[Propertalk] READINGS for the SECOND SUNDAY after PENTECOST

[Charles Wohlers]

The following are the readings for the second Sunday after Pentecost, June 
14, (Proper 11, RCL, and Proper 6, ECUSA), according to the Revised Common 
(RCL), Episcopal (ECUSA), Roman Catholic, Canadian BAS, and the Church of 
England (Common Worship) lectionaries. All readings are taken from the New 
Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible. Unless otherwise noted, the 
ECUSA, Canadian and Common Worship readings are identical to the RCL this 
Sunday.



OLD TESTAMENT:  1 Samuel 15: 34 - 16: 13   (RCL)

1Sam 15:34 (NRSV) Then Samuel went to Ra'mah; and Saul went up to his house 
in Gib'eah of Saul. 35 Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his 
death, but Samuel grieved over Saul. And the LORD was sorry that he had made 
Saul king over Israel. 16:1 The LORD said to Samuel, "How long will you 
grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your 
horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Beth'lehemite, for I 
have provided for myself a king among his sons." 2 Samuel said, "How can I 
go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me." And the LORD said, "Take a heifer 
with you, and say, "I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.' 3 Invite Jesse to 
the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint 
for me the one whom I name to you." 4 Samuel did what the LORD commanded, 
and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, 
and said, "Do you come peaceably?" 5 He said, "Peaceably; I have come to 
sacrifice to the LORD; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the 
sacrifice." And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the 
sacrifice.
6 When they came, he looked on Eli'ab and thought, "Surely the LORD's 
anointed is now before the LORD." 7 But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not 
look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have 
rejected him; for the LORD does not see as mortals see; they look on the 
outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart." 8 Then Jesse called 
Abin'adab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, "Neither has the LORD 
chosen this one." 9 Then Jesse made Sham'mah pass by. And he said, "Neither 
has the LORD chosen this one." 10 Jesse made seven of his sons pass before 
Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, "The LORD has not chosen any of these." 11 
Samuel said to Jesse, "Are all your sons here?" And he said, "There remains 
yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep." And Samuel said to Jesse, 
"Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here." 12 He 
sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was 
handsome. The LORD said, "Rise and anoint him; for this is the one." 13 Then 
Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his 
brothers; and the spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day 
forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ra'mah.


Ezekiel 17: 22 - 24   (Roman Catholic, Alt. for RCL)

Ezek 17:22 (NRSV) Thus says the Lord GOD:
I myself will take a sprig
from the lofty top of a cedar;
I will set it out.
I will break off a tender one
from the topmost of its young twigs;
I myself will plant it
on a high and lofty mountain.
23 On the mountain height of Israel
I will plant it,
in order that it may produce boughs and bear fruit,
and become a noble cedar.
Under it every kind of bird will live;
in the shade of its branches will nest
winged creatures of every kind.
24 All the trees of the field shall know
that I am the LORD.
I bring low the high tree,
I make high the low tree;
I dry up the green tree
and make the dry tree flourish.
I the LORD have spoken;
I will accomplish it.


2 Samuel 1: 1, 17 - 27   (Can. BAS)

2Sam 1:1 (NRSV) After the death of Saul, when David had returned from 
defeating the Amal'ekites, David remained two days in Zik'lag.

17 David intoned this lamentation over Saul and his son Jonathan. 18 (He 
ordered that The Song of the Bow be taught to the people of Judah; it is 
written in the Book of Jash'ar.) He said:
19 Your glory, O Israel, lies slain upon your high places!
How the mighty have fallen!
20 Tell it not in Gath,
proclaim it not in the streets of Ash'kelon;
or the daughters of the Philis'tines will rejoice,
the daughters of the uncircumcised will exult.
21 You mountains of Gilbo'a,
let there be no dew or rain upon you,
nor bounteous fields!
For there the shield of the mighty was defiled,
the shield of Saul, anointed with oil no more.
22 From the blood of the slain,
from the fat of the mighty,
the bow of Jonathan did not turn back,
nor the sword of Saul return empty.
23 Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely!
In life and in death they were not divided;
they were swifter than eagles,
they were stronger than lions.
24 O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
who clothed you with crimson, in luxury,
who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.
25 How the mighty have fallen
in the midst of the battle!
Jonathan lies slain upon your high places.
26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
greatly beloved were you to me;
your love to me was wonderful,
passing the love of women.
27 How the mighty have fallen,
and the weapons of war perished!


PSALM 20   (RCL)

Psal 20:1 (NRSV) The LORD answer you in the day of trouble!
The name of the God of Jacob protect you!
2 May he send you help from the sanctuary,
and give you support from Zion.
3 May he remember all your offerings,
and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices. [Se'lah]
4 May he grant you your heart's desire,
and fulfill all your plans.
5 May we shout for joy over your victory,
and in the name of our God set up our banners.
May the LORD fulfill all your petitions.
6 Now I know that the LORD will help his anointed;
he will answer him from his holy heaven
with mighty victories by his right hand.
7 Some take pride in chariots, and some in horses,
but our pride is in the name of the LORD our God.
8 They will collapse and fall,
but we shall rise and stand upright.
9 Give victory to the king, O LORD;
answer us when we call.


Psalm 92: 1 - 2, 12 - 15   (Roman Catholic)
Psalm 92: 1 - 4, 12 - 15   (alt. for RCL)

Psal 92:1 (NRSV) It is good to give thanks to the LORD,
to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning,
and your faithfulness by night,
3 to the music of the lute and the harp,
to the melody of the lyre.
4 For you, O LORD, have made me glad by your work;
at the works of your hands I sing for joy.

12 The righteous flourish like the palm tree,
and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 They are planted in the house of the LORD;
they flourish in the courts of our God.
14 In old age they still produce fruit;
they are always green and full of sap,
15 showing that the LORD is upright;
he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.


Psalm 46   (Can. BAS)

46   Deus noster refugium

1   God is our refuge and strength, *
  a very present help in trouble.

2   Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved, *
  and though the mountains be toppled into the
  depths of the sea;

3   Though its waters rage and foam, *
  and though the mountains tremble at its tumult.

4   The Lord of hosts is with us; *
  the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

5   There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, *
  the holy habitation of the Most High.

6   God is in the midst of her;
she shall not be overthrown; *
  God shall help her at the break of day.

7   The nations make much ado, and the kingdoms are shaken; *
  God has spoken, and the earth shall melt away.

8   The Lord of hosts is with us; *
  the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

9   Come now and look upon the works of the Lord, *
  what awesome things he has done on earth.

10   It is he who makes war to cease in all the world; *
  he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear,
  and burns the shields with fire.

11   "Be still, then, and know that I am God; *
  I will be exalted among the nations;
  I will be exalted in the earth."

12   The Lord of hosts is with us; *
  the God of Jacob is our stronghold.


NEW TESTAMENT:   2 Corinthians 5: 6 - 10 (11 - 13) 14 - 17   (RCL)
                                      2 Corinthians 5: 6 - 10   (Roman 
Catholic)
                                      2 Corinthians 5: 6 - 10, 14 - 17 
(Can. BAS)

2Cor 5:6 (NRSV)  So we are always confident; even though we know that while 
we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord-- 7 for we walk by 
faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we do have confidence, and we would rather be 
away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or 
away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For all of us must appear before 
the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what 
has been done in the body, whether good or evil.
11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade others; but 
we ourselves are well known to God, and I hope that we are also well known 
to your consciences. 12 We are not commending ourselves to you again, but 
giving you an opportunity to boast about us, so that you may be able to 
answer those who boast in outward appearance and not in the heart. 13 For if 
we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is 
for you. 14 For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced 
that one has died for all; therefore all have died. 15 And he died for all, 
so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who 
died and was raised for them.
16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even 
though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer 
in that way. 17 So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: 
everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!


GOSPEL:   Mark 4: 26 - 34   (all)

Mark 4:26 (NRSV) He [Jesus] also said, "The kingdom of God is as if someone 
would scatter seed on the ground, 27 and would sleep and rise night and day, 
and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. 28 The earth 
produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in 
the head. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, 
because the harvest has come."
30 He also said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what 
parable will we use for it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown 
upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; 32 yet when it 
is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth 
large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade."
33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to 
hear it; 34 he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained 
everything in private to his disciples.


Chad Wohlers
East Bridgewater, Mass.   USA
chadwohl at satucket.com
cwohlers at bridgew.edu