THE FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY (JUNE 28TH)

PROPERS FOR THE ANCIENT LITURGY OF SAINT JAMES OF JERUSALEM ACCORDING TO THE USE OF THE ANCIENT CHURCH OF THE WEST 

INTROIT. Cantate Domino. Ps. 98 

O SING unto the Lord a new song, alleluia: for the Lord hath done marvellous things, alleluia: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Ps. ibid. With his own right hand and with his holy arm: hath he gotten himself the victory. V. Glory be.

COLLECTS

O ALMIGHTY GOD, who alone canst order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men: grant unto thy people that they may love the thing which thou commandest, and desire that which thou dost promise; that so, among the sundry and manifold changes of the world our hearts may surely there be fixed, where true joys are to be found. [Through.]

O ALMIGHTY GOD, who didst adorn blessed Alban, the first Martyr of the English people, with the crown of glorious confession, and madest him strong to exchange the passing life of this world for the everlasting joys of thy heavenly kingdom: Mercifully grant that we, rejoicing in his triumph and following his holy example, may steadfastly confess the Faith once delivered unto the Saints, and at the last be numbered with all thy faithful Martyrs in thy heavenly kingdom; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

ALMIGHTY GOD, by whose providence Your servant St. John the Baptist was wonderfully born, and sent to prepare the way of Your Son our Savior by preaching repentance: Make us so to follow his teaching and holy life, that we may truly repent according to his preaching; and, following his example, constantly speak the truth, boldly rebuke sin, and patiently suffering for the Your sake; and may St. John the Baptist intercede for us in heaven, that we may be held by his holy prayers and do all such good works as You have called us to do; through Jesus Christ Your Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, ever One God, unto ages of ages. Amen.

ALMIGHTY GOD, Who strengthened Thy servant St. Irenaeus to defend Thy truth against every blast of vain doctrine: Keep us, we pray Thee, steadfast in Thy true religion, that in constancy and peace we may walk in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. 

LITURGY OF THE WORD

OLD TESTAMENT READING: 1 Samuel 30:1–20

And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire;

And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way.

So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives.

Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.

And David’s two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.

And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David.

And David enquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.

So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those that were left behind stayed.

But David pursued, he and four hundred men: for two hundred abode behind, which were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor.

And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they made him drink water;

And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him: for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights.

And David said unto him, To whom belongest thou? and whence art thou? And he said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days agone I fell sick.

We made an invasion upon the south of the Cherethites, and upon the coast which belongeth to Judah, and upon the south of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.

And David said to him, Canst thou bring me down to this company? And he said, Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down to this company.

And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.

And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, which rode upon camels, and fled.

And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and David rescued his two wives.

And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had taken to them: David recovered all.

And David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drave before those other cattle, and said, This is David’s spoil. 

NEW TESTAMENT READING: 1 Peter 3

Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.

Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.

For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.

For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

THE EPISTLE: St. James 1:17-21

DEARLY beloved: Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

GRADUAL ANTIPHON

Alleluia, alleluia. V. Psalm 118 The right hand of the Lord hath the pre-eminence: the right hand of the Lord bringeth might things to pass. Alleluia. V. Rom 6, 9. Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more: death hath no more dominion over him. Alleluia.

GOSPEL: Saint John 16:5-15

AT that time, Jesus said unto His disciples: Now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you.

LITURGY OF THE FAITHFUL

OFFERTORY. Psalm 66 

O be joyful in God, all ye lands, sing praises unto the honour of his Name: O come hither, and hearken, all ye that fear God, and I will tell you what the Lord hath done for my soul. Alleluia.

SECRET.

O GOD, who by the wondrous operation of this sacrifice, hast made us partakers of thy glorious Godhead: grant, we beseech thee, that we which are taught the knowledge of thy truth, may in all our conversation walk worthily of the same. [Through.]

COMMUNION. St. John 16. 

When the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement, alleluia, alleluia.

POSTCOMMUNION.

ASSIST us mercifully, O Lord our God: that we, which have in faithfulness received this holy Sacrament, may thereby be cleansed from all our iniquities, and delivered from all dangers that beset us. [Through.]