Fourth Sunday in Lent & AIC Bookstore 17

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For Fourth Sunday in Lent in the 1549 Book of Common Prayer Archbishop Cranmer composed a Collect derived from the Gregorian Sacramentary (10th C., honoring the late 6th-early 7th C. Pope Gregory the Great) on the theme of Christ’s redemptive sacrifice (“by the comfort of thy grace” for the salvation of those who “worthily deserve to be punished.”). The Epistle reading (Galatians 4:21-31) continues St. Paul’s teaching concerning the differences between the old and new covenant using a “slave” vs. “free” allegory. The reading offers a break from the cycle of St. Paul’s teachings on the Christian virtues in the readings for the season of Lent. The Gospel reading (John 4:1-14), St. John’s account of the event traditionally known as the miraculous feeding of the 5,000, is the first of two readings from the Evangelist John during Lent.

The Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes, Byzantine mosaic, Outer Narthex, above the Christ Pantokrator image over the door between the Outer and Inner Narthex, Chora Church, Constantinople/Istanbul, Turkey, 14th C. © Evren Kalinbacak|Dreamstime.com.

The Fourth Sunday in Lent is discussed and illustrated in Episode Two in the AIC Christian Education Video series, Lent: the Season of Penitence, which is linked from the Digital Library page. The audio-only version of Episode Two is linked from the Podcast Archive page. My Podcast Homily for Fourth Sunday in Lent is linked from the Podcast Archive page. The Podcast Homily for Fourth Sunday in Lent is linked form the Podcast Homilies Page. A related Podcast Homily based on the Psalm reading for Morning Prayer on Fourth Sunday in Lent, Psalm 147, is linked from the Podcast Homilies-Morning Prayer page.

Christ Panatokrator with Saints & Angels, mosaic, 1140-1170 A.D., West Wall, Sanctuary, Capela Palatina, Palermo, Sicily. Photographed by John Schermann. Used with permission.

This week’s focus among the 22 AIC Bookstore Publications is The Acts of the Apostles: Annotated & Illustrated. This work is the first fully illustrated version of St. Luke’s unique account of the growth of the Church Universal during the decades after Christ’s Ascension. The full text of Luke 1 and 2 and Matthew 2 (using the New King James Version text) are followed by commentary and illustrations from the 9th to the 20th C., including maps of St. Paul’s missionary journeys. Three appendices: Angels in the Acts of the Apostles; The Holy Spirit in The Acts of the Apostles; and a complete Glossary of all persons, places and events mentioned in St. Luke’s text, an especially useful resource in understanding the volume of detail provided by St. Luke. 226 pages. $49.00. The book is available exclusively through our Virtual Bookstore, which is my Amazon Author Central page.

As always, thank you for your interest and support. Glory be to God for all things! Amen!

Quinquagesima Sunday & AIC Bookstore 15

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For Quinguagesima Sunday, Archbishop Cranmer created a new Collect based on 1 Corinthians 13:11, which is part of the Epistle reading for the day. He used the English understanding of the Greek agape as “Charity” rather than the modern understanding as “Love.” He closed with the admonition that those without these virtues will be “counted dead before thee.” The Epistle reading, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, in the King James Version also translates agape as “charity.” The Gospel reading, Luke 18:31-43 is the evangelist’s account of Jesus healing the “Blind Man of Jericho.” In St. Mark’s account he is known as “Blind Bartimaeus” and is given a family history. My favorite depiction in Christian art, seen below, is from the 10th C. Ottonian era’s Gospels of Otto III. It is Illustration No. 53 in the AIC Bookstore Publication, The Gospel of Mark: Annotated & Illustrated, which was the subject of the Blog post for Sexagesima Sunday, linked from the Archive column at right. For unknown technical reasons the image would not upload for this Blog post.

Site visitors will find discussion and illustrations for Quinquagesima Sunday in Episode Two of the AIC video series, Gesima: the Sundays of Pre-Lent. The MP3 audio-only version is linked from the Podcast Homilies page. My Podcast Homily for Quinguagesima Sunday is linked from the Podcast Archive page. A related Podcast Homily based on the Psalm reading for Quiquagesima Sunday, Psalms 19 & 23, is linked from the Podcast Homilies-Morning Prayer page. The Gospel of Mark: Annotated & Illustrated and The Gospel of Luke: Annotated & Illustrated (see below for more information) are available through the AIC’s Virtual Bookstore, which is my Amazon Author Central page.

St. Luke Writing, illumination in tempera and gold on parchment, produced at Reichenau Monastery, Reichenau, Germany, circa 1007-1012, Pericope Book of Henry II, Ms. Clm. 4452, Folio 5v, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Munich, Germany. CC-by-SA 4.0. Perspective correction applied. Henry II was the last of the Ottonian successors to Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne.

For this 15th posting of details of the 22 AIC Bookstore Publications, the focus on The Gospel of Luke: Annotated & Illustrated. The volume offers 21st C. readers views of 86 illustrations from the 5th to the 20th C., including mosaics, frescoes, paintings, watercolors, stained glass windows, and illuminations produced originally only for the use of kings, bishops and clergy. The entire text of the Gospel of Luke, using the New King James Version, is included with commentary. The volume includes fourteen special text boxes: The Art of Illumination of Scripture; A Guide to Reading the Gospel of Luke; Angels in the Gospel of Luke; The Temptations of Christ: Reality or Fiction?; The Holy Spirit in the Gospel of Luke; The Prayer Habits of Jesus Christ; “The Son of Man” in the Gospel of Luke; Discernment; Ambrose of Milan on the Raising of the Daughter of Jairus; Theophanies in Scripture; Isaiah on Lucifer/Satan; Samaria and Samaritans in the Gospel of Luke; Unique Parables in the Gospel of Luke; and The Gospel of Luke in the Anglican Worship Cycle. One hundred and eleven illustrations. 276 pages. 8.5″ x 8.5.” $65.00. Available only through our Virtual Bookstore, which is my Amazon Author Central page.

As always, thank you for your interest and support. Glory be to God for all things! Amen!