Sunday, November 18, 2007

The Collect - Trinity 24

The Latin Collect
Absolve, quaesumus, Domine, tuorum delicta populorum; it a peccatorum nexibus, quae pro nostra fragilitate contraximus, tua benignitate liberimur.

The Collect 1549
LORD we beseche thee, assoyle [absolve] thy people from their offences, that through thy bountiful goodnes we maye bee delyvered from the bandes of all those synnes, whiche by our frayltye we have committed : Graunt this, &c.

The Collect 1662
O LORD, we beseech thee, absolve thy people from their offences; that through thy bountiful goodness we may all be delivered from the bands of those sins, which by our frailty we have committed: Grant this, O heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ's sake, our blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen.

Commentary
Archbishop Cranmer translated this collect, first found in the Gregorian Sacramentary, appointed in the Sarum Missal for this day, and in the Tridentine for Pentecost 23

Meditation
In the frailty of our fallen human nature, we find ourselves seemingly unable to free ourselves from our besetting sins, as is so eloquently witnessed by St. Paul in Romans, chapter 7. Thus we need often and passionately to flee to His boundless mercy, seeking both forgiveness and the strength to overcome our failings.

----------------ed pacht

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