Holy One, make speed to save us:
O God, come quickly to help us.
Glory to God, Source of all being, Eternal Word and Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.
Opening
Saturdays: From Psalm 122, Lætatus sum
I was glad when they said to me, * “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
She is built as a city * that is at unity with itself.
To which the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, *
to praise the name of the Lord.
Pray for the peace of the Lord’s house: *
“May they prosper who love you.
Peace be within your walls * and quietness within your towers.
Because of the house of the Lord our God, * I will seek to do you good.”
Reflection: Boniface
We all know the story of how Queen Victoria’s consort Albert brought the tradition of Christmas trees to England from Germany but how did the tradition begin there?
According to one legend the famous Devon Saint, St Boniface, was the creator of the very first Christmas tree.
In the early part of the 8th century, St Boniface was sent into Germany as a missionary, with an aim of converting the pagans to Christianity.
St Boniface was later to become the patron saint of brewers, so sending him to beer loving Germany may well have been a masterful mission.
He worked tirelessly in the country destroying idols and pagan temples across Germany and building churches in their place. He was named Archbishop of Mainz and founded or restored the diocese of Bavaria.
It was on this trip, around the time of Winter Solstice, that he was said to have come across a group of pagans worshipping an old oak tree.
Oak tree
An oak tree, less fun to decorate.
Horrified by what he saw as blasphemy, the all-action St Boniface grabbed the nearest axe and hacked down the tree. As he did this he called to the pagans to see the power of his God over theirs.
Pagan feelings were understandably mixed, but Boniface’s actions were obviously taken in good spirit, with some of the tales saying he converted the pagans on the spot.
This is where the tale now divides. Some say St Boniface planted a fir tree there, but the most common idea is that a fir tree grew spontaneously in the oak’s place.
The fir was seen as an image of God and many believed its evergreen symbolised the everlasting love of the Maker.
According to the myth, the next year all the pagans in the area had been converted to Christianity and hung decorations from the tree to celebrate what they now called Christmas rather than Winter Solstice.
The more logical of us will wonder how a fir tree grew big enough to decorate in one year.
Whichever it was, the legend spread and soon Christmas trees became the norm in the newly converted Bavaria, and then spread out to become the tinsel strewn, electric lit, bauble hung festival we know today.
MAGNIFICAT
1 My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,*
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;
2 for he has looked with favour on his lowly servant;*
from this day all generations will call me blessed.
3 The Almighty has done great things for me* and holy is his name.
4 He has mercy on those who fear him* in every generation.
5 He has shown the strength of his arm;*
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
6 He has cast down the mighty from their thrones*
and has lifted up the lowly.
7 He has filled the hungry with good things,*
and the rich he has sent away empty.
8 He has come to the help of his servant Israel,*
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
9 the promise he made to our forebears,*
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.
PRAYERS
We have been afraid of the fierceness of your love, which sears our hearts as with a laser. Lord, have mercy upon us.
We have refused to believe that you are gentle in judgment, that your hands loosen the knots of our bitterness. Christ, have mercy upon us.
We have failed to see that your eyes are wise in discernment, that your justice restores us and heals. Lord, have mercy upon us.
Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Do not bring us to the time of trial, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen.
COLLECTS
Stir up our prayers, Lord, and hear us: that they who are sorrowful and suffering may rejoice at the Advent of your only-begotten Son; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.
Lord God almighty, come and dispel the darkness from our hearts, that in the radiance of your brightness we may know you, the only unfading light, glorious in all eternity. Amen.
The God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing:
through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
St Ternans Banchory 