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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>The following are the readings for Ascension Day,
May 20, 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, Canadian and C of E lectionaries are
identical to the RCL for this day.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>For the C of E, the passage from Acts should be
used for the second reading, if the alternative from the Old Tesatament was used
as first reading.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>FIRST READING: Acts 1: 1 - 11
(all)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Acts 1:1 (NRSV) In the first book, Theoph'ilus, I
wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning 2 until the day
when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy
Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 After his suffering he presented
himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty
days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 4 While staying with them, he
ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the
Father. "This," he said, "is what you have heard from me; 5 for John baptized
with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from
now." <BR>6 So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, is this the
time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7 He replied, "It is not for
you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will
be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the
earth." 9 When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a
cloud took him out of their sight. 10 While he was going and they were gazing up
toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. 11 They said, "Men
of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been
taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into
heaven." </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>
<DIV><BR>Daniel 7: 9 - 14 (alt. for C of E)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Dani 7:9 (NRSV) As I watched, <BR>thrones were set in place, <BR>and an
Ancient One Aram took his throne, <BR>his clothing was white as snow, <BR>and
the hair of his head like pure wool; <BR>his throne was fiery flames, <BR>and
its wheels were burning fire. <BR>10 A stream of fire issued <BR>and flowed out
from his presence. <BR>A thousand thousands served him, <BR>and ten thousand
times ten thousand stood attending him. <BR>The court sat in judgment, <BR>and
the books were opened. <BR>11 I watched then because of the noise of the
arrogant words that the horn was speaking. And as I watched, the beast was put
to death, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. 12 As
for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were
prolonged for a season and a time. 13 As I watched in the night visions, <BR>I
saw one like a human being Aram <BR>coming with the clouds of heaven. <BR>And he
came to the Ancient One Aram <BR>and was presented before him. <BR>14 To him was
given dominion <BR>and glory and kingship, <BR>that all peoples, nations, and
languages <BR>should serve him. <BR>His dominion is an everlasting dominion
<BR>that shall not pass away, <BR>and his kingship is one <BR>that shall never
be destroyed. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR>PSALM 47 (RCL)<BR>Psalm 47: 1 - 2, 5 - 8 (Roman
Catholic)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Psal 47:1 (NRSV) Clap your hands, all you peoples; <BR>shout to God with
loud songs of joy. <BR>2 For the LORD, the Most High, is awesome, <BR>a great
king over all the earth. <BR>3 He subdued peoples under us, <BR>and nations
under our feet. <BR>4 He chose our heritage for us, <BR>the pride of Jacob whom
he loves. [Se'lah] <BR>5 God has gone up with a shout, <BR>the LORD with the
sound of a trumpet. <BR>6 Sing praises to God, sing praises; <BR>sing praises to
our King, sing praises. <BR>7 For God is the king of all the earth; <BR>sing
praises with a psalm. <BR>8 God is king over the nations; <BR>God sits on his
holy throne. <BR>9 The princes of the peoples gather <BR>as the people of the
God of Abraham. <BR>For the shields of the earth belong to God; <BR>he is highly
exalted. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Note: Verse numbering is one higher in Roman Catholic Bibles</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR>Psalm 93 (alt. for RCL - but not Can. BAS)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Psal 93:1 (NRSV) The LORD is king, he is robed in majesty; <BR>the LORD is
robed, he is girded with strength. <BR>He has established the world; it shall
never be moved; <BR>2 your throne is established from of old; <BR>you are from
everlasting. <BR>3 The floods have lifted up, O LORD, <BR>the floods have lifted
up their voice; <BR>the floods lift up their roaring. <BR>4 More majestic than
the thunders of mighty waters, <BR>more majestic than the waves of the sea,
<BR>majestic on high is the LORD! <BR>5 Your decrees are very sure; <BR>holiness
befits your house, <BR>O LORD, forevermore.</DIV>
<DIV><BR><BR>SECOND READING: Ephesians 1: 15 - 23
(RCL)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Ephe 1:15 (NRSV) I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love
toward all the saints, and for this reason 16 I do not cease to give thanks for
you as I remember you in my prayers. 17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as
you come to know him, 18 so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you
may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his
glorious inheritance among the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness
of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. 20
God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated
him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and
authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only
in this age but also in the age to come. 22 And he has put all things under his
feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, 23 which is his
body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR>Hebrews 9: 24 - 28, 10: 19 - 23 (Roman Catholic)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Hebr 9:24 (NRSV) For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands,
a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in
the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself again and
again, as the high priest enters the Holy Place year after year with blood that
is not his own; 26 for then he would have had to suffer again and again since
the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the
end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is
appointed for mortals to die once, and after that the judgment, 28 so Christ,
having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time,
not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>10:19 Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the
sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for
us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), 21 and since we have a
great priest over the house of God, 22 let us approach with a true heart in full
assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and
our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast to the confession of our
hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR>GOSPEL: Luke 24: 44 - 53 (all)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Luke 24:44 (NRSV) Then he [Jesus] said to them, "These are my words that I
spoke to you while I was still with you--that everything written about me in the
law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled." 45 Then he opened
their minds to understand the scriptures, 46 and he said to them, "Thus it is
written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third
day, 47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his
name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these
things. 49 And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here
in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high." <BR>50 Then he
led them out as far as Beth'any, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. 51
While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into
heaven. 52 And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; 53
and they were continually in the temple blessing God. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Note: the Roman Catholic lectionary omits vs. 44 & 45.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR>Mark 16: 9 - 16, 19 - 20 (alt. for Can. BAS)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Mark 16:9 (NRSV) Now after he rose early on the first day of the week, he
appeared first to Mary Mag'dalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. 10
She went out and told those who had been with him, while they were mourning and
weeping. 11 But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they
would not believe it. <BR>12 After this he appeared in another form to two of
them, as they were walking into the country. 13 And they went back and told the
rest, but they did not believe them. <BR>14 Later he appeared to the eleven
themselves as they were sitting at the table; and he upbraided them for their
lack of faith and stubbornness, because they had not believed those who saw him
after he had risen. 15 And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim
the good news to the whole creation. 16 The one who believes and is baptized
will be saved; but the one who does not believe will be condemned. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into
heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and
proclaimed the good news everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and
confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied it. <BR></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Chad Wohlers<BR>Woodbury, Vermont USA<BR><A
href="mailto:chadwohl@satucket.com">chadwohl@satucket.com</A><BR><A
href="mailto:cwohlers@bridgew.edu">cwohlers@bridgew.edu</A><BR></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>