Martyrs of Japan, 1597

The Collect:

Rite I:
O God our Father, who didst bring the holy martyrs of Japan through the suffering of the cross to the joys of eternal life: Grant that we, encouraged by their example, may hold fast to the faith we profess, even unto death itself; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

Rite II:
O God our Father, who brought the holy martyrs of Japan through the suffering of the cross to the joys of eternal life: Grant that we, encouraged by their example, may hold fast to the faith we profess, even unto death itself; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

First Lesson: Galatians 2:19–3:6

¹⁹For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; ²⁰and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. ²¹I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing. 

¹You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly exhibited as crucified! ²The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard? ³Are you so foolish? Having started with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? ⁴Did you experience so much for nothing?—if it really was for nothing. ⁵Well then, does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?

⁶Just as Abraham ‘believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness’,

Psalm: Psalm 116:1–8

¹ I love the Lord, because he has heard the voice of
                            my supplication, *
       because he has inclined his ear to me whenever
                            I called upon him.
² The cords of death entangled me;
  the grip of the grave took hold of me; *
       I came to grief and sorrow.
³ Then I called upon the Name of the Lord: *
      “O Lord, I pray you, save my life.”
⁴ Gracious is the Lord and righteous; *
       our God is full of compassion.
⁵ The Lord watches over the innocent; *
       I was brought very low, and he helped me.
⁶ Turn again to your rest, O my soul, *
       for the Lord has treated you well.
⁷ For you have rescued my life from death, *
       my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling.
⁸ I will walk in the presence of the Lord *
       in the land of the living.

Gospel: Mark 8:34-38

³⁴ He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ³⁵For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. ³⁶For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? ³⁷Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? ³⁸Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’

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