The Introits, Collects, etc. Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Confession of Saint Peter

January 18

1st Evensong

The Psalms Appointed

118

The Readings

Ezek. 3:4–11 & Acts 4:8–20

The Antiphon for the Magnificat

Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church;* and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 

Matins

The Psalms Appointed

22 & 67

The Readings

Ezek. 2:1–7 & Acts 11:1–18

The Antiphon for the Benedictus

And Simon Peter answered and said,* Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 

Holy Communion

The Introit Psalm 144. Benedictus Dominus.

BLESSED be the LORD my strength, * who teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:
    2 My hope and my fortress, my castle and deliverer, my defender in whom I trust; * who subdueth my people that is under me.
    3 LORD, what is man, that thou hast such respect unto him? * or the son of man, that thou so regardest him?
    4 Man is like a thing of nought; * his time passeth away like a shadow.
    5 Bow thy heavens, O LORD, and come down; * touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
    6 Cast forth thy lightning, and tear them; * shoot out thine arrows, and consume them.

7 Send down thine hand from above; * deliver me, and take me out of the great waters, from the hand of strangers;
    8 Whose mouth talketh of vanity, * and their right hand is a right hand of wickedness.
    9 I will sing a new song unto thee, O God; * and sing praises unto thee upon a ten-stringed lute.
    10 Thou hast given victory unto kings, * and hast delivered David thy servant from the peril of the sword.

11 Save me, and deliver me from the hand of strangers, * whose mouth talketh of vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of iniquity:
    12 That our sons may grow up as the young plants, * and that our daughters may be as the polished corners of the temple;
    13 That our garners may be full and plenteous with all manner of store; * that our sheep may bring forth thousands, and ten thousands in our fields;
    14 That our oxen may be strong to labour; that there be no decay, * no leading into captivity, and no complaining in our streets.
    15 Happy are the people that are in such a case; * yea, blessed are the people who have the LORD for their God.

Collect

Almighty Father, who didst inspired Simon Peter, first among the apostles, to confess Jesus as Messiah and Son of the living God: Keep thy Church steadfast upon the rock of this faith, so that in unity and peace we may proclaim the one truth and follow the one Lord, our Savior Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. 

The Epistle 1 Peter 5:1-4

The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

The Gradual Ps 31:1-3

IN thee, O LORD, have I put my trust; * let me never be put to confusion; deliver me in thy righteousness.
2 Bow down thine ear to me; * make haste to deliver me,
3 And be thou my strong rock and house of defence, * that thou mayest save me.

The Alleluia Ps 31:4

Alleluia! Alleluia! For thou art my strong rock and my castle: * be thou also my guide, and lead me for thy Name's sake. Alleluia!

The Gospel Matthew 16:13-19

When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?  And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Evensong

The Psalms Appointed

23 & 146

The Readings

Ezek. 34:11–16 & John 21:15-22

The Antiphon for the Magnificat

Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof,* Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock.

St. Wulfstan

(Bishop of Worcester)

January 19

The Collect.

O GOD, the light of the faithful and shepherd of souls, who didst call thy servant Wulfstan to feed thy sheep by his word, and guide them by his example: Grant us, we pray thee, to keep the faith which he taught, and to follow in his footsteps; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

St. Fabian

(Bishop of Rome, and Martyr)

January 20

The Collect.

O GOD, who dost support and defend us with the glorious witness of thy blessed martyr Fabian: Grant us to go forward in his footsteps, and ever to rejoice in fellowship with him; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

St. Agnes

(Martyr at Rome)

January 21

The Collect.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, with whom thy meek ones go forth as the mighty: Grant us so to cherish the memory of thy blessed martyr Agnes, that we may share her pure and steadfast faith in thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

St. Vincent

(Deacon of Saragossa, and Martyr)

January 22

The Collect.

ALMIGHTY God, by whose grace and power thy holy Deacon and martyr Vincent triumphed over suffering and despised death: Grant, we beseech thee, that enduring hardness, and waxing valiant in fight, we may with the noble army of martyrs receive the crown of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Phillips Brooks

(Bishop of Massachusetts)

January 23

The Collect.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, the source and perfection of all virtues, who didst inspire thy servant Phillips Brooks both to do what is right and to preach what is true: Grant that all ministers and stewards of thy mysteries may afford to thy faithful people, by word and example, the instruction which is of thy grace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

St. Timothy

(Bishop, Companion of St. Paul)

January 24

The Collect.

ALMIGHTY and merciful God, who didst call Saint L Timothy to endure hardship, as a good soldier of thy Son: Strengthen us in like manner to stand firm in adversity, that we may obtain salvation with eternal glory; through the grace of Christ Jesus our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost ever, one God, world without end. Amen.

The Epistle, 2 Timothy 1:1-7.

PAUL, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day; greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; when I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lots, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of self-control.

The Gospel. St. John 10:7-10.

THEN said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they ought have it more abundantly.

The Conversion of Saint Paul.

January 25

1st Evensong

The Psalms Appointed

1 & 19

The Readings

Ecclus. 39:1–10 & Gal. 1:1–5, 11–24

The Antiphon for the Magnificat

The Lord chose one out of the people, to whom he granted to see the glory of the Eternal Vision: * let us celebrate the Conversion of the holy Apostle Paul.

Matins

The Psalms Appointed

66

The Readings

Isa. 45:18 & 2 Cor. 12:1–9

The Antiphon for the Benedictus

Let us celebrate the Conversion of Saint Paul the Apostle: for he that was afore-time a persecutor, today became a chosen vessel: * wherefore Angels are gladsome and Archangels are jubilant, and unite in praising the Son of God in heaven.

Holy Communion

The Introit Psalm 138. Confitebor tibi.

I WILL give thanks unto thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; * even before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.
    2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy Name, because of thy loving-kindness and truth; * for thou hast magnified thy Name, and thy word, above all things.
    3 When I called upon thee, thou heardest me; * and enduedst my soul with much strength.

     4 All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD; * for they have heard the words of thy mouth.

    5 Yea, they shall sing of the ways of the LORD, * that great is the glory of the LORD.
    6 For though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly; * as for the proud, he beholdeth them afar off.
    7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, yet shalt thou refresh me; * thou shalt stretch forth thy hand upon the furiousness of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
    8 The LORD shall make good his loving-kindness toward me; * yea, thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever; despise not then the works of thine own hands.

The Collect.

OGOD, who, through the preaching of the blessed Apostle Saint Paul, hast caused the light of the Gospel to shine throughout the world; Grant, we beseech thee, that we, haying his wonderful conversion in remembrance, may show forth our thankfulness unto thee for the same, by following the holy doctrine which he taught; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For the Epistle. Acts ix. 1.

AND Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished 'said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. And be was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink. And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And, he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, and hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: and here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: for I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house: and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized. And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests? But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.

The Gradual Ps 80:14

14 Turn us again, O God of hosts; * show the light of thy countenance, and we shall be whole.

The Alleluia Ps 80:15

Alleluia! Alleluia! LOOK down from heaven, behold, and visit this vine, and the stock that thy right hand hath planted, * and the branch that thou madest so strong for thyself. Alleluia!

The Gospel. St. Matt. xix. 27.

PETER answered and said unto Jesus, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. But many that are first shall be last; an the last shall be first.

2nd Evensong

The Psalms Appointed

67 & 138

The Readings

Jer. 1:4–10 & Acts 26:1–23

The Antiphon for the Magnificat

But many that are first shall be last;* and the last shall be first.