The Liturgical Christianity Portal

Readings for 4 Epiphany

celticanglican — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 02:27:43 +0000

All Bible readings, with the exception of the psalm, are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. The psalm is from the 1979 Book of Common Prayer.

Almighty and everlasting God, you govern all things both in heaven and on earth: Mercifully hear the supplications of your people, and in our time grant us your peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer)

Deuteronomy 18:15-20

15 Yahweh your God will raise up to you a prophet from your midst, of your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him. 16 This is according to all that you desired of Yahweh your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, “Let me not hear again the voice of Yahweh my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I not die.” 17 Yahweh said to me, “They have well said that which they have spoken. 18 I will raise them up a prophet from among their brothers, like you. I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him. 19 It shall happen, that whoever will not listen to my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. 20 But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.”

Psalm 111

Hallelujah!
I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, *
in the assembly of the upright, in the congregation.

Great are the deeds of the LORD! *
they are studied by all who delight in them.

His work is full of majesty and splendor, *
and his righteousness endures for ever.

He makes his marvelous works to be remembered; *
the LORD is gracious and full of compassion.

He gives food to those who fear him; *
he is ever mindful of his covenant.

He has shown his people the power of his works *
in giving them the lands of the nations.

The works of his hands are faithfulness and justice; *
all his commandments are sure.

They stand fast for ever and ever, *
because they are done in truth and equity.

He sent redemption to his people;
he commanded his covenant for ever; *
holy and awesome is his Name.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; *
those who act accordingly have a good understanding;
his praise endures for ever.

1 Corinthians 8:1-13

1 Now concerning things sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2 But if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he doesn’t yet know as he ought to know. 3 But if anyone loves God, the same is known by him. 4 Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that no idol is anything in the world, and that there is no other God but one. 5 For though there are things that are called “gods”, whether in the heavens or on earth; as there are many “gods” and many “lords”; 6 yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we live through him. 7 However, that knowledge isn’t in all men. But some, with consciousness of the idol until now, eat as of a thing sacrificed to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 But food will not commend us to God. For neither, if we don’t eat, are we the worse; nor, if we eat, are we the better. 9 But be careful that by no means does this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if a man sees you who have knowledge sitting in an idol’s temple, won’t his conscience, if he is weak, be emboldened to eat things sacrificed to idols? 11 And through your knowledge, he who is weak perishes, the brother for whose sake Christ died. 12 Thus, sinning against the brothers, and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore if food causes my brother to stumble, I will eat no meat forever more, that I don’t cause my brother to stumble.

Mark 1:21-28

21 They went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath day he entered into the synagogue and taught. 22 They were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as having authority, and not as the scribes. 23 Immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, 24 saying, “Ha! What do we have to do with you, Jesus, you Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know you who you are: the Holy One of God!” 25 Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” 26 The unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 They were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching? For with authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him!” 28 The report of him went out immediately everywhere into all the region of Galilee and its surrounding area.

Readings for 2 Epiphany

celticanglican — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 04:27:29 +0000

All Bible readings are from the World English Bible, which is a copyright-free edition. The Psalm is from the BCP.

Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory, that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP ’79)

1 Samuel 3:1-10(11-20)

1 The child Samuel ministered to Yahweh before Eli. Yahweh’s word was precious in those days; there was no frequent vision. 2 At that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see), 3 and the lamp of God hadn’t yet gone out, and Samuel had laid down in Yahweh’s temple, where the ark of God was; 4 Yahweh called Samuel; and he said, “Here I am.” 5 He ran to Eli, and said, “Here I am; for you called me.” He said, “I didn’t call; lie down again.” He went and lay down. 6 Yahweh called yet again, “Samuel!” Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am; for you called me.” He answered, “I didn’t call, my son; lie down again.” 7 Now Samuel didn’t yet know Yahweh, neither was Yahweh’s word yet revealed to him. 8 Yahweh called Samuel again the third time. He arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am; for you called me.” Eli perceived that Yahweh had called the child. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he calls you, that you shall say, ‘Speak, Yahweh; for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 Yahweh came, and stood, and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak; for your servant hears.” 11 Yahweh said to Samuel, “Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of everyone who hears it shall tingle. 12 In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even to the end. 13 For I have told him that I will judge his house forever, for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons brought a curse on themselves, and he didn’t restrain them. 14 Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be removed with sacrifice nor offering forever.”15 Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of Yahweh’s house. Samuel feared to show Eli the vision. 16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, “Samuel, my son!” He said, “Here I am.”

17 He said, “What is the thing that he has spoken to you? Please don’t hide it from me. God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that he spoke to you.”18 Samuel told him every bit, and hid nothing from him. He said, “It is Yahweh. Let him do what seems good to him.”

19 Samuel grew, and Yahweh was with him, and let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 All Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of Yahweh.

Reflection: How often do we miss God speaking to us in our own lives?

Psalm 139:1-5, 12-17 Page 794, BCP

1 LORD, you have searched me out and known me; *
you know my sitting down and my rising up; you discern my thoughts from afar.

2 You trace my journeys and my resting-places *
and are acquainted with all my ways.

3 Indeed, there is not a word on my lips, *
but you, O LORD, know it altogether.

4 You press upon me behind and before *
and lay your hand upon me.

5 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; *
it is so high that I cannot attain to it.

12 For you yourself created my inmost parts; *
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

13 I will thank you because I am marvelously made; *
your works are wonderful, and I know it well.

14 My body was not hidden from you, *
while I was being made in secret and woven in the depths of the earth.

15 Your eyes beheld my limbs, yet unfinished in the womb;
all of them were written in your book; *
they were fashioned day by day, when as yet there was none of them.

16 How deep I find your thoughts, O God! *
how great is the sum of them!

17 If I were to count them, they would be more in number
than the sand; *
to count them all, my life span would need to be like yours.

Reflection: What are some of the ways in which God’s knowledge and love of us amazes you?

1 Corinthians 6:12-20

12 “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are expedient. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be brought under the power of anything. 13 “Foods for the belly, and the belly for foods,” but God will bring to nothing both it and them. But the body is not for sexual immorality, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. 14 Now God raised up the Lord, and will also raise us up by his power. 15 Don’t you know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be! 16 Or don’t you know that he who is joined to a prostitute is one body? For, “The two”, he says, “will become one flesh.”17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit. 18 Flee sexual immorality! “Every sin that a man does is outside the body,” but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 19 Or don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Reflection: What is the best way to avoid being brought under control of anything that can hinder our walk with God?
John 1:43-51

43 On the next day, he was determined to go out into Galilee, and he found Philip. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, “We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote: Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”46 Nathanael said to him, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said about him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are King of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered him, “Because I told you, ‘I saw you underneath the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these!” 51 He said to him, “Most certainly, I tell you, hereafter you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Reflection: What is the best way to invite someone to “come and see” what following Jesus is about?

One of the points that was touched on that I thought was interesting was more of a desire for theological literacy. This is one thing that, from my observation, is very badly needed. I realize that not everyone is going to want to acquire seminary-level education, and that’s fine. But, I’ve noticed that there seems to be a lack of knowledge about the basics of Christianity in general among those of various denominations.

How do you suggest increasing theological literacy?

New Catholic Mass Translation

celticanglican — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 04:21:07 +0000

At the start of the most recent liturgical year, the Catholic Church started using a new translation for the Mass. The changes were done to help make the translation more faithful to the original Latin liturgy.

Like any other major liturgical change, it has had its issues. Some have been upset over having to learn new prayers, while others feel that the new translation departs from the spirit of Vatican II. Others welcome the translation changes.

It seems like changes in liturgy often evoke strong responses, both good and bad. As an Episcopalian, I’ve seen a lot of this myself. In my own communion, I’ve known of those who refuse to worship in a parish that uses the 1979 prayer book, prefering the 1928 edition instead. Others become frustrated in parishes that they feel use Rite I too much, or aren’t willing to embrace even more contemporary forms of worship.

While these types of differences in worship preferences may seem trivial to our non-liturgical brothers and sisters, they really aren’t. On one hand, the Church needs to carry out its mission in a way that is relevant to the times. Yet, we are also called to be faithful to sacred tradition and to do things decently and in good order. Failure to do any of these things may ultimately lead to more sad divisions.

What do you believe is the best way to cope with liturgical changes in a sensitive way?

Community Garden

celticanglican — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 06:41:57 +0000

An interesting Episcopal News Service story back in November highlighted a Dallas parish that started its own community garden. The small Church of Our Savior started a garden back in 2003 as a form of community outeach. The current yield is reaching the 20 ton mark, which is quite impressive.

While it may seem like an unusual choice, projects like this are a greaat way to reach out to the local community. For many people, church relevance isn’t so much about worship style as it is about community involvement. Since we have just finished celebrating the Christmas season, which is all about the Incarnation, reaching out to the community in some way is a good way to let everyone know the good news.

What types of projects is your congregation going to pursue for outreach in the coming year?

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Ancient Lessons for Today’s Christians

celticanglican — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 05:22:14 +0000

A reading of the Prophetic books shows a world that may seem alien, but has some parallels to our own modern world. The books discuss the hazards of intermingling God-instituted religious beliefs with those of the pagan nations that surrounded Israel. Some prophets, such as Daniel, were in situations where being faithful to God meant death.

There is kind of a conflict between the practices of Christianity and a world that is increasingly consumerist. A lot of the needless tension some experience during the holidays, for example, is centered around concerns over money for gifts, easing up family conflicts to make a family gathering pleasant, and uncharitable behavior towards fellow holiday shoppers.

Obviously, Christians living in these times are in a somewhat different situation from Daniel and the other prophets. However, our practices of Advent and the traditional Christmas season (not the retail shopping season) can help bring light and peace to those for whom the holiday season has simply become intolerable.

Our spiritual ancestors, Jewish or Christian, were made of the tougher stuff. If they endured horrible persecutions and martyrdoms, we can certainly bring hope to a world that’s often lost its priorities.

Are the Prophers Cruel Men?

celticanglican — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 05:14:04 +0000

Read it here

Pastor Keller, in his blog, has been addressing some of the prophetic books in the Bible during Advent. The link leads to a good commentary on Hosea. I think these passages of the Bible, as personally troubling as they may appear, are of great importance to all of us today.

Some, especially non-Christians who reject the inspiration of the Bible, find these words from the prophets to represent an angry, distant God. Others see them as a clear picture of what’s wrong with humanity in general, and see them as providing a message of hope, in spite of everything.

What do you think?

The Words of the Prophets

celticanglican — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 01:50:00 +0000

A blog I follow regularly recently featured a post about the importance of the words of the prophets. You can read about it here: Trust, Live, Serve

I agree with the author’s assessment about the importance of what the prophets have to say. I think this is especially important during the season of Advent, when both the prophets from the Hebrew Scriptures and John the Baptist are commonly mentioned. The prophets had a lot of things to say, things that seem to be just as relevant in this day and age as they were back then. The people and circumstances may have changed, but God’s ability to redeem us hasn’t.

How do the words of the prophets speak to you today?

Multi-Denominational Advent Resources

celticanglican — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 17:57:31 +0000

TextWeek

A variety of great resources for Advent are available, representing several denominations. Some of the resources included interesting articles, wreath-lighting ceremonies and planning resources for Advent services.

Balancing Work, Play and Worship

celticanglican — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 04:34:52 +0000

This link is from a post on an excellent blog by a Lutheran pastor named John Keller. Pastor Keller brings up an interesting point about finding the balance between work, play and worship. While it may seem like this is mostly something for clergy to be concerned about, I think all of us can benefit from it.

I’m a lay woman with a freelance writing job that makes my schedule somewhat interesting at times. Trying to balance that with my discipline of praying for others, plus personal obligations, can be somewhat of a struggle.

How do you find balance in your prayer, work and personal life?

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I Sing a Song of the Saints of God

celticanglican — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 05:24:57 +0000