Absalom Jones, Priest, 1818

The Collect:

Rite I:
Set us free, O heavenly Father, from every bond of prejudice and fear; that, honoring the steadfast courage of thy servant Absalom Jones, we may show forth in our lives the reconciling love and true freedom of the children of God, which thou hast given us 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:
Set us free, heavenly Father, from every bond of prejudice and fear; that, honoring the steadfast courage of your servant Absalom Jones, we may show forth in our lives the reconciling love and true freedom of the children of God, which you have given us 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: Isaiah 42:5–9

⁵ Thus says God, the Lord,
   who created the heavens and stretched them out,
   who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
who gives breath to the people upon it
   and spirit to those who walk in it:
⁶ I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness,
   I have taken you by the hand and kept you;
I have given you as a covenant to the people,
   a light to the nations,
⁷   to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
   from the prison those who sit in darkness.
⁸ I am the Lord, that is my name;
   my glory I give to no other,
   nor my praise to idols.
⁹ See, the former things have come to pass,
   and new things I now declare;
before they spring forth,
   I tell you of them.

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: John 15:12-15

¹² ‘This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. ¹⁴You are my friends if you do what I command you. ¹⁵I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.

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