Going forward, I’ve decided to move my thoughts and reflections to more public and easily accessible format. Although posts will likely range far and wide in subject and scope, I’ve chosen to focus on the scripture readings found in the Daily Office Lectionary as the over-arching theme around which to organize my thoughts.
What the *bleep* are you talking about, Bill? I hear you say…
I’m not going to recount the entire history of Anglican worship but here is a brief explaination.
Through the Middle Ages, monastic and other religious communities developed a cycle of daily “offices” (prayer services) that took place at intervals through each day and night. When the Protestant Reformation came to England and caused the dissolution of these communities, there was a desire on the part of the evolving Church of England to incorporate some of this daily worship into the prayer-life of the laity. The typical cycle of seven daily offices was reduced to two, Morning Prayer (Matins) and Evening Prayer (Vespers or Evensong). To these were later added (or perhaps one should say restored) Prayers at Noon and Compline (a late evening service usually said before retiring for the night).
Yes, I know you’re still confused… hang with me for another paragraph…
The Book of Common Prayer is (besides the Bible) the basic instrument of Anglican worship. It contains all the essential liturgies and ceremonies of the Church and extensive directions on how these liturgies and ceremonies are to be put together. Included in this are Lectionaries, a prescribed schedule of scripture readings and psalms organized into two cycles, a three-year Sunday Lectionary (Years A, B & C) for use at Sunday celebrations of the Eucharist and a two-year Daily Office Lectionary (Years One & Two) for use at Morning and/or Evening Prayer.
If you’re still lost, button-hole an Episcopal Priest and settle in for a long lecture.
Does this mean that all my posts will be religious? Not necessarily. I am a deeply spiritual person, so almost everything I experience becomes a part of my spirituality, but not always in such an explicit way as to inspire scripture quotations or deep thoughts about God. There will no doubt be times when the readings for the day leave me flat—when they do, I might not post that day (or days!) or I might post on something completely unrelated. And yet, I may find that my unrelated postings have a curious tendency to become relevant when I least expect.
Join me on the journey, and have fun!
