December 21
Color: Red
The COLLECT
O eternal God, who hast singled out with Thy divine favor the illustrious apostle of the Logos, Didymos Judas Thomas, and hast raised him above all other disciples by imparting to him the mysteries of the Gnosis; grant that we may follow his example and inspiration and be also thus lifted up into the light of true knowledge that sets free. Amen.
The Lesson and Gospel are those ordained for the Twelfth Sunday after Trinity. An alternate Lesson follows:
The LESSON
The Lesson is taken from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Colossians:
As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him; rooted and built up in Him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and ye are complete in Him, who is the Head of all principality and power; buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth; for ye are dead to earth, and your life is hid with Christ in God.