Obsecrations.--The three petitions of the Litany beginning (1) "By
the Mystery of Thy Holy Incarnation," (2) "By Thine Agony and Bloody
Sweat" and (3) "In all time of our tribulation" are called the
Obsecrations, or entreaties. These petitions "go on the principle
that every several act of our Lord's Mediatorial Life has its
appropriate saving energy; that virtue goes out of each, because
each is the act of a Divine Person and has a Divine preciousness."
(See LITANY.)
Occasional Offices.--Those services of the Prayer Book which are
not in constant use, but used only as occasion may require, such as
the Office for Holy Matrimony, the Order for the Burial of the
Dead, the Order for Confirmation, the Baptismal services, Visitation
of the Sick, etc.
Occasional Prayers.--The prayers set forth in the Prayer Book under
the title, "Prayers and Thanksgivings upon several Occasions," such
as the Prayer for Congress to be used during their session; the
prayer for a Sick Person; Thanksgiving for Recovery from Sickness,
etc., which are read on request. {199}
Occurrence of Holy Days.--The coincidence of two or more Holy Days
falling on the same date. When this happens, the question arises
which is to be observed, which takes precedence. The ancient rule
may be illustrated by the following: When the First Sunday in
Advent and St. Andrew's Day fell on the same date the Sunday took
precedence and only the Collect for the Saint's Day was read; the
Fourth Sunday in Advent took precedence of St. Thomas Day; while the
Feasts of St. Stephen, St. John Evangelist, Holy Innocents, and the
Circumcision, if any of these days occurred on the same date as
the First Sunday after Christmas, the Saint's Day and also the
Circumcision took precedence of the Sunday. A good Church Almanac
will give the needed information concerning the "Occurrence of Holy
Days" which takes place during the year.
Octave.--The eighth day after a Festival. The intervening days are
said to be "of" or within its Octave and partake of the character
of the Festival. The only Feasts mentioned in the Prayer Book,
having an Octave as of obligation are Christmas, Easter, Ascension
and Whitsun Day, each being honored with a Proper Preface in the
Communion Office which is to be used each day during the week.
Trinity Sunday was formerly the Octave of Whitsun Day, and probably
for this reason its Proper Preface is not repeated during the week.
Offertory, The.--That portion of the Communion service during which
the alms of the people, and the Bread and the Wine are received
and solemnly presented on the Altar. The word "offertory" is often
{200} wrongly applied to the _offerings_, a mistake which should be
carefully avoided. It is to be noted that The Offertory is an
important part of worship. It is not an impertinence, but stands in
the line of duties along side of prayer and singing. To give money
each time you go to church, and in the appointed way will bring
blessings from God. Pew rent is not "giving" in this sense,
any more than paying the butter bill or for a seat at the opera
house. We refer to the offering to God for religious or charitable
purposes, regularly through the _Offertory_ in church. So your alms
will go up with your prayers as a memorial before God.
Offertory Sentences.--In the old Liturgies there was formerly a
short anthem after the Gospel, called _Offertorium_; for this in
our Liturgy has been substituted the "Offertory Sentences," being
short selections from Holy Scripture setting forth "instructions,
injunctions and exhortations to the great duty of giving; setting
before us the necessity of performing it and the manner of doing it."
Office.--The term "office," in ecclesiastical usage, means a
formulary of devotions; a form of service appointed for a particular
occasion; a prescribed form or act of worship; thus the Daily
Morning and Evening Prayer are called the "Daily Offices." The word
is commonly used of the various services set forth in the Prayer
Book, as "Baptismal Office," "Communion Office," etc.