08. 01 Jan - Name of Jesus

Top Previous Next

VERSION: 9 April 2002

NAME OF JESUS

(1 January)

THE ORIGIN OF THE NAME OF JESUS FESTIVAL

'The observation of this festival, originally called the Octave (that is, the eighth day) of Christmas, goes back to the sixth century. It was established in Rome in the ninth century. The festival was introduced relatively late into the church year, apparently because of an unwillingness of the church to keep a festival on New Year's Day which was a time of license. The celebration of the Name of Jesus was a part of the celebration of the Circumcision, and so the name remained on Lutheran calendars as "The Circumcision and the Name of Jesus"‘. (Contemporary Worship 6: The Church Year, Calendar and Lectionary, 1973)

LITURGY

SENTENCES

See the document 'General notes and resources', under 'Sentence', in the 'General and seasonal' folder for suggestions on using a Sentence.

At the name of Jesus every knee should bend,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father. (Phil 2:10,11 NRSV)

OR, use the standard Christmas Sentence in the document 'Christmas season', under 'Sentence', in the 'General and seasonal' folder.

OR, use one of the general Sentences in the document 'General notes and resources', under 'Sentence', in the 'General and seasonal' folder.

PRAYER OF THE DAY (COLLECT)

EITHER, traditional

O Lord God,

since your blessed Son, our Saviour,

became obedient to the Law for us,

and received the circumcision of the flesh:

Grant us the true circumcision of the Spirit,

that our hearts may be purified

from all sinful desires;

through your Son,

Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns

with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

OR, modernised traditional

Lord God,

your Son, our Saviour, became obedient to the law for us,

and was circumcised.

Give us the true circumcision of the Spirit,

so that our hearts may be purified

from all sinful desires.

We ask this through your Son,

Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns

with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

OR, another traditional collect modernised

Lord God, heavenly Father,

you have given your dear Son for our salvation.

Help us to begin the new year

in the name of Jesus,

and praise you, our Father, in all that we do.

We ask this through your Son,

Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns with you

and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

OR, alternative

(Let us pray that we proclaim the name of Jesus. [silence])

Almighty and merciful God,

your Son was circumcised

and given the name that is above every name.

May we who bear his name

worship him in the freedom of the Spirit

and proclaim him as Saviour of the world.

For he lives and reigns

with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

FIRST READING

Numbers 6:22-27 The priestly blessing

PSALM

Psalm 8

Antiphon:

What are human beings that God is mindful of them?

(Ps 8:4 NRSV alt)

SECOND READING

Galatians 4:4-7 God's Son, born of a woman under the law

OR

Philippians 2:5-11 At the name of Jesus every knee will bow

ALLELUIA VERSE

Alleluia alleluia.

The angel said his name will be Jesus,

for he will save his people from their sins. Alleluia.

Alleluia.

GOSPEL

Luke 2:15-21 The naming and circumcision of Jesus

PRAYER AFTER THE GOSPEL

This is the gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ (, Light of the world).

Lord Jesus Christ, thank you

for coming for our salvation.

Help us always to call on your name.

Amen.

OFFERING PRAYER

Lord, we thank you for blessing us

by revealing yourself to us through your Son.

Help us always to honour the name of Jesus, our Saviour,

and do everything in his name.

May our lives, as Christians,

lead others to worship his name.

Amen.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

Call to prayer

We have access to our Father in heaven through the name of our Lord Jesus. So we bring to God our needs, and the needs of his world, in the name of his Son.

The regular response, OR:

Hear us, merciful Father,

in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Suggested petitions

Concluding prayer

Father, you directed Joseph to give your Son the name that is above every name. Help us faithfully to bear his name, and to proclaim him as the Saviour of the world. Accept our prayers in the name of Jesus, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

SEASONAL PREFACE

It is indeed right and good,

Lord God, holy Father,

that we should at all times and in all places

give thanks to you,

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

You have revealed your glorious presence to us

in a new way

through the mystery of the Word made flesh,

so that as we see you in your Son,

we are drawn to love you

whom we cannot see.

And so, with angels and archangels,

and with all the company of heaven,

we adore and praise your glorious name:

COMMUNION INVITATION

Jesus says: 'I am the living bread

that came down from heaven.

The bread that I will give you is my flesh,

which I give so that the world may live.'

(Thanks be to God.)

Come, everything is ready.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

For a post-communion prayer, see the document 'Christmas season', under 'Prayer after communion', in the 'General and seasonal' folder. Alternatively, use the fourth prayer of the day (as listed above) at this point. It may be modified as follows.

Almighty and  merciful God,

your Son was circumcised

and given the name that is above every name.

May we who have received his body and blood

worship him in the freedom of the Spirit

and proclaim him as Saviour of the world.

For he lives and reigns

with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

SEASONAL BLESSING

This seasonal blessing is used together with (ie before) the usual blessing in the order of service.

(May) Christ the Son of God give you joy and peace by his presence with you; . . .

DISMISSAL

Go in peace, as people who have seen the Lord's salvation.

Thanks be to God. OR In the name of Christ. Amen.

HYMNS AND SONGS

FOR THE READINGS

Please note:        * =        Modernised version available

      G3, G4 . . . =        Guitar chords available in the Music Package 3, 4 . . .

      GS =        Guitar chords in the Supplement to LH

First reading : Numbers 6:22-27

LHS

AT

TIS

Second reading (a) : Galatians 4:4-7

LHS

AT

TIS

Second reading (b): Philippians 2:5-11

LHS

AT

TIS

Gospel:  Luke 2:15-21

LHS

AT

TIS

PSALM 8

For musical settings of Psalm 8, see Music Packages 1, 2, 4, 6, 7 and 8.

Versions of Psalm 8 may also be found in TIS, 3 Lord, our Lord, your glorious name, and 4 O Lord, our Governor.

A paraphrased version of Psalm 8 from the Iona Community may be found in John L Bell, Psalms of patience, protest and praise on page 8. The hymn ‘How great Thou art’ (LH 881, TIS 155) is also based partly on Psalm 8.

The following paraphrase, by David Sch¸tz, is sung to the tune Portland, LHS 374. If reproducing this version, please put 'Words (c) David Sch¸tz' at the beginning or the end of the psalm.

O Lord, our Lord, in all the earth

your glorious name is ever praised.

Even on lips of infant babes

your song is raised.

When I look at the sun and moon,

the stars and all in heav'n above,

how is it that we humans know

your saving love?

How can it be that you should care

for us poor creatures of the dust?

Yet you have made us like yourself

and honoured us.

Over all creatures great and small

you let us share your power to reign.

O Lord, our Lord, in all the earth

we praise your name.

OFFICE HYMNS BY BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX

St Bernard of Clairvaux (1091-1153) wrote two hymns for this day; one is the well known 'Jesus, the very thought of thee' (LH 148) and the other is 'O Jesus, King most wonderful'. Both were translated by Edward Caswall last century. The second hymn, not available in our hymnbooks, is given as follows in modernised form by David Sch¸tz. Both hymns may be sung to the tune 'St Botolph' (LH 451, TIS, 223).

Lord Jesus, King most wonderful,

great Conquerer renowned!

Your sweetness is unspeakable;

in you all joys are found.

When you have visited our hearts,

then truth begins to shine;

then earthly vanity departs,

then kindles love divine.

Lord Jesus, light of all below,

and source of life and fire,

surpassing all the joys we know,

and all that we desire:

May every heart confess your name,

and for your love implore,

and seeking you, itself inflame

to seek you more and more.

So, Jesus, may our lives express

and voices join as one,

together with our hearts to bless,

you as our Lord alone.

VISUAL

VISUALS FOR THE READINGS

Pictures or visual symbols could be displayed on banners or the overhead screen during the readings. For instance, the gospel could be accompanied by a picture of Mary as in the TEV Bible for Luke 2:19.

SYMBOLS

A symbol or pictorial representation of the name JESUS or IHC or CHI RHO could be displayed. See also the suggestion above for the gospel.

DRAMA

'MEGA DRAMA'

See a drama for the day in Mega Drama resources (Openbook Publishers), originally included in these worship resources when they were released on disks.

DRAMATISING THE READINGS

The readings can be read by more than one person to make the dramatic meaning of the text clearer.

CHILDREN

Five children, each with one letter of the name of JESUS on a large placard, could display the name by holding up their letters in order, eg during the gospel or an appropriate song.