Epiphany 41

Lord and God,

Are you known in Judah? Is your name great in Israel? When you came face to face with you, did we recognize and worship and exalt you? Did we not forget you, despise you, betray you, deny you? You made a share of inheritance for generations for your people, yet we esteemed not our benefactor.

It was you who forsook your own inheritance, you who became unrecognizable, you who left the refuge of heaven that the great avenger of our sins, even God your Father, might fall upon you in his wrath, to forever still the restless sin and vengeance of men. Let us no longer mistake and deny you. Let us recognize the Christ, the Som of the living God, the only one who truly knew you, the only true Israelite, the Som of Man in his glory upon the saving cross. Let all around him bring gifts to him who is to be feared.