1st October, 2023, 10.30am
To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints:
Grace to you, and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:7)
Presider: The Rev. Austin K. Rios
Vicar: The Rev. Dr. Francisco Alberca
Organist: Stefano Vasselli
St. Paul’s Choir
The readings are taken from the New Revised Standard version of the Bible; the Psalms follow the Book of Common Prayer.
This service will be live-streamed on YouTube.
Prelude
Alexander Guilmant (1837-1911)
Prelude
Processional Hymn
Siyahamba
All stand and sing.
Siyahamba, ekukanyen’ kwenkos’, Siyahamba, ekukanyen’ kwenkos’,
Siyahamba, ekukanyen’ kwenkos’, Siyahamba, ekukanyen’ kwenkos’,
Siyahamba, siyahamba, oh, Siyahamba ekukanyen’ kwenkos’.
Siyahamba, siyahamba, oh, Siyahamba ekukanyen’ kwenkos’.
Caminamos en la luz de Dios, Caminamos en la luz de Dios,
Caminamos en la luz de Dios, Caminamos en la luz de Dios,
Caminamos, caminamos oh, Caminamos en la luz de Dios,
Caminamos, caminamos oh, Caminamos en la luz de Dios,
We are marching in the light of God. We are marching in the light of God.
We are marching in the light of God. We are marching in the light of God.
We are marching, we are marching, ooh, We are marching in the light of God.
We are marching, we are marching, ooh, We are marching in the light of God.
Opening Acclamation
Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Gloria
All sing together.
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.
For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
The Collect of the Day
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.
O God, you declare your almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity: Grant us the fullness of your grace, that we, running to obtain your promises, may become partakers of your heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
All are seated for the readings and the psalm.
The First Lesson
Exodus 17:1-7
A reading from Exodus.
From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages, as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. The people quarreled with Moses, and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?” But the people thirsted there for water; and the people complained against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?” So Moses cried out to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” The Lord said to Moses, “Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink.” Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. He called the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled and tested the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The Psalm
Psalm 78:1-4,12-16
Attendite, popule
We remain seated and sing with the choir:
1 Hear my teaching, O my people; *
incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth in a parable; *
I will declare the mysteries of ancient times.
3 That which we have heard and known,
and what our forefathers have told us, *
we will not hide from their children.
4 We will recount to generations to come
the praiseworthy deeds and the power of the Lord, *
and the wonderful works he has done.
12 He worked marvels in the sight of their forefathers, *
in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
13 He split open the sea and let them pass through; *
he made the waters stand up like walls.
14 He led them with a cloud by day, *
and all the night through with a glow of fire.
15 He split the hard rocks in the wilderness *
and gave them drink as from the great deep.
16 He brought streams out of the cliff, *
and the waters gushed out like rivers.
The Second Lesson
Philippians 2:1-13
A reading from the letter of Paul to the Philippians.
If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death– even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The Gospel Hymn
Tu palabra me da vida
All stand and sing.
Tu palabra me da vida, confío en ti, Señor
Tu palabra es eterna en ella esperaré.
Dichoso el que con vida intachable
Camina en la ley del Señor.
Dichoso el que guardando sus preseptos
Lo busca de todo corazón. //
Repleta está la tierra de tu gracia
Enséñame, Señor tus decretos,
Mi herencia son tus mandatos
Alegría de nuestro corazón. //
The Gospel
Matthew 21:23-32
The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
When Jesus entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” Jesus said to them, “I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?” And they argued with one another, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet.” So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
“What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ He answered, ‘I will not’; but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, ‘I go, sir’; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon
The Rev. Austin K. Rios
All are seated
The Nicene Creed
All stand and say together:
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Prayers of the People
Stand or kneel for the Prayers as you are able.
In the pauses please add you own prayers and thanksgivings, aloud or in silence.
Brothers and sisters, in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Humbly then, let us approach our God, saying, “To will and work for your good pleasure, O Lord, enable us.”
Christ Jesus, strengthen our tongues to declare you as Lord of our lives. May we, your Church, glorify your Heavenly Parent in word and deed.
Pause
To will and work for your good pleasure, O Lord, enable us.
Christ Jesus, you chose not to exploit your equality with God, but humbled yourself to be with us. Give us your heart for the marginalized and poor. And may all people, especially those in power, follow your example of humility.
Pause
To will and work for your good pleasure, O Lord, enable us.
Christ Jesus, by your birth in human likeness you blessed all of creation. Remind us that your feet have trod our soil and tasted our waters. Give us the will to care for this precious planet.
Pause
To will and work for your good pleasure, O Lord, enable us.
Christ Jesus, you rule the world with love and compassion. Give to our local leaders compassion and vision that the people of our region might live as neighbors, looking out for each other’s interests.
Pause
To will and work for your good pleasure, O Lord, enable us.
Christ Jesus, you became obedient to the point of death that we might have abundant life. Work marvels in the lives of the sick and sorrowful. May they recount to generations the wonderful deeds you have done in their lives.
Pause
To will and work for your good pleasure, O Lord, enable us.
Gracious Father, we give you thanks for allowing us to celebrate another year the founding of our beloved Latin American Community. We pray that our mission be a faithful reflection of your face in the world, and grant us always to be open and ready to welcome and serve all men and women of good will. Bless and sanctify the lives of all its members, its pastors and all the people who make it possible for your love to manifest in our Church. Amen!
The Collect after the Prayers
Almighty God, by your Holy Spirit you have made us one with your saints in heaven and on earth: Grant that in our earthly pilgrimage we may always be supported by this fellowship of love and prayer, and know ourselves to be surrounded by their witness to your power and mercy. We ask this for the sake of Jesus Christ, in whom all our intercessions are acceptable through the Spirit, and who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
Confession of Sin and Absolution
All remain standing, or kneel, as able.
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your Name. Amen.
Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.
The Peace
All stand
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
We remain in our places as we take this time to greet all those around us in the name of peace and reconciliation.
Announcements
The Offertory
The greeters will pass among you to take up your financial offerings.
If you prefer to make a donation online or by credit card follow this link. For information on other ways to give, please visit www.stpaulsrome.it/donate.
Offertory Music
Spanish Song of Praise
Dios está aquí
Dios está aquí, Tan cierto como el aire que respiro,
Tan cierto como la mañana se levanta,
Tan cierto que cuando le hablo El me puede oír.
Dios está aquí, Y El goza en la alabanza de su pueblo,
Pues sé que nos está hablando y transformando hoy,
Nos manda su mensaje de amor.
Dios está aquí, Se siente su presencia entre nosotros,
más fuerte y más brillante que la luz del sol,
por medio de su espíritu de amor.
The Great Thanksgiving
Eucharistic Prayer A
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give him thanks and praise.
It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
For you are the source of light and life, you made us in your image, and called us to new life in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:
Sanctus
All sing together in Spanish.
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
Stand or kneel after the Sanctus
Holy and gracious Father: In your infinite love you made us for yourself, and, when we had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent Jesus Christ, your only and eternal Son, to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all.
He stretched out his arms upon the cross, and offered himself, in obedience to your will, a perfect sacrifice for the whole world.
On the night he was handed over to suffering and death, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”
After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, “Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”
Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:
Christ is died
Christ is risen
Christ will come again.
We celebrate the memorial of our redemption, O Father, in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Recalling his death, resurrection, and ascension, we offer you these gifts.
Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of your Son, the holy food and drink of new and unending life in him. Sanctify us also that we may faithfully receive this holy Sacrament, and serve you in unity, constancy, and peace; and at the last day bring us with all your saints into the joy of your eternal kingdom.
All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ: By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.
The Lord’s Prayer
And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to sing,
Padre Nuestro, Tú que estás En los que aman la verdad
Haz que el reino que por Ti se dio Llegue pronto a nuestro corazón
Que el amor que Tu hijo nos dejó Ese amor reine ya en nosotros
We say the Lord’s Prayer together, each in own language.
Y en el pan de la unidad Cristo, danos Tú la paz
Y olvídate de nuestro mal Si olvidamos el de los demás
No permitas que caigamos en tentación
Oh, Señor, y ten piedad del mundo
The Breaking of the Bread
Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia!
The Fraction Anthem
All sing together.
My flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed, says the Lord.
My flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed, says the Lord.
Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood dwell in me, and I in them.
My flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed, says the Lord.
The Ministration of Communion
The gifts of God for the people of God.
All baptized Christians of any denomination are invited to come forward to participate fully in Communion. Baptized children may receive at the discretion of their parents.
If you do not wish to take communion you may come forward for a blessing,
indicated by crossing your arms over your chest. Gluten-free communion wafers are available;
please raise your hand at the altar rail to receive one.
Communion Music
William Byrd (1543-1623)
Oculi omnium
Post Communion Prayer
Let us pray.
Almighty and everliving God,
we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food
of the most precious Body and Blood
of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ;
and for assuring us in these holy mysteries
that we are living members of the Body of your Son,
and heirs of your eternal kingdom.
And now, Father, send us out
to do the work you have given us to do,
to love and serve you
as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord.
To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
Blessing for Pentecost Season
Go forth into the world in peace; be of good courage; hold fast that which is good; render to no one evil for evil; strengthen the fainthearted; support the weak; help the afflicted; honor everyone; love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.
Recessional Hymn
All praise to thee, for thou, O King divine
Engelberg
All sing together.
All praise to thee, for thou, O King divine,
Didst yeild the glory that of right was thine,
That in our darkened hearts thy grace might shine.
Alleluia!
Thou cam’st to us in lowliness of thought;
By thee the outcast and the poor were sought;
And by thy death was God’s salvation wrought.
Alleluia!
Let this mind be to us which was in thee,
Who wast a servant that we might be free,
Humbling thyself to death on Calvary.
Alleluia!
Wherefore, by God’s eternal purpose, thou
Art high exalted o’er all creatures now,
And given the Name to which all knees shall bow.
Alleluia!
Let every tongue confess with one accord
In heaven and earth that Jesus Christ is Lord;
And God the Father be by all adored.
Alleluia! Amen.
The Dismissal
¡Vayan en paz para amar y servir al Senor! Go in peace to love and serve the Lord!
¡Demos gracias a Dios! Thanks be to God!
Postlude
Louis Vierne (1870-1937)
Carillon de Westminster
Prayers for Healing
Would you like to receive prayer for yourself or for others?
This morning, our prayer teams will be glad to pray with you.
How does it work?
After the dismissal and during the Postlude, come forward to one of the teams standing in front of the altar. Begin by telling the team your name, and your prayer request. The team will lay hands on your shoulder and then proceed to pray (if you’d prefer not to have the team lay hands on you please let them know). Afterward, you are welcome to join us downstairs for our celebration meal, or you can return to the pews if you need a few minutes of silence. If there are many people requesting prayer, please take a seat in the front pews until the team is finished praying with others.
Praying for and with one another is at the heart of what we do as a church.
We look forward to praying with you!