The collect for today, the Ninth Sunday after Trinity, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):
GRANT to us, Lord, we beseech thee, the spirit to think and do always such things as be rightful; that we, who cannot do any thing that is good without thee, may by thee be enabled to live according to thy will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Epistle: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13
The Gospel: St. Luke 16:1-9
The collect for today, the Feast of St. Bernard (1090-1153), Abbot of Clairvaux, Doctor of the Church, Poet (source):
O merciful redeemer,
who, by the life and preaching of thy servant Bernard,
didst rekindle the radiant light of thy Church:
grant that we in our generation
may be inflamed with the same spirit of discipline and love
and ever walk before thee as children of light;
through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord,
who liveth and reigneth with thee,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
The Epistle: 2 Timothy 4:1-8
The Gospel: St. John 15:7-11
Artwork: Saint Bernard, 19th century. Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, Rome. Photograph taken by admin, 29 April 2010.
The collect for today, the Falling Asleep of the Blessed Virgin Mary, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):
O GOD Most High, who didst endue with wonderful virtue and grace the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of our Lord: Grant that we, who now call her blessed, may be made very members of the heavenly family of him who was pleased to be called the first-born among many brethren; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.
The Lesson: Acts 1:12-14
The Gospel: St Luke 1:39-49
Artwork: Mantegna, Death of the Virgin, 1460-64. Tempera on board, Prado, Madrid.
The collect for today, the Eighth Sunday after Trinity, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):
O God, whose never-failing providence ordereth all things both in heaven and earth: We humbly beseech thee to put away from us all hurtful things, and to give us those things which be profitable for us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Epistle: Romans 8:12-17
The Gospel: St Matthew 7:15-21
Artwork: Dante Gabriel Rossetti, The Sermon on the Mount, 1862. Stained glass, All Saints Church, Selsley, Gloucestershire.
The collect for today, the commemoration of Jeremy Taylor (1613-67), Bishop of Down and Connor, Teacher of the Faith (source):
O holy and loving God,
who dwellest in the human heart
and makest us partakers of the divine nature
in Christ our great high priest:
grant that we,
having in remembrance thy servant Jeremy Taylor,
may put our trust in thy heavenly promises,
and follow a holy life in virtue and true godliness;
through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord,
who liveth and reigneth with thee,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
The Epistle: Romans 14:7-9,10b-12
The Gospel: St Matthew 24:42-47
Read more about Jeremy Taylor here.
The collect for today, the commemoration of Hippolytus (d. c. 235), Doctor, Priest, Martyr (source):
O God, who hast enlightened thy Church by the teaching of thy servant Hippolytus: Enrich us evermore, we beseech thee, with thy heavenly grace, and raise up faithful witnesses who by their life and doctrine will set forth the truth of thy salvation; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
With the Epistle and Gospel for a Martyr, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):
The Epistle: 1 St Peter 4:12-19
The Gospel: St Matthew 16:24-27
Artwork: Cast of statue of Hippolytus, Pio-Christian Museum, Vatican Museums. (The original third-century statue is in the entrance hall of the Vatican Apostolic Library.) Photograph taken by admin, 26 April 2010.
The collect for a Bishop or Archbishop, in commemoration of The Right Rev. Charles Inglis (1734-1816), first Church of England bishop of Nova Scotia, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):
O GOD, our heavenly Father, who didst raise up thy faithful servant Charles Inglis to be a Bishop in thy Church and to feed thy flock: We beseech thee to send down upon all thy Bishops, the Pastors of thy Church, the abundant gift of thy Holy Spirit, that they, being endued with power from on high, and ever walking in the footsteps of thy holy Apostles, may minister before thee in thy household as true servants of Christ and stewards of thy divine mysteries; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the same Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.
The Epistle: 1 Timothy 6:11-16
The Gospel: St Luke 12:37-44
Read more about The Right Rev. Charles Inglis here.
Artwork: Inglis Window, Hensley Memorial Chapel, King’s-Edgehill School, Windsor, N.S.
The collect for today, the Feast of St. Laurence (d. 258), Archdeacon of Rome, Martyr (source):
Almighty God,
who didst make Laurence
a loving servant of thy people
and a wise steward of the treasures of thy Church:
inflame us, by his example, to love as he loved
and to walk in the way that leads to everlasting life;
through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord,
who liveth and reigneth with thee,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
The Epistle: 2 Corinthians 9:6-10
The Gospel: St. John 12:24-26
Artwork: Saint Laurence, stained glass, late 15th century. Santa Maria Maddalena dei Pazzi, Florence. Photograph taken by admin, 17 May 2010.
The collect for today, The Seventh Sunday after Trinity, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):
LORD of all power and might, who art the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of thy Name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and of thy great mercy keep us in the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Epistle: Romans 6:17-23
The Gospel: St Mark 8:1-9
Artwork: Bartolomeo Letterini, Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes, 1721. Oil on canvas, Chiesa di San Pietro Martire, Murano, Venice.
The Collect for today, the Holy Day of the Transfiguration of our Lord, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):
O GOD, who on the holy mount didst reveal to chosen witnesses thy well-beloved Son wonderfully transfigured: Mercifully grant unto us such a vision of his divine majesty, that we, being purified and strengthened by thy grace, may be transformed into his likeness from glory to glory; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Epistle: 2 St Peter 1:16-21
The Gospel: St Matthew 17:1-9
Artwork: Francesco Vecellio, The Transfiguration, 1530. Chiesa di San Salvador, Venice.
