Sunday 25 September 2022 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Sunday 25 September 2022 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Hosea 2:2-14

Plead with your mother, plead—
   for she is not my wife,
   and I am not her husband—
that she put away her whoring from her face,
   and her adultery from between her breasts, 
or I will strip her naked
   and expose her as in the day she was born,
and make her like a wilderness,
   and turn her into a parched land,
   and kill her with thirst. 
Upon her children also I will have no pity,
   because they are children of whoredom. 
For their mother has played the whore;
   she who conceived them has acted shamefully.
For she said, ‘I will go after my lovers;
   they give me my bread and my water,
   my wool and my flax, my oil and my drink.’ 
Therefore I will hedge her* way with thorns;
   and I will build a wall against her,
   so that she cannot find her paths. 
She shall pursue her lovers,
   but not overtake them;
and she shall seek them,
   but shall not find them.
Then she shall say, ‘I will go
   and return to my first husband,
   for it was better with me then than now.’ 
She did not know
   that it was I who gave her
   the grain, the wine, and the oil,
and who lavished upon her silver
   and gold that they used for Baal. 
Therefore I will take back
   my grain in its time,
   and my wine in its season;
and I will take away my wool and my flax,
   which were to cover her nakedness. 
Now I will uncover her shame
   in the sight of her lovers,
   and no one shall rescue her out of my hand. 
I will put an end to all her mirth,
   her festivals, her new moons, her sabbaths,
   and all her appointed festivals. 
I will lay waste her vines and her fig trees,
   of which she said,
‘These are my pay,
   which my lovers have given me.’
I will make them a forest,
   and the wild animals shall devour them. 
I will punish her for the festival days of the Baals,
   when she offered incense to them
and decked herself with her ring and jewellery,
   and went after her lovers,
   and forgot me, says the Lord. 

Therefore, I will now persuade her,
   and bring her into the wilderness,
   and speak tenderly to her.
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James 3:1-13

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters,* for
you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For
all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking
is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. If we
put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide
their whole bodies. Or look at ships: though they are so large that it
takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small
rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a
small member, yet it boasts of great exploits.

How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a
fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity;
it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature,* and is
itself set on fire by hell.* For every species of beast and bird, of
reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human
species, but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of
deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we
curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth
come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters,* this ought not to
be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and
brackish water? Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters,* yield
olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.
 Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that
your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom.
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Matthew 13:44-52

‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which
someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he
has and buys that field.

 ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine
pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that
he had and bought it.

 ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into
the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it
ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad.
So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and
separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace
of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
 ‘Have you understood all this?’ They answered, ‘Yes.’ And he
said to them, ‘Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the
kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of
his treasure what is new and what is old.’
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Morning Psalms: Psalm 66, 67

Psalm 66

Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth; 
   sing the glory of his name;
   give to him glorious praise. 
Say to God, ‘How awesome are your deeds!
   Because of your great power, your enemies cringe before you. 
All the earth worships you;
   they sing praises to you,
   sing praises to your name.’
          Selah 

Come and see what God has done:
   he is awesome in his deeds among mortals. 
He turned the sea into dry land;
   they passed through the river on foot.
There we rejoiced in him, 
   who rules by his might for ever,
whose eyes keep watch on the nations—
   let the rebellious not exalt themselves.
          Selah 

Bless our God, O peoples,
   let the sound of his praise be heard, 
who has kept us among the living,
   and has not let our feet slip. 
For you, O God, have tested us;
   you have tried us as silver is tried. 
You brought us into the net;
   you laid burdens on our backs; 
you let people ride over our heads;
   we went through fire and through water;
yet you have brought us out to a spacious place.* 

I will come into your house with burnt-offerings;
   I will pay you my vows, 
those that my lips uttered
   and my mouth promised when I was in trouble. 
I will offer to you burnt-offerings of fatlings,
   with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams;
I will make an offering of bulls and goats.
          Selah 

Come and hear, all you who fear God,
   and I will tell what he has done for me. 
I cried aloud to him,
   and he was extolled with my tongue. 
If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
   the Lord would not have listened. 
But truly God has listened;
   he has given heed to the words of my prayer. 

Blessed be God,
   because he has not rejected my prayer
   or removed his steadfast love from me.

Psalm 67

May God be gracious to us and bless us
   and make his face to shine upon us,
          Selah 
that your way may be known upon earth,
   your saving power among all nations. 
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
   let all the peoples praise you. 

Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
   for you judge the peoples with equity
   and guide the nations upon earth.
          Selah 
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
   let all the peoples praise you. 

The earth has yielded its increase;
   God, our God, has blessed us. 
May God continue to bless us;
   let all the ends of the earth revere him.
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Evening Psalms: Psalm 19, 46

Psalm 19

The heavens are telling the glory of God;
   and the firmament* proclaims his handiwork. 
Day to day pours forth speech,
   and night to night declares knowledge. 
There is no speech, nor are there words;
   their voice is not heard; 
yet their voice* goes out through all the earth,
   and their words to the end of the world. 

In the heavens* he has set a tent for the sun, 
which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy,
   and like a strong man runs its course with joy. 
Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
   and its circuit to the end of them;
   and nothing is hidden from its heat. 

The law of the Lord is perfect,
   reviving the soul;
the decrees of the Lord are sure,
   making wise the simple; 
the precepts of the Lord are right,
   rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is clear,
   enlightening the eyes; 
the fear of the Lord is pure,
   enduring for ever;
the ordinances of the Lord are true
   and righteous altogether. 
More to be desired are they than gold,
   even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey,
   and drippings of the honeycomb. 

Moreover by them is your servant warned;
   in keeping them there is great reward. 
But who can detect their errors?
   Clear me from hidden faults. 
Keep back your servant also from the insolent;*
   do not let them have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
   and innocent of great transgression. 

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
   be acceptable to you,
   O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength,
   a very present* help in trouble. 
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
   though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; 
though its waters roar and foam,
   though the mountains tremble with its tumult.
          Selah 

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
   the holy habitation of the Most High. 
God is in the midst of the city;* it shall not be moved;
   God will help it when the morning dawns. 
The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter;
   he utters his voice, the earth melts. 
The Lord of hosts is with us;
   the God of Jacob is our refuge.*
          Selah 

Come, behold the works of the Lord;
   see what desolations he has brought on the earth. 
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
   he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear;
   he burns the shields with fire. 
‘Be still, and know that I am God!
   I am exalted among the nations,
   I am exalted in the earth.’ 
The Lord of hosts is with us;
   the God of Jacob is our refuge.*
          Selah
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