Margaret Ward, Margaret Clitherow, and Anne Line, Martyrs, 1588, 1586, and 1601

The Collect:

Rite I:
Most Merciful God, who despisest not a broken and contrite heart and hath promised to fill those who hunger and thirst after righteousness; We humbly beseech thee, remember not the sins and offenses of our forefathers, but grant that, like thy servants Margaret Ward, Margaret Clitherow, and Anne Line, we may sanctify thee in our hearts and be always ready to answer for our faith with meekness and fear; through our only Mediator and Advocate, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Rite II:
Most Merciful God, who despises not a broken and contrite heart and has promised to fill those who hunger and thirst after righteousness; We humbly beseech you, remember not the sins and offenses of our ancestors, but grant that, like your servants Margaret Ward, Margaret Clitherow, and Anne Line, we may sanctify you in our hearts and be always ready to answer for our faith with meekness and fear; through our only Mediator and Advocate, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

First Lesson: Ezekiel 37:1–14

¹ The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. ² He led me all round them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. ³ He said to me, ‘Mortal, can these bones live?’ I answered, ‘O Lord God, you know.’ ⁴ Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. ⁵ Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. ⁶ I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord.’

⁷ So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. ⁸ I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. ⁹ Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.’ ¹⁰ I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.

¹¹ Then he said to me, ‘Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, “Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.” ¹² Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. ¹³ And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. ¹⁴ I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord.’

Psalm: Psalm 116

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.
⁹ I believed, even when I said,
  “I have been brought very low.” *
       In my distress I said, “No one can be trusted.”
¹⁰ How shall I repay the Lord *
       for all the good things he has done for me?
¹¹ I will lift up the cup of salvation *
       and call upon the Name of the Lord.
¹² I will fulfill my vows to the Lord *
       in the presence of all his people.
¹³ Precious in the sight of the Lord *
       is the death of his servants.
¹⁴ O Lord, I am your servant; *
       I am your servant and the child of your handmaid;
       you have freed me from my bonds.
¹⁵ I will offer you the sacrifice of thanksgiving *
       and call upon the Name of the Lord.
¹⁶ I will fulfill my vows to the Lord *
       in the presence of all his people,
¹⁷ In the courts of the Lord’s house, *
       in the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
       Hallelujah!

Gospel: Mark 13:3–13

³ When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, ⁴ ‘Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?’ ⁵ Then Jesus began to say to them, ‘Beware that no one leads you astray. ⁶ Many will come in my name and say, “I am he!” and they will lead many astray. ⁷ When you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. ⁸ For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs.

⁹ ‘As for yourselves, beware; for they will hand you over to councils; and you will be beaten in synagogues; and you will stand before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them. ¹⁰ And the good news must first be proclaimed to all nations. ¹¹ When they bring you to trial and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say; but say whatever is given you at that time, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. ¹² Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; ¹³ and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

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