Readings

November 7: Willibrord, Bishop and Missionary, 739

The Collect of the Day

Willibrord

Pour out your Holy Spirit, O God, upon your church in every land, that like your servant Willibrord we might proclaim the Gospel to all nations, that your kingdom might be enlarged and that your holy Name might be glorified in all the world; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the same Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Willibrord

Pour out thy Holy Spirit, O God, upon thy church in every land, that like thy servant Willibrord we might proclaim the Gospel unto all nations, that thy kingdom might be enlarged and that thy holy Name might be glorified in all the world; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

We know about Willibrord’s life and missionary labors through a notice in Bede’s Ecclesiastical History and a biography by his younger kinsman, Alcuin. He was born in Northumbria around 658, and, from the age of seven, was brought up and educated at Bishop Wilfrid’s monastery in Ripon. For twelve years, from 678–690, he studied in Ireland, where he acquired his thirst for missionary work.

In 690, with twelve companions, he set out for Frisia, a pagan area that was increasingly coming under the domination of the Christian Franks. There, Bishop Wilfrid and a few other Englishmen had made short missionary visits, but with little success. With the aid of the Frankish rulers, Willibrord established his base at Utrecht, and in 695 Pope Sergius ordained him as a bishop and gave him the name of Clement.

In 698, he founded the monastery of Echternach, near Trier. Hiswork was frequently disturbed by the conflict of the pagan Frisians with the Franks, and for a time he left the area to work among the Danes. For three years, from 719–722, he was assisted by Boniface, who at a later time came back to Frisia to strengthen the mission. In a very real sense, Willibrord prepared the way for Boniface’s more successful achievements by his relations with the Frankish rulers and the papacy, who thus became joint sponsors of missionary work. He died at Echternach, November 7th, 739.

Lessons and Psalm

First Lesson

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Psalm

1Sing to the Lord a new song, *for he has done marvelous things.

2With his right hand and his holy arm *has he won for himself the victory.

3The Lord has made known his victory; *his righteousness has he openly shown in the sight of the nations.

4He remembers his mercy and faithfulness to the house of Israel, *and all the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.

Gospel

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2 Kings 2:19–25

19 Now the people of the city said to Elisha, “The location of this city is good, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the land is unfruitful.” 20 He said, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. 21 Then he went to the spring of water and threw the salt into it, and said, “Thus says the Lord, I have made this water wholesome; from now on neither death nor miscarriage shall come from it.” 22 So the water has been wholesome to this day, according to the word that Elisha spoke. 23 He went up from there to Bethel; and while he was going up on the way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him, saying, “Go away, baldhead! Go away, baldhead!” 24 When he turned around and saw them, he cursed them in the name of the Lord. Then two she-bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys. 25 From there he went on to Mount Carmel, and then returned to Samaria.

Luke 18:1–8

1 Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. 3 In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my opponent.’ 4 For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, ‘Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? 8 I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”