Sunday 18 November 2007 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Sunday 18 November 2007 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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1 Maccabees 2:29-43,49-50

At that time many who were seeking righteousness and justice went down
to the wilderness to live there, they, their sons, their wives, and
their livestock, because troubles pressed heavily upon them. And it was
reported to the king's officers, and to the troops in Jerusalem the city
of David, that those who had rejected the king's command had gone down
to the hiding-places in the wilderness. Many pursued them, and overtook
them; they encamped opposite them and prepared for battle against them
on the sabbath day. They said to them, 'Enough of this! Come out and do
what the king commands, and you will live.' But they said, 'We will not
come out, nor will we do what the king commands and so profane the
sabbath day.' Then the enemy* quickly attacked them. But they did not
answer them or hurl a stone at them or block up their hiding-places, for
they said, 'Let us all die in our innocence; heaven and earth testify
for us that you are killing us unjustly.' So they attacked them on the
sabbath, and they died, with their wives and children and livestock, to
the number of a thousand people.

 When Mattathias and his friends learned of it, they mourned for them
deeply. And all said to their neighbours: 'If we all do as our kindred
have done and refuse to fight with the Gentiles for our lives and for
our ordinances, they will quickly destroy us from the earth.' So they
made this decision that day: 'Let us fight against anyone who comes to
attack us on the sabbath day; let us not all die as our kindred died in
their hiding-places.'
 Then there united with them a company of Hasideans, mighty warriors of
Israel, all who offered themselves willingly for the law. And all who
became fugitives to escape their troubles joined them and reinforced
them.
 Now the days drew near for Mattathias to die, and he said to his sons:
'Arrogance and scorn have now become strong; it is a time of ruin and
furious anger. Now, my children, show zeal for the law, and give your
lives for the covenant of our ancestors.
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Acts 28:14b-23

There we found believers* and were invited to stay with them for seven
days. And so we came to Rome. The believers* from there, when they heard
of us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us.
On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage.

 When we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with the
soldier who was guarding him.
 Three days later he called together the local leaders of the Jews. When
they had assembled, he said to them, 'Brothers, though I had done
nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, yet I was
arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. When they had
examined me, the Romans* wanted to release me, because there was no
reason for the death penalty in my case. But when the Jews objected, I
was compelled to appeal to the emperor-even though I had no charge to
bring against my nation. For this reason therefore I have asked to see
you and speak with you,* since it is for the sake of the hope of Israel
that I am bound with this chain.' They replied, 'We have received no
letters from Judea about you, and none of the brothers coming here has
reported or spoken anything evil about you. But we would like to hear
from you what you think, for with regard to this sect we know that
everywhere it is spoken against.'
 After they had fixed a day to meet him, they came to him at his
lodgings in great numbers. From morning until evening he explained the
matter to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince
them about Jesus both from the law of Moses and from the prophets.
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Luke 16:1-13

Then Jesus* said to the disciples, 'There was a rich man who had a
manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering
his property. So he summoned him and said to him, "What is this that I
hear about you? Give me an account of your management, because you
cannot be my manager any longer." Then the manager said to himself,
"What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me?
I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided
what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome
me into their homes." So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he
asked the first, "How much do you owe my master?" He answered, "A
hundred jugs of olive oil." He said to him, "Take your bill, sit down
quickly, and make it fifty." Then he asked another, "And how much do you
owe?" He replied, "A hundred containers of wheat." He said to him, "Take
your bill and make it eighty." And his master commended the dishonest
manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are
more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children
of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of
dishonest wealth* so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the
eternal homes.*

 'Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and
whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then
you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth,* who will entrust
to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful with what
belongs to another, who will give you what is your own? No slave can
serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the
other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve
God and wealth.'*
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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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