The Collect
O GOD, the strength of all those who
put their trust in thee; Mercifully accept our prayers; and because,
through the weakness of our mortal nature, we can do no good thing
without thee, grant us the help of thy grace, that in keeping thy
commandments we may please thee, both in will and deed; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Epistle (1 St. John iv. 7)
BELOVED, let us love one another: for
love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth
God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was
manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his
only-begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent
his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved
us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any
time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is
perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us,
because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do
testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in
him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God
hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in
God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may
have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in
this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out
fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect
in love. We love him, because he first loved us. If a man say, I love
God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his
brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love
his brother also.
The Gospel (St. Luke xvi. 19)
THERE was a certain rich man, which was
clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
and there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his
gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which
fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his
sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by
the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was
buried; and in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth
Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said,
Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip
the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am
tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in
thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil
things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside
all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that
they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass
to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee
therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they
also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They
have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay,
father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will
repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the
prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the
dead.
Trinity I: Message in a Minute
What is going to count on the day of
judgment is how much you loved your neighbour -- how much you acted
toward other people the way Jesus did. Saint John says that if we let
God love other people through us with his own love, we won't need to
be afraid of the final reckoning.
The best way to examine your life is to
ask yourself, am I really trying to do what is best for other people?
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