Martyrs of Japan, 1597

The Collect:

Rite I:
O God our Father, who didst bring the holy martyrs of Japan through the suffering of the cross to the joys of eternal life: Grant that we, encouraged by their example, may hold fast to the faith we profess, even unto death itself; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

Rite II:
O God our Father, who brought the holy martyrs of Japan through the suffering of the cross to the joys of eternal life: Grant that we, encouraged by their example, may hold fast to the faith we profess, even unto death itself; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

First Lesson: Lamentations 3:52-60

⁵² Those who were my enemies without cause
    have hunted me like a bird;
⁵³ they flung me alive into a pit
    and hurled stones on me;
⁵⁴ water closed over my head;
    I said, ‘I am lost.’

⁵⁵ I called on your name, O Lord,
    from the depths of the pit;
⁵⁶ you heard my plea, ‘Do not close your ear
    to my cry for help, but give me relief!’
⁵⁷ You came near when I called on you;
    you said, ‘Do not fear!’

⁵⁸ You have taken up my cause, O Lord,
    you have redeemed my life.
⁵⁹ You have seen the wrong done to me, O Lord;
    judge my cause.
⁶⁰ You have seen all their malice,
    all their plots against me.

Psalm: Psalm 39:5-8 

⁵ Lord, let me know my end and the number of my days, *
so that I may know how short my life is.
⁶ You have given me a mere handful of days,
and my lifetime is as nothing in your sight; *
truly, even those who stand erect are but a puff of wind.
⁷ We walk about like a shadow,
and in vain we are in turmoil; *
we heap up riches and cannot tell who will gather them.
⁸ And now, what is my hope? *
O Lord, my hope is in you.

Second Lesson: Galatians 2:19–3:7

¹⁹For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; ²⁰and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. ²¹I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing. 

¹You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly exhibited as crucified! ²The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard? ³Are you so foolish? Having started with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? ⁴Did you experience so much for nothing?—if it really was for nothing. ⁵Well then, does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?

⁶Just as Abraham ‘believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness’, ⁷ so, you see, those who believe are the descendants of Abraham.

Gospel: Mark 8:34-38

³⁴ He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ³⁵For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. ³⁶For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? ³⁷Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? ³⁸Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’

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