Wednesday 21 February 2024 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Wednesday 21 February 2024 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Genesis 37:25-36

Then they sat down to eat; and looking up they saw a caravan of
Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels carrying gum, balm,
and resin, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. Then Judah said to
his brothers, ‘What profit is there if we kill our brother and
conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not
lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.’ And his
brothers agreed. When some Midianite traders passed by, they drew
Joseph up, lifting him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites
for twenty pieces of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.

 When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the
pit, he tore his clothes. He returned to his brothers, and said,
‘The boy is gone; and I, where can I turn?’ Then they took
Joseph’s robe, slaughtered a goat, and dipped the robe in the blood.
They had the long robe with sleeves* taken to their father, and they
said, ‘This we have found; see now whether it is your son’s robe
or not.’ He recognized it, and said, ‘It is my son’s robe! A
wild animal has devoured him; Joseph is without doubt torn to
pieces.’ Then Jacob tore his garments, and put sackcloth on his
loins, and mourned for his son for many days. All his sons and all his
daughters sought to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted, and
said, ‘No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.’ Thus his
father bewailed him. Meanwhile the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to
Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard.
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1 Corinthians 2:1-13

When I came to you, brothers and sisters,* I did not come proclaiming
the mystery* of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to
know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I
came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. My speech
and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom,* but with
a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might
rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.
 Yet among the mature we do speak wisdom, though it is not a wisdom
of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to perish.
But we speak God’s wisdom, secret and hidden, which God decreed
before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age
understood this; for if they had, they would not have crucified the
Lord of glory. But, as it is written,
‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
   nor the human heart conceived,
what God has prepared for those who love him’— 
these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit
searches everything, even the depths of God. For what human being
knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is within? So
also no one comprehends what is truly God’s except the Spirit of
God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit
that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us
by God. And we speak of these things in words not taught by human
wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to
those who are spiritual.
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Mark 1:29-45

As soon as they* left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon
and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in
bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. He came and
took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and
she began to serve them.

 That evening, at sunset, they brought to him all who were sick or
possessed with demons. And the whole city was gathered around the
door. And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast
out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because
they knew him.
 In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out
to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions
hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, ‘Everyone is
searching for you.’ He answered, ‘Let us go on to the neighbouring
towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what
I came out to do.’ And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the
message in their synagogues and casting out demons.
 A leper* came to him begging him, and kneeling* he said to him,
‘If you choose, you can make me clean.’ Moved with pity,* Jesus*
stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I do
choose. Be made clean!’ Immediately the leprosy* left him, and he
was made clean. After sternly warning him he sent him away at once,
saying to him, ‘See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show
yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses
commanded, as a testimony to them.’ But he went out and began to
proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus* could no
longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and
people came to him from every quarter.
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Morning Psalms: Psalm 119:49-72

Psalm 119:49-72

Remember your word to your servant,
   in which you have made me hope. 
This is my comfort in my distress,
   that your promise gives me life. 
The arrogant utterly deride me,
   but I do not turn away from your law. 
When I think of your ordinances from of old,
   I take comfort, O Lord. 
Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked,
   those who forsake your law. 
Your statutes have been my songs
   wherever I make my home. 
I remember your name in the night, O Lord,
   and keep your law. 
This blessing has fallen to me,
   for I have kept your precepts. 

The Lord is my portion;
   I promise to keep your words. 
I implore your favour with all my heart;
   be gracious to me according to your promise. 
When I think of your ways,
   I turn my feet to your decrees; 
I hurry and do not delay
   to keep your commandments. 
Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me,
   I do not forget your law. 
At midnight I rise to praise you,
   because of your righteous ordinances. 
I am a companion of all who fear you,
   of those who keep your precepts. 
The earth, O Lord, is full of your steadfast love;
   teach me your statutes. 

You have dealt well with your servant,
   O Lord, according to your word. 
Teach me good judgement and knowledge,
   for I believe in your commandments. 
Before I was humbled I went astray,
   but now I keep your word. 
You are good and do good;
   teach me your statutes. 
The arrogant smear me with lies,
   but with my whole heart I keep your precepts. 
Their hearts are fat and gross,
   but I delight in your law. 
It is good for me that I was humbled,
   so that I might learn your statutes. 
The law of your mouth is better to me
   than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
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Evening Psalms: Psalm 49

Psalm 49

Hear this, all you peoples;
   give ear, all inhabitants of the world, 
both low and high,
   rich and poor together. 
My mouth shall speak wisdom;
   the meditation of my heart shall be understanding. 
I will incline my ear to a proverb;
   I will solve my riddle to the music of the harp. 

Why should I fear in times of trouble,
   when the iniquity of my persecutors surrounds me, 
those who trust in their wealth
   and boast of the abundance of their riches? 
Truly, no ransom avails for one’s life,*
   there is no price one can give to God for it. 
For the ransom of life is costly,
   and can never suffice, 
that one should live on for ever
   and never see the grave.* 

When we look at the wise, they die;
   fool and dolt perish together
   and leave their wealth to others. 
Their graves* are their homes for ever,
   their dwelling-places to all generations,
   though they named lands their own. 
Mortals cannot abide in their pomp;
   they are like the animals that perish. 

Such is the fate of the foolhardy,
   the end of those* who are pleased with their lot.
          Selah 
Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;
   Death shall be their shepherd;
straight to the grave they descend,*
   and their form shall waste away;
   Sheol shall be their home.* 
But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,
   for he will receive me.
          Selah 

Do not be afraid when some become rich,
   when the wealth of their houses increases. 
For when they die they will carry nothing away;
   their wealth will not go down after them. 
Though in their lifetime they count themselves happy
   —for you are praised when you do well for yourself— 
they* will go to the company of their ancestors,
   who will never again see the light. 
Mortals cannot abide in their pomp;
   they are like the animals that perish.
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