Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury, 988

The Collect:

Rite I:
Direct thy Church, O Lord, into the beauty of holiness, that, following the good example of thy servant Dunstan, we may honor thy Son Jesus Christ with our lips and in our lives; to the glory of his Name, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Rite II:
Direct your Church, O Lord, into the beauty of holiness, that, following the good example of your servant Dunstan, we may honor your Son Jesus Christ with our lips and in our lives; to the glory of his Name, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

First Lesson: Exodus 25:31–40

³¹You shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The base and the shaft of the lampstand shall be made of hammered work; its cups, its calyxes, and its petals shall be of one piece with it; ³²and there shall be six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it; ³³three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with calyx and petals, on one branch, and three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with calyx and petals, on the other branch—so for the six branches going out of the lampstand. ³⁴On the lampstand itself there shall be four cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with its calyxes and petals. ³⁵There shall be a calyx of one piece with it under the first pair of branches, a calyx of one piece with it under the next pair of branches, and a calyx of one piece with it under the last pair of branches—so for the six branches that go out of the lampstand. ³⁶Their calyxes and their branches shall be of one piece with it, the whole of it one hammered piece of pure gold. ³⁷You shall make the seven lamps for it; and the lamps shall be set up so as to give light on the space in front of it. ³⁸Its snuffers and trays shall be of pure gold. ³⁹It, and all these utensils, shall be made from a talent of pure gold. ⁴⁰And see that you make them according to the pattern for them, which is being shown you on the mountain.

Psalm: Psalm 57:6-11

⁶ Exalt yourself above the heavens, O God, *
       and your glory over all the earth.
⁷ My heart is firmly fixed, O God, my heart is fixed; *
       I will sing and make melody.
⁸ Wake up, my spirit;
  awake, lute and harp; *
       I myself will waken the dawn.
⁹ I will confess you among the peoples, O Lord; *
       I will sing praise to you among the nations.
¹⁰ For your loving-kindness is greater than the heavens, *
       and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
¹¹ Exalt yourself above the heavens, O God, *
       and your glory over all the earth.

Gospel: Matthew 24:42-47

⁴²Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. ⁴³But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁴Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.

⁴⁵ ‘Who then is the faithful and wise slave, whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give the other slaves their allowance of food at the proper time? ⁴⁶Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. ⁴⁷Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his possessions.

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