Almighty and merciful God, of whose only gift it cometh that thy
faithful people do unto thee true and laudable service: Grant, we
beseech thee, that we may so faithfully serve thee in this life,
that we fail not finally to attain thy heavenly promises; through
the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. _Amen_.
THE EPISTLE. Gal. iii. 16.
To Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And
to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is
Christ. And this I say, that the covenant that was confirmed
before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and
thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the
promise of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is
no more of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise. Wherefore
then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions,
till the seed should come, to whom the promise was made; and it
was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator
is not a mediator of one; but God is one. Is the law then against
the promises of God? God-forbid: for if there had been a law given
which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been
by the law. But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that
the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that
believe.
THE GOSPEL. St Luke x. 23.
Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see. For I tell
you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things
which ye see, and have not seen them: and to hear those things
which ye hear, and have not heard them. And behold, a certain
lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do
to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the
law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the
Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with
all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as
thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right; this do,
and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto
Jesus, And who is my neighbour? And Jesus answering said, A certain
man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves,
which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed,
leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain
Priest that way, and, when he saw him, he passed by on the other
side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and
looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain
Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was; and, when he saw
him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his
wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast,
and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow,
when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the
host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou
spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now
of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell
among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then
said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.