Sunday 21 May 2017 DAILY LECTIONARY

[Daily Lectionary]

Sunday 21 May 2017 
DAILY LECTIONARY

Email Evangelism, forward to a friend:  www.dailylectionary.org
************************************************************************
Ecclesiasticus 43:1-12,27-32

The pride of the higher realms is the clear vault of the sky,
   as glorious to behold as the sight of the heavens. 
The sun, when it appears, proclaims as it rises
   what a marvellous instrument it is, the work of the Most High. 
At noon it parches the land,
   and who can withstand its burning heat? 
A man tending* a furnace works in burning heat,
   but three times as hot is the sun scorching the mountains;
it breathes out fiery vapours,
   and its bright rays blind the eyes. 
Great is the Lord who made it;
   at his orders it hurries on its course. 


It is the moon that marks the changing seasons,*
   governing the times, their everlasting sign. 
From the moon comes the sign for festal days,
   a light that wanes when it completes its course. 
The new moon, as its name suggests, renews itself;*
   how marvellous it is in this change,
a beacon to the hosts on high,
   shining in the vault of the heavens! 


The glory of the stars is the beauty of heaven,
   a glittering array in the heights of the Lord. 
On the orders of the Holy One they stand in their appointed places;
   they never relax in their watches. 
Look at the rainbow, and praise him who made it;
   it is exceedingly beautiful in its brightness. 
It encircles the sky with its glorious arc;
   the hands of the Most High have stretched it out. 


We could say more but could never say enough;
   let the final word be: ‘He is the all.’ 
Where can we find the strength to praise him?
   For he is greater than all his works. 
Awesome is the Lord and very great,
   and marvellous is his power. 
Glorify the Lord and exalt him as much as you can,
   for he surpasses even that.
When you exalt him, summon all your strength,
   and do not grow weary, for you cannot praise him enough. 
Who has seen him and can describe him?
   Or who can extol him as he is? 
Many things greater than these lie hidden,
   for I* have seen but few of his works.
************************************************************************
1 Timothy 3:14-4:5

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. 

Now the Spirit expressly says that in later* times some will renounce the faith by paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared with a hot iron. They forbid marriage and demand abstinence from foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, provided it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by God’s word and by prayer.
************************************************************************
Matthew 13:24-34a

He put before them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, “Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?” He answered, “An enemy has done this.” The slaves said to him, “Then do you want us to go and gather them?” But he replied, “No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’
 He put before them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.’
 He told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with* three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.’
 Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables; without a parable he told them nothing.
************************************************************************
Morning Psalms: Psalm 93, 96

Psalm 93

The Lord is king, he is robed in majesty;
   the Lord is robed, he is girded with strength.
He has established the world; it shall never be moved; 
   your throne is established from of old;
   you are from everlasting. 


The floods have lifted up, O Lord,
   the floods have lifted up their voice;
   the floods lift up their roaring. 
More majestic than the thunders of mighty waters,
   more majestic than the waves* of the sea,
   majestic on high is the Lord! 


Your decrees are very sure;
   holiness befits your house,
   O Lord, for evermore.


Psalm 96

O sing to the Lord a new song;
   sing to the Lord, all the earth. 
Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
   tell of his salvation from day to day. 
Declare his glory among the nations,
   his marvellous works among all the peoples. 
For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
   he is to be revered above all gods. 
For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
   but the Lord made the heavens. 
Honour and majesty are before him;
   strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. 


Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
   ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. 
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
   bring an offering, and come into his courts. 
Worship the Lord in holy splendour;
   tremble before him, all the earth. 


Say among the nations, ‘The Lord is king!
   The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved.
   He will judge the peoples with equity.’ 
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
   let the sea roar, and all that fills it; 
   let the field exult, and everything in it.
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy 
   before the Lord; for he is coming,
   for he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
   and the peoples with his truth.
************************************************************************
Evening Psalms: Psalm 34

Psalm 34

I will bless the Lord at all times;
   his praise shall continually be in my mouth. 
My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
   let the humble hear and be glad. 
O magnify the Lord with me,
   and let us exalt his name together. 


I sought the Lord, and he answered me,
   and delivered me from all my fears. 
Look to him, and be radiant;
   so your* faces shall never be ashamed. 
This poor soul cried, and was heard by the Lord,
   and was saved from every trouble. 
The angel of the Lord encamps
   around those who fear him, and delivers them. 
O taste and see that the Lord is good;
   happy are those who take refuge in him. 
O fear the Lord, you his holy ones,
   for those who fear him have no want. 
The young lions suffer want and hunger,
   but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. 


Come, O children, listen to me;
   I will teach you the fear of the Lord. 
Which of you desires life,
   and covets many days to enjoy good? 
Keep your tongue from evil,
   and your lips from speaking deceit. 
Depart from evil, and do good;
   seek peace, and pursue it. 


The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
   and his ears are open to their cry. 
The face of the Lord is against evildoers,
   to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. 
When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears,
   and rescues them from all their troubles. 
The Lord is near to the broken-hearted,
   and saves the crushed in spirit. 


Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
   but the Lord rescues them from them all. 
He keeps all their bones;
   not one of them will be broken. 
Evil brings death to the wicked,
   and those who hate the righteous will be condemned. 
The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
   none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
************************************************************************