Readings

Wednesday after the Third Sunday after Pentecost

    The Collect of the Day

    Proper 5

    The Sunday closest to June 8

    O God, from whom all good proceeds: Grant that by your inspiration we may think those things that are right, and by your merciful guiding may do them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

    Psalms

    72

    Deus, judiciumBCP p. 685

    1Give the King your justice, O God, *and your righteousness to the King’s son;

    2That he may rule your people righteously *and the poor with justice.

    3That the mountains may bring prosperity to the people, *and the little hills bring righteousness.

    4He shall defend the needy among the people; *he shall rescue the poor and crush the oppressor.

    5He shall live as long as the sun and moon endure, *from one generation to another.

    6He shall come down like rain upon the mown field, *like showers that water the earth.

    7In his time shall the righteous flourish; *there shall be abundance of peace till the moon shall be no more.

    8He shall rule from sea to sea, *and from the River to the ends of the earth.

    9His foes shall bow down before him, *and his enemies lick the dust.

    10The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall pay tribute, *and the kings of Arabia and Saba offer gifts.

    11All kings shall bow down before him, *and all the nations do him service.

    12For he shall deliver the poor who cries out in distress, *and the oppressed who has no helper.

    13He shall have pity on the lowly and poor; *he shall preserve the lives of the needy.

    14He shall redeem their lives from oppression and violence, *and dear shall their blood be in his sight.

    15Long may he live! and may there be given to him gold from Arabia; *may prayer be made for him always, and may they bless him all the day long.

    16May there be abundance of grain on the earth, growing thick even on the hilltops; *may its fruit flourish like Lebanon, and its grain like grass upon the earth.

    17May his Name remain for ever and be established as long as the sun endures; *may all the nations bless themselves in him and call him blessed.

    18Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, *who alone does wondrous deeds!

    19And blessed be his glorious Name for ever! *and may all the earth be filled with his glory. Amen. Amen.

    Daily Office Readings

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    Matt. 16:1-12

    1 The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test Jesus they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ 3 And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. 4 An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” Then he left them and went away. 5 When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. 6 Jesus said to them, “Watch out, and beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 7 They said to one another, “It is because we have brought no bread.” 8 And becoming aware of it, Jesus said, “You of little faith, why are you talking about having no bread? 9 Do you still not perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 11 How could you fail to perceive that I was not speaking about bread? Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!” 12 Then they understood that he had not told them to beware of the yeast of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

    Gal. 5:1-15

    1 For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. 2 Listen! I, Paul, am telling you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you. 3 Once again I testify to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obliged to obey the entire law. 4 You who want to be justified by the law have cut yourselves off from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that counts is faith working through love. 7 You were running well; who prevented you from obeying the truth? 8 Such persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. 9 A little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough. 10 I am confident about you in the Lord that you will not think otherwise. But whoever it is that is confusing you will pay the penalty. 11 But my friends, why am I still being persecuted if I am still preaching circumcision? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. 12 I wish those who unsettle you would castrate themselves! 13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. 14 For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.

    Eccles. 9:11-18

    11 Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to the skillful; but time and chance happen to them all. 12 For no one can anticipate the time of disaster. Like fish taken in a cruel net, and like birds caught in a snare, so mortals are snared at a time of calamity, when it suddenly falls upon them. 13 I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me. 14 There was a little city with few people in it. A great king came against it and besieged it, building great siegeworks against it. 15 Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man. 16 So I said, “Wisdom is better than might; yet the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heeded.” 17 The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouting of a ruler among fools. 18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one bungler destroys much good.