Almighty God, who madest thy blessed Son to be circumcised, and
obedient to the law for man: Grant us the true circumcision of the
Spirit; that, our hearts, and all our members, being mortified
from all worldly and carnal lusts, we may in all things obey thy
blessed will; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
_Amen_.
THE EPISTLE. Rom. iv. 8.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. Cometh
this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the
uncircumcision also? For we say, that faith was reckoned to
Abraham for righteousness. How was it then reckoned? when he was
in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but
in uncircumcision. And he received the sign of circumcision, a
seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being
uncircumcised; that he might be the father of all them that
believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might
be imputed unto them also: And the father of circumcision to them
who are not of the circumcision only, but also walk in the steps
of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet
uncircumcised. For the promise, that he should be the heir of
the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law,
but through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are of
the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none
effect.
THE GOSPEL. St Luke ii. 15.
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into
heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even
unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which
the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and
found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when
they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told
them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at
those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept
all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds
returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they
had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. And when eight days
were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was
called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was
conceived in the womb.
_The same Collect, Epistle, and Gospel shall serve for every day
after unto the Epiphany_.
| THE SECOND SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS
|
| _This Collect, Epistle, and Gospel may also be used on any day_
| _after the Circumcision unto the Epiphany_.
|
| THE COLLECT.
|
| O God, who hast given us grace at this time to celebrate the
| birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ: We laud and magnify thy
| glorious Name for the countless blessings which he hath brought
| unto us; and we beseech thee to grant that we may ever set forth
| thy praise in joyful obedience to thy will; through the same
| Jesus Christ our Lord. _Amen_.
|
| THE EPISTLE. Titus iii. 4.
|
| After that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man
| appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done,
| but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of
| regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on
| us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being
| justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to
| the hope of eternal life.
|
| _Or_ 1 St John iv. 9.
|
| In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that
| God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might
| live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but
| that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for
| our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love
| one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one
| another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
| Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he
| hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify
| that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
| Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God
| dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed
| the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth
| in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
|
| THE GOSPEL. St Matth. xvi. 13.
|
| When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked
| his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man
| am? and they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist:
| some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He
| saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter
| answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living
| God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou,
| Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto
| thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee
| that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church;
| and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will
| give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever
| thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever
| thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Then charged
| he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus
| the Christ.