The Old Testament Lesson
The Old Testament Lesson for today is taken from Isaiah 63:15-64:9
Look down from heaven and see, from your holy and glorious habitation. Where are your zeal and your might? The yearning of your heart and your compassion? They are withheld from me. For you are our father, though Abraham does not know us and Israel does not acknowledge us; you, O LORD, are our father; our Redeemer from of old is your name. Why, O LORD, do you make us stray from your ways and harden our heart, so that we do not fear you? Turn back for the sake of your servants, for the sake of the tribes that are your heritage. Your holy people took possession for a little while; but now our adversaries have trampled down your sanctuary. We have long been like those whom you do not rule, like those not called by your name. O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence-- as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil-- to make your name known to your adversaries, so that the nations might tremble at your presence! When you did awesome deeds that we did not expect, you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence. From ages past no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who works for those who wait for him. You meet those who gladly do right, those who remember you in your ways. But you were angry, and we sinned; because you hid yourself we transgressed. We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. There is no one who calls on your name, or attempts to take hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us, and have delivered us into the hand of our iniquity. Yet, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. Do not be exceedingly angry, O LORD, and do not remember iniquity forever. Now consider, we are all your people.
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
The Epistle Lesson
The Epistle Lesson for today is taken from 1 Timothy 3:1-16
The saying is sure: whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task. Now a bishop must be above reproach, married only once, temperate, sensible, respectable, hospitable, an apt teacher, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way-- for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he take care of God's church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace and the snare of the devil. Deacons likewise must be serious, not double-tongued, not indulging in much wine, not greedy for money; they must hold fast to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And let them first be tested; then, if they prove themselves blameless, let them serve as deacons. Women likewise must be serious, not slanderers, but temperate, faithful in all things. Let deacons be married only once, and let them manage their children and their households well; for those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these instructions to you so that, if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth. Without any doubt, the mystery of our religion is great: He was revealed in flesh, vindicated in spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among Gentiles, believed in throughout the world, taken up in glory.
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
The Holy Gospel Lesson
The Holy Gospel is written in Mark 11:27-12:12
Glory be to Thee, O Lord
Again they came to Jerusalem. As he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to him and said, "By what authority are you doing these things? Who gave you this authority to do them?" Jesus said to them, "I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin? Answer me." They argued with one another, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?' But shall we say, 'Of human origin'?"-- they were afraid of the crowd, for all regarded John as truly a prophet. So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." And Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things." Then he began to speak to them in parables. "A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a pit for the wine press, and built a watchtower; then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. When the season came, he sent a slave to the tenants to collect from them his share of the produce of the vineyard. But they seized him, and beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. And again he sent another slave to them; this one they beat over the head and insulted. Then he sent another, and that one they killed. And so it was with many others; some they beat, and others they killed. He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.' But those tenants said to one another, 'This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' So they seized him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. Have you not read this scripture: 'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord's doing, and it is amazing in our eyes'?" When they realized that he had told this parable against them, they wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowd. So they left him and went away.
Here ends the Gospel lesson for today.
Glory be to Thee ,O Christ!
Morning Psalms
Psalm 101 Misericordiam et judicium
1 I will sing of mercy and justice; to you, O LORD, will I sing praises.
2 I will strive to follow a blameless course; oh, when will you come to me? I will walk with sincerity of heart within my house.
3 I will set no worthless thing before my eyes; I hate the doers of evil deeds; they shall not remain with me.
4 A crooked heart shall be far from me; I will not know evil.
5 Those who in secret slander their neighbors I will destroy; those who have a haughty look and a proud heart I cannot abide.
6 My eyes are upon the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me, and only those who lead a blameless life shall be my servants.
7 Those who act deceitfully shall not dwell in my house, and those who tell lies shall not continue in my sight.
8 I will soon destroy all the wicked in the land, that I may root out all evildoers from the city of the LORD.
Psalm 109 Deus, laudem
1 Hold not your tongue, O God of my praise; for the mouth of the wicked, the mouth of the deceitful, is opened against me.
2 They speak to me with a lying tongue; they encompass me with hateful words and fight against me without a cause.
3 Despite my love, they accuse me; but as for me, I pray for them.
4 They repay evil for good, and hatred for my love.
5 Set a wicked man against him, and let an accuser stand at his right hand.
6 When he is judged, let him be found guilty, and let his appeal be in vain.
7 Let his days be few, and let another take his office.
8 Let his children be fatherless, and his wife become a widow.
9 Let his children be waifs and beggars; let them be driven from the ruins of their homes.
10 Let the creditor seize everything he has; let strangers plunder his gains.
11 Let there be no one to show him kindness, and none to pity his fatherless children.
12 Let his descendants be destroyed, and his name be blotted out in the next generation.
13 Let the wickedness of his fathers be remembered before the LORD, and his mother's sin not be blotted out;
14 Let their sin be always before the LORD; but let him root out their names from the earth;
15 Because he did not remember to show mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy and sought to kill the brokenhearted.
16 He loved cursing, let it come upon him; he took no delight in blessing, let it depart from him.
17 He put on cursing like a garment, let it soak into his body like water and into his bones like oil;
18 Let it be to him like the cloak which he wraps around himself, and like the belt that he wears continually.
19 Let this be the recompense from the LORD to my accusers, and to those who speak evil against me.
20 But you, O Lord my God, oh, deal with me according to your Name; for your tender mercy's sake, deliver me.
21 For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
22 I have faded away like a shadow when it lengthens; I am shaken off like a locust.
23 My knees are weak through fasting, and my flesh is wasted and gaunt.
24 I have become a reproach to them; they see and shake their heads.
25 Help me, O LORD my God; save me for your mercy's sake.
26 Let them know that this is your hand, that you, O LORD, have done it.
27 They may curse, but you will bless; let those who rise up against me be put to shame, and your servant will rejoice.
28 Let my accusers be clothed with disgrace and wrap themselves in their shame as in a cloak.
29 I will give great thanks to the LORD with my mouth; in the midst of the multitude will I praise him;
30 Because he stands at the right hand of the needy, to save his life from those who would condemn him.
Evening Psalms
Psalm 119: Ayin Feci judicium
121 I have done what is just and right; do not deliver me to my oppressors.
122 Be surety for your servant's good; let not the proud oppress me.
123 My eyes have failed from watching for your salvation and for your righteous promise.
124 Deal with your servant according to your loving-kindness and teach me your statutes.
125 I am your servant; grant me understanding, that I may know your decrees.
126 It is time for you to act, O LORD, for they have broken your law.
127 Truly, I love your commandments more than gold and precious stones.
128 I hold all your commandments to be right for me; all paths of falsehood I abhor.
Psalm 119: Pe Mirabilia
129 Your decrees are wonderful; therefore I obey them with all my heart.
130 When your word goes forth it gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.
131 I open my mouth and pant; I long for your commandments.
132 Turn to me in mercy, as you always do to those who love your Name.
133 Steady my footsteps in your word; let no iniquity have dominion over me.
134 Rescue me from those who oppress me, and I will keep your commandments.
135 Let your countenance shine upon your servant and teach me your statutes.
136 My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law.
Psalm 119: Sadhe Justus es, Domine
137 You are righteous, O LORD, and upright are your judgments.
138 You have issued your decrees with justice and in perfect faithfulness.
139 My indignation has consumed me, because my enemies forget your words.
140 Your word has been tested to the uttermost, and your servant holds it dear.
141 I am small and of little account, yet I do not forget your commandments.
142 Your justice is an everlasting justice and your law is the truth.
143 Trouble and distress have come upon me, yet your commandments are my delight.
144 The righteousness of your decrees is everlasting; grant me understanding, that I may live.
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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