The Sunday after Ascension Day.
The
Collect.
O
|
GOD, the King of
glory, who hast exalted thine only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph unto thy
kingdom in heaven; We beseech thee, leave us not comfortless; but send to us
thine Holy Ghost to comfort us, and exalt us un-to the same place whither our
Saviour Christ is gone before, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same
Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.
The Collect for this day implores the mercies of God to grant the comforting
and efficacious ministry of the Holy Ghost upon His people with the passing of
His only Begotten Son to the Throne of Glory with the Father. It comports well
with the Lectionary Readings of the day in imparting the Will of God in sending
His Holy Ghost to be our Teacher, Comforter, and Companion in bringing us into
ever greater Light in Christ. There is more meaning hidden between the lines of
the Collect than appears overtly to our eyes at first glance.
This Collect is a composition of Archbishop Cranmer and was based upon an
antiphonal declaration for Ascension tide of the English Church. O GOD,
the King of Glory….. and who is the King of Glory? Who is this
King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. (Psalms
24:10) If we petition the highest Authority for our needs and grievances, His
decree will override every power on earth. His Kingdom is not limited to
boundaries or realms, but to the realm of Glory encompassing all things. God
has given all kingdoms into the hands of His Beloved Son: "O GOD,
the King of glory, who hast exalted thine only Son Jesus Christ with great
triumph unto thy kingdom in heaven." First of all, Christ has
been exalted above every kingdom and, secondly, He has won the final triumph
over death, wickedness, and the Accuser of His people.
God is forever with us now as was manifested in the Emmanuel of Jesus Christ.
The Holy of Holies is now accessible, through Jesus Christ, to all who believe
on His Name. That is an ever-present benefit to the people of God and not one
reserved for any mediator other than the Lord Jesus Christ! No more must the
high priest of the Temple be summoned to carry forth our sacrificial offerings
to God, but the High Priest Himself – a priest above every other – has become
our once and for all offering and has ripped the Temple Veil from top to
bottom. Is that not a joyous observation? That same High Priest is present
forever at the right Hand of God the Father, and not seasonally as in time
past. He is forever interceding for those who pray in His beloved Name. His
Ascension into Heaven did not leave us without an Emmanuel – rather, He has
sent His Holy Ghost to be ever present among the people of God. That is an
inestimable Comfort, is it not? We beseech thee, leave us not
comfortless I fail to see the point of this latter petition since
Christ has already promised and sent that Comforter – except to reassure us of
the reality of that promise and fact. Christ told us that He must go to
be with the Father, but that He would surely send the Comforter to guide,
teach, and direct our souls in all those things of which Christ spoke. The Holy
Spirit will not speak of Himself, but only point to Christ, and Him crucified.
I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he
may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world
cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him;
for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. (John 14:16-17) But
the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name,
he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance,
whatsoever I have said unto you. (John 14:26) Now has Christ ascended
and He has sent the Holy Ghost who, not being confined to a physical body, can
be at all places and at all times where the people of God make their appeals.
He opens the mind of the simple to the deeper truths of the Gospel which the
proud seminarian may never grasp. Is it not amazing? "…send
to us thine Holy Ghost to comfort us, and exalt us unto the same place whither
our Saviour Christ is gone before, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the
same Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Jesus has promised the
faithful that we may be where He is if we persevere until the end. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come
again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
(John 14:3)
The world is a turbulent sea wrought with stormy gales and monstrous billows,
but we have a Sea Captain at the helm of our souls who is also the Master of the Sea. The old hymn by Mr.
James Rowe (1912) says it well:
I was
sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore,
Very
deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more,
But
the Master of the sea, heard my despairing cry,
From
the waters lifted me, now safe am I.
Refrain
Love lifted me! Love lifted me!
When nothing else could help
Love
lifted me!
Love lifted me! Love lifted me!
When nothing else could help
Love lifted me!
All my
heart to Him I give, ever to Him I'll cling
In
His blessèd presence live, ever His praises sing,
Love
so mighty and so true, merits my soul's best songs,
Faithful,
loving service too, to Him belongs.
Refrain
Souls
in danger look above, Jesus completely saves,
He
will lift you by His love, out of the angry waves.
He's
the Master of the sea, billows His will obey,
He
your Savior wants to be, be saved today.
Refrain
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost. AMEN.
