Ephrem of Nisibis, Deacon and Poet, 373

The Collect:

Rite I:
Pour out upon us, O Lord, that same Spirit by which thy deacon Ephrem declared the mysteries of faith in sacred song; that, with gladdened hearts, we too might proclaim the riches of thy glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Rite II:
Pour out upon us, O Lord, that same Spirit by which your deacon Ephrem declared the mysteries of faith in sacred song; that, with gladdened hearts, we too might proclaim the riches of your glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

First Lesson: Job 38:1–11

¹ Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind: 
² ‘Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? 
³ Gird up your loins like a man,
   I will question you, and you shall declare to me. 

⁴ ‘Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
   Tell me, if you have understanding. 
⁵ Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
   Or who stretched the line upon it? 
⁶ On what were its bases sunk,
   or who laid its cornerstone 
⁷ when the morning stars sang together
   and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy? 

⁸ ‘Or who shut in the sea with doors
   when it burst out from the womb?— 
⁹ when I made the clouds its garment,
   and thick darkness its swaddling band, 
¹⁰ and prescribed bounds for it,
   and set bars and doors, 
¹¹ and said, “Thus far shall you come, and no farther,
   and here shall your proud waves be stopped”?

Psalm: Psalm 68:11–18

¹¹ The Lord gave the word; *
       great was the company of women who bore the tidings:
¹² “Kings with their armies are fleeing away; *
       the women at home are dividing the spoils.”
¹³ Though you lingered among the sheepfolds, *
       you shall be like a dove whose wings are covered with silver,
       whose feathers are like green gold.
¹⁴ When the Almighty scattered kings, *
       it was like snow falling in Zalmon.
¹⁵ O mighty mountain, O hill of Bashan! *
       O rugged mountain, O hill of Bashan!
¹⁶ Why do you look with envy, O rugged mountain,
    at the hill which God chose for his resting place? *
       truly, the Lord will dwell there for ever.
¹⁷ The chariots of God are twenty thousand,
    even thousands of thousands; *
       the Lord comes in holiness from Sinai.
¹⁸ You have gone up on high and led captivity captive;
    you have received gifts even from your enemies, *
       that the Lord God might dwell among them.

Gospel: Mark 9:38–41

³⁸John said to him, ‘Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.’ ³⁹But Jesus said, ‘Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterwards to speak evil of me. ⁴⁰Whoever is not against us is for us. ⁴¹For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.

This page is available in: Español