Sunday 20 April 2008 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Sunday 20 April 2008  
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Leviticus 8:1-13, 30-36

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Take Aaron and his sons with him, the
vestments, the anointing-oil, the bull of sin-offering, the two rams,
and the basket of unleavened bread; and assemble the whole congregation
at the entrance of the tent of meeting. And Moses did as the Lord
commanded him. When the congregation was assembled at the entrance of
the tent of meeting, Moses said to the congregation, 'This is what the
Lord has commanded to be done.'

 Then Moses brought Aaron and his sons forward, and washed them with
water. He put the tunic on him, fastened the sash around him, clothed
him with the robe, and put the ephod on him. He then put the decorated
band of the ephod around him, tying the ephod to him with it. He placed
the breastpiece on him, and in the breastpiece he put the Urim and the
Thummim. And he set the turban on his head, and on the turban, in front,
he set the golden ornament, the holy crown, as the Lord commanded Moses.

 Then Moses took the anointing-oil and anointed the tabernacle and all
that was in it, and consecrated them. He sprinkled some of it on the
altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all its utensils, and the
basin and its base, to consecrate them. He poured some of the
anointing-oil on Aaron's head and anointed him, to consecrate him. And
Moses brought forward Aaron's sons, and clothed them with tunics, and
fastened sashes around them, and tied head-dresses on them, as the Lord
commanded Moses.

 Then Moses took some of the anointing-oil and some of the blood that
was on the altar and sprinkled them on Aaron and his vestments, and also
on his sons and their vestments. Thus he consecrated Aaron and his
vestments, and also his sons and their vestments.

 And Moses said to Aaron and his sons, 'Boil the flesh at the entrance
of the tent of meeting, and eat it there with the bread that is in the
basket of ordination-offerings, as I was commanded, "Aaron and his sons
shall eat it"; and what remains of the flesh and the bread you shall
burn with fire. You shall not go outside the entrance of the tent of
meeting for seven days, until the day when your period of ordination is
completed. For it will take seven days to ordain you; as has been done
today, the Lord has commanded to be done to make atonement for you. You
shall remain at the entrance of the tent of meeting day and night for
seven days, keeping the Lord's charge so that you do not die; for so I
am commanded.' Aaron and his sons did all the things that the Lord
commanded through Moses.
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Hebrews 12:1-14

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let
us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely,* and
let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to
Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of* the
joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame,
and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

 Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners,*
so that you may not grow weary or lose heart. In your struggle against
sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And
you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as children-
'My child, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
   or lose heart when you are punished by him; 
for the Lord disciplines those whom he loves,
   and chastises every child whom he accepts.' 
Endure trials for the sake of discipline. God is treating you as
children; for what child is there whom a parent does not discipline? If
you do not have that discipline in which all children share, then you
are illegitimate and not his children. Moreover, we had human parents to
discipline us, and we respected them. Should we not be even more willing
to be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us
for a short time as seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our
good, in order that we may share his holiness. Now, discipline always
seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the
peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and
make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put
out of joint, but rather be healed.
 Pursue peace with everyone, and the holiness without which no one will
see the Lord.
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Luke 4:16-30

When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the
synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read,
and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the
scroll and found the place where it was written: 
'The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
   because he has anointed me
     to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
   and recovery of sight to the blind,
     to let the oppressed go free, 
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour.' 
And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat
down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began
to say to them, 'Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your
hearing.' All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words
that came from his mouth. They said, 'Is not this Joseph's son?' He said
to them, 'Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, "Doctor, cure
yourself!" And you will say, "Do here also in your home town the things
that we have heard you did at Capernaum." ' And he said, 'Truly I tell
you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet's home town. But the truth
is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the
heaven was shut up for three years and six months, and there was a
severe famine over all the land; yet Elijah was sent to none of them
except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. There were also many lepers* in
Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed
except Naaman the Syrian.' When they heard this, all in the synagogue
were filled with rage. They got up, drove him out of the town, and led
him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they
might hurl him off the cliff. But he passed through the midst of them
and went on his way.
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 24, 29

Psalm 24

The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it,
   the world, and those who live in it; 
for he has founded it on the seas,
   and established it on the rivers. 


Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
   And who shall stand in his holy place? 
Those who have clean hands and pure hearts,
   who do not lift up their souls to what is false,
   and do not swear deceitfully. 
They will receive blessing from the Lord,
   and vindication from the God of their salvation. 
Such is the company of those who seek him,
   who seek the face of the God of Jacob.*
          Selah 


Lift up your heads, O gates!
   and be lifted up, O ancient doors!
   that the King of glory may come in. 
Who is the King of glory?
   The Lord, strong and mighty,
   the Lord, mighty in battle. 
Lift up your heads, O gates!
   and be lifted up, O ancient doors!
   that the King of glory may come in. 
Who is this King of glory?
   The Lord of hosts,
   he is the King of glory.
          Selah


Psalm 29

Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,*
   ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. 
Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name;
   worship the Lord in holy splendour. 


The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
   the God of glory thunders,
   the Lord, over mighty waters. 
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
   the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. 


The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
   the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon. 
He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
   and Sirion like a young wild ox. 


The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire. 
The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
   the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. 


The voice of the Lord causes the oaks to whirl,*
   and strips the forest bare;
   and in his temple all say, 'Glory!' 


The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
   the Lord sits enthroned as king for ever. 
May the Lord give strength to his people!
   May the Lord bless his people with peace!
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Evening Psalms:  Psalm 8, 84

Psalm 8

O Lord, our Sovereign,
   how majestic is your name in all the earth! 


You have set your glory above the heavens. 
   Out of the mouths of babes and infants
you have founded a bulwark because of your foes,
   to silence the enemy and the avenger. 


When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
   the moon and the stars that you have established; 
what are human beings that you are mindful of them,
   mortals* that you care for them? 


Yet you have made them a little lower than God,*
   and crowned them with glory and honour. 
You have given them dominion over the works of your hands;
   you have put all things under their feet, 
all sheep and oxen,
   and also the beasts of the field, 
the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
   whatever passes along the paths of the seas. 


O Lord, our Sovereign,
   how majestic is your name in all the earth!


Psalm 84

How lovely is your dwelling place,
   O Lord of hosts! 
My soul longs, indeed it faints
   for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh sing for joy
   to the living God. 


Even the sparrow finds a home,
   and the swallow a nest for herself,
   where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O Lord of hosts,
   my King and my God. 
Happy are those who live in your house,
   ever singing your praise.
          Selah 


Happy are those whose strength is in you,
   in whose heart are the highways to Zion.* 
As they go through the valley of Baca
   they make it a place of springs;
   the early rain also covers it with pools. 
They go from strength to strength;
   the God of gods will be seen in Zion. 


O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;
   give ear, O God of Jacob!
          Selah 
Behold our shield, O God;
   look on the face of your anointed. 


For a day in your courts is better
   than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
   than live in the tents of wickedness. 
For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
   he bestows favour and honour.
No good thing does the Lord withhold
   from those who walk uprightly. 
O Lord of hosts,
   happy is everyone who trusts in you.
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