Rest And Ready

Collect for Saturdays

Almighty God, who after the creation of the world rested
from all you works and sanctified a day of rest for all your
creatures: Grant that we, putting away all earthly anxieties,
may be duly prepared for the service of your sanctuary, and
that our rest here upon earth may be a preparation for the
eternal rest promised to your people in heaven; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.

The collect above is the prayer from Morning Prayer, recited on Saturdays. It speaks of Saturday as a day of rest and preparation. I suspect preparation for our Sunday worship is something we don’t think about very often.

Before the 1979 Book of Common Prayer, Eucharist was regular, but infrequent. Our ancestors took the reception of the sacrament very seriously. In fact, during the colonial period, those that desired to receive communion prepared for it by meeting with a priest. A communion token was issued to mark the fact they were to receive.

This seems a bit extreme to our current sensibilities. Yet, we would do well to engage in introspection, as we contemplate the reception of communion on the morrow. Are we ready and open to accept the tangible matter of Christ’s ongoing presence? Are we in right relationship with God and our neighbor? Do we intend to lead the new life offered us?