Collect for: Saint Ambrose
I O God, who didst give to thy servant Ambrose grace eloquently to proclaim thy righteousness in the great congregation, and fearlessly to bear reproach for the honor of thy Name: Mercifully grant to all bishops and pastors such excellency in preaching, and fidelity in ministering thy Word, that thy people may be partakers with them of the glory that shall be revealed; through Jesus Christ our Lord,who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.?Amen.
Psalm
Psalm
27
5 For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.
6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.
7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice! Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
8 When You said, 'Seek My face,' My heart said to You, 'Your face, LORD, I will seek.'
9 Do not hide Your face from me; Do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; Do not leave me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation.
10 When my father and my mother forsake me, Then the LORD will take care of me.
11 Teach me Your way, O LORD, And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.
*At the end of the Psalms this is sung or said Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Old Testament
Ecclesiasticus 2:7-11, 16-18
7 All you that fear the Lord, wait for him to show you his mercy. Do not turn away from him, or you will fall.
8 All you that fear the Lord, trust him, and you will certainly be rewarded.
9 All you that fear the Lord, look forward to his blessings of mercy and eternal happiness.
10 Think back to the ancient generations and consider this: has the Lord ever disappointed anyone who put his hope in him? Has the Lord ever abandoned anyone who held him in constant reverence? Has the Lord ever ignored anyone who prayed to him?
11 The Lord is kind and merciful; he forgives our sins and keeps us safe in time of trouble.
16 Those who fear and love the Lord will try to please him and devote themselves to the Law.
17 Those who fear the Lord are always ready to serve him. They humble themselves before him, and say,
18 We place our destiny in the hands of the Lord, not in human hands, because his mercy is as great as his majesty.'
Officiant: The Word of the Lord. The People: Thanks be to God.
New Testament
Acts 4:23-31
23 And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them.
24 So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: 'Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them,
25 who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: 'Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things?
26 The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the LORD and against His Christ.'
27 For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together
28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done.
29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word,
30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.'
31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
Officiant: The Word of the Lord. The People: Thanks be to God.
Gospel
Luke 12:35-37, 42-44
Introduction to the Gospel:
Deacon:
The Lord be with you.
People:
And also with you. Or And with your spirit
Deacon:
May the Lord be on our minds, on our lips, and on our hearts as we hear His Holy Gospel. The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke.
People:
Glory to You, Lord Christ.
Deacon:
We are reading from Luke's Gospel chapter 12, beginning at verse 35.
35 Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning;
36 and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.
37 Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.
42 And the Lord said, 'Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?
43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.
44 Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has.
After the Gospel reading, the deacon can elevate the book and says:
Deacon:
The Gospel of the Lord.
People:
Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ. Prayers of the People