THE COLLECT
O loving God, look upon Thy children who have answered Thy call! Come to us with Thy
mighty aid in our time of need. Cleanse us of all darkness and ignorance, let our tears be
turned to jubilation, let Thy most glorious power watch over us until we enter Thy light.
Let Thy great brightness come and cause the path to be lit before us, let Thy angels bring
to us Thy garments, Thy crowns and Thy garlands; let our way be restful, let the door open
before us into the column of glory, let us cross over in the ships of Light and rest for
evermore.
Amen.
THE LESSON
The lesson is taken from the words of the Holy Prophet Mani:
The man whose mind is full of light is the one to whom belongs wisdom; as soon as he hears
truth he welcomes it to himself; but he whose mind is without light, who is alien to it,
does not take it to himself, nor does he listen to it. And every weak soul which has not
learned the truth belonging to her is doomed to remain without any rest or happiness.
Gods enlightening word is sweet when it finds ears to hear it; it does not lodge in
a closed mind, makes not its way into a polluted shrine. Let us therefore examine our
shrines, so that in cleanliness they may receive the Light.
THE GOSPEL
The gospel is taken from the Gospel according to St. Thomas:
Jesus saw children who were being suckled. He said to his disciples: These children who
are being suckled are like those who enter the kingdom. They said to Him: Shall we then,
being children, enter the Kingdom? Jesus said to them: When you make the two one, and when
you make the inner as the outer and the outer as the inner and the above as the below, and
when you make the male and the female into a single one, so that the male will not be male
and the female not be female, when you make eyes in the place of an eye, and a hand in the
place of a hand, and a foot in the place of a foot, and an image in the place of an image
then shall you enter the Kingdom.