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SAINT
JAMES THE APOSTLE
JEREMIAH 45:1-5
PSALM
7:1-10
ACTS
11:27-12:3
MATTHEW
20:20-28
COLLECT
Almighty God,
we remember today your servant James,
the first apostle to give his life
for faith in Jesus Christ.
Pour out on all your people
that spirit of self-denying service
which is the mark of true leadership.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
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A
READING FROM THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH
The word that the prophet Jeremiah spoke to Baruch son of Neriah,
when he wrote these words in a scroll at the dictation of
Jeremiah, in the fourth year of King Jehoiakim son of Josiah of
Judah: Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to you, O Baruch:
You said, "Woe is me! The Lord has added sorrow to my pain; I
am weary with my groaning, and I find no rest." Thus you
shall say to him, "Thus says the Lord: I am going to break
down what I have built, and pluck up what I have planted - that
is, the whole land. And you, do you seek great things for
yourself? Do you not seek them; for I am going to bring disaster
upon all flesh, says the Lord; but I will give you your life as a
prize of war in every place to which you may go."
JEREMIAH 45:1-5
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PSALM
REFRAIN God is the saviour of the true in heart.
O
Lord my God, I take refuge in you; save and deliver me from all
who pursue me;
Lest
like a lion they tear me in pieces and snatch me away with none to
deliver me. R
O
Lord my God, if I have done these things: if there is any
wickedness in my hands,
If
I have repaid my friend with evil, or plundered him who without
cause is my enemy;
Then
let my enemy pursue and overtake me, trample my life into the
ground, and lay my honour in the
dust. R
Stand
up, O Lord, in your wrath; rise up against the fury of my enemies.
Awake,
O my God, decree justice; let the assembly of the peoples gather
round you.
Be
seated on your lofty throne, O Most High; O Lord, judge the
nations. R
Give
judgement for me according to my righteousness, O Lord, and
according to my innocence, O Most High.
Let
the malice of the wicked come to an end, but establish the
righteous; for you test the mind and heart, O righteous God. R
PSALM 7:1-10
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A
READING FROM THE BOOK OF ACTS
At that time prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of
them named Agabus stood up and predicted by the Spirit that there
would be a severe famine over all the world; and this took place
during the reign of Claudius. The disciples determined that
according to their ability, each would send relief to the
believers living in Judea; this they did, sending it to the elders
by Barnabas and Saul. About that time King Herod laid violent
hands upon some who belonged to the church. He had James, the
brother of John, killed with the sword. After he saw that it
pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. (This was
during the festival of Unleavened Bread.)
ACTS 11:27-12:3
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THE
HOLY GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
ACCORDING TO MATTHEW
The mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her sons, and
kneeling before him, she asked a favour of him. And he said to
her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Declare
that these two sons of mine will sit, one at your right hand and
one at your left, in your kingdom." But Jesus answered,
"You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink
the cup that I am about to drink?" They said to him, "We
are able." He said to them, "You will indeed drink my
cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left, this is not mine
to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my
Father." When the ten heard it, they were angry with the two
brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, "You know
that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great
ones are tyrants over them. It will not be so among you; but
whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, and
whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave; just as
the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his
life a ransom for many."
MATTHEW 20:20-28
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PRAYER
OVER THE GIFTS
Lord God,
today we honour your servant James,
the first apostle to share the cup of suffering and death.
Receive our offering of praise and thanksgiving,
and renew us in the service of your Son Jesus Christ,
who came not to be served but to serve,
and to give his life as a ransom for many.
We ask this in his name.
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PRAYER
AFTER COMMUNION
Father,
we have eaten the bread of your table
and drunk from the cup of your kingdom.
Teach us, we pray, the way of service
that in compassion and humility
we may reflect the glory of Jesus Christ,
the Son of man and Son of God,
our Lord.
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