The Old Testament Lesson
The Old Testament Lesson for today is taken from Ruth 1:15-22
So she said, "See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law." But Ruth said, "Do not press me to leave you or to turn back from following you! Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die, I will die-- there will I be buried. May the LORD do thus and so to me, and more as well, if even death parts me from you!" When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her. So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them; and the women said, "Is this Naomi?" She said to them, "Call me no longer Naomi, call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt bitterly with me. I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty; why call me Naomi when the LORD has dealt harshly with me, and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?" So Naomi returned together with Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, who came back with her from the country of Moab. They came to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
The Epistle Lesson
The Epistle Lesson for today is taken from 2 Corinthians 1:12-22
Indeed, this is our boast, the testimony of our conscience: we have behaved in the world with frankness and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God-- and all the more toward you. For we write you nothing other than what you can read and also understand; I hope you will understand until the end-- as you have already understood us in part-- that on the day of the Lord Jesus we are your boast even as you are our boast. Since I was sure of this, I wanted to come to you first, so that you might have a double favor; I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and to come back to you from Macedonia and have you send me on to Judea. Was I vacillating when I wanted to do this? Do I make my plans according to ordinary human standards, ready to say "Yes, yes" and "No, no" at the same time? As surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been "Yes and No." For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not "Yes and No" but in him it is always "Yes." For in him every one of God's promises is a "Yes." For this reason it is through him that we say the "Amen," to the glory of God. But it is God who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us, by putting his seal on us and giving us his Spirit in our hearts as a first installment.
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
The Holy Gospel Lesson
The Holy Gospel is written in Matthew 5:13-20
Glory be to Thee, O Lord
"You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. "You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Here ends the Gospel lesson for today.
Glory be to Thee ,O Christ!
Morning Psalms
Psalm 120 Ad Dominum
1 When I was in trouble, I called to the LORD; I called to the LORD, and he answered me.
2 Deliver me, O LORD, from lying lips and from the deceitful tongue.
3 What shall be done to you, and what more besides, O you deceitful tongue?
4 The sharpened arrows of a warrior, along with hot glowing coals.
5 How hateful it is that I must lodge in Meshech and dwell among the tents of Kedar!
6 Too long have I had to live among the enemies of peace.
7 I am on the side of peace, but when I speak of it, they are for war.
Psalm 121 Levavi oculos
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills; from where is my help to come?
2 My help comes from the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot be moved and he who watches over you will not fall asleep.
4 Behold, he who keeps watch over Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep;
5 The LORD himself watches over you; the LORD is your shade at your right hand,
6 So that the sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; it is he who shall keep you safe.
8 The LORD shall watch over your going out and your coming in, from this time forth for evermore.
Psalm 122 Lætatus sum
1 I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD."
2 Now our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem.
3 Jerusalem is built as a city that is at unity with itself;
4 To which the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, the assembly of Israel, to praise the Name of the LORD.
5 For there are the thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you.
7 Peace be within your walls and quietness within your towers.
8 For my brethren and companions' sake, I pray for your prosperity.
9 Because of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek to do you good."
Psalm 123 Ad te levavi oculos meos
1 To you I lift up my eyes, to you enthroned in the heavens.
2 As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, and the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,
3 So our eyes look to the LORD our God, until he show us his mercy.
4 Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy, for we have had more than enough of contempt,
5 Too much of the scorn of the indolent rich, and of the derision of the proud.
Evening Psalms
Psalm 124 Nisi quia Dominus
1 If the LORD had not been on our side, let Israel now say;
2 If the LORD had not been on our side, when enemies rose up against us;
3 Then would they have swallowed us up alive in their fierce anger toward us;
4 Then would the waters have overwhelmed us and the torrent gone over us;
5 Then would the raging waters have gone right over us.
6 Blessed be the LORD! he has not given us over to be a prey for their teeth.
7 We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowler; the snare is broken, and we have escaped.
8 Our help is in the Name of the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth.
Psalm 125 Qui confidunt
1 Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but stands fast for ever.
2 The hills stand about Jerusalem; so does the LORD stand round about his people, from this time forth for evermore.
3 The scepter of the wicked shall not hold sway over the land allotted to the just, so that the just shall not put their hands to evil.
4 Show your goodness, O LORD, to those who are good and to those who are true of heart.
5 As for those who turn aside to crooked ways, the LORD will lead them away with the evildoers; but peace be upon Israel.
Psalm 126 In convertendo
1 When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, then were we like those who dream.
2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy.
3 Then they said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them."
4 The LORD has done great things for us, and we are glad indeed.
5 Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like the watercourses of the Negev.
6 Those who sowed with tears will reap with songs of joy.
7 Those who go out weeping, carrying the seed, will come again with joy, shouldering their sheaves.
Psalm 127 Nisi Dominus
1 Unless the LORD builds the house, their labor is in vain who build it.
2 Unless the LORD watches over the city, in vain the watchman keeps his vigil.
3 It is in vain that you rise so early and go to bed so late; vain, too, to eat the bread of toil, for he gives to his beloved sleep.
4 Children are a heritage from the LORD, and the fruit of the womb is a gift.
5 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth.
6 Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them! he shall not be put to shame when he contends with his enemies in the gate.
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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