Wednesday 20 November 2024 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Wednesday 20 November 2024  
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Malachi 1:1,6-14

An oracle. The word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.* 

 A son honours his father, and servants their master. If then I am a
father, where is the honour due to me? And if I am a master, where is
the respect due to me? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who
despise my name. You say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ By
offering polluted food on my altar. And you say, ‘How have we
polluted it?’* By thinking that the Lord’s table may be despised.
When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not wrong? And when
you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not wrong? Try
presenting that to your governor; will he be pleased with you or show
you favour? says the Lord of hosts. And now implore the favour of God,
that he may be gracious to us. The fault is yours. Will he show favour
to any of you? says the Lord of hosts. O that someone among you would
shut the temple* doors, so that you would not kindle fire on my altar
in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will
not accept an offering from your hands. For from the rising of the sun
to its setting my name is great among the nations, and in every place
incense is offered to my name, and a pure offering; for my name is
great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts. But you profane it
when you say that the Lord’s table is polluted, and the food for it*
may be despised. ‘What a weariness this is’, you say, and you
sniff at me,* says the Lord of hosts. You bring what has been taken by
violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering!
Shall I accept that from your hand? says the Lord. Cursed be the cheat
who has a male in the flock and vows to give it, and yet sacrifices to
the Lord what is blemished; for I am a great King, says the Lord of
hosts, and my name is reverenced among the nations.
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James 3:13-4:12

Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that
your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. But if you have
bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful
and false to the truth. Such wisdom does not come down from above, but
is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. For where there is envy and selfish
ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind.
But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle,
willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of
partiality or hypocrisy. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in
peace for* those who make peace.
Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do
they not come from your cravings that are at war within you? You want
something and do not have it; so you commit murder. And you covet*
something and cannot obtain it; so you engage in disputes and
conflicts. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not
receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on
your pleasures. Adulterers! Do you not know that friendship with the
world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of
the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you suppose that it is for
nothing that the scripture says, ‘God* yearns jealously for the
spirit that he has made to dwell in us’? But he gives all the more
grace; therefore it says,
‘God opposes the proud,
   but gives grace to the humble.’ 
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee
from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your
hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament
and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your
joy into dejection. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will
exalt you.
 Do not speak evil against one another, brothers and sisters.*
Whoever speaks evil against another or judges another, speaks evil
against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are
not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one lawgiver and judge who
is able to save and to destroy. So who, then, are you to judge your
neighbour?
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Luke 17:11-19

On the way to Jerusalem Jesus* was going through the region between
Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten lepers* approached
him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, ‘Jesus,
Master, have mercy on us!’ When he saw them, he said to them, ‘Go
and show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were
made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned
back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at
Jesus’* feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus
asked, ‘Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they?
Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this
foreigner?’ Then he said to him, ‘Get up and go on your way; your
faith has made you well.’
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 101, 109:1-30

Psalm 101

I will sing of loyalty and of justice;
   to you, O Lord, I will sing. 
I will study the way that is blameless.
   When shall I attain it? 

I will walk with integrity of heart
   within my house; 
I will not set before my eyes
   anything that is base. 

I hate the work of those who fall away;
   it shall not cling to me. 
Perverseness of heart shall be far from me;
   I will know nothing of evil. 

One who secretly slanders a neighbour
   I will destroy.
A haughty look and an arrogant heart
   I will not tolerate. 

I will look with favour on the faithful in the land,
   so that they may live with me;
whoever walks in the way that is blameless
   shall minister to me. 

No one who practises deceit
   shall remain in my house;
no one who utters lies
   shall continue in my presence. 

Morning by morning I will destroy
   all the wicked in the land,
cutting off all evildoers
   from the city of the Lord.

Psalm 109:1-30

Do not be silent, O God of my praise. 
For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me,
   speaking against me with lying tongues. 
They beset me with words of hate,
   and attack me without cause. 
In return for my love they accuse me,
   even while I make prayer for them.* 
So they reward me evil for good,
   and hatred for my love. 

They say,* ‘Appoint a wicked man against him;
   let an accuser stand on his right. 
When he is tried, let him be found guilty;
   let his prayer be counted as sin. 
May his days be few;
   may another seize his position. 
May his children be orphans,
   and his wife a widow. 
May his children wander about and beg;
   may they be driven out of* the ruins they inhabit. 
May the creditor seize all that he has;
   may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil. 
May there be no one to do him a kindness,
   nor anyone to pity his orphaned children. 
May his posterity be cut off;
   may his name be blotted out in the second generation. 
May the iniquity of his father* be remembered before the Lord,
   and do not let the sin of his mother be blotted out. 
Let them be before the Lord continually,
   and may his* memory be cut off from the earth. 
For he did not remember to show kindness,
   but pursued the poor and needy
   and the broken-hearted to their death. 
He loved to curse; let curses come on him.
   He did not like blessing; may it be far from him. 
He clothed himself with cursing as his coat,
   may it soak into his body like water,
   like oil into his bones. 
May it be like a garment that he wraps around himself,
   like a belt that he wears every day.’ 

May that be the reward of my accusers from the Lord,
   of those who speak evil against my life. 
But you, O Lord my Lord,
   act on my behalf for your name’s sake;
   because your steadfast love is good, deliver me. 
For I am poor and needy,
   and my heart is pierced within me. 
I am gone like a shadow at evening;
   I am shaken off like a locust. 
My knees are weak through fasting;
   my body has become gaunt. 
I am an object of scorn to my accusers;
   when they see me, they shake their heads. 

Help me, O Lord my God!
   Save me according to your steadfast love. 
Let them know that this is your hand;
   you, O Lord, have done it. 
Let them curse, but you will bless.
   Let my assailants be put to shame;* may your servant be glad. 
May my accusers be clothed with dishonour;
   may they be wrapped in their own shame as in a mantle. 
With my mouth I will give great thanks to the Lord;
   I will praise him in the midst of the throng. 
For he stands at the right hand of the needy,
   to save them from those who would condemn them to death.
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Evening Psalms:  Psalm 119:121-144

Psalm 119:121-144

I have done what is just and right;
   do not leave me to my oppressors. 
Guarantee your servant’s well-being;
   do not let the godless oppress me. 
My eyes fail from watching for your salvation,
   and for the fulfilment of your righteous promise. 
Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love,
   and teach me your statutes. 
I am your servant; give me understanding,
   so that I may know your decrees. 
It is time for the Lord to act,
   for your law has been broken. 
Truly I love your commandments
   more than gold, more than fine gold. 
Truly I direct my steps by all your precepts;*
   I hate every false way. 

Your decrees are wonderful;
   therefore my soul keeps them. 
The unfolding of your words gives light;
   it imparts understanding to the simple. 
With open mouth I pant,
   because I long for your commandments. 
Turn to me and be gracious to me,
   as is your custom towards those who love your name. 
Keep my steps steady according to your promise,
   and never let iniquity have dominion over me. 
Redeem me from human oppression,
   that I may keep your precepts. 
Make your face shine upon your servant,
   and teach me your statutes. 
My eyes shed streams of tears
   because your law is not kept. 

You are righteous, O Lord,
   and your judgements are right. 
You have appointed your decrees in righteousness
   and in all faithfulness. 
My zeal consumes me
   because my foes forget your words. 
Your promise is well tried,
   and your servant loves it. 
I am small and despised,
   yet I do not forget your precepts. 
Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,
   and your law is the truth. 
Trouble and anguish have come upon me,
   but your commandments are my delight. 
Your decrees are righteous for ever;
   give me understanding that I may live.
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