Image obviously by Van Gogh and points to the well-known gospel story this Sunday. How can we say something fresh about this? Or is that asking the wrong question? Do we notice that this story is an answer to a question? Or do we notice it doesn’t actually answer the question, who is my neighbour – but Jesus changes it to answering, who is neighbourly?
collect/opening prayer reflection July 11 and week following [NZPB]
collect/opening prayer reflection July 11 and week following [Common Worship CofE]
Collect from BCP (TEC)
O Lord,
mercifully receive the prayers of your people who call upon you,
and grant that they may know and understand what things they ought to do,
and also may have grace and power faithfully to accomplish them;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Earliest occurrence of this collect is in the Gregorian Sacramentary for a Sunday after Christmas (86), and in the supplement for the first Sunday after Epiphany (1096). The Sarum Missal has it for the Sunday after the octave of the Epiphany:
Vota, quaesimus, Domine, supplicantis populi coelesti pietate prosequere: ut et quae agenda sunt videant, et ad implenda quae viderint convalescant.
BCP 1549 has for the first Sunday after the Epiphany:
LORDE we beseche the mercyfullye to receive the praiers of thy people which cal upon thee; and graunt that they maie both perceave and knowe what thinges they ought to do, and also have grace and power faithfully to fulfill the same [through Jesus Christ our lord – added 1552]
It is a good summary of prayer: to learn God’s will, and to be strengthened to do it.
You can share any comments as well as any resources, ideas, sermon-starters, children’s activities, hymns, prayers, etc. in the comments section below.
hi Bosco, I wrote about this in my new book The Writing on the Wall. The Good Neighbour is dressed in yellow – the colour (for VG) of God
Thanks for that comment, Maggi, & here’s the book Maggi is referring to:
The Writing on the Wall: High Art, Popular Culture and the Bible. If you have a different place to purchase the book, Maggi, please add that in a comment.