Damien, Priest, 1889 and Marianne Cope, Monastic, 1918 of Hawaii

The Collect:

Rite I:
Bind up the wounds of thy children O God, and help us to be bold and loving in service to all who are shunned for the diseases they suffer, following the example of thy servants Damien and Marianne, that thy grace may be poured forth upon all; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Rite II:
Bind up the wounds of your children, O God, and help us to be bold and loving in service to all who are shunned for the diseases they suffer, following the example of your servants Damien and Marianne, that your grace may be poured forth upon all; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

First Lesson: Isaiah 57:14-19

¹⁴ It shall be said,
‘Build up, build up, prepare the way,
   remove every obstruction from my people’s way.’ 
¹⁵ For thus says the high and lofty one
   who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:
I dwell in the high and holy place,
   and also with those who are contrite and humble in spirit,
to revive the spirit of the humble,
   and to revive the heart of the contrite. 
¹⁶ For I will not continually accuse,
   nor will I always be angry;
for then the spirits would grow faint before me,
   even the souls that I have made. 
¹⁷ Because of their wicked covetousness I was angry;
   I struck them, I hid and was angry;
   but they kept turning back to their own ways. 
¹⁸ I have seen their ways, but I will heal them;
   I will lead them and repay them with comfort,
   creating for their mourners the fruit of the lips.
¹⁹ Peace, peace, to the far and the near, says the Lord;
   and I will heal them.

Psalm: Psalm 32:7-12 

⁷ Be still before the Lord *
and wait patiently for him.
⁸ Do not fret yourself over the one who prospers, *
the one who succeeds in evil schemes.
⁹ Refrain from anger, leave rage alone; *
do not fret yourself; it leads only to evil.
¹⁰ For evildoers shall be cut off, *
but those who wait upon the Lord shall possess the land.
¹¹ In a little while the wicked shall be no more; *
you shall search out their place, but they will not be there.
¹² But the lowly shall possess the land; *
they will delight in abundance of peace.

Second Lesson: 1 Corinthians 4:9-13

⁹ For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, as though sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to mortals. ¹⁰ We are fools for the sake of Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honour, but we in disrepute. ¹¹ To the present hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed and beaten and homeless, ¹² and we grow weary from the work of our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; ¹³ when slandered, we speak kindly. We have become like the rubbish of the world, the dregs of all things, to this very day.

Gospel: Matthew 11:1-6

¹ Now when Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and proclaim his message in their cities. ² When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples ³and said to him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?’ ⁴Jesus answered them, ‘Go and tell John what you hear and see: ⁵the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. ⁶And blessed is anyone who takes no offence at me.’

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