This Sunday in Church: Christ the King

This Sunday in church is “Christ the King” Sunday, a time when we, with joyous hearts, celebrate Jesus Christ as the King of kings and the Lord or lords.  It is a fitting conclusion to the season of Trinitytide, commonly called the Season after Pentecost or Ordinary Time.  The next Sunday begins the Church year over again with Advent.

Christ the King

The Old Testament Scriptures

Jeremiah 23: 1 – 6 –  In which the prophet Jeremiah delivers to the people of Israel God’s promise of the coming King whose reign will be marked forever by righteousness and justice.

 

The New Testament Scriptures

Canticle 16, the Song of Zechariah –  Benedictus Dominus Deus. In place of a psalm this week we will have this canticle, usually associated with Morning Prayer, that was the song of Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist who would grow up to herald Christ’s coming.  This is found in Scripture in Luke 1: 68-79.

Colossians 1: 11 – 20 –  In which St. Paul declares to the people of Colossae that Jesus is the image of the invisible God, which is very Platonic language that those trained in Greek philosophy would have understood.  He goes on to describe many of the attributes of Christ, in whom all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.

Luke 23: 33 – 43 –  The Lukan account of the Crucifixion.

 

Special Music

Organ Prelude and Postlude –  “Now Thank We All Our God” and “Prelude in D Major” by J.S. Bach.

Lou Carol’s Organ Notes –  Today’s prelude sets the chorale at #397 in the hymnal.  The manual and pedal parts enter imitatively for each chorale phrase, all leading up to a grand presentation of the tune in the trumpet stop.  The chorale reminds us of this week of Thanksgiving in America.

Offertory Anthem –  “Sing Joyfully” by William Byrd (1543-1623).

Communion Anthem –  “Sicut locutus est” from Magnificat, BWV 243  by  J.S. Bach (1685-1750).

Fr. Ryan+