Mechthild of Madgeburg, Mystic, c.1282

The Collect:

Rite I:
Draw the souls of thy people into thy love, O God; that, like thy servant Mechthild, we may yearn to be fully thine, for thou dost know us better than we can know ourselves; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God now and for ever. Amen.

Rite II:
Draw the souls of your people into your love, O God, that like your servant Mechthild, we may yearn to be fully yours, for you know us better than we can know ourselves; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and for ever. Amen.

First Lesson: Song of Songs 3:1–5

¹ Upon my bed at night
   I sought him whom my soul loves;
I sought him, but found him not;
   I called him, but he gave no answer.* 
² ‘I will rise now and go about the city,
   in the streets and in the squares;
I will seek him whom my soul loves.’
   I sought him, but found him not. 
³ The sentinels found me,
   as they went about in the city.
‘Have you seen him whom my soul loves?’ 
⁴ Scarcely had I passed them,
   when I found him whom my soul loves.
I held him, and would not let him go
   until I brought him into my mother’s house,
   and into the chamber of her that conceived me. 
⁵ I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
   by the gazelles or the wild does:
do not stir up or awaken love
   until it is ready! 

Psalm: Psalm 71:17-23 

¹⁷ O God, you have taught me since I was young, *
and to this day I tell of your wonderful works.
¹⁸ And now that I am old and gray-headed, O God, do not
forsake me, *
till I make known your strength to this generation
and your power to all who are to come.
¹⁹ Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens; *
you have done great things;
who is like you, O God?
²⁰ You have showed me great troubles and adversities, *
but you will restore my life
and bring me up again from the deep places of the earth.
²¹ You strengthen me more and more;
you enfold and comfort me,
²² Therefore I will praise you upon the lyre for your
faithfulness, O my God; *
I will sing to you with the harp, O Holy One of Israel.
²³ My lips will sing with joy when I play to you, *
and so will my soul, which you have redeemed.

Second Lesson: 1 Thessalonians 3:6-13 

⁶ But Timothy has just now come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love. He has told us also that you always remember us kindly and long to see us—just as we long to see you. ⁷ For this reason, brothers and sisters, during all our distress and persecution we have been encouraged about you through your faith. ⁸ For we now live, if you continue to stand firm in the Lord. ⁹ How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you? ¹⁰ Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and restore whatever is lacking in your faith.

¹¹ Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. ¹² And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. ¹³ And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

Gospel: Mark 8:22–26

²²They came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him. ²³He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village; and when he had put saliva on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, ‘Can you see anything?’ ²⁴And the manlooked up and said, ‘I can see people, but they look like trees, walking.’ ²⁵Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he looked intently and his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. ²⁶Then he sent him away to his home, saying, ‘Do not even go into the village.’ 

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