Let us pray (in silence) [that as Christ was restrained for our sake, we may be set free for his]
pause
Forgive, O God, the offences of your people,
that through your goodness we may be freed from the bonds of the sins
which in our frailty
we have committed;
through our Saviour Jesus Christ,
who is alive with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God now and for ever.
Amen.
The history and commentary for this ancient, shared collect is found here: collect for Lent 4.
Lent 4 is Refreshment Sunday, marking the half-way point in the season from the first Sunday in Lent.
The tradition of visiting the mother church of the diocese on this day, and of apprentices and servants visiting their parents, also led to it being called “Mothering Sunday”. The NZ Lectionary booklet lists readings for “Mothering Sunday” from mother Church of England’s Common Worship. Some will notice the enigma of the Anglican Church of Or presenting readings we have not agreed to in its “(semi?) official” lectionary booklet. We have agreed readings we have vowed and signed up to. The point is underscored – we have agreed, through the complex process involving General Synod and all diocesan synods, to our own Mothering Sunday readings alternative to the Revised Common Lectionary Lent 4 readings. These are found in A New Zealand Prayer Book He Karakia Mihinare o Aotearoa page 690.
This Sunday is also called Laetare Sunday from the introit, and this joyful pause (Laetare is Latin for “Rejoice”) in the Lenten discipline can be marked by rose vestments.
This is the introit:
Laetare Ierusalem: et conventum facite omnes qui diligitis eam: gaudete cum laetitia, qui in tristitia fuistis: ut exsultetis, et satiemini ab uberibus consolationis vestrae.
Rejoice, Jerusalem! Be glad for her, you who love her; rejoice with her, you who mourned for her, and you will find contentment at her consoling breasts. See Isaiah 66:10-11
TEC (BCP) uses another collect:
Gracious Father,
whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world:
Evermore give us this bread,
that he may live in us,
and we in him;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
It has a commentary here.
Textweek resources
Resourcing Preaching Downunder
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