Back to earth

Opening Announcement: BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds. Sunday Worship today is a Sung Eucharist from the Charles Wood Festival and Summer School at St Patrick’s Church of Ireland Cathedral in Armagh. The Celebrant is Archdeacon Doctor Peter Thompson.

Archdeacon Thompson: A very warm welcome to the Hill of Armagh and to St Patrick’s Church of Ireland Cathedral for this Eucharist on the Eleventh Sunday after Trinity. The Charles Wood Festival and Summer School takes place annually here in the ecclesiastical capital and celebrates the music of Charles Wood, who was a chorister here in the Cathedral in the 1870’s. The Festival gives singers and musicians the opportunity to perform and develop their talents. The Festival choir, the Charles Wood Singers, will lead us today in the choral aspects of our worship and we are delighted that the Archbishop of Armagh, the Most Revd John McDowell, is the preacher.

Music  Stand up, and bless the Lord, you people of his choice; (CARLISLE)

Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden; Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

As we prepare to celebrate the presence of Christ in word and sacrament, let us call to mind and confess our sins.
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we have sinned in thought and word and deed, and in what we have left undone. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us, that we may walk in newness of life to the glory of your name. Amen.

Almighty God, who forgives all who truly repent, have mercy on you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Music Gloria in Excelsis (Darke in E)

O God, you declare your almighty power most chiefly in showing mercy and pity: Mercifully grant to us such a measure of your grace, that we, running the way of your commandments, may receive your gracious promises, and be made partakers of your heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Reader: Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16 Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured. Let marriage be held in honour by all and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled; for God will judge fornicators and adulterers. Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’ So we can say with confidence, The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?’ Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever. Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Music: Peace I leave with you (Amy Beach)

Reader: Hear the Gospel of our Saviour Christ, according to St Luke, Chapter 14, beginning at verse 1. Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ. On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely. When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honour, he told them a parable. ‘When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honour, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, “Give this person your place”, and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, “Friend, move up higher”; then you will be honoured in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.’ He said also to the one who had invited him, ‘When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbours, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.’ This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Archbishop John McDowell

Here we are at the end of the summer holidays. We may yet have an opportunity to apply some sun screen but the days when we could ignore the ceaseless flow of emails or the oppressive ping of the messages are gone. Reality has returned.

So we come to Church (perhaps we have missed a Sunday or two over the summer) to look for a little inspiration and some comfort to help us get back into the swing of things. Here in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh the music of the Charles Wood Summer School has been sublime and the atmosphere is about as convivial as people who share a common passion for music can make it.

However the Director of the Summer School did not choose todays Readings and the musicians had no say in the words we have just heard. They were chosen by an even more rarefied and exalted class of experts-the Liturgists-a group of people who, some say, are sent to the Church in a times of peace to remind us of the days of persecution.

Reality has returned and we are brought back to earth with a bump back to earth with all the problems and challenges But then why should we think that our discipleship of Jesus should be any less challenging than Jesus’ obedience to his Father. After all that is where he promises to take us if we follow him. Into His Father’s heart.

I’ve just been reading an excellent biography by Bishop Graham Tomlin of a brilliant Frenchman who died at the age of thirty-nine almost exactly three hundred and sixty years ago.. He was a scientist, a mathematician, a statistician, an inventor of the forerunner to the computer and a theologian. His name was Blaise Pascal. In one of his famous Pensées, his thoughts, Pascal says this: “We even lose our life with joy; provided people talk about it”.

But Jesus said, “When you give a lunch, do not invite your friends or your bothers or your relatives or your rich neighbours, in case they invite you in return, then you will be repaid”. But who wants to throw a party much less live a life which no one talks about?

Is that not the most difficult thing in our discipleship? To do a noble thing for God and to be ignored or be thought ignoble for doing so? To welcome strangers and be thought naive. To pray for prisoners and those tortured by justice systems and be thought an apologist for lawlessness and terror. To refuse to be governed by money considerations and be thought indifferent to the needs of your family.

It is in our nature to value and seek for the good will and the good opinion of other people, especially when we feel they are our due in grateful return for our good deeds and open-handedness. There is perhaps nothing that grates on us more than abuse of our kindnesses and our little heroisms.

Yet our discipleship is of a man who taught his friends the way of salvation, and who cured the diseases of all who crowded round him, but who had to say “Many good works have I shown you from my Father; for which of these works do you stone me?”

Even from his friends he met nothing but misunderstanding, and furious accusations. He was desperately maligned, and insolently mocked. Styled a King and treated like a slave ; he was spat on, beaten and scourged, drenched with gall and crowned with thorns. These were the delights which our Lord enjoyed; the dear comforts of his life.

And although we may not be called to these hardships the mysterious writer to the Hebrews and Luke the Physician remind us that we are called to this spirit. In the words of that rather fallen from favour prayer of the ex-soldier Ignatius of Loyola “…tho give and not to count the cost, to fight and not to heed the wounds, to toil and not to seek for rest, the labour and not to ask for any reward, save that of knowing that we do thy will”.

To remember as we come to the communion rail where he places himself into our hands that “the Lord is our helper” and that he “never leaves us or forsakes” us regardless of whether or not the world talks about us. He may be hidden from the world but he is the most real thing in the world to us; our guide and protector as we shelter deep in his wounds. And what have we done to deserve this blessing?

The Nicene Creed

Reader Almighty and everliving God, hear the prayers which we offer in faith and love:

For peace, and for your salvation to be known throughout the whole world and especially in places where war, violence and conflict are a reality this day.

For the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church and for the unity of all Christian people ....

For all who serve and lead in your Church, for all ministers of the Gospel; for John, Archbishop of Armagh, and for all who are responsible for the spiritual oversight of the Cathedrals, churches and congregations in this city and throughout this land; giving thanks for the gift of music and for all organists and choristers.

 For all your people growing in faith in the faith of Christ and sharing the message of hope with others.

For all who live and work in this community here in Armagh and in every town, city and village throughout these islands.

For families, and for those who live alone; For all who are sick in body, mind or in spirit, We remember all who are ill in. hospital, hospice, nursing home or their own home, giving thanks for those who care for them.

 For all in authority, and especially for Charles our King and for all who have been entrusted with the responsibility of government here and in all nations.

For those who work for peace, justice and righteousness throughout the world.

Rejoicing in the fellowship of your holy apostles and martyrs, and of all your servants departed this life in your faith and fear we commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to you, Lord God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Merciful Father, accept these our prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Christ is our peace. He has reconciled us to God in one body by the cross. We meet in his name and share his peace. The peace of the Lord be always with you
And also with you

Music Soul of my Saviour, sanctify my breast (ANIMA CHRISTI)

Christ our passover has been sacrificed for us
therefore let us celebrate the feast.
The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us.

Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Father, almighty and everliving God, at all times and in all places it is right to give you thanks and praise: And so with all your people, with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we proclaim your great and glorious name, for ever praising you and singing:

Music: Sanctus (Darke in E)

Blessed are you, Father, the creator and sustainer of all things; you made us in your own image, male and female you created us; even when we turned away from you, you never ceased to care for us, but in your love and mercy you freed us from the slavery of sin, giving your only begotten Son to become man and suffer death on the cross to redeem us; he made there the one complete and all-sufficient sacrifice for the sins of the whole world: he instituted, and in his holy Gospel commanded us to continue, a perpetual memory of his precious death until he comes again:

On the night that he was betrayed he took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take, eat, this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.

In the same way, after supper he took the cup; and when he had given thanks to you, he gave it to them, saying, Drink this, all of you, for this is my blood of the new covenant which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.

Therefore, Father, with this bread and this cup we do as Christ your Son commanded: we remember his passion and death, we celebrate his resurrection and ascension, and we look for the coming of his kingdom.

Accept through him, our great high priest, this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving; and as we eat and drink these holy gifts, grant by the power of the life-giving Spirit that we may be made one in your holy Church and partakers of the body and blood of your Son, that he may dwell in us and we in him: Through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, by whom, and with whom, and in whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honour and glory are yours, Almighty Father, for ever and ever. Amen.

As our Saviour Christ has taught us, we are bold to pray: Our Father…

The bread which we break is a sharing in the body of Christ.

We being many are one body, for we all share in the one bread.

Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God, who has taken away the sins of the world. Happy are those who are called to his supper.

Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed.

Music Agnus Dei (Darke in E)

Let us oray: Lord of all mercy, we your faithful people have celebrated the memorial of that single sacrifice which takes away our sins and brings pardon and peace. By our communion keep us firm on the foundation of the gospel and preserve us from all sin; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Music Ye holy angels bright, who wait at God’s right hand(DARWALL’S 148th )

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 Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be with you and remain with you always. Amen.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

In the name of Christ. Amen.

Organ: O Lux Beata(Matthias Weckmann)

Closing Announcement: O Lux Beata** by Matthias Weckmann ends Sunday Worship which came from the Charles Wood Festival and Summer School at St Patrick’s Church of Ireland Cathedral in Armagh. The Celebrant was Archdeacon Doctor Peter Thompson and the preacher the Archbishop of Armagh, the Most Reverend John McDowell. The Charles Wood Singers were directed by David hill and the organist was Pascal Bachmann

The producer was Bert Tosh.

Next week’s Sunday Worship from St Dominic's Priory in London will explore the sacred nature of friendship and mark the 500th anniversary of the birth of the composer, Palestrina.