July 4
Color: White
The COLLECT
O Sovereign and most worshipful of all Masters who in thine infinite love and wisdom hast caused our nation to be formed on this day; we bless and glorify thy glorious name for the abundant blessings thou hast conferred on thy children in this land. Thou who holdest all nations and countries in the hollow of thy hand, guard our country from all evil, and endow its people with wisdom and understanding, with strength and discernment, so that Thy will may be fulfilled and the great Temple of humanity be erected under Thy guidance; O Thou great masterbuilder, to whom there shall be praise and glory for evermore. Amen.
The LESSON
The Lesson is taken from the first Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians:
As the body is one and hath many members, and all the members of that body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many; and the eye cannot say unto the hand: I have no need of thee; nor again the head to the feet: I have no need of you. There should be no schism in the body, but the members should have the same care one for another. And where one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular.
The GOSPEL
The Gospel is taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke:
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He hath visited and redeemed His people, and hath raised up a mighty salvation for us in the house of His servant David, and He spake by the mouth of His holy prophets, which have been since the world began; that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hands of all that hate us; to show mercy towards our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant; that we, being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him, all the days of our life. And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest, for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways; to give knowledge of salvation unto His people in the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the day- spring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.