[Propertalk] READINGS for the LAST SUNDAY after the EPIPHANY

[Charles Wohlers]

The following are the readings for the Last Sunday after the Epiphany, Feb. 
14, 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 noted otherwise, the ECUSA and C of E 
lectionaries are identical to the RCL for this day. The Canadian BAS 
readings may be used in place of the RCL readings in those Canadian parishes 
which use the RCL on this Sunday.



OLD TESTAMENT: Exodus 34: 29 - 35  (RCL)

Exod 34:29 (NRSV) Moses came down from Mount Sinai. As he came down from the 
mountain with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand, Moses did not 
know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. 
30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face was 
shining, and they were afraid to come near him. 31 But Moses called to them; 
and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses 
spoke with them. 32 Afterward all the Israelites came near, and he gave them 
in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. 33 When 
Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face; 34 but 
whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he would take the 
veil off, until he came out; and when he came out, and told the Israelites 
what he had been commanded, 35 the Israelites would see the face of Moses, 
that the skin of his face was shining; and Moses would put the veil on his 
face again, until he went in to speak with him.


Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 27: 4 - 7   (Can. BAS)
Sirach 27: 5 - 8   (Roman Catholic)

Sir 27:4 (NRSV) When a sieve is shaken, the refuse appears;
so do a person's faults when he speaks.
5 The kiln tests the potter's vessels;
so the test of a person is in his conversation.
6 Its fruit discloses the cultivation of a tree;
so a person's speech discloses the cultivation of his mind.
7 Do not praise anyone before he speaks,
for this is the way people are tested.
8 If you pursue justice, you will attain it
and wear it like a glorious robe.


Isaiah 55: 10 - 13   (alt. for Can. BAS)

Isai 55:10 (NRSV) For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
and do not return there until they have watered the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
12 For you shall go out in joy,
and be led back in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
shall burst into song,
and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;
instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;
and it shall be to the LORD for a memorial,
for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.


PSALM 99   (RCL)

Psal 99:1 (NRSV) The LORD is king; let the peoples tremble!
He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!
2 The LORD is great in Zion;
he is exalted over all the peoples.
3 Let them praise your great and awesome name.
Holy is he!
4 Mighty King, lover of justice,
you have established equity;
you have executed justice
and righteousness in Jacob.
5 Extol the LORD our God;
worship at his footstool.
Holy is he!
6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
Samuel also was among those who called on his name.
They cried to the LORD, and he answered them.
7 He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud;
they kept his decrees,
and the statutes that he gave them.
8 O LORD our God, you answered them;
you were a forgiving God to them,
but an avenger of their wrongdoings.
9 Extol the LORD our God,
and worship at his holy mountain;
for the LORD our God is holy.


Psalm 92: 1 - 4, 12 - 15   (Can. BAS)
Psalm 92: 1 - 2, 12 - 15   (Roman Catholic)

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.
5 How great are your works, O LORD!
Your thoughts are very deep!
6 The dullard cannot know,
the stupid cannot understand this:
7 though the wicked sprout like grass
and all evildoers flourish,
they are doomed to destruction forever, 8 but you, O LORD, are on high 
forever.
9 For your enemies, O LORD,
for your enemies shall perish;
all evildoers shall be scattered.
10 But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox;
you have poured over me fresh oil.
11 My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies;
my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants.
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.

Note: Verse numbering in Roman Catholic Bibles is one higher than the above.


NEW TESTAMENT: 2 Corinthians 3: 12 - 4:2 (RCL)

2Cor 3:12 (NRSV) Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great 
boldness, 13 not like Moses, who put a veil over his face to keep the people 
of Israel from gazing at the end of the glory that was being set aside. 14 
But their minds were hardened. Indeed, to this very day, when they hear the 
reading of the old covenant, that same veil is still there, since only in 
Christ is it set aside. 15 Indeed, to this very day whenever Moses is read, 
a veil lies over their minds; 16 but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is 
removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, 
there is freedom. 18 And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of 
the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the 
same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the 
Lord, the Spirit. 4:1 Therefore, since it is by God's mercy that we are 
engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2 We have renounced the 
shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify 
God's word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to 
the conscience of everyone in the sight of God.


1 Corinthians 15: 51 - 58   (Can. BAS)
1 Corinthians 15: 54 - 58   (Roman Catholic)

1Cor 15:51 (NRSV) Listen, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, 
but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at 
the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised 
imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put 
on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When 
this perishable body puts on imperishability, and this mortal body puts on 
immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled:
""Death has been swallowed up in victory."
55 "Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?" 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power 
of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through 
our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the 
work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in 
vain.



GOSPEL: Luke 9: 28 - 36, (37 - 43a) (RCL)

Luke 9:26 (NRSV) Those who are ashamed of me and of my words, of them the 
Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the 
Father and of the holy angels. 27 But truly I tell you, there are some 
standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God."
28 Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and 
John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And while he was 
praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling 
white. 30 Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Eli'jah, talking to him. 31 
They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was 
about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and his companions were 
weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory 
and the two men who stood with him. 33 Just as they were leaving him, Peter 
said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three 
dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Eli'jah"--not knowing 
what he said. 34 While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed 
them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. 35 Then from the 
cloud came a voice that said, "This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!" 36 
When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and 
in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.
37 On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd 
met him. 38 Just then a man from the crowd shouted, "Teacher, I beg you to 
look at my son; he is my only child. 39 Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and 
all at once he shrieks. It convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it 
mauls him and will scarcely leave him. 40 I begged your disciples to cast it 
out, but they could not." 41 Jesus answered, "You faithless and perverse 
generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your 
son here." 42 While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in 
convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave 
him back to his father. 43 And all were astounded at the greatness of God.


Luke 6: 39 - 49   (Can. BAS)
Luke 6: 39 - 45   (Roman Catholic)

Luke 6:39 (NRSV) He also told them a parable: "Can a blind person guide a 
blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? 40 A disciple is not above the 
teacher, but everyone who is fully qualified will be like the teacher. 41 
Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye, but do not notice the log 
in your own eye? 42 Or how can you say to your neighbor, "Friend, let me 
take out the speck in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the log in 
your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and 
then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor's eye.
43 "No good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit; 
44 for each tree is known by its own fruit. Figs are not gathered from 
thorns, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. 45 The good person out of 
the good treasure of the heart produces good, and the evil person out of 
evil treasure produces evil; for it is out of the abundance of the heart 
that the mouth speaks.
46 "Why do you call me "Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I tell you? 47 I 
will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts 
on them. 48 That one is like a man building a house, who dug deeply and laid 
the foundation on rock; when a flood arose, the river burst against that 
house but could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49 But the one 
who hears and does not act is like a man who built a house on the ground 
without a foundation. When the river burst against it, immediately it fell, 
and great was the ruin of that house."


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