The Baptism of Prince George - 7

This photo is of deep significance. We see Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (the Throne) with The Prince of Wales (First in line of Succession to the Throne), with the Duke of Cambridge (Second in line of Succession to the Throne), and with Prince George (Third in line of Succession to the Throne).



We give thanks to God for our Constitutional Monarchy.

God save our gracious Queen,
long live our noble Queen,
God save the Queen!
Send her victorious,
happy and glorious,
long to reign over us,
God save the Queen!

Thy choicest gifts in store
on her be pleased to pour,
long may she reign:
may she defend our laws,
and ever give us cause
to sing with heart and voice
God save the Queen!



This post concludes our celebrations of the 60th Anniversary of the Coronation. What a year it's been - I shall never forget my visit to Buckingham Palace on 14 July. I shall of course be posting Her Majesty's Message to the Commonwealth on Christmas Day.

The Baptism of Prince George - 6

THE PRAYERS (continued)

The following prayers are said

Father, we thank you that this child has now been born again of water and the Holy Spirit, and has become your own child by adoption, and a member of your Church.
Grant that he may grow in the faith in which he has been baptised;
Grant that he himself may profess it when he come to be confirmed;
Grant that he may bear witness to it by a life of service to his fellow men;
And that all things belonging to the Spirit may live and grow in him; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Almighty God, bless the home of this child, and give such grace and wisdom to all who have care for him, that by their word and good example they may teach him to know and love you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

May almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us new life by water and the Holy Spirit, and has forgiven all our sins, guard us by his grace now and for evermore. Amen.

The Baptism of Prince George - 5

THE PRAYERS

The priest makes the sign of the cross on the forehead of the child, saying

Now that you have entered upon the Christian life, I sign you with the sign of the cross, to show that you must not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified and manfully to fight under his banner against sin, the world and the devil; and so continue Christ's faithful soldier and servant to your life's end.

All say

God has adopted you by baptism into his Church.
We therefore receive you into the household of faith,
As a member of the body of Christ,
As the child of the same heavenly Father,
And as an inheritor with us of the kingdom of God.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.

The Baptism of Prince George - 4

The baptism was performed by the Archbishop of Canterbury assisted the the Bishop of London.



THE BAPTISM

The priest says to the parents and godparents

You have brough this child to be baptised, and now standing in the presence of God and his Church, you must confess the Christian faith in which he is to be baptised.

Do you believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth?
I believe.

Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
and that he was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary;
that he suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
that he descended to the dead,
and on the third day rose again;
that he ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father;
and that he will come again
to judge the living and the dead?
I believe.

Do you believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
ther resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting?
I believe.

The priest takes the child in his arms and says to the parents and godparents

Name this child.

Then the priest shall pour water on the child saying

George Alexander Louis I baptise you in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Happy Feast!

30th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Today we hear about the Pharisee and the tax collector who went up to the Temple to pray.



We pray thee, heavenly Father,
to hear us in thy love,
and pour upon thy children
the unction from above;
that so in love abiding,
from all defilement free,
we may in pureness offer
our Eucharist to thee.

Be thou our Guide and Helper,
O Jesus Christ, we pray;
so may we well approach thee,
if thou wilt be the Way:
thou, very Truth, hast promised
to help us in our strife,
food of the weary pilgrim,
eternal Source of life.

And thou, Creator Spirit,
look on us, we are thine;
renew us in thy graces,
upon our darkness shine;
that, with thy benediction,
upon our souls outpoured,
we may receive in gladness
the Body of the Lord.

O Trinity of Persons!
O Unity most high!
On thee alone relying
thy servants would draw nigh;
unworthy in our weakness,
on thee our hope is stayed,
and blest by thy forgiveness
we will not be afraid.



Happy Sunday!

The Baptism of Prince George - 3

Here we see Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh speaking with the Archbishop of Canterbury prior to the service. In the background we see The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall processing towards the Chapel entrance.



THE DECISION

The priest says to the parents and godparents:

Those who are brought to be baptised must affirm through their sponsors their allgience to Christ and their rejection of all that is evil. Therefore I ask,

Do you turn to Christ?
I do.

Do you then renounce the Devil and all his works?
I do.

Will you obey and serve Christ?
I will, by God's help.

AT THE FONT

Water shall now be poured into the font, then the priest shall say:

We give you thanks, almighty Father, everlasting God through your most dearly beloved Son, Jesus Christ our Lord;
Because by his death and resurrection you have broken the power of evil, and by your sending of the Spirit you have made us partakers of eternal life;
We ask you to bless this water, that he who is to be baptised in it may be born again in Christ; that being baptised into Christ's death he may receive forgiveness of sins, and that knowing the power of Christ's resurrection he may walk in newness of life;
And grant that being cleansed by the washing of regeneration and renewed by the Holy Spirit, he may so faithfully serve you in this world that finally with all your people he may inherit the kingdom of your glory;
Through the same your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with you and the Holy Spirit be all honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

The Baptism of Prince George - 2

Here we see the proud parents with the new Prince.



THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD

Hear the words of the Epistle written by Saint Paul to the Romans, in the sixth chapter, at the third verse:

All of us who were baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin, because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Hear the words of the Gospel written by Saint Mark, in the tenth chapter, at the thirteenth verse:

People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.

The sermon follows.