Pentecost Ember Days
Introduction
Four times a year, the Church sets aside three days to focus on God's creation. These quarterly periods take place around the beginning of the four seasons of nature. Embertides were spent in fasting and abstinence for the purpose of thanking God for creation's gifts and asking for the self-discipline to use them in moderation. They were also the traditional times for ordinations to take place. The fasts, known as "the fast of the four seasons" were made optional following the liturgical reforms under Pope Paul VI which, in my opinion, was a tremendous loss. There is every reason to restore them in these days of materialist excess, ecological devastation and crises affecting the church's ministry. The third of these fasts occurs on the Wednesday, Friday and Saturday following Pentecost. Given that this is the time of year when ordinations most often take place, a special focus for one's prayer and penance might be for those called to the ministerial priesthood as well as for all other vocations and forms of service in the Church on behalf of Christ's Body and the world at large.
Opening Hymn
Opening Collect
Collect (for the ministry of all Christian people)
Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of the Church
is governed and sanctified: hear our prayer which we offer for all your faithful people,
that in their vocation and ministry they may serve you in holiness and truth to the glory of your name;
through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
who is alive and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever. Amen. (The Church in Wales)
Scripture (Hebrews 5:1-5)
Every high priest, being taken from among men, is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 The high priest can deal gently with those who are ignorant and going astray, because he himself is also surrounded with weakness. 3 Because of this, he must offer sacrifices for sins for the people, as well as for himself. 4 Nobody takes this honor on himself, but he is called by God, just like Aaron was. 5 So also Christ didn’t glorify himself to be made a high priest, but it was he who said to him, “You are my Son. Today I have become your father.” 6 As he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.”
Responsorial Psalm
Collect (for those to be ordained)
Responsorial Psalm
Collect (for vocations to Holy Orders)
For the mission of the Church, that in faithful witness we may proclaim the gospel of reconciliation to the ends of the earth, let us pray to the Lord. R/.
For the unity of the Church, that we may be one in Christ, according to his will, let us pray to the Lord. R/.
For those who do not yet believe, that they may receive the light of the gospel, and for those whose faith has grown cold, let us pray to the Lord. R/.
For the sick and suffering, for the aged and infirm, for the lonely and neglected, and for all who remember and care for them, let us pray to the Lord. R/.
For the poor and the hungry, for the homeless and the oppressed, for all prisoners and captives, and for our brothers and sisters who are persecuted for their faith, let us pray to the Lord. R/.
For the leaders of the nations, and for all in authority, let us pray to the Lord. R/.
For ourselves, for grace to repent and amend our lives, that we may be pardoned and absolved from all our sins, let us pray to the Lord. R/.
Remembering all who have gone before us in faith, and in communion with all the saints, we commit ourselves, one another, and our whole life to Christ our God. R/. To you, O Lord.
Concluding Hymn