I think the heart of the Gospel is neither about liberation, justification, theosis, redemption, nor even the forgiveness of sins. Rather, the good news of Jesus is simple: We are not alone, and we have never been alone. God has always been faithful, and will continue to be faithful to us. God's love is enough for us. Amen.

Vir altyd

“Ek is jou man”, hy het vir my gesê.
“Jy kan nie van my afloop nie.
Jy is myne vir altyd en altyd en altyd.”
Ek kyk goed na die sterre,
terwyl ons op die soetgras en rooi aard lê.
Ek wonder, ek mymer,
“Kou my toekoms met hierdie man,
hierdie wonderlike man,
hierdie seun van Afrika,
soos daardie sterre wees?”

Ek ruik sy cologne en streel sy wang.
Sy soene smaak na groenappels,
en hy neem my hand.

Ek sluit my oë en sug.

Ai! Wat doen nou ek?
Dis ‘n gekke ding,
‘n baie dome ding,
maar ek kan net smelt
terwyl die vlame van sy hartsog
verteer heeltemal my liggaam en siel.

Sal ek vir hierdie ding na hemel of hel om te gaan?
God. Almagtige God. Allerhoogste God.
Hy het die eerste tyd soos die reën en die wind gekom.
Ek kon nie hom weerstaan nie
want hy het met sy magiek en sange afgerokkel,
en het nuwe wêrelds
in die woestyn van my lewe
met belofte, met mooiheid bloemgemaak.
Hy het nooit my vertrek nie,
maar altyd my vasgehou.

Ek weet nie wat die toekoms gaan aandra nie,
maar ek nader na hom,
ek rus in sy arme,
ek antwoord, ek fluister,
saggies, maar baie saggies,
sonder twyfel, sans twyfel,
“Ja, jy is my man,
my pragtige man, my fraaie man,
my sterke man.
Ek sien in jou God,
my God, onse God,
onse barmhartige God.
Vergeef my. Ek is joune.
Vir altyd en altyd en altyd.”

Copyright © 2011 Joshua Ligan. 

New Every Morning is the Love by John Keble (1792–1866)

New every morning is the love
our wakening and uprising prove;
through sleep and darkness safely brought,
restored to life and power and thought.

New mercies, each returning day,
hover around us while we pray;
new perils past, new sins forgiven,
new thoughts of God, new hopes of heaven.

If on our daily course our mind
be set to hallow all we find,
new treasures still, of countless price,
God will provide for sacrifice.

Old friends, old scenes, will lovelier be,
as more of heaven in each we see;
some softening gleam of love and prayer
shall dawn on every cross and care.

The trivial round, the common task,
will furnish all we ought to ask:
room to deny ourselves; a road
to bring us daily nearer God.

Only, O Lord, in thy dear love,
fit us for perfect rest above;
and help us, this and every day,
to live more nearly as we pray.

"I am an Anglican and that is part of my life; that I really feel at home in the Anglican Communion."

-The Rt. Hon. Adrienne Clarkson, former Governor General of Canada

Love Bade Me Welcome by George Herbert (1593 – 1633)

Love bade me welcome; yet my soul drew back,
      Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack
      From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning        
      If I lack'd anything.

'A guest,' I answer'd, 'worthy to be here:'
     Love said, 'You shall be he.'
'I, the unkind, ungrateful? Ah, my dear,
      I cannot look on Thee.'  
Love took my hand and smiling did reply,
      'Who made the eyes but I?'

'Truth, Lord; but I have marr'd them: let my shame
      Go where it doth deserve.'
'And know you not,' says Love, 'Who bore the blame?'  
      'My dear, then I will serve.'
'You must sit down,' says Love, 'and taste my meat.'
      So I did sit and eat.

An Order for the Healing and Reconciliation of a Strained Relationship

Those to be reconciled, along with their associates, and others involved, sit in separate sections of the church.

The ministers enter quietly and warily, stopping at each row to pass smooth river stones to each congregant. An empty cross, veiled in black, leads the procession.

A large wooden basin is placed in front of the altar.

The Celebrant says

Blessed be our Brother Jesus + Christ
Who bears our sins and weaknesses.

The grace of Jesus the Healer and Reconciler be with you
And also with you.

Let us pray.

Almighty God, in the Paschal mystery
you established the new covenant of reconciliation:
Grant that all reborn into the fellowship of Christ’s Body
may show forth in their lives
what they profess by their faith;
through Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Amen.

LESSONS

Old Testament Lesson: Hosea 6.1-3
Canticle: Isaiah 35.1-7, 10
New Testament Lesson: 1 John 4.7-12, 19-21
Gospel: St. Matthew 18.23-35

SERMON

RESPONSE TO THE SERMON

The Celebrant says

From hardness of heart;
from pride, vainglory, and hypocrisy;
from envy, hatred, and malice;
and from all want of charity,
Good Lord, deliver us.

AUFER A ME COR LAPIDEUM

Let us pray together:

The Ministers and People kneeling

Merciful and compassionate Father,
take away our hearts of stone,
our hardened hearts, our uncircumcised hearts,
and grant to us new hearts, hearts of flesh, clean hearts!
You purify the heart and love the clean heart,
possess our hearts and dwell in them,
containing them and filling them,
higher than our highest
and more intimate than our most intimate thoughts.
You are the image of all beauty
and the seal of all holiness,
seal our hearts in your image
and seal our hearts in your mercy,
O God of our hearts
and the God of our portion in eternity.
Amen.

The Ministers and People still kneeling, the Celebrant stands, walks to the basin and drops a stone with force, inviting the congregation to do the same with these words,

Beloved sisters and brothers,
let those who have not sinned cast the first stone.
Instead, humble yourselves in the sight of God
and mightily cast down your pride
and draw near to God’s presence,
raising your Ebenezer,
and asking God for his mighty help and healing grace.

The Ministers and People, one at a time, drop their stones into the wooden basin, saying

Lord, I have sinned against you and my neighbour;
heal us and forgive us.
I cast down my own pride and self-righteousness.
Amen.

The Ministers and People return to their pews.

ACT OF RECONCILIATION

When all have dropped their stones into the wooden basin, the Celebrant stands in the midst of the church, and addresses those to the right, saying,

Sisters and brothers,
I invite you now to turn your hearts to your neighbours,
and confess your sins against God and against them.

Those to the right of the celebrant kneel, and those to the left of the celebrant stand and face those on the right of the celebrant.

Those to the right of the celebrant say

We confess to Almighty God,
and to you my sisters and brothers,
that we have sinned against God and against you,
in thought, word, and deed,
deliberately and unintentionally,
provoking this cycle of animosity,
turning the face of God away from us,
and blocking the flow of God’s love in our lives.

At the following, those on the right strike their chest at each grievance.

We have wounded Jesus within you.
We have hurt you deeply.
We have caused you to stumble.
We have not taken responsibility for our actions.
We have not called ourselves to account.
We have reminded you of the past.
We have instilled fear in your hearts.
We have been disrespectful to your wishes.
We have lied and spoken untruths.
We have hurled insults and undermined you.
We have regarded you with contempt.
We have manipulated you.
We have devised tactics to cause you more pain.
We have not forgiven you as Christ forgave us.
We have judged you more than ourselves.
We have demonized you and dehumanized you.
We have made you feel less worthy to stand before God.
We have made you feel less loved by God.
We have used you and betrayed your trust.
We blame only ourselves.

In doing all this, we separated ourselves
from communion with you and with God,
trampled upon your dignity,
denied that you are created in the image of God,
and so grieved the Holy Spirit.
We acknowledge your hurt and pain.

We ask that you forgive us for these
and all other sins against you,
apologizing for these and all other wrongdoings
we have committed against you.
We are truly sorry, and turning to you,
we promise to make amends
and to make things right between us.
We promise to be more understanding.
We promise to listen.
We commit ourselves to walk forward with you
with renewed hearts and minds,
not looking to the past,
but looking forward to a future together.
Although we are unworthy,
through our many sins against you
give us another chance,
not weighing our past,
but regarding our repentance.

We want to restore this relationship.
Let us walk together again as sisters and brothers
of one Father and build each other up
as a temple wherein dwells the Holy Spirit of God.
Amen.

Those on the left of the celebrant, facing those on the right, say

In the Name of God who loves us,
we embrace you once again
and welcome you back into our hearts.
What is past is past.
Know that we forgive you, and be at peace.
As God restored fellowship with humankind
through the humility and love
in the Cross of Jesus Christ,
so do we restore our communion with you.
Let us make a new beginning together,
as sisters and brothers,
with unity and peace,
faithful to God’s commands,
and loving each other as Christ loved us.
Be you glad, dearest friends in Christ, you are forgiven.We love you as our own.
Amen.

Those to the right of the Celebrant now stand. Those to the left of the Celebrant now kneel, and say

We confess to Almighty God,
and to you my sisters and brothers,
that we have sinned against God and against you,
in thought, word, and deed,
deliberately and unintentionally,
provoking this cycle of animosity,
turning the face of God away from us,
and blocking the flow of God’s love in our lives.

At the following, those on the left strike their chest at each grievance.

We have wounded Jesus within you.
We have hurt you deeply.
We have caused you to stumble.
We have not taken responsibility for our actions.
We have not called ourselves to account.
We have reminded you of the past.
We have instilled fear in your hearts.
We have been disrespectful to your wishes.
We have lied and spoken untruths.
We have hurled insults and undermined you.
We have regarded you with contempt.
We have manipulated you.
We have devised tactics to cause you more pain.
We have not forgiven you as Christ forgave us.
We have judged you more than ourselves.
We have demonized you and dehumanized you.
We have made you feel less worthy to stand before God.
We have made you feel less loved by God.
We have used you and betrayed your trust.
We blame only ourselves.

In doing all this, we separated ourselves
from communion with you and with God,
trampled upon your dignity,
denied that you are created in the image of God,
and so grieved the Holy Spirit.
We acknowledge your hurt and your pain.

We ask that you forgive us for these
and all other sins against you,
apologizing for these and all other wrongdoings
we have committed against you.
We are truly sorry, and turning to you
in sorrow and good faith,
we promise to make amends
and to make things right between us.
We promise to be more understanding.
We promise to listen.
We commit ourselves to walk forward with you
with renewed hearts and minds,
not looking to the past,
but looking forward to a future together.
Although we are unworthy,
through our many sins against you
give us another chance,
not weighing our past,
but regarding our repentance.

We want to restore this relationship,
and we commit ourselves to reconciliation and peace.
Let us walk together again as sisters and brothers
of one Father and build each other up
as a temple wherein dwells the Holy Spirit of God.
Amen.

Those on the right of the celebrant, facing those on the left, say

In the Name of God who loves us,
we embrace you once again
and welcome you back into our hearts.
What is past is past.
We lift you up.
Know that we forgive you, and be at peace.
As God restored fellowship with humankind
through the humility and love
in the Cross of Jesus Christ,
so do we restore our communion with you.
Let us make a new beginning together,
as sisters and brothers,
with unity and peace,
faithful to God’s commands,
and loving each other as Christ loved us.
Be you glad, dearest friends in Christ, you are forgiven.
We love you as our own.
Amen.

The Ministers and People now stand.

The Celebrant asks the congregation,

Will you turn again to Christ as Lord?
We will.

Do you, then, forgive those who have sinned against you?
We do.

Do you repent of the sins that draw you away from the love of God
and from communion with each other?
We do.

Will you seek and serve Christ in each other, loving each other as yourself?
We will.

Will you strive for righteousness and peace, and respect the dignity of your sisters and brothers?
We will.

RESPONSORY
Ezekiel 36.24-28

I will take you from the nations,
and gather you from all the countries to bring you home.

I will sprinkle clean water upon you,
and cleanse you from all your uncleanness and false gods.

A new heart I will give you,
and a new spirit I will put within you.

I will remove your heart of stone
and give you a heart of flesh. 

Follow my statutes
and be careful to observe my ordinances. 

Then you shall live in the promised land:
you shall be my people,
and I will be your God.

The Celebrant gives the absolution, pouring water over the stones, and saying

As you have humbled yourselves,
cast down your pride,
and have been lifted up by God in his people,
Almighty God have mercy on you,
forgive you all your sins
through the grace of our Saviour Jesus Christ,
strengthen you in all goodness,
and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life.
Amen.

The processional cross is now unveiled. A joyous hymn is sung.

THE PEACE

The Celebrant introduces the Peace, saying

People of God in Christ Jesus,
the Peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.

The Peace is exchanged. The Celebrant may encourage the reconciled to “mingle” and sit with another person from the other side.

The liturgy continues with the Eucharist.

Thanksgiving Psalm after Post-Communion: Psalm 126

Joshua Ligan 2010.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Licence. You are free to share, copy, distribute, display, and perform the work; or to make derivative works, provided that you attribute the work in the manner specified by the author or licensor. You may not use this work for commercial purposes.

"Do not look forward in fear to the changes in life;
rather, look to them with full hope that as they arise,
God, whose very own you are,
will lead you safely through all things;
and when you cannot stand it,
God will carry you in His arms. 

Do not fear what may happen tomorrow;
the same understanding Father who cares for
you today will take care of you then and every day. 

He will either shield you from suffering
or will give you unfailing strength to bear it. 

Be at peace,
and put aside all anxious thoughts
and imaginations."

-St. Francis de Sales (1567–1622)

A Prayer of the Armenian Apostolic Church

Holy Saviour, Jesus Christ, you are the true light: Remove from my life the darkness of despair, sadness, and sin; and replace them with the joy of your radiant love. For you are the light of my salvation. Blessing and glory to you now and always and forever. Amen.

Tonight I saw a man die...

I was late for the bus tonight as I got off work, so I went for a walk around the perimeter of the Great Mall whilst waiting for the next Bus 70. A crowd had gathered around the parking garage, and curious, I tiptoed through the swarm to see what was going on. A young man, obviously shot, was curled on the asphalt drifting between life and death. I could see that he was horrified, frightened, and astounded that yes, he was going to die this very night, in front of all these people. He was aware that he was going to die when he clearly did not want to die. I could only fathom the pain he felt knowing that his last few moments on this earth would be spent bleeding to death in front of strangers instead of being surrounded by the love and warmth of his family.

I felt for this man, and I could only feel compassion for him. It broke my heart to know that among the crowd there was not a loving face to look to, or least a familiar face to focus on. If only I could, I would have held his hand and reassured him that everything would be alright. Somehow, I felt my spirit prompting me (to borrow a Pentecostal term) to say something. My heart wanted to reach out to him and yell over the murmuring crowd, “You are God’s beloved child. He loves you, and embraces you now. He welcomes you home.”

And I didn’t say a word. I DID NOT SAY A WORD. I just stood there like the rest of that heartless crowd. I let that man die without knowing he was loved by God, and that it wasn’t God’s will that he should die like this without somebody caring. I failed my God, and I feel guilty. So fucking guilty over it. How could I let him die like that? How could I let this broken figure, this icon of the Crucified Christ, feel alone in his final moments? I could have said something over the crowd, but no, I just waited for him to breathe his final breath. After the medics pronounced him dead, it was only then that I said a prayer of commendation.

What also pained me was that I knew this young man wasn’t a crime statistic in the San Francisco Bay Area, but that this man was a living human being – the image of God – who loved, felt, and had dreams. To know that his man had possibilities and such potential, then to be turned into worm food within hours just devastated me. He will never realize his dreams, he will never marry, he will never walk his daughter down the aisle, and he will never spend the last of his days tending his own vine or resting under his own fig tree. This man could have been a Supreme Court justice, my child’s schoolteacher, or even the very person who may discover the cure to AIDS.

Tonight, I mourn this possible agent of God’s redemptive grace and creative power in the world. It makes me think, by God, that could have been me, or that could be me tomorrow. Have I lived every moment to the fullest? I must live in the present. The past has no hold over the present, and tomorrow may not be mine. Therefore I choose to live in Christ’s promise of life, and to have it in all its fullness.

Dear God, I’m so sorry. I let that man die without knowing that you loved him, and that he was your beloved child. I failed to show your love, and I stood there with that gawking crowd waiting for him to die. I did not tell him that you did not want this terrible thing to happen to him. I let him lie there feeling abandoned by you, his loving Creator and Redeemer. I did not reassure him that you cared. I’m so sorry. In his final moments, I failed to be your agent of love and grace. God, please forgive me. Please. I lacked the courage to do it. I’m so sorry.

A Eucharistic Prayer for the Brokenhearted

This was written spur of the moment. Communal responses are from Psalm 62. Introduction to the Preface and the Words of Institution are from the Book of Common Prayer, 1979, with the Tridentine phrase "mystery of faith" inserted therein. It's a work in progress, so please feel free to contact me at chutneyoverrice@gmail.com . I wish to polish it further. This is my intellectual property, so contact me also if you wish to use it at a Eucharist. Thanks.

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to offer thanks and praise.

It is right, and a good and joyful thing,
always and everywhere to give thanks to you,
Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

Here a proper preface is said or sung.

Therefore we praise you,
joining our voices with Angels and Archangels
and with all the company of heaven,
who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

The Celebrant continues

Loving God,
we proclaim your promise
that you will not leave us comfortless nor desolate;
but that you will come to us,
and our hearts will once again rejoice.

For you alone my soul in silence waits;
From you comes my salvation.

Through Jesus Christ your Son,
you make known your saving power:
Christ soothed the brokenhearted,
comforted the burdened,
and healed the sick,
giving rest and refreshment to the weary.

For you alone my soul in silence waits;
Truly, my hope is in you.

He was rejected and bruised by others,
when he offered love, acceptance,
and the promise of an abundant life.
Fear and suspicion overcame those whom he loved;
they betrayed him and led him to the slaughter,
crucifying him on a tree.

For you alone my soul in silence waits;
From you comes my salvation.

By his death, he manifested the extent of your love,
by his resurrection he declared that love can never die,
and in his Good News Christ asks us
to remember with bread and wine
his abiding presence with us
until he comes again.

For you alone my soul in silence waits;
Truly, my hope is in you.

On the night he was handed over to suffering and death,
our Lord Jesus Christ took bread;
and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it,
and gave it to his disciples, and said,
"Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you.
Do this for the remembrance of me."

After supper he took the cup of wine;
and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said,
"Drink this, all of you:
This is my Blood of the new Covenant,
the mystery of faith,
which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me."

Thankful for Christ’s love and faithfulness to us,
with this bread and cup,

We celebrate his death and resurrection,
as we await the day of his coming,
when we shall be made like him.

God, who loves us more than we can ask or imagine,
we now offer you, from the depths of our hearts,
this bread and this wine.
Tenderly whisper your Name over these gifts,
and sanctify them by your Word and Holy Spirit,
to be for us, your broken people,
the Body and Blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ.

By the grace of this Holy Sacrament,
gather and merge us into union with Christ,
that we may reflect his image
in our lives and mission.

With hope in the eternal promise
in which you will carry us home
to join Mary, the virgin Bearer of God,
and all the saints, in acclaiming your Holy Name;
graciously accept our prayers and praises through Jesus Christ our Lord.

By him, and with him, and in him,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all honour and glory is yours, Almighty Father,
now and for ever.
AMEN.

Joshua Ligan 2009.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Licence. You are free to share, copy, distribute, display, and perform the work; or to make derivative works, provided that you attribute the work in the manner specified by the author or licensor. You may not use this work for commercial purposes.