December 17
The Third Sunday in Advent
The Book of Common Prayer was written and compiled by Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, in 1549 and revised in 1552. Here are the Collect, Epistle and Gospel from the 1549 edition for the Third Sunday of Advent.
The Collect
Lord, we beseche thee, geve eare to our prayers, and by thy gracious visitacion lighten the darkenes of our hearte, by our Lorde Jesus Christe.
The Epistle – I Corinthians IV
Let a man this wise esteme us, even as the ministers of Christ, & stewardes of the secretes of God. Furthermore, it is required of the stewardes, that a man be founde faithfull: with me it is but a very small thing that I should be judged of you, eyther of mannes judgement: no I judge not mine owne selfe, for I know nought by myselfe, yet am I not therby justified. It is the Lorde that judgeth me. Therfore judge nothing before the tyme, untyll the Lorde come, whiche wyll lighten thynges that are hydde in darkenesse, and open the counsayles of the heartes, and then shall every manne have prayse of God.
The Gospel – Matthew IX
When John beeyng in pryson hearde the workes of Christe, he sente two of his disciples, and sayed unto hym: Art thou he that shall come? or doe we looke for another? Jesus aunswered and sayd unto them: Goe and shewe John agayne what ye have hearde and seen. The blynde receive their sight, the lame walke, the Lepers are clensed, and the deafe heare, the dead aryse up, and the poore receyve the gladde tydinges of the gospel, and happy is he that is not offended by me. And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the people concernyng John: What went ye out into the wildernes to see? A rede that is shaken with the wynde? or what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft rayment? behold, they that weare soft clothing, are in kinges houses. But what went ye out for to see? A prophete? verely I saye unto you, and more then a Prophete. For this is he of whom it is wrytten, beholde, I sende my messenger before thy face, whiche shall prepare thy waye before thee.
Source: The booke of the common prayer and administracion of the sacramentes : and other rites and ceremonies of the Churche : after the vse of the Churche of England, 1549, printed in London by Edward Whitchurch.
This can be read at https://archive.org/stream/bookeofcommonpra00chur_1#page/n9/mode/2up
