September 3: [Phoebe, Deacon]

The Collect of the Day

Phoebe

Eternal God, who raised up Phoebe as a deacon in your church and minister of your Gospel; Grant us that same grace that, assisted by her prayers and example, we too may take the Gospel to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Phoebe

Eternal God, who didst raise up Phoebe as a deacon in thy church and minister of thy Gospel; Grant unto us the same grace, that aided by her prayers and example, we too may take the Gospel unto the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Romans 16:1–7
Psalm 119:33–40
Luke 22:24–27

Phoebe appears once in Paul’s letter to the Romans, (16:1) where she is referred to as both a deacon in the church at Cenchreae, near Corinth, and a benefactor of Paul and others.

The fact that Paul commends her to the Roman church at the end of the letter suggests the possibility that she was the messenger, which would speak highly of Paul’s trust in her. There may even have been more to her mission, as Paul commands the Christians in Rome to help her in whatever she needs.

It is unknown what other impact she had in the early church, but she is an example of the many early workers who supported Paul in the spreading of the Gospel, often personally carrying that message across the Empire. We may often think that Paul did it all himself, or at least with the help of only a few of the more prominent individuals such as Luke. But the brief mention of Phoebe gives us an example of the many women and men whose calling was to work faithfully in the background to ensure that the gospel would spread throughout the world.

Lessons and Psalm

First Lesson

Psalm

³³Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes, *and I shall keep it to the end.

³⁴Give me understanding, and I shall keep your law; *I shall keep it with all my heart.

³⁵Make me go in the path of your commandments, *for that is my desire.

³⁶Incline my heart to your decrees *and not to unjust gain.

³⁷Turn my eyes from watching what is worthless; *give me life in your ways.

³⁸Fulfill your promise to your servant, *which you make to those who fear you.

³⁹Turn away the reproach which I dread, *because your judgments are good.

⁴⁰Behold, I long for your commandments; *in your righteousness preserve my life.

Gospel

¹I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church at Cenchreae, ²so that you may welcome her in the Lord as is fitting for the saints, and help her in whatever she may require from you, for she has been a benefactor of many and of myself as well. ³Greet Prisca and Aquila, who work with me in Christ Jesus, ⁴and who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. ⁵Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert in Asia for Christ. ⁶Greet Mary, who has worked very hard among you. ⁷Greet Andronicus and Junia, my relatives who were in prison with me; they are prominent among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.