John of Damascus, Priest and Theologian, c.760

The Collect:

Rite I:
Confirm our minds, O Lord, in the mysteries of the true faith, set forth with power by thy servant John of Damascus; that we, with him, confessing Jesus to be true God and true Man and singing the praises of the risen Lord, may, by the power of the resurrection, attain to eternal joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Rite II:
Confirm our minds, O Lord, in the mysteries of the true faith, set forth with power by your servant John of Damascus; that we, with him, confessing Jesus to be true God and true Man and singing the praises of the risen Lord, may, by the power of the resurrection, attain to eternal joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

First Lesson: 1 Corinthians 15:12-20

¹²Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? ¹³If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; ¹⁴and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. ¹⁵We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ—whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. ¹⁶For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. ¹⁷If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. ¹⁸Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. ¹⁹If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

²⁰But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.

Psalm: Psalm 118:14–21

¹⁴ The Lord is my strength and my song, *
       and he has become my salvation.
¹⁵ There is a sound of exultation and victory *
       in the tents of the righteous:
¹⁶ “The right hand of the Lord has triumphed! *
       the right hand of the Lord is exalted!
       the right hand of the Lord has triumphed!”
¹⁷ I shall not die, but live, *
       and declare the works of the Lord.
¹⁸ The Lord has punished me sorely, *
       but he did not hand me over to death.
¹⁹ Open for me the gates of righteousness; *
       I will enter them;
       I will offer thanks to the Lord.
²⁰ “This is the gate of the Lord; *
       he who is righteous may enter.”
²¹ I will give thanks to you, for you answered me *
       and have become my salvation.

Gospel: John 5:24-27

²⁴Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and does not come under judgment, but has passed from death to life. ²⁵“Very truly, I tell you, the hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. ²⁶For just as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself; ²⁷and he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man.

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