Today is the Minor Feast Day of Saint Ambrose, Doctor and Poet, Bishop of Milan, 397 AD.
He, along with Augustine, Jerome, and Gregory the Great, are considered the first Four Doctors (teachers) of the Latin Church.
Ambrose is the patron saint of Milan, beekeepers 🐝, and candlemakers 🕯. He also converted and baptized Saint Augustine of Hippo (I always remember that because of the Simpson episode: https://youtu.be/HLv2FCGhPPw )
Collect (of a Doctor of the Church, Poet, or Scholar): O God, who by thy Holy Spirit hast given unto one man a word of wisdom, and to another a word of knowledge, and to another the gift of tongues: We praise thy Name for the gifts of grace manifested in thy servant Ambrose, and we pray that thy Church may never be destitute of the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Today is the minor feast of Benedict, Abbot of Monte Cassino, Italy, (c. 540) and Thomas Cranmer, Translator and Reviser of the Liturgy, Archbishop of Canterbury, Martyr (1556)
Collect of the Day (modified from the Book of Common Worship): O Gracious God, who made thy servant Benedict a wise master in the school of thy service and a guide to many called into community to follow the rule of Christ: grant that we may put thy love before all else and seek with joy the way of thy commandments; and who through the work of thy servant Thomas Cranmer renewed the worship of thy Church and through his death revealed thy strength in human weakness: by thy grace strengthen us to worship you in spirit and in truth and so to come to the joys of your everlasting kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Mediator and Advocate, who sitteth in glory with the Father, and in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
☘️ Happy Feast of St. Patrick, Missionary and Bishop, 461 A.D. ☘️
Collect of the Day (from the Church of Ireland Book of Common Prayer, 2004): O Almighty God, who in thy providence didst choose thy servant Patrick to be the apostle of the Irish people, that he might bring those who were wandering in darkness and error to the true light and knowledge of thee; Grant us so to walk in that light, that we may come at last to the light of everlasting life; through the merits of Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Amen.
St Patrick
St. Patrick is often credited for explaining the Holy Trinity using a shamrock as an analogy, but even his analogy has issues.
For those not familiar with the Holy Trinity, it is the theological concept where there is one God, but exist as three distinct persons comprised of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. This concept is fundamental in mainstream Christian denominations.
Explaining the Holy Trinity is not easy and has caused many heretical analogies. One famous heresy of the Holy Trinity is Arianism, the idea that the Son and Holy Ghost created from the Father and thus not co-equal and co-eternal. St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra (yup, Ol’ St. Nick from Christmas 🎅🏻) alleged slapped Arius in the face to the shock of the other attending bishops at the Council of Nicea in 325AD when Arius was explaining his heresy.
I choose to not try to understand the Holy Trinity, but accept it as something not understandable by us mere mortals. Any explanation on our plane of existence is and will always be flawed.
Usually, I post this video on Trinity Sunday, but since it references St. Patrick, I think it is also appropriate for today.
Today is the minor feast day of Saint Valentine, Bishop and Martyr, of the early Christian church. Tradition has it that he was executed on this day (think about that you lovers, blood is on your hands).
Whether you are in love, loved, lost love, or searching for love, remember that you are always loved by God, and as Whitney Houston sang, He will always love you!
Collect: O God, who didst bestow upon thy Saints such marvellous virtue, that they were able to stand fast, and have the victory against the world, the flesh, and the devil: Grant that we, who now commemorate thy Martyr Valentine, may ever rejoice in their fellowship, and also be enabled by thy grace to fight the good fight of faith and lay hold upon eternal life; through our Lord Jesus Christ, who with thee and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
🕯Today is Candlemas, or the Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, and the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
🎄The 40 days of Christmas is over.
In the past, I would have taken my candles to church to have them blessed for the coming year, but the cathedral has not resumed in person worship yet. #COVIDtide
My favourite canticle, the Nunc Dimittis or the Song of Simeon (often called “The Nunc” by me), said/sung at Evening Prayer. According to Luke 2:25-32, Simeon was a devout Jew who had been promised by God that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah. When Mary and Joseph brought the baby Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem for the presentation and purification of Mary, Simeon was there, and he took Jesus into his arms, fulfilling God’s promise.
Collect of the Day: Almighty and everliving God, we humbly beseech thy Majesty, that, as thy only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple in substance of our flesh, so we may be presented unto thee with pure and clean hearts, by the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
🕯🕯🕯O Lord Jesus Christ, the true light of the world, presented at the Temple on this day, bring forth the light to end the perilous darkness of night in our lives, so thy love can shine by these candles before us, and mercifully grant, that our hearts may be purified by the brightness of the Holy Ghost. Through, Jesus Christ, the Son, who with the Father and Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.
Nunc Dimittis (Song of Simeon): Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, / according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, / Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; To be a light to lighten the Gentiles, / and to be the glory of thy people Israel. 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.
Groundhog Day also occurs on the same day as Candlemas
The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.
Psalms: 119, Pts 3 & 4
1st Lesson: Amos 7
2nd Lesson: John 7. 53 – 8. 11
Collect: O God, who knowest us to be set in the midst of so many and great dangers, that by reason of the frailty of our nature we cannot always stand upright: Grant to us such strength and protection, as may support us in all dangers, and carry us through all temptations; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Collect from the Sarum Missal: O God, who knowest us to be set in the midst of so many and great dangers that by reason of the frailty of our nature we cannot stand upright, grant to us such health of mind and body, that by thy aid we may overcome those things which we suffer for our sins. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Collect for Charles the Martyr: O Lord we offer unto thee all praise and thanks for the glory of Thy grace that shined forth in Thine anointed servant Charles; and we beseech Thee to give us all grace that by a careful studious imitation of this Thy blessed Saint and Martyr, that we may be made worthy to receive benefit by his prayers, which he, in communion with the Church Catholic, offers up unto Thee for that part of it here Militant, through thy Son, our Blessed Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Continuing with “Church at Home” since in-person services continue to suspended within the Diocese.
The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.
Psalms: 95, 97
1st Lesson: Amos 5. 6-24
2nd Lesson: John 6. 41-end
Collect (being also the same as the Collect from the Sarum Missal): Almighty and everlasting God, mercifully look upon our infirmities, and in all our dangers and necessities stretch forth thy right hand to help and defend us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Continuing with “Church at Home” since in-person services continue to suspended within the Diocese.
The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.
Psalms: 27
1st Lesson: Amos 3
2nd Lesson: John 6. 22-40
Collect (being also the same as the Collect from the Sarum Missal): Almighty and everlasting God, who dost govern all things in heaven and earth: Mercifully hear the supplications of thy people, and grant us thy peace all the days of our life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
William Laud by Anthony van Dyck, 1636, Oil on canvas, National Portrait Gallery, London, UK
William Laud became archbishop of Canterbury in 1633. He sought to countered the Puritanism of the era and restore discipline in the Church of England and revive a sense of beauty and dignity in its celebration of the liturgy and by outward acts of reverence.
Parliament impeached him in 1640, and he languished in the Tower of London for over four years. When he was finally brought to trial, he defended himself so ably that Parliament decided to override the judicial process and passed a special act condemning him to death. He was beheaded on 10 January 1645.
Laud’s vision of the Church at prayer survived and became the standard of Anglican liturgical practice for the next two centuries.
Collect: O God, our heavenly Father, who didst raise up thy faithful servant William Laud to be a Bishop in thy Church and to feed thy flock: We beseech thee to send down upon all thy Bishops, the Pastors of thy Church, the abundant gift of thy Holy Spirit, that they, being endued with power from on high, and ever walking in the footsteps of thy holy Apostles, may minister before thee in thy household as true servants of Christ and stewards of thy divine mysteries; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the same Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.
Continuing with “Church at Home” since in-person services continue to suspended within the Diocese (but only in Nova Scotia) .
The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.
Psalms: 66
1st Lesson: Isaiah 42. 1-12
2nd Lesson: John 4. 1-26 (27-42)
Collect: O Lord, we beseech thee mercifully to receive the prayers of thy people which call upon thee; and grant that they may both perceive and know what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to fulfil the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Epiphany Collect: O God, who by the leading of a star didst manifest thy only-begotten Son to the Gentiles: Mercifully grant, that we, who know thee now by faith, may be led onward through this earthly life, until we see the vision of thy heavenly glory; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ, who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth, one God, world without end. Amen.
Prayer in times of plague or sickness: O Almighty God, who in thy wrath didst send a plague upon thine own people in the wildernes for their obstinate rebellion against Moses and Aaron, and also in the time of King David, didst slay with the plague of pestilence threescore and ten thousand, and yet remembering thy mercy didst save the rest: have pitie upon us miserable sinners, who now are visited with great sickness and mortality, that like as thou didst then accept of an atonement, and didst 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.
High Anglican Haligonian 