Wednesday 28 March 2007 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Wednesday 28 March 2007
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Jeremiah 25:30-38

You, therefore, shall prophesy against them all these words, and say to
them:
The Lord will roar from on high,
   and from his holy habitation utter his voice;
he will roar mightily against his fold,
   and shout, like those who tread grapes,
   against all the inhabitants of the earth. 
The clamour will resound to the ends of the earth,
   for the Lord has an indictment against the nations;
he is entering into judgement with all flesh,
   and the guilty he will put to the sword, 
says the Lord. 


Thus says the Lord of hosts:
See, disaster is spreading
   from nation to nation,
and a great tempest is stirring
   from the farthest parts of the earth! 
Those slain by the Lord on that day shall extend from one end of the
earth to the other. They shall not be lamented, or gathered, or buried;
they shall become dung on the surface of the ground. 
Wail, you shepherds, and cry out;
   roll in ashes, you lords of the flock,
for the days of your slaughter have come—and your dispersions,
   and you shall fall like a choice vessel. 
Flight shall fail the shepherds,
   and there shall be no escape for the lords of the flock. 
Hark! the cry of the shepherds,
   and the wail of the lords of the flock!
For the Lord is despoiling their pasture, 
   and the peaceful folds are devastated,
   because of the fierce anger of the Lord. 
Like a lion he has left his covert;
   for their land has become a waste
because of the cruel sword,
   and because of his fierce anger. 
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Romans 10:14-21

But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how
are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are
they to hear without someone to proclaim him? And how are they to
proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are
the feet of those who bring good news!’ But not all have obeyed the good
news; for Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed our message?’ So faith
comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of
Christ. 
But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have; for
‘Their voice has gone out to all the earth,
   and their words to the ends of the world.’ 
Again I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says,
‘I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation;
   with a foolish nation I will make you angry.’ 
Then Isaiah is so bold as to say,
‘I have been found by those who did not seek me;
   I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.’ 
But of Israel he says, ‘All day long I have held out my hands to a
disobedient and contrary people.’
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John 10:1-18

‘Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the
gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who
enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens
the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep
by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he
goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his
voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him
because they do not know the voice of strangers.’ Jesus used this
figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was
saying to them. 
So again Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for
the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the
sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will
be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes
only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and
have it abundantly. 
‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the
sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the
sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the
wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because
a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I
know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know
the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep
that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will
listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this
reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take
it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own
accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up
again. I have received this command from my Father.’
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 119:145-176

Psalm 119:145-176

With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O Lord.
   I will keep your statutes. 
I cry to you; save me,
   that I may observe your decrees. 
I rise before dawn and cry for help;
   I put my hope in your words. 
My eyes are awake before each watch of the night,
   that I may meditate on your promise. 
In your steadfast love hear my voice;
   O Lord, in your justice preserve my life. 
Those who persecute me with evil purpose draw near;
   they are far from your law. 
Yet you are near, O Lord,
   and all your commandments are true. 
Long ago I learned from your decrees
   that you have established them for ever. 


Look on my misery and rescue me,
   for I do not forget your law. 
Plead my cause and redeem me;
   give me life according to your promise. 
Salvation is far from the wicked,
   for they do not seek your statutes. 
Great is your mercy, O Lord;
   give me life according to your justice. 
Many are my persecutors and my adversaries,
   yet I do not swerve from your decrees. 
I look at the faithless with disgust,
   because they do not keep your commands. 
Consider how I love your precepts;
   preserve my life according to your steadfast love. 
The sum of your word is truth;
   and every one of your righteous ordinances endures for ever. 


Princes persecute me without cause,
   but my heart stands in awe of your words. 
I rejoice at your word
   like one who finds great spoil. 
I hate and abhor falsehood,
   but I love your law. 
Seven times a day I praise you
   for your righteous ordinances. 
Great peace have those who love your law;
   nothing can make them stumble. 
I hope for your salvation, O Lord,
   and I fulfil your commandments. 
My soul keeps your decrees;
   I love them exceedingly. 
I keep your precepts and decrees,
   for all my ways are before you. 


Let my cry come before you, O Lord;
   give me understanding according to your word. 
Let my supplication come before you;
   deliver me according to your promise. 
My lips will pour forth praise,
   because you teach me your statutes. 
My tongue will sing of your promise,
   for all your commandments are right. 
Let your hand be ready to help me,
   for I have chosen your precepts. 
I long for your salvation, O Lord,
   and your law is my delight. 
Let me live that I may praise you,
   and let your ordinances help me. 
I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek out your servant,
   for I do not forget your commandments.
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Evening Psalms: Psalm 128, 129, 130

Psalm 128

Happy is everyone who fears the Lord,
   who walks in his ways. 
You shall eat the fruit of the labour of your hands;
   you shall be happy, and it shall go well with you. 


Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
   within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
   around your table. 
Thus shall the man be blessed
   who fears the Lord. 


The Lord bless you from Zion.
   May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
   all the days of your life. 
May you see your children’s children.
   Peace be upon Israel!



Psalm 129

‘Often have they attacked me from my youth’
   —let Israel now say— 
‘often have they attacked me from my youth,
   yet they have not prevailed against me. 
Those who plough ploughed on my back;
   they made their furrows long.’ 
The Lord is righteous;
   he has cut the cords of the wicked. 
May all who hate Zion
   be put to shame and turned back. 
Let them be like the grass on the housetops
   that withers before it grows up, 
with which reapers do not fill their hands
   or binders of sheaves their arms, 
while those who pass by do not say,
   ‘The blessing of the Lord be upon you!
   We bless you in the name of the Lord!’



Psalm 130

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. 
   Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
   to the voice of my supplications! 


If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
   Lord, who could stand? 
But there is forgiveness with you,
   so that you may be revered. 


I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
   and in his word I hope; 
my soul waits for the Lord
   more than those who watch for the morning,
   more than those who watch for the morning. 


O Israel, hope in the Lord!
   For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
   and with him is great power to redeem. 
It is he who will redeem Israel
   from all its iniquities.
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