Teachers of the Faith and Spiritual Writers

White

Invitation to Confession

In sorrow for our sins and with faith in his mercy,

let us turn to the Lord,

for with him there is mercy and plenteous redemption.

Kyrie Confession

May your loving mercy come to me, O Lord,

and your salvation according to your word:

Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

Your word is a lantern to my feet and a light to my path:

Christ, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

O let your mercy come to me that I may live,

for your law is my delight:

Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

Collect

Almighty God,

who enlightened your Church

by the teaching of your servant N:

enrich it evermore with your heavenly grace

and raise up faithful witnesses

who, by their life and teaching,

may proclaim the truth of your salvation;

through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Lectionary

1 Kings 3.[6-10] 11-14; Proverbs 4.1-9; Wisdom 7.7-10,15,16; Ecclesiasticus 39.1-10

Psalms 19.7-10; 34.11-17; 37.31-35; 119.89-96; 119.97-104

1 Corinthians 1.18-25; or 2.1-10; or 2.9-end; Ephesians 3.8-12; 2 Timothy 4.1-8; Titus 2.1-8

Matthew 5.13-19; or 13.52-end; or 23. 8-12; Mark 4.1-9; John 16.12-15

Ambrose (7 December): also Isaiah 41.9b-13; Luke 22.24-30

Anselm (21 April): also Wisdom 9.13-end; Romans 5.8-11

Athanasius (2 May): also Ecclesiasticus 4.20-28; also Matthew 10.24-27

Augustine of Hippo (28 August): especially Ecclesiasticus 39.1-10; also Romans 13.11-13

Basil and Gregory (2 January): especially 2 Timothy 4.1-8; Matthew 5.13-19

Bernard (20 August): especially Revelation 19.5-9

Catherine of Siena (29 April): also Proverbs 8.1,6-11; John 17.12-end

Francis de Sales (24 January): also Proverbs 3.13-18; John 3.17-21

Gregory the Great (3 September): also 1 Thessalonians 2.3-8

Gregory of Nyssa and Macrina (19 July): especially 1 Corinthians 2.9-13; also Wisdom 9.13-17

Hilary (13 January): also 1 John 2.18-25; John 8.25-32

Irenæus (28 June): also 2 Peter 1.16-end

Jeremy Taylor (13 August): also Titus 2.7,8,11-14

John Bunyan (30 August): also Hebrews 12.1,2; Luke 21.21,34-36

John Chrysostom (13 September): especially Matthew 5.13-19; also Jeremiah 1.4-10

John of the Cross (14 December): especially 1 Corinthians 2.1-10; also John 14.18-23

Julian of Norwich (8 May): also 1 Corinthians 13.8-end; Matthew 5.13-16

Leo (10 November): also 1 Peter 5.1-11

Richard Hooker (3 November): especially John 16.12-15; also Ecclesiasticus 44.10-15

Teresa of Avila (15 October): also Romans 8.22-27

Thomas Aquinas (28 January): especially Wisdom 7.7-10,15,16; 1 Corinthians 2.9-end; John 16.12-15

William Law (10 April): especially 1 Corinthians 2.9-end; also Matthew 17.1-9

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia.

You are the light of the world:

no one after lighting a lamp puts it under a basket

but on the lampstand and it gives light to all.

Matthew 5.14

Alleluia.

(or)

Alleluia, alleluia.

Whoever keeps the commandments and teaches them

will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5.19

Alleluia.

Intercession

[We pray to Jesus who is present with us to eternity.

Jesus, Lord of life,

in your mercy, hear us.]

Jesus, light of the world,

bring the light and peace of your gospel to the nations …

Jesus, Lord of life,

in your mercy, hear us.

Jesus, bread of life,

give food to the hungry …

and nourish us all with your word.

Jesus, Lord of life,

in your mercy, hear us.

Jesus, our way, our truth, our life,

be with us and all who follow you in the way …

Deepen our appreciation of your truth

and fill us with your life.

Jesus, Lord of life,

in your mercy, hear us.

Jesus, Good Shepherd who gave your life for the sheep,

recover the straggler,

bind up the injured,

strengthen the sick

and lead the healthy and strong to new pastures.

Jesus, Lord of life,

in your mercy, hear us.

Jesus, the resurrection and the life,

we give you thanks for all who have lived and believed in you …

Raise us with them to eternal life.

Jesus, Lord of life,

in your mercy, hear us,

accept our prayers, and be with us always.

Amen.

Introduction to the Peace

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly;

teach and admonish one another in all wisdom,

and may the peace of the Lord be always with you

and also with you.

Prayer at the Preparation of the Table

God of truth,

accept our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving.

May we share in the wisdom of your eternal Word,

who makes himself known in the breaking of bread,

Jesus Christ our Lord.

Preface

And now we give you thanks

that N became a teacher in your Church

through the gifts of the Holy Spirit of Christ.

His/her learning shines as a burning light,

a guide for all who follow the way to eternal life.

Extended Preface

It is truly right and good,

our duty and our salvation,

always and everywhere to give you thanks,

Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God,

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

For he has named his Church

the salt of the earth and light of the world;

a city set on a hill which cannot be hidden.

Within this faithful company

your servant N became a learned teacher

through the gifts of the Holy Spirit of Christ,

that all might welcome his/her teaching as your gift,

a beacon on the path of holiness

that leads to eternal life.

As now we celebrate his/her memory

we join with angels and archangels

and all who have served you on earth

and worship you now in heaven

to raise our voices and proclaim your glory

for ever praising you and saying:

Post Communion

God of truth,

whose Wisdom set her table

and invited us to eat the bread and drink the wine of the kingdom:

help us to lay aside all foolishness

and to live and walk in the way of insight,

that we may come with N to the eternal feast of heaven;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Blessing

God grant you grace to be good servants of Christ Jesus,

nourished on the words of the faith

and on the sound teaching that you have followed;

cf 1 Timothy 4.6

and the blessing of God almighty,

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

be among you and remain with you always.

Acclamation

There are varieties of gifts,

but the same Spirit.

There are varieties of service,

but the same Lord.

There are different kinds of working,

but the same God is at work in all.

There is one body, one Spirit, one hope in God’s call,

one Lord, one faith, one baptism.

There is one God, Father of all, over all and in all,

to whom Christ ascended on high.

And through his Spirit he gives us gifts:

some are apostles, some are his prophets.

Evangelists, pastors and teachers he gives us,

so we can minister together

to build up his body,

to be mature in the fullness of Christ.

cf 1 Corinthians 12.4-6, Ephesians 4.4-13

Short Passages of Scripture

Let your heart hold fast my words; get wisdom; do not forsake her,

and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you.

Proverbs 4.4,6

Wisdom will open his mouth in the midst of the assembly.

He will find gladness and a crown of rejoicing.

Ecclesiasticus 15.5,6

Jesus said,

‘Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of

heaven is like a householder who brings out of the treasury what is

new and what is old.’

Matthew 13.52

Jesus said,

‘Whoever serves me must follow me,

and where I am, there will my servant be also.

Whoever serves me, the Father will honour.’

John 12.26

Show yourself in all respects a model of good works,

and in your teaching show integrity, gravity,

and sound speech that cannot be censured.

Titus 2.7,8