Wednesday 16 February 2011 DAILY LECTIONARY

[Daily Lectionary]

Wednesday 16 February 2011 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Isaiah 63:15-64:9

Look down from heaven and see,
   from your holy and glorious habitation.
Where are your zeal and your might?
   The yearning of your heart and your compassion?
   They are withheld from me. 
For you are our father,
   though Abraham does not know us
   and Israel does not acknowledge us;
you, O Lord, are our father;
   our Redeemer from of old is your name. 
Why, O Lord, do you make us stray from your ways
   and harden our heart, so that we do not fear you?
Turn back for the sake of your servants,
   for the sake of the tribes that are your heritage. 
Your holy people took possession for a little while;
   but now our adversaries have trampled down your sanctuary. 
We have long been like those whom you do not rule,
   like those not called by your name. 

O that you would tear open the heavens and come down,
   so that the mountains would quake at your presence— 
*as when fire kindles brushwood
   and the fire causes water to boil—
to make your name known to your adversaries,
   so that the nations might tremble at your presence! 
When you did awesome deeds that we did not expect,
   you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence. 
From ages past no one has heard,
   no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,
   who works for those who wait for him. 
You meet those who gladly do right,
   those who remember you in your ways.
But you were angry, and we sinned;
   because you hid yourself we transgressed.* 
We have all become like one who is unclean,
   and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth.
We all fade like a leaf,
   and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. 
There is no one who calls on your name,
   or attempts to take hold of you;
for you have hidden your face from us,
   and have delivered* us into the hand of our iniquity. 
Yet, O Lord, you are our Father;
   we are the clay, and you are our potter;
   we are all the work of your hand. 
Do not be exceedingly angry, O Lord,
   and do not remember iniquity for ever.
   Now consider, we are all your people.
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1 Timothy 3:1-16

The saying is sure:* whoever aspires to the office of bishop* desires a noble task. Now a bishop* must be above reproach, married only once,* temperate, sensible, respectable, hospitable, an apt teacher, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way— for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace and the snare of the devil.
 Deacons likewise must be serious, not double-tongued, not indulging in much wine, not greedy for money; they must hold fast to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And let them first be tested; then, if they prove themselves blameless, let them serve as deacons. Women* likewise must be serious, not slanderers, but temperate, faithful in all things. Let deacons be married only once,* and let them manage their children and their households well; for those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
 I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these instructions to you so that, if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth. Without any doubt, the mystery of our religion is great:
He* was revealed in flesh,
   vindicated* in spirit,*
     seen by angels,
proclaimed among Gentiles,
   believed in throughout the world,
     taken up in glory.
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Mark 11:27-12:12

Again they came to Jerusalem. As he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to him and said, ‘By what authority are you doing these things? Who gave you this authority to do them?’ Jesus said to them, ‘I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin? Answer me.’ They argued with one another, ‘If we say, “From heaven”, he will say, “Why then did you not believe him?” But shall we say, “Of human origin”?’—they were afraid of the crowd, for all regarded John as truly a prophet. So they answered Jesus, ‘We do not know.’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.’
Then he began to speak to them in parables. ‘A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a pit for the wine press, and built a watch-tower; then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. When the season came, he sent a slave to the tenants to collect from them his share of the produce of the vineyard. But they seized him, and beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. And again he sent another slave to them; this one they beat over the head and insulted. Then he sent another, and that one they killed. And so it was with many others; some they beat, and others they killed. He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, “They will respect my son.” But those tenants said to one another, “This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.” So they seized him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. Have you not read this scripture:
“The stone that the builders rejected
   has become the cornerstone;* 
this was the Lord’s doing,
   and it is amazing in our eyes”?’

 When they realized that he had told this parable against them, they wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowd. So they left him and went away.
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Morning Psalms: Psalm 101, 109

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

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.
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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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