December 2024

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✠ Psalmody: Wisdom 18:14–15a;Psalm 93:1a, b;45:2a, 1;93:1a, b;93:1b–2;St. Matthew 2:20 ✠ Lection: Jeremiah 31:31-34;Galatians 4:1–7;St. Luke 2:33-40 In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. As if the holiday season stretching from Thanksgiving through the New Year isn’t active enough with the number of things we pack into our personal lives with parties, family gatherings, shopping, cooking, and napping, the calendar of the Church also allows us a ton of observances itself. There’s the usual addition of a mid-week Advent services. Then, there’s Christmas Eve with the possibility of two services on that same day: The Service ofRead More →

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Psalmody: Isaiah 9:6a; Psalm 98:1a;98:3b-4a, 2;89:11, 14a;98:3bLection: Isaiah 52:6-10;Hebrews 1:1-12;St. John 1:1–14 In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. In the beginning…of December, we entered the season of Advent, looking forward to the coming of Christ in the manger, in the Holy Supper, and in the clouds on the Last Day. We withheld the Gloria in Excelsis from our liturgy to further prepare our minds and hearts for the Christmas joy of singing it once again; Glory be to God on high! The multitude of the heavenly host of angels burst forth at the birthRead More →

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✠ Psalmody: Ps. 106:4–5;1b;145:18, 21a;Luke 1:28bc, 42c;Isaiah 7:14b ✠ Lection: Deuteronomy 18:15–19;Philippians 4:4–7;John 1:19b–28 In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. We pray for God to always bless us with His voice, for we need to constantly hear from Him. If we don’t hear from Him, our conscience becomes misinformed by what it soaks up from other sources, be it the media, atheistic moralism, or our emotions. A conscience that binds itself to feelings isn’t being rightly informed by the objective truth of God that comes to us through the Holy Scriptures. We are not saved byRead More →

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✠ Psalmody: Isaiah 45:8a;Psalm 19:1;24:7, 3-4a;145:18, 21;Isaiah 35:4b;7:14b ✠ Lection: Isaiah 2:2-5;Isaiah 7:10-15;Luke 1:26-38a In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. There is much that is impossible with God, that is, from our perspective, meaning He is not limited as we are, therefore it is impossible with God that we know Him fully. He is infinite. He is pure. He is holy; all things that we are not. It is impossible for us to see into the utter depths of Who He is and what He has done, is doing, and will do. Thanks be to GodRead More →

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✠ Psalmody: Philippians 4:4-6;Psalm 85:1;80:1b, 2b, 1a;80:2b;85:1-2a;Isaiah 35:4a, b, d ✠ Lection: Isaiah 40:1–8;1 Corinthians 4:1–5;St. Matthew 11:2–10 In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, Rejoice. Rejoice as we move into the latter half of this Advent season of preparing for the coming Christ. Rejoice as the darker color of repentant violet (purple) is lightened a few shades to the rose (pink) that you see today, as your dear Father in heaven reminds you of the great love with which He loves you; to remind you that evenRead More →

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✠ Psalmody: Isaiah 30:30a, 29a, c;Psalm 80:1a;50:2-3a, 5;85:6-7; Baruch 5:5a;4:36b ✠ Lection: Song of Songs 2:8b-14;Romans 15:4-13;St. Luke 21:25-33 In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. The season of Advent can easily and accidentally be absorbed into all the Christmas atmosphere and its preparations that begin earlier and earlier than most of us are used to, stretching now back into September as stores make sure that you have plenty of time to buy, buy, buy. Black Friday and Cyber Monday have also succumbed to consumer-driven elongation by now being week-long, or more, events. But, the season ofRead More →

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✠ Psalmody: Psalm 25:1-3a;25:4;25:3a, 4;85:7;25:1-3a;85:12 ✠ Lection: James 5:7–10; St. Matthew 3:1–6 In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. The Sundays in the Church Year function not as stand alones, but as the very thing that they are, that is, the first day of a week of days. So, for example, if you’ve ever wondered how it is decided which color the paraments and vestments will be in a Saturday or weekday service, the days following Sunday typically inherit the preceding Sunday’s color, with some notable exceptions like the upcoming Ember Days following Gaudete. Church seasons tendRead More →

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Ad Te Levavi – Sunday 1 December A✠D 2024 ✠ Psalmody: Psalm 25:1-3a;25:4;25:3a, 4;85:7;25:1-3a;85:12 ✠ Lection: Jeremiah 23:5–8;Romans 13:11-14;St. Matthew 21:1–9 In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. We enter into another Church Year today. The old has passed. The new has come, which makes it proper to orient our minds and hearts upon He Who enters into our midst as King. We welcome Him. We adore Him. We worship Him as He deems fit to come to us. He arrives not in grand motorcades nor in private jets. He does not flex power as the worldRead More →