THE COLLECT.
Grant, O merciful G.o.d, that as thine holy Apostle Saint James, leaving his father and all that he had, without delay was obedient unto the calling of thy Son Jesus Christ, and followed him; so we, forsaking all worldly and carnal affections, may be evermore ready to follow thy holy commandments; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
_Amen_.
FOR THE EPISTLE. Acts xi. 27, and part of Chapter xii.
In those days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch. And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit, that there should be great dearth throughout all the world; which came to pa.s.s in the days of Claudius Caesar. Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt at Judaea: which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the Church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also.
THE GOSPEL. St Matth. xx. 20.
Then came to him the mother of Zebedee"s children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom. But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?
They say unto him, We are able. And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father. And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
| THE TRANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD | | _August_ 6.
| | THE COLLECT.
| | O almighty and everlasting G.o.d, whose blessed Son revealed | himself to his chosen Apostles when he was transfigured on the | holy mount, and amidst the excellent glory spake with Moses and | Elias of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem: | Grant to us thy servants that beholding the brightness of thy | countenance we may be strengthened to bear the cross; through | the same Jesus Christ our Lord. _Amen_.
| | THE EPISTLE. 2 St Peter i. 16.
| | We have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known | unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were | eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from G.o.d the Father | honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the | excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
| And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with | him in the holy mount.
| | THE GOSPEL. St Matth. xvii. 1.
| | After six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, | and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, and was | transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, | and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there | appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. Then | answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us | to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; | one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. While he yet | spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a | voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in | whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. And when the disciples | heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. And | Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.
| And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save | Jesus only. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus | charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son | of man be risen again from the dead.
SAINT BARTHOLOMEW THE APOSTLE _August_ 24.
THE COLLECT.
O almighty and everlasting G.o.d, who didst give to thine Apostle Bartholomew grace truly to believe and to preach thy Word: Grant, we beseech thee, unto thy Church, to love that Word which he believed, and both to preach and receive the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord. _Amen_.
FOR THE EPISTLE. Acts v. 12.
By the hands of the Apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people: (and they were all with one accord in Solomon"s porch: and of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them: and believers were the more added to the Lord, mult.i.tudes both of men and women:) insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter pa.s.sing by might overshadow some of them. There came also a mult.i.tude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits; and they were healed every one.
THE GOSPEL. St Luke xxii. 24.
And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth. Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
SAINT MATTHEW THE APOSTLE _September_ 21.
THE COLLECT.
O almighty G.o.d, who by thy blessed Son didst call Matthew from the receipt of custom to be an Apostle and Evangelist: Grant us grace to forsake all covetous desires and inordinate love of riches, and to follow the same thy Son Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one G.o.d, world without end. _Amen_.
THE EPISTLE. 2 Cor. iv. 1.
Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of G.o.d deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man"s conscience in the sight of G.o.d. But if our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom the G.o.d of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of G.o.d, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus sake. For G.o.d, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of G.o.d, in the face of Jesus Christ.
THE GOSPEL. St Matth. ix. 9.
And as Jesus pa.s.sed forth from thence, he saw a man named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him. And it came to pa.s.s, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came, and sat down with him and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
SAINT MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS _September_ 29.
THE COLLECT.
O everlasting G.o.d, who hast ordained and const.i.tuted the services of Angels and men in a wonderful order: Mercifully grant that, as thy holy Angels alway do thee service in heaven, so by thy appointment they may succour and defend us on earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. _Amen_.
FOR THE EPISTLE. Rev. xii. 7.
There was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world; he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our G.o.d, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our G.o.d day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea: for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
THE GOSPEL. St Matth. xviii. 1.
At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe unto the world because of offences: for it must needs be that offences come: but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh. Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.
And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into h.e.l.l-fire. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.
SAINT LUKE THE EVANGELIST _October_ 18.
THE COLLECT.
Almighty G.o.d, who calledst Luke the Physician, whose praise is in the Gospel, to be an Evangelist, and Physician of the soul: May it please thee that, by the wholesome medicines of the doctrine delivered by him, all the diseases of our souls may be healed; through the merits of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. _Amen_.
THE EPISTLE. 2 Tim. iv. 5.
Watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an Evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me: for Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, t.i.tus unto Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Take Mark and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry. And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus. The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee; and the books, but especially the parchments. Alexander the copper-smith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works. Of whom be thou ware also, for he hath greatly withstood our words.
THE GOSPEL. St Luke x. 1.
The Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place whither he himself would come. Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. Go your ways; behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes, and salute no man by the way. And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.
And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again. And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire.
SAINT SIMON AND SAINT JUDE, APOSTLES _October_ 28.
THE COLLECT.
O almighty G.o.d, who hast built thy Church upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the head cornerstone: Grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their doctrine, that we may be made an holy temple acceptable unto thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord. _Amen_.
THE EPISTLE. St Jude 1.
Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by G.o.d the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: Mercy unto you, and peace, and love be multiplied. Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you, that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation; unG.o.dly men, turning the grace of our G.o.d into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord G.o.d and our Lord Jesus Christ. I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgement of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them, in like manner giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.
THE GOSPEL. St John xv. 17.
These things I command you, that ye love one another. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than the lord: if they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name"s sake, because they know not him that sent me. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin; but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. But this cometh to pa.s.s, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause. But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: and ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.
ALL SAINTS DAY _November_ 1.