Sunday January 23, 2022
Don’t forget that all of Fr. Steve’s messages are available on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/St.Thomas.the.Apostle.Cambridgehttps://www.facebook.com/groups/969531309814142 (this is St. Luke’s page) Sunday, January 23, 2022 Sentence:The Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor and release to the captives. Luke 4.18 Processional Hymn: #465 – Here in this placehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCGqBPMtrh0 The Gathering of the CommunityThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.And also with you. Almighty God,to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hidden. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name; through Christ our Lord. Amen. Collect (Page 351)Almighty God, by grace alone you call us and accept us in your service. Strengthen us by your Spirit and make us worthy of your call; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. AMEN.Come, let us worship. The Proclamation of the Word1st Reading: Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-19 (NRSV)all the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel. Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding. This was on the first day of the seventh month. He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, ‘Amen, Amen’, lifting up their hands. Then they bowed their heads and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground. So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, ‘This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.’ For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. Then he said to them, ‘Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’ So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, ‘Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.’ And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.
The Festival of Booths Celebrated
On the second day the heads of ancestral houses of all the people, with the priests and the Levites, came together to the scribe Ezra in order to study the words of the law. And they found it written in the law, which the Lord had commanded by Moses, that the people of Israel should live in booths during the festival of the seventh month, and that they should publish and proclaim in all their towns and in Jerusalem as follows, ‘Go out to the hills and bring branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees to make booths, as it is written.’ So the people went out and brought them, and made booths for themselves, each on the roofs of their houses, and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God, and in the square at the Water Gate and in the square at the Gate of Ephraim. And all the assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in them; for from the days of Jeshua son of Nun to that day the people of Israel had not done so. And there was very great rejoicing. And day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read from the book of the law of God. They kept the festival for seven days; and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance. Psalm 19 (Book of alternative prayer, page 725)1. The heavens declare the glory of God, * and the firmament shows his handiwork. 2. One day tells its tale to another, * and one night imparts knowledge to another. 3. Although they have no words or language, * and their voices are not heard, 4. Their sound has gone out into all lands, * and their message to the ends of the world. 5. In the deep has he set a pavilion for the sun; * it comes forth like a bridegroom out of his chamber; it rejoices like a champion to run its course. 6. It goes forth from the uttermost edge of the heavens and runs about to the end of it again; * nothing is hidden from its burning heat. 7. The law of the Lord is perfect and revives the soul; * the testimony of the Lord is sure and gives wisdom to the innocent. 8. The statutes of the Lord are just and rejoice the heart; * the commandment of the Lord is clear and gives light to the eyes. 9. The fear of the Lord is clean and endures for ever; * the judgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. 10. More to be desired are they than gold, more than much fine gold, * sweeter far than honey, than honey in the comb. 11. By them also is your servant enlightened, * and in keeping them there is great reward. 12. Who can tell how often he offends? * cleanse me from my secret faults. 13. Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins; let them not get dominion over me; * then shall I be whole and sound, and innocent of a great offense. 14. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, * O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. Gracious creator of heaven and earth, your Word has come among us as the true Sun of righteousness, and the good news of his birth has gone out to the ends of the world. Open our eyes to the light of your law, that we may be purified from sin and serve you without reproach for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Light and our Life. AMEN 2nd Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a (NSRV)
One Body with Many Members
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot were to say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body’, that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear were to say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body’, that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many members, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you’, nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’ On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those members of the body that we think less honourable we clothe with greater honour, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honour to the inferior member, that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together with it.Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. Sequence (Gradual) Hymn: #430 – Will You Come & Follow Me? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zk6IUalJ3sk Gospel Reading: Luke 4:14-21(NSRV)
The Beginning of the Galilean Ministry
Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.
The Rejection of Jesus at Nazareth
When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’ And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’SERMON/HOMILY The Apostle’s Creed (Page 189) Celebrant Standing, let us confess the faith or our baptism, as we say,All I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. AMEN The Prayers of the People –(In joy and humility let us pray to the creator of the universe, saying, “Lord, grant us peace.”) By the good news of our salvation brought to Mary by the angel, hear us, O Lord. Lord, grant us peace. By the mystery of the Word made flesh, hear us, O Lord. Lord, grant us peace. By the birth in time of the timeless Son of God, hear us, O Lord. Lord, grant us peace. By the manifestation of the King of glory to the shepherds and magi, hear us, O Lord. Lord, grant us peace. By the submission of the maker of the world to Mary and Joseph of Nazareth, hear us, O Lord. Lord, grant us peace. By the baptism of the Son of God in the river Jordan, hear us, O Lord. Lord, grant us peace. Grant that the kingdoms of this world may become the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; hear us, O Lord. Lord, grant us peace. The Lord’s Prayer 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, forever and ever. Amen. Closing Hymn: #432 – Jesus Calls us! O’er the Tumulthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yByYDzThrSI Closing PrayerHoly Spirit, vivifying fire and gentle breath, come and abide in us. Renew in us the passion for unity so that we may live in awareness of the bond that unites us in you. May all who have put on Christ at their Baptism unite and bear witness together to the hope that sustains them. May the grace of God uphold you, the peace of God surround you, the love of God flow from you and the strength of God protect and bring you safely through this day. Amen. God bless and keep us through this latest shutdown -