Alban was a citizen of the Roman city of Verulamium (now St Albans in Hertfordshire) who gave shelter to a Christian priest fleeing from persecution, hiding him in his house for several days. Greatly influenced by his devotion to prayer, Alban received instruction from the priest and was converted. When the priest’s hiding-place was discovered, Alban dressed himself in the priest’s cloak and was arrested in his place. Tortured by the Roman authorities, Alban refused to renounce his faith. He was beheaded on this day, probably in the year 250, and so is acknowledged as the first British martyr. The remains of his shrine stand today as a place of pilgrimage in the Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Alban.
Kershaw, Simon. Exciting Holiness: Collects and Readings for the Festivals and Lesser Festivals of the Calendars of the Church of England, the Church of Ireland, the Scottish Episcopal Church and the Church in Wales . Hymns Ancient and Modern Ltd. Kindle Edition.
Holy One, open our lips:
and we shall proclaim your praise.
Glory to God, Source of all being,
Eternal Word and Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.
Variable Psalms
Mondays: From Psalm 116, Dilexi, quoniam
I love the Lord *
who has heard the voice of my supplication,
who has listened to me *
whenever I called.
I came to grief and sorrow; *
then I called upon the name of the Lord:
Gracious is the Lord and righteous; *
our God is full of compassion.
Turn again to your rest, O my soul, *
for the Lord has treated you well.
I will walk in the presence of the Lord *
in the land of the living.
How shall I repay you, O Lord, *
for all the good things you have done for me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation *
and call upon your name.
I will fulfil my vows to the Lord *
in the presence of all the people.
In the courts of the house of the Lord, *
in the midst of you, O Jerusalem. Hallelujah!
CLOSING Isaiah 40
The Lord is the everlasting God,*
the Creator of the ends of the earth,
who does not faint nor grow weary,*
whose understanding is unsearchable,
who gives power to the faint,*
increase of strength to those who have no might.
Even youth shall faint and be weary;*
the young shall fall exhausted.
But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;* they shall mount up with wings like eagles.
They shall run and not be weary,*
they shall walk and not faint.
READING: Romans 3:21–31
But now, irrespective of law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus.
Then what becomes of boasting? It is excluded. By what law? By that of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, since God is one; and he will justify the circumcised on the ground of faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.
Silence
PRAYERS
We have not put the voice of the voiceless first.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
We have colluded with the structures of greed.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
We have put money first, loving it too much.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
MONDAYS:
That Christians may never cease to go towards all people,
and become ferments of reconciliation in the human family,
we pray to the Lord.
For all who believe, for those who have a ministry in the Church,
that they may be faithful witnesses to the Gospel,
we pray to the Lord.
That the goods of the earth may be shared among all,
we pray to the Lord.
For all the nations of the earth, that wars and violence may cease,
we pray to the Lord.
For the poor and the afflicted,
we pray to the Lord.
For those who are persecuted on account of Christ’s name,
for all who are seeking justice,
we pray to the Lord.
Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Do not bring us to the time of trial,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.
COLLECTS
Mondays: Jesus, Love of all loving, you were always in me and I was forgetting you. You were in my heart of hearts and I was looking for you elsewhere. When I kept myself far from you, you were waiting for me. And now I dare to tell you: Risen Christ, you are my life. Amen
Eternal Father, when the gospel of Christ first came to our land you gloriously confirmed the faith of Alban by making him the first to win a martyr’s crown: grant that, following his example, in the fellowship of the saints we may worship you, the living God, and give true witness to Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
God most holy, we give you thanks for bringing us out of the shadow of night into the light of morning; and we ask you for the joy of spending this day in your service, so that when evening comes, we may once more give you thanks, through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.
The Lord bless us and preserve us from all evil; and bring us to life eternal. Amen.
St Ternans Banchory 