Our Family's Holy Family Collect

The General Collect of The Family Uher

This collect was written by a member of our Anglican family some years ago.  Perhaps you will find it useful as a collect of the Holy Family and additionally as a collect for your own family.  

Upon your family and mine, may God be merciful to us & bless us.

O mighty and merciful God, thou gavest thy Son Jesus Christ to be born of the Blessed Virgin Mary and to be guarded by the just, venerable, and blessed Saint Joseph, her most chaste spouse: Keep the Holy Family ever before our eyes so that we may rightly order our own family to the glory of thy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord who with thee and the Holy Ghost art one God in glory everlasting. Amen.

+O Holy Family, keep us within your embrace.

Holy Innocents A.D. 2009

Flight into Egypt + From Egypt Home

Click here for tune.

Lonely travellers from the stable
Out beneath the hard blue sky
Journeying, wandering, hoping, praying
For the safety of their child
While our mother Rachel's weeping
Fills the streets of Bethlehem.
Kyrie eleison.

Warned by angels, moved to save him
Who was born our kind to save,
Joseph leads his holy family
Far from Herod and harm's way.
Mary shielding and consoling
Jesus Christ the Son of God.
Kyrie eleison.

Fleeing from the land of promise
They in Egypt find a home
Strange the workings of God's mercy --
House of bondage now God's throne.
But for sons who all were murdered
Sorrow breaks the House of Bread.
Kyrie eleison.

True the tale of flight and exile.
Out of Egypt comes God's Son.
Angels tell of Herod's dying.
All is ended, all begun.
Jesus will grow up in Nazareth
And the world will all be stunned.
Kyrie eleison.

---

Words: Copyright © 1997 by Vincent Uher. Used with permission.
Licensed here under Creative Commons 3.0 - United States: Commercial reproduction prohibited.

Music: Divinum mysterium
Meter: 87 87 87 7

+Laus Deo.

A Lectionary Choice: Holy Family Sunday

Today in the Lectionary of the Ordinary Form of the Mass for Holy Family Sunday, the Second Reading has three alternatives, and the last of those alternatives is rarely employed; however, I think it is an exceptionally good choice in Year C of the Lectionary for the USA.

Now in the USA this text would be read from the New American Bible, and in Canada I believe it is the NRSV that is authorised. I have personal long lists of everything I find wrong with both of those translations, so where shall I turn for a translation on my blog? ... That's right, it is Back-to-the-Future with the Douay-Rheims translation of Bishop Challoner (of blessed memory) of the First Letter of John 3:1-2, 21-24:

1 Behold what manner of charity the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called, and should be the sons of God. Therefore the world knoweth not us, because it knew not Him. 2 Dearly beloved, we are now the sons of God; and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be. We know, that, when He shall appear, we shall be like to Him: because we shall see Him as He is.

21 Dearly beloved, if our heart do not reprehend us, we have confidence towards God: 22 And whatsoever we shall ask, we shall receive of Him: because we keep His commandments, and do those things which are pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment, that we should believe in the Name of His Son Jesus Christ: and love one another, as He hath given commandment unto us. 24 And he that keepeth His commandments, abideth in Him, and He in him. And in this we know that He abideth in us, by the Spirit which He hath given us.

Today at Our Lady of Walsingham in Houston, Texas, my beloved and esteemed father was the lector for this reading. How I wish I had been well enough to drive there to hear him read God's Word. Once you have heard him read the Scriptures ... his is the voice you would want to hear in your head as you read the sacred page. I know that people think this alternative exists simply to avoid the other two possibilities, but to the contrary I find it a marvellous reading in Year C in the Catholic Church in the USA, and I hope many have had the opportunity to hear this portion of Scripture read aloud and that its message is written on all of our hearts. God bless us everyone!

+Laus Deo.

__________
*The picture above of the Holy Family comes from Jim Shore's colourful collection of creches, ornaments, and angels.

ALL GLORY BE TO GOD ON HIGH

Though my house is in ruins, my neighbourhood destroyed, and my City suffering in so many ways, yet my heart is supremely grateful to God Most High for preserving our lives and giving so many an opportunity to begin anew, should they take these grave troubles, raise them up to God in prayer, and receive the gift of His transformation of everything into His Glory and His Kingdom. Happy Thanksgiving to all!

All glory be to God on high!
Peace, laud, and joy be our reply
To angels singing in the sky.
Praise Jesus Christ, true light from light.
Tender his love and great his might,
Christ Jesus, saviour, our delight.

O Word and Wisdom, thee we name,
Jesus the infant, God the same.
Praise and all worship to thy Name.
Son of blest Mary, spotless Lamb,
High Priest most holy, Great I AM,
Receive our lives into thy hand.

Praise God for Joseph, sainted man,
Brave Guardian of God’s saving plan,
Protector of the God-made-man.
Praise God for Mary Mother true,
Faithful to Jesus her life through,
Mother of God, our Mother too.

Lord Jesus Christ, most holy Lord,
With thy blest Spirit be adored
In God’s own glory here outpoured.
Joy now to hear thine infant cries!
Hope of the simple and the wise!
Love from all souls to thee arise!



© 2008 by Vincent Wm. Uher III



TUNE: OLD 113th
(O Mensch, bewein), Strassburger Kirchenamt, 1525
88.88.88

Holy Family, pray for us.

Infant Jesus, have mercy upon us.
O Joseph and Mary, pray for us.

The Collect of the Family Uher

O mighty and merciful God, thou gavest thy Son Jesus Christ to be born of the Blessed Virgin Mary and to be guarded by the just, venerable, and blessed St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse: Keep the Holy Family ever before our eyes so that we may rightly order our own family to the glory of thy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord who with thee and the Holy Ghost art one God in glory everlasting. Amen.

Hymn to the Holy Family of Walsingham

for Christmastide to Candlemas - A Hymn inspired by St. Odo

Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, Houston, Texas

Mother of mercy, peace, and love,

Thy Child is God come from above.

As Christ thou lovest we would too

In all we ponder, say or do.

Joseph the Guardian, brave and wise,

Nothing was hidden from thine eyes.

By dreams the Lord God guided thee

May we follow with constancy.

Father of Jesus, God Most High,

Thy love so great brought Our Lord nigh,

Thy Child, thy gift to free a slave,

Gave thee his Life, the world to save.

A child for us, Friend crucified,

Arisen, present by our side,

Victim and Priest, Oh Mystery!

Lord Jesus Christ, we worship thee.

Glory to God, Father of lights

And to the Son, Lord Jesus Christ,

And Holy Ghost the Comforter:

One God in glory for ever.

Text: Copyright © 2005 by Vincent Uher. 
All rights reserved.
Suggested Tunes: Cornish by M. Lee Suitor

A new hymn tune has been written by Noel Jones that is splendid.

This text has also been sung to these tunes:

HursleyDe Tar by Calvin Hampton;
and Keble by J.B. Dykes

+Laus Deo.