Wednesday 21 March 2012 DAILY LECTIONARY

[Daily Lectionary]

Wednesday 21 March 2012 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Genesis 50:15-26

Realizing that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers said, ‘What if Joseph still bears a grudge against us and pays us back in full for all the wrong that we did to him?’ So they approached* Joseph, saying, ‘Your father gave this instruction before he died, “Say to Joseph: I beg you, forgive the crime of your brothers and the wrong they did in harming you.” Now therefore please forgive the crime of the servants of the God of your father.’ Joseph wept when they spoke to him. Then his brothers also wept,* fell down before him, and said, ‘We are here as your slaves.’ But Joseph said to them, ‘Do not be afraid! Am I in the place of God? Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today. So have no fear; I myself will provide for you and your little ones.’ In this way he reassured them, speaking kindly to them.
 So Joseph remained in Egypt, he and his father’s household; and Joseph lived for one hundred and ten years. Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation; the children of Machir son of Manasseh were also born on Joseph’s knees.

 Then Joseph said to his brothers, ‘I am about to die; but God will surely come to you, and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.’ So Joseph made the Israelites swear, saying, ‘When God comes to you, you shall carry up my bones from here.’ And Joseph died, being one hundred and ten years old; he was embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt.
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1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Now concerning spiritual gifts,* brothers and sisters,* I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans, you were enticed and led astray to idols that could not speak. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says ‘Let Jesus be cursed!’ and no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit.

 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.
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Mark 8:11-26

The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, asking him for a sign from heaven, to test him. And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, ‘Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.’ And he left them, and getting into the boat again, he went across to the other side.
 Now the disciples* had forgotten to bring any bread; and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. And he cautioned them, saying, ‘Watch out—beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.’* They said to one another, ‘It is because we have no bread.’ And becoming aware of it, Jesus said to them, ‘Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes, and fail to see? Do you have ears, and fail to hear? And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?’ They said to him, ‘Twelve.’ ‘And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?’ And they said to him, ‘Seven.’ Then he said to them, ‘Do you not yet understand?’ 

 They came to Bethsaida. Some people* brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village; and when he had put saliva on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, ‘Can you see anything?’ And the man* looked up and said, ‘I can see people, but they look like trees, walking.’ Then Jesus* laid his hands on his eyes again; and he looked intently and his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Then he sent him away to his home, saying, ‘Do not even go into the village.’
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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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