Wednesday 6 May 2009 DAILY LECTIONARY

[Daily Lectionary]

 Wednesday 6 May 2009 
DAILY LECTIONARY
 
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Wisdom 4:16-5:8
 
The righteous who have died will condemn the ungodly who are living,
and youth that is quickly perfected* will condemn the prolonged old age of the unrighteous.
For they will see the end of the wise,
and will not understand what the Lord purposed for them,
and for what he kept them safe.
The unrighteous* will see, and will have contempt for them,
but the Lord will laugh them to scorn.
After this they will become dishonoured corpses,
and an outrage among the dead for ever;
because he will dash them speechless to the ground,
and shake them from the foundations;
they will be left utterly dry and barren,
and they will suffer anguish,
and the memory of them will perish.
 
 
They will come with dread when their sins are reckoned up,
and their lawless deeds will convict them to their face.
 
Then the righteous will stand with great confidence
in the presence of those who have oppressed them
and those who make light of their labours.
When the unrighteous* see them, they will be shaken with dreadful fear,
and they will be amazed at the unexpected salvation of the righteous.
They will speak to one another in repentance,
and in anguish of spirit they will groan, and say,
‘These are persons whom we once held in derision
and made a byword of reproach—fools that we were!
We thought that their lives were madness
and that their end was without honour.
Why have they been numbered among the children of God?
And why is their lot among the saints?
So it was we who strayed from the way of truth,
and the light of righteousness did not shine on us,
and the sun did not rise upon us.
We took our fill of the paths of lawlessness and destruction,
and we journeyed through trackless deserts,
but the way of the Lord we have not known.
What has our arrogance profited us?
And what good has our boasted wealth brought us?
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Colossians 1:24-2:7
 
I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. I became its servant according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil and struggle with all the energy that he powerfully inspires within me.
 
For I want you to know how much I am struggling for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for all who have not seen me face to face. I want their hearts to be encouraged and united in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ himself,* in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I am saying this so that no one may deceive you with plausible arguments. For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, and I rejoice to see your morale and the firmness of your faith in Christ.
 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives* in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. ******************************************************************
Luke 6:27-38
 
‘But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
 
 ‘If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return.* Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
 ‘Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.’
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Morning Psalms: Psalm 119:49-72
 
Psalm 119:49-72
 
Remember your word to your servant,
   in which you have made me hope.
This is my comfort in my distress,
   that your promise gives me life.
The arrogant utterly deride me,
   but I do not turn away from your law.
When I think of your ordinances from of old,
   I take comfort, O Lord.
Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked,
   those who forsake your law.
Your statutes have been my songs
   wherever I make my home.
I remember your name in the night, O Lord,
   and keep your law.
This blessing has fallen to me,
   for I have kept your precepts.
 
 
The Lord is my portion;
   I promise to keep your words.
I implore your favour with all my heart;
   be gracious to me according to your promise.
When I think of your ways,
   I turn my feet to your decrees;
I hurry and do not delay
   to keep your commandments.
Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me,
   I do not forget your law.
At midnight I rise to praise you,
   because of your righteous ordinances.
I am a companion of all who fear you,
   of those who keep your precepts.
The earth, O Lord, is full of your steadfast love;
   teach me your statutes.
 
 
You have dealt well with your servant,
   O Lord, according to your word.
Teach me good judgement and knowledge,
   for I believe in your commandments.
Before I was humbled I went astray,
   but now I keep your word.
You are good and do good;
   teach me your statutes.
The arrogant smear me with lies,
   but with my whole heart I keep your precepts.
Their hearts are fat and gross,
   but I delight in your law.
It is good for me that I was humbled,
   so that I might learn your statutes.
The law of your mouth is better to me
   than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
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Evening Psalms: Psalm 49, 53
 
Psalm 49
 
Hear this, all you peoples;
   give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
both low and high,
   rich and poor together.
My mouth shall speak wisdom;
   the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
I will incline my ear to a proverb;
   I will solve my riddle to the music of the harp.
 
 
Why should I fear in times of trouble,
   when the iniquity of my persecutors surrounds me,
those who trust in their wealth
   and boast of the abundance of their riches?
Truly, no ransom avails for one’s life,*
   there is no price one can give to God for it.
For the ransom of life is costly,
   and can never suffice,
that one should live on for ever
   and never see the grave.*
 
 
When we look at the wise, they die;
   fool and dolt perish together
   and leave their wealth to others.
Their graves* are their homes for ever,
   their dwelling-places to all generations,
   though they named lands their own.
Mortals cannot abide in their pomp;
   they are like the animals that perish.
 
 
Such is the fate of the foolhardy,
   the end of those* who are pleased with their lot.
          Selah
Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;
   Death shall be their shepherd;
straight to the grave they descend,*
   and their form shall waste away;
   Sheol shall be their home.*
But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,
   for he will receive me.
          Selah
 
 
Do not be afraid when some become rich,
   when the wealth of their houses increases.
For when they die they will carry nothing away;
   their wealth will not go down after them.
Though in their lifetime they count themselves happy
   —for you are praised when you do well for yourself—
they* will go to the company of their ancestors,
   who will never again see the light.
Mortals cannot abide in their pomp;
   they are like the animals that perish.
 
 
Psalm 53
 
Fools say in their hearts, ‘There is no God.’
   They are corrupt, they commit abominable acts;
   there is no one who does good.
 
 
God looks down from heaven on humankind
   to see if there are any who are wise,
   who seek after God.
 
 
They have all fallen away, they are all alike perverse;
   there is no one who does good,
   no, not one.
 
 
Have they no knowledge, those evildoers,
   who eat up my people as they eat bread,
   and do not call upon God?
 
 
There they shall be in great terror,
   in terror such as has not been.
For God will scatter the bones of the ungodly;*
   they will be put to shame,* for God has rejected them.
 
 
O that deliverance for Israel would come from Zion!
   When God restores the fortunes of his people,
   Jacob will rejoice; Israel will be glad.
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