Day Five — Tuesday 29 December 2015

The Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us. O come, let us worship. Alleluia

Presentation

James B. Janknegt. The Presentation (2008).

Readings (Click the links to see the readings)

1 John 2.3-11 | Psalm 96.1-6 | Luke 2.22-35 |

The Presentation in the Temple
—John O'Donohue.

The words of a secret have rivet eyes
That cannot sleep to forget what they know.
The restrained voice sharpens to an arrow
That will reach its target through any disguise.

Two old people wait in the temple shadows
Where stone and air are hoarsened with prayer
For some door to open in their hunger;
Sometimes children laugh at her twitching nose.

Worn to a thread the old man’s rope of days,
Spent unravelling in this empty torment,
Has wizened his silence to words of flint.
When he glimpses the child, his lost voice flares.

His words lodge in the young mother's thought
That a sword of sorrow will pierce her heart.

—from Conamara Blues. London: Bantam, 2000.

Prayer

Almighty God and Father of light, a child is born to us an a Son is given to us. Your eternal Word leapt down from heaven in the silent watches of the night, and now your Church is filled with wonder at the nearness of God. Open our hearts to receive his life and increase our vision with the rising of dawn, that our lives may be filled with his glory and his peace, who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
—International Committee on English in the Liturgy

Arvo Pärt. Nunc Dimittis.
Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir.

Nunc dimittis servum tuum Domine,
secundum verbum tuum in pace.
Quia viderunt oculi mei salutare tuum,
quod parasti ante faciem omnium populorum,
lumen ad revelationem gentium
et gloriam plebis tuae Israel.

Lord, now let your servant depart in peace
according to your word.
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
Which you have prepared before the face of all people;
To be a light to lighten the Gentiles
and the glory of your people Israel.

May the Lord, who has called out of darkness into his marvellous light, bless us and fill us with peace. Amen.