[Propertalk] READINGS for the FIFTH SUNDAY after PENTECOST

[Charles Wohlers]

The following are the readings for the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost, July 5, 
(Proper 9, ECUSA; Proper 14, RCL & Roman Catholic) according to the Revised 
Common (RCL), Episcopal (ECUSA), Roman Catholic, Church of England, and 
Canadian (BAS) Lectionaries. All readings are taken from the New Revised 
Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible. Unless noted otherwise, the 
lectionaries of ECUSA, Canada and England are identical to the RCL this 
Sunday.



OLD TESTAMENT:  2 Samuel 5: 1 - 5, 9 - 10   (RCL)

2Sam 5:1 (NRSV) Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at He'bron, and 
said, "Look, we are your bone and flesh. 2 For some time, while Saul was 
king over us, it was you who led out Israel and brought it in. The LORD said 
to you: It is you who shall be shepherd of my people Israel, you who shall 
be ruler over Israel." 3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at 
He'bron; and King David made a covenant with them at He'bron before the 
LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel. 4 David was thirty years old 
when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. 5 At He'bron he reigned 
over Judah seven years and six months; and at Jerusalem he reigned over all 
Israel and Judah thirty-three years.

9 David occupied the stronghold, and named it the city of David. David built 
the city all around from the Mil'lo inward. 10 And David became greater and 
greater, for the LORD, the God of hosts, was with him.


Ezekiel 2: 2 - 5   (Roman Catholic)
Ezekiel 2: 1 - 5   (alt. for RCL)

Ezek 2:1 (NRSV) He said to me: O mortal, stand up on your feet, and I will 
speak with you. 2 And when he spoke to me, a spirit entered into me and set 
me on my feet; and I heard him speaking to me. 3 He said to me, Mortal, I am 
sending you to the people of Israel, to a nation of rebels who have rebelled 
against me; they and their ancestors have transgressed against me to this 
very day. 4 The descendants are impudent and stubborn. I am sending you to 
them, and you shall say to them, "Thus says the Lord GOD." 5 Whether they 
hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house), they shall know 
that there has been a prophet among them. 6 And you, O mortal, do not be 
afraid of them, and do not be afraid of their words, though briers and 
thorns surround you and you live among scorpions; do not be afraid of their 
words, and do not be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious 
house. 7 You shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to 
hear; for they are a rebellious house.


2 Samuel 7: 1 - 17   (Can. BAS)

2Sam 7:1 (NRSV) Now when the king was settled in his house, and the LORD had 
given him rest from all his enemies around him, 2 the king said to the 
prophet Nathan, "See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of 
God stays in a tent." 3 Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that you have 
in mind; for the LORD is with you."
4 But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan: 5 Go and tell my 
servant David: Thus says the LORD: Are you the one to build me a house to 
live in? 6 I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people 
of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and 
a tabernacle. 7 Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, 
did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I 
commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, "Why have you not built me a 
house of cedar?" 8 Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: 
Thus says the LORD of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the 
sheep to be prince over my people Israel; 9 and I have been with you 
wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I 
will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the 
earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant 
them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; 
and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 from the time that 
I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all 
your enemies. Moreover the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you 
a house. 12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your 
ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth 
from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house 
for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I 
will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. When he commits 
iniquity, I will punish him with a rod such as mortals use, with blows 
inflicted by human beings. 15 But I will not take my steadfast love from 
him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 Your house 
and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me; your throne shall be 
established forever. 17 In accordance with all these words and with all this 
vision, Nathan spoke to David.


PSALM 48   (RCL)

Psal 48:1 (NRSV) Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised
in the city of our God.
His holy mountain, 2 beautiful in elevation,
is the joy of all the earth,
Mount Zion, in the far north,
the city of the great King.
3 Within its citadels God
has shown himself a sure defense.
4 Then the kings assembled,
they came on together.
5 As soon as they saw it, they were astounded;
they were in panic, they took to flight;
6 trembling took hold of them there,
pains as of a woman in labor,
7 as when an east wind shatters
the ships of Tar'shish.
8 As we have heard, so have we seen
in the city of the LORD of hosts,
in the city of our God,
which God establishes forever. [Se'lah]
9 We ponder your steadfast love, O God,
in the midst of your temple.
10 Your name, O God, like your praise,
reaches to the ends of the earth.
Your right hand is filled with victory.
11 Let Mount Zion be glad,
let the towns of Judah rejoice
because of your judgments.
12 Walk about Zion, go all around it,
count its towers,
13 consider well its ramparts;
go through its citadels,
that you may tell the next generation
14 that this is God,
our God forever and ever.
He will be our guide forever.


Psalm 123   (ECUSA, Roman Catholic, alt. for RCL)

Psal 123:1 (NRSV) To you I lift up my eyes,
O you who are enthroned in the heavens!
2 As the eyes of servants
look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maid
to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the LORD our God,
until he has mercy upon us.
3 Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us,
for we have had more than enough of contempt.
4 Our soul has had more than its fill
of the scorn of those who are at ease,
of the contempt of the proud.


Psalm 89: Part II   Tunc locutus es   (Can. BAS)

20   I have found David my servant; *
  with my holy oil have I anointed him.

21   My hand will hold him fast *
  and my arm will make him strong.

22   No enemy shall deceive him, *
  nor any wicked man bring him down.

23   I will crush his foes before him *
  and strike down those who hate him.

24   My faithfulness and love shall be with him, *
  and he shall be victorious through my Name.

25   I shall make his dominion extend *
  from the Great Sea to the River.

26   He will say to me, "You are my Father, *
  my God, and the rock of my salvation."

27   I will make him my firstborn *
  and higher than the kings of the earth.

28   I will keep my love for him for ever, *
  and my covenant will stand firm for him.

29   I will establish his line for ever *
  and his throne as the days of heaven."

30   "If his children forsake my law *
  and do not walk according to my judgments;

31   If they break my statutes *
  and do not keep my commandments;

32   I will punish their transgressions with a rod *
  and their iniquities with the lash;

33   But I will not take my love from him, *
  nor let my faithfulness prove false.

34   I will not break my covenant, *
  nor change what has gone out of my lips.

35   Once for all I have sworn by my holiness: *
  "I will not lie to David.

36   His line shall endure for ever *
  and his throne as the sun before me;

37   It shall stand fast for evermore like the moon, *
  the abiding witness in the sky.""


NEW TESTAMENT:  2 Corinthians 12: 2 - 10   (RCL)
                                     2 Corinthians 12: 7 - 10   (Roman 
Catholic)
                                     2 Corinthians 12: 1 - 10   (Can. BAS)

2Cor 12:1 (NRSV) It is necessary to boast; nothing is to be gained by it, 
but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I know a person 
in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven--whether 
in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows. 3 And I know that 
such a person--whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God 
knows-- 4 was caught up into Paradise and heard things that are not to be 
told, that no mortal is permitted to repeat. 5 On behalf of such a one I 
will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. 
6 But if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will be speaking the 
truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think better of me than 
what is seen in me or heard from me, 7 even considering the exceptional 
character of the revelations. Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a 
thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep 
me from being too elated. 8 Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, 
that it would leave me, 9 but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for 
you, for power is made perfect in weakness." So, I will boast all the more 
gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10 
Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, 
and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am 
strong.


GOSPEL:   Mark 6: 1 - 13   (RCL)
                   Mark 6: 1 - 6   (Can, BAS, Roman Catholic)

Mark 6:1 (NRSV) He left that place and came to his hometown, and his 
disciples followed him. 2 On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, 
and many who heard him were astounded. They said, "Where did this man get 
all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of 
power are being done by his hands! 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of 
Mary and brother of James and Jo'ses and Judas and Simon, and are not his 
sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. 4 Then Jesus said to 
them, "Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among 
their own kin, and in their own house." 5 And he could do no deed of power 
there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. 6 
And he was amazed at their unbelief.
Then he went about among the villages teaching. 7 He called the twelve and 
began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean 
spirits. 8 He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; 
no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; 9 but to wear sandals and not to 
put on two tunics. 10 He said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay 
there until you leave the place. 11 If any place will not welcome you and 
they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your 
feet as a testimony against them." 12 So they went out and proclaimed that 
all should repent. 13 They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many 
who were sick and cured them.



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