AOC Two

The Second Sunday after Christmas Day. The Collect. A LMIGHTY  God, who hast poured upon us the new light of thine incarnate Word; Grant that the same light enkindled in our hearts may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.               As our Prayer of Collect attests, God, at Christmas, has poured out into our Cups of Faith the “new Light of His Incarnate Word” – so much so that our “ cups runneth over .” The Light was eternally the same unchanging Light of Christ that existed before the worlds and heavens were formed; yet, He came down to us to share in our same pains and sufferings – and more. We can know God the Father because we have seen and heard God the Son.    T HAT  which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; 2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the

   L ITTLE  children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.  19  They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.  20  But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.  21  I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.  22  Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.  23  Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.  24  Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in th

M Y  little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:  2  And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.  3  And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.  4  He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  5  But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.  6  He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.  7  Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.  8  Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.  9  He that saith he is in the li

T HAT  which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;  2  (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)  3  That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.  4  And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.  5  This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.  6  If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:  7  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin .  8 If we say that we have no si

  T HEN  Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.  17  Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,  18  In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.   ( Matthew 2:16-18 )               Our devotion for today is taken from a few verses of the Communion Lectionary Text for the day specified. The child in the womb is as innocent as any creature of God’s creation, and that innocence lingers for a time until the child is mindful of carnal knowledge. Though the blood is tainted with the sin of Adam, yet, these children of Bethlehem and the coasts thereof were martyrs for Christ. So many died for the Christ-child as He w

  V ERILY , verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me . When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said,  Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.  Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake. Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake. He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it? Jesus answered , He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it . And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said,  Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him. Little children, yet a little whil

T HEN  said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.   6  Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:  7  And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.  8  Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me .  (Isaiah 6:5-8)               Isaiah was called by the Lord to be a major prophetic to His people, but Isaiah was unworthy of the calling and he knew it. So did the Lord know Isaiah was not worthy when He chose and called him. It is true of every Christian – none are worthy, but God will always make us able to fulfill whatever role He calls us to undertake.               Isaiah was a man whose daily speech seems to have been

Today we remember Saint Stephen, Deacon and Martyr [December 26.] which supersedes the First Sunday after Christmas. The AOC Sunday Report can be found  RIGHT HERE . We have great sermons from Bishop Roy, as well as Revs Jack and Bryan.  Each is really really great; Rev Jack's is very short, but I think powerful and can be seen on video  RIGHT HERE . There are a lot of people who desire your prayer, please start with Tricia, Bill, Jim, Laurie, Lori and work out from there. There is a short week ahead for most people, but there is a lot to think about in the week, we have to remember Saint John, the murder of the Holy Innocents and the Circumcision of Christ, as well as the cares and worries of this world, but there is a lot to be joyful about.  Open your heart to the Holy Ghost, be thankful in all things, not for all things. Godspeed, Hap Church of the Faithful Centurion Descanso, California United States of America

   Rev Jack's sermon is available on video  RIGHT HERE . Sermon - Rev Jack Arnold Church of the Faithful Centurion - Descanso, California Today’s sermon brought the Collect, Epistle and Gospel together and is partly contained in the forewords above.    Saint Stephen, Deacon and Martyr [December  26 .] The Collect.   G RANT , O Lord, that, in all our sufferings here upon earth for the testimony of thy truth, we may stedfastly look up to heaven, and by faith behold the glory that shall be revealed; and, being filled with the Holy Ghost, may learn to love and bless our persecutors by the example of thy first Martyr Saint Stephen, who prayed for his murderers to thee, O blessed Jesus, who standest at the right hand of God to succour all those who suffer for thee. our only Mediator and Advocate.  Amen .   The Christmas Collect is found on Page 96:   The Nativity of our Lord, or the Birthday of Christ, commonly called Christmas Day. [December 25.] The Collect.   A LMIGHTY  God, who hast

The Propers are found on Page 99-100, with the Collect first:   There are three Collects today:   1.       One for the Feast Day 2.       One for the scheduled Sunday 3.       One for the season   However, Christmas and The First Sunday after Christmas are exactly the same, thus really only two!   Saint Stephen, Deacon and Martyr [December  26 .] The Collect.   G RANT , O Lord, that, in all our sufferings here upon earth for the testimony of thy truth, we may stedfastly look up to heaven, and by faith behold the glory that shall be revealed; and, being filled with the Holy Ghost, may learn to love and bless our persecutors by the example of thy first Martyr Saint Stephen, who prayed for his murderers to thee, O blessed Jesus, who standest at the right hand of God to succour all those who suffer for thee. our only Mediator and Advocate.  Amen .   The Christmas Collect is found on Page 96:   The Nativity of our Lord, or the Birthday of Christ, commonly called Christmas Day. [December 25.