Wednesday 21 November 2007 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Wednesday 21 November 2007 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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1 Maccabees 3:42-60

Now Judas and his brothers saw that misfortunes had increased and that
the forces were encamped in their territory. They also learned what the
king had commanded to be done to the people to cause their final
destruction. But they said to one another, 'Let us restore the ruins of
our people, and fight for our people and the sanctuary.' So the
congregation assembled to be ready for battle, and to pray and ask for
mercy and compassion. 
Jerusalem was uninhabited like a wilderness;
   not one of her children went in or out.
The sanctuary was trampled down,
   and aliens held the citadel;
   it was a lodging-place for the Gentiles.
Joy was taken from Jacob;
   the flute and the harp ceased to play.

 Then they gathered together and went to Mizpah, opposite Jerusalem,
because Israel formerly had a place of prayer in Mizpah. They fasted
that day, put on sackcloth and sprinkled ashes on their heads, and tore
their clothes. And they opened the book of the law to inquire into those
matters about which the Gentiles consulted the images of their gods.
They also brought the vestments of the priesthood and the first fruits
and the tithes, and they stirred up the nazirites* who had completed
their days; and they cried aloud to Heaven, saying,
'What shall we do with these?
   Where shall we take them? 
Your sanctuary is trampled down and profaned,
   and your priests mourn in humiliation. 
Here the Gentiles are assembled against us to destroy us;
   you know what they plot against us. 
How will we be able to withstand them,
   if you do not help us?'

 Then they sounded the trumpets and gave a loud shout. After this Judas
appointed leaders of the people, in charge of thousands and hundreds and
fifties and tens. Those who were building houses, or were about to be
married, or were planting a vineyard, or were faint-hearted, he told to
go home again, in accordance with the law. Then the army marched out and
encamped to the south of Emmaus.

 And Judas said, 'Arm yourselves and be courageous. Be ready early in
the morning to fight with these Gentiles who have assembled against us
to destroy us and our sanctuary. It is better for us to die in battle
than to see the misfortunes of our nation and of the sanctuary. But as
his will in heaven may be, so shall he do.'
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Revelation 21:9-21

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven
last plagues came and said to me, 'Come, I will show you the bride, the
wife of the Lamb.' And in the spirit* he carried me away to a great,
high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of
heaven from God. It has the glory of God and a radiance like a very rare
jewel, like jasper, clear as crystal. It has a great, high wall with
twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates are
inscribed the names of the twelve tribes of the Israelites; on the east
three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on
the west three gates. And the wall of the city has twelve foundations,
and on them are the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

 The angel* who talked to me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the
city and its gates and walls. The city lies foursquare, its length the
same as its width; and he measured the city with his rod, fifteen
hundred miles;* its length and width and height are equal. He also
measured its wall, one hundred and forty-four cubits* by human
measurement, which the angel was using. The wall is built of jasper,
while the city is pure gold, clear as glass. The foundations of the wall
of the city are adorned with every jewel; the first was jasper, the
second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx,
the sixth cornelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth
topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth
amethyst. And the twelve gates are twelve pearls, each of the gates is a
single pearl, and the street of the city is pure gold, transparent as
glass.
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Matthew 17:22-27

As they were gathering* in Galilee, Jesus said to them, 'The Son of Man
is going to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and on
the third day he will be raised.' And they were greatly distressed.
 When they reached Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax* came to
Peter and said, 'Does your teacher not pay the temple tax?'* He said,
'Yes, he does.' And when he came home, Jesus spoke of it first, asking,
'What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or
tribute? From their children or from others?' When Peter* said, 'From
others', Jesus said to him, 'Then the children are free. However, so
that we do not give offence to them, go to the lake and cast a hook;
take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will
find a coin;* take that and give it to them for you and me.'
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 101, 109:1-30

Psalm 101

I will sing of loyalty and of justice;
   to you, O Lord, I will sing. 
I will study the way that is blameless.
   When shall I attain it? 


I will walk with integrity of heart
   within my house; 
I will not set before my eyes
   anything that is base. 


I hate the work of those who fall away;
   it shall not cling to me. 
Perverseness of heart shall be far from me;
   I will know nothing of evil. 


One who secretly slanders a neighbour
   I will destroy.
A haughty look and an arrogant heart
   I will not tolerate. 


I will look with favour on the faithful in the land,
   so that they may live with me;
whoever walks in the way that is blameless
   shall minister to me. 


No one who practises deceit
   shall remain in my house;
no one who utters lies
   shall continue in my presence. 


Morning by morning I will destroy
   all the wicked in the land,
cutting off all evildoers
   from the city of the Lord.


Psalm 109:130

Do not be silent, O God of my praise. 
For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me,
   speaking against me with lying tongues. 
They beset me with words of hate,
   and attack me without cause. 
In return for my love they accuse me,
   even while I make prayer for them.* 
So they reward me evil for good,
   and hatred for my love. 


They say,* 'Appoint a wicked man against him;
   let an accuser stand on his right. 
When he is tried, let him be found guilty;
   let his prayer be counted as sin. 
May his days be few;
   may another seize his position. 
May his children be orphans,
   and his wife a widow. 
May his children wander about and beg;
   may they be driven out of* the ruins they inhabit. 
May the creditor seize all that he has;
   may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil. 
May there be no one to do him a kindness,
   nor anyone to pity his orphaned children. 
May his posterity be cut off;
   may his name be blotted out in the second generation. 
May the iniquity of his father* be remembered before the Lord,
   and do not let the sin of his mother be blotted out. 
Let them be before the Lord continually,
   and may his* memory be cut off from the earth. 
For he did not remember to show kindness,
   but pursued the poor and needy
   and the broken-hearted to their death. 
He loved to curse; let curses come on him.
   He did not like blessing; may it be far from him. 
He clothed himself with cursing as his coat,
   may it soak into his body like water,
   like oil into his bones. 
May it be like a garment that he wraps around himself,
   like a belt that he wears every day.' 


May that be the reward of my accusers from the Lord,
   of those who speak evil against my life. 
But you, O Lord my Lord,
   act on my behalf for your name's sake;
   because your steadfast love is good, deliver me. 
For I am poor and needy,
   and my heart is pierced within me. 
I am gone like a shadow at evening;
   I am shaken off like a locust. 
My knees are weak through fasting;
   my body has become gaunt. 
I am an object of scorn to my accusers;
   when they see me, they shake their heads. 


Help me, O Lord my God!
   Save me according to your steadfast love. 
Let them know that this is your hand;
   you, O Lord, have done it. 
Let them curse, but you will bless.
   Let my assailants be put to shame;* may your servant be glad. 
May my accusers be clothed with dishonour;
   may they be wrapped in their own shame as in a mantle. 
With my mouth I will give great thanks to the Lord;
   I will praise him in the midst of the throng. 
For he stands at the right hand of the needy,
   to save them from those who would condemn them to death.
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Evening Psalms: Psalm 119:121-144

Psalm 119:121-144

I have done what is just and right;
   do not leave me to my oppressors. 
Guarantee your servant's well-being;
   do not let the godless oppress me. 
My eyes fail from watching for your salvation,
   and for the fulfilment of your righteous promise. 
Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love,
   and teach me your statutes. 
I am your servant; give me understanding,
   so that I may know your decrees. 
It is time for the Lord to act,
   for your law has been broken. 
Truly I love your commandments
   more than gold, more than fine gold. 
Truly I direct my steps by all your precepts;*
   I hate every false way. 


Your decrees are wonderful;
   therefore my soul keeps them. 
The unfolding of your words gives light;
   it imparts understanding to the simple. 
With open mouth I pant,
   because I long for your commandments. 
Turn to me and be gracious to me,
   as is your custom towards those who love your name. 
Keep my steps steady according to your promise,
   and never let iniquity have dominion over me. 
Redeem me from human oppression,
   that I may keep your precepts. 
Make your face shine upon your servant,
   and teach me your statutes. 
My eyes shed streams of tears
   because your law is not kept. 


You are righteous, O Lord,
   and your judgements are right. 
You have appointed your decrees in righteousness
   and in all faithfulness. 
My zeal consumes me
   because my foes forget your words. 
Your promise is well tried,
   and your servant loves it. 
I am small and despised,
   yet I do not forget your precepts. 
Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,
   and your law is the truth. 
Trouble and anguish have come upon me,
   but your commandments are my delight. 
Your decrees are righteous for ever;
   give me understanding that I may live.
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