The Old Testament Lesson
The Old Testament Lesson for today is taken from Jeremiah 2:1-13
The word of the LORD came to me, saying: Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem, Thus says the LORD: I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed me in the wilderness, in a land not sown. Israel was holy to the LORD, the first fruits of his harvest. All who ate of it were held guilty; disaster came upon them, says the LORD. Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel. Thus says the LORD: What wrong did your ancestors find in me that they went far from me, and went after worthless things, and became worthless themselves? They did not say, "Where is the LORD who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us in the wilderness, in a land of deserts and pits, in a land of drought and deep darkness, in a land that no one passes through, where no one lives?" I brought you into a plentiful land to eat its fruits and its good things. But when you entered you defiled my land, and made my heritage an abomination. The priests did not say, "Where is the LORD?" Those who handle the law did not know me; the rulers transgressed against me; the prophets prophesied by Baal, and went after things that do not profit. Therefore once more I accuse you, says the LORD, and I accuse your children's children. Cross to the coasts of Cyprus and look, send to Kedar and examine with care; see if there has ever been such a thing. Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for something that does not profit. Be appalled, O heavens, at this, be shocked, be utterly desolate, says the LORD, for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and dug out cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns that can hold no water.
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God!
The Epistle Lesson
The Epistle Lesson for today is taken from Romans 1:16-25
For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, "The one who is righteous will live by faith." For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of those who by their wickedness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse; for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools; and they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human being or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the degrading of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God!
The Holy Gospel Lesson
The Holy Gospel is written in John 4:43-54
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
When the two days were over, he went from that place to Galilee (for Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in the prophet's own country). When he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, since they had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the festival; for they too had gone to the festival. Then he came again to Cana in Galilee where he had changed the water into wine. Now there was a royal official whose son lay ill in Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. Then Jesus said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe." The official said to him, "Sir, come down before my little boy dies." Jesus said to him, "Go; your son will live." The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started on his way. As he was going down, his slaves met him and told him that his child was alive. So he asked them the hour when he began to recover, and they said to him, "Yesterday at one in the afternoon the fever left him." The father realized that this was the hour when Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live." So he himself believed, along with his whole household. Now this was the second sign that Jesus did after coming from Judea to Galilee.
Here ends the Gospel lesson for today
Glory be to Thee ,O Christ!
Morning Psalms
Psalm 61 Exaudi, Deus
1 Hear my cry, O God, and listen to my prayer.
2 I call upon you from the ends of the earth with heaviness in my heart; set me upon the rock that is higher than I.
3 For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.
4 I will dwell in your house for ever; I will take refuge under the cover of your wings.
5 For you, O God, have heard my vows; you have granted me the heritage of those who fear your Name.
6 Add length of days to the king's life; let his years extend over many generations.
7 Let him sit enthroned before God for ever; bid love and faithfulness watch over him.
8 So will I always sing the praise of your Name, and day by day I will fulfill my vows.
Psalm 62 Nonne Deo?
1 For God alone my soul in silence waits; from him comes my salvation.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold, so that I shall not be greatly shaken.
3 How long will you assail me to crush me, all of you together, as if you were a leaning fence, a toppling wall?
4 They seek only to bring me down from my place of honor; lies are their chief delight.
5 They bless with their lips, but in their hearts they curse.
6 For God alone my soul in silence waits; truly, my hope is in him.
7 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold, so that I shall not be shaken.
8 In God is my safety and my honor; God is my strong rock and my refuge.
9 Put your trust in him always, O people, pour out your hearts before him, for God is our refuge.
10 Those of high degree are but a fleeting breath, even those of low estate cannot be trusted.
11 On the scales they are lighter than a breath, all of them together.
12 Put no trust in extortion; in robbery take no empty pride; though wealth increase, set not your heart upon it.
13 God has spoken once, twice have I heard it, that power belongs to God.
14 Steadfast love is yours, O Lord, for you repay everyone according to his deeds.
Evening Psalms
Psalm 68 Exsurgat Deus
1 Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered; let those who hate him flee before him.
2 Let them vanish like smoke when the wind drives it away; as the wax melts at the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.
3 But let the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; let them also be merry and joyful.
4 Sing to God, sing praises to his Name; exalt him who rides upon the heavens; YAHWEH is his Name, rejoice before him!
5 Father of orphans, defender of widows, God in his holy habitation!
6 God gives the solitary a home and brings forth prisoners into freedom; but the rebels shall live in dry places.
7 O God, when you went forth before your people, when you marched through the wilderness,
8 The earth shook, and the skies poured down rain, at the presence of God, the God of Sinai, at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
9 You sent a gracious rain, O God, upon your inheritance; you refreshed the land when it was weary.
10 Your people found their home in it; in your goodness, O God, you have made provision for the poor.
11 The Lord gave the word; great was the company of women who bore the tidings:
12 Kings with their armies are fleeing away; the women at home are dividing the spoils.
13 Though you lingered among the sheepfolds, you shall be like a dove whose wings are covered with silver, whose feathers are like green gold.
14 When the Almighty scattered kings, it was like snow falling in Zalmon.
15 O mighty mountain, O hill of Bashan! O rugged mountain, O hill of Bashan!
16 Why do you look with envy, O rugged mountain, at the hill which God chose for his resting place? truly, the LORD will dwell there for ever.
17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of thousands; the Lord comes in holiness from Sinai.
18 You have gone up on high and led captivity captive; you have received gifts even from your enemies, that the LORD God might dwell among them.
19 Blessed be the Lord day by day, the God of our salvation, who bears our burdens.
20 He is our God, the God of our salvation; God is the LORD, by whom we escape death.
21 God shall crush the heads of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of those who go on still in their wickedness.
22 The Lord has said, "I will bring them back from Bashan; I will bring them back from the depths of the sea;
23 That your foot may be dipped in blood, the tongues of your dogs in the blood of your enemies."
24 They see your procession, O God, your procession into the sanctuary, my God and my King.
25 The singers go before, musicians follow after, in the midst of maidens playing upon the hand-drums.
26 Bless God in the congregation; bless the LORD, you that are of the fountain of Israel.
27 There is Benjamin, least of the tribes, at the head; the princes of Judah in a company; and the princes of Zebulon and Naphtali.
28 Send forth your strength, O God; establish, O God, what you have wrought for us.
29 Kings shall bring gifts to you, for your temple's sake at Jerusalem.
30 Rebuke the wild beast of the reeds, and the peoples, a herd of wild bulls with its calves.
31 Trample down those who lust after silver; scatter the peoples that delight in war.
32 Let tribute be brought out of Egypt; let Ethiopia stretch out her hands to God.
33 Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth; sing praises to the Lord.
34 He rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens; he sends forth his voice, his mighty voice.
35 Ascribe power to God; his majesty is over Israel; his strength is in the skies.
36 How wonderful is God in his holy places! the God of Israel giving strength and power to his people! Blessed be God!
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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