This Sunday is the sixth Sunday of Easter, traditionally known as Rogation Sunday. The word rogation comes from the Latin verb “rogare” (meaning “to ask”) and refers to the practice of prayer for a good harvest. Rogation days originated in France in the fifth century, when Bishop Mamertus called for days of fasting and prayer to ward off a threatened disaster. In England, these days were associated with the blessing of fields at the time of planting, with the clergy processing around the fields, reciting psalms and the litany.
The rogation days themselves are actually the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday prior to Ascension Day (this Thursday), but churches have often observed them with processions on the Sunday before—generally in the church, these days, rather than in the fields. The Anglican Church of Canada encourages us to expand the scope of our prayers at this time to include not just agriculture, but stewardship of all creation.
I love Rogation Sunday. It feels very appropriate to the season of Easter and the celebration of new life around us. Depending on the date of Easter, sometimes it coincides closely with Earth Day. While we won’t have a procession or chant the Great Litany (you’ll have to wait until the first Sunday of Lent to hear that again), you’ll notice our hymns this Sunday all focus on creation and harvest. We’ll also celebrate Eucharist using Eucharistic Prayer 4, which praises God for creation using contemporary imagery.
Almighty God, Lord of heaven and earth: We humbly pray that your gracious providence may give and preserve to our use the harvests of the land and of the seas, and my prosper all who labour to gather them, that we, who are constantly receiving good things from your hand, may always give you thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, 1979)
Blessings,
Mother Terry+