Collect: GRANT, O merciful God, that, as thine holy Apostle Saint James, leaving his father and all that he had, without delay was obedient unto the calling of thy Son Jesus Christ, and followed him; so we, forsaking all worldly and carnal affections, may be evermore ready to follow thy holy commandments; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Collect: Almighty God, whose blessed Son restored Mary Magdalene to health of body and mind, and called her to be a witness of his resurrection: Mercifully grant that by thy grace we may be healed of all our infirmities and know thee in the power of his endless life; who with thee and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, one God, now and forever. Amen.

MARY MAGDALENE,

DISCIPLE TO THE DISCIPLES

"Don't touch me," Mary Magdalene was told

In this New Testament's most wrenching scene

As she reached to embrace Him who, of old,

Her true and caring guide had always been.

He cast out seven demons as her dross,

Restoring her to penitential grace.

In all four Gospels she was at His Cross,

Distraught to see Him die in such disgrace.

But now, not yet ascended as our Lord,

A risen Jesus bade her tell His few

He lived again! With that most precious word,

She launched the news Christianity is true.

Disciple to disciples was her right

For having kept His vigil day and night.

JAMES OF ZEBEDEE, A FAVORED APOSTLE

This James and brother John were aptly named

The "Sons of Thunder" by our Lord because,

In their ambitious zeal they would have flamed

A town rejecting Christ, who made them pause.

This James was one of three with sins yet rife

Most favored by our Lord, chosen by Him

To see Him bring a young girl back to life;

To hear His warning words of end times grim.

They viewed His sadness at Gethsemane,

And saw our Lord transfigured, robed in white.

Their mother asked the Lord if John and he

Might in his Kingdom share his left and right.

Christ promised only His own bitter cup.

James was the first apostle thus to sup.

Collect: O GOD, who on the mount didst reveal to chosen witnesses thine only-begotten Son wonderfully transfigured, in raiment white and glistering; Mercifully grant that we, being delivered from the disquietude of this world, may be permitted to behold the King in his beauty, who with thee, O Father, and thee, O Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, one God, world without end. Amen.

THE TRANSFIGURATION

Just Peter, James and John as favorites

Were led by Jesus to a mountain's crest

To witness Him transfigured as befits

The Son of God with Whom mankind is blest.

His face shone as the sun's own brilliant sphere,

His robe was dazzling white, brighter than snow,

And with Him stood both Moses and the seer

Elijah talking with Him, thus to show

The Law and prophets here fulfilled in One.

Apostles fell in fright when to their ears

Came God's voice saying, "...My beloved Son.

...Hear ye him." So then Jesus eased their fears,

But warned them not to make this vision plain

To any others 'til He rose again.

Collect: O ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who didst give to thine Apostle Bartholomew grace truly to believe and to preach thy Word; Grant, we beseech thee, unto thy Church, to love that Word which he believed, and both to preach and receive the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

ST. BARTHOLOMEW, THE APOSTLE

Believed to be Nathaniel, bookish friend

Whom Philip brought to Jesus: "Come and see,"

Converted when he learned our Lord had kenned

His coming still at rest beneath a tree.

Sixth of the twelve apostles to our Lord,

Mentioned just once in each synoptic book

But, honest Israelite true to his word,

He spread Good News where e'er his travels took.

Tradition says he preached Arabia wide

With text of Matthew's Gospel he did bring

In Hebrew, gaining converts in his stride;

He even brought to Christ Armenia's king.

And none would match the martyr's death he died,

Flayed first with tanners' knives, then crucified.

Collect: O Almighty God, who has called us to faith in thee, and hast compassed us about with so great a cloud of witnesses; Grant that we, encouraged by the good examples of thy Saints, and especially of thy servant Saint John Baptist, may persevere in running the race that is set before us, until at length, through thy mercy, we, with them, attain to thine eternal joy; through him who is the author and finisher of our faith, thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

DEATH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST

From desert wilds came fervent John to cry

For our repentance with God's Kingdom near;

Garbed raggedly in skins to prophecy

Salvation for us and to baptize here.

Ascetic zealot, he condemned all sin

Including ruler Herod's who'd eloped

With brother's wife and whose desire to win

John's least approval could not e'en be hoped.

Thus Herod jailed this saint to please his mate

Who wanted John slain, but which Herod barred.

She tricked him when her daughter asked a plate

With John's head on it as her just reward.

Bold harbinger of Christ, John lost his life

And severed head to Herod's vengeful wife.

MATTHEW, APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST

Born Levi, son of Alpheus, a Jew

Collecting Roman taxes on his kind,

This publican was wealthy but had few

Admirers, which facts Jesus had in mind

In calling him as Matthew (Yahweh's gift).

A sinner who knew sinners' ways, he gave

A feast for publicans at which to lift

Our Lord as He their souls could surely save.

He wrote his book in Hebrew from the texts

Of sermons made to fellow Jews to prove

Our Lord the true Messiah to their sects.

His Gospel's theme is God's redemptive love,

Beatitudes and Lord's Prayer each a fount

Of wisdom as is Sermon on the Mount.

Collect: O ALMIGHTY God, who by thy blessed Son didst call Matthew from the receipt of custom to be an Apostle and Evangelist; Grant us grace to forsake all covetous desires, and inordinate love of riches, and to follow the same thy Son Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

SAINT MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS

Of seven archangels in sacred lore,

Saint Michael is the foremost, having cast

Fierce Satan down to Hell forevermore

To win the "war in heaven" at the last.

He is God's militant, but Gabriel

Is God's predictive voice while he who heals

Among God's archangels is Raphael.

These three outrank the rest with their appeals.

We give our thanks all angels sent to man

From God, personified and winged for flight,

Are blessed with special knowledge of His plan,

Conveying it to earth to set us right.

To each God sends an angel who defends

Us as for sinning ways we make amends.

Collect: O EVERLASTING God, who hast ordained and constituted the services of Angels and men in a wonderful order; Mercifully grant that, as thy holy Angels always do thee service in heaven, so, by thy appointment, they may succour and defend us on earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.