Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury and Martyr, 1170

The Collect:

Rite I:
O God, our strength and our salvation, who didst call thy servant Thomas Becket to be a shepherd of thy people and a defender of thy church; Keep thy household from all evil and raise up faithful pastors and leaders who are wise in the ways of the gospel; through Jesus Christ, the shepherd of our souls, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Rite II:
O God, our strength and our salvation, you called your servant Thomas Becket to be a shepherd of your people and a defender of your church; Keep your household from all evil and raise up faithful pastors and leaders who are wise in the ways of the gospel; through Jesus Christ, the shepherd of our souls, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

First Lesson: 2 Esdras 2:42–48

⁴² I, Ezra, saw on Mount Zion a great multitude that I could not number, and they all were praising the Lord with songs. ⁴³In their midst was a young man of great stature, taller than any of the others, and on the head of each of them he placed a crown, but he was more exalted than they. And I was held spellbound. ⁴⁴Then I asked an angel, ‘Who are these, my lord?’ ⁴⁵He answered and said to me, ‘These are they who have put off mortal clothing and have put on the immortal, and have confessed the name of God. Now they are being crowned, and receive palms.’ ⁴⁶Then I said to the angel, ‘Who is that young man who is placing crowns on them and putting palms in their hands?’ ⁴⁷He answered and said to me, ‘He is the Son of God, whom they confessed in the world.’ So I began to praise those who had stood valiantly for the name of the Lord. ⁴⁸Then the angel said to me, ‘Go, tell my people how great and how many are the wonders of the Lord God that you have seen.’

Psalm: Psalm 126

¹ When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, *
       then were we like those who dream.
² Then was our mouth filled with laughter, *
       and our tongue with shouts of joy.
³ Then they said among the nations, *
      “The Lord has done great things for them.”
⁴ The Lord has done great things for us, *
       and we are glad indeed.
⁵ Restore our fortunes, O Lord, *
       like the watercourses of the Negev.
⁶ Those who sowed with tears *
       will reap with songs of joy.
⁷ Those who go out weeping, carrying the seed, *
       will come again with joy, shouldering their sheaves.

Gospel: Matthew 10:16–22

¹⁶ ‘See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. ¹⁷Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; ¹⁸and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles. ¹⁹When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; ²⁰for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. ²¹Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; ²²and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

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