7 November 08

FRIDAY AFTER THE TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

SEVENTH DAY IN THE OCTAVE OF ALL SAINTS

7 NOVEMBER 08

LECTIONARY READINGS

Morning Prayer: Psalm 69:1-22, 30-37; Leviticus 26:1-13; Philippians 3

Evening Prayer: Psalm 80; Deuteronomy 18:15-end; Matthew 28:1-10

REFLECTION

From a Sermon by St. John Chrysostom

Whosoever wondereth, with reverent love, at the merits of the Saints, or whosoever speaketh, with oft much praise, on the glories of the Just, let him imitate their holy ways and their righteousness. For whoso findeth pleasure in the worthy deeds of any Saint should find pleasure in a like obedience in the service of God. Wherefore, if he praise, let him imitate. If he will not imitate, let him cease from praising. For whoso praiseth another ought to make himself worthy of a like praise. And whoso admireth a Saint ought also to strive for to be admirable for a like holy living. If we love the righteous and faithful because we respect their righteousness and faith, we ought for that very reason to do what they did, in order that we may become what they are.

It is not an hard saying, that we imitate their good deeds. For we now have their examples, whereas they of old times had no foregoing examples ; and so without being imitators of good examples, they nonetheless have become good examples to us. Thus, if we profit by them, others will profit by us, and Christ will ever be glorified, in a succession of servants of his holy Church. Begin at the beginning of the world, and consider these holy examples : Blameless Abel was slain ; Enoch walked with God, and was seen no more, for God took him ; Noah was found righteous ; Abraham was proved faithful ; Moses was the meekest of men ; Joshua was singleminded ; David was mild ; Elijah was taken up ; Daniel was holy ; and the Three Children were conquerors.

The Apostles, being disciples of Christ, are reckoned as the teachers of believers. Taught by them, the valiant Confessors give battle ; the triumphant Martyrs excel in victory ; and all the hosts of Christians, if they arm themselves with God, are ever vanquishing the devil. All these are men of like valour, though dis-similar in warfare, and so obtain glorious victories. Wherefore, O Christian, thou art an effeminate kind of soldier if thou thinkest to conquer without battling, or to triumph without struggling. Put forth thy strength. Contend like a man. Fight fiercely in thy battle. Know the warfare : the oath of loyalty thou hast taken ; the conditions under which thou has been accepted ; and the kind of war for which thou hast enlisted.

***From The Anglican Breviary, Frank Gavin Liturgical Foundation, Inc., 1998***

Fr. Greg

THE COLLECT FOR THE FEAST OF ALL SAINTS

O Almighty God, who hast knit together thine elect in one communion and fellowship, in the mystical body of thy Son Christ our Lord; Grant us grace so to follow thy blessed Saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those unspeakable joys which thou hast prepared for those who unfeignedly love thee; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE COLLECT FOR THE TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

O Lord, we beseech thee, absolve thy people from their offences; that through thy bountiful goodness we may all be delivered from the bands of those sins, which by ouru frailty we have committed. Grant this, O heavenly Father, for the sake of Jesus Christ, our blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen.

SAINT OF THE DAY

St. Willibrord, Bishop and Confessor (658-739)

Willibrord was born in Northumberland, being the son of a godly Englishman named Wilgis, who became a monk, and was a most holy man. Before Willibrord was seven years of age, he was taken to the monastery of Ripon, and given in charge to Saint Wilfrid, the founder and ruler thereof, to be trained up in a holy life and learning. There, in a short while, he wonderfully stepped forward, not in knowledge only, but also in grace, and led the life of a monk until the twentieth year of his age. Then he had a desire for a harder life, and with the leave of his Abbot and brethren, went into Ireland to the holy men Egbert and Wigbert, who both had journeyed thither for the love of heavenly things. In their devout companionship and conversation, and amid the most excellent teachers of godliness and sacred learning, with whom the Isle of the Saints then abounded, tihs future teacher of many nations passed twelve years, and himself gained learning and character.

Somewhere around the age of thirty he was ordained priest, and was sent by Egbert to convert the pagans of Friesland, along with eleven companions of his own countryfolk eminent for learning and holiness of life, among whom were Saints Swithbert and Adalbert. He landed at Utrecht, and was welcomed, along with his companions, by Pepin of Heristal, who had brought Southern Friesland under his power, and who mightily helped the preaching of the Gospel, so that in a short while many were turned from theh worshipping of idols unto the Christian Faith. Thereafter Willibrord journeyed to Rome to seek a wider knowledge of missionary work in that great Christian centre, where he was welcomed by Saint Pope Sergius I who sent him back much comforted. Later, when Saint Wilfrid had consecrated holy Swithbert as regionary bishop, Pepin sent Willibrord to Rome to be consecrated Archbishop by the same holy Pope Sergius.

Willibrord returned to Friesland as soon as he could, and established his See at Utrecht. He proclaimed the Word of God with much fruit in Friesland, Holland, Zeeland, and Flanders, (even unto the uttermost tribes of those countries,) brake their idols, destroyed their temples and shrines, dedicated many temples to Christ, and established bishops, priests, and other ministers of the Church, eminent for knowledge and grace. He founded houses of religious of both sexes, among which the principal was that for monks at Echternach, in Luxemburg, the government whereof he himself took, and held until his death. At length, after a life of holy and unwearied apostolic labours, he passed away, to be ever with Christ, on November 7th, 739, and of his own age the eighty-first. He is usually reckoned as the Apostle of the Frisians, for it was through is labours and those of his blessed companions, especially of Saint Swithbert, that this barbarous people were made gentle in Christ. He was buried in the Abbey of Echternach. After his death his apostolic labours were taken up by many other Englishmen, eminent among whom were Saints Willehad, Marcellinus, and Lebwin, all of whom are commemorated in the Martyrology.

THE COLLECT FOR SAINT WILLIBRORD

O God, who didst vouchsafe to send thy blessed Saint Willibrord to preach thy glory to the Gentiles : we humbly pray thee ; that, by his merits and intercession, we may both see and know the things which we ought to do, and by thy mercy be enabled to perform the same. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.