Eighth Sunday after Trinity - 2023

 

The Eighth Sunday after Trinity.

Psalm 119.113-128

xv. Iniquos odio habui.

I HATE them that imagine evil things; * but thy law do I love.

114 Thou art my defence and shield; * and my trust is in thy word.

115 Away from me, ye wicked; * I will keep the commandments of my God.

116 O stablish me according to thy word, that I may live; * and let me not be disappointed of my hope.

117 Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe; * yea, my delight shall be ever in thy statutes.

118 Thou hast trodden down all them that depart from thy statutes; * for they imagine but deceit.

119 Thou puttest away all the ungodly of the earth like dross; * therefore I love thy testimonies.

120 My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; * and I am afraid of thy judgments.

xvi. Feci judicium.

I DEAL with the thing that is lawful and right; * O give me not over unto mine oppressors.

122 Make thou thy servant to delight in that which is good, * that the proud do me no wrong.

123 Mine eyes are wasted away with looking for thy health, * and for the word of thy righteousness.

124 O deal with thy servant according unto thy loving mercy, * and teach me thy statutes.

125 I am thy servant; O grant me understanding, * that I may know thy testimonies.

126 It is time for thee, Lord, to lay to thine hand; * for they have destroyed thy law.

127 For I love thy commandments * above gold and precious stones.

128 Therefore hold I straight all thy commandments; * and all false ways I utterly abhor.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son * and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be * world without end. Amen. 

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

Seventh Sunday after Trinity and St. James (25 July) - 2023

 

The Seventh Sunday after Trinity.

Psalm 119.97-112

xiii. Quomodo dilexi!

LORD, what love have I unto thy law! * all the day long is my study in it.

98 Thou, through thy commandments, hast made me wiser than mine enemies; * for they are ever with me.

99 I have more understanding than my teachers; * for thy testimonies are my study.

100 I am wiser than the aged; * because I keep thy commandments.

101 I have refrained my feet from every evil way, * that I may keep thy word.

102 I have not shrunk from thy judgments; * for thou teachest me.

103 O how sweet are thy words unto my throat; * yea, sweeter than honey unto my mouth!

104 Through thy commandments I get understanding: * therefore I hate all evil ways.

xiv. Lucerna pedibus meis.

THY word is a lantern unto my feet, * and a light unto my paths.

106 I have sworn, and am stedfastly purposed, * to keep thy righteous judgments.

107 I am troubled above measure: * quicken me, O Lord, according to thy word.

108 Let the free-will offerings of my mouth please thee, O Lord; * and teach me thy judgments.

109 My soul is alway in my hand; * yet do I not forget thy law.

110 The ungodly have laid a snare for me; * but yet I swerved not from thy commandments.

111 Thy testimonies have I claimed as mine heritage for ever; * and why? they are the very joy of my heart.

112 I have applied my heart to fulfil thy statutes alway, * even unto the end.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son * and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be * world without end. Amen.

 

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

Saint James 
[July 25th]

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 the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 45

Psalter: Psalm 34

For the Epistle Reading: Acts 11.27-12.3a

Gospel Reading: Matthew 20.20-28 

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

Sixth Sunday after Trinity - 2023

 

The Sixth Sunday after Trinity.

Psalm 119.81-96

xi. Defecit anima mea.

MY soul hath longed for thy salvation, * and I have a good hope because of thy word.

82 Mine eyes-long sore for thy word; * saying, O when wilt thou comfort me?

83 For I am become like a bottle in the smoke; * yet do I not forget thy statutes.

84 How many are the days of thy servant? * when wilt thou be avenged of them that persecute me?

85 The proud have digged pits for me, * which are not after thy law.

86 All thy commandments are true: * they persecute me falsely; O be thou my help.

87 They had almost made an end of me upon earth; * but I forsook not thy commandments.

88 O quicken me after thy loving-kindness; * and so shall I keep the testimonies of thy mouth.

xii. In æternum, Domine.

O LORD, thy word * endureth for ever in heaven.

90 Thy truth also remaineth from one generation to another; * thou hast laid the foundation of the earth, and it abideth.

91 They continue this day according to thine ordinance; * for all things serve thee.

92 If my delight had not been in thy law, * I should have perished in my trouble.

93 I will never forget thy commandments; * for with them thou hast quickened me.

94 I am thine: O save me, * for I have sought thy commandments.

95 The ungodly laid wait for me, to destroy me; * but I will consider thy testimonies.

96 I see that all things come to an end; * but thy commandment is exceeding broad.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son * and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be * world without end. Amen. 

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 

Here is my review of “The New Reformation Catechism on Human Sexuality”.

Fifth Sunday after Trinity - 2023

 

The Fifth Sunday after Trinity.

Psalm 119.65-80

ix. Bonitatem fecisti.

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

66 O teach me true understanding and knowledge; * for I have believed thy commandments.

67 Before I was troubled, I went wrong; * but now have I 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.

x. Manus tuæ 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 judgments 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.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son * and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be * world without end. Amen. 

The Collect.

GRANT, O Lord, we beseech thee, that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by thy governance, that thy Church may joyfully serve thee in all godly quietness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Old Testament Reading: Ecclesiastes 2.1-23

Psalter: Psalm 21, 23 | 26, 27

Epistle Reading: 1 Peter 3.8-15a (15b-17)

Gospel Reading: St. Luke 5.1-11 

Homily

 I quoted an important statement on humility by St. Augustine in last Sunday’s sermon. This link will take you to that quotation: First Humility, Second Humility, Third Humility

Fourth Sunday after Trinity - 2023

 

The Fourth Sunday after Trinity.

Psalm 119.49-64

vii. Memor esto verbi tui.

O THINK upon thy servant, as concerning thy word, * 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 judgments, 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.

viii. 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 snares of the ungodly have compassed me about; * but I have not forgotten thy law.

62 At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee, * because of thy righteous judgments.

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.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son * and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be * world without end. Amen. 

The Collect.

O GOD, the protector of all that trust in thee, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy; Increase and multiply upon us thy mercy; that, thou being our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal: Grant this, O heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ’s sake our Lord. Amen. 

Old Testament Reading: Lamentations 3.22-33

Psalter: Psalm 19, 20 | 24, 25

Epistle Reading: Romans 8.18-23

Gospel Reading: St. Luke 6.36-42 

Homily 

The heart of my letter to my congregation this last week can be found here. It goes well with our Old Testament lesion from Lamentations: For the Afflicted (Prayer from Psalm 102).