Zenaida, Philonella, and Hermione, Unmercenary Physicians, c.100, c.117

The Collect:

Rite I:
Merciful God, whose most dear Son came to heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons, and preach good news to the poor: Lead us by the example of thy servants, Zenaida, Philonella, and Hermione, to freely give even as we have freely received; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Rite II:
Merciful God, whose most dear Son came to heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons, and preach good news to the poor: Lead us by the example of your servants, Zenaida, Philonella, and Hermione, to freely give even as we have freely received; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

First Lesson: Ecclesiasticus 38:1–15

¹    Honour physicians for their services,
         for the Lord created them;
²    for their gift of healing comes from the Most High,
         and they are rewarded by the king.
³    The skill of physicians makes them distinguished,
         and in the presence of the great they are admired.
⁴    The Lord created medicines out of the earth,
         and the sensible will not despise them.
⁵    Was not water made sweet with a tree
         in order that its power might be known?
⁶    And he gave skill to human beings
         that he might be glorified in his marvellous works.
⁷    By them the physician heals and takes away pain;
⁸          the pharmacist makes a mixture from them.
     God’s works will never be finished;
         and from him health spreads over all the earth.

⁹    My child, when you are ill, do not delay,
         but pray to the Lord, and he will heal you.
¹⁰   Give up your faults and direct your hands rightly,
         and cleanse your heart from all sin.
¹¹   Offer a sweet-smelling sacrifice, and a memorial portion of choice flour,
         and pour oil on your offering, as much as you can afford.
¹²   Then give the physician his place, for the Lord created him;
         do not let him leave you, for you need him.
¹³   There may come a time when recovery lies in the hands of physicians,
¹⁴          for they too pray to the Lord
     that he will grant them success in diagnosis
         and in healing, for the sake of preserving life.
¹⁵ He who sins against his Maker
   will be defiant towards the physician. 

Psalm: Psalm 147

¹ Hallelujah!
   How good it is to sing praises to our God! *
       how pleasant it is to honor him with praise!
² The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem; *
       he gathers the exiles of Israel.
³ He heals the brokenhearted *
       and binds up their wounds.
⁴ He counts the number of the stars *
       and calls them all by their names.
⁵ Great is our Lord and mighty in power; *
       there is no limit to his wisdom.
⁶ The Lord lifts up the lowly, *
       but casts the wicked to the ground.
⁷ Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; *
       make music to our God upon the harp.
⁸ He covers the heavens with clouds *
       and prepares rain for the earth;
⁹ He makes grass to grow upon the mountains *
       and green plants to serve mankind.
¹⁰ He provides food for flocks and herds *
       and for the young ravens when they cry.
¹¹ He is not impressed by the might of a horse; *
       he has no pleasure in the strength of a man;
¹² But the Lord has pleasure in those who fear him, *
       in those who await his gracious favor.
¹³ Worship the Lord, O Jerusalem; *
       praise your God, O Zion;
¹⁴ For he has strengthened the bars of your gates; *
       he has blessed your children within you.
¹⁵ He has established peace on your borders; *
       he satisfies you with the finest wheat.
¹⁶ He sends out his command to the earth, *
       and his word runs very swiftly.
¹⁷ He gives snow like wool; *
       he scatters hoarfrost like ashes.
¹⁸ He scatters his hail like bread crumbs; *
       who can stand against his cold?
¹⁹ He sends forth his word and melts them; *
       he blows with his wind, and the waters flow.
²⁰ He declares his word to Jacob, *
       his statutes and his judgments to Israel.
²¹ He has not done so to any other nation; *
       to them he has not revealed his judgments.
       Hallelujah!

Gospel: Mark 1:29–34

²⁹ As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. ³⁰ Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. ³¹ He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

³² That evening, at sunset, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. ³³ And the whole city was gathered around the door. 34 And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

This page is available in: Español