LATEST
ADVENT
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
Romans 15:13
ADVENT SUNDAY - 1 DECEMBER 2025
Historically purple is the main colour used for Advent because it reflects penitence, fasting, and the colour of royalty as we welcome the Advent of the King of All - Jesus Christ. The focus of the entire season is the celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ at his first Advent, and the anticipation of the future return of Christ the King on his second Advent.
Advent wreaths are symbolic of Advent in some countries. They are usually made of fir and decorated with gold and silver ribbons or scarlet woollen threads. Lit wreaths may be displayed on the table where family and friends sit while singing carols and preparing handmade gifts.
A Prayer for Advent
Lord, thou hast given us thy Word for a light to shine upon our path;
grant us so to meditate on that Word, and to follow its teaching,
that we may find in it the light that shines more and more
until the perfect day;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
(St. Jerome, c 342 - 420)
Advent. The eternal theme is one of light in the darkness.
Imagine for a moment, the world just before the birth of Christ; a world that was dark, in need of salvation, a world that was lost and believed in its own righteousness, a world of empires and of human laws.
The Light arrived in the most inauspicious of circumstances, born to a carpenter and his bride-to-be in a stable in Bethlehem. This event was largely ignored by the human world at the time but let’s not rush ahead. Advent is a special season in which we look at the events that led to the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ.
The first candle is a candle of hope; the hope that those early prophets such as Daniel and Samuel had in God, the faith that they held, knowing the Holy Spirit would move, and bring a new possibility, a new way, a change for good, a hope that in this moment things would never be the same again.
And so we can light candles in Advent:
We hold that hope of change, especially at this time of wars, economic uncertainty and increasing secularisation. But there is good news, we can be hope-givers to a weary and hurting world. We can share our hope so that others are liberated and can also walk free from chains of despair, or addiction, or fear. We have that faith that God will send the Holy Spirit, His Light upon us.
And so we pray:
Creator God, who saw a world in darkness. And when you saw your people losing hope, you kindled the flame within them and sent hope to the world that was not an empty hope but a hope that has moved through your people and that has touched the hearts of many ─ the hope that we can bring and live out, that we can inspire others and bring your kingdom closer. Amen.
______________________________________________
30 NOVEMBER 2024
St Andrew's Day
Our Templar members from and in Scotland
send warm and hearty Greetings
to fellow Knights and Dames wherever they reside.
______________________
St Michael & All Angels in Llantarnam.
SUNDAY 24 NOVEMBER 2024
Christmas Pudding Sunday?
At this time of the year some people ask why it is that this particular Sunday is occasionally referred to as "Christmas Pudding Sunday". The very simple answer is that in those churches which still use the 1662 Book of Common Prayer the 'Collect' [the introductory prayer to the Sunday Service] for the day was this:
Taken from a 1701 Book of Common Prayer printed by the Oxford University Press:
The words "Stir up O Lord ... " inspired mothers and others to invite members of their family to join in making the annual Christmas Pudding by stirring the pudding mixture - usually in a large bowl on the kitchen table. Children were often invited to make a 'wish' - possibly related to what Christmas present they would like 'Santa Claus' to bring them for Christmas.
Hence an alternative name was to call the day "Stir up Sunday".
Meanwhile it is perhaps interesting to note that no matter how many Sundays had passed since the earlier Trinity Sunday (always more than 20), the Sunday before Advent Sunday, which could have been the 25th Sunday after Trinity, was always designated the Sunday in which this prayer was used. It's as if no one wanted to miss out on the opportunity to make a Christmas wish!
Today is also a Celebration of Christ the King
Jesus said: "My kingdom is not of this world"
(John 18:36)
As Christian people we Templar Knights and Dames of the Order of the Temple of Jerusalem are, already, citizens of Christ's kingdom. And so daily we pray in the words Jesus gave us: "Thy kingdom come on earth as it is (already) in heaven". So we need have no fear of temporary earthy dictators, nor even rulers by conquest, election or inheritance. These are only 'in charge' for a while. Others will come and will also go. But the Kingdom of God is eternal. Rejoice therefore and be glad !
_________________________________________________________________________
19 and 23 NOVEMBER 2024
The first snow of winter 2024
Tuesday 19 November 2024
Antony Gormley's Angel of the North on Saturday 23 November 2024
_________________________________________
10 NOVEMBER 2024
REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY
_______________
REmembrance-tide : november 2024
† ‡ †
A Prayer for the Fallen
Remember, O Lord
all those who have died the death of honour and
are departed in the hope of resurrection to Eternal Life,
especially the Officers, Men and Women
of our Sea, Land and, Air Forces,
to whom it was given to lay down their lives
for the cause of Freedom and Justice.
In your heavenly place of Light,
where pain, sorrow, tears and mourning are no more,
give them rest, O Lord, the Lover of all people.
Grant this for Jesus Christ’s sake.
Amen.
______________
In memoria aeterna erit iustus.
Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine,
et lux perpetua luceat eis.
The just shall be in everlasting remembrance.
Grant them eternal rest, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them,
____________________________________
Friday 1 November 2024
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened
in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you -
the riches of his glorious inheritance in his saints
[Ephesians 1: 18]
The well-known hymn "For all the saints" is a favourite with Templars.
It expresses our hope and trust in the future and
calls upon us to follow the example of our forebears:
1 For all the saints who from their labours rest,
who thee by faith before the world confessed,
thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
2 Thou wast their rock, their fortress, and their might;
thou, Lord, their captain in the well-fought fight;
thou, in the darkness drear, their one true light.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
3 O may thy soldiers, faithful, true, and bold,
fight as the saints who nobly fought of old,
and win with them the victor's crown of gold.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
4 O blest communion, fellowship divine,
we feebly struggle, they in glory shine;
yet all are one in thee, for all are thine.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
5 And when the fight is fierce, the warfare long,
steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
and hearts are brave again, and arms are strong.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
6 The golden evening brightens in the west;
soon, soon to faithful warrior cometh rest;
sweet is the calm of paradise the blest.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
7 But lo! there breaks a yet more glorious day;
the saints triumphant rise in bright array;
the King of glory passes on his way.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
8 From earth's wide bounds, from ocean's farthest coast,
through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,
singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Words: William Walsham How (1864)
Tune (Sine Nomine): Ralph Vaughan Williams (1906)
_________________________________________
13 October 2024
Friday 13 October 1307 is a day that will live in infamy in the history of the Knights Templar.
Founded around 1118 as a semi-monastic-style military order devoted to the protection of pilgrims travelling to the Holy Land following the Christian capture of Jerusalem in 1099 during the First Crusade, the Knights Templar quickly became one of the richest and most influential groups of the Middle Ages, thanks to lavish donations from the crowned heads of Europe, eager to curry favour with these fierce Knights. By the turn of the 14th century, the Templars had established a system of castles, churches and 'banking-like' arrangements throughout Western Europe. And it was this astonishing wealth that would lead to their downfall. For the Templars, that end began in the early morning hours of Friday, 13 October 1307. In the days and weeks that followed that fateful Friday, more than 600 Templars were arrested, including Grand Master Jacques de Molay, and the Order’s Treasurer. But while some of the highest-ranking members were caught up in the net of the French King Philip IV ("the Fair"), so too were hundreds of non-warriors; middle-aged men who managed the day-to-day banking and farming activities that kept the organization humming. The men were charged with a wide array of offenses including heresy, devil worship and spitting on the cross, homosexuality, fraud and financial corruption. Many were tortured and some died.
____
In memoria aeterna erit iustus.
Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine,
et lux perpetua luceat eis.
The just shall be in everlasting remembrance.
Grant them eternal rest, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them,
____
But today the Order lives on throughout the world and we, in the Grand Priory of All Britain, are open to welcome into membership committed Christian men and and women who are willing to pray and work together for the wholesome good of all peoples, everywhere.
If you are interested do please get in touch via our "Contact Us" form (lower down of the menu). Please state whereabouts you normally reside.
_____________________________
INVESTITURES
Our most recent Investitures were on 14 September 2024 at Brecon Cathedral in South Wales and Wivenhoe in Essex, England on 12 October 2024. Photos from these events will be posted here in due course.
Our next Investiture will be in Spring 2025.
___________
Meanwhile on an entirely different matter we have been asked to confirm (August 2024) that we have no connection whatsoever with an American organisation going under the name of the "Knights Templar Church". We know nothing about this organisation and, in any case, .....
We are NOT a church!
-------
Further clarification previously issued:
Information published on behalf of the Grand Magistral Council
OTJ – v – OSMTJ
20 May 2023
The Name “L’Ordre du
Temple de Jerusalem”
Many Templars have asked why we have changed the name of the Order.
We have not changed the name of
the Order; we have simply registered it under its historical provenance.
The name, “Sovereign and Military
Order of the Temple of Jerusalem” (OSMTJ) and its many translated versions, is
not original or ancient.
We don’t really know the true
founding name of the Order (presumably something related to The Poor Knights of
Christ).
As best we know, the OSMTJ name
first appeared in Belgium around 1932 when the Belgium Templar association was
registered under that name.
All honors afforded to the Order
by the Emperor Napoleon and others were not to an entity named OSMTJ. They were to an Order of the Temple.
Furthermore, the name OSMTJ was
never registered as an international organization. This lack of international registration of
the Order prevented several activities of the Order, especially affiliation
with the United Nations and other international groups where one of the first
questions asked in the affiliation process is “where is the Order registered?” Consequently, registration was long overdue.
Unfortunately, the name OSMTJ is
no longer an honored name:
Is it: the OSMTJ of the Hastier-Haimovici obedience,
the obedience of the Van der Stock obedience,
the OSMTJ obedience of the Martinez obedience,
the obedience of the Timothy Jones group,
the OSMTJ of the Matta obedience, or
the OSMTJ of the Mangum obedience?
Games played in the past several
years have destroyed the sanctity of our Order’s name.
We do know that through the
centuries the Order was simply referred to as the Order of the Temple. Some radical groups, such as the Freemasons
and the Solar Temple, copied and exploited that name. Consequently, we have returned to the
historically correct name of the Order – The Order of the Temple or L’Ordre du
Temple, with the addition of “de Jerusalem” to clarify our distinction from
radical temple groups.
Therefore, the name of the Order
has returned to its historical provenance, L’Ordre du Temple de Jerusalem.
National subgroups of the Order
may continue to use the OSMTJ name, but at the international level, the Order
is L’Ordre du Temple de Jerusalem or simply The Order of the Temple.
(signed) General Ronald Scott Mangum, Master.
Note: The name of the Order, as registered in the official Belgium Gazette, is given as the “Ordre du Temple de Jérusalem”. Therefore, in the Grand Priory of All Britain, we shall henceforth refer to the Order as the “Ordre du Temple de Jérusalem” and this was duly registered in England and Wales in 2024. (Grand Prior)
______________________________________________________________________________
15 August 2024
V.J. DAY
End of World War II : Victory over Japan
Burma Star Medal Veterans Badge Pacific Star Medal
When you get home, tell them from us and say:
"For your tomorrow, we gave our today"
___________________
ARMED FORCES DAY : 29 JUNE 2024
We have numerous Knights and Dames serving with or veterans of UK Armed Forces and we support and encourage them EVERY day and not just on Armed Forces Day each year.
GOD SAVE THE KING
____________________________________________________________
25 JUNE 2024
HRH THE PRINCESS Royal
We are deeply concerned to hear that Princess Anne has been injured and taken into hospital.
We have send a message to Her Royal Highness expressing our support for her swift recovery and we pray for her return to her exemplary service to the Crown and Country.
____________________________________________________________
KATE : HRH THe Princess of WALes
27 March & 14 June 2024
The Princess made it known that she was
receiving treatment for cancer.
The Princess announced that she would be attending the 'Trooping the Colour' (tomorrow) - 15 June 2024.
"I am making good progress, but as anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days."
"On those bad days you feel weak, tired have to give in to your body resting.
But on the good days, when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of feeling well"
"My treatment is ongoing and will be for a few more months."
____________________________________________________________
D-DAY 80 : 6 june 2024
We Knights Templar, including many of our veteran membership, commend to God all those men and women who planned and took part in this momentous event which set the scene for the final defeat of the Nazi tyranny which had threatened to destroy civilisation and our -
FREEDOM
____________________________________________________________
TRINITY SUNDAY - 26 May 2024
The celebration of the Holy Trinity on this important Christian festival day is best summed up in the words of the great hymn: "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty":
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee;
Holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty,
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!
Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore thee,
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,
Which wert and art and evermore shalt be.
Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee,
Though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see,
Only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
Perfect in power, in love, and purity.
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall praise thy name, in earth and sky and sea;
Holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty,
God in three persons, blessed Trinity.
The writer of this hymn, Reginald Heber (1783-1826), was born into a wealthy, educated family. He was a bright youth, translating a Latin classic into English verse by the time he was seven and entering Oxford University at 17. He won two awards for his poetry during his time there. After graduation he became rector of his father's church in the village of Hodnet near Shrewsbury in the west of England where he remained for 16 years. He was appointed Bishop of Calcutta in 1823 and worked there tirelessly for three years until the weather and travel took its toll on his health and he died of a stroke. Most of his 57 hymns, which include "Holy, Holy, Holy," are still in use today.
The usual tune, NICAEA, is named after the Council of Nicaea (A.D. 325), convened in the town of Nicaea in Bithynia, at which church leaders formulated a consensus of belief and practice amongst Christians concerning the doctrine of the Trinity in order to oppose the heresies of Arius. The result was the well-known Nicene Creed, a document passed down through the ages as one of the pillars of church doctrine. The primary function of this creed was to establish a firm belief in the Trinity, countering Arius, who believed that Jesus was not fully divine and was neither the Creator of all things, nor “being of one substance with the Father …”, as the creed puts it so neatly.
The Nicene Creed inspired Reginald Heber to write this great hymn of praise to the Triune God, with the intent that the hymn be sung before or after the creed was recited in church services, and especially on Trinity Sunday – eight weeks after Easter.
The tune for this hymn is one of the finest composed by John Bacchus Dykes (1823-1876) in recognition of Heber's text. The words evoke a sense of awe at the majesty of God and call on all of creation - humans, saints and angels and all living things - to praise the non-divisibility unity of God, three-in-one and one-in-three.
New Knights and Dames, seeking to be admitted to the Grand Priory of All Britain at their Investiture, recite the Nicene Creed before kneeling to receive the accolade on behalf of the Grand Master.
____________________________________________________________
PENTECOST - 19 May 2024
The celebration of Pentecost is regarded as the Birthday of the Church. The first 'Christian' Pentecost is recorded in the New Testament in the Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 2.
The lesson for the Church in the 21st Century is that the experience of receiving the Holy Spirit enabled the early church to develop and grow and the result was that God blessed their work: "And every day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved" - as the last verse of Chapter 2 puts it. And as Jesus put it "Go and do thou likewise".
The hymn "Breathe on me, Breath of God" beautifully expresses these sentiments:
The text is a prayer for renewal by God's Spirit, a renewal that is to be expressed in a life of love (verse 1), in purity of heart and will (verse 2), and an intimacy with God that heralds the perfection of Eternal Life (verses 3 and 4). In both Hebrew and Greek the Word for "spirit" is the same as "wind/air/breath"; so here the Spirit of God is referred to as the "Breath of God".
It was written by Edwin Hatch (born in Derby, England in 1835), printed privately in 1878 and then published in Henry Allon's "The Congregational Psalmist Hymnal" in 1886.
Hatch was educated at Pembroke College, Oxford but subsequently taught at Trinity College in Toronto, Canada (1859-1862) and at a high school in Quebec City (1862-1867). He died in England in 1889.
(For the Scripture references see also: Ezekiel 36:27, Joel 2:28, John 20:22)
_____________________________
10 & 11 MAY 2024
AURORA BOREALIS (NORTHERN LIGHTS)
&
SUNSPOTS
A massive sunspot at 10.15 on 10 May 2024
_____
A selection of Aurora Borealis photographs taken by our Knights and Dames:
Seen above Turriff, Aberdeenshire
Seen above Turriff, Aberdeenshire Like an angel over Turriff
Turriff, Aberdeenshire
Felixstowe, Suffolk
_________________________________________________________________________________________
9 MAY 2024
ASCENSION DAY
The Ascension - Being witnesses of Christ
Today we celebrate the Ascension to heaven of the Lord Jesus. This is when Our Lord and Saviour, after having finished his ministry here on earth, until he comes again in glory, returned to His Father in Heaven. Let us look at what God's word in the Holy Gospel is telling us today:
Mark 16:15-20 (NIV)
15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.
The Gospel today seems to be focused more upon the apostles going out and spreading the Holy Gospel, than it does about Jesus going up to The Father. As Jesus goes to his Father, the message to us is that we all must take over the spreading of Our Lord's Gospel now, and that we need to be witnesses to him. We are all called to share that which we have received, and to speak of what we have seen and heard.
We witness to Jesus in our lives in many ways. This includes by prayer, by reading and spreading the Gospel and in our service to others with Christ’s love. Prayer is our time to be in personal touch with God who is constantly reaching out to us. The Gospel feeds our souls, our minds, and our spirits. It is a daily opening to the true words and deeds of Jesus, Our Lord and Saviour. Our service in The Love of Christ to others, brings us to witness in the true way; the care of God as we give and receive care for each other.
NEW PRESENCE: This is what we give to our ascended Lord and is also what we receive from him. The Word of God is the divine word of truth and salvation, spoken in our human words. All of our time in prayer with God is the linking of heaven and of earth, and we are each sharers in his divinity as we are in Jesus and Jesus is also in us. He has shared in our humanity. Far from being the absence of Jesus, it is his presence in a new way among us.
Indeed, Our Lord Jesus has gone back to The Father to make a heavenly place for us, and will return in Glory to bring us home. Until then, we are all called to continue our Lord's ministry here upon the earth. We are, as it seems, the only 'Jesus' that now can be seen, through our witnessing of him in our lives to others.
Are you being a true witness of Christ in your life?
Let us pray:
Lord Jesus Christ, before your Ascension into heaven you told your apostles to be your witnesses to the ends of the earth upon receiving the Holy Spirit. May we be similarly inspired to spread your Gospel message in word and deed, according to your will for us. And may we do so prudently and joyfully, with your help, your guidance, and your grace! And remembering this glorious event, help us to seek what is above - Heaven - where you are to be seated at the right hand of God the Father!
Amen.
__________________________________________
25 APRIL 2024
ANZAC DAY
Rosemary for Remembrance
Anzac Day commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders who served and died
in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations and
the contribution and suffering of all those who have served.
We Templars of All Britain remember and honour all these brave men and women.
Their devotion to the fight for Freedom and the Rule of Law
will never be forgotten.
Thank you.
Australia New Zealand
_________________________________
23 APRIL 2024
St George's Day
St George of Svipi in Georgia
St George, saint and martyr is the patron Saint of England.
St George is also the patron saint of many other countries and organisations.
The traditional flag of St George
_________________________________
8 APRIL 2024
"The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands"
[Psalm 19: 1]
Total eclipse of the sun seen across North America:
Photo from NASA
New Moon seen across Britain:
Photo from the Grand Prior's garden
_________________________________
31 March 2024
EASTER DAY
† ‡ †
ALLELUIA! CHRIST IS RISEN!
Χριστός ἀνέστη!
Khristós Anésti!
HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!!
Ἀληθῶς ανέστη!
Alithós Anésti!
Here is the account in the Holy Bible of the first Easter Morning from the Gospel according to St John, Chapter 20, verses 1-18.
The Empty Tomb
1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”
3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) 10 Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.
Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene
11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”
“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.
God so loved the world,
that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in Him,
should not perish,
but have everlasting life.
[John 3: 16]
Jesus said:
“I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die."
[John 11:25-26]
A Prayer:
Lord God, the resurrection of Jesus
gives us new life and renewed hope.
Help us to live as new people
in pursuit of the Christian ideal.
Grant us wisdom to know what we must do,
the will to want to do it,
the courage to undertake it,
the perseverance to continue to do it,
and the strength to complete it.
Amen.
Christ Crucified is God’s Power and Wisdom:
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,
but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:18
EASTER SUNDAY EVENING
31 March 2024
Here is the account in the Holy Bible of the first Easter Evening from the Gospel according to St Luke, Chapter 24, verses 13-49.
On the Road to Emmaus
13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.
17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”
They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
19 “What things?” he asked.
“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”
25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.
31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
Jesus Appears to the Disciples
36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”
40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence.
44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”
45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
ALLELUIA! CHRIST IS RISEN!
Χριστός ἀνέστη!
Khristós Anésti!
HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!!
Alithós Anésti!
† ‡ †
____________________________________________________________
30 March 2024
HOLY WEEK - HOLY SATURDAY
The bodies of Jesus and the two criminals had been removed and their crosses were 'empty'.
The Biblical account of first Good Friday evening and Holy Saturday:
That Friday evening Joseph of Arimathaea, a member of the Jewish Governing Council but also a follower of Jesus, asked Pilate if he might have Jesus’ body. Once Pilate had given permission, the body was taken down from the cross and wrapped in a linen sheet. Then it was laid in a tomb cut out of the rock, which Joseph had prepared for himself, and a large stone was rolled in front of it. Some of the women who had witnessed the crucifixion watched over the grave.
The Jewish leaders asked Pilate if they could protect the tomb with a guard, lest the disciples should come, steal the body and then falsely claim that Jesus had risen from the dead. Pilate agreed to their request, and the tomb was sealed and guarded.
Here is a provocative and disturbing poem entitled "The Armaments Factory Worker" composed by the young Karol Wojtyla (pronounced Woi-tee-wa), long before he became Pope John-Paul II, when he was forced to work in such a factory under the then Communist regime in Poland when it was part of the USSR. And it carries a message today to all those involved in the invasion of Ukraine - whether they are high Political Leaders, Armed Forces Commanders, officers, non-commissioned officers or other ranks in all the Services. If War Crimes are committed all are equally guilty:
I cannot influence the fate of the globe
Do I start wars? How can I know
whether I'm for or against?
It worries me not to have influence,
that it is not I who sin.
I only turn screws, weld together
parts of destruction,
never grasping the whole,
or the human lot.
I could do otherwise (would parts be left out?)
contributing then to sacrificial toil
which no one would blot out in action
or belie in speech.
Though what I create is all wrong,
the world's evil is none of my doing.
But is that enough?
Ꚛ _____________________________ Ꚛ
29 March 2024
HOLY WEEK - GOOD FRIDAY
When I survey the wondrous cross
When I survey the wondrous cross
on which the Prince of Glory died,
my richest gain I count as loss,
and pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
save in the death of Christ my God:
all the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to his blood.
See from his head, his hands, his feet,
sorrow and love flow mingled down:
did e'r such love and sorrow meet,
or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
that were an offering far too small;
love so amazing, so divine,
demands my soul, my life, my all!
Words: Isaac Watts
______
The events of the first Good Friday
During the night Jesus’ guards insulted and tormented him. They blindfolded and beat him, saying mockingly: ‘If you are a prophet, tell us who hit you’. When morning came Jesus was brought before the Jewish Governing Council, which consisted of the chief priests, elders and teachers of the Law. ‘Tell us,’ they said, ‘if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.’ His reply, ‘It is you who say that I am’, was regarded as sufficient evidence for his condemnation for blasphemy. He was taken before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, and accused of claiming to be King of the Jews and thus of subverting Roman rule. After interrogating him Pilate concluded he had done nothing wrong, and was inclined to release him. When however he discovered that Jesus came from Galilee, he sent him to be judged by the ruler of that province, Herod son of Herod the Great, who happened to be in Jerusalem.
Herod had heard a great deal about Jesus and had long wanted to meet him. He questioned him at length, but Jesus refused to reply. Eventually Herod sent him back to Pilate arrayed in a gorgeous robe, thereby making up a quarrel between them.
Pilate still believed that Jesus was being falsely accused, and his wife sent him a message to the same effect. So he decided to take advantage of a custom by which a prisoner chosen by the people was released at Passover-tide. He was holding another well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus Barabbas, and he asked the crowd which had gathered: ‘Which one would you like me to release - Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Messiah?’ The chief priests and elders had worked on the crowd, so they responded ‘Barabbas’. ‘What then am I to do with Jesus called Messiah?’ asked Pilate. The reply came repeatedly and with increasing emphasis: ‘Crucify him!’
When Pilate saw that his efforts to save Jesus were fruitless, and that there was a danger of a riot breaking out, he took water and washed his hands, saying; ‘My hands are clean of this man’s blood.’ He released Barabbas and had Jesus flogged; then he handed him over to be crucified. The soldiers made sport of him, stripping him, dressing him in a scarlet cloak, and putting a reed in his hand, like a royal sceptre, and a crown of thorns on his head.
They paid him mock homage, spat upon him, and beat him. Then they put on his clothes again, and led him away.
(see: Luke 22.63 - 23.12; Matthew 27.15 - 31)
The Crucifixion
By then Jesus was too weak to carry his cross to the place of execution, so the soldiers compelled a man named Simon from Cyrene in North Africa to carry it for him. Among the great crowd which followed him were many women, who wept for him. Jesus told them to weep for themselves and for their children because dreadful times were coming.
When they reached the place called ‘The Skull’ the soldiers crucified him and two criminals, one of them on his right and one on his left.
Jesus said: ‘Father forgive them; they do not know what they are doing.’ Above his head was an inscription saying ‘The King of the Jews’. The soldiers shared out his clothes by casting lots; they and the crowd, which included Jewish leaders, jeered at him, saying: ‘He saved other people; now let him save himself if he really is God’s chosen Messiah’. Even one of the criminals crucified with him joined in the taunting; but the other reproached him, saying: ‘We are getting what we deserve, but this man has done nothing wrong’. Then he said to Jesus: ‘Remember me when you inherit your kingdom’. Jesus replied: ‘Today you will be with me in Paradise’
From midday darkness fell until three o’clock in the afternoon. Then Jesus shouted: ‘My God, my God, why have you deserted me?’ Some of the bystanders thought he was calling upon Elijah; one of them offered him wine in a sponge held on the end of a stick, and said: ‘Let’s see if Elijah will come and help him’. Jesus then gave another loud cry and died; and at that very moment the curtain dividing the Holy of Holies from the rest of the Temple building was torn in two. When the Roman officer who had supervised the execution saw how Jesus had died he said: ‘This man was really God’s Son.'
The day was a Friday, the eve of the Sabbath, and the Jews were anxious that the bodies should not remain on the crosses once the Sabbath had begun. Pilate therefore agreed that the legs of the condemned men should be broken, to hasten their deaths. This was done in the cases of the two criminals but when the soldiers came to Jesus they found he was already dead. They did not break his legs, but one of them thrust a spear into his side, causing a flow of blood and water.
(see: Luke 23.26 - 43; Mark 15.33 - 39; John 19.31 - 37)
Ꚛ ______________________________________________ Ꚛ
28 March 2024
HOLY WEEK - MAUNDY THURSDAY
The word 'maundy' comes from the Latin 'mandatum' - a mandate or command - recalling that on this day in Jerusalem Jesus gave his disciples his (new) Commandment for them to obey. And so should we. After this he symbolically washed their feet (as their servant) and, traditionally, the British Monarch follows this tradition. This year Queen Camilla attended the Service in Worcester Cathedral on behalf of King Charles where, instead of actually washing the feet of anyone she gave purses of special money (called Maundy Money, of course) to 150 elderly men and women (one for each 75 years of the King's age).
The Queen at the Royal Maunday Service
© Chris Jackson/Getty Images
In a pre-recorded message to the congregation -
His Majesty said:
"Ladies and Gentlemen, it is, for me, a great sadness that I cannot be with you all today. The Maundy Service has a very special place in my heart. It has its origin in the life of Our Lord who knelt before his disciples and, to their great surprise, washed their travel-weary feet.
"And, as we have just heard, in doing so he deliberately gave to them and to us all an example of how we should serve and care for each other. In this country we are blessed by all the different services that exist for our welfare. But over and above these organisations and their selfless staff, we need and benefit greatly from those who extend the hand of friendship to us, especially in a time of need.
"The 150 men and women who have been chosen today to receive the Maundy money from my wife are wonderful examples of such kindness; of going way beyond the call of duty and of giving so much of their lives to the service of others in their communities. The act of worship, here in Worcester Cathedral, reminds me of the pledge I made at the beginning of the coronation service – to follow Christ’s example ‘not to be served but to serve’. That I have always tried to do and continue to do, with my whole heart.
“It is my special prayer today that Our Lord's example of serving one another might continue to inspire us and to strengthen all our communities.
“May God bless you all this Easter."
The biblical text of this New Commandment is in St John's Gospel (Chapter 13, verses 34-35):
34 Mandatum novum do vobis: ut diligatis invicem: sicut dilexi vos, ut et vos diligatis invicem.
35 In hoc cognoscent omnes quia discipuli mei estis, si dilectionem habueritis ad invicem. Ioannes 13: 34-35 (Biblia Sacra Vulgata [The Vulgate])
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
John 13: 34-35 (Authorised Version [King James Version])
34 Gorchymyn newydd yr wyf yn ei roddi i chwi, Ar garu ohonoch eich gilydd; fel y cerais i chwi, garu ohonoch chwithau bawb eich gilydd.
35 Wrth hyn y gwybydd pawb mai disgyblion i mi ydych, os bydd gennych gariad i’ch gilydd.
Ioan 13:34-35 (Beibl William Morgan [Welsh])
Ꚛ ______________________________________________ Ꚛ
27 March 2024
HOLY WEEK - "SPY WEDNESDAY"
We don't know very much about what happened on Holy Wednesday. Most likely Jesus and his disciples prepared for Passover, which would occur on Friday. The term "Spy" refers to Judas Iscariot and how he betrayed our Lord to the Sanhedrin, the religious leaders in Jerusalem. In the New Testament St Matthew records the event thus: "Then one of the twelve - the one called Judas Iscariot - went to the chief priests and asked, 'What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?' So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over." (Matthew 26: 14-16)
Ꚛ ______________________________________________ Ꚛ
24 MARCH 2024
PALM SUNDAY
A passage from the Holy Bible, St Matthew's Gospel, Chapter 21, verses 1 - 11 which echoes what the Old Testament prophet Zechariah declared would be the manner in which the future King would arrive.
(see Zechariah Chapter 9, verse 9)
Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King
1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” 4 This took place to fulfil what was spoken through the prophet: 5 “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ” 6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds tha went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” 10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” 11 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”The view from the Chapel of Dominus Flevit ("Jesus wept") on the Mount of Olives, overlooking Jerusalem.
The golden dome to the left of the cross is the 'Dome of the Rock' built on the site of the Temple destroyed by the Romans and just in front with the blue dome is the building given to the "Poor Soldiers of Christ" who therefore became the Knights Templar. To the immediate right of the cross but partly hidden by the horizonal bar is another blue dome. This is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the site of the Crucifixion of Jesus.
______________________
20 MARCH 2024
SPRING EQUINOX or VERNAL EQUINOX
The word Equinox is made up from two Latin words: "equi" (= equal) and "nox (= night) and simply refers to the fact that on this day the length of daylight is the same as night (12 hours). The alternative, Vernal, is also from the Latin - "vernus" (= of Spring) and infers 'fresh and new'.
Vernal Equinox sunrise at Stonehenge:
Apple Blossom in the Grand's Prior's Garden
______________________________________________________________
18 MARCH 2024
710th ANNIVERSARY OF THE MARTYRDOM (1314)
OF
jAMES OF mOLAY
(Jacques de Molay - the 23rd and last Mediaeval Grand Master)
(Paris, France - 18 March 1314)
Over the weekend 9 - 11 March 2018 nearly 700 Knights & Dames from 70 countries from all across the world gathered together in Paris, France, to celebrate the start of the 900th Anniversary of the Foundation of the Order in Jerusalem in 1118.
We were also there to Commemorate the Anniversary of the Martyrdom
in Paris in 1314 of Jacques de Molay, the last mediaeval Grand Master.
Five Knights and Dames of the Grand Priory of Wales attended the events.
(left to right: Chevalier Ormond; the present Grand Prior Graham; Dame Phoebe)
The Grand Prior of All Britain humbly suggests that each year, on the 18th March - the anniversary of the execution and martyrdom of the last mediaeval Grand Master (Jacques de Molay) in Paris in 1314 - and on Holy Saturday (the day following Good Friday and before Easter Sunday), each Knight, Dame, Esquire and Demoiselle should read The Rule of the Poor Knighthood of the Temple which forms part of The Primitive Rule of the Knights Templar.
This can be found on the next page on this website entitled: "Templars' History" (opposite, left) as the first sub-page there and shown as: "The Templars' Primitive Rule".
_____________________________________________
St Patrick's Day
17 MARCH 2024
Lá fhéile Pádraig sona dhuir!
(Happy St Patrick's Day to you!)
ST PATRICK'S BREASTPLATE
I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of the Invocation
of the Trinity:
I believe the Trinity in the Unity
The Creator of the Universe.
I bind to myself today
The virtue of the Incarnation of
Christ with His Baptism,
The virtue of His crucifixion with
His burial,
The virtue of His Resurrection with
His Ascension,
The virtue of His coming on the
Judgement Day.
I bind to myself today
The virtue of the love of seraphim,
In the obedience of angels,
In the hope of resurrection unto
reward,
In prayers of Patriarchs,
In predictions of Prophets,
In preaching of Apostles,
In faith of Confessors,
In purity of holy Virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.
I bind to myself today
The power of Heaven,
The light of the sun,
The brightness of the moon,
The splendour of fire,
The flashing of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of sea,
The stability of earth,
The compactness of rocks.
I bind to myself today
God’s Power to guide me,
God’s Might to uphold me,
God’s Wisdom to teach me,
God’s Eye to watch over me,
God’s Ear to hear me,
God’s Word to give me speech,
God’s Hand to guide me,
God’s Way to lie before me,
God’s Shield to shelter me,
God’s Host to secure me,
Against the snares of demons,
Against the seductions of vices,
Against the lusts of nature,
Against everyone who meditates injury
to me,
Whether far or near,
Whether few or with many.
I invoke today all these virtues
Against every hostile merciless power
Which may assail my body and my soul,
Against the incantations of false
prophets,
Against the black laws of heathenism,
Against the false laws of heresy,
Against the deceits of idolatry,
Against the spells of evil people,
Against every knowledge that binds
the soul of man.
Christ, protect me today
Against every poison, against
burning,
Against drowning, against
death-wound,
That I may receive abundant reward.
Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ within me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ at my right, Christ at my
left,
Christ in the fort,
Christ in the chariot seat,
Christ on the deck,
Christ in the heart of everyone who
thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who
speaks to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of an invocation of
the Trinity,
I believe the Trinity in the Unity
The Creator of the Universe.
____________________
8 march 2024
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY
_________________________________
1 MARCH 2024
DEWI SANT HAPUS DYDD!
or
DYDD gŴYL DEWI HAPUS!
Happy St David's Day
Dewi Sant - Saint David
Dyuw ein Tad
Rydych yn enw dy was Dafydd
i gynnal y ffydd Gristnogol ymhlith pobl Cymru,
i'w hannog gan ei gadw at ymprydio ac ufudd-dod,
ac i ddangos tosturi iddynt trwy weithredoedd bach o gariad mawr.
Gan fod golau yn cael ei dywallt ar y bennau'r mynyddoedd
ac fel glaw ffres yn cael ei ysgeintio ar y bryniau,
yn ein helpu i fod yn ofalwyr da o un arall
ac o Eich Creation mawr a gogoneddus.
Amen.
† ‡ †
God our Father,
You called your servant David
to uphold the Christian faith amongst the people of Wales,
to encourage them by his observance of fasting and obedience,
and to show them compassion through small acts of great love.
As light is poured onto the mountain-tops
and as fresh rain is sprinkled on the hills,
help us to be good carers of one another
and of Your great and glorious Creation.
Amen.
† ‡ †
(This prayer was written by a former Anglican Archbishop of Wales, The Most Reverend Dr Barry Morgan)
________________________________________________________________________________
SUNDAY 18 FEBRUARY 2024
Graduations at Llandaff Cathedral, Cardiff
We are delighted to send our whole-hearted congratulations to husband and wife, Chevalier Keiron and Dame Ceri-Ann, on the award of their Batchelor of Theology (BTh) degrees. Both are currently in training for ministry in the Church in Wales and we look forward to their ordinations in due course. Very well-done!
______________________________________________
14 FEBRUARY 2024
St Valentine's Day
ASH WENESDAY - BEGINNING OF LENT
Ꚛ ______________________________________________ Ꚛ
SHROVE TUESDAY - 13 FEBRUARY 2024
The World-famous Olney Pancake Race
(Olney, Buckinghamshire, England)
Firstly Recorded in 1445
Warm Up Stand By
Get Ready Get Steady
Underway
Not Far To Go The Winner All Done
SHROVE TUESDAY - 13 FEBRUARY 2024
"The heavens declare the glory of God"
Two evening views from the Grand Prior's garden
______________________________________________
SUNDAY 11 FEBRUARY 2024
His Majesty the King has expressed his thanks to the hundreds and thousands of people who have sent messages to him since he was diagnosed with cancer. He wrote:
"As all those who have been affected by cancer will know, such kinds thoughts are the greatest comfort and encouragement."
"It is equally heartening to hear how sharing my own diagnosis has helped promote public understanding and shine a light on the work of all those organisations which support cancer patients and their families across the UK and wider world."
King Charles concluded:
"My lifelong admiration for their tireless care and dedication is all the greater as a result of my own personal experience."
Queen Camilla said that the King was:
"very touched by all the letters and messages the public have been sending from everywhere ."
She added that the support had been:
"very cheering."
l
The King and Queen attending church at Sandringham today
Ꚛ We Knights Templar continue to pray for His Majesty and all the Royal Family Ꚛ
______________________________________________
18.05 : 5 FEBRUARY 2024
It was announced at 18.00 today that
His Majesty King Charles III
has been diagnosed with a form of cancer,
We Knights Templar send our very best wishes to His Majesty and we pray that God will protect and care for him and his family and will send one of his holy angels to stand beside them and assist in bringing about a satisfactory and early end to this most distressing news.
GOD SAVE THE KING
___________________________________________
27 January 2024
DIWRNOD COFIO'R HOLOCOST
HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY
Dysgn gwersi o'r gorffennol er mwyn
cren dyfodol gwell a mwy diogel
Learning lessons from the past
to create a safer, better future
We Knights Templar have reason to remember that in the 14th century Templar knights across Europe were rounded up and many killed or died in prison, all as a result of the trumped-up charges of heresy and the like brought against the Order by King Philip of France.
Today such an attempt to destroy a particular group of people on the basis of their perceived religious beliefs or practices would constitute an act of genocide.
However, and fortunately for the Order, the Pope eventually absolved the Order and its knights from the accusations. Unfortunately this was not until after the Order had been 'officially' disbanded throughout the areas of the Pope's authority.
But many knights escaped the persecution, either having fled abroad or they were already based in countries like Scotland, Switzerland or Portugal where they regrouped and survived thus enabling the Order to emerge again and today it thrives and is growing across the world including, of course, in All Britain!
"FIRST THEY CAME"
by
Pastor Niemoller
First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist;
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist;
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me.
____________________________________________________________
18 - 25 January 2024
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
__________________________
6 JanUARY 2024 : EPIPHANY
Epiphany is an ancient Christian festival and is celebrated across the world in numerous ways.
The word comes from the Greek έπιφάνεια (epiphaneia) which means the “manifestation” or the “showing forth” of Jesus to non-Jews (the Gentiles) after his incarnation (his birth).
In the Western Church we usually relate this to the arrival of the Magi at the house where the Holy Family were living, some 2 years after the birth of Jesus.
In the Orthodox or Eastern Church the word is Theophany (θεοφάνεια)
meaning the appearance of God.
According to the Holy Bible in the Gospel of St Matthew (Chapter 2:verse 11) they offered Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
The Gospel account indicates that the Magi had been following a star
which led them to the house where they found Jesus, his mother Mary and Joseph:
The star which the Magi followed can remind us of the lovely Epiphany Carol
by William Chatterton Dix (1837-1898):
As with gladness, men of old
Did the guiding star behold
As with joy they hailed its light
Leading onward, beaming bright
So, most glorious Lord, may we
Evermore be led to Thee.
As with joyful steps they sped
To that lowly household bed
There to bend the knee before
Him Whom Heaven and earth adore;
So may we with willing feet
Ever seek Thy mercy seat.
As they offered gifts most rare
In that homestead plain and bare;
So may we with holy joy,
Pure and free from sin’s alloy,
All our costliest treasures bring,
Christ, to Thee, our heavenly King.
Holy Jesus, every day
Keep us in the narrow way;
And, when earthly things are past,
Bring our ransomed souls at last
Where they need no star to guide,
Where no clouds Thy glory hide.
In the heavenly country bright,
Need they no created light;
Thou its Light, its Joy, its Crown,
Thou its Sun which goes not down;
There forever may we sing
Alleluias to our King!
Or as the Gospel of St Matthew (Chapter 2, verse 10) puts it:
“When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.”
This event is re-enacted by some children:
Epiphany can also represent the flight of the Holy Family into Eygpt
in order to escape Herod's anger and the murder of boys under 2 years in Bethlehem:
In Eastern churches, Epiphany usually celebrates the baptism of Jesus by St John the Baptist,
in the River Jordan:
Alternatively it also commemorates Jesus' first miracle at the Wedding Feast at Cana in Galilee,
where he turned jars of water into high quality wine:
All of these celebrations and images seek to illustrate 'Epiphany'
'the showing forth' or 'revelation' of Jesus to non-Jews (that is, the Gentiles) -
on various occasions during His life.
_______________________________________________
NEW YEAR'S DAY
1 JANUARY 2024
A Franciscan Benediction
Attributed to the earliest followers of St Francis
May God bless you with discomfort
at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships,
so that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger
at injustice, oppression and exploitation of people,
so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.
May God bless you with tears
to shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger, and war,
so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them
and turn their pain into joy.
And may God bless you with enough foolishness
to believe that you can make a difference in the world,
so that you can do what others claim cannot be done
to bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor.
Amen.
___________________________________________
NEW yEAR'S EVE
31 DECEMBER 2023
OUR FIRST THOUGHTS MIGHT BE FROM ....
Minnie Louise Haskins' poem which as Princess Elizabeth, Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, gave to her father, the late King George VI, to say during his Christmas broadcast in 1939:
I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year:
"Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown."
And he replied:
"Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God.
That shall be to you better than a light and safer than a known way."
(So I went forth, and finding the hand of God, trod gladly into the night.
And He led me towards the hills and the breaking of day in the lone East.)
_____________________________________________________
Contact
see website Contact Us