| THE COLLECT.
|
| O merciful God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is
| the resurrection and the life; in whom whosoever believeth
| shall live, though he die; and whosoever liveth, and believeth
| in him, shall not die eternally; who also hath taught us (by
| his holy Apostle Saint Paul) not to be sorry, as men without
| hope, for them that sleep in him: We meekly beseech thee, O
| Father, to raise us from the death of sin unto the life of
| righteousness; that, when we shall depart this life, we may
| rest in him, as our hope is this our brother doth; and that,
| at the general resurrection in the last day, we may be found
| acceptable in thy sight, and receive that blessing, which thy
| well-beloved Son shall then pronounce to all that love and fear
| thee, saying, Come, ye blessed children of my Father, receive
| the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world:
| Grant this, we beseech thee, O merciful Father, through Jesus
| Christ, our Mediator and Redeemer. _Amen_.
|
| THE EPISTLE. 1 Thess. iv. 13.
|
| I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them
| which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have
| no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even
| so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For
| this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are
| alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent
| them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from
| heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with
| the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then
| we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with
| them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall
| we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with
| these words.
|
| THE GOSPEL. St John vi. 37.
|
| All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that
| cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from
| heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent
| me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of
| all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should
| raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him
| that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth
| on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at
| the last day.
|
| _Or_ St John xi. 21.
|
| Then said Martha