Sacred Heart of Jesus Devotions

Wisdom 4:16-5:8 16 The righteous who have died will condemn the ungodly who are living, and youth that is quickly perfected* will condemn the prolonged old age of the unrighteous.  17 For they will see the end of the wise, and will not understand what the Lord purposed for them, and for what he kept them safe.  18 The unrighteous* will see, and will have contempt for them, but the Lord will laugh them to scorn. After this they will become dishonoured corpses, and an outrage among the dead for ever;  19 because he will dash them speechless to the ground, and shake them from the foundations; they will be left utterly dry and barren, and they will suffer anguish, and the memory of them will perish.  20 They will come with dread when their sins are reckoned up, and their lawless deeds will convict them to their face. 5Then the righteous will stand with great confidence in the presence of those who have oppressed them and those who make light of their labours. 2 When the unrighteous* see them, they will be shaken with dreadful fear, and they will be amazed at the unexpected salvation of the righteous.  3 They will speak to one another in repentance, and in anguish of spirit they will groan, and say,  4 ‘These are persons whom we once held in derision and made a byword of reproach—fools that we were! We thought that their lives were madness and that their end was without honour.  5 Why have they been numbered among the children of God? And why is their lot among the saints?  6 So it was we who strayed from the way of truth, and the light of righteousness did not shine on us, and the sun did not rise upon us.  7 We took our fill of the paths of lawlessness and destruction, and we journeyed through trackless deserts, but the way of the Lord we have not known.  8 What has our arrogance profited us? And what good has our boasted wealth brought us? 

John 15:1-11 15‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. 2He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes* to make it bear more fruit. 3You have already been cleansed* by the word that I have spoken to you. 4Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 5I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 6Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become* my disciples. 9As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. 10If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

1 Corinthians 15:29-41 29 Otherwise, what will those people do who receive baptism on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? 30 And why are we putting ourselves in danger every hour? 31I die every day! That is as certain, brothers and sisters,* as my boasting of you—a boast that I make in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32If with merely human hopes I fought with wild animals at Ephesus, what would I have gained by it? If the dead are not raised, ‘Let us eat and drink,    for tomorrow we die.’  33Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company ruins good morals.’  34Come to a sober and right mind, and sin no more; for some people have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame. 35 But someone will ask, ‘How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?’ 36Fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37And as for what you sow, you do not sow the body that is to be, but a bare seed, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain.38But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. 39Not all flesh is alike, but there is one flesh for human beings, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. 40There are both heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one thing, and that of the earthly is another. 41There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; indeed, star differs from star in glory.

Isaiah 51:9-11 9 Awake, awake, put on strength,    O arm of the Lord! Awake, as in days of old,    the generations of long ago! Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces,    who pierced the dragon?  10 Was it not you who dried up the sea,    the waters of the great deep; who made the depths of the sea a way    for the redeemed to cross over?  11 So the ransomed of the Lord shall return,    and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;    they shall obtain joy and gladness,    and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. 

Exodus 12:1-14 12The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: 2This month shall mark for you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year for you. 3Tell the whole congregation of Israel that on the tenth of this month they are to take a lamb for each family, a lamb for each household. 4If a household is too small for a whole lamb, it shall join its closest neighbour in obtaining one; the lamb shall be divided in proportion to the number of people who eat of it. 5Your lamb shall be without blemish, a year-old male; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. 6You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month; then the whole assembled congregation of Israel shall slaughter it at twilight. 7They shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. 8They shall eat the lamb that same night; they shall eat it roasted over the fire with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 9Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted over the fire, with its head, legs, and inner organs. 10You shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. 11This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it hurriedly. It is the passover of the Lord. 12For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both human beings and animals; on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgements: I am the Lord. 13The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live: when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. 14 This day shall be a day of remembrance for you. You shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord; throughout your generations you shall observe it as a perpetual ordinance.

Jeremiah 26:1-16 26At the beginning of the reign of King Jehoiakim son of Josiah of Judah, this word came from the Lord: 2Thus says the Lord: Stand in the court of the Lord’s house, and speak to all the cities of Judah that come to worship in the house of the Lord; speak to them all the words that I command you; do not hold back a word. 3It may be that they will listen, all of them, and will turn from their evil way, that I may change my mind about the disaster that I intend to bring on them because of their evil doings. 4You shall say to them: Thus says the Lord: If you will not listen to me, to walk in my law that I have set before you, 5and to heed the words of my servants the prophets whom I send to you urgently—though you have not heeded—6then I will make this house like Shiloh, and I will make this city a curse for all the nations of the earth. 7 The priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord. 8And when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, then the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold of him, saying, ‘You shall die! 9Why have you prophesied in the name of the Lord, saying, “This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, without inhabitant”?’ And all the people gathered around Jeremiah in the house of the Lord. 10 When the officials of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king’s house to the house of the Lord and took their seat in the entry of the New Gate of the house of the Lord. 11Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and to all the people, ‘This man deserves the sentence of death because he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears.’ 12 Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and all the people, saying, ‘It is the Lord who sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the words you have heard. 13Now therefore amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the Lord your God, and the Lord will change his mind about the disaster that he has pronounced against you. 14But as for me, here I am in your hands. Do with me as seems good and right to you. 15Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will be bringing innocent blood upon yourselves and upon this city and its inhabitants, for in truth the Lord sent me to you to speak all these words in your ears.’ 16 Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, ‘This man does not deserve the sentence of death, for he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.’

John 6:60-71 60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, ‘This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?’ 61But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, ‘Does this offend you?62Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?63It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64But among you there are some who do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. 65And he said, ‘For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.’ 66 Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. 67So Jesus asked the twelve, ‘Do you also wish to go away?’ 68Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life.69We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.’* 70Jesus answered them, ‘Did I not choose you, the twelve? Yet one of you is a devil.’ 71He was speaking of Judas son of Simon Iscariot,* for he, though one of the twelve, was going to betray him.

Jeremiah 23:9-15 9 Concerning the prophets: My heart is crushed within me,    all my bones shake; I have become like a drunkard,    like one overcome by wine, because of the Lord    and because of his holy words.  10 For the land is full of adulterers;    because of the curse the land mourns,    and the pastures of the wilderness are dried up. Their course has been evil,    and their might is not right.  11 Both prophet and priest are ungodly;    even in my house I have found their wickedness, says the Lord.  12 Therefore their way shall be to them    like slippery paths in the darkness,    into which they shall be driven and fall; for I will bring disaster upon them    in the year of their punishment, says the Lord.  13 In the prophets of Samaria    I saw a disgusting thing: they prophesied by Baal    and led my people Israel astray.  14 But in the prophets of Jerusalem    I have seen a more shocking thing: they commit adultery and walk in lies;    they strengthen the hands of evildoers,    so that no one turns from wickedness; all of them have become like Sodom to me,    and its inhabitants like Gomorrah.  15 Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets: ‘I am going to make them eat wormwood,    and give them poisoned water to drink; for from the prophets of Jerusalem    ungodliness has spread throughout the land.’ 

Romans 6:12-23 12 Therefore, do not let sin exercise dominion in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions. 13No longer present your members to sin as instruments* of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and present your members to God as instruments* of righteousness. 14For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. 15 What then? Should we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17But thanks be to God that you, having once been slaves of sin, have become obedient from the heart to the form of teaching to which you were entrusted, 18and that you, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. 19I am speaking in human terms because of your natural limitations.* For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness for sanctification. 20 When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21So what advantage did you then get from the things of which you now are ashamed? The end of those things is death. 22But now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God, the advantage you get is sanctification. The end is eternal life. 23For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 2:25-3:18 25 Circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law; but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.26So, if those who are uncircumcised keep the requirements of the law, will not their uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27Then those who are physically uncircumcised but keep the law will condemn you that have the written code and circumcision but break the law.28For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is true circumcision something external and physical.29Rather, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly, and real circumcision is a matter of the heart—it is spiritual and not literal. Such a person receives praise not from others but from God. 3Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision?2Much, in every way. For in the first place the Jews* were entrusted with the oracles of God. 3What if some were unfaithful? Will their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? 4By no means! Although everyone is a liar, let God be proved true, as it is written, ‘So that you may be justified in your words,    and prevail in your judging.’*  5But if our injustice serves to confirm the justice of God, what should we say? That God is unjust to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) 6By no means! For then how could God judge the world?7But if through my falsehood God’s truthfulness abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? 8And why not say (as some people slander us by saying that we say), ‘Let us do evil so that good may come’? Their condemnation is deserved! 9 What then? Are we any better off?* No, not at all; for we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under the power of sin, 10as it is written: ‘There is no one who is righteous, not even one;  11   there is no one who has understanding,      there is no one who seeks God.  12 All have turned aside, together they have become worthless;    there is no one who shows kindness,      there is not even one.’  13 ‘Their throats are opened graves;    they use their tongues to deceive.’ ‘The venom of vipers is under their lips.’  14   ‘Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.’  15 ‘Their feet are swift to shed blood;  16   ruin and misery are in their paths,  17 and the way of peace they have not known.’  18   ‘There is no fear of God before their eyes.’

Jeremiah 5:1-9 5Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem,    look around and take note! Search its squares and see    if you can find one person who acts justly    and seeks truth— so that I may pardon Jerusalem.*  2 Although they say, ‘As the Lord lives’,    yet they swear falsely.  3 O Lord, do your eyes not look for truth? You have struck them,    but they felt no anguish; you have consumed them,    but they refused to take correction. They have made their faces harder than rock;    they have refused to turn back.  4 Then I said, ‘These are only the poor,    they have no sense; for they do not know the way of the Lord,    the law of their God.  5 Let me go to the rich*    and speak to them; surely they know the way of the Lord,    the law of their God.’ But they all alike had broken the yoke,    they had burst the bonds.  6 Therefore a lion from the forest shall kill them,    a wolf from the desert shall destroy them. A leopard is watching against their cities;    everyone who goes out of them shall be torn in pieces— because their transgressions are many,    their apostasies are great.  7 How can I pardon you?    Your children have forsaken me,    and have sworn by those who are no gods. When I fed them to the full,    they committed adultery    and trooped to the houses of prostitutes.  8 They were well-fed lusty stallions,    each neighing for his neighbour’s wife.  9 Shall I not punish them for these things? says the Lord;    and shall I not bring retribution    on a nation such as this? 

Mark 3:31-4:9 31 Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. 32A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, ‘Your mother and your brothers and sisters* are outside, asking for you.’ 33And he replied, ‘Who are my mother and my brothers?’34And looking at those who sat around him, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers! 35Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.’  4Again he began to teach beside the lake. Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the lake and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the lake on the land. 2He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: 3‘Listen! A sower went out to sow.4And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up.5Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. 6And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away.7Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 8Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.’ 9And he said, ‘Let anyone with ears to hear listen!’

Jeremiah 1:1-10 1The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, 2to whom the word of the Lord came in the days of King Josiah son of Amon of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. 3It came also in the days of King Jehoiakim son of Josiah of Judah, and until the end of the eleventh year of King Zedekiah son of Josiah of Judah, until the captivity of Jerusalem in the fifth month. 4 Now the word of the Lord came to me saying,  5 ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.’  6Then I said, ‘Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.’7But the Lord said to me, ‘Do not say, “I am only a boy”; for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and you shall speak whatever I command you.  8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord.’  9Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth; and the Lord said to me, ‘Now I have put my words in your mouth.  10 See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.’

Psalm 51  1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your loving-kindness; * in your great compassion blot out my offenses. 2 Wash me through and through from my wickedness * and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I know my transgressions, * and my sin is ever before me. . 4 Against you only have I sinned * and done what is evil in your sight. 5 And so you are justified when you speak * and upright in your judgment. 6 Indeed, I have been wicked from my birth, * a sinner from my mother's womb. 7 For behold, you look for truth deep within me, * and will make me understand wisdom secretly. 8 Purge me from my sin, and I shall be pure; * wash me, and I shall be clean indeed. 9 Make me hear of joy and gladness, * that the body you have broken may rejoice. 10 Hide your face from my sins * and blot out all my iniquities. 11 Create in me a clean heart, O God, * and renew a right spirit within me. 12 Cast me not away from your presence * and take not your holy Spirit from me. 13 Give me the joy of your saving help again * and sustain me with your bountiful Spirit. 14 I shall teach your ways to the wicked, * and sinners shall return to you. 15 Deliver me from death, O God, * and my tongue shall sing of your righteousness, O God of my salvation. 16 Open my lips, O Lord, * and my mouth shall proclaim your praise. 17 Had you desired it, I would have offered sacrifice, * but you take no delight in burnt-offerings. 18 The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit; * a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. 19 Be favorable and gracious to Zion, * and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. 20 Then you will be pleased with the appointed sacrifices, with burnt-offerings and oblations; * then shall they offer young bullocks upon your altar.

Psalm 95  1 Come, let us sing to the Lord; * let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving * and raise a loud shout to him with psalms. 3 For the Lord is a great God, * and a great King above all gods. 4 In his hand are the caverns of the earth, * and the heights of the hills are his also. 5 The sea is his, for he made it, * and his hands have molded the dry land. 6 Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, * and kneel before the Lord our Maker. 7 For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. * Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice! 8 Harden not your hearts, as your forebears did in the wilderness, * at Meribah, and on that day at Massah, when they tempted me. 9 They put me to the test, * though they had seen my works. 10 Forty years long I detested that generation and said, * "This people are wayward in their hearts; they do not know my ways." 11 So I swore in my wrath, * "They shall not enter into my rest."

Psalm 30: 1-13  1 I will exalt you, O Lord, because you have lifted me up * and have not let my enemies triumph over me. 2 O Lord my God, I cried out to you, * and you restored me to health. 3 You brought me up, O Lord, from the dead; * you restored my life as I was going down to the grave. 4 Sing to the Lord, you servants of his; * give thanks for the remembrance of his holiness. 5 For his wrath endures but the twinkling of an eye, * his favor for a lifetime. 6 Weeping may spend the night, * but joy comes in the morning. 7 While I felt secure, I said, "I shall never be disturbed. * You, Lord, with your favor, made me as strong as the mountains." 8 Then you hid your face, * and I was filled with fear. 9 I cried to you, O Lord; * I pleaded with the Lord, saying, 10 "What profit is there in my blood, if I go down to the Pit? * will the dust praise you or declare your faithfulness? 11 Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me; * O Lord, be my helper." 12 You have turned my wailing into dancing; * you have put off my sack-cloth and clothed me with joy. 13 Therefore my heart sings to you without ceasing; * O Lord my God, I will give you thanks for ever. Psalm 32: 1-12  1 Happy are they whose transgressions are forgiven, * and whose sin is put away! 2 Happy are they to whom the Lord imputes no guilt, * and in whose spirit there is no guile! 3 While I held my tongue, my bones withered away, * because of my groaning all day long. 4 For your hand was heavy upon me day and night; * my moisture was dried up as in the heat of summer. 5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you, * and did not conceal my guilt. 6 I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord." * Then you forgave me the guilt of my sin. 7 Therefore all the faithful will make their prayers to you in time of trouble; * when the great waters overflow, they shall not reach them. 8 You are my hiding-place; you preserve me from trouble; * you surround me with shouts of deliverance. 9 "I will instruct you and teach you in the way that you should go; * I will guide you with my eye. 10 Do not be like horse or mule, which have no understanding; * who must be fitted with bit and bridle, or else they will not stay near you." 11 Great are the tribulations of the wicked; * but mercy embraces those who trust in the Lord. 12 Be glad, you righteous, and rejoice in the Lord; * shout for joy, all who are true of heart.

John 1:1-18 1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God.3All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4in him was life,* and the life was the light of all people. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.* 10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. 11He came to what was his own,* and his own people did not accept him. 12But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God,13who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son,* full of grace and truth. 15(John testified to him and cried out, ‘This was he of whom I said, “He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.” ’) 16From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son,* who is close to the Father’s heart,* who has made him known. 

Deuteronomy 6:10-15 10 When the Lord your God has brought you into the land that he swore to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you—a land with fine, large cities that you did not build, 11houses filled with all sorts of goods that you did not fill, hewn cisterns that you did not hew, vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant—and when you have eaten your fill, 12take care that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 13The Lord your God you shall fear; him you shall serve, and by his name alone you shall swear. 14Do not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who are all around you, 15because the Lord your God, who is present with you, is a jealous God. The anger of the Lord your God would be kindled against you and he would destroy you from the face of the earth.

Isaiah 66:7-14 7 Before she was in labour    she gave birth; before her pain came upon her    she delivered a son.  8 Who has heard of such a thing?    Who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day?    Shall a nation be delivered in one moment? Yet as soon as Zion was in labour    she delivered her children.  9 Shall I open the womb and not deliver?    says the Lord; shall I, the one who delivers, shut the womb?    says your God.  10 Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her,    all you who love her; rejoice with her in joy,    all you who mourn over her—  11 that you may nurse and be satisfied    from her consoling breast; that you may drink deeply with delight    from her glorious bosom.  12 For thus says the Lord: I will extend prosperity to her like a river,    and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you shall nurse and be carried on her arm,    and dandled on her knees.  13 As a mother comforts her child,    so I will comfort you;    you shall be comforted in Jerusalem. 14 You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice;    your bodies* shall flourish like the grass; and it shall be known that the hand of the Lord is with his servants,    and his indignation is against his enemies.

Mark 12:35-44 35 While Jesus was teaching in the temple, he said, ‘How can the scribes say that the Messiah* is the son of David?36David himself, by the Holy Spirit, declared, “The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand,    until I put your enemies under your feet.’”  37David himself calls him Lord; so how can he be his son?’ And the large crowd was listening to him with delight. 38 As he taught, he said, ‘Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the market-places, 39and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honour at banquets! 40They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.’ 41 He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. 42A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. 43Then he called his disciples and said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. 44For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.’ 

Matthew 5:1-12 5When Jesus* saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: 3 ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 ‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 ‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. 8 ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 ‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely* on my account.12Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

1 Timothy 1:1-17 1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Saviour and of Christ Jesus our hope, 2 To Timothy, my loyal child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 3 I urge you, as I did when I was on my way to Macedonia, to remain in Ephesus so that you may instruct certain people not to teach any different doctrine, 4 and not to occupy themselves with myths and endless genealogies that promote speculations rather than the divine training* that is known by faith. 5 But the aim of such instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith. 6 Some people have deviated from these and turned to meaningless talk, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make assertions. 8 Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it legitimately. 9 This means understanding that the law is laid down not for the innocent but for the lawless and disobedient, for the godless and sinful, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their father or mother, for murderers, 10 fornicators, sodomites, slave-traders, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching 11 that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me. 12 I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful and appointed me to his service, 13 even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.15 The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the foremost. 16 But for that very reason I received mercy, so that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display the utmost patience, making me an example to those who would come to believe in him for eternal life. 17 To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever.*Amen.

Isaiah 62:6-12 6 Upon your walls, O Jerusalem,    I have posted sentinels; all day and all night    they shall never be silent. You who remind the Lord,    take no rest,  7 and give him no rest    until he establishes Jerusalem    and makes it renowned throughout the earth.  8 The Lord has sworn by his right hand    and by his mighty arm: I will not again give your grain    to be food for your enemies, and foreigners shall not drink the wine    for which you have laboured;  9 but those who garner it shall eat it    and praise the Lord, and those who gather it shall drink it    in my holy courts.  10 Go through, go through the gates,    prepare the way for the people; build up, build up the highway,    clear it of stones,    lift up an ensign over the peoples.  11 The Lord has proclaimed    to the end of the earth: Say to daughter Zion,    ‘See, your salvation comes; his reward is with him,    and his recompense before him.’  12 They shall be called, ‘The Holy People,    The Redeemed of the Lord’; and you shall be called, ‘Sought Out,    A City Not Forsaken.’ 

Matthew 5:1-12 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.  “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.  “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.  “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.  “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.  “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.  “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

Romans 8:14-21 14For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ 16it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. 18 I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. 19For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; 20for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Galatians 4: 1- 11 My point is this: heirs, as long as they are minors, are no better than slaves, though they are the owners of all the property; but they remain under guardians and trustees until the date set by the father. So with us; while we were minors, we were enslaved to the elemental spirits of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!' So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God. Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to beings that by nature are not gods. Now, however, that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and beggarly elemental spirits? How can you want to be enslaved to them again? You are observing special days, and months, and seasons, and years. I am afraid that my work for you may have been wasted. The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Psalm 55  1 Hear my prayer,O God; * do not hide yourself from my petition. 2Listen to me and answer me; * I have no peace, because of my cares. 3I am shaken by the noise of the enemy * and by the pressure of the wicked; 4For they have cast an evil spell upon me * and are set against me in fury. 5My heart quakes within me, * and the terrors of death have fallen upon me. 6 Fear and trembling have come over me, * and horror overwhelms me. 7And I said, "Oh, that I had wings like a dove! * I would fly away and be at rest. 8I would flee to a far-off place * and make my lodging in the wilderness. 9I would hasten to escape * from the stormy wind and tempest." 10 Swallow them up, O Lord; confound their speech; * for I have seen violence and strife in the city. 11Day and night the watchmen make their rounds upon her walls, * but trouble and misery are in the midst of her. 12 There is corruption at her heart; * her streets are never free of oppression and deceit. 13For had it been an adversary who taunted me, then I could have borne it; * or had it been an enemy who vaunted himself against me, then I could have hidden from him. 14But it was you, a man after my own heart, * my companion, my own familiar friend. 15 We took sweet counsel together, * and walked with the throng in the house of God. 16Let death come upon them suddenly; let them go down alive to the grave; * for wickedness is in their dwellings, in their very midst. 17 But I will call upon God, * and the LORD will deliver me. 18In the evening, in the morning, and at noonday, I will complain and lament, * and he will hear my voice. 19 He will bring me safely back from the battle waged against me; * for there are many who fight me. 20God, who is enthroned of old, will hear me and bring them down; * they never change; they do not fear God. 21My companion stretched forth his hand against his comrade; * he has broken his covenant. 22 His speech is softer than butter, * but war is in his heart. 23 His words are smoother than oil, * but they are drawn swords. 24 Cast your burden upon the LORD, and he will sustain you; * he will never let the righteous stumble. 25For you will bring the bloodthirsty and deceitful * down to the pit of destruction, O God. 26 They shall not live out half their days, * but I will put my trust in you.

Psalm 37  1Do not fret yourself because of evildoers; * do not be jealous of those who do wrong. 2For they shall soon wither like the grass, * and like the green grass fade away. 3Put your trust in the LORD and do good; * dwell in the land and feed on its riches. 4Take delight in the LORD, * and he shall give you your heart's desire. 5 Commit your way to the LORD and put your trust in him, * and he will bring it to pass. 6He will make your righteousness as clear as the light * and your just dealing as the noonday. 7Be still before the LORD * and wait patiently for him. 8Do not fret yourself over the one who prospers, * the one who succeeds in evil schemes. 9 Refrain from anger, leave rage alone; * do not fret yourself; it leads only to evil. 10For evildoers shall be cut off, * but those who wait upon the LORD shall possess the land. 11In a little while the wicked shall be no more; * you shall search out their place, but they will not be there. 12But the lowly shall possess the land; * they will delight in abundance of peace. 13The wicked plot against the righteous * and gnash at them with their teeth. 14The Lord laughs at the wicked, * because he sees that their day will come. 15The wicked draw their sword and bend their bow to strike down the poor and needy, * to slaughter those who are upright in their ways. 16 Their sword shall go through their own heart, * and their bow shall be broken. 17The little that the righteous has * is better than great riches of the wicked. 18For the power of the wicked shall be broken, * but the LORD upholds the righteous.

Ezekiel 34:11-16 11For thus says the Lord God: I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. 12As shepherds seek out their flocks when they are among their scattered sheep, so I will seek out my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places to which they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. 13I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited parts of the land. 14I will feed them with good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel shall be their pasture; there they shall lie down in good grazing land, and they shall feed on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. 15I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord God. 16I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with justice. The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Ephesians 1:1-14 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in us and are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own people, to the praise of his glory. The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Psalm 34  1 I will bless the LORD at all times; * his praise shall ever be in my mouth. 2 I will glory in the LORD; * let the humble hear and rejoice. 3 Proclaim with me the greatness of the LORD; * let us exalt his Name together. 4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me * and delivered me out of all my terror. 5 Look upon him and be radiant, * and let not your faces be ashamed. 6 I called in my affliction and the LORD heard me * and saved me from all my troubles. 7 The angel of the LORD encompasses those who fear him, * and he will deliver them. 8 Taste and see that the LORD is good; * happy are they who trust in him! 9 Fear the LORD, you that are his saints, * for those who fear him lack nothing. 10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger, * but those who seek the LORD lack nothing that is good. 11 Come, children, and listen to me; * I will teach you the fear of the LORD. 12 Who among you loves life * and desires long life to enjoy prosperity? 13 Keep your tongue from evil-speaking * and your lips from lying words. 14 Turn from evil and do good; * seek peace and pursue it. 15 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, * and his ears are open to their cry. 16 The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, * to root out the remembrance of them from the earth. 17 The righteous cry, and the LORD hears them * and delivers them from all their troubles. 18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted * and will save those whose spirits are crushed. 19 Many are the troubles of the righteous, * but the LORD will deliver him out of them all. 20 He will keep safe all his bones; * not one of them shall be broken. 21 Evil shall slay the wicked, * and those who hate the righteous will be punished. 22 The LORD ransoms the life of his servants, * and none will be punished who trust in him.

John 13:20-35 20Very truly, I tell you, whoever receives one whom I send receives me; and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.’ 21After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, ‘Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.’ 22The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. 23One of his disciplesthe one whom Jesus lovedwas reclining next to him; 24Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. 25So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, ‘Lord, who is it?’ 26Jesus answered, ‘It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.’ So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. 27After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, ‘Do quickly what you are going to do.’ 28Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 29Some thought that, because Judas had the common purse, Jesus was telling him, ‘Buy what we need for the festival’; or, that he should give something to the poor. 30So, after receiving the piece of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night. 31When he had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 32If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. 33Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, “Where I am going, you cannot come.” 34I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’ The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Psalm 45 or Coverdale 1 My heart is stirring with a noble song; let me recite what I have fashioned for the king;* my tongue shall be the pen of a skilled writer. 2 You are the fairest of men;* grace flows from your lips, because God has blessed you for ever. 3 Strap your sword upon your thigh, O mighty warrior,* in your pride and in your majesty. 4 Ride out and conquer in the cause of truth * and for the sake of justice. 5 Your right hand will show you marvelous things; * your arrows are very sharp, O mighty warrior. 6 The peoples are falling at your feet,* and the king's enemies are losing heart. 7 Your throne, O God, endures for ever and ever,* a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom; you love righteousness and hate iniquity. 8 Therefore God, your God, has anointed you * with the oil of gladness above your fellows. 9 All your garments are fragrant with myrrh, aloes, and cassia,* and the music of strings from ivory palaces makes you glad. 10 Kings' daughters stand among the ladies of the court;* on your right hand is the queen, adorned with the gold of Ophir. 11"Hear, O daughter; consider and listen closely;* forget your people and your father's house. 12 The king will have pleasure in your beauty; * he is your master; therefore do him honor. 13 The people of Tyre are here with a gift; * the rich among the people seek your favor." 14 All glorious is the princess as she enters; * her gown is cloth-of-gold. 15 In embroidered apparel she is brought to the king;* after her the bridesmaids follow in procession. 16 With joy and gladness they are brought,* and enter into the palace of the king. 17"In place of fathers, O king, you shall have sons;* you shall make them princes over all the earth. 18 I will make your name to be remembered from one generation to another;* therefore nations will praise you for ever and ever."

Psalm 80:1-7, 16-18 1 Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock; * shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim. 2 In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, * stir up your strength and come to help us. 3 Restore us, O God of hosts; * show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved. 4 O Lord God of hosts, * how long will you be angered despite the prayers of your people? 5 You have fed them with the bread of tears; * you have given them bowls of tears to drink. 6 You have made us the derision of our neighbors, * and our enemies laugh us to scorn. 7 Restore us, O God of hosts; * show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved. 16 Let your hand be upon the man of your right hand, * the son of man you have made so strong for yourself. 17 And so will we never turn away from you; * give us life, that we may call upon your Name. 18 Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; * show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

Isaiah 9:18-10:418 For wickedness burned like a fire,consuming briers and thorns; it kindled the thickets of the forest,and they swirled upwards in a column of smoke. 19 Through the wrath of the Lord of hoststhe land was burned, and the people became like fuel for the fire;no one spared another. 20 They gorged on the right, but still were hungry,and they devoured on the left, but were not satisfied; they devoured the flesh of their own kindred; 21 Manasseh devoured Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh,and together they were against Judah. For all this, his anger has not turned away;his hand is stretched out still. 10Ah, you who make iniquitous decrees,who write oppressive statutes, 2 to turn aside the needy from justiceand to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be your spoil,and that you may make the orphans your prey! 3 What will you do on the day of punishment,in the calamity that will come from far away? To whom will you flee for help,and where will you leave your wealth, 4 so as not to crouch among the prisonersor fall among the slain? For all this, his anger has not turned away;his hand is stretched out still.The Word of the Lord.Thanks be to God.

Psalm 103  1 Bless the LORD, O my soul, * and all that is within me, bless his holy Name. 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, * and forget not all his benefits. 3 He forgives all your sins * and heals all your infirmities; 4 He redeems your life from the grave * and crowns you with mercy and loving-kindness; 5 He satisfies you with good things, * and your youth is renewed like an eagle's. 6 The LORD executes righteousness * and judgment for all who are oppressed. 7 He made his ways known to Moses * and his works to the children of Israel. 8 The LORD is full of compassion and mercy, * slow to anger and of great kindness. 9 He will not always accuse us, * nor will he keep his anger for ever. 10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, * nor rewarded us according to our wickedness. 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, * so is his mercy great upon those who fear him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, * so far has he removed our sins from us. 13 As a father cares for his children, * so does the LORD care for those who fear him. 14 For he himself knows whereof we are made; * he remembers that we are but dust. 15 Our days are like the grass; * we flourish like a flower of the field; 16 When the wind goes over it, it is gone, * and its place shall know it no more. 17 But the merciful goodness of the LORD  endures for ever on those who fear him, * and his righteousness on children's children; 18 On those who keep his covenant * and remember his commandments and do them. 19 The LORD has set his throne in heaven, * and his kingship has dominion over all. 20 Bless the LORD, you angels of his, you mighty ones who do his bidding, * and hearken to the voice of his word. 21 Bless the LORD, all you his hosts, * you ministers of his who do his will. 22 Bless the LORD, all you works of his, in all places of his dominion; * bless the LORD, O my soul.

Revelation 4:11, 5:9-10, 13Splendor and honor and kingly power * are yours by right, O Lord our God, For you created everything that is, * and by your will they were created and have their being; And yours by right, O Lamb that was slain, * for with your blood you have redeemed for God, From every family, language, people, and nation, * a kingdom of priests to serve our God. And so, to him who sits upon the throne, * and to Christ the Lamb, Be worship and praise, dominion and splendor, * for ever and for ever more. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

John 1:35-42 35The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, 36and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, ‘Look, here is the Lamb of God!’ 37The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, ‘What are you looking for?’ They said to him, ‘Rabbi’ (which translated means Teacher), ‘where are you staying?’ 39He said to them, ‘Come and see.’ They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. 40One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41He first found his brother Simon and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which is translated Anointed). 42He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas’ (which is translated Peter). The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Psalm 147 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 favor.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!

Isaiah 60:1-3, 11a, 14c, 18-19 Arise, shine, for your light has come, * and the glory of the Lord has dawned upon you. For behold, darkness covers the land; * deep gloom enshrouds the peoples. But over you the Lord will rise, * and his glory will appear upon you. Nations will stream to your light, * and kings to the brightness of your dawning. Your gates will always be open; * by day or night they will never be shut. They will call you, The City of the Lord, * The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Violence will no more be heard in your land, * ruin or destruction within your borders. You will call your walls, Salvation, * and all your portals, Praise. The sun will no more be your light by day; * by night you will not need the brightness of the moon. The Lord will be your everlasting light, * and your God will be your glory. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Matthew 21:1-13When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2saying to them, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. 3If anyone says anything to you, just say this, “The Lord needs them.” And he will send them immediately.’ 4This took place to fulfil what had been spoken through the prophet, saying, 5 ‘Tell the daughter of Zion,Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ 6The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; 7they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. 8A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting,‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!Hosanna in the highest heaven!’ 10When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, ‘Who is this?’ 11The crowds were saying, ‘This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.’12 Then Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who were selling and buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 13He said to them, ‘It is written,“My house shall be called a house of prayer”; but you are making it a den of robbers.’The Word of the Lord.Thanks be to God.

James 4:13-5:6 13Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a town and spend a year there, doing business and making money.’ 14Yet you do not even know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wishes, we will live and do this or that.’ 16As it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. 17Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, commits sin. 5Come now, you rich people, weep and wail for the miseries that are coming to you. 2Your riches have rotted, and your clothes are moth-eaten. 3Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence against you, and it will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure for the last days. 4Listen! The wages of the labourers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5You have lived on the earth in luxury and in pleasure; you have fattened your hearts on a day of slaughter. 6You have condemned and murdered the righteous one, who does not resist you. The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Luke 21:5-19When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, Jesus said, "As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down."They asked him, "Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?" And he said, "Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, `I am he!' and, `The time is near!' Do not go after them."When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately." Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven."But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. This will give you an opportunity to testify. So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your souls."

Luke 11:37-52 37 While he was speaking, a Pharisee invited him to dine with him; so he went in and took his place at the table. 38The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not first wash before dinner. 39Then the Lord said to him, 'Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40You fools! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? 41So give for alms those things that are within; and see, everything will be clean for you. 42'But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and herbs of all kinds, and neglect justice and the love of God; it is these you ought to have practiced, without neglecting the others. 43Woe to you Pharisees! For you love to have the seat of honor in the synagogues and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces. 44Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without realizing it.' 45One of the lawyers answered him, 'Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us too.' 46And he said, 'Woe also to you lawyers! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not lift a finger to ease them. 47Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your ancestors killed. 48So you are witnesses and approve of the deeds of your ancestors; for they killed them, and you build their tombs. 49Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, "I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute," 50so that this generation may be charged with the blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the world, 51from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be charged against this generation. 52Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge; you did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.' The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

SuffragesShow us your mercy, O Lord; And grant us your salvation. Clothe your ministers with righteousness; Let your people sing with joy. Give peace, O Lord, in all the world; For only in you can we live in safety. Lord, keep this nation under your care; And guide us in the way of justice and truth. Let your way be known upon earth; Your saving health among all nations. Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten; Nor the hope of the poor be taken away. Create in us clean hearts, O God; And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 10: 15- 24 15I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 18 Consider the people of Israel;are not those who eat the sacrifices partners in the altar? 19 What do I imply then? That food sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be partners with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. 22 Or are we provoking the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? 23 "All things are lawful," but not all things are beneficial. "All things are lawful," but not all things build up. 24 Do not seek your own advantage, but that of the other. The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Revelation 8:1-13 When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. 3Another angel with a golden censer came and stood at the altar; he was given a great quantity of incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar that is before the throne. 4And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. 5Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth; and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake. 6Now the seven angels who had the seven trumpets made ready to blow them. 7 The first angel blew his trumpet, and there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were hurled to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up. 8The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea. 9A third of the sea became blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. 10The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many died from the water, because it was made bitter. 12The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light was darkened; a third of the day was kept from shining, and likewise the night. 13Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying with a loud voice as it flew in midheaven, 'Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, at the blasts of the other trumpets that the three angels are about to blow!' The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Psalm 251To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul; my God, I put my trust in you; * let me not be humiliated, nor let my enemies triumph over me. 2Let none who look to you be put to shame; * let the treacherous be disappointed in their schemes. 3Show me your ways, O LORD, * and teach me your paths. 4Lead me in your truth and teach me, * for you are the God of my salvation; in you have I trusted all the day long. 5Remember, O LORD, your compassion and love, * for they are from everlasting. 6Remember not the sins of my youth and my transgressions; * remember me according to your love and for the sake of your goodness, O LORD. 7Gracious and upright is the LORD; * therefore he teaches sinners in his way. 8He guides the humble in doing right * and teaches his way to the lowly. 9All the paths of the LORD are love and faithfulness * to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies. 10For your Name's sake, O LORD, * forgive my sin, for it is great. 11Who are they who fear the LORD? * he will teach them the way that they should choose. 12They shall dwell in prosperity, * and their offspring shall inherit the land. 13The LORD is a friend to those who fear him * and will show them his covenant. 14My eyes are ever looking to the LORD, * for he shall pluck my feet out of the net. 15Turn to me and have pity on me, * for I am left alone and in misery. 16The sorrows of my heart have increased; * bring me out of my troubles. 17Look upon my adversity and misery * and forgive me all my sin. 18Look upon my enemies, for they are many, * and they bear a violent hatred against me. 19Protect my life and deliver me; * let me not be put to shame, for I have trusted in you. 20Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, * for my hope has been in you. 21Deliver Israel, O God, * out of all his troubles.

Psalm 13 1How long, O LORD? will you forget me for ever? * how long will you hide your face from me? 2How long shall I have perplexity in my mind, and grief in my heart, day after day? * how long shall my enemy triumph over me? 3Look upon me and answer me, O LORD my God; * give light to my eyes, lest I sleep in death; 4Lest my enemy say, "I have prevailed over him," * and my foes rejoice that I have fallen. 5But I put my trust in your mercy; * my heart is joyful because of your saving help. 6I will sing to the LORD, for he has dealt with me richly; * I will praise the Name of the Lord Most High.

Daniel 12:1-312‘At that time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people, shall arise. There shall be a time of anguish, such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. 2Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.The Word of the Lord.Thanks be to God.