Sunday, June 24, 2007

The Collect: Third Sunday after Trinity.

The Collect 1549:
Lorde, we beseche thee mercifully to heare us, and unto whom thou hast geuen an heartie desyre to pray; graunt that by thy mightie ayde we may be defended; through Jesus Christ our Lorde.

The Collect 1662:
O Lord, we beseech thee mercifully to hear us; and grant that we, to whom thou hast given an hearty desire to pray, may by thy mighty aid be defended and comforted in all dangers and adversities, Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Commentary:
This collect, from the Gregorian Sacramentary, was appointed for this day in the Sarum Missal, and translated from there by Cranmer. The translation was recast and improved for the BCP of 1662. The continental use embodied in the Missal of Trent knew this as the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost and appointed an entirely different collect.

Meditation
The Twelve, observing their Master at prayer, were made acutely conscious of the poverty of their own prayer lives. They said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray.” We truly have neither the desire nor the ability to pray on our own, but become cold and formal, our words seeming to bounce from the ceiling, but He, at our request, stirs our hearts to reach toward Him, gives life to our prayers and deigns to answer. So we receive both protection and comfort in all times of need.

---------------------------------------ed pacht.

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