All Hallows Morning and Evening Prayer for Sunday (January 1, 2023)
The orders of service for this Sunday's Morning and Evening Prayer come from the orders of service for the Divine Office in the Anglican Church of Canada’s The Book of Alternative Services (1985).
Morning Prayer begins at the top of the page. Scroll down the page for the beginning of Evening Prayer.
The Naming of Jesus
Morning Prayer
The Penitential Rite
Seek the Lord while he wills to be found, call upon him when he draws near; let the wicked forsake their ways, and the evil ones their thoughts; and let them return to the Lord, and he will have compassion, and to our God, for he will richly pardon. Isaiah 55.6, 7
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbour.
Silence is kept.
Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us,
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your name. Amen.
Almighty God have mercy upon us,
pardon and deliver you from all your sins,
confirm and strengthen us in all goodness,
and keep us in eternal life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Invitatory
Open this link to James Quinn SJ’s paraphrase of the Jubilate Deo, “Sing All Creation.”
1 Sing, all creation, sing to God in gladness!
Joyously serve him, singing hymns of homage!
Chanting his praises, come before his presence!
Praise the Almighty!
2 Know that our God is Lord of all the ages!
He is our maker; we are all his creatures,
people he fashioned, sheep he leads to pasture!
Praise the Almighty!
3 Enter his temple, ringing out his praises!
Sing in thanksgiving as you come before him!
Blessing his bounty, glorify his greatness!
Praise the Almighty!
[Instrumental interlude]
4 Great in his goodness is the Lord we worship;
steadfast his kindness, love that knows no ending!
Faithful his word is, changeless, everlasting!
Praise the Almighty!
The Psalms
Open this link in a new tab to hear Marty Haugen’s responsorial setting of Psalm 63, “In the Morning I Will Sing.”
In the morning I will sing,
I will sing glad songs to you,
I will sing glad songs of praise to you,
I will sing glad songs of praise to you.
1 O God you are my God, for you I long;
for you my soul is thirsting
My body pines for you
like a dry weary land without water.
So I gaze on you in the sanctuary
To see your strength and your glory.
In the morning I will sing,
I will sing glad songs to you,
I will sing glad songs of praise to you,
I will sing glad songs of praise to you.
2 For you love is better than life,
my lips will speak your praise.
So I will bless you all my life,
in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul shall be filled as with a banquet,
my mouth shall praise you with joy.
In the morning I will sing,
I will sing glad songs to you,
I will sing glad songs of praise to you,
I will sing glad songs of praise to you.
3 On my bed I remember you.
on you I muse through the night
for you have been my help;
in the shadow of your wings I rejoice.
my soul clings to you;
Your right hand holds me fast.
In the morning I will sing,
I will sing glad songs to you,
I will sing glad songs of praise to you,
I will sing glad songs of praise to you.
Silence is kept.
To you we come, radiant Lord,
the goal of all our desiring,
beyond all earthly beauty;
gentle protector, strong deliverer,
in the night you are our confidence;
from first light be our joy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Roger Holtz and Jane Terwillinger’s setting of Psalm 8, “O Lord, Our God, How Wonderful.”
O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name,
how wonderful your name,
in all the earth!
When I behold your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars which you set in place -
What is man that you should be mindful of him,
or the son of man that you should care for him?
O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name,
how wonderful your name,
in all the earth!
You have made him little less than the angels,
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him rule over the works of your hands,
putting all things under his feet:
O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name,
how wonderful your name,
in all the earth!
All sheep and oxen,
yes, and the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fishes of the sea,
and whatever swims the paths of the seas.
O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name,
how wonderful your name,
in all the earth!
Silence is kept.
We bless you, Master of the heavens,
for the wonderful order which enfolds this world;
grant that your whole creation
may find fulfilment in the Son of Man,
Jesus Christ our Savior.
Hear this prayer for your love’s sake. Amen.
The Proclamation of the Word
The Readings
A reading from the Book of Numbers (Numbers 6:22-27)
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron and his sons to bless the people of Israel with this special blessing:
‘May the Lord bless you
and protect you.
May the Lord smile on you
and be gracious to you.
May the Lord show you his favor
and give you his peace.’
Whenever Aaron and his sons bless the people of Israel in my name, I myself will bless them.”
Silence may follow the reading
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Alice Parker’s setting of Carl P. Daw Jr.’s paraphrase of the Benedicite Omnia Opera, “Let All Creation Bless the Lord.”
1 Let all creation bless the Lord,
till heav'n with praise is ringing.
Sun, moon, and stars, peal out a chord,
stir up the angels' singing.
Sing, wind and rain! Sing, snow and sleet!
Make music, day, night, cold and heat:
exalt the God who made you,
exalt the God who made you.
2 All living things upon the earth,
green fertile hills and mountains,
sing to the God who gave you birth;
be joyful, springs and fountains.
Lithe waterlife, bright airborne birds,
wild roving beasts, tame flocks and herds:
exalt the God who made you,
exalt the God who made you.
O men and women everywhere,
lift up a hymn of glory;
all you who know God's steadfast care
tell out salvation's story.
No tongue be mute; all sing your part,
you humble souls and meek of heart:
exalt the God who made you
exalt the God who made you.
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke (Luke 2:15-21)
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.
Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived.
Silence may follow the Gospel
The Gospel of Christ.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Open this link in a new tab to hear F. Bland Tucker’s translation of Nikolas Decius’ paraphrase of the Gloria in Excelsis, “All Glory Be to God on High.”
1 All glory be to God on high
and peace on earth from heaven.
And God’s good will unfailingly
be to all people given.
We bless, we worship you, we raise
For your great glory thanks and praise,
O God, almighty Father.
2 O Lamb of God, Lord Jesus Christ,
Whom God the Father gave us,
Who for the world was sacrificed
upon the cross to save us.
And as you sit at God’s right hand
and we for judgment there must stand,
have mercy, Lord, upon us.
3 You only are the Holy One,
who came for our salvation,
and only you are God’s true Son,
who was before creation.
You, only Christ, as Lord we own
and with the Spirit, you alone
share In the Father’s glory.
Homily
At one time names were thought to have tremendous power. A name could be a blessing. It could also be a curse.
Psychologists tell us that the names our parents choose for us or whoever named us chooses can influence our perceptions of ourselves. A parent might name a child after someone whom they greatly admire. A parent might also name a child after someone whom they despise.
In some cultures, a child is called by one name while they are a child. When they reach adulthood by the reckoning of that culture, they are given a new name, a name by which they are called as an adult.
In other cultures, it is believed that if you know someone’s true name, you gain power over them. Consequently, people adopt a public name and keep their true name secret. They only share their true name with a few trusted individuals if with anyone at all. If they share their name with someone, they whisper it in that person’s ear lest someone overhear their true name.
To the people of Israel, the four consonants of the name of God were considered so sacred that they did not utter them aloud. Instead, they addressed God as Adonai, that is, Lord.
The name Jesus was given at his circumcision was the name the angel who had appeared in a dream to Joseph had told Joseph to give Mary’s then unborn child. Jesus, or Yeshua in Hebrew, means “God is salvation” or “God saves.” It is a variation of Joshua.
According to the Old Testament narrative, Joshua succeeded Moses as the leader of the people of Israel and led them into the Promised Land. Moses himself was not permitted to enter the Promised Land. He was only allowed to look upon the land from the heights of Mount Nebo before his death.
Among the notable qualities of Joshua’s character was his faithfulness ad obedience to God, qualities that Jesus himself would exhibit.
The Bible does not tell us much about Jesus’ childhood beyond his circumcision and naming on the eighth day after he was born as was the Jewish custom, the flight of his family into Egypt, their eventual return to Nazareth, and a visit that the family made to Jerusalem for the Passover festival, a visit on which Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem without his parents’ knowledge. When they discovered that he was missing, they first searched for him among their relatives and friends and then they returned to Jerusalem to search for him there. After a three-day search they found Jesus in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. The Gospel of Luke tells us that all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. From the conversation between him and his mother, Jesus appears to have already viewed God as his father, referring to the Temple as “my Father’s house.”
The Gospels do not tell us whether Joseph shared with Jesus how he came to be named Jesus, nor do tell us whether his mother shared with him the various extraordinary events that preceded and accompanied his birth. The inhabitants of Nazareth where he had grown to adulthood referred to him as the carpenter’s son. This is how they had pigeonholed him in their mind. They did not appear to see anything exceptional about him.
Jesus, it is reasonable to believe, was familiar with the story of Joshua in the Old Testament. This story and what his parents may have told him may have had some influence upon him. Whether they did, however, is conjecture on our part. We have very little to go on.
Why then is the name Jesus was given important?
In the Bible names are used in a number of different ways. One way is to communicate God’s message. Another is to establish a connection or relationship with God. Jesus’ name appears to be used both ways.
Jesus’ name conveys the message that God is our savior. But even more importantly, it conveys the message that we need a savior. Yes, we need a savior. We may not think we do but we do.
Jesus’ name also is used to establish a close association between Jesus and God. It identifies Jesus as the one through whom God saves.
Joseph and Mary did not pick a name out of a hat for Jesus. According to the New Testament account of Jesus’ naming which is found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, Joseph was given Jesus’ name by an angel, by a divine messenger, who appeared to Joseph in a dream. The angel told Joseph that Jesus would save his people from their sins. The angel also told Joseph that he could trust Mary. The baby she was carrying was not the result of an act of disloyalty to him and a violation of their betrothal but God’s doing.
Regardless of whether we read Matthew and Luke’s account of how Jesus was named in a literal sense or a figurative one, Jesus’ name holds the same meaning for us. We all have a need of salvation and the way to salvation is Jesus.
This is also the message of all four Gospels. John in his Gospel puts it very succinctly. “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NLT)
Silence is kept.
Affirmation of Faith
Hear, O Israel,
the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord your God
with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
This is the first and the great commandment.
The second is like it:
Love your neighbour as yourself.
There is no commandment greater than these.
The Intercessions and Thanksgivings
The leader or another participant leads the prayers, using the following form.
(Let us pray to the Lord, saying, “Lord, have mercy.”)
Let us ask the Lord for a day of fulfilment and peace.
Lord, have mercy.
Let us ask the Lord to teach us to love others as he has loved us.
Lord, have mercy.
Let us ask the Lord for justice and peace in the world.
Lord, have mercy.
Let us ask the Lord to strengthen and relieve those who are in need.
Lord, have mercy.
Let us ask the Lord to renew the Church through the power of his life-giving Spirit.
Lord, have mercy.
Additional intercessions, petitions and thanksgivings may be offered in silence or aloud.
The Collect
We thank you, Lord God, for the gift
of your Son
whom you commanded to be called
Jesus;
grant that we may so honour his
name on earth,
that others may be led to him who
alone is Lord and Saviour.
Amen
The Lord’s Prayer
And now, as our Saviour Christ has taught us,
we are bold to say,
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Alan Smith’s arrangement of the traditional West Indian carol, “The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy.”
1 The virgin Mary had a baby boy,
the virgin Mary had a baby boy,
the virgin Mary had a baby boy,
and they say that his name is Jesus.
He come
He comes from the glory,
He come
He come from the glorious kingdom.
He come
He come from the glory,
He come
He come from the glorious kingdom.
Oh, Oh yes! believer!
Oh, Oh yes! believer!
He come
He come from the glory,
He come
He come from the glorious kingdom.
2 The angels sang when the child was born,
the angels sang when the child was born,
the angels sang when the child was born,,
and they say that his name is Jesus.
He come
He comes from the glory,
He come
He come from the glorious kingdom.
He come
He come from the glory,
He come
He come from the glorious kingdom.
Oh, Oh yes! believer!
Oh, Oh yes! believer!
He come
He come from the glory,
He come
He come from the glorious kingdom.
3 The wise men came when the angels sang,
the wise men came when the angels sang,
the wise men came when angels sang,
and they say that his name is Jesus.
He come
He comes from the glory,
He come
He come from the glorious kingdom.
He come
He come from the glory,
He come
He come from the glorious kingdom.
Oh, Oh yes! believer!
Oh, Oh yes! believer!
He come
He come from the glory,
He come
He come from the glorious kingdom.
Dismissal
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
May God, who has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light, bless and keep us and fill us with peace. Amen.
Evening Prayer
The Service of the Light
Jesus Christ is the light of the world.
A light no darkness can extinguish.
Open this link in a new tab to hear David Sims’ arrangement of Sylvia Dunstan’s paraphrase of the Phos Hilaron, “O Laughing Light, First-Born of Creation.”
1 O laughing light, O First-born of creation,
Radiance of glory, light from light begotten,
God self-revealing, holy, bright and blessed:
You shine upon us.
2 Day’s light is fleeting; your light is eternal.
We look to you, our light within the shadow.
We sing to you, Creator, Christ, and Spirit;
You shine before us.
3 Light of the world, O Jesus Christ, we bless you!
Giver of life and Child of God, we praise you!
Hear as the universe proclaims your glory!
You shine among us.
You shine among us.
Thanksgiving
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Blessed are you, Lord our God,
our eternal Father and David’s king.
You have made our gladness greater and increased our joy
by sending to dwell among us
the Wonderful Counsellor, the Prince of Peace.
Born of Mary,
proclaimed to the shepherds,
and acknowledged to the ends of the earth,
your unconquered Sun of righteousness
destroys our darkness and establishes us in freedom.
All glory in the highest be to you,
through Christ, the Son of your favour,
in the anointing love of his Spirit,
this night and for ever and ever. Amen.
The Psalms
Open this link in a new tab to hear Andrea Sandefur’s setting of Psalm 134, “Come, All Your Servants of the Lord.”
Come all you servants of the Lord (bless the Lord)
Who stand by night in the house of the Lord
Come all you servants of the Lord (bless the Lord)
Who stand by night in the house of the Lord
Lift up your hands to the Holy Place
Lift up your hands, and bless the Lord
Lift up your hands to the Holy Place
Lift up your hands, and bless the Lord, bless the Lord
May the Lord bless you from Zion
He who made heaven and earth (heaven and earth)
May the Lord bless you from Zion
He who made heaven and earth (heaven and earth)
Lift up your hands to the Holy Place
Lift up your hands, and bless the Lord
Lift up your hands to the Holy Place
Lift up your hands, and bless the Lord
Lift up your hands to the Holy Place
Lift up your hands, and bless the Lord
Lift up your hands to the Holy Place
Lift up your hands, and bless the Lord, bless the Lord
Silence is kept.
Guard all your household, Lord,
through the dark night of faith,
and purify the hearts of those who wait on you,
until your kingdom dawns with the
rising of your Son,
Christ, the morning star.
Praise to you our God;
You answer prayer. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Lori True’s adaptation of Psalm 121, “You, the Source and Maker.”
You, the Source and Maker
of heaven and earth.
You alone are my help.
You, the Source and Maker
of heaven and earth.
You alone are my help.
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains;
from where shall come my help?
My help shall come from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
You, the Source and Maker
of heaven and earth.
You alone are my help.
*2 May God never allow you to stumble!
Let your guard not sleep.
Behold neither sleeping nor slumb’ring
Israel’s guard.
You, the Source and Maker
of heaven and earth.
You alone are my help.
3 The Lord is your guard and your shade;
And stands at your right.
By day the sun shall not smite you,
nor the moon in the night.
You, the Source and Maker
of heaven and earth.
You alone are my help.
4 The Lord will guard you from evil,
and will guard your soul.
The Lord will guard your going and coming,
both now and forever.
You, the Source and Maker
of heaven and earth.
You alone are my help.
*Omitted on the video.
Silence is kept.
Lord, ever watchful and faithful,
we look to you to be our defense
and we lift our hearts to know your help;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Proclamation of the Word
The Readings
A reading from the Book of Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy 30:11-20)
“This command I am giving you today is not too difficult for you, and it is not beyond your reach. It is not kept in heaven, so distant that you must ask, ‘Who will go up to heaven and bring it down so we can hear it and obey?’ It is not kept beyond the sea, so far away that you must ask, ‘Who will cross the sea to bring it to us so we can hear it and obey?’ No, the message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart so that you can obey it.
“Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster. For I command you this day to love the Lord your God and to keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and occupy.
“But if your heart turns away and you refuse to listen, and if you are drawn away to serve and worship other gods, then I warn you now that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live a long, good life in the land you are crossing the Jordan to occupy.
“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
Silence may follow the reading
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Janet Whitaker’s “Magnificat.”
1 Sing out, my soul, for God has raised and blessed me
and looked on me with kindly, loving eyes.
A servant lowly yet I am beloved.
This wondrous God has done great things for me.
Forevermore O mighty God of mercy,
I will sing praise for holy is your name!
2 The proud of heart he shall make low and humble.
The gentle, poor and hungry shall be filled.
O Israel! God shall uphold the promise
made long ago to you and Abraham.
Forevermore O mighty God of mercy,
I will sing praise for holy is your name!
3 Glory to you, the God of all creation.
Glory to, O Christ, the promised one.
Glory to you, O Spirit of Compassion.
Inspire our hearts to sing our mother’s song.
Forevermore O mighty God of mercy,
I will sing praise for holy is your name!
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 3:1-16)
Peter and John went to the Temple one afternoon to take part in the three o’clock prayer service. As they approached the Temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in. Each day he was put beside the Temple gate, the one called the Beautiful Gate, so he could beg from the people going into the Temple. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money.
Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, “Look at us!” The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money. But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!”
Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man’s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them.
All the people saw him walking and heard him praising God. When they realized he was the lame beggar they had seen so often at the Beautiful Gate, they were absolutely astounded! They all rushed out in amazement to Solomon’s Colonnade, where the man was holding tightly to Peter and John.
Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd. “People of Israel,” he said, “what is so surprising about this? And why stare at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or godliness? For it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of all our ancestors—who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this. This is the same Jesus whom you handed over and rejected before Pilate, despite Pilate’s decision to release him. You rejected this holy, righteous one and instead demanded the release of a murderer. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. And we are witnesses of this fact!
“Through faith in the name of Jesus, this man was healed—and you know how crippled he was before. Faith in Jesus’ name has healed him before your very eyes.
Silence may follow the reading
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Open a link in a new tab to hear Manoling Francisco’s “Simeon’s Canticle.”
Lord, let Your servant go in peace
For Your Word has been fulfilled.
Lord, let Your servant go in peace
For Your Word has been fulfilled.
A Child shall be born to the Virgin,
And His Name shall be called, "Emmanuel."
Lord, let Your servant go in peace
For Your Word has been fulfilled.
My own eyes have seen Your salvation
Which You have prepared for all men.
Lord, let Your servant go in peace
For Your Word has been fulfilled.
A Light shall reveal to the nations
And the glory of Your people, Israel.
Lord, let Your servant go in peace
For Your Word has been fulfilled.
Lord, let Your servant go in peace
For Your Word has been fulfilled.
Lord, let Your servant go in peace...
Homily
I first heard this children’s Bible song in the early 1980s. The Community of Celebration’s Fisherfolk perform it on one of their albums. It is based on today’s New Testament reading. We used a number of songs from the Community of Celebration at my mother’s church and at my own church, a new church plant launched by my mother’s church. Children can be taught hand gestures and other movements to make while they are singing it.
Peter and John went to pray
They met a lame man on the way
He asked for alms and held out his palms
And this is what Peter did say
"Silver and gold have I none
But such as I have give I thee
In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk"
He went walking and leaping and praising God
Walking and leaping and praising God
"In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk"
Peter and John went to pray
They met a lame man on the way
He asked for alms and held out his palms
And this is what Peter did say
"Silver and gold have I none
But such as I have give I thee
In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk"
He went walking and leaping and praising God
Walking and leaping and praising God
"In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk"
"In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk"
We don’t have to be wealthy to do God’s work. God often uses those who are not rich by the world’s standards to accomplish his purposes. Peter and John were poor fishermen. As Peter told the man who had been lame 40 years, he didn’t have any silver or gold. But what did have, he would give him. He healed the man on the spot. When a crowd gathered, he took advantage of the situation to call the people in the crowd to repent, to turn away from their evil ways and to turn to God.
Peter’s actions would become a pattern for the evangelistic efforts of the early Christians. They would engage in acts of mercy toward the Jewish or pagan population around them and when the opportunity arose, tell people about Jesus, calling upon them to repent from sin and to believe in Jesus
Peter’s miraculous healing of the lame man occurred not long after the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles as Jesus had promised them, empowering them for the mission with which he had charged them. They were to be his witnesses to the ends of the earth. It was the Holy Spirit who enabled Peter to heal the man. Peter was the instrument through which God in the person of the Holy Spirit acted. This is why Peter could say that it was not any power or godliness of his own by which the man was healed but by faith in the name of Jesus. The name of Jesus to which he is referring is Jesus’ authority.
As Jesus set the Holy Spirit to the apostles in fulfillment of his promise, he also sends the Holy Spirit to all his disciples. Because we do not receive the gift of the Holy Spirit in as dramatic a manner as did the apostles, and the Holy Spirit does not manifest his presence and power in us in the ways that he often did in the apostles does not mean that we do not have the Holy Spirit indwelling us.
It is the Holy Spirit who enables us to grow in our love of God and in Christian maturity. It is the Holy Spirit who makes it possible for us to become more like Jesus in our attitudes, thoughts, and behavior. It is the Holy Spirit who produces in us those qualities of character which the apostle Paul calls the fruit of the Spirit. It is also the Holy Spirit who empowers us to tell people about Jesus, to make disciples of them, to baptize them as he instructed, and to teach them what he commanded.
Without the Holy Spirit’ presence and power, we would be unable to serve as Jesus’ agents and representatives in the world, to the world. What Peter tells the crowd about the miraculous healing of the lame man in this evening’s New Testament reading, also applies to whatever we may accomplish as our Lord’s disciples in our lifetime. They will not be the result of our own power or godliness. They will be God’s doing.
Silence is kept.
Affirmation of Faith
Hear, O Israel,
the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord your God
with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
This is the first and the great commandment.
The second is like it:
Love your neighbour as yourself.
There is no commandment greater than these.
Intercessions and Thanksgivings
The leader or another participant leads the prayers, using the following form.
Let us join in prayer with God’s faithful people throughout the world, saying “God of Love: hear our prayer.”
We pray for the unity of your church, that our life may reflect the love you have shown us.
God of love: Hear our prayer.
We ask your grace for all pastors, elders, and deacons and for all who minister in word and in deed, that we may bear faithful witness to your good news.
God of love: Hear our prayer.
We seek your justice and peace in our world, our country, and our community, that the needy may never be forgotten.
God of love: Hear our prayer.
We ask your blessing on our homes, our friends and family, and on those who live alone, that we may know your presence ever near us.
God of love: Hear our prayer.
We name before you all whom you have given us to pray for [especially….], knowing that you are doing for them better things than we can ask or imagine.
God of love: Hear our prayer.
We commend to you all who have died [especially….], that our trust in you may deepen, knowing that you are a just and merciful God.
God of love: Hear our prayer.
We offer our thanks and praise for all you have done for us, rejoicing in the knowledge that you are with us always.
God of love: Hear our prayer.
We look for your purposes to be accomplished and ask you to fill us with the strength and vision to carry out your will.
God of love: Hear our prayer.
Additional intercessions, petitions and thanksgivings may be offered in silence or aloud.
The Collect
We thank you, Lord God, for the gift
of your Son
whom you commanded to be called
Jesus;
grant that we may so honour his
name on earth,
that others may be led to him who
alone is Lord and Saviour.
Amen
The Lord’s Prayer
And now, as our Saviour Christ has taught us,
we are bold to say,
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Sarah Hart and Dwight Liles’ “Many and One.”
We are many, yet we are one.
We are sep’rate, yet bound in his love.
And together we are all his hands and his feet,
bringing mercy and peace to this world.
We are many and one.
1 We are fallen but we are forgiven;
broken and scattered yet being made whole
by our redeemer, one Lord and one savior,
the shepherd who gathers us all, gathers us all.
We are many, yet we are one.
We are sep’rate, but bound in his love.
And together we are all his hands and his feet,
bringing mercy and peace to this world.
We are many and one.
2 We are diff’rent as morning and evening,
Each of us living as we have been called,
all of us seeking, each of us reaching to
the shepherd who gathers us all, gathers us all.
We are many, yet we are one.
We are sep’rate, yet bound in his love.
And together we are all his hands and his feet,
bringing mercy and peace to this world.
We are many and one.
3 We are brothers and sisters in spirit,
found in all nations yet near to the Lord,
each one belonging, together now longing for
the shepherd who gathers us all, gathers us all.
We are many, yet we are one.
We are sep’rate, yet bound in his love.
And together we are all his hands and his feet,
bringing mercy and peace to this world.
bringing mercy and peace to this world,
bringing mercy and peace to this world.
We are many and one.
Oh we are one.
Dismissal
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
May God, who has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light, bless and keep us and fill us with peace. Amen.
The Penitential Rite
Seek the Lord while he wills to be found, call upon him when he draws near; let the wicked forsake their ways, and the evil ones their thoughts; and let them return to the Lord, and he will have compassion, and to our God, for he will richly pardon. Isaiah 55.6, 7
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbour.
Silence is kept.
Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us,
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your name. Amen.
Almighty God have mercy upon us,
pardon and deliver you from all your sins,
confirm and strengthen us in all goodness,
and keep us in eternal life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Invitatory
Open this link to James Quinn SJ’s paraphrase of the Jubilate Deo, “Sing All Creation.”
1 Sing, all creation, sing to God in gladness!
Joyously serve him, singing hymns of homage!
Chanting his praises, come before his presence!
Praise the Almighty!
2 Know that our God is Lord of all the ages!
He is our maker; we are all his creatures,
people he fashioned, sheep he leads to pasture!
Praise the Almighty!
3 Enter his temple, ringing out his praises!
Sing in thanksgiving as you come before him!
Blessing his bounty, glorify his greatness!
Praise the Almighty!
[Instrumental interlude]
4 Great in his goodness is the Lord we worship;
steadfast his kindness, love that knows no ending!
Faithful his word is, changeless, everlasting!
Praise the Almighty!
The Psalms
Open this link in a new tab to hear Marty Haugen’s responsorial setting of Psalm 63, “In the Morning I Will Sing.”
In the morning I will sing,
I will sing glad songs to you,
I will sing glad songs of praise to you,
I will sing glad songs of praise to you.
1 O God you are my God, for you I long;
for you my soul is thirsting
My body pines for you
like a dry weary land without water.
So I gaze on you in the sanctuary
To see your strength and your glory.
In the morning I will sing,
I will sing glad songs to you,
I will sing glad songs of praise to you,
I will sing glad songs of praise to you.
2 For you love is better than life,
my lips will speak your praise.
So I will bless you all my life,
in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul shall be filled as with a banquet,
my mouth shall praise you with joy.
In the morning I will sing,
I will sing glad songs to you,
I will sing glad songs of praise to you,
I will sing glad songs of praise to you.
3 On my bed I remember you.
on you I muse through the night
for you have been my help;
in the shadow of your wings I rejoice.
my soul clings to you;
Your right hand holds me fast.
In the morning I will sing,
I will sing glad songs to you,
I will sing glad songs of praise to you,
I will sing glad songs of praise to you.
Silence is kept.
To you we come, radiant Lord,
the goal of all our desiring,
beyond all earthly beauty;
gentle protector, strong deliverer,
in the night you are our confidence;
from first light be our joy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Roger Holtz and Jane Terwillinger’s setting of Psalm 8, “O Lord, Our God, How Wonderful.”
O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name,
how wonderful your name,
in all the earth!
When I behold your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars which you set in place -
What is man that you should be mindful of him,
or the son of man that you should care for him?
O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name,
how wonderful your name,
in all the earth!
You have made him little less than the angels,
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him rule over the works of your hands,
putting all things under his feet:
O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name,
how wonderful your name,
in all the earth!
All sheep and oxen,
yes, and the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fishes of the sea,
and whatever swims the paths of the seas.
O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name,
how wonderful your name,
in all the earth!
Silence is kept.
We bless you, Master of the heavens,
for the wonderful order which enfolds this world;
grant that your whole creation
may find fulfilment in the Son of Man,
Jesus Christ our Savior.
Hear this prayer for your love’s sake. Amen.
The Proclamation of the Word
The Readings
A reading from the Book of Numbers (Numbers 6:22-27)
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron and his sons to bless the people of Israel with this special blessing:
‘May the Lord bless you
and protect you.
May the Lord smile on you
and be gracious to you.
May the Lord show you his favor
and give you his peace.’
Whenever Aaron and his sons bless the people of Israel in my name, I myself will bless them.”
Silence may follow the reading
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Alice Parker’s setting of Carl P. Daw Jr.’s paraphrase of the Benedicite Omnia Opera, “Let All Creation Bless the Lord.”
1 Let all creation bless the Lord,
till heav'n with praise is ringing.
Sun, moon, and stars, peal out a chord,
stir up the angels' singing.
Sing, wind and rain! Sing, snow and sleet!
Make music, day, night, cold and heat:
exalt the God who made you,
exalt the God who made you.
2 All living things upon the earth,
green fertile hills and mountains,
sing to the God who gave you birth;
be joyful, springs and fountains.
Lithe waterlife, bright airborne birds,
wild roving beasts, tame flocks and herds:
exalt the God who made you,
exalt the God who made you.
O men and women everywhere,
lift up a hymn of glory;
all you who know God's steadfast care
tell out salvation's story.
No tongue be mute; all sing your part,
you humble souls and meek of heart:
exalt the God who made you
exalt the God who made you.
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke (Luke 2:15-21)
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.
Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived.
Silence may follow the Gospel
The Gospel of Christ.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Open this link in a new tab to hear F. Bland Tucker’s translation of Nikolas Decius’ paraphrase of the Gloria in Excelsis, “All Glory Be to God on High.”
1 All glory be to God on high
and peace on earth from heaven.
And God’s good will unfailingly
be to all people given.
We bless, we worship you, we raise
For your great glory thanks and praise,
O God, almighty Father.
2 O Lamb of God, Lord Jesus Christ,
Whom God the Father gave us,
Who for the world was sacrificed
upon the cross to save us.
And as you sit at God’s right hand
and we for judgment there must stand,
have mercy, Lord, upon us.
3 You only are the Holy One,
who came for our salvation,
and only you are God’s true Son,
who was before creation.
You, only Christ, as Lord we own
and with the Spirit, you alone
share In the Father’s glory.
Homily
What’s In a Name?
At one time names were thought to have tremendous power. A name could be a blessing. It could also be a curse.
Psychologists tell us that the names our parents choose for us or whoever named us chooses can influence our perceptions of ourselves. A parent might name a child after someone whom they greatly admire. A parent might also name a child after someone whom they despise.
In some cultures, a child is called by one name while they are a child. When they reach adulthood by the reckoning of that culture, they are given a new name, a name by which they are called as an adult.
In other cultures, it is believed that if you know someone’s true name, you gain power over them. Consequently, people adopt a public name and keep their true name secret. They only share their true name with a few trusted individuals if with anyone at all. If they share their name with someone, they whisper it in that person’s ear lest someone overhear their true name.
To the people of Israel, the four consonants of the name of God were considered so sacred that they did not utter them aloud. Instead, they addressed God as Adonai, that is, Lord.
The name Jesus was given at his circumcision was the name the angel who had appeared in a dream to Joseph had told Joseph to give Mary’s then unborn child. Jesus, or Yeshua in Hebrew, means “God is salvation” or “God saves.” It is a variation of Joshua.
According to the Old Testament narrative, Joshua succeeded Moses as the leader of the people of Israel and led them into the Promised Land. Moses himself was not permitted to enter the Promised Land. He was only allowed to look upon the land from the heights of Mount Nebo before his death.
Among the notable qualities of Joshua’s character was his faithfulness ad obedience to God, qualities that Jesus himself would exhibit.
The Bible does not tell us much about Jesus’ childhood beyond his circumcision and naming on the eighth day after he was born as was the Jewish custom, the flight of his family into Egypt, their eventual return to Nazareth, and a visit that the family made to Jerusalem for the Passover festival, a visit on which Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem without his parents’ knowledge. When they discovered that he was missing, they first searched for him among their relatives and friends and then they returned to Jerusalem to search for him there. After a three-day search they found Jesus in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. The Gospel of Luke tells us that all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. From the conversation between him and his mother, Jesus appears to have already viewed God as his father, referring to the Temple as “my Father’s house.”
The Gospels do not tell us whether Joseph shared with Jesus how he came to be named Jesus, nor do tell us whether his mother shared with him the various extraordinary events that preceded and accompanied his birth. The inhabitants of Nazareth where he had grown to adulthood referred to him as the carpenter’s son. This is how they had pigeonholed him in their mind. They did not appear to see anything exceptional about him.
Jesus, it is reasonable to believe, was familiar with the story of Joshua in the Old Testament. This story and what his parents may have told him may have had some influence upon him. Whether they did, however, is conjecture on our part. We have very little to go on.
Why then is the name Jesus was given important?
In the Bible names are used in a number of different ways. One way is to communicate God’s message. Another is to establish a connection or relationship with God. Jesus’ name appears to be used both ways.
Jesus’ name conveys the message that God is our savior. But even more importantly, it conveys the message that we need a savior. Yes, we need a savior. We may not think we do but we do.
Jesus’ name also is used to establish a close association between Jesus and God. It identifies Jesus as the one through whom God saves.
Joseph and Mary did not pick a name out of a hat for Jesus. According to the New Testament account of Jesus’ naming which is found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, Joseph was given Jesus’ name by an angel, by a divine messenger, who appeared to Joseph in a dream. The angel told Joseph that Jesus would save his people from their sins. The angel also told Joseph that he could trust Mary. The baby she was carrying was not the result of an act of disloyalty to him and a violation of their betrothal but God’s doing.
Regardless of whether we read Matthew and Luke’s account of how Jesus was named in a literal sense or a figurative one, Jesus’ name holds the same meaning for us. We all have a need of salvation and the way to salvation is Jesus.
This is also the message of all four Gospels. John in his Gospel puts it very succinctly. “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NLT)
Silence is kept.
Affirmation of Faith
Hear, O Israel,
the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord your God
with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
This is the first and the great commandment.
The second is like it:
Love your neighbour as yourself.
There is no commandment greater than these.
The Intercessions and Thanksgivings
The leader or another participant leads the prayers, using the following form.
(Let us pray to the Lord, saying, “Lord, have mercy.”)
Let us ask the Lord for a day of fulfilment and peace.
Lord, have mercy.
Let us ask the Lord to teach us to love others as he has loved us.
Lord, have mercy.
Let us ask the Lord for justice and peace in the world.
Lord, have mercy.
Let us ask the Lord to strengthen and relieve those who are in need.
Lord, have mercy.
Let us ask the Lord to renew the Church through the power of his life-giving Spirit.
Lord, have mercy.
Additional intercessions, petitions and thanksgivings may be offered in silence or aloud.
The Collect
We thank you, Lord God, for the gift
of your Son
whom you commanded to be called
Jesus;
grant that we may so honour his
name on earth,
that others may be led to him who
alone is Lord and Saviour.
Amen
The Lord’s Prayer
And now, as our Saviour Christ has taught us,
we are bold to say,
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Alan Smith’s arrangement of the traditional West Indian carol, “The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy.”
1 The virgin Mary had a baby boy,
the virgin Mary had a baby boy,
the virgin Mary had a baby boy,
and they say that his name is Jesus.
He come
He comes from the glory,
He come
He come from the glorious kingdom.
He come
He come from the glory,
He come
He come from the glorious kingdom.
Oh, Oh yes! believer!
Oh, Oh yes! believer!
He come
He come from the glory,
He come
He come from the glorious kingdom.
2 The angels sang when the child was born,
the angels sang when the child was born,
the angels sang when the child was born,,
and they say that his name is Jesus.
He come
He comes from the glory,
He come
He come from the glorious kingdom.
He come
He come from the glory,
He come
He come from the glorious kingdom.
Oh, Oh yes! believer!
Oh, Oh yes! believer!
He come
He come from the glory,
He come
He come from the glorious kingdom.
3 The wise men came when the angels sang,
the wise men came when the angels sang,
the wise men came when angels sang,
and they say that his name is Jesus.
He come
He comes from the glory,
He come
He come from the glorious kingdom.
He come
He come from the glory,
He come
He come from the glorious kingdom.
Oh, Oh yes! believer!
Oh, Oh yes! believer!
He come
He come from the glory,
He come
He come from the glorious kingdom.
Dismissal
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
May God, who has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light, bless and keep us and fill us with peace. Amen.
Evening Prayer
The Service of the Light
Jesus Christ is the light of the world.
A light no darkness can extinguish.
Open this link in a new tab to hear David Sims’ arrangement of Sylvia Dunstan’s paraphrase of the Phos Hilaron, “O Laughing Light, First-Born of Creation.”
1 O laughing light, O First-born of creation,
Radiance of glory, light from light begotten,
God self-revealing, holy, bright and blessed:
You shine upon us.
2 Day’s light is fleeting; your light is eternal.
We look to you, our light within the shadow.
We sing to you, Creator, Christ, and Spirit;
You shine before us.
3 Light of the world, O Jesus Christ, we bless you!
Giver of life and Child of God, we praise you!
Hear as the universe proclaims your glory!
You shine among us.
You shine among us.
Thanksgiving
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Blessed are you, Lord our God,
our eternal Father and David’s king.
You have made our gladness greater and increased our joy
by sending to dwell among us
the Wonderful Counsellor, the Prince of Peace.
Born of Mary,
proclaimed to the shepherds,
and acknowledged to the ends of the earth,
your unconquered Sun of righteousness
destroys our darkness and establishes us in freedom.
All glory in the highest be to you,
through Christ, the Son of your favour,
in the anointing love of his Spirit,
this night and for ever and ever. Amen.
The Psalms
Open this link in a new tab to hear Andrea Sandefur’s setting of Psalm 134, “Come, All Your Servants of the Lord.”
Come all you servants of the Lord (bless the Lord)
Who stand by night in the house of the Lord
Come all you servants of the Lord (bless the Lord)
Who stand by night in the house of the Lord
Lift up your hands to the Holy Place
Lift up your hands, and bless the Lord
Lift up your hands to the Holy Place
Lift up your hands, and bless the Lord, bless the Lord
May the Lord bless you from Zion
He who made heaven and earth (heaven and earth)
May the Lord bless you from Zion
He who made heaven and earth (heaven and earth)
Lift up your hands to the Holy Place
Lift up your hands, and bless the Lord
Lift up your hands to the Holy Place
Lift up your hands, and bless the Lord
Lift up your hands to the Holy Place
Lift up your hands, and bless the Lord
Lift up your hands to the Holy Place
Lift up your hands, and bless the Lord, bless the Lord
Silence is kept.
Guard all your household, Lord,
through the dark night of faith,
and purify the hearts of those who wait on you,
until your kingdom dawns with the
rising of your Son,
Christ, the morning star.
Praise to you our God;
You answer prayer. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Lori True’s adaptation of Psalm 121, “You, the Source and Maker.”
You, the Source and Maker
of heaven and earth.
You alone are my help.
You, the Source and Maker
of heaven and earth.
You alone are my help.
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains;
from where shall come my help?
My help shall come from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
You, the Source and Maker
of heaven and earth.
You alone are my help.
*2 May God never allow you to stumble!
Let your guard not sleep.
Behold neither sleeping nor slumb’ring
Israel’s guard.
You, the Source and Maker
of heaven and earth.
You alone are my help.
3 The Lord is your guard and your shade;
And stands at your right.
By day the sun shall not smite you,
nor the moon in the night.
You, the Source and Maker
of heaven and earth.
You alone are my help.
4 The Lord will guard you from evil,
and will guard your soul.
The Lord will guard your going and coming,
both now and forever.
You, the Source and Maker
of heaven and earth.
You alone are my help.
*Omitted on the video.
Silence is kept.
Lord, ever watchful and faithful,
we look to you to be our defense
and we lift our hearts to know your help;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Proclamation of the Word
The Readings
A reading from the Book of Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy 30:11-20)
“This command I am giving you today is not too difficult for you, and it is not beyond your reach. It is not kept in heaven, so distant that you must ask, ‘Who will go up to heaven and bring it down so we can hear it and obey?’ It is not kept beyond the sea, so far away that you must ask, ‘Who will cross the sea to bring it to us so we can hear it and obey?’ No, the message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart so that you can obey it.
“Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster. For I command you this day to love the Lord your God and to keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and occupy.
“But if your heart turns away and you refuse to listen, and if you are drawn away to serve and worship other gods, then I warn you now that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live a long, good life in the land you are crossing the Jordan to occupy.
“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
Silence may follow the reading
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Janet Whitaker’s “Magnificat.”
1 Sing out, my soul, for God has raised and blessed me
and looked on me with kindly, loving eyes.
A servant lowly yet I am beloved.
This wondrous God has done great things for me.
Forevermore O mighty God of mercy,
I will sing praise for holy is your name!
2 The proud of heart he shall make low and humble.
The gentle, poor and hungry shall be filled.
O Israel! God shall uphold the promise
made long ago to you and Abraham.
Forevermore O mighty God of mercy,
I will sing praise for holy is your name!
3 Glory to you, the God of all creation.
Glory to, O Christ, the promised one.
Glory to you, O Spirit of Compassion.
Inspire our hearts to sing our mother’s song.
Forevermore O mighty God of mercy,
I will sing praise for holy is your name!
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 3:1-16)
Peter and John went to the Temple one afternoon to take part in the three o’clock prayer service. As they approached the Temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in. Each day he was put beside the Temple gate, the one called the Beautiful Gate, so he could beg from the people going into the Temple. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money.
Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, “Look at us!” The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money. But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!”
Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man’s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them.
All the people saw him walking and heard him praising God. When they realized he was the lame beggar they had seen so often at the Beautiful Gate, they were absolutely astounded! They all rushed out in amazement to Solomon’s Colonnade, where the man was holding tightly to Peter and John.
Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd. “People of Israel,” he said, “what is so surprising about this? And why stare at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or godliness? For it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of all our ancestors—who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this. This is the same Jesus whom you handed over and rejected before Pilate, despite Pilate’s decision to release him. You rejected this holy, righteous one and instead demanded the release of a murderer. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. And we are witnesses of this fact!
“Through faith in the name of Jesus, this man was healed—and you know how crippled he was before. Faith in Jesus’ name has healed him before your very eyes.
Silence may follow the reading
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Open a link in a new tab to hear Manoling Francisco’s “Simeon’s Canticle.”
Lord, let Your servant go in peace
For Your Word has been fulfilled.
Lord, let Your servant go in peace
For Your Word has been fulfilled.
A Child shall be born to the Virgin,
And His Name shall be called, "Emmanuel."
Lord, let Your servant go in peace
For Your Word has been fulfilled.
My own eyes have seen Your salvation
Which You have prepared for all men.
Lord, let Your servant go in peace
For Your Word has been fulfilled.
A Light shall reveal to the nations
And the glory of Your people, Israel.
Lord, let Your servant go in peace
For Your Word has been fulfilled.
Lord, let Your servant go in peace
For Your Word has been fulfilled.
Lord, let Your servant go in peace...
Homily
“Silver and Gold Have I None”
I first heard this children’s Bible song in the early 1980s. The Community of Celebration’s Fisherfolk perform it on one of their albums. It is based on today’s New Testament reading. We used a number of songs from the Community of Celebration at my mother’s church and at my own church, a new church plant launched by my mother’s church. Children can be taught hand gestures and other movements to make while they are singing it.
Peter and John went to pray
They met a lame man on the way
He asked for alms and held out his palms
And this is what Peter did say
"Silver and gold have I none
But such as I have give I thee
In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk"
He went walking and leaping and praising God
Walking and leaping and praising God
"In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk"
Peter and John went to pray
They met a lame man on the way
He asked for alms and held out his palms
And this is what Peter did say
"Silver and gold have I none
But such as I have give I thee
In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk"
He went walking and leaping and praising God
Walking and leaping and praising God
"In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk"
"In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk"
We don’t have to be wealthy to do God’s work. God often uses those who are not rich by the world’s standards to accomplish his purposes. Peter and John were poor fishermen. As Peter told the man who had been lame 40 years, he didn’t have any silver or gold. But what did have, he would give him. He healed the man on the spot. When a crowd gathered, he took advantage of the situation to call the people in the crowd to repent, to turn away from their evil ways and to turn to God.
Peter’s actions would become a pattern for the evangelistic efforts of the early Christians. They would engage in acts of mercy toward the Jewish or pagan population around them and when the opportunity arose, tell people about Jesus, calling upon them to repent from sin and to believe in Jesus
Peter’s miraculous healing of the lame man occurred not long after the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles as Jesus had promised them, empowering them for the mission with which he had charged them. They were to be his witnesses to the ends of the earth. It was the Holy Spirit who enabled Peter to heal the man. Peter was the instrument through which God in the person of the Holy Spirit acted. This is why Peter could say that it was not any power or godliness of his own by which the man was healed but by faith in the name of Jesus. The name of Jesus to which he is referring is Jesus’ authority.
As Jesus set the Holy Spirit to the apostles in fulfillment of his promise, he also sends the Holy Spirit to all his disciples. Because we do not receive the gift of the Holy Spirit in as dramatic a manner as did the apostles, and the Holy Spirit does not manifest his presence and power in us in the ways that he often did in the apostles does not mean that we do not have the Holy Spirit indwelling us.
It is the Holy Spirit who enables us to grow in our love of God and in Christian maturity. It is the Holy Spirit who makes it possible for us to become more like Jesus in our attitudes, thoughts, and behavior. It is the Holy Spirit who produces in us those qualities of character which the apostle Paul calls the fruit of the Spirit. It is also the Holy Spirit who empowers us to tell people about Jesus, to make disciples of them, to baptize them as he instructed, and to teach them what he commanded.
Without the Holy Spirit’ presence and power, we would be unable to serve as Jesus’ agents and representatives in the world, to the world. What Peter tells the crowd about the miraculous healing of the lame man in this evening’s New Testament reading, also applies to whatever we may accomplish as our Lord’s disciples in our lifetime. They will not be the result of our own power or godliness. They will be God’s doing.
Silence is kept.
Affirmation of Faith
Hear, O Israel,
the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord your God
with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
This is the first and the great commandment.
The second is like it:
Love your neighbour as yourself.
There is no commandment greater than these.
Intercessions and Thanksgivings
The leader or another participant leads the prayers, using the following form.
Let us join in prayer with God’s faithful people throughout the world, saying “God of Love: hear our prayer.”
We pray for the unity of your church, that our life may reflect the love you have shown us.
God of love: Hear our prayer.
We ask your grace for all pastors, elders, and deacons and for all who minister in word and in deed, that we may bear faithful witness to your good news.
God of love: Hear our prayer.
We seek your justice and peace in our world, our country, and our community, that the needy may never be forgotten.
God of love: Hear our prayer.
We ask your blessing on our homes, our friends and family, and on those who live alone, that we may know your presence ever near us.
God of love: Hear our prayer.
We name before you all whom you have given us to pray for [especially….], knowing that you are doing for them better things than we can ask or imagine.
God of love: Hear our prayer.
We commend to you all who have died [especially….], that our trust in you may deepen, knowing that you are a just and merciful God.
God of love: Hear our prayer.
We offer our thanks and praise for all you have done for us, rejoicing in the knowledge that you are with us always.
God of love: Hear our prayer.
We look for your purposes to be accomplished and ask you to fill us with the strength and vision to carry out your will.
God of love: Hear our prayer.
Additional intercessions, petitions and thanksgivings may be offered in silence or aloud.
The Collect
We thank you, Lord God, for the gift
of your Son
whom you commanded to be called
Jesus;
grant that we may so honour his
name on earth,
that others may be led to him who
alone is Lord and Saviour.
Amen
The Lord’s Prayer
And now, as our Saviour Christ has taught us,
we are bold to say,
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Sarah Hart and Dwight Liles’ “Many and One.”
We are many, yet we are one.
We are sep’rate, yet bound in his love.
And together we are all his hands and his feet,
bringing mercy and peace to this world.
We are many and one.
1 We are fallen but we are forgiven;
broken and scattered yet being made whole
by our redeemer, one Lord and one savior,
the shepherd who gathers us all, gathers us all.
We are many, yet we are one.
We are sep’rate, but bound in his love.
And together we are all his hands and his feet,
bringing mercy and peace to this world.
We are many and one.
2 We are diff’rent as morning and evening,
Each of us living as we have been called,
all of us seeking, each of us reaching to
the shepherd who gathers us all, gathers us all.
We are many, yet we are one.
We are sep’rate, yet bound in his love.
And together we are all his hands and his feet,
bringing mercy and peace to this world.
We are many and one.
3 We are brothers and sisters in spirit,
found in all nations yet near to the Lord,
each one belonging, together now longing for
the shepherd who gathers us all, gathers us all.
We are many, yet we are one.
We are sep’rate, yet bound in his love.
And together we are all his hands and his feet,
bringing mercy and peace to this world.
bringing mercy and peace to this world,
bringing mercy and peace to this world.
We are many and one.
Oh we are one.
Dismissal
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
May God, who has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light, bless and keep us and fill us with peace. Amen.
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