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Feast of St. Stephen

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    The Collect of the Day

    Saint Stephen

    December 26

    We give you thanks, O Lord of glory, for the example of the first martyr Stephen, who looked up to heaven and prayed for his persecutors to your Son Jesus Christ, who stands at your right hand; where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

    Psalms

    28

    Ad te, DomineBCP p. 619

    1O Lord, I call to you; my Rock, do not be deaf to my cry; *lest, if you do not hear me, I become like those who go down to the Pit.

    2Hear the voice of my prayer when I cry out to you, *when I lift up my hands to your holy of holies.

    3Do not snatch me away with the wicked or with the evildoers, *who speak peaceably with their neighbors, while strife is in their hearts.

    4Repay them according to their deeds, *and according to the wickedness of their actions.

    5According to the work of their hands repay them, *and give them their just deserts.

    6They have no understanding of the Lord’s doings, nor of the works of his hands; *therefore he will break them down and not build them up.

    7Blessed is the Lord! *for he has heard the voice of my prayer.

    8The Lord is my strength and my shield; *my heart trusts in him, and I have been helped;

    9Therefore my heart dances for joy, *and in my song will I praise him.

    10The Lord is the strength of his people, *a safe refuge for his anointed.

    11Save your people and bless your inheritance; *shepherd them and carry them for ever.

    30

    Exaltabo te, DomineBCP p. 621

    1I will exalt you, O Lord, because you have lifted me up *and have not let my enemies triumph over me.

    2O Lord my God, I cried out to you, *and you restored me to health.

    3You brought me up, O Lord, from the dead; *you restored my life as I was going down to the grave.

    4Sing to the Lord, you servants of his; *give thanks for the remembrance of his holiness.

    5For his wrath endures but the twinkling of an eye, *his favor for a lifetime.

    6Weeping may spend the night, *but joy comes in the morning.

    7While I felt secure, I said, “I shall never be disturbed. *You, Lord, with your favor, made me as strong as the mountains.”

    8Then you hid your face, *and I was filled with fear.

    9I cried to you, O Lord; *I pleaded with the Lord, saying,

    10“What profit is there in my blood, if I go down to the Pit? *will the dust praise you or declare your faithfulness?

    11Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me; *O Lord, be my helper.”

    12You have turned my wailing into dancing; *you have put off my sack-cloth and clothed me with joy.

    13Therefore my heart sings to you without ceasing; *O Lord my God, I will give you thanks for ever.

    Daily Office Readings

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    2 Chron. 24:17-22

    17 Now after the death of Jehoiada the officials of Judah came and did obeisance to the king; then the king listened to them. 18 They abandoned the house of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and served the sacred poles and the idols. And wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs. 19 Yet he sent prophets among them to bring them back to the Lord; they testified against them, but they would not listen. 20 Then the spirit of God took possession of Zechariah son of the priest Jehoiada; he stood above the people and said to them, “Thus says God: Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has also forsaken you.” 21 But they conspired against him, and by command of the king they stoned him to death in the court of the house of the Lord. 22 King Joash did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah’s father, had shown him, but killed his son. As he was dying, he said, “May the Lord see and avenge!”

    Acts 6:1-7

    1 Now during those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food. 2 And the twelve called together the whole community of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Therefore, friends, select from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task, 4 while we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word.” 5 What they said pleased the whole community, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. 6 They had these men stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. 7 The word of God continued to spread; the number of the disciples increased greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.