The personal writings of a liberal Anglo-Catholic living in Halifax
Collect for the New Year (Book of a Common Prayer, Canada 1962):
O Immortal Lord God, who inhabitest eternity, and hast brought thy servants to the beginning of another year: Pardon, we humbly beseech thee, our transgressions in the past, bless to us this New Year, and graciously abide with us all the days of our life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Merry Christmas to all, this fifth day of Christmas and the Sunday after Christmas Day.
Today is also the feast day of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, murdered in Canterbury Cathedral by a group of rogue knights in 1170, 850 years ago.
The 1964 film, Becket, starring Richard Burton and Peter o’Toole, is among many interpretations of the drama of Thomas Becket. I consider it one of my favourite Christmas season films: https://youtu.be/GFQi8tD-NeU
Wishing you all a very merry Christmas. May the peace of the Lord be always with you all.
I find it hard and a bit awkward to pray for others. Part of me feels unworthy or not qualified to pray for them, and part of me feels my prayer won’t help.
People have asked me to pray for them. And if such a request comes, I will pray for them. As a lay person, I feel not worthy to be given such a responsibility, but I will honour such a request. I just hope that if God is answering my prayers, that He will prioritize the prayers of others first.
Sometimes I feel an urge to pray for the without them asking, because I can sense they need a prayer. Everyone needs help and support once in a while, and sometimes they may not realize it. I feel that I need to pray for them, and do my part.
I believe in the power of prayer, that great things come when we believe and have faith. I am not one of great faith, having lost it many times, and questioned God. However, Christ always brings me back to his fold and I am reenergized and strengthened, albeit a little embarrassed that I lacked the faith to stay the course.
During difficult times, one must have faith in the Lord. I am not a shining example of one that is faithful, I have doubted in the Lord countless times, and questioned him many times. But during Evening Prayer tonight, the grace of God was shown before me in the words I read. Some may attribute it to luck, a false correlation, or a desire to read into something that doesn’t exist, but I choose to believe in God.
From the Psalms for the Evening of the Third Day:
I love thee, O Lord, my strength. / The Lord is my stony rock, my defence, and my Saviour;
My God, and my might, in whom I will trust; / my shield, the horn also of my salvation, and my refuge.
I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; / so shall I be saved from mine enemy.
He sent from on high, and took me, / and he drew me out of many waters.
He delivered me from my strongest enemy, / and from them that hate me, for they were too mighty for me.
They came upon me in the day of my trouble; / but the Lord was my upholder.
From the Second Lesson
Revelation 7:
They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.
For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
#GloriaPatri
High Anglican Haligonian 