The Daily Lectionary for Saturday, March 4, 2023

 

The Daily Lectionary
Saturday, March 4, 2023
Psalm 121; Isaiah 51:4-8; Luke 7:1-10
(Revised Common Lectionary Year A)

A Psalm and A Prayer
Responsive Readings from the Psalms and Prayers
for Public Worship and Private Devotions
Psalm 121
The Lord watches over you
Levavi oculos

I lift up my eyes to the hills;*
from where is my help to come?

My help comes from the LORD,*
the maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved*
and he who watches over you will not fall asleep.

Behold, he who keeps watch over Israel*
shall neither slumber nor sleep;

The LORD himself watches over you;*
the LORD is your shade at your right hand,

So that the sun shall not strike you by day,*
nor the moon by night.

The LORD shall preserve you from all evil;*
it is he who shall keep you safe.

The LORD shall watch over your going out and your coming in,*
from this time forth for evermore.

Heavenly Father, we look up to You as we pray today, for You are high and lifted up in reality and in our praise of You. Your word teaches that You made heaven and earth, and You made us in Your image, a little lower than yourself. You know us completely, far better than we know ourselves. You know our needs. You anticipate every problem that will cause us to struggle in the days ahead. You keep Your eyes upon us day and night, ever ready to come to our rescue. Direct our paths, so we will not stray into evil. Protect us from Your enemies and ours, through Your Son, who taught us to pray,

“Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.”

Isaiah 51:4-8
God’s word means justice for all

4 “Listen to me, my people;
     hear me, my nation:
  Instruction will go out from me;
     my justice will become a light to the nations.
5 My righteousness draws near speedily,
     my salvation is on the way,
     and my arm will bring justice to the nations.
  The islands will look to me
     and wait in hope for my arm.
6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens,
     look at the earth beneath;
  the heavens will vanish like smoke,
     the earth will wear out like a garment
     and its inhabitants die like flies.
  But my salvation will last forever,
     my righteousness will never fail.

7 “Hear me, you who know what is right,
     you people who have taken my instruction to heart:
  Do not fear the reproach of mere mortals
     or be terrified by their insults.
8 For the moth will eat them up like a garment;
     the worm will devour them like wool.
  But my righteousness will last forever,
     my salvation through all generations.”

Luke 7:1-10
Room at the table of Abraham

7:1 When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people who were listening, he entered Capernaum. 2 There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. 3 The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, “This man deserves to have you do this, 5 because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” 6 So Jesus went with them.

He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. 7 That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” 10 Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.

Optional parts of the readings are set off in [square brackets.]

The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle, and Gospel lessons are from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Responsive Readings from the Common Book of Prayer (1789).

The Daily Lectionary is a three year cyclical lectionary. We are currently in Year A. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2023, we will be in Year B. The year which ended at Advent 2022 was Year A. These readings complement the Sunday and festival readings: Thursday through Saturday readings help prepare the reader for the Sunday ahead; Monday through Wednesday readings help the reader reflect and digest on what they heard in worship. Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org
The Daily Lectionary for Saturday, March 4, 2023
Psalm 121; Isaiah 51:4-8; Luke 7:1-10