Readings

August 30: Margaret Ward, Margaret Clitherow, and Anne Line

The Collect of the Day

Margaret Ward

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.

Margaret Ward

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.

1588, 1586, and 1601]

To their credit, our sixteenth century ancestors perceived a vital connection between politics, religion, and morality; to their shame both Catholics and Protestants pursued the righteousness of Christ with the sword. Despite her pacific disposition and refusal to “make windows into men's souls,” many Roman Catholics were persecuted as traitors by Anglican magistrates during the reign of Elizabeth I. Margaret Ward, Margaret Clitherow and Anne Line, along with the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales canonized by Paul VI in 1970, fell victims to this Anti-Catholic violence. Though we rightly celebrate the flourishing of Anglicanism in the reign of Elizabeth, we must repent of zeal without knowledge and unjust violence.

Nothing is known of the early life of Margaret Ward, the Pearl of Tyburn. She helped a Roman Catholic priest, William (or Richard) Watson to escape from Bridewell Prison. Discovered and arrested, Ward was questioned, kept in irons for eight days, hanged by the wrists and scourged; nevertheless, she refused to disclose the whereabouts of Watson. Liberty was offered if she would worship at an Anglican service and beseech pardon of the Queen. Refusing, Ward was executed by hanging on August 30th, 1588.

Margaret Clitherow, called the Pearl of York, converted to the Roman Catholic faith. Her husband, whose brother was a Roman Catholic priest, remained in the Church of England. He paid the fines levied for his wife’s lack of attendance at church and allowed her to harbor priests in their home, an offense punishable by death. Discovered and arrested, Clitherow refused to plea, sparing her children from testifying against their mother. To induce a plea, weights were placed on a board until she was crushed. Clitherow died on Good Friday 1586, which coincided with the Annunciation that year. Hearing of her cruel death, Elizabeth wrote to the people of York to protest the execution of a woman.

Anne Line and her brother were converts to the Roman faith disinherited by their Puritan father. Born Alice Higham, she took the name Anne after her conversion, and was married to Roger Line, who was also a disinherited convert. After her husband’s death, Anne was entrusted to keep a house of refuge for fugitive priests by the Jesuit missionary-priest John Gerard. On Candlemas 1601, during the blessing of the candles, her house was raided. At her trial, Line told the court she only regretted not being able to harbor a thousand more priests. She was executed by hanging on February 27th.

Lessons and Psalm

First Lesson

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Psalm

1I 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.

2The cords of death entangled me; the grip of the grave took hold of me; *I came to grief and sorrow.

3Then I called upon the Name of the Lord: *“O Lord, I pray you, save my life.”

4Gracious is the Lord and righteous; *our God is full of compassion.

5The Lord watches over the innocent; *I was brought very low, and he helped me.

6Turn again to your rest, O my soul. *for the Lord has treated you well.

7For you have rescued my life from death, *my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling.

8I will walk in the presence of the Lord *in the land of the living.

9I believed, even when I said, “I have been brought very low.” *In my distress I said, “No one can be trusted.”

10How shall I repay the Lord *for all the good things he has done for me?

11I will lift up the cup of salvation *and call upon the Name of the Lord.

12I will fulfill my vows to the Lord *in the presence of all his people.

13Precious in the sight of the Lord *is the death of his servants.

14O Lord, I am your servant; *I am your servant and the child of your handmaid; you have freed me from my bonds.

15I will offer you the sacrifice of thanksgiving *and call upon the Name of the Lord.

16I will fulfill my vows to the Lord *in the presence of all his people,

17In the courts of the Lord’s house, *in the midst of you, O Jerusalem. Hallelujah!

Gospel

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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 around 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.

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 rumors 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 birthpangs. 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.