Friday 13 June 2008 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Friday 13 June 2008  
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:14

Rejoice, young man, while you are young, and let your heart cheer you in
the days of your youth. Follow the inclination of your heart and the
desire of your eyes, but know that for all these things God will bring
you into judgement.

 Banish anxiety from your mind, and put away pain from your body; for
youth and the dawn of life are vanity.

Remember your creator in the days of your youth, before the days of
trouble come, and the years draw near when you will say, 'I have no
pleasure in them'; before the sun and the light and the moon and the
stars are darkened and the clouds return with* the rain; on the day when
the guards of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the
women who grind cease working because they are few, and those who look
through the windows see dimly; when the doors on the street are shut,
and the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a
bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low; when one is afraid
of heights, and terrors are in the road; the almond tree blossoms, the
grasshopper drags itself along* and desire fails; because all must go to
their eternal home, and the mourners will go about the streets; before
the silver cord is snapped,* and the golden bowl is broken, and the
pitcher is broken at the fountain, and the wheel broken at the cistern,
and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the breath* returns to
God who gave it. Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher;* all is vanity.
 Besides being wise, the Teacher* also taught the people knowledge,
weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs. The Teacher* sought
to find pleasing words, and he wrote words of truth plainly.

 The sayings of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are
the collected sayings that are given by one shepherd.* Of anything
beyond these, my child, beware. Of making many books there is no end,
and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God, and keep his
commandments; for that is the whole duty of everyone. For God will bring
every deed into judgement, including* every secret thing, whether good
or evil.
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Galatians 5:25-6:10

If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit. Let us
not become conceited, competing against one another, envying one
another.
My friends,* if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have
received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness.
Take care that you yourselves are not tempted. Bear one another's
burdens, and in this way you will fulfil* the law of Christ. For if
those who are nothing think they are something, they deceive themselves.
All must test their own work; then that work, rather than their
neighbour's work, will become a cause for pride. For all must carry
their own loads.

 Those who are taught the word must share in all good things with their
teacher.

 Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow.
If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh;
but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the
Spirit. So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will
reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an
opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those
of the family of faith.
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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 69:1-38

Psalm 69:1-38

Save me, O God,
   for the waters have come up to my neck. 
I sink in deep mire,
   where there is no foothold;
I have come into deep waters,
   and the flood sweeps over me. 
I am weary with my crying;
   my throat is parched.
My eyes grow dim
   with waiting for my God. 


More in number than the hairs of my head
   are those who hate me without cause;
many are those who would destroy me,
   my enemies who accuse me falsely.
What I did not steal
   must I now restore? 
O God, you know my folly;
   the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you. 


Do not let those who hope in you be put to shame because of me,
   O Lord God of hosts;
do not let those who seek you be dishonoured because of me,
   O God of Israel. 
It is for your sake that I have borne reproach,
   that shame has covered my face. 
I have become a stranger to my kindred,
   an alien to my mother's children. 


It is zeal for your house that has consumed me;
   the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me. 
When I humbled my soul with fasting,*
   they insulted me for doing so. 
When I made sackcloth my clothing,
   I became a byword to them. 
I am the subject of gossip for those who sit in the gate,
   and the drunkards make songs about me. 


But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord.
   At an acceptable time, O God,
   in the abundance of your steadfast love, answer me.
With your faithful help rescue me
   from sinking in the mire;
let me be delivered from my enemies
   and from the deep waters. 
Do not let the flood sweep over me,
   or the deep swallow me up,
   or the Pit close its mouth over me. 


Answer me, O Lord, for your steadfast love is good;
   according to your abundant mercy, turn to me. 
Do not hide your face from your servant,
   for I am in distress-make haste to answer me. 
Draw near to me, redeem me,
   set me free because of my enemies. 


You know the insults I receive,
   and my shame and dishonour;
   my foes are all known to you. 
Insults have broken my heart,
   so that I am in despair.
I looked for pity, but there was none;
   and for comforters, but I found none. 
They gave me poison for food,
   and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. 


Let their table be a trap for them,
   a snare for their allies. 
Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see,
   and make their loins tremble continually. 
Pour out your indignation upon them,
   and let your burning anger overtake them. 
May their camp be a desolation;
   let no one live in their tents. 
For they persecute those whom you have struck down,
   and those whom you have wounded, they attack still more.* 
Add guilt to their guilt;
   may they have no acquittal from you. 
Let them be blotted out of the book of the living;
   let them not be enrolled among the righteous. 
But I am lowly and in pain;
   let your salvation, O God, protect me. 


I will praise the name of God with a song;
   I will magnify him with thanksgiving. 
This will please the Lord more than an ox
   or a bull with horns and hoofs. 
Let the oppressed see it and be glad;
   you who seek God, let your hearts revive. 
For the Lord hears the needy,
   and does not despise his own that are in bonds. 


Let heaven and earth praise him,
   the seas and everything that moves in them. 
For God will save Zion
   and rebuild the cities of Judah;
and his servants shall live* there and possess it; 
   the children of his servants shall inherit it,
   and those who love his name shall live in it.
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Evening Psalms:  Psalm 73

Psalm 73

Truly God is good to the upright,*
   to those who are pure in heart. 
But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled;
   my steps had nearly slipped. 
For I was envious of the arrogant;
   I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 


For they have no pain;
   their bodies are sound and sleek. 
They are not in trouble as others are;
   they are not plagued like other people. 
Therefore pride is their necklace;
   violence covers them like a garment. 
Their eyes swell out with fatness;
   their hearts overflow with follies. 
They scoff and speak with malice;
   loftily they threaten oppression. 
They set their mouths against heaven,
   and their tongues range over the earth. 


Therefore the people turn and praise them,*
   and find no fault in them.* 
And they say, 'How can God know?
   Is there knowledge in the Most High?' 
Such are the wicked;
   always at ease, they increase in riches. 
All in vain I have kept my heart clean
   and washed my hands in innocence. 
For all day long I have been plagued,
   and am punished every morning. 


If I had said, 'I will talk on in this way',
   I would have been untrue to the circle of your children. 
But when I thought how to understand this,
   it seemed to me a wearisome task, 
until I went into the sanctuary of God;
   then I perceived their end. 
Truly you set them in slippery places;
   you make them fall to ruin. 
How they are destroyed in a moment,
   swept away utterly by terrors! 
They are* like a dream when one awakes;
   on awaking you despise their phantoms. 


When my soul was embittered,
   when I was pricked in heart, 
I was stupid and ignorant;
   I was like a brute beast towards you. 
Nevertheless I am continually with you;
   you hold my right hand. 
You guide me with your counsel,
   and afterwards you will receive me with honour.* 
Whom have I in heaven but you?
   And there is nothing on earth that I desire other than you. 
My flesh and my heart may fail,
   but God is the strength* of my heart and my portion for ever. 


Indeed, those who are far from you will perish;
   you put an end to those who are false to you. 
But for me it is good to be near God;
   I have made the Lord God my refuge,
   to tell of all your works.
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