St Edburg's Church - Bicester

Collect of the Day

Heavenly Father, whose blessed Son was revealed to destroy the works of the devil and to make us the children of God and heirs of eternal life: grant that we, having this hope, may purify ourselves even as he is pure;
that when he shall appear in power and great glory we may be made like him in his eternal and glorious kingdom; where he is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

 

First Reading

Daniel 12.1-3

In the third year of King Cyrus a word was revealed to Daniel. 1‘At that time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people, shall arise. There shall be a time of anguish, such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. 2Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.’ 

 

Psalm

Psalm 16

Refrain: The Lord is at my right hand; I shall not fall.

1Preserve me, O God, for in you have 

I taken refuge; ♦ 

I have said to the Lord, ‘You are my 

lord, all my good depends on you.’

2 All my delight is upon the godly that

are in the land, ♦ 

upon those who are noble in heart.

3 Though the idols are legion that

many run after, ♦ 

their drink offerings of blood I will not

offer, neither make mention of their

names upon my lips.

4 The Lord himself is my portion and

my cup; ♦ 

in your hands alone is my fortune.

5 My share has fallen in a fair land; ♦ 

indeed, I have a goodly heritage. R 

6 I will bless the Lord who has given

me counsel, ♦ 

and in the night watches he instructs

my heart. 

7 I have set the Lord always before

me; ♦ 

he is at my right hand; I shall not fall.

8 Wherefore my heart is glad and my

spirit rejoices; ♦ 

my flesh also shall rest secure.

9 For you will not abandon my soul to

Death, ♦ 

nor suffer your faithful one to see the Pit.

10                

You will show me the path of life;
in your presence is the fullness of joy ♦ 
and in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.

Refrain: The Lord is at my right hand; I shall not fall.

Give to us, Lord Christ, the fullness of grace,
your presence and your very self,
for you are our portion and our delight, now and for ever.

 

Second Reading

Hebrews 10.11-14(15-18)19-25

11Every priest stands day after day at his service, offering again and again the same sacrifices that can never take away sins. 12But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, ‘he sat down at the right hand of God’, 13and since then has been waiting ‘until his enemies would be made a footstool for his feet.’ 14For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. 15And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying, 16‘This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds’, 17he also adds, ‘I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.’ 18Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. 19Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), 21and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. 24And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, 25not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching. 

 

Gospel

Mark 13.1-8

1As Jesus came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!’ 2Then Jesus asked him, ‘Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.’

3When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, 4‘Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?’ 5Then Jesus began to say to them, ‘Beware that no one leads you astray. 6Many will come in my name and say, “I am he!” and they will lead many astray. 7When you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. 8For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs.’ 

 

Post Communion Prayer

Gracious Lord,
in this holy sacrament
you give substance to our hope:
bring us at the last
to that fullness of life for which we long;
through Jesus Christ our Saviour.

 

Copyright acknowledgement (where not already indicated above):

Post Communion (2nd before Advent) ©  1985 Mowbray, a Cassell Imprint:After Communion compiled by C L Macdonnell

Daniel 12.1-3 ©  1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ, USA

Hebrews 10.11-14(15-18)19-25 ©  1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ, USA

Mark 13.1-8 ©  1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ, USA

Psalm 16 ©  The Archbishops' Council 2000

Collect (2nd before Advent) ©  The Crown/Cambridge University Press: The Book of Common Prayer (1662)