Readings (Click the links to see the readings)

Isaiah 25.6-10 | Ps 23 | Matthew 15.29-37

God Christ's Deity Came Forth
Ephrem of Edessa (4th century)

From God Christ's deity came forth,
his manhood from humanity;
his priesthood from Melchizedek,
his royalty from David's tree:
praised be his Oneness.

He joined with guests at wedding feast,
yet in the wilderness did fast;
he taught within the temple's gates;
his people saw him die at last:
praised be his teaching.

The dissolute he did not scorn,
nor turn from those who were in sin;
he for the righteous did rejoice
but bade the fallen to come in:
praised be his mercy.

He did not disregard the sick;
to simple ones his word was given;
and he descended to the earth
and, his work done, went up to heaven:
praised be his coming.

Who then, my Lord, compares to you?
The Watcher slept, the Great was small,
the Pure baptized, the Life who died,
the King abased to honor all:
praised be your glory.
— St. Ephraim the Syrian, Hymns on the Faith, translated by John Howard Rhys, adapted and altered by F Bland Tucker, for the (Episcopal) Hymnbook 1982.

Prayer

Come, Lord God, change us and we shall be changed.
Come, increase our awareness of your presence.
Come, strengthen our love for you.
Come, fill our hearts with holiness.
Come, awaken us to be ready and watchful for your coming.
Come, Lord God, change us and we shall be changed.
—David Adam. Glimpses of Glory, SPCK, 2000.

Byzantine mosaic from the Church of the Loaves and Fishes, Tabgha, at the foot of the Mount of the Beatitudes, marking the site where Jesus fed the crowd. Matthew 15.29-37

Franz Schubert, Gott ist Mein Hirt. Psalm 23. Op. 132, D706, 1820. Brigitte Poschner, Barbara Bonney, Dalia Schaechter, Margaretha Hintermeier, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, dir. Claudio Abbado, 1992.

1. Gott ist mein Hirt, mir wird nichts mangeln.
2. Er lagert mich auf grüne Weide;
Er leitet mich an stillen Bächen:
3. Er labt mein schmachtendes Gemüth,
Er führt mich auf gerechtem Steige,
Zu seines Namens Ruhm.
4. Und wall' ich auch im Todesschatten-Thale;
So wall' ich ohne Furcht:
Denn du beschützest mich.
Dein Stab und deine Stütze
Sind mir immerdar mein Trost.
5. Du richtest mir ein Freudenmahl
Im Angesicht der Feinde zu:
Du salbst mein Haupt mit Oele,
Und schenkst mir volle, volle, Becher ein;
6. Mir folget Heil und Seligkeit
In diesem Leben nach,
Einst ruh' ich ew'ge Zeit,
Dort in des Ew'gen Haus.