麻豆社

SUNDAY WORSHIP 鈥� BROTHER SUN AND SISTER MOON听

LEADER: Revd Dr Arabella Milbank Robinson听

PREACHER: Revd Dr Arabella Milbank Robinson听

CHOIR: Selwyn Chapel Choir听

DIRECTOR OF MUSIC: Sarah MacDonald听

ORGANIST/MUSICIANS: Stanley Godfrey听

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INTRODUCTION -听 Revd Dr Arabella Milbank Robinson听听

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Good morning and welcome to the Chapel of Selwyn College, Cambridge. This service for St Francis' Day, which fell yesterday, closes the Season of Creation celebrated by Christians worldwide.听

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As we prepare to exalt and hallow the great name of God, we hold on our hearts following a momentous week the many griefs of the world, and especially those sorrowing and impacted in the wake of the Yom Kippur attack on a Manchester synagogue.听

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St Francis鈥� great poetic prayer, the Canticle of the Creatures, harmonizes with the outpouring of praise that he found the world to be.听听

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In this service, verses from that canticle will be interwoven with scripture, music and reflection.听听

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The choir now sing verses from the Canticle in a setting by our director of music, Sarah MacDonald.听

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MUSIC (INTROIT) - Brother Sun, Sister Moon - Sarah MacDonald听听

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Praised be you my Lord with all your creatures听

Especially Sir Brother Sun听

Praised by you my Lord with all your creatures听

through Sister Moon and the stars听

Praised by you my Lord through Mother Earth听

Brother Sun is beautiful and radiant with great splendour;听听

Sister Moon is bright, precious and fair;听

Mother Earth sustains and governs us.听

Praised by you my Lord with all your creatures听

Praise to you.听

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COLLECT听

Let us pray.听

Most high, omnipotent, good Lord, grant your people grace to renounce gladly the vanities of this world; that, following the way of blessed Francis, we may for love of you delight in your whole creation with perfectness of joy. Amen.听

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The choir and congregation now sing verses from Psalm 104 which praises God for the creation he originates, sustains and renews.听

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PSALM 104 - sung by choir听

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Response: I will sing to the Lord as long as I live,听听

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Bless the Lord, O my soul.听听

O Lord my God, how excellent is your greatness!听

You are clothed with majesty and honour,听听

wrapped in light as in a garment.听

You spread out the heavens like a curtain听听

and lay the beams of your dwelling place in the waters above.听

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RESPONSE听

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You make the clouds your chariot听听

and ride on the wings of the wind.听

You make the winds your messengers听听

and flames of fire your servants.听

You appointed the moon to mark the seasons,听听

and the sun knows the time for its setting.听

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RESPONSE听

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O Lord, how manifold are your works!听听

In wisdom you have made them all;听

听the earth is full of your creatures.听

When you hide your face they are troubled;听听

when you take away their breath,听

they die and return again to the dust.听

When you send forth your spirit, they are created,听听

and you renew the face of the earth.听

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CANTICLE I (read by David Smith)听

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Most High, all powerful, good Lord,听

Yours are the praises, the glory, the honour, and all blessing.听

To You alone, Most High, do they belong,听

and no one is worthy to mention Your name.听

Be praised, my Lord, through all your creatures,听

especially Sir Brother Sun,听

who brings the day; and you give light through him.听

And he is beautiful and radiant in all his splendour!听

Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.听

Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars,听

in heaven you formed them clear and precious and beautiful.听

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Revd Dr Arabella Milbank Robinson听

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For millennia the 'Benedicite', a song lifted out of the flaming furnace by the three young men condemned by King Nebuchadnezzar in the Book of Daniel, has accompanied Sunday morning praise. From the puddles to the planets, the whales to the seraphim, all creation is summoned into worship. The choir sing its first part in the setting by Orlando di Lasso听

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MUSIC - Benedicite omnia opera Domini (SSATB) 鈥� Orlando Lassus听听

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Benedicite omnia opera Domini Domino: benedicite et superexaltae eum in saecula.听听

Benedicite angeli domini domino: benedicite caeli Domino听

Benedicite aquae omnes quae super caelos sunt Domino听

benedicite omnes virtutes Domini Domino听

Benedicite sol et luna Domino:听

Benedicite stellae caeli Domino.听

Benedicte imber et ros Domino: benedicite omnes spiritus Dei Domino听

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Canticle II (read by David Smith)听

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Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Wind,听

and through the air, cloudy and serene,听

and every kind of weather through which you give sustenance to Your creatures.听

Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Water,听

which is very useful and humble and precious and chaste.听

Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Fire,听

through whom you light the night and he is beautiful听

and playful and robust and strong.听

Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Mother Earth,听

who sustains us and governs us and who produces听

varied fruits with coloured flowers and herbs.听

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Revd Dr Arabella Milbank Robinson听

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In our hymn鈥檚 contemporary words by Martin Leckebusch, creation both sings and laments. The hymn quotes St Paul鈥檚 Letter to the Romans, in which he speaks of labour pains, destined to bring about, in God鈥檚 time, new heaven and new earth.听

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HYMN听听

Creation sings! each plant and tree听听

(words: Martin Leckebusch [Kevin Mayhew]; tune Melita)听

Creation sings! each plant and tree听

Each bird and beast in harmony听

The brightest star the smallest cell听

God's tender care and glory tell听

From ocean depths to mountain peaks听

In praise of God creation speaks听

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Creation speaks a message true听

Reminds us we are creatures too听

To serve as stewards is our role听

Despite our dreams of full control听

When we disparage what God owns听

In turmoil all creation groans听

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Creation groans to see the day听

Which ends all bondage all decay听

Frustrated now it must await听

The Lord who comes to recreate听

Till round the universe there rings听

The song his new creation sings听

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CANTICLE III (read by David Smith)听

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Praised be You, my Lord, through those who give pardon for Your love,听

and bear infirmity and tribulation.听

Blessed are those who endure in peace听

for by You, Most High, they shall be crowned.听

Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death,听

from whom no living man can escape.听

Woe to those who die in mortal sin.听

Blessed are those who will find Your most holy will,听

for the second death shall do them no harm.听

Praise and bless my Lord, and give Him thanks and serve Him with great humility.听

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SCRIPTURE READING - Job 38:1, 12-21, 40:3-5听

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Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind:听

鈥淲here were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?听

听Tell me, if you have understanding.听

Who determined its measurements鈥攕urely you know!听

听Or who stretched the line upon it?听

On what were its bases sunk,听

听or who laid its cornerstone听

when the morning stars sang together听

听and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy?听

鈥淥r who shut in the sea with doors听

听when it burst out from the womb,听

when I made the clouds its garment听

听and thick darkness its swaddling band,听

and prescribed bounds for it,听

听and set bars and doors,听

and said, 鈥楾hus far shall you come and no farther,听

听and here shall your proud waves be stopped鈥�?听

鈥淗ave you entered into the springs of the sea听

听or walked in the recesses of the deep?听

Have the gates of death been revealed to you,听

听or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?听

Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth?听

听Declare, if you know all this.听

Then Job answered the Lord:听

鈥淪ee, I am of small account; what shall I answer you?听

听I lay my hand on my mouth.听

I have spoken once, and I will not answer,听

听twice but will proceed no further.鈥澨�

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SERMON听听

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Opposite me as I stand in the golden varnished oak stalls of Selwyn Chapel, stained-glass by Francis Skeat honours former zoologist fellow Lancelot Borradaile. It classically depicts a brown-robed St Francis of Assisi. Swallows haunt his hem and flit through the tracery. Sunlight brings clarity to its colours, and irradiates the face of one of the most well-known of all the holy women and men of Christian history.听听

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Francis had immense affinity for creation. He practised attention to, and delight in, the natural world. He rejoiced in the untrammelled vivacity of birds and animals, and they responded to his care.听听

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He would retrieve from harm worms in his path 鈥� the worms we now know so essentially structure the soil on which our ecosystem and human agriculture depends.听听

He preached to sparrows and extolled larks; once, for a whole hour, he marvelled as a cricket perched singing on his hand.听

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Francis recognised in the life of creatures a full and free dependence on God. He adored and encouraged them in this and sought it for himself, those who followed him, and the whole Church of Christ. Rather than sitting above creaturely life to name and praise birds, beasts and flowers, Francis鈥� Canticle sings alongside it, adoring God for the elements on which all life, his included, depends.听

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And yet even the celestial bodies, distant and immense, are tenderly and personally named. The fiery gaseous ball of the sun is Brother Sun, fellow child of God. The dense rock of our nearest neighbour, the bodies we now know to shed their beauty from long dead galaxies, these are Sister Moon and Stars.听

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Creation is a web of relational affinity, understood in a way which remains essential to ecological knowledge and action. Today, no-one can ignore the plight of our planet: its depleted biodiversity, its greed-exploited resource, its newly extreme weathers and their terrible consequence for the vulnerable. The global failure to decisively and collectively respond.听听

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However, what could escape us now about Francis鈥� song, in all its exultation, is that it too was composed in the midst of pain and distress. Francis dictated the words and music of his canticle whilst suffering from a disease of the eyes, malnutrition,听听

and the aftereffects of malaria. He lay outside the monastery of San Damiano on the slopes below Assisi in a reed hut, at times irascible, anxious about his order and direction.听

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Like so many in our world today, and like our globe itself, he knew anguish. His song is not praise in a moment of leisurely optimism, but praise which protests and defies material suffering and uncertainty. How can praise have power, in the face of the forces of our own hearts and times?听 We might contest that it is not action.听听

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However Francis within months of composing his Canticle to intervene politically for peace. Adding the penultimate verses, 鈥榖lessed are those who bear infirmity, blessed are those who endure in peace鈥�, he sent brothers to sing before a local bishop and civic official who were in conflict, threatening those relying on their leadership. They were instantly recalled to their senses.听听

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To praise, to thank, begins with the acknowledgement that in existence we are receiving gift upon gift. Reverence in that joy is holy fear, the spiritual trepidation we heard in our reading from Job before the mystery of creation that is all around us and of which we are a part.听

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Without this context of acknowledging creation鈥檚 origin in transcendent love and abundant donation human beings fear lack and compete for resource. They are open to greed, envy, selfishness鈥攁nd so to exploitation and eventually nothing but mutually-assured destruction.听听

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The natural world can teach us, as it did Francis, how to praise as an exercise of our being which is also transformative to our relationship to the world.听

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Our praise can take many forms, depending on our human gifts. It can include the environmental scientist studying the pollinator, as one of our fellows does here, or our astronomer fellows who gaze into deep space in search of insight, and perhaps if quantum physics is correct changing reality by what they see.听听

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It can include听 artistry in image, word or music can bring about new vision and understanding, appreciation and attraction to love and nurture the gifts of creation.听听

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Creation groans, but the Christian belief is that there is no pain that is not a birth pang to a world intended by God to be born anew and restored entire. And until then, we are called to praise its gifts and call forth its praises, as Francis continues to preach to us what the free flight of the swallows taught him: freedom and trust in God and constant, singing ascent towards the light.听

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And so we praise with Francis from the cross of the anguish of the world, as he continues to preach to us what the soaring birds taught him: freedom and trust in God and constant, singing ascent towards his light.听

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ANTHEM - and the swallow, by Caroline Shaw

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How beloved is your dwelling place,听

o lord of hosts,听

my soul yearns, faints,听

my heart and my flesh cry out.听

The sparrow found a house,听

and the swallow her nest,听

where she may raise her young.听

They pass through the Valley of Bakka,听

they make it a place of springs;听

the autumn also covers it with pools.听

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PRAYERS听听

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Let us pray.听

Lord of all, In a world whose beauty is marred by human violence, hatred and conflict we pray for all its victims, remembering especially those killed and injured in the attack in Manchester and those who grieve their loss. May the one who creates harmony on high bring peace to all who mourn.听听

Amen听

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A prayer of Pope Francis from his 2015 encyclical Laudato Si听

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All-powerful God, you are present in the whole听

universe听

and in the smallest of your creatures.听

You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.听

Pour out upon us the power of your love,听

that we may protect life and beauty.听

Fill us with peace, that we may live听

as brothers and sisters, harming no one.听

O God of the poor,听

help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of听

this earth,听

so precious in your eyes.听

Bring healing to our lives,听

that we may protect the world and not prey on it,听

that we may sow beauty, not pollution and听

destruction.听

Touch the hearts听

of those who look only for gain听

at the expense of the poor and the earth.听

Teach us to discover the worth of each thing,听

to be filled with awe and contemplation,听

to recognize that we are profoundly united听

with every creature听

as we journey towards your infinite light.听

Amen.听

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Almighty God, by whose grace alone we are accepted and called to your service, strengthen Sarah Archbishop of Canterbury by your Holy Spirit. Give her wisdom and courage that she may be worthy of her fresh calling, and abide in the vineyard of your love forever.听听

Amen.听

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OUR FATHER听

Our Father, who art in heaven...听

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CONCLUDING LINK听

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We sing our final hymn in the version of St Francis鈥� Canticle most well know in in paraphrase, All creatures of our God and King.听

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FINAL HYMN - All Creatures of our God and King (Lasst uns erfreuen)听

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All creatures of our God and King,听

Lift up your voice and with us sing听

Alleluya, alleluya!听

Thou burning sun with golden beam,听

Thou silver moon with softer gleam:听

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Refrain:听

O praise him, O praise him听

Alleluya, Alleluya, Alleluya!听

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Dear mother earth, who day by day听

Unfoldest blessings on our way,听

O praise him, Alleluya!听

The flowers and fruits that in thee grow,听

Let them his glory also show: [Refrain]听

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Let all things their Creator bless,听

And worship him in humbleness,听

O praise him! Alleluya!听

Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,听

And praise the Spirit, three in One: [Refrain]听

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BLESSING听听

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May the Lord bless you and keep you. May He show His face to you and have mercy on you. May He turn His countenance to you and give you peace. And the blessing of God: Father, Son and Holy听 Spirit, rest up on you and be with you always. Amen.听

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ORGAN VOLUNTARY听