Readings for the Feast of St. Matthias
According to the usage of the Episcopal Church
Feast Day: February 24

Eucharistic Readings

Acts 1:15-26
Philippians 3:13b--21
Psalm 15
John 15:1, 6-16

Daily Office

Morning Prayer: Psalm 80; 1 Samuel 16:1-13; 1 John 2:18-25
Evening Prayer: Psalm 33; 1 Samuel 12:1-5; Acts 20:17-35

Eucharistic Readings

Acts 1:15-26

In those days Peter stood up among the believers (together the crowd numbered about one hundred and twenty people) and said, ‘Friends, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit through David foretold concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus— for he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.’ (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. This became known to all the residents of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their language Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) ‘For it is written in the book of Psalms,

“Let his homestead become desolate,
and let there be no one to live in it”;

and
“Let another take his position of overseer.”

So one of the men who have accompanied us throughout the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness with us to his resurrection.’ So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. Then they prayed and said, ‘Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.’ And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.
 

Philippians 3:13b-21

Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us then who are mature be of the same mind; and if you think differently about anything, this too God will reveal to you. Only let us hold fast to what we have attained.

Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears. Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humiliation so that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself.
1
LORD, who may dwell in your tabernacle? *
     who may abide upon your holy hill?
2
Whoever leads a blameless life and does what is right, *
     who speaks the truth from his heart.
3
There is no guile upon his tongue;
he does no evil to his friend; *
     he does not heap contempt upon his neighbor.
4
In his sight the wicked is rejected, *
     but he honors those who fear the LORD.
5
He has sworn to do no wrong *
     and does not take back his word.
6
He does not give his money in hope of gain, *
     nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.
7
Whoever does these things *
     shall never be overthrown.

John 15:1, 6-16

‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. 6Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become* my disciples. 9As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. 10If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. 12 ‘This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15I do not call you servants* any longer, because the servant* does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. 16You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name.


Morning Prayer


    Psalm 80

   Qui regis Israel
1
Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock; *
     shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim.
2
In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, *
     stir up your strength and come to help us.
3
Restore us, O God of hosts; *
     show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
4
O LORD God of hosts, *
     how long will you be angered
     despite the prayers of your people?
5
You have fed them with the bread of tears; *
     you have given them bowls of tears to drink.
6
You have made us the derision of our neighbors, *
     and our enemies laugh us to scorn.
7
Restore us, O God of hosts; *
     show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
8
You have brought a vine out of Egypt; *
     you cast out the nations and planted it.
9
You prepared the ground for it; *
     it took root and filled the land.
10
The mountains were covered by its shadow *
     and the towering cedar trees by its boughs.
11
You stretched out its tendrils to the Sea *
     and its branches to the River.
12
Why have you broken down its wall, *
     so that all who pass by pluck off its grapes?
13
The wild boar of the forest has ravaged it, *
     and the beasts of the field have grazed upon it.
14
Turn now, O God of hosts, look down from heaven;
behold and tend this vine; *
     preserve what your right hand has planted.
15
They burn it with fire like rubbish; *
     at the rebuke of your countenance let them perish.
16
Let your hand be upon the man of your right hand, *
     and son of man you have made so strong for yourself.
17
And so will we never turn away from you; *
     give us life, that we may call upon your Name.
18
Restore us, O LORD God of hosts; *
     show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

1 Samuel 16:1-13

The Lord said to Samuel, ‘How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.’ Samuel said, ‘How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.’ And the Lord said, ‘Take a heifer with you, and say, “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.” Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you.’ Samuel did what the Lord commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, ‘Do you come peaceably?’ He said, ‘Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.’ And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, ‘Surely the Lord’s anointed is now before the Lord.’ But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’ Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, ‘Neither has the Lord chosen this one.’ Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, ‘Neither has the Lord chosen this one.’ Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, ‘The Lord has not chosen any of these.’ Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Are all your sons here?’ And he said, ‘There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.’ And Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.’ He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The Lord said, ‘Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.’ Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.

1 John 2:18-25

Children, it is the last hour! As you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. From this we know that it is the last hour. 19They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But by going out they made it plain that none of them belongs to us. 20But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and all of you have knowledge.* 21I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and you know that no lie comes from the truth. 22Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ?* This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. 23No one who denies the Son has the Father; everyone who confesses the Son has the Father also. 24Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25And this is what he has promised us,* eternal life.


Evening Prayer


    Psalm 33

   Exultate, justi
1
Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous; *
     it is good for the just to sing praises.
2
Praise the LORD with the harp; *
     play to him upon the psaltery and lyre.
3
Sing for him a new song; *
     sound a fanfare with all your skill upon the trumpet.
4
For the word of the LORD is right, *
     and all his works are sure.
5
He loves righteousness and justice; *
     the loving-kindness of the LORD fills the whole earth.
6
By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, *
     by the breath of his mouth all the heavenly hosts.
7
He gathers up the waters of the ocean as in a water-skin *
     and stores up the depths of the sea.
8
Let all the earth fear the LORD; *
     let all who dwell in the world stand in awe of him.
9
For he spoke, and it came to pass; *
     he commanded, and it stood fast.
10
The LORD brings the will of the nations to naught; *
     he thwarts the designs of the peoples.
11
But the LORD'S will stands fast for ever, *
     and the designs of his heart from age to age.
12
Happy is the nation whose God is the LORD! *
     happy the people he has chosen to be his own!
13
The LORD looks down from heaven, *
     and beholds all the people in the world.
14
From where he sits enthroned he turns his gaze *
     on all who dwell on the earth.
15
He fashions all the hearts of them *
     and understands all their works.
16
There is no king that can be saved by a mighty army; *
     a strong man is not delivered by his great strength.
17
The horse is a vain hope for deliverance; *
     for all its strength it cannot save.
18
Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon those who fear him, *
     on those who wait upon his love,
19
To pluck their lives from death, *
     and to feed them in time of famine.
20
Our soul waits for the LORD; *
     he is our help and our shield.
21
Indeed, our heart rejoices in him, *
     for in his holy Name we put our trust.
22
Let your loving-kindness, O LORD, be upon us, *
     as we have put our trust in you.

1 Samuel 12:1-5

Samuel said to all Israel, ‘I have listened to you in all that you have said to me, and have set a king over you. See, it is the king who leads you now; I am old and grey, but my sons are with you. I have led you from my youth until this day. Here I am; testify against me before the Lord and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? Testify against me and I will restore it to you.’ They said, ‘You have not defrauded us or oppressed us or taken anything from the hand of anyone.’ He said to them, ‘The Lord is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.’ And they said, ‘He is witness.’

Acts 20:17-35

From Miletus Paul sent a message to Ephesus, asking the elders of the church to meet him. When they came to him, he said to them:

‘You yourselves know how I lived among you the entire time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears, enduring the trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews. I did not shrink from doing anything helpful, proclaiming the message to you and teaching you publicly and from house to house, as I testified to both Jews and Greeks about repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus. And now, as a captive to the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and persecutions are waiting for me. But I do not count my life of any value to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news of God’s grace.

‘And now I know that none of you, among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom, will ever see my face again. Therefore I declare to you this day that I am not responsible for the blood of any of you, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God. Keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God that he obtained with the blood of his own Son. I know that after I have gone, savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Some even from your own group will come distorting the truth in order to entice the disciples to follow them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to warn everyone with tears. And now I commend you to God and to the message of his grace, a message that is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all who are sanctified. I coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothing. You know for yourselves that I worked with my own hands to support myself and my companions. In all this I have given you an example that by such work we must support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, for he himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” ’



 
Home

Liturgy Archive

Liturgical Year

Daily Devotionals

Prayers

Bibles & Reference

The
Saints

Other Reading

Links





 

shopify site analytics