The 1928 Proposed BCP added St Mary Magdalene as a red letter feast day – that is, with first Evensong etc. So enjoy this clip from The Chosen.
Category: Book of Common Prayer
burial of the dead
Man that is born of a woman hath but a short time to live, and is full of misery. He cometh up, and is cut down, like a flower; he fleeth as it were a shadow, and never continueth in one stay.
Book of Common Prayer
In the midst of life we are in death: of whom may we seek for succour, but of thee, O Lord, who for our sins art justly displeased?
Yet, O Lord God most holy, O Lord most mighty, O holy and most merciful Saviour, deliver us not into the bitter pains of eternal death.
Thou knowest, Lord, the secrets of our hearts; shut not thy merciful ears to our prayer; but spare us, Lord most holy, O God most mighty, O holy and merciful Saviour, thou most worthy Judge eternal, suffer us not, at our last hour, for any pains of death, to fall from thee.
Fourde’s Remains
I have been coming to a resolution that, as soon as I am out of reach of observation, I will begin a sort of monastic austere life, and do my best to chastise myself before the Lord. That I will attend chapel regularly, eat little and plainly, drink as little wine as I can consistently with the forms of society: keep the fasts of the Church as much as I can without ostentation: continue to get up at six in the winter: abstain from all unnecessary expenses in every thing: give all the money I can save in charity, or for the adorning of religion. . . . I will avoid society as much as I can. . . . I will avoid all conversation on serious subjects . . . and content myself with exercising dominion over my own mind, without trying to influence others. (25–26)
quoted in
Reforming the Monastery
time …

Today is the celebration of The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is also the liturgical celebration of the anniversary of my ordination to the priesthood. (That is, the secular date is different due to moving of the feast past Holy Week and Easter that year.)
What is time? God measures time by the rising and the setting of the sun. As a person in this world – not my home – I am ruled by mechanical time. Yes, if I want the doctor to see me, I need to be at their office at a particular time. But to what extent is time simply an abstraction forced on me by my being alive? And, to what extent is it an abstraction that rules my life?
Anyway, happy anniversary to me and blessed feast to you all.
Psalm 62
Psalm 62. Nonne Deo?
My soul truly waiteth still upon God : for of him cometh my salvation.
He verily is my strength and my salvation : he is my defence, so that I shall not greatly fall.
How long will ye imagine mischief against every man : ye shall be slain all the sort of you; yea, as a tottering wall shall ye be, and like a broken hedge.
Their device is only how to put him out whom God will exalt : their delight is in lies; they give good words with their mouth, but curse with their heart.
Nevertheless, my soul, wait thou still upon God : for my hope is in him.
He truly is my strength and my salvation : he is my defence, so that I shall not fall.
In God is my health, and my glory : the rock of my might, and in God is my trust.
O put your trust in him alway, ye people : pour out your hearts before him, for God is our hope.
As for the children of men, they are but vanity : the children of men are deceitful upon the weights, they are altogether lighter than vanity itself.
O trust not in wrong and robbery, give not yourselves unto vanity : if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.
God spake once, and twice I have also heard the same : that power belongeth unto God;
And that thou, Lord, art merciful : for thou rewardest every man according to his work.
Psalm 51
For thou desirest no sacrifice, else would I give it thee :
Psalm 51:16-17
but thou delightest not in burnt-offerings.
The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit :
a broken and contrite heart, O God, shalt thou not despise.
desert ascetics

These are the reading for Mattins (alternative First Lesson), the Gospel for Mass from the Book of Common Prayer, and the Collect for the First Sunday in Lent.
My son, if thou come to serve the Lord, prepare thy soul for temptation. Set thy heart aright, and constantly endure, and make not haste in time of trouble. Cleave unto him, and depart not away, that thou mayest be increased at thy last end. Whatsoever is brought upon thee take cheerfully, and be patient when thou art changed to a low estate. For gold is tried in the fire, and acceptable men in the furnace of adversity. Believe in him, and he will help thee; order thy way aright, and trust in him. Ye that fear the Lord, wait for his mercy; and go not aside, lest ye fall. Ye that fear the Lord, believe him; and your reward shall not fail. Ye that fear the Lord, hope for good, and for everlasting joy and mercy. Look at the generations of old, and see; did ever any trust in the Lord, and was confounded? or did any abide in his fear, and was forsaken? or whom did he ever despise, that called upon him? For the Lord is full of compassion and mercy, longsuffering, and very pitiful, and forgiveth sins, and saveth in time of affliction. Woe be to fearful hearts, and faint hands, and the sinner that goeth two ways! Woe unto him that is fainthearted! for he believeth not; therefore shall he not be defended. Woe unto you that have lost patience! and what will ye do when the Lord shall visit you? They that fear the Lord will not disobey his Word; and they that love him will keep his ways. They that fear the Lord will seek that which is well, pleasing unto him; and they that love him shall be filled with the law. They that fear the Lord will prepare their hearts, and humble their souls in his sight, Saying, We will fall into the hands of the Lord, and not into the hands of men: for as his majesty is, so is his mercy.
Ecclesiasticus 2
Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an-hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down; for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee, and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan; for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and behold, angels came and ministered unto him
The Gospel St. Matthew 4.1-11
O Lord, who for our sake didst fast forty days and forty nights: Give us grace to use such abstinence, that, our flesh being subdued to the Spirit, we may ever obey thy godly motions in righteousness and true holiness, to thy honour and glory, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.
The Collect
is it just me …
Is there a complete ignorance of the Days of Fasting and Abstinence? The “ascetic system” of the Book of Common Prayer, the duty of all who profess Jesus as Lord, is daily Morning and Evening Prayer and mortification of the flesh. It ain’t rocket science!
weeping, fasting, and praying …
Turn thou us, O good Lord, and so shall we be turned. Be favourable, O Lord, Be favourable to thy people, Who turn to thee in weeping, fasting, and praying. For thou art a merciful God, Full of compassion, long-suffering, and of great pity. Thou sparest when we deserve punishment, And in thy wrath thinkest upon mercy. Spare thy people, good Lord, Spare them, and let not thine heritage be brought to confusion. Hear us, O Lord, for thy mercy is great, And after the multitude of thy mercies look upon us; Through the merits and mediation of thy blessed Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Commination
pilgrimage of grace

Why is the Pilgrimage of Grace not remembered liturgically? (Why is there no feast?)
One of the outcomes is:
Four of the seven sacraments that were omitted from the Ten Articles were restored in the Bishop’s Book of 1537, which marked the end of the drift of official doctrine towards Protestantism. The Bishop’s Book was followed by the Six Articles of 1539.
Also: the flag is the Five Wounds!!!!!
