Lectionary Readings Book of Common Prayer - 1979 Sunday, February-23-2014 Seventh Sunday after Epiphany

The Collect

Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany
O Lord, who hast taught us that all our doings without charity are nothing worth; Send thy Holy Ghost and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of charity, the very bond of peace and of all virtue, without which whosoever liveth is counted dead before thee. Grant this for thine only Son Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
Preface of the Epiphany, or of the Lord's Day

Old Testament Reading

Leviticus 19:1-2,9-18
¹ And the LORD said to Moses, ² "Say to all the congregation of the people of Israel, You shall be holy; for I the LORD your God am holy. ⁹ "When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field to its very border, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. ¹⁰ And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the LORD your God. ¹¹ "You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another. ¹² And you shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God: I am the LORD. ¹³ "You shall not oppress your neighbor or rob him. The wages of a hired servant shall not remain with you all night until the morning. ¹⁴ You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God: I am the LORD. ¹⁵ "You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor. ¹⁶ You shall not go up and down as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand forth against the life of your neighbor: I am the LORD. ¹⁷ "You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason with your neighbor, lest you bear sin because of him. ¹⁸ You shall not take vengeance or bear any grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.

Psalm

Psalm 71

In te, Domine, speravi
1In you, O LORD, have I taken refuge; *
     let me never be ashamed.
2In your righteousness, deliver me and set me free; *
     incline your ear to me and save me.
3Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe; *
     you are my crag and my stronghold.
4Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, *
     from of the clutches of the evildoer and the oppressor.
5For you are my hope, O LORD God, *
     my confidence since I was young.
6I have been sustained by you ever since I was born;
     from my mother's womb you have been my strength; *
     my praise shall be always of you.
7I have become a portent to many; *
     but you are my refuge and my strength.
8Let my mouth be full of your praise *
     and your glory all the day long.
9Do not cast me off in my old age; *
     forsake me not when my strength fails.
10For my enemies are talking against me, *
     and those who lie in wait for my life take counsel together.
11They say, "God has forsaken him;
     go after him and seize him; *
     because there is none who will save."
12O God, be not far from me; *
     come quickly to help me, O my God.
13Let those who set themselves against me be put to shame and
     be disgraced; *
     let those who seek to do me evil be covered with scorn
     and reproach.
14But I shall always wait in patience, *
     and shall praise you more and more.
15My mouth shall recount your mighty acts
     and saving deeds all day long; *
     though I cannot know the number of them.
16I will begin with the mighty works of the Lord GOD; *
     I will recall your righteousness, yours alone.
17O God, you have taught me since I was young, *
     and to this day I tell of your wonderful works.
18And now that I am old and gray-headed, O God, do not
     forsake me, *
     till I make known your strength to this generation
     and your power to all who are to come.
19Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens; *
     you have done great things;
     who is like you, O God?
20You have showed me great troubles and adversities, *
     but you will restore my life
     and bring me up again from the deep places of the earth.
21You strengthen me more and more; *
     you enfold and comfort me,
22Therefore I will praise you upon the lyre for your
     faithfulness, O my God; *
     I will sing to you with the harp, O Holy One of Israel.
23My lips will sing with joy when I play to you, *
     and so will my soul, which you have redeemed.
24My tongue will proclaim your righteousness all day long, *
     for they are ashamed and disgraced who sought
     to do me harm.

- OR -

Psalm 71:16-24

16I will begin with the mighty works of the Lord GOD; *
     I will recall your righteousness, yours alone.
17O God, you have taught me since I was young, *
     and to this day I tell of your wonderful works.
18And now that I am old and gray-headed, O God, do not
     forsake me, *
     till I make known your strength to this generation
     and your power to all who are to come.
19Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens; *
     you have done great things;
     who is like you, O God?
20You have showed me great troubles and adversities, *
     but you will restore my life
     and bring me up again from the deep places of the earth.
21You strengthen me more and more; *
     you enfold and comfort me,
22Therefore I will praise you upon the lyre for your
     faithfulness, O my God; *
     I will sing to you with the harp, O Holy One of Israel.
23My lips will sing with joy when I play to you, *
     and so will my soul, which you have redeemed.
24My tongue will proclaim your righteousness all day long, *
     for they are ashamed and disgraced who sought
     to do me harm.

New Testament Reading

1 Corinthians 3:10-11,16-23
¹⁰ According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and another man is building upon it. Let each man take care how he builds upon it. ¹¹ For no other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹⁶ Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? ¹⁷ If any one destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and that temple you are. ¹⁸ Let no one deceive himself. If any one among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. ¹⁹ For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their craftiness," ²⁰ and again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile." ²¹ So let no one boast of men. For all things are yours, ²² whether Paul or Apol'los or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future, all are yours; ²³ and you are Christ's; and Christ is God's.

Gospel Reading

Matthew 5:38-48
³⁸ "You have heard that it was said, `An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' <sup>39</sup> But I say to you, Do not resist one who is evil. But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also; <sup>40</sup> and if any one would sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak as well; <sup>41</sup> and if any one forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. <sup>42</sup> Give to him who begs from you, and do not refuse him who would borrow from you. <sup>43</sup> "You have heard that it was said, `You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' ⁴⁴ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ⁴⁶ For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you salute only your brethren, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? ⁴⁸ You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.