+
The Embertide in Advent according to Episcopalian and Catholic custom takes place on the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after St. Lucy's Day (13 December). Others reckon these days a bit differently. In this post, dear Reader, you will find the 1938 Litany for Embertide from Melanesia. (I have tried to catch errors in typing, but please do forgive any errors that remain.)
The Book of Common Prayer (1938) of Melanesia included this litany for the four Embertides (or Embertide fasts) in the year indicating how very important these days were for the Catholic-minded Anglican Missionaries and people of that Church. The Litany for Embertide is found in several different editions in the Anglican/Episcopalian world, and this is simply the one I find most worthy of consideration both for the text itself and the catholic identity of the Melanesian Anglican Church.
Be sure to take time to look up the Melanesian Brotherhood and learn of their heroic virtue in serving Christ unto death. For those who are interested in the reception of the Anglican patrimony by the Catholic Church, the Melanesian Brotherhood is that patrimony writ large.
The Anglican Church in Melanesia worships in a large number of languages, and today there is a modern Prayer Book in very simple English that all can use. It retains the catholic character of the Melanesian Anglican Church but its purpose is resolutely for the Mission of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ and worshipping the Blessed Trinity.
For those of us familiar with the traditional Books of Common Prayer, the 1938 Prayer Book for the Melanesian Church is written in the same sacred register of English. I would suggest that this Litany should be of interest for those concerned with the reception of the Anglican patrimony according to the methadology of the Divine Worship Missal.
LITANY FOR EMBERTIDE.
O GOD the Father of heaven; have mercy upon us miserable sinners. O God the Father of heaven; have mercy upon us miserable sinners. O God the Son, Redeemer of the world: have mercy upon us miserable sinners. O God the Son, Redeemer of the world: have mercy upon us miserable sinners. O God the Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son: have mercy upon us miserable sinners. O God the Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son: have mercy upon us miserable sinners. O Holy, Blessed, and Glorious Trinity, Three Persons and One God: have mercy upon us miserable sinners. O Holy, Blessed, and Glorious Trinity, Three Persons and One God: have mercy upon us miserable sinners. Remember not, Lord, our evil-doings, nor the evil-doings of our forefathers, and do not punish us for our sins; spare us, good Lord, spare Thy people, whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy most precious Blood, and be not angry with us for ever. Spare us, good Lord. From all evil and accident; from sin, from the power of the devil; from Thine anger, and from everlasting death. Good Lord, deliver us. From all blindness of heart, from pride and hypocrisy; from envy, hatred and malice, and all that is not according to Thy law of love, Good Lord, deliver us. From impurity, and all other deadly sin; and from all the deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil, Good Lord, deliver us. From lightning and storm, from earthquake, from sickness and famine, from battle and murder, and from unprepared death, Good Lord, deliver us. From all false teaching, wrong belief, and division; from hardness of heart, and from thinking lightly of Thy Word and Commandment, Good Lord, deliver us. By the mystery of Thy Holy Incarnation; by Thy Holy Nativity and Circumcision; by Thy Baptism, Fasting, and Temptation, Good Lord, deliver us. By Thine Agony and Sweat of Blood; by Thy Cross and Passion; by Thy Precious Death and Burial; by Thy glorious Resurrection and Ascension; and by the Coming of the Holy Ghost, Good Lord, deliver us. In all times of sadness; in all times of gladness; in the hour of death, and in the day of judgement, Good Lord, deliver us. |
|
Let us pray for the Church.
We sinners do beseech Thee to hear us, O Lord God; and that it may please Thee to rule and govern Thy Holy Catholic Church in the right way; We beseech Thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please Thee to enlighten all Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, with true knowledge and understanding of Thy Word; and that both by their preaching and living they may set it forth; We beseech Thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please Thee to keep and preserve all the Orders of Thy Church in Thy Holy Religion; We beseech Thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please Thee to fill them with Thy Spirit and to cleanse their lips; We beseech Thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please Thee to strengthen the work of Thy Church in all the world (especially . . . ), and to send forth more labourers into Thy harvest; We beseech Thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please Thee to raise up pastors after Thine own heart, who will work for Thee with zeal; We beseech Thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please Thee to deliver them from all evil; We beseech Thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please Thee to grant that all who see and know the Ministers of Thy Church may be able to honour them in their work and office; We beseech Thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please Thee to grant that they may always offer the Holy Sacrifice in righteousness; We beseech Thee to hear us, good Lord. That they may shew forth in all places the love of Thy Holy Name and Sacraments; We beseech Thee to hear us, good Lord. |
|
Let us pray for those to be ordained at this time.
That it may please Thee to bless Thy servants who are to be made priests (or deacons), and to pour Thy grace upon them that they may duly fulfil their office to the good of Thy Church and the glory of Thy Holy name; We beseech Thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please Thee to help them to give body, mind and spirit to Thee that they may work for Thee with all their hearts; We beseech Thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please Thee to fill their minds with Thy Word, and to enlighten them with the grace of Thy Holy Spirit that they may love Thy Commandments; We beseech Thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please Thee to grant that their work may be in power that many may be brought to Thee and be saved; We beseech Thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please Thee to grant that they may minister faithfully Thy Holy Sacraments, and by their life and teaching set forth the truth of Thy Holy Word; We beseech Thee to hear us, good Lord. That it may please Thee always to be with them in the work of the ministry, and that Thou wouldest give to them in all things the spirit of power and love and discipline; We beseech Thee to hear us, good Lord. Son of God: we beseech Thee to hear us. Son of God: we beseech Thee to hear us. O Lamb of God: that takest away the sins of the world; Grant us Thy peace. O Lamb of God: that takest away the sins of the world; Have mercy upon us. O Christ, hear us. O Christ, hear us. Lord, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy upon us. Christ, have mercy upon us. Christ, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy upon us. |
|
| OUR
Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name; Thy kingdom come;
Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our
daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that
trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; But deliver us
from evil. Amen.
Let us pray.
O GOD, Who for the glory of Thy Majesty and the salvation of mankind hast consecrated Thine only begotten Son as a great High Priest, grant that those whom He has chosen as His fellow workers and the stewards of His mysteries, especially . . . now about to be made deacon(s), may faithfully fulfil the Ministry received from Thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. O LORD Jesus Christ, Whose is the Priesthood without change: grant that all who on earth are called to be Thy priests may daily follow in Thy blessed footsteps, may shew forth in their lives and preaching Thy love and severity, Thy hatred of sin and love of sinners, may be patient towards all men, and for Thy sake may make themselves servants of all; Who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen. O GOD, the Holy Ghost, Who art the Giver of all good gifts: grant to Thy ministers the Spirit of Wisdom that they may teach Thy people the words of eternal truth, and the Spirit of Holiness, that they may go before them, and lead them into those heavenly pastures, where with the Father and the Son, Thou livest and reignest ever one God, world without end. Amen. THE grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen. |
+
