Saint Michael and All Angels

(transferred from September 29)

The Collect
Everlasting God, you have ordained and constituted in a wonderful order the ministries of angels and mortals: Mercifully grant that, as your holy angels always serve and worship you in heaven, so by your appointment they may help and defend us here on earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Sprit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Psalm
103

The Readings
Genesis 28:10-17     +     Revelation 12:7-12     +     John 1:47-51

Jesus answered, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.” And he said to him, “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.” 

~John 1:50-51

A Litany of the Holy Angels*
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us

God the Father, have mercy upon us.
God the Son, have mercy upon us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy upon us.

To thee, all angels cry aloud and all the powers of heaven sing,
     glory be to thee.
Thou didst lay the foundation of the earth, and the morning stars rejoiced,
     glory be to thee.
Before thee, seraphim continually do sing, holy, holy, holy,
     glory be to thee.
And with the whole company of heaven, we join our voices,
     glory be to thee.

O all ye angels of God, standing before the eternal light, pray for us.
Michael, who overthrew the devil, the deceiver and accuser, pray for us.
Michael, who restored peace to heaven and defends God's people on earth, pray for us.
Gabriel, sent to announce the birth of John the Baptist, pray for us.
Gabriel, greeting the Blessed Virgin Mary, pray for us.
O Angel of the Lord, directing Joseph to protect the Christ child, pray for us.
Angels of God, announcing the birth to shepherds, pray for us.
Angels of God, ministering to Jesus in his fast in the wilderness, pray for us.
Angels of God, strengthening Jesus in his prayer in the garden, pray for us.
Angels of God, waiting at the tomb to greet the women with good news, pray for us.
Angels of God, comforting the disciples at the Ascension, pray for us.
Angels of God, who rejoice over the sinner who repents, pray for us.
Angels of God, joining our praises with your perfect worship, pray for us.
Angels of God, leading home the child of God, pray for us.

Send thine angels to guide and protect us, and be our hope against all dangers in this life and the next,
     Good Lord, deliver us.

Hear our prayer, O Lord, and grant to all peoples peace and prosperity,
     Hear our prayer O Lord.
That in this good and bountiful creation, none may suffer want or hunger,
     Hear our prayer O Lord.
That in thy mercy, all may know thee as their loving creator,
     Hear our prayer O Lord.
Guide thy Holy Church into unity, inspire its witness, and enliven its service,
     Hear our prayer O Lord.
Bless those whom we love and remember before thee,
     Hear our prayer O Lord.
Give to the departed eternal rest,
     Hear our prayer O Lord.

Blessed art thou that beholdest the depths;
     and dwellest between the Cherubim.
Blessed art thou, O Father, Son, and Holy Spirit;
     praised and exalted above all forever.

Give ear to our prayers, O Lord, and while our path lies through the changes and chances of this mortal life, grant us the fellowship of thy saints, the protection of thy holy angels, and the hope that our journey leads to thine eternal and blessed kingdom. Amen.

* This is a slightly abbreviated form of a litany found in Saint Augustine's Prayer Book, a supplemental book of prayers and devotions that has long been a source of spiritual nourishment for Anglicans and Episcopalians. A recently revised edition is available from Forward Movement.

Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist

The Collect
We thank you, heavenly Father, for the witness of your apostle and evangelist Matthew to the Gospel of your Son our Savior; and we pray that, after his example, we may with ready wills and hearts obey the calling of our Lord to follow him; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Psalm
119:33-40

The Readings
Proverbs 3:1-6     +     II Timothy 3:14-17     +     Matthew 9:9-13

As for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 
~II Timothy 3:14-15

Of the four canonical Gospels, Matthew's is in many ways "the most Jewish." More than the others, his Gospel continually quotes the Old Testament scriptures to "prove" that they are fulfilled in Jesus, who is the long-awaited Messiah. And in structure, Matthew's Gospel presents Jesus as a new Moses, which may itself be seen as fulfillment of the prophecy that the LORD would raise up a prophet like Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15).

This devotion to the Law and the Prophets, to "the sacred writings," is reflected in the readings appointed for this feast of St. Matthew. And yet, somewhat ironically, the traditional author of this Gospel was hardly a pious scholar (at least not initially). As one of the twelve disciples, Matthew (or Levi) was called to leave a profession as tax-gatherer to follow Jesus. As Lesser Feasts and Fasts puts it:

"Tax collectors were viewed as collaborators with the Roman State, extortioners who took money from their own people to further the cause of Rome and to line their own pockets. They were spurned as traitors and outcasts. The Jews so abhorred them that pious Pharisees refused to marry into a family that had a publican as a member. Clearly, Matthew was hardly they type of man that a devout Jew would have had among his closest associates."

And yet this was the man chosen by the devout Jew Jesus to be a member of his inner circle. This was the man whose name is connected with the Gospel that seeks to plumb the depths of the scriptures, and finds in them a witness to the life and work of Jesus Christ.

Consider your own life in comparison to Matthew's. Where do you see yourself in relation to "the religious institution"? Are you, or have you ever been, "an outcast"? What bearing, if any, does that have on your relationship to Jesus? How does your past and present familiarity with scripture, or lack thereof, impact the way you hear and understand the story of Jesus? What is the call of Jesus to you today?

Closing Prayer
Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: receive our supplications and prayers, which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
~an Ember Day collect, 'For all Christians in their vocation' (BCP, p. 256)  

   

Holy Cross Day

The Collect
Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ was lifted high upon the cross that he might draw the whole world to himself: Mercifully grant that we, who glory in the mystery of our redemption, may have grace to take up our cross and follow him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

The Psalm
98

The Readings

Isaiah 45:21-25     +     Philippians 2:5-11     +     John 12:31-36a

Sing to the Lord a new song, *
     for he has done marvelous things.
With his right hand and his holy arm *

      has he won for himself the victory.

~ Psalm 98:1-2

This is a feast with a fascinating and in some ways confusing history. (See the book, Holy Cross, Life-Giving Tree by Episcopal priest Donnel O'Flynn for more on that.) Suffice it to say that it is similar in its themes to Good Friday, but is explicitly a celebratory feast--The Lord has shown forth his glory: Come let us adore him (antiphon at Morning Prayer on Holy Cross Day, BCP p. 81).

The universality of God's victory over death is reflected in the day's readings and in the traditional customs and hymnody of the feast, which assert that the wood of this shameful instrument of death has become for all the world the place of life, a tree bearing fruit to eternity. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself (John 12:32). We are reminded that the cross is not merely a symbol, not merely a spur to reflection, or an unlikely example of hope. The cross is the very place of God’s love revealed for us. And the glory and victory of God is in that love revealed. At the very place where we least expect it, the evil and brokenness of the world is judged and driven out by the victory of God.

"The New Creation, Opened by the Cross" by Aidan O'Flynn and Jana Laxa; 

inspired by Paul Gauckler's "Sketch of the Floor Mosaic of the Byzantine-Era Baptistery at Oued Ramel, Tunisia"

Hymn no. 162 in our hymnal is a sixth-century text composed for this day on which we exalt the cross as God's means for our salvation. (See the video below for the music, with the latin text.)

The royal banners forward go,
the cross shines forth in mystic glow
where he through whom our flesh was made,
in that same flesh our ransom paid.

Fulfilled is all that David told
in true prophetic song of old;
how God the nation's King should be,
for God is reigning from the tree.

O tree of beauty, tree most fair,
ordained those holy limbs to bear
gone is thy shame, each crimson bough
proclaims the King of glory now.

Blest tree, whose chosen branches bore
the wealth that did the world restore,
the price which none but he could pay
to spoil the spoiler of his prey.

O cross, our one reliance, hail!
Still may thy power with us avail
to save us sinners from our sin,
God's righteousness for all to win.

To thee, eternal Three in One,
let homage meet by all be done;
as by the cross thou dost restore
so rule and guide us evermore.
Amen.