Morning Prayer Readings Friday after Trinity 18

The Psalter

Psalm 51

The Fifty-First Psalm

Miserere mei, Deus.

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HAVE mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness; * according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences.
 Wash me throughly from my wickedness, * and cleanse me from my sin.
 For I acknowledge my faults, * and my sin is ever before me.
 Against thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight; * that thou mightest be justified in thy saying, and clear when thou shalt judge.
 Behold, I was shapen in wickedness, * and in sin hath my mother conceived me.
 But lo, thou requirest truth in the inward parts, * and shalt make me to understand wisdom secretly.
 Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; * thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
 Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness, * that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
 Turn thy face from my sins, * and put out all my misdeeds.
 Make me a clean heart, O God, * and renew a right spirit within me.
 Cast me not away from thy presence, * and take not thy holy Spirit from me.
 O give me the comfort of thy help again, * and stablish me with thy free Spirit.
 Then shall I teach thy ways unto the wicked, * and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
 Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, thou that art the God of my health; * and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousness.
 Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord, * and my mouth shall show thy praise.
 For thou desirest no sacrifice, else would I give it thee; * but thou delightest not in burnt-offerings.
 The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit: * a broken and contrite heart, O God, shalt thou not despise.
 O be favourable and gracious unto Sion; * build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, with the burnt-offerings and oblations; * then shall they offer young bullocks upon thine altar.

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The First Lesson

I Kings 19:9

And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. And the Lord said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him. So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him. And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee? And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.

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The Second Lesson

James 3

My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

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The Collect

ALMIGHTY God, the fountain of all wisdom, who knowest our necessities before we ask, and our ignorance in asking; We beseech thee to have compassion upon our infirmities; and those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask, vouchsafe to give us, for the worthiness of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity

LORD, we beseech thee, grant thy people grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil; and with pure hearts and minds to follow thee, the only God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

St. Jerome - 30 September - Priest, Scholar, Translator, Church Father, Theologian, and Doctor

O GOD, who hast given us the Holy Scriptures for a light to shine upon our path: Grant us, after the example of thy servant Jerome, so to learn of thee according to thy holy Word, that we may find in it the light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Jerome the Translator

Jerome was the foremost biblical scholar of the ancient Church. His translation of the Bible, along with his commentaries and homilies on the biblical books, have made him a major intellectual force in the Western Church.

Jerome was born in about 347, and was converted and baptized during his student days in Rome. On a visit to Trier, he found himself attracted to the monastic life, which he tested in a brief but unhappy experience as a hermit in the deserts of Syria. At Antioch, he continued his studies in Hebrew and Greek. In 379, he went to Constantinople where he studied under Gregory of Nazianzus. From 382 to 384 he was secretary to Pope Damasus I, and spiritual director of many noble Roman ladies who were becoming interested in the monastic life. It was Damasus who set him the task of making a new translation of the Bible into Latin -- into the popular form of the language, hence the name of the translation: the Vulgate. After the death of Damasus, Jerome returned to the East, and established a monastery at Bethlehem, where he lived and worked until his death on 30 September 420.

Jerome is best known as the translator of the Bible into Latin. A previous version (now called the Old Latin) existed, but Jerome's version far surpassed it in scholarship and in literary quality. Jerome was well versed in classical Latin (as well as Greek and Hebrew), but deliberately translated the Bible into the style of Latin that was actually spoken and written by the majority of persons in his own time. This kind of Latin is known as Vulgate Latin (meaning the Latin of the common people), and accordingly Jerome's translation is called the Vulgate.

Jerome was intemperate in controversy, and any correspondence with him tended to degenerate into a flame war. (His friendship with Augustine, conducted by letter, nearly ended before it began. Fortunately Augustine sized him up correctly, soothed his feelings, and was extremely tactful thereafter.) His hot temper, pride of learning, and extravagant promotion of asceticism involved him in many bitter controversies over questions of theology and of Bible interpretation. However, he was candid at times in admitting his failings, and was never ambitious for either worldly or churchly honors. He was a militant champion of orthodoxy, a tireless worker, and a scholar of rare gifts.


Propers for Jerome - 30 September - Priest, Scholar, Translator, Church Father, Theologian, and Doctor


The Collect.

O GOD, who hast given us the Holy Scriptures for a light to shine upon our path: Grant us, after the example of thy servant Jerome, so to learn of thee according to thy holy Word, that we may find in it the light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.


The Epistle - Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-9.


The Gospel - St. Luke 24:44-48.


References and Resources :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerome
http://elvis.rowan.edu/~kilroy/JEK/09/30.html
http://www.commonprayer.org/calend/propers/jerome.cfm



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Morning Prayer Readings Michaelmas

The Psalter

Psalm 8

The Eighth Psalm

Domine, Dominus noster.

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O LORD our Governor, how excellent is thy Name in all the world; * thou that hast set thy glory above the heavens!
 Out of the mouth of very babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength, because of thine enemies, * that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
 When I consider thy heavens, even the work of thy fingers; * the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained;
 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? * and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
 Thou madest him lower than the angels, * to crown him with glory and worship.
 Thou makest him to have dominion of the works of thy hands; * and thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet:
 All sheep and oxen; * yea, and the beasts of the field;
 The fowls of the air, and the fishes of the sea; * and whatsoever walketh through the paths of the seas.
 O LORD our Governor, * how excellent is thy Name in all the world!

Psalm 91

The Ninety-First Psalm

Qui habitat.

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WHOSO dwelleth under the defence of the Most High, * shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
 I will say unto the LORD, Thou art my hope, and my stronghold; * my God, in him will I trust.
 For he shall deliver thee from the snare of the hunter, * and from the noisome pestilence.
 He shall defend thee under his wings, and thou shalt be safe under his feathers; * his faithfulness and truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
 Thou shalt not be afraid for any terror by night, * nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
 For the pestilence that walketh in darkness, * nor for the sickness that destroyeth in the noon-day.
 A thousand shall fall beside thee, and ten thousand at thy right hand; * but it shall not come nigh thee.
 Yea, with thine eyes shalt thou behold, * and see the reward of the ungodly.
 For thou, LORD, art my hope; * thou hast set thine house of defence very high.
 There shall no evil happen unto thee, * neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, * to keep thee in all thy ways.
 They shall bear thee in their hands, * that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone.
 Thou shalt go upon the lion and adder: * the young lion and the dragon shalt thou tread under thy feet.
 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him; * I will set him up, because he hath known my Name.
 He shall call upon me, and I will hear him; * yea, I am with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and bring him to honour.
 With long life will I satisfy him, * and show him my salvation.

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The First Lesson

Job 38:1-7

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

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The Second Lesson

Hebrews 1:13 - 2:10

But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

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The Collect

ALMIGHTY God, the fountain of all wisdom, who knowest our necessities before we ask, and our ignorance in asking; We beseech thee to have compassion upon our infirmities; and those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask, vouchsafe to give us, for the worthiness of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

St. Michael and All Angels

O EVERLASTING God, who hast ordained and constituted the services of Angels and men in a wonderful order; Mercifully grant that, as thy holy Angels always do thee service in heaven, so, by thy appointment, they may succour and defend us on earth; through Jesus Christ or Lord. Amen.

Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity

LORD, we beseech thee, grant thy people grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil; and with pure hearts and minds to follow thee, the only God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Michaelmas

On the Feast of Michael and all Angels, popularly called Michaelmas, we give thanks for the many ways in which God's loving care watches over us, both directly and indirectly, and we are reminded that the richness and variety of God's creation far exceeds our knowledge of it.

St. Michael is one of the principal angels; his name was the war-cry of the good angels in the battle fought in heaven against the enemy and his followers.

It would have been natural to St. Michael, the champion of the Jewish people, to be the champion also of Christians, giving victory in war to his clients. The early Christians, however, regarded some of the martyrs as their military patrons: St. George, St. Theodore, St. Demetrius, Ss. Sergius and Bacchus, St. Procopius, St. Mercurius, etc.; but to St. Michael they gave the care of their sick. At the place where he was first venerated, in Phrygia, his prestige as angelic healer obscured his interposition in military affairs. It was from early times the center of the true cult of the holy angels, particularly of St. Michael. Tradition relates that St. Michael in the earliest ages caused a medicinal spring to spout at Chairotopa near Colossae, where all the sick who bathed there, invoking the Blessed Trinity and St. Michael, were cured.

Michaelmas Day, in England and other countries, is one of the regular quarter-days for settling rents and accounts; but it is no longer remarkable for the hospitality with which it was formerly celebrated. Stubble-geese being esteemed in perfection about this time, most families had one dressed on Michaelmas Day. In some parishes (Isle of Skye) they had a procession on this day and baked a cake, called St. Michael's bannock.


Propers for Michaelmas - 29 September


The Collect.

O EVERLASTING God, who hast ordained and constituted the services of Angels and men in a wonderful order; Mercifully grant that, as thy holy Angels always do thee service in heaven, so, by thy appointment, they may succour and defend us on earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.


The Epistle - Revelation 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 God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God 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. Matthew 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 hell-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.


References and Resources :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Michael
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10275b.htm
http://elvis.rowan.edu/~kilroy/JEK/09/29.html
http://www.commonprayer.org/calend/propers/s_micha.cfm



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Evening Prayer Readings Wednesday after Trinity 18

The Psalter

Psalm 148

The One Hundred Forty Eighth Psalm

Laudate Dominum.

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O PRAISE the LORD from the heavens: * praise him in the heights.

 

Praise him, all ye angels of his: * praise him, all his host.

 

Praise him, sun and moon: * praise him, all ye stars and light.

 

Praise him, all ye heavens, * and ye waters that are above the heavens.

 

Let them praise the Name of the LORD: * for he spake the word, and they were made; he commanded, and they were created.

 

He hath made them fast for ever and ever: * he hath given them a law which shall not be broken.

 

Praise the LORD from the earth, * ye dragons and all deeps;

 

Fire and hail, snow and vapours, * wind and storm, fulfilling his word;

 

Mountains and all hills; * fruitful trees and all cedars;

 

Beasts and all cattle; * creeping things and flying fowls;

 

Kings of the earth, and all peoples; * princes, and all judges of the world;

 

Young men and maidens, old men and children, praise the Name of the LORD: * for his Name only is excellent, and his praise above heaven and earth.

 

He shall exalt the horn of his people: all his saints shall praise him; * even the children of Israel, even the people that serveth him.

Psalm 150

The One Hundred Fiftieth Psalm

Laudate Dominum.

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O PRAISE God in his sanctuary: * praise him in the firmament of his power.

 

Praise him in his noble acts: * praise him according to his excellent greatness.

 

Praise him in the sound of the trumpet: * praise him upon the lute and harp.

 

Praise him in the timbrels and dances: * praise him upon the strings and pipe.

 

Praise him upon the well-tuned cymbals: * praise him upon the loud cymbals.

 

Let every thing that hath breath * praise the LORD.

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The First Lesson

Daniel 12:1-3

And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

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The Second Lesson

Revelation 5

And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

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The Collect

Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity

LORD, we beseech thee, grant thy people grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil; and with pure hearts and minds to follow thee, the only God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Wenceslaus I - 28 September - Duke of Bohemia and Martyr.

 ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who didst strengthen thy blessed martyr Wenceslaus with the virtue of constancy in faith and truth: Grant us in like manner for love of thee to despise the prosperity of this world, and to fear none of its adversities; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A General Intercession.

O GOD, at whose word man goeth forth to his work and to his labour until the evening; Be merciful to all whose duties are difficult or burdensome, and comfort them concerning their toil. Shield from bodily accident and harm the workmen at their work. Protect the efforts of sober and honest industry, and suffer not the hire of the labourers to be kept back by fraud. Incline the heart of employers and of those whom they employ to mutual forbearance, fairness, and goodwill. Give the spirit of governance and of a sound mind to all in places of authority. Bless all those who labour in works of mercy or in schools of good learning. Care for all aged persons, and all little children, the sick and the afflicted, and those who travel by land or by sea. Remember all who by reason of weakness are over-tasked, or because of poverty are forgotten. Let the sorrowful sighing of the prisoners come before thee; and according to the greatness of thy power, preserve thou those that are appointed to die. Give ear unto our prayer, O merciful and gracious Father, for the love of thy dear Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Morning Prayer Readings Wednesday after Trinity 18

The Psalter

Psalm 44

The Forty-Fourth Psalm

Deus, auribus.

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WE have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us * what thou hast done in their time of old:
 How thou hast driven out the heathen with thy hand, and planted our fathers in; * how thou hast destroyed the nations, and made thy people to flourish.
 For they gat not the land in possession through their own sword, * neither was it their own arm that helped them;
 But thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance; * because thou hadst a favour unto them.
 Thou art my King, O God; * send help unto Jacob.
 Through thee will we overthrow our enemies, * and in thy Name will we tread them under that rise up against us.
 For I will not trust in my bow, * it is not my sword that shall help me;
 But it is thou that savest us from our enemies, * and puttest them to confusion that hate us.
 We make our boast of God all day long, * and will praise thy Name for ever.
 But now thou art far off, and puttest us to confusion, * and goest not forth with our armies.
 Thou makest us to turn our backs upon our enemies, * so that they which hate us spoil our goods.
 Thou lettest us be eaten up like sheep, * and hast scattered us among the heathen.
 Thou sellest thy people for nought, * and takest no money for them.
 Thou makest us to be rebuked of our neighbours, * to be laughed to scorn, and had in derision of them that are round about us.
 Thou makest us to be a by-word among the nations, * and that the peoples shake their heads at us.
 My confusion is daily before me, * and the shame of my face hath covered me;
 For the voice of the slanderer and blasphemer, * for the enemy and avenger.
 And though all this be come upon us, yet do we not forget thee, * nor behave ourselves frowardly in thy covenant.
 Our heart is not turned back, * neither our steps gone out of thy way;
 No, not when thou hast smitten us into the place of dragons, * and covered us with the shadow of death.
 If we have forgotten the Name of our God, and holden up our hands to any strange god, * shall not God search it out? for he knoweth the very secrets of the heart.
 For thy sake also are we killed all the day long, * and are counted as sheep appointed to be slain.
 Up, Lord, why sleepest thou? * awake, and be not absent from us for ever.
 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, * and forgettest our misery and trouble?
 For our soul is brought low, even unto the dust; * our belly cleaveth unto the ground.
 Arise, and help us, * and deliver us, for thy mercy's sake.

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The First Lesson

I Kings 18:25-30, 36-46

And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under. And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made. And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked. And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded. And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down. And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God. And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there. And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain. So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees, And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times. And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

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The Second Lesson

James 2:1-13

My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

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The Collects

Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity

LORD, we beseech thee, grant thy people grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil; and with pure hearts and minds to follow thee, the only God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Wenceslaus I - 28 September - Duke of Bohemia and Martyr.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who didst strengthen thy blessed martyr Wenceslaus with the virtue of constancy in faith and truth: Grant us in like manner for love of thee to despise the prosperity of this world, and to fear none of its adversities; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

For all Poor, Homeless, and Neglected Folk.

O GOD, Almighty and merciful, who healest those that are broken in heart, and turnest the sadness of the sorrowful to joy; Let thy fatherly goodness be upon all that thou hast made. Remember in pity such as are this day destitute, homeless, or forgotten of their fellow-men. Bless the congregation of thy poor. Uplift those who are cast down. Mightily befriend innocent sufferers, and sanctify to them the endurance of their wrongs. Cheer with hope all discouraged and unhappy people, and by thy heavenly grace preserve from falling those whose penury tempteth them to sin; though they be troubled on every side, suffer them not to be distressed; though they be perplexed, save them from despair. Grant this, O Lord, for the love of him, who for our sakes became poor, thy Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Wenceslaus of Bohemia

Son of Vratislav I, Duke of Bohemia, whose family had been converted by Saint Cyril and Saint Methodius, and Drahomira, daughter of a pagan chief; she was baptized on her wedding day, but who apparently never seriously took to the faith. Grandson and student of Saint Ludmilla.

Duke of Bohemia, ascending to power when his father was killed during a pagan backlash against Christianity, which he fought against with prayer and patience. Murdered by his brother Boleslaus at the door of a church; killed for political reasons, but normally listed as a martyr since the politics arose from his faith. Miracles reported at his tomb. The subject of the Christmas carol Good King Wenceslas.


Propers for Wenceslaus I - 28 September - Duke of Bohemia and Martyr.


The Collect.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who didst strengthen thy blessed martyr Wenceslaus with the virtue of constancy in faith and truth: Grant us in like manner for love of thee to despise the prosperity of this world, and to fear none of its adversities; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.


The Lesson - 2 Esdras 2:42-48.

I ESDRAS saw upon the mount Sion a great people, whom I could not number, and they all praised the Lord with songs. And in the midst of them, there was a young man of a high stature, taller than all the rest, and upon every one of their heads he set crowns and was more exalted; which I marvelled at greatly. So I asked the angel, and said, Sir, what are these? He answered and said unto me, These be they that have put off the mortal clothing, and put on the immortal, and have confessed the name of God: now are they crowned, and receive palms. Then said I unto the angel. What young person is it that crowneth them, and giveth them palms in their hands? So he answered and said unto me, It is the Son of God, whom they have confessed in the world. Then began I greatly to commend them that stood so stiffly for the name of the Lord. Then the angel said unto me, Go thy way, and tell my people what manner of things, and how great wonders of the Lord thy God, thou hast seen.


The Gospel - St. Matthew 10:16-22.

BEHOLD, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye, therefore, wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; and ye shall he brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a witness to them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, be not anxious how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.


Reference and Resources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Wenceslaus_I,_Duke_of_Bohemia
http://saints.sqpn.com/saint-wenceslaus-of-bohemia/


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Vincent de Paul

St. Vincent was born of poor parents in the village of Pouy in Gascony, France, about 1580. He enjoyed his first schooling under the Franciscan Fathers at Acqs. Such had been his progress in four years that a gentleman chose him as sub receptor to his children, and he was thus enabled to continue his studies without being a burden to his parents. In 1596, he went to the University of Toulouse for theological studies, and there he was ordained priest in 1600.

In 1605 while traveling aboard ship in the Mediterranean Sea, Vincent was captured by North African Pirates and sold into slavery. Vincent remained in bondage for two years eventually gaining his freedom by converting his Mohammedan owner to Christianity. After leaving North Africa, Vincent traveled to Rome and then back to France serving in Various Chaplaincies and Parishes for a time.

This brought him into contact with the peasants, and he became concerned for their needs, physical and spiritual. A peasant who believed himself to be dying confessed to him that his previous confessions for many years had been dishonest. Vincent began to preach in the local church on confession, repentance, forgiveness, and the love of God. His sermons drew such crowds of penitents that he had to call in a group of other priests to assist him. He took on the pastorship of a neighboring church attended by a more fashionable and aristocratic crowd, and there he likewise drew many of his listeners to repentance and amendment of life. Returning to Paris, he worked among the prisoners destined for the galleys who were being held at the Conciergerie.

In 1625 he established the Congregation of the Mission (now known as the Vincentians, or the Lazarists), a community of priests who undertook to renounce all ecclesiastical advancement and devote themselves to work in the small towns and villages of France. In an age not noted for "interdenominational courtesy," he instructed his missioners that Protestants were to be treated as brothers, with respect and love, without patronage or condescension or contentiousness. Wealthy men and women came to him, expressing a wish to amend their lives, and he organized them into a Confraternity of Charity and set them to work caring for the poor and sick in hospitals and in home visits. In 1633 the Archbishop or Paris gave him the Priory of St Lazare as a headquarters. There he offered retreats six times a year for those who were preparing for the ministry. These lasted two weeks each, and each involved about eighty students. He then began to offer similar retreats for laypersons of all classes and widely varying backgrounds.

Out of his Confraternity of Charity there arose an order of nuns called the Daughters (or Sisters) of Charity, devoted to nursing those who were sick and poor. He said of them, "Their convent is the sick-room, their chapel the parish church, their cloister the streets of the city." Many babies were abandoned in Paris every year, and when Vincent saw some of them, he established an orphanage for them, and thereafter often wandered through the slums, looking in corners for abandoned babies, which he carried back to the orphanage.

He complained to the King that ecclesiastical posts were distributed simply as political favors and that the spiritual qualifications of the appointees were simply ignored. The King responded by creating a Council of Conscience to remedy the matter, with Vincent at the head. On one occasion, a noblewoman of the court, furious with Vincent because he refused to nominate her son for a position as bishop, threw a stool at him. He left the room with a stream of blood pouring from his forehead, and said to a companion who was waiting for him, "Is it not wonderful how strong a mother's love for her son can be?" He died 27 September 1660.


Propers for Vincent de Paul - 27 September - Priest, Confessor and Helper of Men

The Collect.

Almighty God, who didst call thy servant Vincent de Paul to serve thee in the person of those in need: Grant, we beseech thee, that we, following his example, may fulfil thy commandments by loving our neighbour, and by loving thee with all our hearts, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.


The Epistle - Philippians 4:4-9.


The Gospel - St. Luke 10:1-9.


Reference and Resources:

http://elvis.rowan.edu/~kilroy/JEK/09/27.html
http://saints.sqpn.com/saint-vincent-de-paul/
http://www.monasteryicons.com/cgi-bin/hazel.cgi?action=DETAIL&item=397&EXPANDED=1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_de_Paul
http://tridentine-mass.blogspot.com/search/label/Saint%20Vincent%20de%20Paul
http://www.ttstm.com/2009/09/september-27-vincent-de-paul-slave.html

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Lancelot Andrewes

(1555-1626), Bishop of Winchester, was on the committee of scholars that produced the King James Translation of the Bible, and probably contributed more to that work than any other single person. It is accordingly no surprise to find him not only a devout writer but a learned and eloquent one, a master of English prose, and learned in Latin, Greek, Hebrew and eighteen other languages. He prepared for his own use a manuscript notebook of Private Prayers, which was published after his death. The material was apparently intended, not to be read aloud, but to serve as a guide and stimulus to devout meditation.


Propers for Lancelot Andrewes - 26 September - Bishop, Preacher, Scholar and Translator

The Collect.

O Lord and Father, our King and God, by whose grace the Church was enriched by the great learning and eloquent preaching of thy servant Lancelot Andrewes, but even more by his example of biblical and liturgical prayer: Conform our lives, like his, we beseech thee, to the image of Christ, that our hearts may love thee, our minds serve thee, and our lips proclaim the greatness of thy mercy; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, now and for ever. Amen.


The Epistle - 1 Timothy 2:1-7a.


The Gospel - St. Luke 11:1-4.


Reference and Resources:

http://elvis.rowan.edu/~kilroy/JEK/09/26.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lancelot_Andrewes
http://anglicanhistory.org/andrewes/index.html
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/andrewes/devotions1.html

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Cyprian and Justina of Antioch

Cyprian was a pagan magician of Antioch who had dealing with demons. By their aid he sought to bring St. Justina, a Christian virgin, to ruin; but she foiled the threefold attacks of the devils by the sign of the cross. Brought to despair, Cyprian made the sign of the cross himself and in this way was freed from the toils of Satan. He was received into the Church, was made pre-eminent by miraculous gifts, and became in succession deacon, priest and, finally, bishop, while Justina became the head of a convent.

During the Diocletian persecution, both were seized and taken to Damascus, where they were shockingly tortured. As their faith never wavered, they were brought before Diocletian at Nicomedia, where at his command they were beheaded on the bank of the river Gallus. The same fate befell a Christian, Theoctistus, who had come to Cyprian and had embraced him.

After the bodies of the saints had lain unburied for six days, they were taken by Christian sailors to Rome, where they were interred on the estate of a noble lady named Rufina and later were entombed in Constantine's basilica.


Propers for Cyprian and Justina of Antioch - 26 September - Martyrs

The Collect.

Almighty and Everlasting God, who didst enkindle the flame of thy love in the heart of thy holy martyrs Cyprian and Justina : Grant to us, thy humble servants, a like faith and power of love, that we who rejoice in their triumph may profit by their example; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with
thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.


The Lesson - Jeremiah 15:15-21.


The Holy Gospel - St. Mark 8:34-38


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The Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity

The Collect.

LORD, we beseech thee, grant thy people grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil; and with pure hearts and minds to follow thee, the only God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.


The Epistle - 1 Corinthians i. 4.

I THANK my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; that in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.


The Gospel - St. Matthew xxii. 34.

WHEN the Pharisees had heard that Jesus had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.

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Sergius of Radonezh

Venerable Sergius of Radonezh (Сергий Радонежский, Sergii Radonezhsky)—also translated as Sergey Radonezhsky or Serge of Radonezh was a spiritual leader and monastic reformer of medieval Russia

Sergius has held a special place in the history of Russian monasticism. His community at Holy Trinity served as the model of secluded ascetic life organized as communities outside the limits of towns and cities. He himself was a model of asceticism. While not a learned man nor a great preacher, he was a man committed to poverty and utter sincerity. He was deeply humble and had a staunch faith in God's help. He committed to giving help to all who sought his help with loving attention. He was a true leader who led his monks in work and service by setting an example. He established a number of monastery schools and taught farmers better methods of farming.

In view of the stature of his place among Russian saints, he has been honored by adding his name to the monastery he founded: Trinity-Sergius Lavra.


Propers for St. Sergius - 25 September - Abbot and Monastic Reformer

The Collect.

O God, whose blessed Son became poor that we through his poverty might be rich: Deliver us, we pray thee, from an inordinate love of this world, that inspired by the devotion of thy servant Sergius, we may serve thee with singleness of heart, and attain to the riches of the age to come; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, now and for ever. Amen.


The Epistle - Ecclesiasticus 39:1-9.


The Gospel - St. Matthew 13:47-52.


Reference and Resources:

http://elvis.rowan.edu/~kilroy/JEK/09/25.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergius_of_Radonezh
http://orthodoxwiki.org/Sergius_of_Radonezh

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Ember Days of Autumn

The Collects.

O LORD Jesus Christ, who in thy earthly life didst share man’s toil, and thereby hallow the labour of his hands: Prosper all those who maintain the industries of this land; and give them pride in their work, a just reward for their labour, and joy both in supplying the needs of others and in serving thee their Saviour; who with the Father and the Holy Ghost livest and reignest, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

O ALMIGHTY God, who hast committed to the hands of men the ministry of reconciliation; We humbly beseech thee, by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, to put it into the hearts of many to offer themselves for this ministry; that thereby mankind may be drawn to thy blessed kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.


The Epistle - Acts xiii. 44.

THE next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.


The Gospel - St. Luke iv. 16.

JESUS came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.


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Our Lady of Walsingham

In A.D. 1061 a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Richeldis de Faverches, a devout Saxon noblewoman. In the vision Lady Richeldis was shown the house in which Mary received the Annunciation from the Archangel Gabriel, Mary asked Lady Richeldis to build an exact replica of the house in Walsingham.

The de Faverches family had the Holy House built with provisions for it's upkeep and the building of a priory next to it. The Chapel and priory came under the care of the Augustinian Canons in the mid-12th century. The chapel became a destination for pilgrims from all over England, eventually winning Royal patronage and Royal pilgrims. The fame and wealth of the site grew to immense proportions, that it was a target of thieves from without and embezzlers from within.

In A.D. 1538, one of the chapel's greatest patrons became it's nemesis when King Henry VIII ordered the confiscation of the site's wealth along with the destruction of chapel and priory, even though two years before the Prior had accepted the King's supremacy as head of the Church of England, it would not save them. The sub-prior was executed and eleven other men from the area that complained as to the sites fate were also executed.

In the early 20th century Walsingham once again became a destination for pilgrims, Anglican, Roman, and Orthodox. In 1897 Pope Leo XIII re-established a restored Slipper Chapel as a Roman Catholic Shrine and in 1921 Fr. A.H. Patten, the CofE Vicar for Walsingham sparked Anglican interest in the pre-Reformation pilgrimage. Since then Walsingham has become a centre for ecumenical co-operation, with pilgrims from different denominations making the pilgrimage to both the Roman and Anglican shrines.


Propers for the Feast of Our Lady of Walsingham - 24 September

The Collect.

Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hast revealed the beauty of thy power by exalting the lowly virgin of Nazareth and making her the mother of our Saviour: May the prayers of Our Lady of Walsingham bring Jesus to the waiting world and fill the hearts of all thy people with the presence of her child, who liveth and reigneth with thee and Holy Ghost, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Lesson - Isaiah 7:10-16.


The Gospel - St. Luke 1:26-38


Reference and Resources:

http://www.comeandseeicons.com/bvm/hsw01.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Walsingham
http://www.walsinghamanglican.org.uk/welcome/index.htm
http://www.walsingham.org.uk/romancatholic/
http://www.jchristmas.fsnet.co.uk/orthodox.htm
http://www.geocities.com/athens/forum/4752/Walsingham.html
The Orthodox Christian Society of Our Lady of Walsingham
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/NORwalsinghamS.htm
http://a-c-ruminations.blogspot.com/2005/11/our-lady-of-walsingham.html
http://anglicanwanderings.blogspot.com/2009/06/walsingham-wanderings.html
http://ohioanglican.blogspot.com/2007/03/our-lady-of-walsingham.html

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Ember Days of Autumn

The Collects.

O LORD Jesus Christ, who in thy earthly life didst share man’s toil, and thereby hallow the labour of his hands: Prosper all those who maintain the industries of this land; and give them pride in their work, a just reward for their labour, and joy both in supplying the needs of others and in serving thee their Saviour; who with the Father and the Holy Ghost livest and reignest, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

O ALMIGHTY God, who hast committed to the hands of men the ministry of reconciliation; We humbly beseech thee, by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, to put it into the hearts of many to offer themselves for this ministry; that thereby mankind may be drawn to thy blessed kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.


The Epistle - Acts xiii. 44.

THE next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.


The Gospel - St. Luke iv. 16.

JESUS came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.


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Adomnán of Iona

was abbot of Iona (679–704), hagiographer, statesman and clerical lawyer; he was the author of the most important Vita of Saint Columba and promulgator of the "Law of Innocents", lex innocentium, also called Cáin Adomnáin, "Law of Adomnán". In Ireland, especially in Derry and County Donegal, a popular Anglicised form of his name is Saint Eunan, from the Gaelic Naomh Adhamhnán.

Adamnan gave sanctuary to Prince Aldfrid when the throne of Northumbria was in dispute following the death of King Oswy. When Aldfrid became king in 686, Aldamnan secured the release of all Irish prisoners taken in the conflict, and visited the monasteries of Wearmouth and Jarrow.

Attended the Council of Birr and Synod of Tara in 697 at which he helped enact the Canons of Adamnan, laws that helped protect civilian and clerical populations in areas at war, prohibiting the murder or enslavement of non-combatant women and children.


Propers for Adomnán of Iona - 23 September - Abbot, Writer and Lawyer


The Collect.

O GOD, by whose grace the blessed Adomnán, enkindled with the fire of thy love, became a burning and a shining light in thy Church: Grant that we may be inflamed with the same spirit of
discipline and love, and ever walk before thee as children of light; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.


The Epistle - Philippians 3:7-15.


The Gospel - St. Luke 12:22-37.


Reference and Resources:

http://saints.sqpn.com/saint-adamnan-of-iona/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adomn%C3%A1n

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Maurice and the Theban Legion

In A.D. 286 a legion of Roman soldiers (6,600 men in strength) known as the Theban Legion (as most of the men came from the Thebes region of Egypt) and under the command of a man name Mauritius (Maurice) was deployed to the Roman Province of Gaul to help put down a rebellion.

The Theban Legion's soldiers were mostly ethnic Copts and Christians and very devout in their faith, from the Commander Maurice down to the lowliest Legionnaire. After establishing their camp among the rest of the Roman Army in Gaul, the Emperor Maximian ordered the army to make sacrifice to the pagan gods and swear an oath of allegiance and swear to assist in the extirpation of Christianity in Gaul, The Theban Legion refused to do either. Again the Emperor demanded that the Thebans make sacrifice and swear the oaths, Mauritius explained to Maximian that the Thebans had no problem in fighting the enemies of the Empire and doing their duty but they would not participate in pagan idolatry or the persecution and murder of Christian non-combatants.

Maximian would not budge on his demands and ordered the Theban Legion decimated, in which the ranks are formed and every tenth man is killed where he stood. The Thebans did not resist and when the decimation was complete the Emperor again made his demands on Mauritius and his legion and again they refused, Maximian ordered another decimation to which the Thebans still did not offer any resistance and they died willingly for their God and their fellow Christians. Again and again the Emperor tried breaking the Thebans will and again they refused to submit and in the process they won over many converts in the ranks of the other legions which had been tasked with their killing as they refused to resist their lawful punishment for their principals and beliefs.

After realizing that he would be unable to make the Thebans conform to his will, the Emperor Maximian ordered the remainder of the Theban Legion destroyed and the Thebans of all ranks were cut-down where they stood thereby winning the Crown of Martyrdom in the service of their God and neighbour.


Propers for Maurice and the Theban Legion - 22 September - Soldiers and Martyrs

The Collect.

Grant we beseech thee, Almighty God: to keep in our memory the devotion and service of thy blessed Martyrs, Maurice and his companions; and that we may show the same love and obedience unto thee through their example, for the sake of Our Lord and Saviour, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost. Amen.


The Lesson - Wisdom 3:1-8


The Gospel - St. Luke 6:17-23


Reference and Resources:

http://www.bibleprobe.com/theban.html
http://www.ttstm.com/2009/09/september-22-maurice-and-theban-legion.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Maurice
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theban_Legion


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St. Matthew the Apostle

One day Jesus was walking and saw a tax collector named Matthew sitting at a tax collection post, and said to him, "Follow me." And Matthew stood up and followed Him, and became one of His twelve apostles.

Tax collectors in those days were social outcasts. Devout Jews avoided them because they were usually dishonest (the job carried no salary, and they were expected to make their profits by cheating the people from whom they collected taxes). Patriotic and nationalistic Jews hated them because they were agents of the Roman government, the conquerors, and hated them with a double hatred if (like Matthew) they were Jews, because they had gone over to the enemy, had betrayed their own people for money. Thus, throughout the Gospels, we find tax collectors (publicans) mentioned as a standard type of sinful and despised outcast. Matthew brought many of his former associates to meet Jesus, and social outcasts in general were shown that the love of Jesus extended even to them.

There is not much historical information about Matthew's ministry and martyrdom, but the general conclusion is that he was martyred while evangelizing in an area south of the Caspian Sea possibly Persia or Syria.

According to the consensus, Matthew wrote his Gospel around 80 AD, or about 50 years after Christ's death and resurrection. For comparison's sake, Alexander the Great's two biographies were written about 400 years after his death and are considered generally reliable. However, some scholars, including one famous liberal scholar, date Matthew to no later than 65 AD, a mere 30 years after Christ.

Some of Matthew's unique accounts include the Star of Bethlehem, the visit of the Magi, Herod's execution of the innocent babies, the earthquake at the crucifixion, and the trinitarian formula for baptism.

It is interesting to note that some claim the "Star of Bethlehem" has received surprising confirmation in a recent, comprehensive astronomical study, while second century Greek historian, Phlegon, confirms Matthew's account of the earthquake that followed Christ's death on the cross.


Propers for Matthew - 21 September - Apostle and Evangelist

The Collect.

O ALMIGHTY God, 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 God, world without end. Amen.


The Epistle - 2 Corinthians 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 God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom the god 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 God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, 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 God in the face of Jesus Christ.


The Gospel - St. Matthew ix:9.

AND as Jesus passed 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 pass, 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.


References and Resources :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_the_Evangelist
http://www.commonprayer.org/calend/propers/s_matthw.cfm
http://elvis.rowan.edu/~kilroy/JEK/09/21.html


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Ember Days of Autumn

The Collects.

O LORD Jesus Christ, who in thy earthly life didst share man’s toil, and thereby hallow the labour of his hands: Prosper all those who maintain the industries of this land; and give them pride in their work, a just reward for their labour, and joy both in supplying the needs of others and in serving thee their Saviour; who with the Father and the Holy Ghost livest and reignest, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

O ALMIGHTY God, who hast committed to the hands of men the ministry of reconciliation; We humbly beseech thee, by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, to put it into the hearts of many to offer themselves for this ministry; that thereby mankind may be drawn to thy blessed kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.


The Epistle - Acts xiii. 44.

THE next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.


The Gospel - St. Luke iv. 16.

JESUS came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.


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John Coleridge Patteson

(1 April 1827 – 20 September 1871) was an Anglican bishop and martyr.

Patteson was educated at The King's School, Ottery St Mary, Eton and then Balliol College, Oxford. He was ordained in 1853 in the Church of England. His old tutor at Eton, George Augustus Selwyn, was the first Bishop of New Zealand, and he persuaded Patteson to become a missionary to the South Seas.

In 1855 Patteson set out to found the Melanesian Mission. He founded a college on Norfolk Island for native boys, toured the islands on the ship Southern Cross, and learned many of the local languages. In 1861 he was made Bishop of Melanesia.

Patteson's aim was to take boys from local communities, educate them in western Christian culture and return them to their communities. Persuading local people to allow their young men to depart – sometimes for years – was his principal problem.

On 20 September 1871 he was murdered on the island of Nukapu in the Solomon Islands, where he had landed alone. The explanation of his death at the time was that natives killed him as revenge for the abduction of some natives by illegal labour recruiters months earlier. These recruiters, known as "blackbirders", were considered to be virtually slave traders by members of the mission, as they enticed or abducted youths to work on plantations.

His death became a cause celebre in England and increased interest both in missionary work and in improvement of the working conditions in Melanesia. His life is celebrated in the Church of England as a saintly one, and he is commemorated with a Lesser Festival on 20 September. There is a memorial to him in the chapel of Merton College, Oxford by Thomas Woolner, which depicts his portrait surrounded by fronds, beneath which he is shown lying in the canoe, as described above


Propers for John Coleridge Patteson - 20 September - Bishop and Martyr

The Collect.

Almighty God, who didst call thy faithful servants John Coleridge Patteson and his companions to be witnesses and martyrs in the islands of Melanesia, and by their labours and sufferings didst raise up a people for thine own possession: Pour forth thy Holy Spirit upon thy Church in every land, that by the service and sacrifice of many, thy holy Name may be glorified and thy kingdom enlarged; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.


The Epistle - 1 Peter 4:12-19.


The Gospel - St. Mark 8:34-38.


Reference and Resources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Patteson_(bishop)
http://www.janeresture.com/patteson/index.htm

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