Worship Calendar

A short history of the Feast of the Holy Name, which coincides with New Year's Day, is in Lesser Feast and Fasts, as follows:

"The designation of this day as the Feast of the Holy Name is new to the 1979 revision of the Prayer Book. Previous Anglican Prayer Books called it the Feast of the Circumcision. January first is, of course, the eighth day after Christmas Day, and the Gospel according to Luke records that eight days after his birth the child was circumcised and given the name Jesus.

The Law of Moses required that every male child be circumcised on the eighth day from his birth (Leviticus 12:3); and it had long been the custom to make of it a festive occasion, when family and friends came together to witness the naming of the child.

The liturgical commemoration of the Circumcision is of Gallican origin, and a Council in Tours in 567 enacted that the day was to be kept as a fast day to counteract pagan festivities connected with the beginning of the new year. In the Roman tradition, January first was observed as the octave day of Christmas, and it was specially devoted to the Virgin Mother.

The early preachers of the Gospel lay stress on the name as showing that Jesus was a man of flesh and blood, though also the Son of God, who died a human death, and whom God raised from death to be the Savior (Acts 2:32; 4:12). The name was given to Jesus, as the angel explained to Joseph, because he would 'save his people from their sins' (Matthew 1:21). (The word means 'Savior' or 'Deliverer' in Hebrew.)"

In 2006, the Feast of the Holy Name fell on a Sunday, and therfore Father Austin gave a sermon on the topic.

Collect:

Eternal Father, who didst give to thine incarnate Son the holy name of Jesus to be the sign of our salvation: Plant in every heart, we beseech thee, the love of him who is the Savior of the world, even our Lord Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

The Epiphany celebrates Jesus revealed as Christ. January 6 is not only the Feast itself, but also the beginning of a season in which we come to know, one epiphany at a time, Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah, our Savior and Redeemer, very God of very God.

To more fully understand the season of Epiphany, consider reading these sermons:

The Epiphanies of Christ by Fr Mead (2006)
A Sermon for the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost by Fr Stafford (2006)
Traversing Afar by Fr Mead (2005)
The Kingdom of Truth by Fr Mead (2003)
Los Tres Reyes by Fr Mead (2002)
The Uniqueness of Christ by Fr Mead (2002)

At Saint Thomas, we also celebrate the visit of the wise men to the Christ child at an Epiphany Procession at 11am and 4pm on Sunday, January 15.

Collect:

O God, who by the leading of a star didst manifest thy only begotten Son to the peoples of the earth: Lead us, who know thee now by faith, to thy presence, where we may Behold thy glory face to face; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Generally, one Saturday per month is set aside to commemorate the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Collect:

O Almighty God, who didst endue with singular grace the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of our Lord: Vouchsafe, we beseech thee, to hallow our bodies in purity, and our souls in humility and love; through the same our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Collect:

Archbishop of Canterbury
b. October 7, 1573
d. January 10, 1645 (beheaded)

William Laud was one of the Caroline Divines, who were influential during the seventeenth century through the reign of Charles I and then, later, after the Restoration. Among the many Caroline Divines are Lancelot Andrewes, Jeremy Taylor and Herbert Thorndike.

Collect:

Keep us, O Lord, constant in faith and zealous in witness, that, like thy servant William Laud, we may live in thy fear, die in thy favor, and rest in thy peace; for the sake of Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Abbot of Rievaulx
d. 1167

Collect:

Pour thou into our hearts, we beseech thee, O God, the Holy Spirit’s gift of love, that we, clasping each the other’s hand, may share the joy of friendship, human and divine, and with thy servant Aelred draw many into thy community of love; through Jesus Christ the Righteous, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Bishop of Poitiers
d. 367

Collect:

O Lord our God, who didst raise up thy servant Hilary to be a champion of the catholic faith: Keep us steadfast in that true faith which we professed at our baptism, that we may rejoice in having thee for our Father, and may abide in thy Son, in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit; thou who livest and reignest for ever and ever. Amen.

Collect:

Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that thy people, illumined by thy Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ's glory, that he may be known, worshiped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Abbot in Egypt
d. 356

Collect:

O God, who by thy Holy Spirit didst enable thy servant Antony to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil: Give us grace, with pure hearts and minds, to follow thee, the only God; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Confession of Saint Peter (January 18) is the beginning of the Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity, which ends eight days later with the Conversion of Saint Paul (January 25). The Sunday that falls within this week is traditionally a Sunday in which we, at Saint Thomas, invite a preacher from outside our church into the pulpit. In 2012, that preacher is The Rev'd Dr. Raymond Judd, Jr., Chaplain Emeritus of Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas, who will preach on Sunday, January 22 at 11am and 4pm.

In 2009, January 18 fell on a Sunday, so there was a sermon for the Feast of the Confession of Saint Peter. You may read it here.

Other related sermons:
Saint Peter Part I - The Rock (2002) by Fr Mead
Saint Peter Part II - The Stumbling Block (2002) by Fr Mead
The Apostolic Faith (2009) by Fr Mead

Collect:

Almighty Father, who didst inspire Simon Peter, first among the apostles, to confess Jesus as Messiah and Son of the living God: Keep thy Church steadfast upon the rock of this faith, that in unity and peace we may proclaim the one truth and follow the one Lord, our Savior Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Bishop of Worcester
d. 1095

Collect:

Almighty God, whose only-begotten Son hath led captivity captive and given gifts to thy people: Multiply among us faithful pastors, who, like thy holy bishop Wulfstan, will give courage to those who are oppressed and held in bondage; and bring us all, we pray, into the true freedom of thy kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Bishop and Martyr of Rome
d. 250

Collect:

O God, who in thy providence didst single out the holy martyr Fabian as worthy to be chief pastor of thy people, and didst guide him so to strengthen thy Church that it stood fast in the day of persecution: Grant that those whom thou dost call to any ministry in the Church may be obedient to thy call in all humility, and be enabled to carry out their tasks with diligence and faithfulness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Martyr at Rome
d. 304

Collect:

Almighty and everlasting God, who dost choose those whom the world deemeth powerless to put the powerful to shame: Grant us so to cherish the memory of thy youthful martyr Agnes, that we may share her pure and steadfast faith in
thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Collect:

Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ and proclaim to all people the Good News of his salvation, that we and all the whole world may perceive the glory of his marvelous works; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Conversion of Saint Paul (January 25) wraps up the Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity which begins with the Confession of Saint Peter (January 18). To understand the significance of this feast, you might consider these sermons:

It's All in Paul (2004) by Fr Mead
Some Counsel Against Anxiety (2008) by Fr Mead
After the Acts (2005) by Fr Mead

Collect:

O God, who, by the preaching of thine apostle Paul, hast caused the light of the Gospel to shine throughout the world: Grant, we beseech thee, that we, having his wonderful conversion in remembrance, may show forth our thankfulness unto thee for the same by following the holy doctrine which he taught; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Companions of Saint Paul

It is fitting that Timothy and Titus are remembered on the day immediately following the Conversion of Saint Paul. They, after all, were Greek (Timothy had a Jewish mother, who was believer, and a Greek father; both of Timothy's parents were Greek), so they were well suited for the spread of the Gospel to the Gentiles. Both were instrumental in the development of early churches, such as those at Corinth, Thessalonica, and Ephesus.

Timothy and Titus brought youthful enthusiasm to their call, and Lesser Feasts and Fasts makes this point:

Paul several times mentions their youth, while entrusting them with great responsibilities in administration and in the proclaiming of the Gospel, a reminder that not age but faithfulness, care, and the love of Christ are the important qualities for Christian witness to the Lord.

Collect:

Almighty God, who didst call Timothy and Titus to do the work of evangelists and teachers, and didst make them strong to endure hardship: Strengthen us to stand fast in adversity, and to live godly and righteous lives in this present time, that with sure confidence we may look for our blessed hope, the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Bishop of Constantinople
d. 407

Collect:

O God, who didst give to thy servant John Chrysostom grace eloquently to proclaim thy righteousness in the great congregation, and fearlessly to bear reproach for the honor of thy Name: Mercifully grant to all bishops and pastors such excellency in preaching, and fidelity in ministering thy Word, that thy people may be partakers with them of the glory that shall be revealed; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Priest and Friar
d. 1274

Collect:

Almighty God, who hast enriched thy Church with the singular learning and holiness of thy servant Thomas Aquinas: Enlighten us more and more, we pray thee, by the disciplined thinking and teaching of Christian scholars, and deepen our devotion by the example of saintly lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Collect:

Almighty and everlasting God, who dost govern all things in heaven and earth: Mercifully hear the supplications of thy people, and in our time grant us thy peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.