Directory:
Lectionary
Liturgical Calendar
Ecclesia Gnostica
Return to
Gnosis Archive
Twenty-Third Sunday After Trinity
Intent: Peace
THE COLLECT
O God, from whom all thoughts of truth and peace proceed, kindle, we pray Thee, in the hearts of all people the true love of peace, and guide with Thy pure and peaceable wisdom those who take counsel for the nations of the earth; that in tranquility Thy kingdom may fully come, till the earth is filled with the knowledge of Thy love. Infuse with Thy holy spirit our understanding so that we may know the peace that passeth understanding, which no outward thing can destroy.
Amen.
THE LESSON
The lesson is taken from the Book of the Revelation of St. John the Divine:
I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes and palms in their hands, and cried with a loud voice, saying: Salvation to our God who sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the Angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, saying: Amen. Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. And one of the elders said unto me: What are these who are arrayed in white robes, and whence came they? These are they who came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His Temple; and He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
THE GOSPEL
The gospel is taken from the Gospel according to St. Thomas:
His disciples said to Him: When will the repose of the dead come about and when will the new world come? He said to them: What you expect has come, but you know it not. His disciples said to Him: Twenty-four prophets spoke in Israel and they all spoke about Thee. He said to them: You have dismissed the living one who is before you and you have spoken about the dead. Jesus said: Whoever does not hate his father and his mother will not be able to be a disciple to me, and whoever does not hate his brethren and sisters and does not take up his cross in my way will not be worthy of me. Jesus said: Whoever has known the world has found a corpse and whoever has found a corpse of him the world is not worthy.