The Lessons Appointed for Use on the Feast of
Bernard Mizeki
Catechist and Martyr in Rhodesia, 1896 June 18

Revelation 7:13-17
Luke 12:2-12
Psalm 116:1-8 or
Psalm 124

Preface of Holy Week

Almighty and everlasting God, who kindled the flame of your love in the heart of your holy martyr Bernard Mizeki: Grant to us, your humble servants, a like faith and power of love, that we who rejoice in his triumph may profit by his example; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Revelation 7:13-17

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, "Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?" I said to him, "Sir, you are the one that knows." Then he said to me, "These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

For this reason they are before the throne of God,

and worship him day and night within his temple,

and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.

They will hunger no more, and thirst no more;

the sun will not strike them,

nor any scorching heat;

for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd,

and he will guide them to springs of the water of life,

and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

Psalm 116:1-8 Page 759, BCP

Dilexi, quoniam

1

I love the LORD, because he has heard the voice of my supplication, *
because he has inclined his ear to me whenever I called upon him.

2

The cords of death entangled me;
the grip of the grave took hold of me; *
I came to grief and sorrow.

3

Then I called upon the Name of the LORD: *
"O LORD, I pray you, save my life."

4

Gracious is the LORD and righteous; *
our God is full of compassion.

5

The LORD watches over the innocent; *
I was brought very low, and he helped me.

6

Turn again to your rest, O my soul, *
for the LORD has treated you well.

7

For you have rescued my life from death, *
my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling.

8

I will walk in the presence of the LORD *
in the land of the living.

or

Psalm 124 Page 781, BCP

Nisi quia Dominus

1

If the LORD had not been on our side, *
let Israel now say;

2

If the LORD had not been on our side, *
when enemies rose up against us;

3

Then would they have swallowed us up alive *
in their fierce anger toward us;

4

Then would the waters have overwhelmed us *
and the torrent gone over us;

5

Then would the raging waters *
have gone right over us.

6

Blessed be the LORD! *
he has not given us over to be a prey for their teeth.

7

We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowler; *
the snare is broken, and we have escaped.

8

Our help is in the Name of the LORD, *
the maker of heaven and earth.

Luke 12:2-12

Jesus said to his disciples, "Nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed from the housetops.

"I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that can do nothing more. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God's sight. But even the hairs of your head are all counted. Do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.

"And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God; but whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, do not worry about how you are to defend yourselves or what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that very hour what you ought to say."

The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.

The Collects, Psalms and Canticles are from the Book of Common Prayer, 1979.

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