The Nativity of St John the Baptist (click link for additional information)

God our Father, you raised up John the Baptist to prepare a perfect people for Christ the Lord. Give your Church joy in spirit and guide those who believe in you into the way of salvation and peace. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
(From the Leonine Sacramentary)

1 I call upon you, O Lord; come quickly to me;
give ear to my voice when I call to you.
2 Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,
and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice.
3 Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord;
keep watch over the door of my lips.
4 Do not turn my heart to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds
in company with those who work iniquity; do not let me eat of their delicacies.
5 Let the righteous strike me; let the faithful correct me.
Never let the oil of the wicked anoint my head,*
for my prayer is continually* against their wicked deeds.
6 When they are given over to those who shall condemn them,
then they shall learn that my words were pleasant.
Psalm 141 New Revised Standard Version

Readings for today from the Daily Lectionary
(click on underlined link to go directly to the reading)
Ecclesiastes 11:1-8 - Galatians 5:16-24 - Matthew 16:13-20