First Reading
Isaiah 26:1-9On that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; he sets up victory like walls and bulwarks. Open the gates, so that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in. Those of steadfast mind you keep in peace-- in peace because they trust in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for in the LORD GOD you have an everlasting rock. For he has brought low the inhabitants of the height; the lofty city he lays low. He lays it low to the ground, casts it to the dust. The foot tramples it, the feet of the poor, the steps of the needy. The way of the righteous is level; O Just One, you make smooth the path of the righteous. In the path of your judgments, O LORD, we wait for you; your name and your renown are the soul's desire. My soul yearns for you in the night, my spirit within me earnestly seeks you. For when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.
Second Reading
2 Corinthians 5:16-6:2From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says, "At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have helped you." See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation!
The Holy Gospel
John 8:12-19Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life." Then the Pharisees said to him, "You are testifying on your own behalf; your testimony is not valid." Jesus answered, "Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid because I know where I have come from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge by human standards; I judge no one. Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is valid; for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. In your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is valid. I testify on my own behalf, and the Father who sent me testifies on my behalf." Then they said to him, "Where is your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also."
Morning Psalms
Psalm 46 Deus noster refugium1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved, and though the mountains be toppled into the depths of the sea;
3 Though its waters rage and foam, and though the mountains tremble at its tumult.
4 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
5 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.
6 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be overthrown; God shall help her at the break of day.
7 The nations make much ado, and the kingdoms are shaken; God has spoken, and the earth shall melt away.
8 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
9 Come now and look upon the works of the LORD, what awesome things he has done on earth.
10 It is he who makes war to cease in all the world; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear, and burns the shields with fire.
11 Be still, then, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth.
12 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Psalm 48 Magnus Dominus
1 Great is the LORD, and highly to be praised; in the city of our God is his holy hill.
2 Beautiful and lofty, the joy of all the earth, is the hill of Zion, the very center of the world and the city of the great King.
3 God is in her citadels; he is known to be her sure refuge.
4 Behold, the kings of the earth assembled and marched forward together.
5 They looked and were astounded; they retreated and fled in terror.
6 Trembling seized them there; they writhed like a woman in childbirth, like ships of the sea when the east wind shatters them.
7 As we have heard, so have we seen, in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God; God has established her for ever.
8 We have waited in silence on your loving-kindness, O God, in the midst of your temple.
9 Your praise, like your Name, O God, reaches to the world's end; your right hand is full of justice.
10 Let Mount Zion be glad and the cities of Judah rejoice, because of your judgments.
11 Make the circuit of Zion; walk round about her; count the number of her towers.
12 Consider well her bulwarks; examine her strongholds; that you may tell those who come after.
13 This God is our God for ever and ever; he shall be our guide for evermore.
Evening Psalms
Psalm 90 Domine, refugium1 Lord, you have been our refuge from one generation to another.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or the land and the earth were born, from age to age you are God.
3 You turn us back to the dust and say, "Go back, O child of earth."
4 For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past and like a watch in the night.
5 You sweep us away like a dream; we fade away suddenly like the grass.
6 In the morning it is green and flourishes; in the evening it is dried up and withered.
7 For we consume away in your displeasure; we are afraid because of your wrathful indignation.
8 Our iniquities you have set before you, and our secret sins in the light of your countenance.
9 When you are angry, all our days are gone; we bring our years to an end like a sigh.
10 The span of our life is seventy years, perhaps in strength even eighty; yet the sum of them is but labor and sorrow, for they pass away quickly and we are gone.
11 Who regards the power of your wrath? who rightly fears your indignation?
12 So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.
13 Return, O LORD; how long will you tarry? be gracious to your servants.
14 Satisfy us by your loving-kindness in the morning; so shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.
15 Make us glad by the measure of the days that you afflicted us and the years in which we suffered adversity.
16 Show your servants your works and your splendor to their children.
17 May the graciousness of the LORD our God be upon us; prosper the work of our hands; prosper our handiwork.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The New Revised Standard Version Bible may be quoted and/or reprinted up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible or account for fifty percent (50%) of the total work in which they are quoted.
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