Francis Xavier, Priest and Missionary, 1552

The Collect:

Rite I:
God of all nations, Raise up, we beseech thee, in this and every land, evangelists and heralds of thy kingdom, that like thy servant Francis Xavier we may proclaim the unsearchable riches of our Savior Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Rite II:
God of all nations, Raise up in this and every land, evangelists and heralds of your kingdom, that like your servant Francis Xavier we may proclaim the unsearchable riches of our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

First Lesson: 1 Corinthians 9:16–23

¹⁶If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel!¹⁷For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission. ¹⁸What then is my reward? Just this: that in my proclamation I may make the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my rights in the gospel.

¹⁹For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them. ²⁰To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might win those under the law. ²¹To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law) so that I might win those outside the law. ²²To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. ²³I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.

Psalm: Psalm 62

¹ For God alone my soul in silence waits; *
       from him comes my salvation.
² He alone is my rock and my salvation, *
       my stronghold, so that I shall not be greatly shaken.
³ How long will you assail me to crush me,
   all of you together, *
       as if you were a leaning fence, a toppling wall
⁴ They seek only to bring me down from my place of honor; *
       lies are their chief delight.
⁵ They bless with their lips, *
       but in their hearts they curse.
⁶ For God alone my soul in silence waits; *
       truly, my hope is in him.
⁷ He alone is my rock and my salvation, *
       my stronghold, so that I shall not be shaken.
⁸ In God is my safety and my honor; *
       God is my strong rock and my refuge.
⁹ Put your trust in him always, O people, *
       pour out your hearts before him, for God is our refuge.
¹⁰ Those of high degree are but a fleeting breath, *
       even those of low estate cannot be trusted.
¹¹ On the scales they are lighter than a breath, *
       all of them together.
¹² Put no trust in extortion;
    in robbery take no empty pride; *
       though wealth increase, set not your heart upon it.
¹³ God has spoken once, twice have I heard it, *
       that power belongs to God.
¹⁴ Steadfast love is yours, O Lord, *
       for you repay everyone according to his deeds.

Gospel: Mark 16:15-20

¹⁵And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation. ¹⁶The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not believe will be condemned. ¹⁷And these signs will accompany those who believe: by using my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; ¹⁸they will pick up snakes in their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

¹⁹So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. ²⁰And they went out and proclaimed the good news everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied it.