Monday 1 November 2010 DAILY LECTIONARY

[Daily Lectionary]

 Monday 1 November 2010 
DAILY LECTIONARY
 
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Ecclesiasticus 38:24-34
 
The wisdom of the scribe depends on the opportunity of leisure;
   only the one who has little business can become wise.
How can one become wise who handles the plough,
   and who glories in the shaft of a goad,
who drives oxen and is occupied with their work,
   and whose talk is about bulls?
He sets his heart on ploughing furrows,
   and he is careful about fodder for the heifers.
So it is with every artisan and master artisan
   who labours by night as well as by day;
those who cut the signets of seals,
   each is diligent in making a great variety;
they set their heart on painting a lifelike image,
   and they are careful to finish their work.
So it is with the smith, sitting by the anvil,
   intent on his ironwork;
the breath of the fire melts his flesh,
   and he struggles with the heat of the furnace;
the sound of the hammer deafens his ears,*
   and his eyes are on the pattern of the object.
He sets his heart on finishing his handiwork,
   and he is careful to complete its decoration.
So it is with is the potter sitting at his work
   and turning the wheel with his feet;
he is always deeply concerned over his products,
   and he produces them in quantity.
He moulds the clay with his arm
   and makes it pliable with his feet;
he sets his heart on finishing the glazing,
   and he takes care in firing* the kiln.
 
 
All these rely on their hands,
   and all are skilful in their own work.
Without them no city can be inhabited,
   and wherever they live, they will not go hungry.*
Yet they are not sought out for the council of the people,*
   nor do they attain eminence in the public assembly.
They do not sit in the judge’s seat,
   nor do they understand the decisions of the courts;
they cannot expound discipline or judgement,
   and they are not found among the rulers.*
But they maintain the fabric of the world,
   and their concern is for* the exercise of their trade.
 
 
How different the one who devotes himself
   to the study of the law of the Most High!
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Revelation 14:1-13
 
Then I looked, and there was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion! And with him were one hundred and forty-four thousand who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder; the voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, and they sing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the one hundred forty-four thousand who have been redeemed from the earth. It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins; these follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They have been redeemed from humankind as first fruits for God and the Lamb, and in their mouth no lie was found; they are blameless.
 Then I saw another angel flying in mid-heaven, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live* on the earth—to every nation and tribe and language and people. He said in a loud voice, ‘Fear God and give him glory, for the hour of his judgement has come; and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.’
 
 Then another angel, a second, followed, saying, ‘Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.’
 
 Then another angel, a third, followed them, crying with a loud voice, ‘Those who worship the beast and its image, and receive a mark on their foreheads or on their hands, they will also drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured unmixed into the cup of his anger, and they will be tormented with fire and sulphur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image and for anyone who receives the mark of its name.’
 
 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and hold fast to the faith of* Jesus.
 
 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, ‘Write this: Blessed are the dead who from now on die in the Lord.’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘they will rest from their labours, for their deeds follow them.’
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Luke 12:49-59
 
‘I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed! Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! From now on, five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided:
father against son
   and son against father,
mother against daughter
   and daughter against mother,
mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
   and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.’
 He also said to the crowds, ‘When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, “It is going to rain”; and so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, “There will be scorching heat”; and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?
 ‘And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? Thus, when you go with your accuser before a magistrate, on the way make an effort to settle the case,* or you may be dragged before the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer throw you in prison. I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny.’
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Morning Psalms: Psalm 56, 57
 
Psalm 56
 
Be gracious to me, O God, for people trample on me;
   all day long foes oppress me;
my enemies trample on me all day long,
   for many fight against me.
O Most High, when I am afraid,
   I put my trust in you.
In God, whose word I praise,
   in God I trust; I am not afraid;
   what can flesh do to me?
 
 
All day long they seek to injure my cause;
   all their thoughts are against me for evil.
They stir up strife, they lurk,
   they watch my steps.
As they hoped to have my life,
   so repay* them for their crime;
   in wrath cast down the peoples, O God!
 
 
You have kept count of my tossings;
   put my tears in your bottle.
   Are they not in your record?
Then my enemies will retreat
   on the day when I call.
   This I know, that* God is for me.
In God, whose word I praise,
   in the Lord, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I am not afraid.
   What can a mere mortal do to me?
 
 
My vows to you I must perform, O God;
   I will render thank-offerings to you.
For you have delivered my soul from death,
   and my feet from falling,
so that I may walk before God
   in the light of life.
 
 
Psalm 57
 
Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
   for in you my soul takes refuge;
in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
   until the destroying storms pass by.
I cry to God Most High,
   to God who fulfils his purpose for me.
He will send from heaven and save me,
   he will put to shame those who trample on me.
          Selah
God will send forth his steadfast love and his faithfulness.
 
 
I lie down among lions
   that greedily devour* human prey;
their teeth are spears and arrows,
   their tongues sharp swords.
 
 
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens.
   Let your glory be over all the earth.
 
 
They set a net for my steps;
   my soul was bowed down.
They dug a pit in my path,
   but they have fallen into it themselves.
          Selah
My heart is steadfast, O God,
   my heart is steadfast.
I will sing and make melody.
   Awake, my soul!
Awake, O harp and lyre!
   I will awake the dawn.
I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
   I will sing praises to you among the nations.
For your steadfast love is as high as the heavens;
   your faithfulness extends to the clouds.
 
 
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens.
   Let your glory be over all the earth.
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Evening Psalms: Psalm 64, 65
 
Psalm 64
 
Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint;
   preserve my life from the dread enemy.
Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked,
   from the scheming of evildoers,
who whet their tongues like swords,
   who aim bitter words like arrows,
shooting from ambush at the blameless;
   they shoot suddenly and without fear.
They hold fast to their evil purpose;
   they talk of laying snares secretly,
thinking, ‘Who can see us?*
   Who can search out our crimes?*
We have thought out a cunningly conceived plot.’
   For the human heart and mind are deep.
 
 
But God will shoot his arrow at them;
   they will be wounded suddenly.
Because of their tongue he will bring them to ruin;*
   all who see them will shake with horror.
Then everyone will fear;
   they will tell what God has brought about,
   and ponder what he has done.
 
 
Let the righteous rejoice in the Lord
   and take refuge in him.
Let all the upright in heart glory.
 
 
Psalm 65
 
Praise is due to you,
   O God, in Zion;
and to you shall vows be performed,
   O you who answer prayer!
To you all flesh shall come.
When deeds of iniquity overwhelm us,
   you forgive our transgressions.
Happy are those whom you choose and bring near
   to live in your courts.
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house,
   your holy temple.
 
 
By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance,
   O God of our salvation;
you are the hope of all the ends of the earth
   and of the farthest seas.
By your* strength you established the mountains;
   you are girded with might.
You silence the roaring of the seas,
   the roaring of their waves,
   the tumult of the peoples.
Those who live at earth’s farthest bounds are awed by your signs;
you make the gateways of the morning and the evening shout for joy.
 
 
You visit the earth and water it,
   you greatly enrich it;
the river of God is full of water;
   you provide the people with grain,
   for so you have prepared it.
You water its furrows abundantly,
   settling its ridges,
softening it with showers,
   and blessing its growth.
You crown the year with your bounty;
   your wagon tracks overflow with richness.
The pastures of the wilderness overflow,
   the hills gird themselves with joy,
the meadows clothe themselves with flocks,
   the valleys deck themselves with grain,
   they shout and sing together for joy.
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