THE SEASON AFTER THE EPIPHANY

MID-WINTER, 2016
One cannot currently escape mention of Syria.
For years we have watched from afar as the people of Syria have been caught in a power struggle
that has torn their homeland into pieces. Now, on a day-to-day basis, we hear reports of war in Syria,
and the stream of refugees fleeing from it, and all the socio-political consequences of it. In the context
of our modern world and the various realities currently colliding in the Middle East, it can be too easy
for us to distance ourselves from this great land and its people.
But this is where Christianity itself was born. As Christians of gentile rather than Hebrew origins,
Syria is our spiritual and religious homeland. The present-day Syriac Orthodox Church traces its history to one of the very first Christian communities, founded by the Apostle Peter in AD 37 in the ancient Syrian city of Antioch. Christians have worshiped in Syria longer than anywhere else outside of
Jerusalem. Other systems of religious thought also trace parts of their history through this great
crossroads of world civilization and have enriched Syrian culture with great spiritual depth.
The vast majority of Syrian people of our time are peace-loving, pluralistic people who have lived in
the midst of great diversity for millennia. Their identity and their very being is rooted in the fertile soil
of their homeland - even as they are being uprooted from it.
During this season of the Wilderness we pay tribute and homage to this important homeland and it's
beautiful people. Our text is drawn from the ancient prayers of the Syriac Liturgy of Saint James, the
oldest surviving liturgy in Christianity. Our music is inspired by the sounds of Syria, and during our
time of prayer we will hear poetic voices from Syria's past and present.
Syria deserves more than passing mention or news headline. Syria and its people deserve our respect
and prayer . . . and we their richness.

Credits:
Liturgical text has been compiled and edited for the Wilderness
(Copyright 2016 The Reverend Canon Jadon D. Hartsuff, All Rights Reserved),
based on Archimandrite Ephrem's translations of ancient texts
found at www.anastasis.org.uk/lit-james.htm.
Unless otherwise noted, music and hymns are from the Hymnal 1981,
arranged for the Wilderness by Ryan McCarthy and Chad Johnson,
Copyright 2016, All Rights Reserved.

The cover image is a photo of the ancient door handle into the church at Mar Benham Monastery,
a 4th century Syriac Orthodox church destroyed by ISIS in 2015. The image is owned by Getty Images and licensed for use by istock.

Page 2

THE ORDER

OF

SERVICE

The Presider (the priest leading worship) enters and sits.

We observe a few moments of silence.
When the Presider stands, all who are able also stand.

OPENING MUSIC

Dare You to Move

by Switchfoot

Welcome to the planet

Welcome to existence
Everyone's here
Everyone's here
Everybody's watching you now
Everybody waits for you now
What happens next
What happens next
Chorus
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened before
Welcome to the fallout
Welcome to resistance
The tension is here
Tension is here
Between who you are and who you could be
Between how it is and how it should be
Chorus
Maybe redemption has stories to tell
Maybe forgiveness is right where you fell
Where can you run to escape from yourself?
Where you gonna go?
Where you gonna go?
Salvation is here
Chorus

Page 3

THE OPENING ACCLAMATION

Presider:
People:

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit
the one, simple and undivided Trinity,
that unites and sanctifies us through itself,
and brings peace to our lives,
now and for ever,
and to the ages of ages.

As incense is offered at the high altar the Presider prays:

O God, who accepted the gifts of Abel,
the sacrifices of Noah and Abraham,
and the incense of Aaron and Zachary,
accept from the hands of us sinners
this incense from the things you have given us.
Let it, we beg you,
be taken up from our poor hands
to your holy altar above the heavens
for an odour of sweetness and forgiveness of our sins
and those of all your people,
by the grace, compassion,
and love for humankind of your only-begotten Son,
with whom you are blessed,
together with your all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit,
now and for ever, and to the ages of ages.
People:
Amen.
Presider:
People:

Holy God, holy Strong, holy Immortal

have mercy on us.

Presider:
People:

Holy God, holy Strong, holy Immortal

have mercy on us.

Presider:
People:

Holy God, holy Strong, holy Immortal

have mercy on us.

Presider:
People:

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Both now and for ever, and to the ages of ages.

Presider:
People:

Peace to all.
And to your spirit.

GATHERING PRAYER
See the separate sheet for the Prayer, Reading, Psalm and Gospel.

Page 4

READING
PSALM
GOSPEL
A cantor introduces the Gospel, singing
Master, Lover of humankind, make the pure light of your divine knowledge shine in our
hearts and open the eyes of our mind to understand the message of your Gospel.
After the Gospel the people say:
You have made your divine and saving words resound for us, O God. Enlighten our
souls to understand the things that have been read, so that we may be not only hearers of spiritual songs, but also doers of good deeds, maintaining a faith without pretence, a life without blame, conduct without reproach.

REFLECTION
After the Reflection, there is silence.

THE PRAYERS

OF THE

PEOPLE

During this extended time of prayer you are invited to leave your seat and journey to the prayer stations that are set around the Cathedral.
You may also light a candle near the altar, as a way of offering prayer for specific cares and concerns
for personal prayers, for the needs of the Church, or the world, for those who are suffering from illness, addiction, or any kind of need, or for those who have died.
The Presider then offers a closing prayer, saying:
Benefactor and King of the ages,
and Fashioner of all creation,
accept your Church,
which approaches you through your Christ.
Fulfill what is profitable for each,
bring all to perfection,
and make us worthy of the grace of your sanctification,
gathering us together in your holy,
catholic and apostolic Church,
which you gained by the blood of your only-begotten Son,
our saviour, Jesus Christ,
with whom you are blessed and glorified,
together with your all-holy,
good and life-giving Spirit,
now and forever, and to the ages of ages.
All say:
Amen.

Page 5

THE PEACE
Presider:
People:

Peace to all.
And to your spirit.

Deacon:

Let us greet one another with holy affection.

All then sit while Announcements are made.

OFFERTORY HYMN







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Page 6

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING

All stand.
Presider:
People:

Glory to God in the highest.

and peace on earth, goodwill.

Presider:
People:

Lord, you will open my lips

and my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Presider:
People:

Let my mouth be filled with your praise

that I may sing your glory and majesty.

Presider:

Truly it is right and fitting, proper and necessary,

to praise you, to hymn you, to bless you,
to worship you, to glorify you, to give thanks to you,
Fashioner of every creature, visible and invisible,
the Treasury of the eternal good things,
the Source of life and immortality,
the God and Master of all,
whose praise is sung by the heavens
and the heavens of heavens and all their powers,
the sun and the moon and the whole choir of stars,
earth, sea and all that they contain,
who, with radiant voices sing the triumphant hymn of your majestic glory,
shouting, glorifying, crying aloud and saying

SANCTUS All sing


      
     

   


  

 


   
 

    
    

         





 



      

        



 



 

          

 

           

  

  

   



 




 

    

          

 

    

          

Page 7

Presider:

Holy are you,

all-powerful, fearsome, good, tender-hearted,
compassionate God.
You made humankind from earth,
according to your image and likeness,
granting it the enjoyment of Paradise.
But when it transgressed your commandment and fell away,
you did not forsake or abandon it, O Good One,
but chastened it as a compassionate Father,
called it through the Law,
tutored it through the Prophets.
Finally you sent your only-begotten Son forth, into the world,
to come and renew and raise up your image.
He came down from heaven and was incarnate from the Holy Spirit
and Mary the holy Ever-Virgin and Mother of God;
he lived among mortals and disposed all things for the salvation of our race.
When he, the one without sin,
was about to offer his own voluntary
and life-giving death through a cross,
for the life and salvation of the world,
taking bread in his holy,
immaculate, unblemished and immortal hands,
looking up to heaven and showing it to you,
his God and Father,
giving thanks, blessing, sanctifying and breaking it,
he shared it among his holy and blessed Disciples and Apostles, saying:
Take, eat: This is my Body which is given for you.
Do this for the remembrance of me.
Likewise after supper,
taking the cup and mixing wine and water,
gazing up to heaven and showing it to you,
his God and Father,
giving thanks, blessing, sanctifying, filling it with the Holy Spirit,
he shared it among his holy and blessed Disciples and Apostles, saying:
"Drink from this all of you.
This is my Blood of the new covenant,
which is poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this in memory of me.
For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup,
you proclaim the death of the Son of Man,
and confess his resurrection,
until he comes.

Page 8

People:

Your death, Lord, we proclaim,

and your resurrection we confess.

Presider:
People:

Your people and your Church entreat you.

Have mercy on us, O God.

Presider:
People:

Your people and your Church entreat you.

Have mercy on us, O God.

Presider:
People:

Your people and your Church entreat you.

Have mercy on us, O God.

Presider:

People:

Have mercy on us, God our Saviour.

Have mercy on us, O God,
and send forth upon these holy gifts,
here set forth,
your all-holy Spirit,
the Lord and giver of life,
enthroned with you, God and Father,
and your only-begotten Son,
co-reigning, consubstantial and co-eternal,
who spoke by the Law and the Prophets and by your New Covenant,
who came down in the form of a dove
upon our Lord Jesus Christ in the river Jordan,
and rested upon him,
who came down upon your holy Apostles
in the form of fiery tongues in the upper room of holy
and glorious Sion on the day of Pentecost.
Your same all-holy Spirit, Lord,
send down on us and on these gifts here set forth,
that having come by his holy, good and glorious presence,
he may sanctify this bread and make it the holy body of Christ,
Amen.

Presider:
People:

And this cup, the precious blood of Christ.

Amen.

Presider:

For all those who partake of them

for forgiveness of sins and everlasting life,
for sanctification of souls and bodies,
for a fruitful harvest of good works,
and for the strengthening of your holy,
catholic and apostolic Church,
which you founded on the rock of the faith,
so that the gates of Hell might not prevail against it.
Amen.

People:
Silence.

Page 9

Presider:
All say:

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.
Save us from the time of trial,
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.

The Presider breaks the bread in silence and then says:

Presider:
People:

Holy Gifts for Holy People.

Taste and see that the Lord is good. Alleluia.
Amen.

THE COMMUNION
The Presider and people receive communion. All are welcome to come forward. You may receive the
bread and wine, or just the bread if that is your custom. Gluten-free bread is available by alerting the
priest. If you wish to receive a blessing, please signify by crossing your hands over your chest.

MUSIC

AT

COMMUNION

THE

PEOPLE WHO IN DARKNESS WALKED

Spoken Word

The people who in darkness walked

have seen a glorious light;
on them broke forth the heavenly dawn
who dwelt in death and night.
To hail thy rising, Sun of life,
the gathering nations come,
joyous as when reapers bear
their harvest treasures home.
To us the promised Child is born,
to us the Son is given;
him shall the tribes of earth obey,
and all the hosts of heaven.
His name shall be the Prince of Peace
forevermore adored,
the Wonderful, the Counselor,
the Mighty God and Lord.
His power increasing still shall spread,
his reign no end shall know;
justice shall guard his throne above,
and peace abound below.
Page 10

PRAYER

AFTER

COMMUNION

All stand.
Presider:

Let us pray.

All say:

You have made us glad, O God,

by union with you,
and we offer you our gratitude,
fruit of our lips,
as we confess your grace.
Let it ascend, O God,
and not descend empty,
but grant, too,
the pure and lasting myron of your all-holy Spirit.
Fill our mouths with praise,
our lips with gladness
and our hearts with joy and delight in Christ Jesus our Lord,
with whom you are blessed with your all-holy Spirit,
now and for ever and to the ages of ages.
Amen.

People:

BLESSING

AND

DISMISSAL

The Presider blesses the people, saying:

O God great and wonderful,
look upon all those who bend before you,
and stretch out your mighty hand,
filled with blessings,
and bless your people and preserve your inheritance,
that we may always at every moment glorify you,
our only living and true God,
the holy and consubstantial Trinity,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

People:

Blessed is God,
who blesses and sanctifies,
protects and gives peace,
and preserves the life of us all
through the communion of his holy,
immaculate and life-giving mysteries,
which we have been counted worthy to receive,
always, now and for ever, and to the ages of ages.
Amen.

People:

In the name of Christ, let us go forth.

May we be clothed in his peace.

Page 11

All sing the following closing hymn.

CLOSING HYMN

WHERE



 
 
Where char - i - ty and
With grate - ful joy and
For give we now each
Let strife a - mong us
Let us
re - call that
Love can ex clude no

 


found;
learn;
fess;
cease;
Son;
name;

CHARITY AND LOVE PREVAIL

Brought
let
and
be
as
our

love
strength
well
seek,
joined,
all

by
now
in
be
we
whose

love pre ho - ly
o - thers
be un in our
race or

vail
fear
faults
known,
midst
creed

   

love are we
love him in
Chris - tian ho
ours his ho
are in him
Fa - ther is

thus
re - li - ly
made
the

bound.
turn.
ness.
peace.
one.
same.

1350 Washington Street

Denver, CO 80203
( 303-831-7115
www.sjcathedral.org




  

there God is ev - er
his
char - i - ty we
as
we our faults con let
all con - ten - tion
dwells Gods be - got - ten
if
hon - ored be Gods

here
to - geth - er
us
with heart
and
let
us love
each
his
the glo - ry
mem - bers of
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com - mon life
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by Christs
and
mind
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