[Propertalk] READINGS for the LAST SUNDAY after the EPIPHANY

[Charles Wohlers]

The following are the readings for the Last Sunday after the Epiphany 
(Sunday next before Lent), March 6, 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 
lectionary is identical to the RCL for this day.

In the Roman Catholic Lectionary, this is the Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time.
For the Canadian BAS, one nmay use readings for either the Ninth Sunday 
after the Epiphany (given below), or the Last Sunday after the Epiphany 
(identical to the RCL below)


OLD TESTAMENT   Exodus 24: 12 - 18   (RCL)

Exod 24:12 (NRSV) The LORD said to Moses, "Come up to me on the mountain, 
and wait there; and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and 
the commandment, which I have written for their instruction." 13 So Moses 
set out with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of 
God. 14 To the elders he had said, "Wait here for us, until we come to you 
again; for Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a dispute may go to 
them."
15 Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 
16 The glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it 
for six days; on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the cloud. 17 Now 
the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire on the top 
of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. 18 Moses entered the 
cloud, and went up on the mountain. Moses was on the mountain for forty days 
and forty nights.


Deuteronomy 11: 18, 26 - 28, 32   (Roman Catholic)
                      11: 18 - 21, 26 - 28  (Can. BAS)

Deut 11:18 (NRSV) You shall put these words of mine in your heart and soul, 
and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and fix them as an emblem on 
your forehead. 19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you 
are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. 
20Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, 21so that 
your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land that 
the Lord swore to your ancestors to give them, as long as the heavens are 
above the earth.

26 See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: 27 the 
blessing, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God that I am 
commanding you today; 28 and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments 
of the LORD your God, but turn from the way that I am commanding you today, 
to follow other gods that you have not known.

32 [Y]ou must diligently observe all the statutes and ordinances that I am 
setting before you today.



PSALM 2   (RCL)

Psal 2:1 (NRSV) Why do the nations conspire,
and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the LORD and his anointed, saying,
3 "Let us burst their bonds asunder,
and cast their cords from us."
4 He who sits in the heavens laughs;
the LORD has them in derision.
5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
and terrify them in his fury, saying,
6 "I have set my king on Zion, my holy hill."
7 I will tell of the decree of the LORD
He said to me, "You are my son;
today I have begotten you.
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron,
and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel."
10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
be warned, O rulers of the earth.
11 Serve the LORD with fear,
with trembling 12 kiss his feet,
or he will be angry, and you will perish in the way;
for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Happy are all who take refuge in him.


Psalm 99   (alt. for 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 31: 1 - 4, 16, 24   (Roman Catholic)

Psal 31:1 (NRSV) In you, O LORD, I seek refuge;
do not let me ever be put to shame;
in your righteousness deliver me.
2 Incline your ear to me;
rescue me speedily.
Be a rock of refuge for me,
a strong fortress to save me.
3 You are indeed my rock and my fortress;
for your name's sake lead me and guide me,

16 Let your face shine upon your servant;
   save me in your steadfast love.

24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
all you who wait for the LORD.

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


31   In te, Domine, speravi    (Can. BAS)

1   In you, O LORD, have I taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame; *
  deliver me in your righteousness.

2   Incline your ear to me; *
  make haste to deliver me.

3   Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe,
for you are my crag and my stronghold; *
  for the sake of your Name, lead me and guide me.

4   Take me out of the net that they have secretly set for me, *
  for you are my tower of strength.

5   Into your hands I commend my spirit, *
  for you have redeemed me,
  O Lord, O God of truth.

19   How great is your goodness, O Lord!
which you have laid up for those who fear you; *
  which you have done in the sight of all
  for those who put their trust in you.

20   You hide them in the covert of your presence from those
  who slander them; *
  you keep them in your shelter from the strife of tongues.

21   Blessed be the Lord! *
  for he has shown me the wonders of his love in a
  besieged city.

22   Yet I said in my alarm,
“I have been cut off from the sight of your eyes.” *
  Nevertheless, you heard the sound of my entreaty
  when I cried out to you.

23   Love the Lord, all you who worship him; *
  the Lord protects the faithful,
  but repays to the full those who act haughtily.

24   Be strong and let your heart take courage, *
  all you who wait for the Lord.



NEW TESTAMENT   2 Peter 1: 16 - 21   (RCL)

2Pet 1:16 (NRSV) For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made 
known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been 
eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the 
Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, 
"This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased." 18 We ourselves 
heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy 
mountain.
19 So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well 
to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day 
dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 First of all you must 
understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one's own 
interpretation, 21 because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and 
women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.


Romans 1.16-17; 3.22b-28, (29-31)   (Can. BAS)
Romans 3: 21 - 25, 28   (Roman Catholic)

 For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to 
everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17For in it 
the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is 
written, ‘The one who is righteous will live by faith.’*

3:21 But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, 
and is attested by the law and the prophets, 22the righteousness of God 
through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no 
distinction, 23since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; 
24they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that 
is in Christ Jesus, 25whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by 
his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, 
because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously 
committed; 26it was to prove at the present time that he himself is 
righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus.

27 Then what becomes of boasting? It is excluded. By what law? By that of 
works? No, but by the law of faith. 28For we hold that a person is justified 
by faith apart from works prescribed by the law. 29Or is God the God of Jews 
only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30since God 
is one; and he will justify the circumcised on the ground of faith and the 
uncircumcised through that same faith. 31Do we then overthrow the law by 
this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.


GOSPEL   Matthew 17: 1 - 9   (RCL)

Matt 17:1 (NRSV) Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his 
brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. 2 And he was 
transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes 
became dazzling white. 3 Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Eli'jah, 
talking with him. 4 Then Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be 
here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for 
Moses, and one for Eli'jah." 5 While he was still speaking, suddenly a 
bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, "This is my 
Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!" 6 When the 
disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. 7 
But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Get up and do not be afraid." 8 
And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, "Tell no one 
about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead." 
10 And the disciples asked him, "Why, then, do the scribes say that Eli'jah 
must come first?"


Matthew 7: 21 - 27   (Roman Catholic)
Matthew 7: 21 - 29   (Can. BAS)

Matt 7:21 (NRSV) "Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord,' will enter the 
kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in 
heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy 
in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power 
in your name?' 23 Then I will declare to them, "I never knew you; go away 
from me, you evildoers.'
24 "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be 
like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25 The rain fell, the floods 
came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, 
because it had been founded on rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words 
of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his 
house on sand. 27 The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and 
beat against that house, and it fell-and great was its fall!" 28 Now when 
Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astounded at his 
teaching, 29for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their 
scribes.


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