Incitement
Third Sunday of Advent
Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come
among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins,
let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver
us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and
the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
This is our collect, prayer of the day, for tomorrow, Advent 3. We’ll light the pink candle denoting that it’s Rose Sunday, as centuries ago the pope sanctioned rose colored vestments for the day instead of deep purple and relaxing slightly the penitential tone of the season. It’s Gaudete Sunday even though we don’t chant or say the ancient Latin introit taken from Philippians 4 -- which is our second reading for tomorrow. But I think we are singing an opening hymn that opens “Rejoice!” It may be “Rejoice! rejoice, believers,” I don’t recall for sure.
But the Collect. “Come among us” is obviously an Advent call for the coming of Christ. The phrase “Stir up your power … and with great might …” is a cry inciting for the Second Coming (i.e., not to participate in our annual commemoration of the Bethlehem event) and speedily to help and deliver us, seeing that our sins are dragging us down. It's quite old, dating from the Gelasian Sacramentary, at least the eighth century (700s A.D.).
My inclination might be to say the collect over and over and over unendingly until we "get it" that nudging God to help us doesn't work until we ourselves take the initiative. At that time, of course, the theologians among us will credit our self-corrective action to the incitement of the Holy Spirit. Which is fine, that's what we're praying for.
My inclination might be to say the collect over and over and over unendingly until we "get it" that nudging God to help us doesn't work until we ourselves take the initiative. At that time, of course, the theologians among us will credit our self-corrective action to the incitement of the Holy Spirit. Which is fine, that's what we're praying for.
Marion Hatchett says the collect is directed to the Son, but I think Marion is full of it, because of the closing: “through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with you and the Holy Spirit …” So, I say “Stir up your power, O Lord” must be addressed to the “you” of the closing. Not worth an argument in Sunday School, though.