Sunday 18 March 2007 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Sunday 18 March 2007
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Jeremiah 14:1-9;17-22


The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought: 
Judah mourns
   and her gates languish;
they lie in gloom on the ground,
   and the cry of Jerusalem goes up. 
Her nobles send their servants for water;
   they come to the cisterns,
they find no water,
   they return with their vessels empty.
They are ashamed and dismayed
   and cover their heads, 
because the ground is cracked.
   Because there has been no rain on the land
the farmers are dismayed;
   they cover their heads. 
Even the doe in the field forsakes her newborn fawn
   because there is no grass. 
The wild asses stand on the bare heights,
   they pant for air like jackals;
their eyes fail
   because there is no herbage. 


Although our iniquities testify against us,
   act, O Lord, for your name’s sake;
our apostasies indeed are many,
   and we have sinned against you. 
O hope of Israel,
   its saviour in time of trouble,
why should you be like a stranger in the land,
   like a traveller turning aside for the night? 
Why should you be like someone confused,
   like a mighty warrior who cannot give help?
Yet you, O Lord, are in the midst of us,
   and we are called by your name;
   do not forsake us! 


You shall say to them this word:
Let my eyes run down with tears night and day,
   and let them not cease,
for the virgin daughter—my people—is struck down with a crushing blow,
   with a very grievous wound. 
If I go out into the field,
   look—those killed by the sword!
And if I enter the city,
   look—those sick with famine!
For both prophet and priest ply their trade throughout the land,
   and have no knowledge. 


Have you completely rejected Judah?
   Does your heart loathe Zion?
Why have you struck us down
   so that there is no healing for us?
We look for peace, but find no good;
   for a time of healing, but there is terror instead. 
We acknowledge our wickedness, O Lord,
   the iniquity of our ancestors,
   for we have sinned against you. 
Do not spurn us, for your name’s sake;
   do not dishonour your glorious throne;
   remember and do not break your covenant with us. 
Can any idols of the nations bring rain?
   Or can the heavens give showers?
Is it not you, O Lord our God?
   We set our hope on you,
   for it is you who do all this
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Galatians 4:21-5:1

Tell me, you who desire to be subject to the law, will you not listen to
the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave
woman and the other by a free woman. One, the child of the slave, was
born according to the flesh; the other, the child of the free woman,
was born through the promise. Now this is an allegory: these women are
two covenants. One woman, in fact, is Hagar, from Mount Sinai, bearing
children for slavery. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and
corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her
children. But the other woman corresponds to the Jerusalem above; she
is free, and she is our mother. For it is written,
‘Rejoice, you childless one, you who bear no children,
   burst into song and shout, you who endure no birth pangs;
for the children of the desolate woman are more numerous
   than the children of the one who is married.’ 
Now you, my friends, are children of the promise, like Isaac. But just
as at that time the child who was born according to the flesh
persecuted the child who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now
also. But what does the scripture say? ‘Drive out the slave and her
child; for the child of the slave will not share the inheritance with
the child of the free woman.’ So then, friends, we are children, not of
the slave but of the free woman. 
For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not
submit again to a yoke of slavery.
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Mark 8:11-21

The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, asking him for a sign
from heaven, to test him. And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said,
‘Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign
will be given to this generation.’ And he left them, and getting into
the boat again, he went across to the other side. 
Now the disciples had forgotten to bring any bread; and they had only
one loaf with them in the boat. And he cautioned them, saying, ‘Watch
out—beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.’ They
said to one another, ‘It is because we have no bread.’ And becoming
aware of it, Jesus said to them, ‘Why are you talking about having no
bread? Do you still not perceive or understand? Are your hearts
hardened? Do you have eyes, and fail to see? Do you have ears, and fail
to hear? And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the
five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?’
They said to him, ‘Twelve.’ ‘And the seven for the four thousand, how
many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?’ And they said to
him, ‘Seven.’ Then he said to them, ‘Do you not yet understand?’ 
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 66, 67

Psalm 66

Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth; 
   sing the glory of his name;
   give to him glorious praise. 
Say to God, ‘How awesome are your deeds!
   Because of your great power, your enemies cringe before you. 
All the earth worships you;
   they sing praises to you,
   sing praises to your name.’
          Selah 


Come and see what God has done:
   he is awesome in his deeds among mortals. 
He turned the sea into dry land;
   they passed through the river on foot.
There we rejoiced in him, 
   who rules by his might for ever,
whose eyes keep watch on the nations—
   let the rebellious not exalt themselves.
          Selah 


Bless our God, O peoples,
   let the sound of his praise be heard, 
who has kept us among the living,
   and has not let our feet slip. 
For you, O God, have tested us;
   you have tried us as silver is tried. 
You brought us into the net;
   you laid burdens on our backs; 
you let people ride over our heads;
   we went through fire and through water;
yet you have brought us out to a spacious place. 


I will come into your house with burnt-offerings;
   I will pay you my vows, 
those that my lips uttered
   and my mouth promised when I was in trouble. 
I will offer to you burnt-offerings of fatlings,
   with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams;
I will make an offering of bulls and goats.
          Selah 


Come and hear, all you who fear God,
   and I will tell what he has done for me. 
I cried aloud to him,
   and he was extolled with my tongue. 
If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
   the Lord would not have listened. 
But truly God has listened;
   he has given heed to the words of my prayer. 


Blessed be God,
   because he has not rejected my prayer
   or removed his steadfast love from me.



Psalm 67

May God be gracious to us and bless us
   and make his face to shine upon us,
          Selah 
that your way may be known upon earth,
   your saving power among all nations. 
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
   let all the peoples praise you. 


Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
   for you judge the peoples with equity
   and guide the nations upon earth.
          Selah 
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
   let all the peoples praise you. 


The earth has yielded its increase;
   God, our God, has blessed us. 
May God continue to bless us;
   let all the ends of the earth revere him.
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Evening Psalms: Psalm 19, 46

Psalm 19

The heavens are telling the glory of God;
   and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. 
Day to day pours forth speech,
   and night to night declares knowledge. 
There is no speech, nor are there words;
   their voice is not heard; 
yet their voice goes out through all the earth,
   and their words to the end of the world. 


In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun, 
which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy,
   and like a strong man runs its course with joy. 
Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
   and its circuit to the end of them;
   and nothing is hidden from its heat. 


The law of the Lord is perfect,
   reviving the soul;
the decrees of the Lord are sure,
   making wise the simple; 
the precepts of the Lord are right,
   rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is clear,
   enlightening the eyes; 
the fear of the Lord is pure,
   enduring for ever;
the ordinances of the Lord are true
   and righteous altogether. 
More to be desired are they than gold,
   even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey,
   and drippings of the honeycomb. 


Moreover by them is your servant warned;
   in keeping them there is great reward. 
But who can detect their errors?
   Clear me from hidden faults. 
Keep back your servant also from the insolent;
   do not let them have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
   and innocent of great transgression. 


Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
   be acceptable to you,
   O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.



Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength,
   a very present help in trouble. 
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
   though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; 
though its waters roar and foam,
   though the mountains tremble with its tumult.
          Selah 


There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
   the holy habitation of the Most High. 
God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved;
   God will help it when the morning dawns. 
The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter;
   he utters his voice, the earth melts. 
The Lord of hosts is with us;
   the God of Jacob is our refuge.
          Selah 


Come, behold the works of the Lord;
   see what desolations he has brought on the earth. 
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
   he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear;
   he burns the shields with fire. 
‘Be still, and know that I am God!
   I am exalted among the nations,
   I am exalted in the earth.’ 
The Lord of hosts is with us;
   the God of Jacob is our refuge.
          Selah
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