Tuesday 10 June 2008 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Tuesday 10 June 2008  
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Ecclesiastes 8:14-9:10

There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous
people who are treated according to the conduct of the wicked, and there
are wicked people who are treated according to the conduct of the
righteous. I said that this also is vanity. So I commend enjoyment, for
there is nothing better for people under the sun than to eat, and drink,
and enjoy themselves, for this will go with them in their toil through
the days of life that God gives them under the sun.

 When I applied my mind to know wisdom, and to see the business that is
done on earth, how one's eyes see sleep neither day nor night, then I
saw all the work of God, that no one can find out what is happening
under the sun. However much they may toil in seeking, they will not find
it out; even though those who are wise claim to know, they cannot find
it out.
All this I laid to heart, examining it all, how the righteous and the
wise and their deeds are in the hand of God; whether it is love or hate
one does not know. Everything that confronts them is vanity,* since the
same fate comes to all, to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and
the evil,* to the clean and the unclean, to those who sacrifice and
those who do not sacrifice. As are the good, so are the sinners; those
who swear are like those who shun an oath. This is an evil in all that
happens under the sun, that the same fate comes to everyone. Moreover,
the hearts of all are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while
they live, and after that they go to the dead. But whoever is joined
with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead
lion. The living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing;
they have no more reward, and even the memory of them is lost. Their
love and their hate and their envy have already perished; never again
will they have any share in all that happens under the sun.

 Go, eat your bread with enjoyment, and drink your wine with a merry
heart; for God has long ago approved what you do. Let your garments
always be white; do not let oil be lacking on your head. Enjoy life with
the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that are given
you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil
at which you toil under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do with
your might; for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in
Sheol, to which you are going.
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Galatians 4:21-31

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.
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Matthew 15:29-39

After Jesus had left that place, he passed along the Sea of Galilee, and
he went up the mountain, where he sat down. Great crowds came to him,
bringing with them the lame, the maimed, the blind, the mute, and many
others. They put them at his feet, and he cured them, so that the crowd
was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed whole, the lame
walking, and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.
 Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, 'I have compassion for
the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have
nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they
might faint on the way.' The disciples said to him, 'Where are we to get
enough bread in the desert to feed so great a crowd?' Jesus asked them,
'How many loaves have you?' They said, 'Seven, and a few small fish.'
Then ordering the crowd to sit down on the ground, he took the seven
loaves and the fish; and after giving thanks he broke them and gave them
to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all of
them ate and were filled; and they took up the broken pieces left over,
seven baskets full. Those who had eaten were four thousand men, besides
women and children. After sending away the crowds, he got into the boat
and went to the region of Magadan.*
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 61, 62

Psalm 61

Hear my cry, O God;
   listen to my prayer. 
>From the end of the earth I call to you,
   when my heart is faint. 


Lead me to the rock
   that is higher than I; 
for you are my refuge,
   a strong tower against the enemy. 


Let me abide in your tent for ever,
   find refuge under the shelter of your wings.
          Selah 
For you, O God, have heard my vows;
   you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name. 


Prolong the life of the king;
   may his years endure to all generations! 
May he be enthroned for ever before God;
   appoint steadfast love and faithfulness to watch over him! 


So I will always sing praises to your name,
   as I pay my vows day after day.


Psalm 62

For God alone my soul waits in silence;
   from him comes my salvation. 
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
   my fortress; I shall never be shaken. 


How long will you assail a person,
   will you batter your victim, all of you,
   as you would a leaning wall, a tottering fence? 
Their only plan is to bring down a person of prominence.
   They take pleasure in falsehood;
they bless with their mouths,
   but inwardly they curse.
          Selah 


For God alone my soul waits in silence,
   for my hope is from him. 
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
   my fortress; I shall not be shaken. 
On God rests my deliverance and my honour;
   my mighty rock, my refuge is in God. 


Trust in him at all times, O people;
   pour out your heart before him;
   God is a refuge for us.
          Selah 


Those of low estate are but a breath,
   those of high estate are a delusion;
in the balances they go up;
   they are together lighter than a breath. 
Put no confidence in extortion,
   and set no vain hopes on robbery;
   if riches increase, do not set your heart on them. 


Once God has spoken;
   twice have I heard this:
that power belongs to God, 
   and steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord.
For you repay to all
   according to their work.
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Evening Psalms:  Psalm 68:1-36

Psalm 68:1-36

Let God rise up, let his enemies be scattered;
   let those who hate him flee before him. 
As smoke is driven away, so drive them away;
   as wax melts before the fire,
   let the wicked perish before God. 
But let the righteous be joyful;
   let them exult before God;
   let them be jubilant with joy. 


Sing to God, sing praises to his name;
   lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds*-
his name is the Lord-
   be exultant before him. 


Father of orphans and protector of widows
   is God in his holy habitation. 
God gives the desolate a home to live in;
   he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
   but the rebellious live in a parched land. 


O God, when you went out before your people,
   when you marched through the wilderness,
          Selah 
the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain
   at the presence of God, the God of Sinai,
   at the presence of God, the God of Israel. 
Rain in abundance, O God, you showered abroad;
   you restored your heritage when it languished; 
your flock found a dwelling in it;
   in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy. 


The Lord gives the command;
   great is the company of those* who bore the tidings: 
   'The kings of the armies, they flee, they flee!'
The women at home divide the spoil, 
   though they stay among the sheepfolds-
the wings of a dove covered with silver,
   its pinions with green gold. 
When the Almighty* scattered kings there,
   snow fell on Zalmon. 


O mighty mountain, mountain of Bashan;
   O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan! 
Why do you look with envy, O many-peaked mountain,
   at the mount that God desired for his abode,
   where the Lord will reside for ever? 


With mighty chariotry, twice ten thousand,
   thousands upon thousands,
   the Lord came from Sinai into the holy place.* 
You ascended the high mount,
   leading captives in your train
   and receiving gifts from people,
even from those who rebel against the Lord God's abiding there. 
Blessed be the Lord,
   who daily bears us up;
   God is our salvation.
          Selah 
Our God is a God of salvation,
   and to God, the Lord, belongs escape from death. 


But God will shatter the heads of his enemies,
   the hairy crown of those who walk in their guilty ways. 
The Lord said,
   'I will bring them back from Bashan,
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea, 
so that you may bathe* your feet in blood,
   so that the tongues of your dogs may have their share from the foe.' 


Your solemn processions are seen,* O God,
   the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary- 
the singers in front, the musicians last,
   between them girls playing tambourines: 
'Bless God in the great congregation,
   the Lord, O you who are of Israel's fountain!' 
There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead,
   the princes of Judah in a body,
   the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali. 


Summon your might, O God;
   show your strength, O God, as you have done for us before. 
Because of your temple at Jerusalem
   kings bear gifts to you. 
Rebuke the wild animals that live among the reeds,
   the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples.
Trample* under foot those who lust after tribute;
   scatter the peoples who delight in war.* 
Let bronze be brought from Egypt;
   let Ethiopia* hasten to stretch out its hands to God. 


Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth;
   sing praises to the Lord,
          Selah 
O rider in the heavens, the ancient heavens;
   listen, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice. 
Ascribe power to God,
   whose majesty is over Israel;
   and whose power is in the skies. 
Awesome is God in his* sanctuary,
   the God of Israel;
   he gives power and strength to his people. 


Blessed be God!
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