Pauli Murray, Priest, 1985

The Collect:

Rite I:
Liberating God, we give thee thanks for the steadfast courage of thy servant Pauli Murray, who didst fight long and well: Unshackle us from the chains of prejudice and fear, that we may show forth the reconciling love and true freedom which thou didst reveal in thy Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Rite II:
Liberating God, we thank you for the steadfast courage of your servant Pauli Murray, who fought long and well: Unshackle us from the chains of prejudice and fear, that we may show forth the reconciling love and true freedom which you revealed in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

First Lesson: Galatians 3:23–29

²³Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. ²⁴Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, ²⁶ for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. ²⁷ As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. ²⁸ There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.

Psalm: Psalm 119:17–24

¹⁷ Deal bountifully with your servant, *
       that I may live and keep your word.
¹⁸ Open my eyes, that I may see *
       the wonders of your law.
¹⁹ I am a stranger here on earth; *
       do not hide your commandments from me.
²⁰ My soul is consumed at all times *
       with longing for your judgments.
²¹ You have rebuked the insolent; *
       cursed are they who stray from your commandments!
²² Turn from me shame and rebuke, *
       for I have kept your decrees.
²³ Even though rulers sit and plot against me, *
       I will meditate on your statutes.
²⁴ For your decrees are my delight, *
       and they are my counselors.

Gospel: Mark 12:1–12

¹ Then he began to speak to them in parables. ‘A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a pit for the wine press, and built a watch-tower; then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. ² When the season came, he sent a slave to the tenants to collect from them his share of the produce of the vineyard. ³ But they seized him, and beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. ⁴ And again he sent another slave to them; this one they beat over the head and insulted. ⁵ Then he sent another, and that one they killed. And so it was with many others; some they beat, and others they killed. ⁶ He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, “They will respect my son.” ⁷ But those tenants said to one another, “This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.” ⁸ So they seized him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. ⁹ What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. ¹⁰ Have you not read this scripture:

       “The stone that the builders rejected
           has become the cornerstone;[a]
^11.    this was the Lord’s doing,
           and it is amazing in our eyes”?’

¹² When they realized that he had told this parable against them, they wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowd. So they left him and went away.

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