Day 142: 5/22/13- The Feast of the First Book of Common Prayer

Day 142: 5/22/13- The Feast of the First Book of Common Prayer      
New Thing- Evensong from the First Book of Common Prayer      
Inspiration: The Feast of the First Book of Common Prayer     
Time: About a half an hour                         
Bottom Line: My soule doth magnifie the lorde. And my spirite hath rejoyced in God my savioure.

Reflection: Today is the Feast of the First Book of Common Prayer. Here is the description from James Kiefer: 

In 1549, under the reign of Edward VI, successor to Henry VIII, the primary language of public worship in England and other areas ruled by Edward was changed from Latin to English, and the first Book of Common Prayer came into use. It was first used on Pentecost Sunday, 9 June 1549, and the occasion is now commemorated "on the first convenient day following Pentecost." The Book was the work of a commission of scholars, but primarily of Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury. It was based primarily upon the Latin worship tradition of the Use of Sarum (similar to, but not identical with, the Roman rite used by most Roman Catholic between 1600 and 1950), with some elements taken from the Greek liturgies of the Eastern Church, from ancient Gallican (French) rites, from the new Lutheran order of service, and from the Latin rite of Cologne.  

So, today, I used the form for Evensong (as found here) for Evening Prayer. It didn't exactly flow off the tongue, but it was beautiful. 

Almighty and everliving God, whose servant Thomas Cranmer, with others, did restore the language of the people in the prayers of thy Church: Make us always thankful for this heritage; and help us so to pray in the Spirit and with the understanding, that we may worthily magnify thy holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.