Category: Liturgy and Prayer
O Clavis David
O Key of David and sceptre of the House of Israel;
you open and no one can shut;
you shut and no one can open:
Come and lead the prisoners from the prison house,
those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.
– Common Worship Times and Seasons
O Radix Jesse
Oops – forgot to post yestersday’s Advent antiphon
O Root of Jesse, standing as a sign among the peoples;
before you kings will shut their mouths,
to you the nations will make their prayer:
Come and deliver us, and delay no lonmger.
– Common Worship Times and Seasons
O Adonai
who appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush
and gave him the law on Sinai:
Come and redeem us with an outstretched arm.
– Common Worship Times and Seasons
O Sapientia
O Wisdom, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High,
reaching from one end to the other mightily,
and sweetly ordering all things:
Come and teach us the way of prudence.
– Common Worship Times and Seasons
Easter Day
by the raising of your Son
you have broken the chains of death and hell:
fill your Church with faith and hope;
for a new day has dawned
and the way to life stands open
in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen
Common Worship alternative collect
And while I’m doing hymns …
While I’m on the subject of hymns that have a particular resonance in holy Week, here is Graham Kendrick with “Meekness and majesty.” Many years ago, in a previous parish, I used this hymn as a basis for a Lent Course. We took a phrase from the hymn each week, and had a talk about the theological issues, sang the hymn and concluded with communion.
Good Friday and Stuart Townend
I used the words of two of Stuart Townend’s hymns in my Good Friday sermon.
Here is the first, the one we have sung twice during Lent: “In Christ alone.”
The second, “How deep the Father’s love,” I used at the end of my sermon as a meditation.
The woman at the well
This Sunday the gospel reading in the Revised Common Lectionary is the Samaritan woman at the well. I alluded in my sermon to the fact that she is remembered as Saint Photini, with her own feast day, in the Orthodox Church. For those who would like a fuller account of her life, according to Orthodox tradition, you can read more about her at www.orthodoxchristianinfo.com, which also gives the following Orthodox prayer of Saint Photini:
-
Illuminated by the Holy Spirit, All-Glorious One,
from Christ the Saviour you drank the water of salvation.
With open hand you give it to those who thirst.
Great-Martyr Photini, Equal-to-the-Apostles,
pray to Christ for the salvation of our souls.
Christmas Day
Lord Jesus Christ,
your birth at Bethlehem
draws us to kneel in wonder at heaven touching earth:
accept our heartfelt praise
as we worship you,
our Saviour and our eternal God.
Common Worship Additional Collect for Christmas Day
Happy Christmas to one and all, and may God bless you and yours today and through the coming year.
View from the Valley 