The personal writings of a liberal Anglo-Catholic living in Halifax
Collect of the Day: O Almighty God, who hast built thy Church upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the head corner-stone: Grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their doctrine, that we may be made an holy temple acceptable unto thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The minor feast of Alfred the Great, King is commemorated in the Anglican liturgical calendar on 26 October.
Collect of the Day: Almighty God, who didst enable King Alfred to save his country from ruthless foe, and to bless the people by his faith and wisdom: Stablish, we pray Thee, the thing which Thou hast wrought in us, and make us worthy of Thine unending mercies; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Alfred (849-899), King of the Anglo-Saxons, known for his perchant for education, legal reform, military reorganization, and fighting off the Vikings. He was the only English king to have the moniker “the Great.”
God is love; and he that abideth in love abideth in God, and God in him.
Psalm: 107 Pt 1
1st Lesson: Proverbs 31. 10-end
2nd Lesson: Luke 12. 22-34
Collect of the Day: O Almighty and most merciful God, of thy bountiful goodness keep us, we beseech thee, from all things that may hurt us; that we, being ready both in body and soul, may cheerfully accomplish those things that thou wouldest have done; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Collect for Feast of St Crispin and St Crispinian: Grant, O Lord, that we who commemorate Thy holy martyrs Crispin and Crispinian, may do Thee service after their example, working with our hands the thing which is good, and ministering to the needs of men, alike in body and soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be rememberèd—
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs’d they were not here, And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.
-Henry V (Act 4, Scene 3) (W. Shakespeare)
215 years ago, the Royal Navy fleet under the command of Vice-Admiral Viscount Horatio Nelson, Duke of Brontë, KB, engaged and defeated the combined French and Spanish fleet off Cape Trafalgar. England was facing invasion by Napoleon, and Nelson knew he had to neutralize the threat, no matter what the cost may be. Outnumbered and outgunned, the Royal Navy defeated the enemy is one of its finest victories in its history; no British ships surrendered during the Battle and 21 enemy ships were captured and one sank. But during the battle, Nelson was struck by a bullet from a French sharpshooter and he would not live to see his victory.
Prior to the Battle, is it recorded that Nelson was found praying in his cabin and he recorded the following prayer:
May the great God, whom I worship, grant to my country and for the benefit of Europe in general, a great and glorious victory: and may no misconduct, in any one, tarnish it: and may humanity after victory be the predominant Feature in the British fleet.
For myself individually, I commit my life to Him who made me And may His blessing light upon my endeavours for serving my Country faithfully.
To Him I resign myself and the just cause which is entrusted to me to defend Amen. Amen. Amen.
The following prayer from the Book of Common Prayer was probably said by the sailors on board prior to battle:
O Most powerful and glorious Lord God, the Lord of hosts, that rulest and commandest all things: Thou sittest in the throne judging right, and therefore we make our address to thy Divine Majesty in this our necessity, that thou wouldest take the cause into thine own hand, and judge between us and our enemies. Stir up thy strength, O Lord, and come and help us; for thou givest not alway the battle to the strong, but canst save by many or by few. O let not our sins now cry against us for vengeance; but hear us thy poor servants begging mercy, and imploring thy help, and that thou wouldest be a defence unto us against the face of the enemy. Make it appear that thou art our Saviour and mighty Deliverer; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The traditional toast at a Trafalgar Day Dinner, said after the Loyal Toast: “The Immortal Memory.”
God is love; and he that abideth in love abideth in God, and God in him.
(For the feast of St Luke)
Psalm: 119, Pts 12 & 13
1st Lesson: Isaiah 61. 1-6
2nd Lesson: 2 Timothy 3. 10-end
Collect of the Day: O God, forasmuch as without thee we are not able to please thee: Mercifully grant, that thy Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Collect for the Feast of St Luke: Almighty God, who calledst Luke the Physician, whose praise is in the Gospel, to be an Evangelist, and Physician of the soul: May it please thee that, by the wholesome medicines of the doctrine delivered by him, all the diseases of our souls may be healed; through the merits of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Almighty God, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ and his apostle Luke went about doing good, and healing all manner of sickness and disease among the people: Continue, we beseech thee, this His gracious work among us especially for all those combatting the Coronavirus; cheer, heal, and sanctify the sick; grant to the physicians, surgeons, and nurses wisdom and skill, sympathy and patience; and send down thy blessing upon all who labour to prevent suffering and to forward thy purposes of love. Have pity upon us miserable sinners, who have forgotten and become fatigued by the continuing plague that spreads around us; may we humble people take the proper precautions and be humbled by this continued destruction and that you may see it fit to command the destroying Angel to cease from punishing, so it may now please thee to withdraw from us this plague and grievous sickness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
17 October is the minor feast of Saint Etheldreda, Queen and Abbess
Etheldreda (aka Ætheltryth aka Audrey) (c. 636-679AD) was an Anglo-Saxon Queen and Abbess of Ely. As a princess, she was married twice, but remained a virgin. She eventually fled to Ely and founded her own abbey there.
The minor feast of Etheldreda is among one of my favourites as it’s one of the few to feature a woman and I find the word “abbess” and the town name of “Ely” rather delightful. One day I hope I can visit Ely Cathedral.
Collect: O God, who gets call Thy servant Ethelreda from an earthly throne that she might advance Thy heavenly kingdom: Mercifully grant that we who commemorate her faith may be fruitful in good works, and attain to the crown of peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Today, 13 October, is the minor feast day of Edward the Confessor, King, Westminster, 1066.
Edward was the second-last Anglo-Saxon King of England (his son Harold was defeated by William the Conqueror at Hastings in 1066). The first Anglo-Saxon and the only king of England to be canonized.
Collect: Sovereign God, who set your servant Edward upon the throne of an earthly kingdom
and inspired him with zeal for the kingdom of heaven: grant that we may so confess the faith of Christ by word and deed, that we may, with all your saints, inherit your eternal glory; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
God is love; and he that abideth in love abideth in God, and God in him.
Psalm: 119, Pts 17 & 18
1st Lesson: Ezekiel 34. 1-16
2nd Lesson: Luke 11. 37-end
Collect of the Day: Lord, we beseech thee, grant thy people grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil, and with pure hearts and minds to follow thee the only God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Collect for Harvest Thanksgiving: O Most merciful Father, we humbly thank thee for all thy gifts so freely bestowed upon us; for life and health and safety; for power to work and leisure to rest; for all that is beautiful in creation and in the lives of men; but above all we thank thee for our spiritual mercies in Christ Jesus our Lord; who with thee and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Almighty God, we give humble and hearty thanks to all the little things that we take for granted: a home, family and friends who love us, food on the table, and all the natural beauty you have created in this world. While this year has been very hard for many, we pray for the strength and resilience you have given us. We give thanks for all healers and healthcare workers for caring for the sick. We give thanks for all those who essential workers and those who put themselves at risk from the Coronavirus. We give thanks to Her Majesty’s armed forces who are away from their families and loved ones this day; those deployed abroad and those serving at home. We pray for your guidance, compassion, and love, preserve us in the coming weeks and months, as the daylight hours decrease, may you lighten our darkness; that our faith in you strengthens us to overcome the challenges of this life; through the love of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Despite what some try to say, it is possible to be LGBTQ+ and a Christian. Hate has no place in the heart of a Christian. We must all strive to be in peace, love, and charity with all peoples. We are all sinners and imperfect beings, yet we must always seek to improve ourselves and the world in which we live.
Our Lord Jesus Christ said: Hear O Israel, The Lord our God is one Lord; and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.
As we approach the end of Trinity season and prepare for Adventide (that’s the season before Christmastide), the one constancy of this season has been the comfortable words: God is love; and he that abideth in love abideth in God, and God in him. 1 St John 4. 16.
#ProudBoys #LoveIsLove
God is love; and he that abideth in love abideth in God, and God in him.
Psalm: 119, Pts 15 & 16
1st Lesson: Ezekiel 33. 1-11
2nd Lesson: Luke 10. 1-24
Collect of the Day: Lord we pray thee that thy grace may always prevent and follow us, and make us continually to be given to all good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Prayer by St Francis: Lord, help me to live this day, quietly, easily; to lean on your great strength, trustfully, respectfully; to wait for the unfolding of your will, patiently, serenely; to meet others, peacefully, joyfully; to face tomorrow, confidently, courageously. Amen.
The Peace Prayer (sometimes called the Prayer of St Francis): O Lord, make me an instrument of Your Peace, Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; Where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek: To be consoled as to console; To be understood, as to understand; To be loved, as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and It is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life. Amen.
High Anglican Haligonian 