Polycarp of Smyrna, Bishop and Martyr, 156

The Collect:

Rite I:
O God, the maker of heaven and earth, who didst give thy venerable servant, the holy and gentle Polycarp, the boldness to confess Jesus Christ as King and Savior and the steadfastness to die for that faith: Give us grace, following his example, to share the cup of Christ and to rise to eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Rite II:
O God, the maker of heaven and earth, you gave your venerable servant, the holy and gentle Polycarp, the boldness to confess Jesus Christ as King and Savior and the steadfastness to die for his faith: Give us grace, following his example, to share the cup of Christ and to rise to eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

First Lesson: Numbers 23:5-12 

⁵ The Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, ‘Return to Balak, and this is what you must say.’ ⁶ So he returned to Balak, who was standing beside his burnt-offerings with all the officials of Moab. ⁷ Then Balaam uttered his oracle, saying:

‘Balak has brought me from Aram,
    the king of Moab from the eastern mountains:
“Come, curse Jacob for me;
    Come, denounce Israel!”
⁸ How can I curse whom God has not cursed?
    How can I denounce those whom the Lord has not denounced?
⁹ For from the top of the crags I see him,
    from the hills I behold him.
Here is a people living alone,
    and not reckoning itself among the nations!
¹⁰ Who can count the dust of Jacob,
    or number the dust-cloud of Israel?
Let me die the death of the upright,
    and let my end be like his!’

¹¹ Then Balak said to Balaam, ‘What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but now you have done nothing but bless them.’ ¹² He answered, ‘Must I not take care to say what the Lord puts into my mouth?’

Psalm: Psalm 119:9-16

⁹ How shall a young man cleanse his way? *
By keeping to your words.
¹⁰ With my whole heart I seek you; *
let me not stray from your commandments.
¹¹ I treasure your promise in my heart, *
that I may not sin against you.
¹² Blessed are you, O Lord; *
instruct me in your statutes.
¹³ With my lips will I recite *
all the judgments of your mouth.
¹⁴ I have taken greater delight in the way of your decrees *
than in all manner of riches.
¹⁵ I will meditate on your commandments *
and give attention to your ways.
¹⁶ My delight is in your statutes; *
I will not forget your word.

Second Lesson: Revelation 2:8–11

⁸ ‘And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of the first and the last, who was dead and came to life:

⁹ ‘I know your affliction and your poverty, even though you are rich. I know the slander on the part of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. ¹⁰Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Beware, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison so that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have affliction. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. ¹¹Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. Whoever conquers will not be harmed by the second death.

Gospel: Matthew 20:20-28

²⁰ Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, and kneeling before him, she asked a favour of him. ²¹And he said to her, ‘What do you want?’ She said to him, ‘Declare that these two sons of mine will sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.’ ²²But Jesus answered, ‘You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?’ They said to him, ‘We are able.’ ²³He said to them, ‘You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left, this is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.’

²⁴ When the ten heard it, they were angry with the two brothers. ²⁵ But Jesus called them to him and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. ²⁶ It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, ²⁷ and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave; ²⁸ just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.’

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