The Introits, Collects, etc. St Alban and Nativity of St. John the Baptist

St. Alban

(First Martyr of Britain)

June 22

1st Evensong

The Psalms Appointed

150

The Antiphon for the Magnificat

Hail thee! England’s Protomartyr soldier of the King of Angels, Alban firstling martyr flower, like unto a rose or lily: may thy pleading avail with God for the welfare of the people (Alleluia!)

Or this 

This is indeed a Martyr who for the Name of Christ poured forth his blood: * who feared not the threats of judges, nor sought for the glory of earthly dignity, but with joy attained unto the heavenly kingdom (Alleluia!).

Matins

The Psalms Appointed

118

The Readings

II Chron. 24:15-25 & Acts 6&7

The Antiphon for the Benedictus

If any man will come after me, saith the Lord, * let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me (Alleluia!).

Holy Communion

The Introit  Psalm 52. Quid gloriaris?

    WHY boastest thou thyself, thou tyrant, * that thou canst do mischief;
    2 Whereas the goodness of God * endureth yet daily?
    3 Thy tongue imagineth wickedness, * and with lies thou cuttest like a sharp razor.

     4 Thou hast loved unrighteousness more than goodness, * and falsehood more than righteousness.
    5 Thou hast loved to speak all words that may do hurt, * O thou false tongue.
    6 Therefore shall God destroy thee for ever; * he shall take thee, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling, and root thee out of the land of the living.
    7 The righteous also shall see this, and fear, * and shall laugh him to scorn:
    8 Lo, this is the man that took not God for his strength; * but trusted unto the multitude of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.
    9 As for me, I am like a green olive-tree in the house of God; * my trust is in the tender mercy of God for ever and ever.

    10 I will alway give thanks unto thee for that thou hast done; * and I will hope in thy Name, for thy saints like it well.

The Collect.

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

The Epistle, i John 3:13-16.

MARVEL not, my brethren, if the world hate you. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the

brethren.

The Gradual Ps. 119:23

23 Princes also did sit and speak against me; * but thy servant is occupied in thy statutes.
   

The Alleluia Ps 119:24

Alleluia! Alleluia! For thy testimonies are my delight, * and my counsellors. Alleluia!

The Gospel. St. Matthew 10:34-42.

THINK not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more

than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

2nd Evensong

The Psalms Appointed

30

The Readings

Wisdom 4:7–15 Acts 7:59–8:8

The Antiphon for the Magnificat

This man, the world despising, and earthly pleasures renouncing, * laid up treasures in heaven by word and deed (Alleluia!).

The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist

(The Last Prophet)

June 24

1st Evensong

The Psalms Appointed

103

The Readings

Ecclus.  48:1–10 & Luke 1:5-23

The Antiphon for the Magnificat

When Zacharias went into the temple, there appeared unto him the Angel Gabriel, * standing on the right side of the altar of incense (Alleluia!).

Matins

The Psalms Appointed

82 & 98

The Readings

Mal. 3:1–6 & Matt. 3

The Antiphon for the Benedictus

And the mouth of Zacharias was opened, and he prophesied, saying, * Blessed be the Lord God of Israel (Alleluia!).

Holy Communion

The Introit Psalm 143. Domine, exaudi.

HEAR my prayer, O LORD, and consider my desire; * hearken unto me for thy truth and righteousness' sake.
    2 And enter not into judgment with thy servant; * for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.
    3 For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; * he hath laid me in the darkness, as the men that have been long dead.
    4 Therefore is my spirit vexed within me, * and my heart within me is desolate.
    5 Yet do I remember the time past; I muse upon all thy works; * yea, I exercise myself in the works of thy hands.
    6 I stretch forth my hands unto thee; * my soul gaspeth unto thee as a thirsty land.
    7 Hear me, O LORD, and that soon; for my spirit waxeth faint: * hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.
    8 O let me hear thy loving-kindness betimes in the morning; for in thee is my trust: * show thou me the way that I should walk in; for I lift up my soul unto thee.
    9 Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies; * for I flee unto thee to hide me.
    10 Teach me to do the thing that pleaseth thee; for thou art my God: * let thy loving Spirit lead me forth into the land of righteousness.
    11 Quicken me, O LORD, for thy Name's sake; * and for thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble.
    12 And of thy goodness slay mine enemies, * and destroy all them that vex my soul; for I am thy servant.

The Collect.

ALMIGHTY God, by whose providence thy servant John Baptist was wonderfully born, and sent to prepare the way of thy Son our Saviour by preaching repentance;* Make us so to follow his doctrine and holy life, that we may truly repent according to his preaching; and after his example constantly speak the truth, boldly rebuke vice, and patiently suffer for the truth's sake; through† Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For the Epistle. Isa. xl. 1.

COMFORT ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight. and the rough places plain: and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: the grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever. O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

The Gradual  Ps 119:161-167

    PRINCES have persecuted me without a cause; * but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.
    162 I am as glad of thy word, * as one that findeth great spoils.
    163 As for lies, I hate and abhor them; * but thy law do I love.
    164 Seven times a day do I praise thee; * because of thy righteous judgments.

    165 Great is the peace that they have who love thy law; * and they have none occasion of stumbling.
    166 LORD, I have looked for thy saving health, * and done after thy commandments.
    167 My soul hath kept thy testimonies, * and loved them exceedingly.
   

The Alleluia Ps 119:168

Alleluia! Alleluia! I have kept thy commandments and testimonies; * for all my ways are before thee. Alleluia!

The Gospel. St. Luke i. 57.

ELISABETH'S full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son. And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her. And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John. And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. And they made signs to his father how he would have him called. And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all. And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed. and he spake, and praised God. And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judæa. And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him. And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; the oath which he sware to our father Abraham, that he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; to give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.

 2nd Evensong

The Psalms Appointed

24 & 96

The Readings

Mal. 4 & Matt. 11:2–19

  

The Antiphon for the Magnificat

It came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him after the name of his father, Zacharias: * and his wife answered, saying: Not so, but he shall be called John (Alleluia!).