Book of Common Prayer - 1979
Sunday, September-02-2012
Proper 17

The Collect

Proper 17
Lord of all power and might, who art the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of thy Name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness; and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen
Preface of the Lord's Day

Old Testament Reading

Deuteronomy 4:1-9
¹ "And now, O Israel, give heed to the statutes and the ordinances which I teach you, and do them; that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land which the LORD, the God of your fathers, gives you. ² You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it; that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. ³ Your eyes have seen what the LORD did at Ba'al-pe'or; for the LORD your God destroyed from among you all the men who followed the Ba'al of Pe'or; ⁴ but you who held fast to the LORD your God are all alive this day. ⁵ Behold, I have taught you statutes and ordinances, as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land which you are entering to take possession of it. ⁶ Keep them and do them; for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, `Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.' ⁷ For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? ⁸ And what great nation is there, that has statutes and ordinances so righteous as all this law which I set before you this day? ⁹ "Only take heed, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things which your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life; make them known to your children and your children's children--

Psalm

Psalm 15

Domine, quis habitabit?
1LORD, who may dwell in your tabernacle? *
     who may abide upon your holy hill?
2Whoever leads a blameless life and does what is right, *
     who speaks the truth from his heart.
3There is no guile upon his tongue;
     he does no evil to his friend; *
     he does not heap contempt upon his neighbour.
4In his sight the wicked is rejected, *
     but he honors those who fear the LORD.
5He has sworn to do no wrong *
     and does not take back his word.
6He does not give his money in hope of gain, *
     nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.
7Whoever does these things *
     shall never be overthrown.

New Testament Reading

Ephesians 6:10-20
¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹² For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore take the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and having shod your feet with the equipment of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶ besides all these, taking the shield of faith, with which you can quench all the flaming darts of the evil one. ¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ¹⁸ Pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, ¹⁹ and also for me, that utterance may be given me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in chains; that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

Gospel Reading

Mark 7:1-8,14-15,21-23
¹ Now when the Pharisees gathered together to him, with some of the scribes, who had come from Jerusalem, ² they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands defiled, that is, unwashed. ³ (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they wash their hands, observing the tradition of the elders; ⁴ and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they purify themselves; and there are many other traditions which they observe, the washing of cups and pots and vessels of bronze.) ⁵ And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with hands defiled?" ⁶ And he said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, `This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; ⁷ in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.' ⁸ You leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men." ¹⁴ And he called the people to him again, and said to them, "Hear me, all of you, and understand: ¹⁵ there is nothing outside a man which by going into him can defile him; but the things which come out of a man are what defile him." ²¹ For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, ²² coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. ²³ All these evil things come from within, and they defile a man."

Lectionary Readings Book of Common Prayer - 1979 Sunday, August-26-2012 Proper 16

The Collect

Proper 16
Grant, we beseech thee, merciful God, that thy Church, being gathered together in unity by thy Holy Spirit, may manifest thy power among all peoples, to the glory of thy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen
Preface of the Lord's Day

Old Testament Reading

Joshua 24:1-2,14-25
¹ Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God. ² And Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, `Your fathers lived of old beyond the Euphra'tes, Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods. ¹⁴ "Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River, and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. ¹⁵ And if you be unwilling to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." ¹⁶ Then the people answered, "Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods; ¹⁷ for it is the LORD our God who brought us and our fathers up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, and who did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; ¹⁸ and the LORD drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land; therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God." ¹⁹ But Joshua said to the people, "You cannot serve the LORD; for he is a holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. ²⁰ If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm, and consume you, after having done you good." ²¹ And the people said to Joshua, "Nay; but we will serve the LORD." ²² Then Joshua said to the people, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the LORD, to serve him." And they said, "We are witnesses." ²³ He said, "Then put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to the LORD, the God of Israel." ²⁴ And the people said to Joshua, "The LORD our God we will serve, and his voice we will obey." ²⁵ So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made statutes and ordinances for them at Shechem.

Psalm

Psalm 16

Conserva me, Domine
1Protect me, O God, for I take refuge in you; *
     I have said to the LORD, "You are my Lord,
     my good above all other."
2All my delight is upon the godly that are in the land, *
     upon those who are noble among the people.
3But those who run after other gods *
     shall have their troubles multiplied.
4Their libations of blood I will not offer, *
     nor take the names of their gods upon my lips.
5O LORD, you are my portion and my cup; *
     it is you who uphold my lot.
6My boundaries enclose a pleasant land; *
     indeed, I have a goodly heritage.
7I will bless the LORD who gives me counsel; *
     my heart teaches me, night after night.
8I have set the LORD always before me; *
     because he is at my right hand I shall not fall.
9My heart, therefore, is glad, and my spirit rejoices; *
     my body also shall rest in hope.
10For you will not abandon me to the grave, *
     nor let your holy one see the Pit.
11You will show me the path of life; *
     in your presence there is fullness of joy,
     and in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.

- OR -

Psalm 34:15-22

15The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, *
     and his ears are open to their cry.
16The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, *
     to root out the remembrance of them from the earth.
17The righteous cry, and the LORD hears them *
     and delivers them from all their troubles.
18The LORD is near to the brokenhearted *
     and will save those whose spirits are crushed.
19Many are the troubles of the righteous, *
     but the LORD will deliver him out of them all.
20He will keep safe all his bones; *
     not one of them shall be broken.
21Evil shall slay the wicked, *
     and those who hate the righteous will be punished.
22The LORD ransoms the life of his servants, *
     and none will be punished who trust in him.

New Testament Reading

Ephesians 5:21-33
²¹ Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ. ²² Wives, be subject to your husbands, as to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. ²⁴ As the church is subject to Christ, so let wives also be subject in everything to their husbands. ²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, ²⁶ that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, ²⁷ that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. ²⁸ Even so husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ For no man ever hates his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, as Christ does the church, ³⁰ because we are members of his body. ³¹ "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." ³² This mystery is a profound one, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church; ³³ however, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Gospel Reading

John 6:60-69
⁶⁰ Many of his disciples, when they heard it, said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?" ⁶¹ But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at it, said to them, "Do you take offense at this? ⁶² Then what if you were to see the Son of man ascending where he was before? ⁶³ It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. ⁶⁴ But there are some of you that do not believe." For Jesus knew from the first who those were that did not believe, and who it was that would betray him. ⁶⁵ And he said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father." ⁶⁶ After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him. ⁶⁷ Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?" ⁶⁸ Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life; ⁶⁹ and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God."

Lectionary Readings Book of Common Prayer - 1979 Sunday, August-19-2012 Proper 15

The Collect
Proper 15
Almighty God, who hast given thy only Son to be unto us both a sacrifice for sin and also an example of godly life: Give us grace that we may always most thankfully receive that his inestimable benefit, and also daily endeavor ourselves to follow the blessed steps of his most holy life; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

Old Testament Reading

Proverbs 9:1-6
¹ Wisdom has built her house, she has set up her seven pillars. ² She has slaughtered her beasts, she has mixed her wine, she has also set her table. ³ She has sent out her maids to call from the highest places in the town, ⁴ "Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!" To him who is without sense she says, ⁵ "Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. ⁶ Leave simpleness, and live, and walk in the way of insight."

Psalm

Psalm 147

Laudate Domi
1Hallelujah!
     How good it is to sing praises to our God! *
     how pleasant it is to honor him with praise!
2The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem; *
     he gathers the exiles of Israel.
3He heals the brokenhearted *
     and binds up their wounds.
4He counts the number of the stars *
     and calls them all by their names.
5Great is our LORD and mighty in power; *
     there is no limit to his wisdom.
6The LORD lifts up the lowly, *
     but casts the wicked to the ground.
7Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; *
     make music to our God upon the harp.
8He covers the heavens with clouds *
     and prepares rain for the earth;
9He makes grass to grow upon the mountains *
     and green plants to serve mankind.
10He provides food for flocks and herds *
     and for the young ravens when they cry.
11He is not impressed by the might of a horse; *
     he has no pleasure in the strength of a man;
12But the LORD has pleasure in those who fear him, *
     in those who await his gracious favour.
13Worship the LORD, O Jerusalem; *
     praise your God, O Zion;
14For he has strengthened the bars of your gates; *
     he has blessed your children within you.
15He has established peace on your borders; *
     he satisfies you with the finest wheat.
16He sends out his command to the earth, *
     and his word runs very swiftly.
17He gives snow like wool; *
     he scatters hoarfrost like ashes.
18He scatters his hail like bread crumbs; *
     who can stand against his cold?
19He sends forth his word and melts them; *
     he blows with his wind, and the waters flow.
20He declares his word to Jacob, *
     his statutes and his judgments to Israel.
21He has not done so to any other nation; *
     to them he has not revealed his judgments.
     Hallelujah!

- OR -

Psalm 34:9-14

9Fear the LORD, you that are his saints, *
     for those who fear him lack nothing.
10The young lions lack and suffer hunger, *
     but those who seek the LORD lack nothing that is good.
11Come, children, and listen to me; *
     I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12Who among you loves life *
     and desires long life to enjoy prosperity?
13Keep your tongue from evil-speaking *
     and your lips from lying words.
14Turn from evil and do good; *
     seek peace and pursue it.

New Testament Reading

Ephesians 5:15-20
¹⁵ Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, ¹⁶ making the most of the time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸ And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, ²⁰ always and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.

Gospel Reading

John 6:53-59
⁵³ So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; ⁵⁴ he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. ⁵⁵ For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. ⁵⁶ He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. ⁵⁷ As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me. ⁵⁸ This is the bread which came down from heaven, not such as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live for ever." ⁵⁹ This he said in the synagogue, as he taught at Caper'na-um.

Lectionary Readings
Book of Common Prayer - 1979
Sunday, August-12-2012
Proper 14

The Collect

Proper 14
Grant to us, Lord, we beseech thee, the spirit to think and do always such things as are right, that we, who cannot exist without thee, may by thee be enabled to live according to thy will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen
Preface of the Lord's Day

Old Testament Reading

Deuteronomy 8:1-10
¹ "All the commandment which I command you this day you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD swore to give to your fathers. ² And you shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments, or not. ³ And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know; that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but that man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD. ⁴ Your clothing did not wear out upon you, and your foot did not swell, these forty years. ⁵ Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the LORD your God disciplines you. ⁶ So you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, by walking in his ways and by fearing him. ⁷ For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing forth in valleys and hills, ⁸ a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, ⁹ a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper. ¹⁰ And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land he has given you.

Psalm

Psalm 130

De profundis
1Out of the depths have I called to you, O LORD;
     LORD, hear my voice; *
     let your ears consider well the voice of my supplication.
2If you, LORD, were to note what is done amiss, *
     O LORD, who could stand?
3For there is forgiveness with you; *
     therefore you shall be feared.
4I wait for the LORD; my soul waits for him; *
     in his word is my hope.
5My soul waits for the LORD,
     more than watchmen for the morning, *
     more than watchmen for the morning.
6O Israel, wait for the LORD, *
     for with the LORD there is mercy;
7With him there is plenteous redemption, *
     and he shall redeem Israel from all their sins.

- OR -
Psalm 34:1-8

1I will bless the LORD at all times; *
     his praise shall ever be in my mouth.
2I will glory in the LORD; *
     let the humble hear and rejoice.
3Proclaim with me the greatness of the LORD; *
     let us exalt his Name together.
4I sought the LORD, and he answered me *
     and delivered me out of all my terror.
5Look upon him and be radiant, *
     and let not your faces be ashamed.
6I called in my affliction and the LORD heard me *
     and saved me from all my troubles.
7The angel of the LORD encompasses those who fear him, *
     and he will deliver them.
8Taste and see that the LORD is good; *
     happy are they who trust in him!

New Testament Reading

Ephesians 4:(25-29)
(²⁵ Therefore, putting away falsehood, let every one speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. ²⁶ Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, ²⁷ and give no opportunity to the devil. ²⁸ Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his hands, so that he may be able to give to those in need. ²⁹ Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for edifying, as fits the occasion, that it may impart grace to those who hear. ) - AND -
Ephesians 4:30-5:2
4:³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, with all malice, ³² and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. 5:¹ Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. ² And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Gospel Reading

John 6:37-51
³⁷ All that the Father gives me will come to me; and him who comes to me I will not cast out. ³⁸ For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me; ³⁹ and this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up at the last day. ⁴⁰ For this is the will of my Father, that every one who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." ⁴¹ The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, "I am the bread which came down from heaven." ⁴² They said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, `I have come down from heaven'?" <sup>43</sup> Jesus answered them, "Do not murmur among yourselves. <sup>44</sup> No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. <sup>45</sup> It is written in the prophets, `And they shall all be taught by God.' Every one who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. ⁴⁶ Not that any one has seen the Father except him who is from God; he has seen the Father. ⁴⁷ Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. ⁴⁸ I am the bread of life. ⁴⁹ Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. ⁵⁰ This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that a man may eat of it and not die. ⁵¹ I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh."

Lectionary Readings Book of Common Prayer - 1979 Sunday, July-29-2012 Proper 12

The Collect

Proper 12
O God, the protector of all that trust in thee, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us thy mercy; that, thou being our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen
Preface to the Lord's Day

Old Testament Reading

2 Kings 2:1-15
¹And it came to pass, when the LORD was about to take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. ²Then Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here, please, for the LORD has sent me on to Bethel." But Elisha said, "As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!" So they went down to Bethel. ³Now the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, "Do you know that the LORD will take away your master from over you today?" And he said, "Yes, I know; keep silent!" ⁴Then Elijah said to him, "Elisha, stay here, please, for the LORD has sent me on to Jericho." But he said, "As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!" So they came to Jericho. ⁵Now the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho came to Elisha and said to him, "Do you know that the LORD will take away your master from over you today?" So he answered, "Yes, I know; keep silent!" ⁶Then Elijah said to him, "Stay here, please, for the LORD has sent me on to the Jordan." But he said, "As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!" So the two of them went on. ⁷And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood facing them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan. ⁸Now Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water; and it was divided this way and that, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground. ⁹And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?" Elisha said, "Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me." ¹⁰So he said, "You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so." ¹¹Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. ¹²And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, "My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!" So he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces. ¹³He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan. ¹⁴Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, "Where is the LORD God of Elijah?" And when he also had struck the water, it was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over. ¹⁵Now when the sons of the prophets who were from Jericho saw him, they said, "The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha." And they came to meet him, and bowed to the ground before him. -- NKJV

Psalm

Psalm 114

In exitu Israel
1Hallelujah!
     When Israel came out of Egypt, *
     the house of Jacob from a people of strange speech,
2Judah became God's sanctuary *
     and Israel his dominion.
3The sea beheld it and fled; *
     Jordan turned and went back.
4The mountains skipped like rams, *
     and the little hills like young sheep.
5What ailed you, O sea, that you fled? *
     O Jordan, that you turned back?
6You mountains, that you skipped like rams? *
     you little hills like young sheep?
7Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, *
     at the presence of the God of Jacob,
8Who turned the hard rock into a pool of water *
     and flint-stone into a flowing spring.

 New Testament Reading

Ephesians 4:1-7,11-16
¹I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, ²with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, ³endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ⁴There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; ⁵one Lord, one faith, one baptism; ⁶one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. ⁷But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. ¹¹And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, ¹²for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, ¹³till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; ¹⁴that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, ¹⁵but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head-Christ- ¹⁶from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. -- NKJV

Gospel Reading

Mark 6:45-52
⁴⁵Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away. ⁴⁶And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray. ⁴⁷Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land. ⁴⁸Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by. ⁴⁹And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out; ⁵⁰for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid." ⁵¹Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. ⁵²For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened. -- NKJV

Lectionary Readings
Book of Common Prayer - 1979
Sunday, July-22-2012
Proper 11

The Collect

Proper 11
Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, who knowest our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking: Have compassion, we beseech thee, upon our infirmities, and those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask, mercifully give us for the worthiness of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
Preface of the Lord's Day

Old Testament Reading

Isaiah 57:14-21
¹⁴And one shall say, " Heap it up! Heap it up! Prepare the way, Take the stumbling block out of the way of My people." ¹⁵For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: " I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones. ¹⁶For I will not contend forever, Nor will I always be angry; For the spirit would fail before Me, And the souls which I have made. ¹⁷For the iniquity of his covetousness I was angry and struck him; I hid and was angry, And he went on backsliding in the way of his heart. ¹⁸I have seen his ways, and will heal him; I will also lead him, And restore comforts to him And to his mourners. ¹⁹" I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near," Says the LORD, " And I will heal him." ²⁰But the wicked are like the troubled sea, When it cannot rest, Whose waters cast up mire and dirt. ²¹" There is no peace," Says my God, "for the wicked." -- NKJV

Psalm

Psalm 22:22-30

22Praise the LORD, you that fear him; *
     stand in awe of him, O offspring of Israel;
     all you of Jacob's line, give glory.
23For he does not despise nor abhor the poor in their poverty;
     neither does he hide his face from them; *
     but when they cry to him he hears them.
24My praise is of him in the great assembly; *
     I will perform my vows in the presence of those who
     worship him.
25The poor shall eat and be satisfied,
     and those who seek the LORD shall praise him: *
     "May your heart live for ever!"
26All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to
     the LORD, *
     and all the families of the nations bow before him.
27For kingship belongs to the LORD; *
     he rules over the nations.
28To him alone all who sleep in the earth bow down
     in worship; *
     all who go down to the dust fall before him.
29My soul shall live for him;
     my descendants shall serve him; *
     they shall be known as the LORD'S for ever.
30They shall come and make known to a people yet unborn *
     the saving deeds that he has done.

New Testament Reading

Ephesians 2:11-22
¹¹Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh-who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands- ¹²that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, ¹⁵having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. ¹⁷And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. ¹⁸For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. ¹⁹Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, ²⁰having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, ²¹in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, ²²in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. -- NKJV

Gospel Reading

Mark 6:30-44
³⁰Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught. ³¹And He said to them, "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. ³²So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves. ³³But the multitudes saw them departing, and many knew Him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to Him. ³⁴And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things. ³⁵When the day was now far spent, His disciples came to Him and said, "This is a deserted place, and already the hour is late. ³⁶Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread; for they have nothing to eat." ³⁷But He answered and said to them, "You give them something to eat." And they said to Him, "Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?" ³⁸But He said to them, "How many loaves do you have? Go and see." And when they found out they said, "Five, and two fish." ³⁹Then He commanded them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass. ⁴⁰So they sat down in ranks, in hundreds and in fifties. ⁴¹And when He had taken the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and the two fish He divided among them all. ⁴²So they all ate and were filled. ⁴³And they took up twelve baskets full of fragments and of the fish. ⁴⁴Now those who had eaten the loaves were about five thousand men. -- NKJV