Saturday 17 November 2007 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Sat Nov 17 02:00:00 EST 2007


Saturday 17 November 2007 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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1 Maccabees 2:1-28

In those days Mattathias son of John son of Simeon, a priest of the
family of Joarib, moved from Jerusalem and settled in Modein. He had
five sons, John surnamed Gaddi, Simon called Thassi, Judas called
Maccabeus, Eleazar called Avaran, and Jonathan called Apphus. He saw the
blasphemies being committed in Judah and Jerusalem, and said,
'Alas! Why was I born to see this,
   the ruin of my people, the ruin of the holy city,
and to live there when it was given over to the enemy,
   the sanctuary given over to aliens? 
Her temple has become like a person without honour;* 
   her glorious vessels have been carried into exile.
Her infants have been killed in her streets,
   her youths by the sword of the foe. 
What nation has not inherited her palaces*
   and has not seized her spoils? 
All her adornment has been taken away;
   no longer free, she has become a slave. 
And see, our holy place, our beauty,
   and our glory have been laid waste;
the Gentiles have profaned them. 
   Why should we live any longer?'

 Then Mattathias and his sons tore their clothes, put on sackcloth, and
mourned greatly.

 The king's officers who were enforcing the apostasy came to the town of
Modein to make them offer sacrifice. Many from Israel came to them; and
Mattathias and his sons were assembled. Then the king's officers spoke
to Mattathias as follows: 'You are a leader, honoured and great in this
town, and supported by sons and brothers. Now be the first to come and
do what the king commands, as all the Gentiles and the people of Judah
and those that are left in Jerusalem have done. Then you and your sons
will be numbered among the Friends of the king, and you and your sons
will be honoured with silver and gold and many gifts.'

 But Mattathias answered and said in a loud voice: 'Even if all the
nations that live under the rule of the king obey him, and have chosen
to obey his commandments, everyone of them abandoning the religion of
their ancestors, I and my sons and my brothers will continue to live by
the covenant of our ancestors. Far be it from us to desert the law and
the ordinances. We will not obey the king's words by turning aside from
our religion to the right hand or to the left.'

 When he had finished speaking these words, a Jew came forward in the
sight of all to offer sacrifice on the altar in Modein, according to the
king's command. When Mattathias saw it, he burned with zeal and his
heart was stirred. He gave vent to righteous anger; he ran and killed
him on the altar. At the same time he killed the king's officer who was
forcing them to sacrifice, and he tore down the altar. Thus he burned
with zeal for the law, just as Phinehas did against Zimri son of Salu.

 Then Mattathias cried out in the town with a loud voice, saying: 'Let
everyone who is zealous for the law and supports the covenant come out
with me!' Then he and his sons fled to the hills and left all that they
had in the town.
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Revelation 20:1-6

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key
to the bottomless pit and a great chain. He seized the dragon, that
ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a
thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and locked and sealed it
over him, so that he would deceive the nations no more, until the
thousand years were ended. After that he must be let out for a little
while.

 Then I saw thrones, and those seated on them were given authority to
judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their
testimony to Jesus* and for the word of God. They had not worshipped the
beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or
their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand
years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand
years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are
those who share in the first resurrection. Over these the second death
has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they
will reign with him for a thousand years.
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Matthew 16:21-28

>From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to
Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and
chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be
raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, 'God
forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.' But he turned and said
to Peter, 'Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling-block to me; for
you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.'

 Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If any want to become my followers, let
them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those
who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life
for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the
whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for
their life?

 'For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his
Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. Truly I
tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before
they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.'
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 87, 90

Psalm 87

On the holy mount stands the city he founded; 
   the Lord loves the gates of Zion
   more than all the dwellings of Jacob. 
Glorious things are spoken of you,
   O city of God.
          Selah 


Among those who know me I mention Rahab and Babylon;
   Philistia too, and Tyre, with Ethiopia*-
   'This one was born there,' they say. 


And of Zion it shall be said,
   'This one and that one were born in it';
   for the Most High himself will establish it. 
The Lord records, as he registers the peoples,
   'This one was born there.'
          Selah 


Singers and dancers alike say,
   'All my springs are in you.'



Psalm 90

Lord, you have been our dwelling-place*
   in all generations. 
Before the mountains were brought forth,
   or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
   from everlasting to everlasting you are God. 


You turn us* back to dust,
   and say, 'Turn back, you mortals.' 
For a thousand years in your sight
   are like yesterday when it is past,
   or like a watch in the night. 


You sweep them away; they are like a dream,
   like grass that is renewed in the morning; 
in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;
   in the evening it fades and withers. 


For we are consumed by your anger;
   by your wrath we are overwhelmed. 
You have set our iniquities before you,
   our secret sins in the light of your countenance. 


For all our days pass away under your wrath;
   our years come to an end* like a sigh. 
The days of our life are seventy years,
   or perhaps eighty, if we are strong;
even then their span* is only toil and trouble;
   they are soon gone, and we fly away. 


Who considers the power of your anger?
   Your wrath is as great as the fear that is due to you. 
So teach us to count our days
   that we may gain a wise heart. 


Turn, O Lord! How long?
   Have compassion on your servants! 
Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
   so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 
Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
   and for as many years as we have seen evil. 
Let your work be manifest to your servants,
   and your glorious power to their children. 
Let the favour of the Lord our God be upon us,
   and prosper for us the work of our hands-
   O prosper the work of our hands!
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Evening Psalms: Psalm 136

Psalm 136

O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever. 
O give thanks to the God of gods,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever. 
O give thanks to the Lord of lords,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 


who alone does great wonders,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
who by understanding made the heavens,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
who spread out the earth on the waters,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
who made the great lights,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
the sun to rule over the day,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
the moon and stars to rule over the night,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 


who struck Egypt through their firstborn,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
and brought Israel out from among them,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
who divided the Red Sea* in two,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
and made Israel pass through the midst of it,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
but overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea,*
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
who led his people through the wilderness,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
who struck down great kings,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
and killed famous kings,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
Sihon, king of the Amorites,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
and Og, king of Bashan,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
and gave their land as a heritage,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
a heritage to his servant Israel,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever. 


It is he who remembered us in our low estate,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
and rescued us from our foes,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever; 
who gives food to all flesh,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever. 


O give thanks to the God of heaven,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever.
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