O almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life: Grant us
perfectly to know thy Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth,
and the life; that, following the steps of thy holy Apostles,
Saint Philip and Saint James, we may stedfastly walk in the way
that leadeth to eternal life; through the same thy Son Jesus
Christ our Lord. _Amen_.
THE EPISTLE. St James i. 1.
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve
tribes that are scattered abroad, greeting. My brethren, count
it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this,
that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience
have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting
nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that
giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall
be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering; for
he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind,
and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any
thing of the Lord. A double-minded man is unstable in all his
ways. Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted;
but the rich in that he is made low; because as the flower of the
grass he shall pass away. For the sun is no sooner risen with a
burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof
falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also
shall the rich man fade away in his ways. Blessed is the man that
endureth temptation; for when he is tried, he shall receive the
crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
THE GOSPEL. St John xiv. 1.
And Jesus said unto his disciples, Let not your heart be troubled;
ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are
many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to
prepare a place for you: and if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am,
there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye
know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest,
and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way,
the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.
If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from
henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. Philip saith unto him,
Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto
him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not
known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and
how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that
I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak
unto you I speak not of myself; but the Father that dwelleth in
me, he doeth the works. Believe me, that I am in the Father, and
the Father in me; or else believe me for the very works' sake.
Verily, verily I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works
that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he
do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in
my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the
Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
SAINT BARNABAS THE APOSTLE _June_ 11.