One of the things we’re doing on this blog on Mondays is look back and forth at the Daily Office readings (or lessons) so we can better process together what the Scriptures are saying. The other thing we’re going to do on Mondays starting today is list the recommended Propers for the Communion or Antecommunion service for each day of the week.
Readings Review
Last week: 2 Samuel 12-18, Colossians, Philemon, Ephesians 1:1-14, Amos 6-9, Obadiah, Jonah 1-2, John 19-21:, Matthew 1-3
Next week: 2 Samuel 19-24, 1 Chronicles 22, Ephesians 1-5:17, Jonah 3-4, Micah 1-5, Matthew 4-8:17
Something that begins at the end of this week and will last into early November is the supplementing of readings from 1 & 2 Kings with readings from 1 & 2 Chronicles. As you may be aware, the books of the Chronicles cover the same span of time from 2 Samuel 1 (David’s ascension to the throne of Israel) to the end of 2 Kings (the conquest and destruction of Jerusalem). This means that there is a lot of repeat material in the Samuel-Kings books and the Chronicles, rather similar to the overlap between the four Gospel books. There are a few “glitches” along the way – different numbers for the reigns of certain kings, or census results, and so forth – most of which can be explained by means of different cultural perspectives (namely, who counts in a census? does a king’s reign begin when his father dies or when he begins a co-regnancy during his father’s life? etc.). There are also a few stories that are told in slightly different orders. In general, the Samuel-Kings books are considered the more “historic” books, and Chronicles, having been written later, are more of a theological commentary on the history.
In the context of our daily lectionary, though, the role of 1 & 2 Chronicles is simply that of “filler.” When those books supply a story that Samuel-Kings does not, the lectionary adds it in a the appropriate place. It makes for a slightly unpredictable reading experience, because you’ll be going through one book and suddenly a chapter from another book will jut in, but narratively it works. And, for what it’s worth, the original Anglican daily lectionary went for the simpler course and just omitted Chronicles completely, so rejoice in re-gained ground!
Planning Propers
This is the week of Proper 17 (or Trinity 11 in the traditional calendar), so keep in mind that the historic Prayer Book default is that a mid-week Eucharist will repeat the Collect & Lessons (the propers) for yesterday. Otherwise, we recommend…
- Monday 9/2 = Labor Day or Martyrs of Papua New Guinea
- Tuesday 9/3 = Votive (of the Holy Angels) *
- Wednesday 9/4 = St. Birinus (missionary bishop)
- Thursday 9/5 = Votive or Mother Theresa (renewer of society)
- Friday 9/6 = Votive (of the Holy Cross)
- Saturday 9/7 = Votive (of Blessed Mary) **
* A Votive is a “Various Occasion” (page 733 in the BCP 2019) and label in parentheses are simply a traditional suggestion.
** Choose between the Annunciation, the Visitation, or St. Mary’s Day.
The Saint Aelfric Customary 
Reblogged this on Christian Mens' Breakfast and commented:
Here is a preview of where some of the Morning Prayer readings are going, later this week & month. We’re not “officially” readings these lessons together, yet, but it doesn’t hurt to look at the “full plan” for extra learning and encouragement.
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I am new to the prayer book tradition, so I hope my question(s) makes sense.
In the BCP1928 is Trinity 11 always the 11th Sunday after Trinity regardless of what day Trinity Sunday is? Or does is there a shift in propers like it is described in the chart in the BCP2019?
In your post, you mention that this week was Proper 17, but it is not the “same” collect as in 1928. This can be a little confusing for us non-BCP folks. I guess the short question is why does the BCP2019 start on different propers as the feast dates move?
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The answer to your questions primarily comes from the fact that there are, fundamentally, two different calendars at play: the traditional (such as in the 1928) and the modern (such as in the 2019).
The traditional calendar counts the Sundays after Trinity, whenever that might be. So it starts at 1 and runs to the early or mid 20’s, when advent kicks in. The modern calendar attaches its Propers to the secular calendar, resulting in it always ending with 29, but starting somewhere from 3 to 7 or so, depending upon where Trinity leaves you.
That’s why, as you observed, the two prayer books you named will not yield the same Collect on the same Sunday during this time of year. (Incidentally, if you compare the old Trinity # with the modern Proper #, almost all of them are the same!)
Hopefully that answers your question; I know this is complicated for someone new to the tradition. You’ll probably be best served by investing in one prayer book tradition for a while, before exploring the other.
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Thank you! That is quite helpful.
Unfortunately, I have already jumped right into the deep end!!
I have greatly benefitted from the Daily Office. I now have 5 prayer books and the book of (Common) Worship from 3-4 other traditions. So, I have really enjoyed learning about something I didn’t even know was out there.
Thank you for maintaining this website. It has been very helpful in orienting myself to the BCP tradition.
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Slightly longer answer with additional links:
https://saint-aelfric-customary.org/2019/07/10/what-does-proper-9-mean-anyway/
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I will read it tonight! Thank you!
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