Saturday 11 November 2023 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Saturday 11 November 2023
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Ezra 9:1-15

After these things had been done, the officials approached me and
said, ‘The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites have not
separated themselves from the peoples of the lands with their
abominations, from the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the
Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the
Amorites. For they have taken some of their daughters as wives for
themselves and for their sons. Thus the holy seed has mixed itself
with the peoples of the lands, and in this faithlessness the officials
and leaders have led the way.’ When I heard this, I tore my garment
and my mantle, and pulled hair from my head and beard, and sat
appalled. Then all who trembled at the words of the God of Israel,
because of the faithlessness of the returned exiles, gathered around
me while I sat appalled until the evening sacrifice.
 At the evening sacrifice I got up from my fasting, with my garments
and my mantle torn, and fell on my knees, spread out my hands to the
Lord my God, and said,

‘O my God, I am too ashamed and embarrassed to lift my face to you,
my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our
guilt has mounted up to the heavens. From the days of our ancestors to
this day we have been deep in guilt, and for our iniquities we, our
kings, and our priests have been handed over to the kings of the
lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plundering, and to utter shame,
as is now the case. But now for a brief moment favour has been shown
by the Lord our God, who has left us a remnant, and given us a stake
in his holy place, in order that he* may brighten our eyes and grant
us a little sustenance in our slavery. For we are slaves; yet our God
has not forsaken us in our slavery, but has extended to us his
steadfast love before the kings of Persia, to give us new life to set
up the house of our God, to repair its ruins, and to give us a wall in
Judea and Jerusalem.

 ‘And now, our God, what shall we say after this? For we have
forsaken your commandments, which you commanded by your servants the
prophets, saying, “The land that you are entering to possess is a
land unclean with the pollutions of the peoples of the lands, with
their abominations. They have filled it from end to end with their
uncleanness. Therefore do not give your daughters to their sons,
neither take their daughters for your sons, and never seek their peace
or prosperity, so that you may be strong and eat the good of the land
and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever.” After
all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt,
seeing that you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities
deserved and have given us such a remnant as this, shall we break your
commandments again and intermarry with the peoples who practise these
abominations? Would you not be angry with us until you destroy us
without remnant or survivor? O Lord, God of Israel, you are just, but
we have escaped as a remnant, as is now the case. Here we are before
you in our guilt, though no one can face you because of this.’
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Revelation 17:1-14

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to
me, ‘Come, I will show you the judgement of the great whore who is
seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed
fornication, and with the wine of whose fornication the inhabitants of
the earth have become drunk.’ So he carried me away in the spirit*
into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that
was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns.
The woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and
jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of
abominations and the impurities of her fornication; and on her
forehead was written a name, a mystery: ‘Babylon the great, mother
of whores and of earth’s abominations.’ And I saw that the woman
was drunk with the blood of the saints and the blood of the witnesses
to Jesus.

When I saw her, I was greatly amazed. But the angel said to me, ‘Why
are you so amazed? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of
the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her. The beast
that you saw was, and is not, and is about to ascend from the
bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the inhabitants of the
earth, whose names have not been written in the book of life from the
foundation of the world, will be amazed when they see the beast,
because it was and is not and is to come.

 ‘This calls for a mind that has wisdom: the seven heads are seven
mountains on which the woman is seated; also, they are seven kings, of
whom five have fallen, one is living, and the other has not yet come;
and when he comes, he must remain for only a little while. As for the
beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the
seven, and it goes to destruction. And the ten horns that you saw are
ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they are to receive
authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast. These are
united in yielding their power and authority to the beast; they will
make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord
of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen
and faithful.’
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Matthew 14:22-36
 
Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to
the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had
dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When
evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered
by the waves, was far from the land,* for the wind was against them.
And early in the morning he came walking towards them on the lake. But
when the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified,
saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out in fear. But
immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do
not be afraid.’

 Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you
on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat,
started walking on the water, and came towards Jesus. But when he
noticed the strong wind,* he became frightened, and beginning to sink,
he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Jesus immediately reached out his
hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘You of little faith, why did
you doubt?’ When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those
in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of
God.’
 When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. After
the people of that place recognized him, they sent word throughout the
region and brought all who were sick to him, and begged him that they
might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were
healed.
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Morning Psalms: Psalm 75, 76

Psalm 75

We give thanks to you, O God;
   we give thanks; your name is near.
People tell of your wondrous deeds. 

At the set time that I appoint
   I will judge with equity. 
When the earth totters, with all its inhabitants,
   it is I who keep its pillars steady.
          Selah 
I say to the boastful, ‘Do not boast’,
   and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horn; 
do not lift up your horn on high,
   or speak with insolent neck.’ 

For not from the east or from the west
   and not from the wilderness comes lifting up; 
but it is God who executes judgement,
   putting down one and lifting up another. 
For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup
   with foaming wine, well mixed;
he will pour a draught from it,
   and all the wicked of the earth
   shall drain it down to the dregs. 
But I will rejoice* for ever;
   I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. 

All the horns of the wicked I will cut off,
   but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.

Psalm 76

In Judah God is known,
   his name is great in Israel. 
His abode has been established in Salem,
   his dwelling-place in Zion. 
There he broke the flashing arrows,
   the shield, the sword, and the weapons of war.
          Selah 

Glorious are you, more majestic
   than the everlasting mountains.* 
The stout-hearted were stripped of their spoil;
   they sank into sleep;
none of the troops
   was able to lift a hand. 
At your rebuke, O God of Jacob,
   both rider and horse lay stunned. 

But you indeed are awesome!
   Who can stand before you
   when once your anger is roused? 
>From the heavens you uttered judgement;
   the earth feared and was still 
when God rose up to establish judgement,
   to save all the oppressed of the earth.
          Selah 

Human wrath serves only to praise you,
   when you bind the last bit of your* wrath around you. 
Make vows to the Lord your God, and perform them;
   let all who are around him bring gifts
   to the one who is awesome, 
who cuts off the spirit of princes,
   who inspires fear in the kings of the earth.
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Evening Psalms: Psalm 23, 27

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. 
   He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;* 
   he restores my soul.*
He leads me in right paths*
   for his name’s sake. 

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,*
   I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
   your rod and your staff—
   they comfort me. 

You prepare a table before me
   in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
   my cup overflows. 
Surely* goodness and mercy* shall follow me
   all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
   my whole life long.

Psalm 27

The Lord is my light and my salvation;
   whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold* of my life;
   of whom shall I be afraid? 

When evildoers assail me
   to devour my flesh—
my adversaries and foes—
   they shall stumble and fall. 

Though an army encamp against me,
   my heart shall not fear;
though war rise up against me,
   yet I will be confident. 

One thing I asked of the Lord,
   that will I seek after:
to live in the house of the Lord
   all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of the Lord,
   and to inquire in his temple. 

For he will hide me in his shelter
   in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
   he will set me high on a rock. 

Now my head is lifted up
   above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
   sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the Lord. 

Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud,
   be gracious to me and answer me! 
‘Come,’ my heart says, ‘seek his face!’
   Your face, Lord, do I seek. 
   Do not hide your face from me. 

Do not turn your servant away in anger,
   you who have been my help.
Do not cast me off, do not forsake me,
   O God of my salvation! 
If my father and mother forsake me,
   the Lord will take me up. 

Teach me your way, O Lord,
   and lead me on a level path
   because of my enemies. 
Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries,
   for false witnesses have risen against me,
   and they are breathing out violence. 

I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord
   in the land of the living. 
Wait for the Lord;
   be strong, and let your heart take courage;
   wait for the Lord!
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