Category: Prayers and liturgy

The collect for today, the Fourth Sunday after Trinity, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):

O GOD, the protector of all that trust in thee, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us thy mercy; that, thou being our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal. Grant this, O heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ’s sake our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle: Romans 8:18-23
The Gospel: St Luke 6:36-42

Artwork: Jan Christiaensz Micker, The Narrow Road of Virtue and the Wide Road of Sin, c. 1650. Oil on oak panel, National Museum, Warsaw.

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The collect for today, the Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):

ALMIGHTY God, by whose providence thy servant John Baptist was wonderfully born, and sent to prepare the way of thy Son our Saviour, by preaching of repentance: Make us so to follow his doctrine and holy life, that we may truly repent according to his preaching, and after his example constantly speak the truth, boldly rebuke vice, and patiently suffer for the truth’s sake; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Lesson: Isaiah 40:1-11
The Gospel: St. Luke 1:57-80

Artwork: Giovanni Baronzio, The Birth, Naming and Circumcision of St. John the Baptist, c. 1335. Tempera on panel, National Gallery of Art, Washington DC.

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The collect for today, the Feast of Saint Alban, First Martyr of Britain, d. c. 250 (source):

Almighty God, by whose grace and power thy holy martyr Alban triumphed over suffering and was faithful even unto death: Grant to us, who now remember him with thanksgiving, to be so faithful in our witness to thee in this world, that we may receive with him the crown of life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

The Epistle: 1 St. John 3:13-16
The Gospel: St. Matthew 10:34-42

Saint Alban lived in the Roman city of Verulamium (modern St. Albans) in the third or early fourth century. A pagan soldier, he gave shelter to a fleeing Christian priest during a time of persecution. Deeply moved by the priest’s faith, Alban converted and was baptised.

When Roman soldiers arrived looking for the priest, Alban disguised himself in the priest’s cloak to allow him to escape. Discovered and brought before the judge, Alban refused to sacrifice to pagan gods, famously declaring, “I worship and adore the true and living God.” He was subsequently beheaded, thus becoming Britain’s protomartyr. Bede’s Ecclesiastical History gives the date of execution as AD 305, but other sources set his martyrdom at various dates between 209 and 283.

As Britain’s first recorded Christian martyr, the site of his martyrdom soon became a place of pilgrimage. The small pilgrim church built there later developed into St. Albans Cathedral, the oldest site of continual Christian worship in Britain.

Artwork: Matthew Paris, Martyrdom of St. Alban, Illumination from Life of St. Alban, 13th century manuscript, Library of Trinity College, Dublin.

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The collect for today, the Third Sunday after Trinity, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):

O LORD, we beseech thee mercifully to hear us; and grant that we, to whom thou hast given an hearty desire to pray, may by thy mighty aid be defended and comforted in all dangers and adversities; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle: 1 St. Peter 5:5-11
The Gospel: St. Luke 15:1-10

Artwork: Eugène Burnand, The Lost Coin, Illustration for “Les Paraboles”, published 1908.

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The collect for today, the Second Sunday after Trinity, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):

O LORD, who never failest to help and govern them whom thou dost bring up in thy stedfast fear and love: Keep us, we beseech thee, under the protection of thy good providence, and make us to have a perpetual fear and love of thy holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle: 1 St. John 3:13-24
The Gospel: St. Luke 14:15-24

Artwork: Joachim Wtewael, Kitchen Interior with the Parable of the Great Supper, 1605. Oil on canvas, Gemäldegalerie, Berlin.

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The collect for today, the Feast of Saint Barnabas the Apostle, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):

O LORD God Almighty, who didst endue thy holy Apostle Barnabas with singular gifts of the Holy Spirit: Leave us not, we beseech thee, destitute of thy manifold gifts, nor yet of grace to use them alway to thy honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Lesson: Acts 11:22-26
The Gospel: St. John 15:12-16

Artwork: Cesare Mariani, Paul and Barnabas Taken for Gods, c. 1857-60. Oil on canvas, Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, Rome.

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The collect for today, the commemoration of Columba (c. 521-597) Abbot of Iona, Missionary (source):

Almighty God,
who didst fill the heart of Columba
with the joy of the Holy Spirit,
and with deep love for those in his care:
grant to thy pilgrim people grace to follow him,
strong in faith, sustained by hope,
and made one in the love that binds us to thee;
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: 1 Corinthians 3:11-23
The Gospel: St. Luke 10:17-20

Artwork: The St. Columba stained glass was made by the firm of James Powell and Sons, Middlesex, England, and installed in the Cathedral of St John the Baptist, St John’s, Newfoundland, in 1951. Photograph taken by admin, 7 September 2009.

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