25 July 2015 - Saint James the Apostle (Commemoration of St. Christopher, Martyr)

Double of the Second Class – Red 

INTROIT Ps. 138.17

THY friends, O God, are made exceedingly honorable; their principality is exceedingly strengthened. Ps. 138.1,2. Lord, thou hast proved me and known me: thou hast known my sitting down and my rising up. V. Glory be.

COLLECT

BE thou, O Lord, the Sanctifier and Protector of thy people: so that defended by the aid of thine Apostle James, they may both please thee in their manner of life, and serve thee with a quiet mind. Through.

COMMEMORATION: Of St. Christopher

GRANT, we beseech thee, almighty God: that we who celebrate the heavenly birthday of blessed Christopher, thy Martyr, may, through his intercession be strengthened in the love of thy Name. Through.

SEASONAL COLLECTS
Of the Saints
Collect ad Libitum

EPISTLE I Cor. 4.9-15

BRETHREN, I think that God hath set forth us apostles the last, as it were men appointed to death: we are made a spectacle to the world, and to Angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ: we are weak, but you are strong: you are honorable, but we without honor. Even unto this hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no fixed abode, and we labor working with our own hands. We are re-viled, and we bless: we are perse-cuted, and we suffer it: we are blasphemed, and we entreat: we are made as the refuse of this world, the offscouring of all even until now. I write not these things to confound you: but I admonish you as my dearest chil-dren. For if you have ten thou-sand instructors in Christ, yet not many fathers. For in Christ Jesus by the Gospel I have begotten you.

GRADUAL Ps. 44.17-18

Thou shalt make them princes over all the earth: they shall re-member thy Name, O Lord. In-stead of thy fathers, sons are born to thee: therefore shall people praise thee.

Alleluia, alleluia. V. John 15.16. I have chosen you out of the world, that you should go, and should bring forth fruit, and your fruit should remain. Alleluia.

+ The Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to Matthew (20.20-23)

AT that time, the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her sons, worshipping, and asking something of him. Who said to her: What wilt thou? She saith to him: Say that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left, in thy kingdom. And Je-sus answering said: you know not what you ask. Can you drink the chalice that I shall drink? They say to him: We can. He saith to them: My chalice inded you shall drink; but to sit on my right or left hand is not mine to give to you, but to them for whom it is prepared by my Father. 

The Creed is said.

OFFERTORY Ps. 18.5

Their sound went forth into all the earth; and their words to the ends of the world.

SECRET

MAY the holy martyrdom of the blessed Apostle James, we beseech thee, O Lord, make acceptable the offerings of thy people: and, since they have no worth from any merits of ours, may they be well pleasing to thee by his prayers. Through.

COMMEMORATION: Of St. Christopher

RECEIVE our gifts and our prayers, we beseech thee, O Lord; cleanse us by the heavenly mysteries and mercifully hear us. Through.

SEASONAL COLLECTS
Of the Saints
Collect ad Libitum

PREFACE: Of the Apostles.

COMMUNION Matt. 19.28

You who have followed me shall sit on seats judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

POSTCOMMUNION

HELP us, we beseech thee, O Lord, through the intercession of thy blessed Apostle James: on whose feast we have received thy holy Mysteries with joy. Through.

COMMEMORATION: Of St. Christopher

GRANT, we beseech thee, O Lord, our God: that as we rejoice on earth in keeping the memory of thy saints, so also we may enjoy their company for evermore. Through.

SEASONAL COLLECTS
Of the Saints
Collect ad Libitum