The Collect

GRANT to us, Lord, we beseech thee, the spirit to think and do always such things as are right; 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.

Old Testament Lesson

Wisdom 11:21-12:2

(The Lesson is written in the 11th chapter of the Wisdom of Solomon, beginning at the 21st verse.)

For the whole world before thee is as a little grain of the balance, yea, as a drop of the morning dew that falleth down upon the earth. But thou hast mercy upon all; for thou canst do all things, and winkest at the sins of men, because they should amend. For thou lovest all the things that are, and abhorrest nothing which thou hast made: for never wouldest thou have made any thing, if thou hadst hated it. And how could any thing have endured, if it had not been thy will? or been preserved, if not called by thee? But thou sparest all: for they are thine, O Lord, thou lover of souls. For thine incorruptible Spirit is in all things. Therefore chastenest thou them by little and little that offend, and warnest them by putting them in remembrance wherein they have offended, that leaving their wickedness they may believe on thee, O Lord.

Here endeth the Lesson

Psalm

Psalm 103

1 PRAISE the LORD, O my soul; * and all that is within me, praise his holy Name.

2 Praise the LORD, O my soul, * and forget not all his benefits:

3 Who forgiveth all thy sin, * and healeth all thine infirmities;

4 Who saveth thy life from destruction, * and crowneth thee with mercy and loving-kindness;

5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things, * making thee young and lusty as an eagle.

6 The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment * for all them that are oppressed with wrong.

7 He showed his ways unto Moses, * his works unto the children of Israel.

8 The LORD is full of compassion and mercy, * long-suffering, and of great goodness.

9 He will not alway be chiding; * neither keepeth he his anger for ever.

10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; * nor rewarded us according to our wickednesses.

11 For look how high the heaven is in comparison of the earth; * so great is his mercy also toward them that fear him.

12 Look how wide also the east is from the west; * so far hath he set our sins from us.

13 Yea, like as a father pitieth his own children; * even so is the LORD merciful unto them that fear him.

14 For he knoweth whereof we are made; * he remembereth that we are but dust.

15 The days of man are but as grass; * for he flourisheth as a flower of the field.

16 For as soon as the wind goeth over it, it is gone; * and the place thereof shall know it no more.

17 But the merciful goodness of the LORD endureth for ever and ever upon them that fear him; * and his righteousness upon children's children;

18 Even upon such as keep his covenant, * and think upon his commandments to do them.

19 The LORD hath prepared his seat in heaven, * and his kingdom ruleth over all. 

20 O praise the LORD, ye angels of his, ye that excel in strength; * ye that fulfil his commandment, and hearken unto the voice of his word.

21 O praise the LORD, all ye his hosts; * ye servants of his that do his pleasure.

22 O speak good of the LORD, all ye works of his, in all places of his dominion: * praise thou the LORD, O my soul.

Epistle 

1 Corinthians x. 1.

(The Epistle is written in the 10th chapter of the First Epistle of Blessed Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, beginning at the 1st verse.)

BRETHREN, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Here endeth the Epistle.

GOSPEL

St. Luke xv. 11.

JESUS said, A certain man had two sons: and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: but as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.