Category: Lectionary

Selected passages of sacred scripture, collected and presented in accordance with the observances and seasons of the Church Year.

Requiem for Bishop +Rosamonde Miller

Meditations for this observance.

† December 31, 2021

Color: Black

THE COLLECT

Remember her, O Lord, in Thy kingdom, Thy faithful servant Rosamonde, our bishop and beloved friend whom we see no longer; grant her Thy peace; let the Light above the aeons shine upon her; and in Thy loving Wisdom and almighty Power work in her the good purpose of Thy perfect Will: that she whom Thou hast appointed here on earth to be the shepherd of souls and the ministering agent of Thy Holy Power may continue to serve Thee in all worlds and aeons to come. Amen.

THE LESSON

The Lesson is taken from the book Pistis Sophia:
Every man who is to receive the mysteries, if they knew the time wherein they would leave the body, they would be mindful and commit no acts of darkness, so that they might ever inherit the Kingdom of the Light. Now then, let him who shall do what is worthy of the mysteries receive the mysteries and go to the Light. He who is to receive the mysteries becomes a great fire, very mighty and wise, and it burns up evils, and the flames secretly enter the soul and consume all the veils which the spirit of imitation has fastened on it, and the soul surrenders their destiny, saying to the rulers of destiny: ‘Take to yourselves your destiny; henceforth I come no more to your region; I have forever become alien to you, being about to go to the region of my inheritance.’ Thus the knower, the receiver of the mysteries is free in his body and out of it, whether born on earth or reborn in heaven.

THE GOSPEL

The Gospel is taken from the Gospel according to St. Thomas:

Jesus said: I took my stand in the midst of the world and in flesh I appeared to them; I found them all drunk, I found none among them athirst. And my soul was afflicted for the souls of men, because they are blind in their heart and do not see that empty they have come into the world and that empty they seek to go out of the world again. But now they are drunk. When they have shaken off their wine, then will they repent.

Jesus said: If the flesh has come into existence because of the spirit it is a marvel; but if the spirit has come into existence because of the body it is a marvel of marvels. But I marvel at how this great wealth has made its home in this poverty.

The disciples said to Jesus: Tell us how our end will be. Jesus said: Have you then discovered the beginning so that you inquire about the end? For where the beginning is, there shall be the end. Blessed is he who shall stand at the beginning, and he shall know the end and he shall not taste death.

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Thanksgiving

Color: White

The COLLECT

Spirit of life and mighty One of light, open our eyes that we may recognize the bounty of blessings which Thou hast bestowed upon us, and grant that through our appreciation of that which is temporal we may be brought at length to that which is eternal. Praise be to Thee for the wonder of the fire that bringeth warmth and brightness to the world and to our mind; praise be to Thee for the freshness of air that bloweth where it listeth as the image of Thy most holy Spirit; praise be to Thee for the rich earth, the sustainer of all that lives; praise be to Thee for water that refreshes the earth in stillness and in storm; praise be to Thee for the courage of the heroes, the example of the saints and the splendor of all noble deeds; for the memory of our true home above the shadows of this world, and for the hope of our return to Thy kingdom of life and light everlasting. Amen.

The LESSON

The Lesson is taken from the Book of the Psalms of David:
Ye shall stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord. At morning and at even. O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving and show ourselves glad in Him with psalms. The sea is His, and He made it: and His hands prepared the dry land. He is the Lord our God: and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. My voice shalt Thou hear in the morning, O Lord: I will direct my prayer unto Thee, and look up. I will sing of Thy power: and will praise Thy loving-kindness betimes in the morning. In the evening and morning and at noonday will I call: and He shall hear my voice. The tenderness of the Lord is new every morning: Great, O Lord, is Thy faithfulness.

The GOSPEL

The Gospel is taken from the Gospel according to St. Philip:
There is a glory that is higher than glory, there is a power which is above power. Because of this the perfect things are open to us, and the hidden things of the truth; and the holy things of the holy ones are revealed, and the bridal chamber invites us in. Insofar as it is hidden, wickedness is indeed brought to naught, but it is not taken away from the midst of the seed of the Holy Spirit; they are slaves of wickedness. But when it is revealed, then the perfect light will pour out on everyone. And all those who are in it will receive. Then the slaves will be free, and the captives delivered.

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The Epiphany

Color: White; Intent: Divine Guidance

The Collect

Holy Father of the Light, who dost ever show Thyself to the wise men in every age, we ask for such zeal in the pursuit of Gnosis as may help us to lead all longing souls to Thy Light; O Thou ever shining and guiding star of wisdom and holiness, to Whom we present our gifts of devotion and adoration now and forevermore. Amen.

The Lesson

The Lesson is taken from the writings of the Gnostic Fathers:
When the Christ appeared among the Aeons of Light, and the chaos was dispersed and perfectly pacified, all the sons and daughters of wisdom sang hymns with great joy to the Father, sharing much delight. With one will and purpose the entire Fullness of the Aeons — Christ and the Spirit were well pleased and the Father imposed His seal upon all. And this is the most perfect beauty and Star of the Pleroma, a perfect fruit, Jesus who was also named Savior and Christ and Word and All, because he is from all.

The Gospel

The Gospel is taken from the Book of the Gospel of Truth:
Therefore he who is Gnostic is truly a being from above. When he is called he hears; he answers; he directs himself to Him who calls him and returns to Him; he apprehends how he is called. By possessing Gnosis, he carries out the will of Him who called him and seeks to do what pleases Him. He receives the repose. He who thus possesses knowledge knows whence he comes and whither he goes. He understands as someone who makes himself free and awakens from the drunkenness wherein he lived and returns to himself.

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Homilies for the Holy Epiphany by Bishop Stephan Holler

Homily for the Holy Epiphany by Bishop Steven Marshall