Thursday 20 May 2021 DAILY LECTIONARY

Thu May 20 02:00:03 EDT 2021

Thursday 20 May 2021

DAILY LECTIONARY

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Ezekiel 18:1-4,19-32

The word of the Lord came to me: What do you mean by repeating this
proverb concerning the land of Israel, ‘The parents have eaten sour
grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’? As I live, says
the Lord God, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel.
Know that all lives are mine; the life of the parent as well as the
life of the child is mine: it is only the person who sins that shall
die.

 Yet you say, ‘Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of
the father?’ When the son has done what is lawful and right, and has
been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall surely live. The
person who sins shall die. A child shall not suffer for the iniquity
of a parent, nor a parent suffer for the iniquity of a child; the
righteousness of the righteous shall be his own, and the wickedness of
the wicked shall be his own.

 But if the wicked turn away from all their sins that they have
committed and keep all my statutes and do what is lawful and right,
they shall surely live; they shall not die. None of the transgressions
that they have committed shall be remembered against them; for the
righteousness that they have done they shall live. Have I any pleasure
in the death of the wicked, says the Lord God, and not rather that
they should turn from their ways and live? But when the righteous turn
away from their righteousness and commit iniquity and do the same
abominable things that the wicked do, shall they live? None of the
righteous deeds that they have done shall be remembered; for the
treachery of which they are guilty and the sin they have committed,
they shall die.

 Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is unfair.’ Hear now, O house
of Israel: Is my way unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair? When
the righteous turn away from their righteousness and commit iniquity,
they shall die for it; for the iniquity that they have committed they
shall die. Again, when the wicked turn away from the wickedness they
have committed and do what is lawful and right, they shall save their
life. Because they considered and turned away from all the
transgressions that they had committed, they shall surely live; they
shall not die. Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is
unfair.’ O house of Israel, are my ways unfair? Is it not your ways
that are unfair?

 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, all of you according
to your ways, says the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your
transgressions; otherwise iniquity will be your ruin.* Cast away from
you all the transgressions that you have committed against me, and get
yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of
Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the Lord
God. Turn, then, and live.

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Hebrews 7:18-28

There is, on the one hand, the abrogation of an earlier commandment
because it was weak and ineffectual (for the law made nothing
perfect); there is, on the other hand, the introduction of a better
hope, through which we approach God.

 This was confirmed with an oath; for others who became priests took
their office without an oath, but this one became a priest with an
oath, because of the one who said to him,

‘The Lord has sworn

   and will not change his mind,

“You are a priest for ever” ’— 

accordingly Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant.

 Furthermore, the former priests were many in number, because they
were prevented by death from continuing in office; but he holds his
priesthood permanently, because he continues for ever. Consequently he
is able for all time to save* those who approach God through him,
since he always lives to make intercession for them.

 For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy,
blameless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the
heavens. Unlike the other* high priests, he has no need to offer
sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for those
of the people; this he did once for all when he offered himself. For
the law appoints as high priests those who are subject to weakness,
but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a
Son who has been made perfect for ever.

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Luke 10:25-37

Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus.* ‘Teacher,’ he said,
‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘What
is written in the law? What do you read there?’ He answered, ‘You
shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your
soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your
neighbour as yourself.’ And he said to him, ‘You have given the
right answer; do this, and you will live.’

 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my
neighbour?’ Jesus replied, ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to
Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat
him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was
going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other
side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him,
passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while travelling came
near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him
and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he
put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of
him. The next day he took out two denarii,* gave them to the
innkeeper, and said, “Take care of him; and when I come back, I will
repay you whatever more you spend.” Which of these three, do you
think, was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of the
robbers?’ He said, ‘The one who showed him mercy.’ Jesus said to
him, ‘Go and do likewise.’

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Morning Psalms: Psalm 105:1-22

Psalm 105:1-22

O give thanks to the Lord, call on his name,

   make known his deeds among the peoples. 

Sing to him, sing praises to him;

   tell of all his wonderful works. 

Glory in his holy name;

   let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. 

Seek the Lord and his strength;

   seek his presence continually. 

Remember the wonderful works he has done,

   his miracles, and the judgements he has uttered, 

O offspring of his servant Abraham,*

   children of Jacob, his chosen ones. 

He is the Lord our God;

   his judgements are in all the earth. 

He is mindful of his covenant for ever,

   of the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations, 

the covenant that he made with Abraham,

   his sworn promise to Isaac, 

which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute,

   to Israel as an everlasting covenant, 

saying, ‘To you I will give the land of Canaan

   as your portion for an inheritance.’ 

When they were few in number,

   of little account, and strangers in it, 

wandering from nation to nation,

   from one kingdom to another people, 

he allowed no one to oppress them;

   he rebuked kings on their account, 

saying, ‘Do not touch my anointed ones;

   do my prophets no harm.’ 

When he summoned famine against the land,

   and broke every staff of bread, 

he had sent a man ahead of them,

   Joseph, who was sold as a slave. 

His feet were hurt with fetters,

   his neck was put in a collar of iron; 

until what he had said came to pass,

   the word of the Lord kept testing him. 

The king sent and released him;

   the ruler of the peoples set him free. 

He made him lord of his house,

   and ruler of all his possessions, 

to instruct* his officials at his pleasure,

   and to teach his elders wisdom.

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Evening Psalms: Psalm 105:23-45

Psalm 105:23-45

Then Israel came to Egypt;

   Jacob lived as an alien in the land of Ham. 

And the Lord made his people very fruitful,

   and made them stronger than their foes, 

whose hearts he then turned to hate his people,

   to deal craftily with his servants. 

He sent his servant Moses,

   and Aaron whom he had chosen. 

They performed his signs among them,

   and miracles in the land of Ham. 

He sent darkness, and made the land dark;

   they rebelled* against his words. 

He turned their waters into blood,

   and caused their fish to die. 

Their land swarmed with frogs,

   even in the chambers of their kings. 

He spoke, and there came swarms of flies,

   and gnats throughout their country. 

He gave them hail for rain,

   and lightning that flashed through their land. 

He struck their vines and fig trees,

   and shattered the trees of their country. 

He spoke, and the locusts came,

   and young locusts without number; 

they devoured all the vegetation in their land,

   and ate up the fruit of their ground. 

He struck down all the firstborn in their land,

   the first issue of all their strength. 

Then he brought Israel* out with silver and gold,

   and there was no one among their tribes who stumbled. 

Egypt was glad when they departed,

   for dread of them had fallen upon it. 

He spread a cloud for a covering,

   and fire to give light by night. 

They asked, and he brought quails,

   and gave them food from heaven in abundance. 

He opened the rock, and water gushed out;

   it flowed through the desert like a river. 

For he remembered his holy promise,

   and Abraham, his servant. 

So he brought his people out with joy,

   his chosen ones with singing. 

He gave them the lands of the nations,

   and they took possession of the wealth of the peoples, 

that they might keep his statutes

   and observe his laws.

Praise the Lord!

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