"Almighty and Everlasting God, who, of thy tender love towards mankind, hast sent thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, to take upon him our flesh, and to suffer death upon the cross, that all mankind should follow the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant, that we may both follow the example of his patience, and also be made partakers of his resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
Philippians 2:5-11 St. Matthew 27: 1-54
Holy Week begins as we first pray this Collect. Its moving content takes themes from the Epistle and Gospel in order to lead us to God the Father through Jesus Christ our Lord in recollection and in petition.
We have learned from the regular reading of the Gospel through the Christian Year of the great love, mercy and compassion of God the Father for the world, even for those who being his creatures, still rebel against his authority and goodness. Thus we remember as we address the omnipotent and eternal Father that it is of his tender love towards mankind that he sent his only-begotten Son into the world to be the Saviour of the world and care for us in our sinfulness.
We also remember from hearing the Christmas message that the same Son of God took to himself in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary human flesh, that is a human body and mind. Thus he became by his incarnation (to use the language of the Church) One Person made known in two natures [divine & human]. And having become the Incarnate Son he assumed the vocation of the Suffering Servant of God, set his face steadfastly towards Jerusalem, and took upon himself suffering, crucifixion and death in a representative and substitutionary capacity, for the world and for us and for our salvation.
From the Epistle, we learn of the great humility of the eternal Son of God, who being equal with the Father in divinity and Godhead, he nevertheless took upon himself our human nature and became a servant, so as to save us from our sins and into a right relation of love with the Father. Thus we also remember before God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ, his Son, in this Collect, that (by his help and grace) we are called to follow the example of his great humility, which we see especially in the narrative of his Passion (Suffering & Death).
From the Gospel we learn of the patience of the Lord Jesus so that our petition, "Mercifully grant that we may follow the example of his patience", has solid meaning for us. In Matthew 26 - 27 (which was the older longer Gospel for the Day in the Sarum Use) we learn of the patience of Jesus under the agony (26:42), patience towards Peter (26:40), patience towards Judas (26:50), patience towards those who arrested him (26:52), patience when being mocked and spat upon (26:67; 27:29,30), patience before the high priest (26:62,63), patience before Pilate (27:13-14); patience before revilers (27:29-30) and patience when abandoned by God (27:46). By imitating his patience we learn humility and in being humble before God, we believe that we shall be made partakers of the resurrection from the dead and life eternal with the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost.
We pray this Collect daily until Good Friday even as we also read further accounts of the Passion from the other Gospels for the next five days, as provided in The Book of Common Prayer (1662).
The Rev'd Dr. Peter Toon
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