Wednesday, September 27, 2017

The Daily Readings for WEDNESDAY, September 27, 2017


Opening Sentence
 Send out your light and your truth, that they may lead me, and bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling.
~ Psalm 43:3

Confession of Sin

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.

Morning Prayer
I  give thanks to you, heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ your dear Son, that you have protected me through the night from all danger and harm. I ask you to preserve and keep me, this day also, from all sin and evil, that in all my thoughts, words, and deeds I may serve and please you. Into your hands I commend my body and soul and all that is mine. Let your holy angels have charge of me, that the wicked one have no power over me. Amen.

The Lessons

A reading from 2 Kings 6:1-23
Now the company of prophets said to Elisha, "As you see, the place where we live under your charge is too small for us. Let us go to the Jordan, and let us collect logs there, one for each of us, and build a place there for us to live." He answered, "Do so." Then one of them said, "Please come with your servants." And he answered, "I will." So he went with them. When they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. But as one was felling a log, his ax head fell into the water; he cried out, "Alas, master! It was borrowed." Then the man of God said, "Where did it fall?" When he showed him the place, he cut off a stick, and threw it in there, and made the iron float. He said, "Pick it up." So he reached out his hand and took it. Once when the king of Aram was at war with Israel, he took counsel with his officers. He said, "At such and such a place shall be my camp." But the man of God sent word to the king of Israel, "Take care not to pass this place, because the Arameans are going down there." The king of Israel sent word to the place of which the man of God spoke. More than once or twice he warned such a place so that it was on the alert. The mind of the king of Aram was greatly perturbed because of this; he called his officers and said to them, "Now tell me who among us sides with the king of Israel?" Then one of his officers said, "No one, my lord king. It is Elisha, the prophet in Israel, who tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedchamber." He said, "Go and find where he is; I will send and seize him." He was told, "He is in Dothan." So he sent horses and chariots there and a great army; they came by night, and surrounded the city. When an attendant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. His servant said, "Alas, master! What shall we do?" He replied, "Do not be afraid, for there are more with us than there are with them." Then Elisha prayed: "O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see." So the LORD opened the eyes of the servant, and he saw; the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. When the Arameans came down against him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, and said, "Strike this people, please, with blindness." So he struck them with blindness as Elisha had asked. Elisha said to them, "This is not the way, and this is not the city; follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek." And he led them to Samaria. As soon as they entered Samaria, Elisha said, "O LORD, open the eyes of these men so that they may see." The LORD opened their eyes, and they saw that they were inside Samaria. When the king of Israel saw them he said to Elisha, "Father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?" He answered, "No! Did you capture with your sword and your bow those whom you want to kill? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink; and let them go to their master." So he prepared for them a great feast; after they ate and drank, he sent them on their way, and they went to their master. And the Arameans no longer came raiding into the land of Israel.

A reading from 1 Corinthians 5:9-6:8
I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral persons-- not at all meaning the immoral of this world, or the greedy and robbers, or idolaters, since you would then need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother or sister who is sexually immoral or greedy, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or robber. Do not even eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging those outside? Is it not those who are inside that you are to judge? God will judge those outside. "Drive out the wicked person from among you." When any of you has a grievance against another, do you dare to take it to court before the unrighteous, instead of taking it before the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge angels-- to say nothing of ordinary matters? If you have ordinary cases, then, do you appoint as judges those who have no standing in the church? I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to decide between one believer and another, but a believer goes to court against a believer-- and before unbelievers at that? In fact, to have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? But you yourselves wrong and defraud-- and believers at that.

A reading from Matthew 5:38-48
"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you. "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Morning Psalms
Psalm 119:97-104 Mem Quomodo dilexi!
97   Oh, how I love your law! all the day long it is in my mind.
98   Your commandment has made me wiser than my enemies, and it is always with me.
99   I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your decrees are my study.
100   I am wiser than the elders, because I observe your commandments.
101   I restrain my feet from every evil way, that I may keep your word.
102   I do not shrink from your judgments, because you yourself have taught me.
103   How sweet are your words to my taste! they are sweeter than honey to my mouth.
104   Through your commandments I gain understanding; therefore I hate every lying way.


Psalm 119:105-112 Nun Lucerna pedibus meis
105   Your word is a lantern to my feet and a light upon my path.
106   I have sworn and am determined to keep your righteous judgments.
107   I am deeply troubled; preserve my life, O LORD, according to your word.
108   Accept, O LORD, the willing tribute of my lips, and teach me your judgments.
109   My life is always in my hand, yet I do not forget your law.
110   The wicked have set a trap for me, but I have not strayed from your commandments.
111   Your decrees are my inheritance for ever; truly, they are the joy of my heart.
112   I have applied my heart to fulfill your statutes for ever and to the end.


Psalm 119:113-120 Samekh Iniquos odio habui
113   I hate those who have a divided heart, but your law do I love.
114   You are my refuge and shield; my hope is in your word.
115   Away from me, you wicked! I will keep the commandments of my God.
116   Sustain me according to your promise, that I may live, and let me not be disappointed in my hope.
117   Hold me up, and I shall be safe, and my delight shall be ever in your statutes.
118   You spurn all who stray from your statutes; their deceitfulness is in vain.
119   In your sight all the wicked of the earth are but dross; therefore I love your decrees.
120   My flesh trembles with dread of you; I am afraid of your judgments.

Evening Psalms
Psalm 81 Exultate Deo
1   Sing with joy to God our strength and raise a loud shout to the God of Jacob.
2   Raise a song and sound the timbrel, the merry harp, and the lyre.
3   Blow the ram's-horn at the new moon, and at the full moon, the day of our feast.
4   For this is a statute for Israel, a law of the God of Jacob.
5   He laid it as a solemn charge upon Joseph, when he came out of the land of Egypt.
6   I heard an unfamiliar voice saying, "I eased his shoulder from the burden; his hands were set free from bearing the load."
7   You called on me in trouble, and I saved you; I answered you from the secret place of thunder and tested you at the waters of Meribah.
8   Hear, O my people, and I will admonish you: O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
9   There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not worship a foreign god.
10   I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and said, "Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it."
11   And yet my people did not hear my voice, and Israel would not obey me.
12   So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their hearts, to follow their own devices.
13   Oh, that my people would listen to me! that Israel would walk in my ways!
14   I should soon subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes.
15   Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him, and their punishment would last for ever.
16   But Israel would I feed with the finest wheat and satisfy him with honey from the rock.


Psalm 82 Deus stetit
1   God takes his stand in the council of heaven; he gives judgment in the midst of the gods:
2   How long will you judge unjustly, and show favor to the wicked?
3   Save the weak and the orphan; defend the humble and needy;
4   Rescue the weak and the poor; deliver them from the power of the wicked.
5   They do not know, neither do they understand; they go about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6   Now I say to you, 'You are gods, and all of you children of the Most High;
7   Nevertheless, you shall die like mortals, and fall like any prince.'"
8   Arise, O God, and rule the earth, for you shall take all nations for your own.

The Nicene Creed
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen

Prayer of the Day
God and Father of all, in your love you made all the nations of the world to be a family, and your Son taught us to love one another. Yet our world is riven apart with prejudice, arrogance, and pride.

Help the different races to love and understand one another better. Increase among us sympathy, tolerance, and goodwill, that we may learn to appreciate the gifts that those of other races bring to us, and to see in all people our brothers and sisters for whom Christ died. Save us from jealousy, hatred, and fear, and help us to live together as members of one family at home in the world, sons and daughters of one Father who live in the liberty of the children of God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Collect for Grace
O Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer for Mission
Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.


When You Believe
Celtic Woman

Alleluia! Christ has risen.
Christ has risen indeed. Alleluia!

Closing Prayer
May I go in peace, with God and with his other children, and may we love one another as Christ taught us. May I follow the example of good men of old, and may God comfort and help me and all who believe in Him, both in this world and in the world which is to come. Amen.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen.
~ 2 Corinthians 13:14

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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