Flowing with Joy, Walking with God.
Cornelius February 4, 2021 Service of Healing • 6:15 pm The Reverend Sarah van Gulden Priest-in-Charge
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Opening Sentences
Presider The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. People And also with you. Presider Let us pray.
Loving God, the comfort of all who sorrow, the strength of all who suffer: accept our prayers and grant the power of your grace, that the weak may be strengthened, sickness turned to health, the dying made whole, and sorrow turned into joy; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
The Collect of the Day
The Lord be with you. And also with you. Let us pray.
O God, who by your Spirit called Cornelius the Centurion to be the first Christian among the Gentiles: Grant to your church such a ready will to go where you send and to do what you command that the prejudices that blind us might cease, and that we might welcome all who turn to you in love; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The First Reading Acts 11:1-18
The apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, saying, "Why did Page 2 of 9
you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?" Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying, "I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me. As I looked at it closely I saw four- footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. I also heard a voice saying to me, `Get up, Peter; kill and eat.' But I replied, `By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.' But a second time the voice answered from heaven, `What God has made clean, you must not call profane.' This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven. At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were. The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man's house. He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, `Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter; he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.' And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, `John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?" When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, "Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life." Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people.
Thanks be to God.
The Response Psalm 67
May God be merciful to us and bless us, * show us the light of his countenance and come to us.
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Let your ways be known upon earth, * your saving health among all nations. Let the peoples praise you, O God; * let all the peoples praise you. Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, * for you judge the peoples with equity and guide all the nations upon earth. Let the peoples praise you, O God; * let all the peoples praise you. The earth has brought forth her increase; * may God, our own God, give us his blessing. May God give us his blessing, * and may all the ends of the earth stand in awe of him.
The Gospel Luke 13:22-29
Presider The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke. People Glory to you Lord Christ.
Jesus went through one town and village after another, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, "Lord, will only a few be saved?" He said to them, "Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able. When once the owner of the house has got up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, `Lord, open to us,' then in reply he will say to you, `I do not know where you come from.' Then you will begin to say, `We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.' But he will say, `I do not know where you come from; go away from me, all you evildoers!' There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrown out. Then people will come from east and west, from north and south, and will eat in the kingdom of God.
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The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you Lord Christ.
Reflection
Litany for Healing
Let us name before God those for whom we offer our prayers.
God the Father, your will for all people is health and salvation; We praise you and thank you, O Lord.
God the Son, you came that we might have life, and might have it more abundantly; We praise you and thank you, O Lord.
God the Holy Spirit, you make our bodies the temple of your presence; We praise you and thank you, O Lord.
Holy Trinity, one God, in you we live and move and have our being; We praise you and thank you, O Lord.
Lord, grant your healing grace to all who are sick, injured, or disabled, that they may be made whole; Hear us, O Lord of life.
Grant to all who seek your guidance, and to all who are lonely, anxious, or despondent, a knowledge of your will and an awareness of your presence; Hear us, O Lord of life.
Mend broken relationships, and restore those in emotional distress to soundness of mind and serenity of spirit; Hear us, O Lord of life. Page 5 of 9
Bless physicians, nurses, and all others who minister to the suffering, granting them wisdom and skill, sympathy and patience; Hear us, O Lord of life.
Grant to the dying peace and a holy death, and uphold by the grace and consolation of your Holy Spirit those who are bereaved; Hear us, O Lord of life.
Restore to wholeness whatever is broken by human sin, in our lives, in our nation, and in the world; Hear us, O Lord of life.
You are the Lord who does wonders: You have declared your power among the peoples.
With you, O Lord, is the well of life: And in your light we see light.
Hear us, O Lord of life: Heal us, and make us whole.
Almighty God, giver of life and health: Send your blessing on all who are sick, and upon those who minister to them, that all weakness may be vanquished by the triumph of the risen Christ; who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
The Confession
Presider Let us confess our sins to God.
God of all mercy, we confess that we have sinned against you, opposing your will in our lives.
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We have denied your goodness in each other, in ourselves, and in the world you have created. We repent of the evil that enslaves us, the evil we have done, and the evil done on our behalf. Forgive, restore, and strengthen us through our Savior Jesus Christ, that we may abide in your love and serve only your will. Amen.
Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through the grace of Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Music Meditation
Closing Prayer
Generous God, we give you thanks for your beloved Jesus Christ, in whom you have shared the beauty and pain of human life. Look with compassion upon all for Page 7 of 9
whom we pray, and strengthen us to be your instruments of healing in the world, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Blessing
The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Creator, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you, and remain with you always. Amen.
All that we know about Cornelius is contained in the Acts of the Apostles (chapters 10–11). He was the first Gentile converted to the Christian faith, along with his household. A centurion was commander of a company of one hundred men in the Roman army, responsible for their discipline, both on the field of battle and in camp. A centurion was a Roman citizen, a military career man, well-paid, and generally noted for courage and competence. Some centurions, such as Cornelius, and those whom we know about from the Gospel narratives, were men of deep religious piety.
The author of Acts considered Cornelius’ conversion very momentous for the future of Christianity. He records that it occurred as the result of divine intervention and revelation, and as a response to the preaching of Peter the chief apostle. The experience of Cornelius’ household was regarded as comparable to a new Pentecost, and it was a primary precedent for the momentous decision of the apostolic council, held in Jerusalem a few years later, to admit Gentiles to full and equal partnership with Jewish converts in the household of faith.
According to tradition, Cornelius was the second Bishop of Caesarea, the metropolitan see of Palestine. Undoubtedly, Cornelius and his household formed the nucleus of the first Church in this important city, a Church that was gathered by Philip the Evangelist (Acts 8:40 and 21:8).
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Trinity Staff The Reverend Sarah van Gulden – [email protected] Office: 978-372-4244 Cell: 508-367-4750 Dr. Janet King, Director of Music - [email protected] Dr. David King, Organist- [email protected] Michelle Moulton, Parish Administrator - [email protected] Tom Walker - Sexton
Parish Ministry Leaders Rev. Cathy Estey, Senior Warden – [email protected] Jeff Moulton, Junior Warden – [email protected] Tom High, Treasurer – [email protected] Michelle Moulton, Communications/Webmaster – [email protected] Jeff Moulton, Christian Education Minister – [email protected] Bette Jacobs, RN, Parish Nurse – [email protected] Rev. Cathy Estey, Prayer Minister - [email protected] Betty Malbon, Altar Guild Director – [email protected] Church Office (978) 372-4244 – [email protected]
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