蜜芽传媒

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蜜芽传媒 opening announcement

蜜芽传媒 Radio 4.听 And now time for Sunday Worship which comes live from the University Church of St Mary the Virgin in Oxford.听 The service is led by the Associate Priest 鈥� The Reverend Rachel Greene 鈥� with reflections from the Vicar of St Mary鈥檚 鈥� Canon Brian Mountford.听 It begins with the Epiphany hymn: 鈥楢s with gladness men of old did the guiding star behold鈥�.

HYMN听听听听听听听听听听听 As with gladness men of old

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Rachel 听听听听听听听听听 Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord

Jesus Christ be with you.

All 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 And also with you.

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Rachel听听听听听听听听听听 Good morning and welcome to the University Church of St Mary the Virgin, Oxford.听

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On this Feast of the Epiphany we want to look at ways in which people see God. Or have a sense of God鈥檚 presence. So we have called this service 鈥楨ye-openers on God鈥�.

Epiphany derives from the Greek word 鈥榯o show鈥� and means 鈥榤anifestation鈥� or 鈥榬evealing鈥�. On this particular day of the year it specifically refers to the manifestation of Christ to the Wise Men by a star.

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Over the years people have experienced what you might call epiphanies in this church. In 1556 Thomas Cranmer found the courage to affirm his Protestant faith knowing that it would lead to his martyrdom at the stake. In 1931 William Temple led a mission to the University which so inspired undergraduates that many decided to be ordained.

So our work today, and the work of the Church everywhere, is to help people see God and discover the newness of life the love of God can bring.听

In this act of worship we shall attempt to find eye-openers on God through discussion, music, readings and prayer. So let us pray:

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Rachel听听听听听听听听听听 Christ the light of the world

has come to dispel the darkness of our hearts.

[[In his light let us examine ourselves and confess our sins.

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All 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we have sinned

against you and against our neighbour in thought and word

and deed, through negligence, through weakness, through

our own deliberate fault. We are truly sorry, and repent of all

our sins. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, who died

for us, forgive us all that is past; and grant that we may

serve you in newness of life to the glory of your name.

Amen.]]

Rachel听听听听听听听听听听 God be gracious to us and bless us,

and make your face shine upon us:

Lord, have mercy.

All听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Lord, have mercy.

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Rachel听听听听听听听听听听 May your ways be known on the earth,

your saving power among the nations:

Christ, have mercy.

All 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Christ, have mercy.

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Rachel听听听听听听听听听听 You, Lord, have made known your salvation,

and reveal your justice in the sight of the nations:

Lord, have mercy.

All 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Lord, have mercy.

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[[Rachel听听听听听听听 Almighty God,

who forgives all who truly repent,

have mercy upon you,

pardon and deliver you from all your sins,

confirm and strengthen you in all goodness,

and keep you in life eternal;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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All听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Amen.]]

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The Revd David Neaum

A reading from Matthew鈥檚 gospel, chapter 2.

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men听from the East came to Jerusalem,听asking, 鈥榃here is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising,听and have come to pay him homage.鈥櫶齏hen King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him;听and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah听was to be born.听They told him, 鈥業n Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:听听听听听听听听听 鈥淎nd you, Bethlehem, in the land of听Judah,
听听听听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听听听 are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 for from you shall come a ruler
听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 who is to shepherd听my people听Israel.鈥澨�鈥�

Then Herod secretly called for the wise men听and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared.听Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, 鈥楪o and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.鈥櫶齏hen they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising,听until it stopped over the place where the child was.听When they saw that the star had stopped,听they were overwhelmed with joy.听On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.听And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

Canon Brian Mountford

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 The traditional biblical eye-openers on God are the Star of Bethlehem, leading the Wise Men to worship Jesus; the Baptism of Jesus 鈥� when a voice from heaven declares, 鈥楾his is my Son, the Beloved;listen to him!鈥� 鈥� and the wedding in Cana of Galilee, where Jesus changes water into wine.

To those you could easily add Moses seeing God in the Burning Bush, the transfiguration of Jesus seen in shining white robes alongside Moses and Elijah on the mountain top, or the conversion of Paul on the Road to Damascus, when, blinded by a vision of Christ, he hears Christ鈥檚 question, 鈥楽aul, Saul, why do you persecute me?鈥�

But what is it our eyes are opened to see? The Wise men are gentiles, so God鈥檚 revelation is for all people. In the transfiguration you see the godliness in Jesus and that he fulfils the law and the prophets. In the wedding feast you are not supposed to wonder at the astonishing amount of wine Jesus creates, but at the exciting and intoxicating nature of his new religion.

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CHOIR听听听听听听听听听听 Omnes de Saba venient (Handl)

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Canon Brian Mountford

Omnes de Saba venient by the 16th century Slovenian composer Jacob Handl. 鈥淎ll they from Saba will come,听bringing gold and frankincense,听and announcing the praise of the Lord.
Alleluia.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Everyone knows what it鈥檚 like to feel a yearning of the heart, to hope against hope, to long for something. It鈥檚 what many novels are about. It might be a longing to be loved, or for family harmony, or a more general longing for peace and justice in a broken world. These are essentially religious feelings. Similarly, many long for meaning and purpose in their lives through an intuitive sense of a reality greater than us underpinning all life. And just occasionally we experience a flash of insight when the light dawns and our religious intelligence comes alive.

In his poem God鈥檚 Grandeur, Gerard Manley Hopkins suggests this.

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Lizzie Mundell-Perkins

The world is charged with the grandeur of God.听
听听听听听听听听听听听 It will flame out, like shining from shook foil;听
听听听听听听听听听听听 It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil听
听听听听听听听听听听听 Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod?听
听听听听听听听听听听听 Generations have trod, have trod, have trod;听
听听听听听听听听听听听 And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil;听
听听听听听听听听听听听 And wears man鈥檚 smudge and shares man鈥檚 smell: the soil听
听听听听听听听听听听听 Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod.听
听听听听听听听听听听听 And for all this, nature is never spent;听
听听听听听听听听听听听 There lives the dearest freshness deep down things;听
听听听听听听听听听听听 And though the last lights off the black West went听
听听听听听听听听听听听 Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs鈥斕�
听听听听听听听听听听听 Because the Holy Ghost over the bent听
听听听听听听听听听听听 World broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings.

Canon Brian Mountford

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 The presence of God can flash out like the sun reflecting off metal foil. Yet people don鈥檛 always take much notice 鈥� men do 鈥榥ot reck his rod.鈥� But for all this we have an innate sense that there is 鈥榯he dearest freshness deep down things鈥�.

Recently I conducted the funeral of a sceptic Shakespearian scholar. This was one of his favourite quotations, suggesting a confidence in life. It was not 鈥榯he vilest staleness deep down things鈥�, but the 鈥榙earest freshness鈥�. Like so many others he intuited a bias to good in life and this was for him an eye-opener of immense importance.

I share that intuitive belief and would express it in the familiar claim that God is Love. The love of God is at the ground of our being and from time to time it shines out in small epiphanies and revelations for us.

[[I think this sense of God鈥檚 underlying reality is captured in one on the most beautiful psalms, Psalm 139, 鈥榃hither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

CHOIR听听听听听听听听听听 Psalm 139. 1-11

O听LORD, thou hast searched me out and known me : thou knowest my down-sitting and mine up-rising, thou understandest my thoughts long before.

2听Thou art about my path, and about my bed : and spiest out all my ways.

3听For lo, there is not a word in my tongue : but thou, O Lord, knowest it altogether.

4听Thou hast fashioned me behind and before : and laid thine hand upon me.

5听Such knowledge is too wonderful and excellent for me : I cannot attain unto it.

6听Whither shall I go then from thy Spirit : or whither shall I go then from thy presence?

7听If I climb up into heaven, thou art there : if I go down to hell, thou art there also.

8听If I take the wings of the morning : and remain in the uttermost parts of the sea;

9听Even there also shall thy hand lead me : and thy right hand shall hold me.

10听If I say, Peradventure the darkness shall cover me : then shall my night be turned to day.

11听Yea, the darkness is no darkness with thee, but the night is as clear as the day : the darkness and light to thee are both alike.

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Canon Brian Mountford

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 I was saying that our spiritual antennae can detect eye-openers on the love of God.]]

In the nineteenth century, Leo Tolstoy wrote a story about Martin the cobbler.

Tolstoy had lost his son and turned to religion and the Bible. Having read Jesus鈥� reprimand to an inhospitable Pharisee, 鈥業 entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but this woman has bathed my feet with her tears...and anointed my feet with ointment.鈥� Martin vowed if Jesus came to his shop he would welcome him. Then he dreamt he heard a voice saying, 鈥楳artin! Tomorrow on the street, I am coming.鈥�

Next day Martin recognised an old soldier, Stephan, shovelling the snow. And he invited him in to warm himself and have a glass of tea. Martin kept looking out of the window.

鈥楢re you expecting someone,鈥� asked Stephan.

鈥業 would be ashamed to say whom I鈥檓 expecting,鈥� replied the cobbler.

Then he saw a woman in wooden shoes and thin summer clothes, clutching a shivering child.

鈥楥ome in where it鈥檚 warm,鈥� said Martin. And he dug out an old fur coat and put in on her. When she left Martin鈥檚 dream of a divine visitor still hadn鈥檛 come true.

As the afternoon drew on, an old apple-woman stopped in front of his window. As she rested, a boy in a torn cap took an apple from her basket and was about to make his escape when she grabbed him by the hair, threatening to call the police. Martin came out of his shop and tried to separate them.

鈥楲et him go, babushka. Forgive him, for Christ's sake.鈥�

The old woman let him loose: the boy tried to run, but Martin held him back.

鈥楢sk the old woman's forgiveness,鈥� he said, 鈥業 saw you take the apple.鈥�

When darkness fell Martin鈥檚 hoped-for visitor had still not come. Then he heard a voice, 鈥楳artin, did you not recognize me?"

鈥榃ho?" whispered Martin.

鈥業t is I.鈥� And Stephan stepped out of the darkness.

鈥業t is I,鈥� said the voice, and the woman with her child stepped forth.

鈥業t is I,鈥� continued the voice as both the old woman and the boy stepped forward. Then they all vanished.

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[[READER听听听 Come, you that are blessed by my Father...for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.鈥澨齌hen the righteous will answer him, 鈥淟ord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink?听And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing?听And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?鈥澨鼳nd the king will answer them, 鈥淭ruly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.鈥�]]

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CHOIR听听听听听听听听听听 Here is the Little Door (Howells)

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RACHEL听听听听听听 The carol: Here is the Little Door, words of Frances Chesterton set by Herbert Howells, suggesting that we too can bring our gift to the Christ child.

听听听听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听听听 So let us now affirm our faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God.

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All听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Though he was divine,

he did not cling to equality with God,

but made himself nothing.

Taking the form of a slave,

he was born in human likeness.

He humbled himself

and was obedient to death,

even the death of the cross.

Therefore God has raised him on high,

and given him the name above every name:

that at the name of Jesus

every knee should bow,

and every voice proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

Amen.

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HYMN听听听听听听听听听听听 Songs of thankfulness and praise,

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Canon Brian Mountford

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 There are many eye-openers on God. Poetry, music, a picturesque sunrise, the stillness of a quiet church...such experiences can provide occasions of epiphany when people might find a sense of God.

And frequently I find, too, that people鈥檚 eyes can be opened through a testing ordeal of tribulation.

Sometimes suffering turns people away from God, because there seems no sense in tragedy: how can I worship a God who let鈥檚 this happen to me? But as often people turn to God in their suffering and distress.

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I knew a mother whose daughter was killed in a car driven by a teenage friend. The friend survived. The kids had been at school together. In her grief the mother wanted to rage at the friend and to see him punished, even sent to prison. But gradually she found that reconciliation was more healing. It helped her to honour her daughter鈥檚 memory and to accept that God can be present in the healing process, even in the wake of a deeply tragic situation.

I think experiences like bereavement, serious illness, or breakdown of relationship can make us ask ourselves what really matters, what is ultimately important, to reassess our lives. And this is precisely where our eyes can be opened and we see God. Because, as the theologian Paul Tillich put it, God is the ground of our being.

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Rachel听听听听听听听听听听 Let听us pray.

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Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for the gifts we have received: for the incarnation of your Son Jesus Christ, for our redemption and reconciliation with you. We pray for the grace to live into the love you have shown us and for the courage to live it out in our lives.

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Lord in Your Mercy:

All听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Hear our prayer.

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Rachel听听听听听听听听听听 Lord Jesus Christ, as the wise men came to behold you as a child in a crib, may we too find ways of recognizing your presence in the world. We pray that we may catch sight of your face in others鈥� faces, glimpse the work of your hands in acts of goodness, and see the fruits of your love where wounds are healed and hatred is overcome. Help us to live with the courage of our convictions and so inspire new generations to seek your presence.

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Lord in Your Mercy:

All听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Hear our prayer.

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Rachel听听听听听听听听听听 Spirit听of God, we bring before you the trouble and strife that is this world鈥檚 daily fare: ploughs beaten into swords, fertilizers into bombs, food and drink that leave us hungry still.听 We pray that our hearts may be open to sorrows and hurts of this world so that we may be agents of change and bearers of your gifts of peace and hope and love.

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Lord in Your Mercy.

All听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Hear our prayer.

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Rachel听听听听听听听听听听 Blessed and Holy Trinity, we pray that in the unity of your love we may know ourselves to be held and cherished, and find surety and strength. We pray that in all we do and say we may grow into your likeness and share in your glory.

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Lord听in your Mercy.

All听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Hear our Prayer

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Merciful听Father:听

All听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听听 Accept these prayers for the听sake of your Son,

our saviour Jesus Christ.听听Amen.

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As our Saviour taught us, so we pray:

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All: 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name;

thy kingdom come;

thy will be done;

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those

who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation;

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

the power, and the glory,

for ever and ever. Amen.

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Canon Brian Mountford

So, in talking about epiphanies and eye-openers, I have been trying to express the ineffable. But words soon prove insufficient. How do you describe the sublime? As I mentioned earlier, music can help to do the trick. Many have felt the sense of elevation to another plane in the concert hall, listening to Beethoven, or Bach, or Mozart. The great Catholic theologian, Hans Kung, has written a book about Mozart, called 鈥楾races of transcendence鈥� in which he describes how Mozart鈥檚 music has created for him intimations of divine mystery.

When I was a child most people I knew had a copy of Handel鈥檚 Messiah in their home, because every Christmas and Easter people would get together in towns and cities to sing this great work together. And in that experience, both as performers and listeners found a sense of elevation, of greater purpose, of eye-opening enlargement (of their souls).

Of course in Handel鈥檚 Messiah words and music complement one another and in this next piece articulate exactly what I鈥檓 talking about: 鈥楢nd the Glory, the glory of the Lord shall be revealed鈥�.

CHOIR听听听听听听听听听听 And the Glory, the glory of the Lord shall be revealed (Handel)

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Canon Brian Mountford

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Christ our Lord,

to whom kings bowed down in worship and offered gifts

reveal to you his glory

and pour upon you the riches of his grace;

And the blessing of God almighty,

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

be among you and remain with you always.

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All听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Amen

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[[Rachel听听听听听听听 Our final hymn describes a sense of awe when our eyes are opened to God. 鈥極 worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!听 Bow down before him, his glory proclaim.鈥�

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HYMN听听听听听听听听听听听 O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!

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Organ Voluntary

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