David of Wales, Bishop, c. 544

The Collect:

Rite I:
Almighty God, who didst call thy servant David to be a faithful and wise steward of thy mysteries for the people of Wales: Mercifully grant that, following his purity of life and zeal for the Gospel of Christ, we may, with him, praise thee both here on earth and also in thy everlasting kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Rite II:
Almighty God, who called your servant David to be a faithful and wise steward of your mysteries for the people of Wales: Mercifully grant that, following his purity of life and zeal for the Gospel of Christ, we may, with him, praise you both here on earth and also in your everlasting kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

First Lesson: Proverbs 15:14-21 

¹⁴ The mind of one who has understanding seeks knowledge,
    but the mouths of fools feed on folly.
¹⁵ All the days of the poor are hard,
    but a cheerful heart has a continual feast.
¹⁶ Better is a little with the fear of the Lord
    than great treasure and trouble with it.
¹⁷ Better is a dinner of vegetables where love is
    than a fatted ox and hatred with it.
¹⁸ Those who are hot-tempered stir up strife,
    but those who are slow to anger calm contention.
¹⁹ The way of the lazy is overgrown with thorns,
    but the path of the upright is a level highway.
²⁰ A wise child makes a glad father,
    but the foolish despise their mothers.
²¹ Folly is a joy to one who has no sense,
    but a person of understanding walks straight ahead.

Psalm: Psalm 135:13-21 

13 O Lord, your Name is everlasting; *
your renown, O Lord, endures from age to age.
14 For the Lord gives his people justice *
and shows compassion to his servants.
15 The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, *
the work of human hands.
16 They have mouths, but they cannot speak; *
eyes have they, but they cannot see.
17 They have ears, but they cannot hear; *
neither is there any breath in their mouth.
18 Those who make them are like them, *
and so are all who put their trust in them.
19 Bless the Lord, O house of Israel; *
O house of Aaron, bless the Lord.
20 Bless the Lord, O house of Levi; *
you who fear the Lord, bless the Lord.
21 Blessed be the Lord out of Zion, *
who dwells in Jerusalem.
Hallelujah!

Second Lesson: 1 Thessalonians 2:7b–12

⁷though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children. ⁸So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.

⁹You remember our labour and toil, brothers and sisters; we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. ¹⁰You are witnesses, and God also, how pure, upright, and blameless our conduct was towards you believers. ¹¹As you know, we dealt with each one of you like a father with his children, ¹²urging and encouraging you and pleading that you should lead a life worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

Gospel: Mark 4:26-29

²⁶ He also said, ‘The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, ²⁷and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. ²⁸The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. ²⁹But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.’

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