Readings

Tuesday after the Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost

The Collect of the Day

Proper 15

The Sunday closest to August 17

Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us a sacrifice for sin, and also an example of godly life: Give us grace to receive thankfully the fruits of his redeeming work, and to follow daily in the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Bernard of Clairvaux

O God, by whose grace your servant Bernard of Clairvaux, kindled with the flame of your love, became a burning and a shining light in your church: Grant that we also may be aflame with the spirit of love and discipline and walk before you as children of light; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Psalms

120

Ad DominumBCP p. 778

1When I was in trouble, I called to the Lord; *I called to the Lord, and he answered me.

2Deliver me, O Lord, from lying lips *and from the deceitful tongue.

3What shall be done to you, and what more besides, *O you deceitful tongue?

4The sharpened arrows of a warrior, *along with hot glowing coals.

5How hateful it is that I must lodge in Meshech *and dwell among the tents of Kedar!

6Too long have I had to live *among the enemies of peace.

7I am on the side of peace, *but when I speak of it, they are for war.

121

Levavi oculumBCP p. 779

1I lift up my eyes to the hills; *from where is my help to come?

2My help comes from the Lord, *the maker of heaven and earth.

3He will not let your foot be moved *and he who watches over you will not fall asleep.

4Behold, he who keeps watch over Israel *shall neither slumber nor sleep;

5The Lord himself watches over you; *the Lord is your shade at your right hand,

6So that the sun shall not strike you by day, *nor the moon by night.

7The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; *it is he who shall keep you safe.

8The Lord shall watch over your going out and your coming in, *from this time forth for evermore.

122

Laetatus sumBCP p. 779

1I was glad when they said to me, *“Let us go to the house of the Lord.”

2Now our feet are standing *within your gates, O Jerusalem.

3Jerusalem is built as a city *that is at unity with itself;

4To which the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, *the assembly of Israel, to praise the Name of the Lord.

5For there are the thrones of judgment, *the thrones of the house of David.

6Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: *“May they prosper who love you.

7Peace be within your walls *and quietness within your towers.

8For my brethren and companions’ sake, *I pray for your prosperity.

9Because of the house of the Lord our God, *I will seek to do you good.”

123

Ad te levavi oculos meosBCP p. 780

1To you I lift up my eyes, *to you enthroned in the heavens.

2As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, *and the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,

3So our eyes look to the Lord our God, *until he show us his mercy.

4Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy, *for we have had more than enough of contempt,

5Too much of the scorn of the indolent rich, *and of the derision of the proud.

Daily Office Readings

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Judges 18:1-15

1 In those days there was no king in Israel. And in those days the tribe of the Danites was seeking for itself a territory to live in; for until then no territory among the tribes of Israel had been allotted to them. 2 So the Danites sent five valiant men from the whole number of their clan, from Zorah and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land and to explore it; and they said to them, “Go, explore the land.” When they came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, they stayed there. 3 While they were at Micah’s house, they recognized the voice of the young Levite; so they went over and asked him, “Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? What is your business here?” 4 He said to them, “Micah did such and such for me, and he hired me, and I have become his priest.” 5 Then they said to him, “Inquire of God that we may know whether the mission we are undertaking will succeed.” 6 The priest replied, “Go in peace. The mission you are on is under the eye of the Lord.” 7 The five men went on, and when they came to Laish, they observed the people who were there living securely, after the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and unsuspecting, lacking nothing on earth, and possessing wealth. Furthermore, they were far from the Sidonians and had no dealings with Aram. 8 When they came to their kinsfolk at Zorah and Eshtaol, they said to them, “What do you report?” 9 They said, “Come, let us go up against them; for we have seen the land, and it is very good. Will you do nothing? Do not be slow to go, but enter in and possess the land. 10 When you go, you will come to an unsuspecting people. The land is broad—God has indeed given it into your hands—a place where there is no lack of anything on earth.” 11 Six hundred men of the Danite clan, armed with weapons of war, set out from Zorah and Eshtaol, 12 and went up and encamped at Kiriath-jearim in Judah. On this account that place is called Mahaneh-dan to this day; it is west of Kiriath-jearim. 13 From there they passed on to the hill country of Ephraim, and came to the house of Micah. 14 Then the five men who had gone to spy out the land (that is, Laish) said to their comrades, “Do you know that in these buildings there are an ephod, teraphim, and an idol of cast metal? Now therefore consider what you will do.” 15 So they turned in that direction and came to the house of the young Levite, at the home of Micah, and greeted him.

Acts 8:1-13

1 And Saul approved of their killing him. That day a severe persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria. 2 Devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him. 3 But Saul was ravaging the church by entering house after house; dragging off both men and women, he committed them to prison. 4 Now those who were scattered went from place to place, proclaiming the word. 5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them. 6 The crowds with one accord listened eagerly to what was said by Philip, hearing and seeing the signs that he did, 7 for unclean spirits, crying with loud shrieks, came out of many who were possessed; and many others who were paralyzed or lame were cured. 8 So there was great joy in that city. 9 Now a certain man named Simon had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he was someone great. 10 All of them, from the least to the greatest, listened to him eagerly, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called Great.” 11 And they listened eagerly to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic. 12 But when they believed Philip, who was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Even Simon himself believed. After being baptized, he stayed constantly with Philip and was amazed when he saw the signs and great miracles that took place.

John 5:30-47

30 “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I seek to do not my own will but the will of him who sent me. 31 “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. 32 There is another who testifies on my behalf, and I know that his testimony to me is true. 33 You sent messengers to John, and he testified to the truth. 34 Not that I accept such human testimony, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35 He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. 36 But I have a testimony greater than John’s. The works that the Father has given me to complete, the very works that I am doing, testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified on my behalf. You have never heard his voice or seen his form, 38 and you do not have his word abiding in you, because you do not believe him whom he has sent. 39 “You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that testify on my behalf. 40 Yet you refuse to come to me to have life. 41 I do not accept glory from human beings. 42 But I know that you do not have the love of God in you. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; if another comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe when you accept glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the one who alone is God? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; your accuser is Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 46 If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. 47 But if you do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?”