Elizabeth Ann Seton, Vowed Religious and Educator, 1821

The Collect:

Rite I:
Give us grace, O God, to love thee in all things and above all things, that following the example of thy servant Elizabeth Ann Seton we might express our love for thee in the service of others. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

Rite II:
Give us grace, O God, to love you in all things and above all things, that following the example of your servant Elizabeth Ann Seton we might express our love for you in the service of others. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

First Lesson: 2 Esdras 2:15–24

¹⁵ ‘Mother, embrace your children; bring them up with gladness, as does a dove; strengthen their feet, because I have chosen you, says the Lord. ¹⁶And I will raise up the dead from their places, and bring them out from their tombs, because I recognize my name in them. ¹⁷Do not fear, mother of children, for I have chosen you, says the Lord. ¹⁸I will send you help, my servants Isaiah and Jeremiah. According to their counsel I have consecrated and prepared for you twelve trees loaded with various fruits, ¹⁹and the same number of springs flowing with milk and honey, and seven mighty mountains on which roses and lilies grow; by these I will fill your children with joy.

²⁰ ‘Guard the rights of the widow, secure justice for the ward, give to the needy, defend the orphan, clothe the naked, ²¹care for the injured and the weak, do not ridicule the lame, protect the maimed, and let the blind have a vision of my splendour. ²²Protect the old and the young within your walls. ²³When you find any who are dead, commit them to the grave and mark it,^* and I will give you the first place in my resurrection. ²⁴Pause and be quiet, my people, because your rest will come.

Psalm: Psalm 119:105-112

¹⁰⁵ Your word is a lantern to my feet *
         and a light upon my path.
¹⁰⁶ I have sworn and am determined *
        to keep your righteous judgments.
¹⁰⁷ I am deeply troubled; *
        preserve my life, O Lord, according to your word.
¹⁰⁸ Accept, O Lord, the willing tribute of my lips, *
        and teach me your judgments.
¹⁰⁹ My life is always in my hand, *
        yet I do not forget your law.
¹¹⁰ The wicked have set a trap for me, *
        but I have not strayed from your commandments.
¹¹¹ Your decrees are my inheritance for ever; *
        truly, they are the joy of my heart.
¹¹² I have applied my heart to fulfill your statutes *
        for ever and to the end.

Gospel: Luke 14:15-23

¹⁵ One of the dinner guests, on hearing this, said to him, ‘Blessed is anyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!’ ¹⁶Then Jesus said to him, ‘Someone gave a great dinner and invited many. ¹⁷At the time for the dinner he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, “Come; for everything is ready now.” ¹⁸But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, “I have bought a piece of land, and I must go out and see it; please accept my apologies.” ¹⁹Another said, “I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please accept my apologies.” ²⁰Another said, “I have just been married, and therefore I cannot come.” ²¹So the slave returned and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and said to his slave, “Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.” ²²And the slave said, “Sir, what you ordered has been done, and there is still room.” ²³Then the master said to the slave, “Go out into the roads and lanes, and compel people to come in, so that my house may be filled.

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