We beseech thee, O Lord, pour thy grace into our hearts; that, as
we have known the incarnation of thy Son Jesus Christ by the
message of an angel, so by his cross and passion we may be brought
unto the glory of his resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ
our Lord. _Amen_.
FOR THE EPISTLE. Isaiah vii. 10.
Moreover, the Lord spake again unto Ahaz, saying, Ask thee a sign
of the Lord thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height
above. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the
Lord. And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small
thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also? Therefore
the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a Virgin shall
conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Butter
and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and
choose the good.
THE GOSPEL. St Luke i. 26.
And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto
a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a Virgin espoused to a man
whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the Virgin's
name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail,
thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee; blessed art
thou among women. And when she saw him she was troubled at his
saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should
be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary; for thou hast
found favour with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb,
and bring forth a Son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall
be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the
Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David.
And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his
kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel,
How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered
and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the
power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that
holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son
of God. And behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived
a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was
called barren: for with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary
said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to
thy word. And the angel departed from her.
SAINT MARK'S DAY _April_ 25.