Collect: “O Lord, who never failest to help and govern those whom thou dost bring up in thy steadfast fear and love; Keep us, we beseech thee, under the protection of thy good providence, and make us to have a perpetual fear and love of thy holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” Feast Day: Tuesday, July 2: The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary On this day, we remember the event recorded in Luke 1:39-56, when the Virgin Mary hurries to see her cousin Elizabeth after the Annunciation. It’s also celebrated on May 31st. But, from 1263 (when St. Bonaventure proposed the new feast day for the Franciscans) to 1969, it was celebrated on July 2. As soon as Elizabeth sees Mary, she greets her with what became the basis for the Angelus : “Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb!” John the Baptist leaps in his mother’s womb at Mary’s approach. And Mary responds with her song, the Magnificat, which we sing, remembering the Incarnation, at Evening Prayer. …

Collect: O God, the strength of all those who put their trust in thee; Mercifully accept our prayers; and because, through the weakness of our mortal nature, we can do no good thing without thee, grant us the help of thy grace, that in keeping thy commandments we may please thee, both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Saints and Blesseds Monday, June 24: The Nativity of John the Baptist We only celebrate the births of three people in the church year: Jesus, Mary, and John the Baptist. John the Baptist’s nativity was celebrated very early, to the point that it was an old feast day for Augustine in the 4th century.  We read about John’s birth in Luke 1. The angel Gabriel announces to Zechariah, a priest, that his barren wife Elizabeth will bear a son. When Zechariah questions the angel, he is struck speechless until Elizabeth gives birth and he declares his son’s name to be John. Scripture tells us nothing of John’s life between his birth and public ministry …

Collect: Almighty and everlasting God, who hast given unto us thy servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of the Divine Majesty to worship the Unity; We beseech thee that thou wouldest keep us steadfast in this faith, and evermore defend us from all adversities, who livest and reignest, one God, world without end. Amen. Saints:  Monday, June 17, St. Barnabas the Apostle (transferred from June 11) In Acts 11:24, St. Luke describes Barnabas as “a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith.” Though Barnabas is not named as one of the twelve apostles, he early emerged as a leader in the new Christian church. He was a Levite from from Cyprus, who sold his estate and gave the proceeds to the Church when He became a Christian (and it was when he was with St. Paul in Antioch that the name “Christian” first began to be used). He may have known Paul from studying with Gamaliel and …