Nicholas of Myra, Bishop, c.342

The Collect:

Rite I:
Grant, Almighty God, that thy church may be so inspiredvby the example of thy servant Nicholas of Myra, that itvmay never cease to work for the welfare of children, thevsafety of sailors, the relief of the poor, and the help ofvthose tossed by tempests of doubt or grief; through JesusvChrist our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and thevHoly Ghost, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Rite II:
Grant, Almighty God, that your church may be so inspired by the example of your servant Nicholas of Myra, that it may never cease to work for the welfare of children, the safety of sailors, the relief of the poor, and the help of those tossed by tempests of doubt or grief; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

First Lesson: 1 John 4:7-14

⁷ Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. ⁸Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. ⁹God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. ¹⁰In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. ¹²No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.

¹³ By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. ¹⁴And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Saviour of the world.

Psalm: Psalm 145:8-13

⁸ The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, *
       slow to anger and of great kindness.
⁹ The Lord is loving to everyone *
       and his compassion is over all his works.
¹⁰ All your works praise you, O Lord, *
       and your faithful servants bless you.
¹¹ They make known the glory of your kingdom *
       and speak of your power;
¹² That the peoples may know of your power *
       and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
¹³ Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; *
       your dominion endures throughout all ages.

Gospel: Mark 10:13-16

¹³ People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. ¹⁴But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. ¹⁵Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.’ ¹⁶And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.