Elisabeth Cruciger, Poet and Hymnographer, 1535

The Collect:

Rite I:
Pour out thy Spirit upon all of thy sons and daughters, Almighty God, that like thy servant Elisabeth Cruciger our lips may praise thee, our lives may bless thee, and our worship may give thee glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Rite II:
Pour out your Spirit upon all of your sons and daughters, Almighty God, that like your servant Elisabeth Cruciger our lips may praise you, our lives may bless you, and our worship may give you glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

First Lesson: Joel 2:23–29

²³    O children of Zion, be glad
         and rejoice in the Lord your God;
     for he has given the early rain for your vindication,
         he has poured down for you abundant rain,
         the early and the later rain, as before.
²⁴    The threshing-floors shall be full of grain,
         the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.

^25.   I will repay you for the years
         that the swarming locust has eaten,
     the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter,
         my great army, which I sent against you.

²⁶    You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,
         and praise the name of the Lord your God,
         who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame.
²⁷    You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel,
         and that I, the Lord, am your God and there is no other.
     And my people shall never again
         be put to shame.

²⁸     Then afterwards
         I will pour out my spirit on all flesh;
     your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
         your old men shall dream dreams,
         and your young men shall see visions.
^29.   Even on the male and female slaves,
         in those days, I will pour out my spirit.

Psalm: Psalm 26

¹ Give judgment for me, O Lord,
   for I have lived with integrity; *
       I have trusted in the Lord and have not faltered.
² Test me, O Lord, and try me; *
       examine my heart and my mind.
³ For your love is before my eyes; *
       I have walked faithfully with you.
⁴ I have not sat with the worthless, *
       nor do I consort with the deceitful.
⁵ I have hated the company of evildoers; *
       I will not sit down with the wicked.
⁶ I will wash my hands in innocence, O Lord, *
       that I may go in procession round your altar,
⁷ Singing aloud a song of thanksgiving *
       and recounting all your wonderful deeds.
⁸ Lord, I love the house in which you dwell *
       and the place where your glory abides.
⁹ Do not sweep me away with sinners, *
       nor my life with those who thirst for blood,
¹⁰ Whose hands are full of evil plots, *
       and their right hand full of bribes.
¹¹ As for me, I will live with integrity; *
       redeem me, O Lord, and have pity on me.
¹² My foot stands on level ground; *
       in the full assembly I will bless the Lord.

Gospel: Luke 1:46–55

⁴⁶ And Mary said,

          ‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
⁴⁷           and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
^48.        for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
              Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
⁴⁹        for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
              and holy is his name.
⁵⁰        His mercy is for those who fear him
              from generation to generation.
^51.         He has shown strength with his arm;
              he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
⁵²        He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
              and lifted up the lowly;
⁵³        he has filled the hungry with good things,
              and sent the rich away empty.
^54.         He has helped his servant Israel,
              in remembrance of his mercy,
⁵⁵        according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
              to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’

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