Commontide
Almighty and everliving God, we humbly pray that, as your only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple in the substance of our flesh, so we may be presented to you with pure and clean hearts by Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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Original-language source · public domain
BCP 2019, p. 603
Preface of the Presentation
Because in the mystery of the Word made flesh, you have caused a new light to shine in our hearts, to give the knowledge of your glory in the face of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
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One of the oldest collects in the Anglican prayer book, this oration was translated by Thomas Cranmer in 1549 from a Latin text in the Gregorian Sacramentary. Its central image is drawn from Luke 2: as Christ was presented in the Temple in genuine human flesh, so we ask to be presented before God with pure hearts.