth Sunday after Easter (or Rogation Sunday).

Psalm 84

Quam dilecta!

O HOW amiable are thy dwellings : thou Lord of hosts!

2. My soul hath a desire and longing to enter into the courts of the Lord : my heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God.

3. Yea, the sparrow hath found her an house, and the swallow a nest where she may lay her young : even thy altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.

4. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house : they will be alway praising thee.

5. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee : in whose heart are thy ways.

6. Who going through the vale of misery use it for a well : and the pools are filled with water.

7. They will go from strength to strength : and unto the God of gods appeareth every one of them in Sion.

8. O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer :hearken, O God of Jacob.

9. Behold, O God our defender : and look upon the face of thine Anointed.

10. For one day in thy courts : is better than a thousand.

11. I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God : than to dwell in the tents of ungodliness.

12. For the Lord God is a light and defence : the Lord will give grace and worship, and no good thing shall he withhold from them that live a godly life.

13. O Lord God of hosts : blessed is the man that putteth his trust in thee.

The Collect.

O LORD, from whom all good things do come; Grant to us thy humble servants, that by thy holy inspiration we may think those things that be good, and by thy merciful guiding may perform the same; through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 1.10-20

Psalter: Psalm 146, 147 | 132, 133, 134

Epistle Reading: James 1.22-27

Gospel Reading: St. John 16.23-33

Homily: http://orderofcenturions.org/documents/easter5_09.html

Book Review: I read a book that might be of interest to many of you, and seems to go along with many parts of our aim as the Order of Centurions. The book is “The Benedict Option” by Rod Dreher. http://mphilliber.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-benedict-option-by-rod-dreher-review.html

The Rogation Days
Being the Three Days before Ascension Day

Psalm 147

Laudate Dominum

( . . . )

7. O sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving : sing praises upon the harp unto our God;

8. Who covereth the heavens with clouds, and prepareth rain for the earth : and maketh the grass to grow upon the mountains, and herb for the use of men;

9. Who giveth fodder unto the cattle : and feedeth the young ravens that call upon him.

10. He hath no pleasure in the strength of an horse : neither delighteth he in any man’s legs.

11. But the Lord’s delight is in them that fear him : and put their trust in his mercy.

( . . . )

ALMIGHTY God, Lord of heaven and earth; We beseech thee to pour forth thy blessing upon this land, and to give us a fruitful season; that we, constantly receiving thy bounty, may evermore give thanks unto thee in thy holy Church; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Monday AM: Psalm 104. 1^st Lesson – Deuteronomy 8.1-11, 17-20. 2^nd Lesson – Matthew 5.5-15.

Monday PM: Psalm 34. 1^st Lesson – Deuteronomy 28.1-14. 2^nd Lesson – James 1.1-17

Tuesday AM: Psalm 80. 1^st Lesson – Deuteronomy 11.10-17. 2^nd Lesson – Matthew 6.24-34

Tuesday PM: Psalm 65, 67. 1^st Lesson – 1 Kings 8.22-30. 2^nd Lesson – James 4.8-17

Wednesday AM: Psalm 144. 1^st Lesson – Jeremiah 14.1-9. 2^nd Lesson – 1 John 5.5-15

Wednesday PM: Psalm 93, 99. 1^st Lesson – Isaiah 11.1-5. 2^nd Lesson – Luke 24.44-48

A modern custom for Rogation Days has been to focus prayers and actions toward charity to help feed poor folk. On this page we have provided three ways to do that: http://orderofcenturions.org/documents/rogation.html

Fourth Sunday after Easter - 2017

The Fourth Sunday after Easter.

Psalm 82

Deus stetit

GOD standeth in the congregation of princes : he is a Judge among gods.

2. How long will ye give wrong judgement : and accept the persons of the ungodly?

3. Defend the poor and fatherless : see that such as are in need and necessity have right.

4. Deliver the outcast and poor : save them from the hand of the ungodly.

5. They will not be learned nor understand, but walk on still in darkness : all the foundations of the earth are out of course.

6. I have said, Ye are gods : and ye are all the children of the most Highest.

7. But ye shall die like men : and fall like one of the princes.

8. Arise, O God, and judge thou the earth : for thou shalt take all heathen to thine inheritance.

The Collect.

O ALMIGHTY God, who alone canst order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men; Grant unto thy people, that they may love the thing which thou commandest, and desire that which thou dost promise; that so, among the sundry and manifold changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed, where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Old Testament Reading: Ezekiel 39.21-29

Psalter: Psalm 126, 127, 128 | 129, 130, 131

Epistle Reading: James 1.17-21

Gospel Reading: St. John 16.5-15

Homily: http://orderofcenturions.org/documents/easter4_08.html

Personal: Here is a link to a devotion I have given twice in the last week to two different groups. It’s only an outline, but you might well be able to fill in the corners and cracks and use this as a homily - “Facing Down La Santa Muerte”.

Third Sunday after Easter - 2017

The Third Sunday after Easter.

Psalm 75

Confitebimur tibi

UNTO thee, O God, do we give thanks : yea, unto thee do we give thanks.

2. Thy Name also is so nigh : and that do thy wondrous works declare.

3. When I receive the congregation : I shall judge according unto right.

4. The earth is weak, and all the inhabiters thereof : I bear up the pillars of it.

5. I said unto the fools, Deal not so madly: and to the ungodly, Set not up your horn.

6. Set not up your horn on high : and speak not with a stiff neck.

7. For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west : nor yet from the south.

8. And why? God is the Judge : he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

9. For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red : it is full mixed, and he poureth out of the same.

10. As for the dregs thereof : all the ungodly of the earth shall drink them, and suck them out.

11. But I will talk of the God of Jacob : and praise him for ever.

12. All the horns of the ungodly also will I break : and the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.

The Collect.

ALMIGHTY God, who shewest to them that be in error the light of thy truth, to the intent that they may return into the way of righteousness; Grant unto all them that are admitted into the fellowship of Christ’s Religion, that they may eschew those things that are contrary to their profession, and follow all such things as are agreeable to the same; through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Old Testament Reading: 1 Samuel 2.1b-10

Psalter: Psalm 120, 121, 122 | 123, 124, 125

Epistle Reading: 1 Peter 2.11-17

Gospel Reading: St. John 16.16-24

Homily: http://orderofcenturions.org/documents/easter3_08.html