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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>The following are the readings for the Fourth
Sunday after Pentecost, June 27, (Proper 8) 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></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>OLD TESTAMENT: 2 Kings 2: 1 - 2, 6 - 14
(RCL) </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>2Kin 2:1 (NRSV) Now when the LORD was about to take
Eli'jah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Eli'jah and Eli'sha were on their way from
Gil'gal. 2 Eli'jah said to Eli'sha, "Stay here; for the LORD has sent me as far
as Beth'el." But Eli'sha said, "As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I
will not leave you." So they went down to Beth'el. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>6 Then Eli'jah said to him, "Stay here; for the
LORD has sent me to the Jordan." But he said, "As the LORD lives, and as you
yourself live, I will not leave you." So the two of them went on. 7 Fifty men of
the company of prophets {Heb [sons of the prophets]} also went, and stood at
some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. 8 Then
Eli'jah took his mantle and rolled it up, and struck the water; the water was
parted to the one side and to the other, until the two of them crossed on dry
ground. <BR>9 When they had crossed, Eli'jah said to Eli'sha, "Tell me what I
may do for you, before I am taken from you." Eli'sha said, "Please let me
inherit a double share of your spirit." 10 He responded, "You have asked a hard
thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you;
if not, it will not." 11 As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of
fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Eli'jah ascended in a
whirlwind into heaven. 12 Eli'sha kept watching and crying out, "Father, father!
The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" But when he could no longer see him,
he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. <BR>13 He picked up the
mantle of Eli'jah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood on the bank
of the Jordan. 14 He took the mantle of Eli'jah that had fallen from him, and
struck the water, saying, "Where is the LORD, the God of Eli'jah?" When he had
struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and
Eli'sha went over. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>
<DIV><BR>1 Kings 19: 15 - 16, 19 - 21 (alt. for RCL) <BR>1 Kings 19: 16b, 19 -
21 (Roman Catholic) <BR>1 Kings 19: 15 - 21 (Can. BAS) </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>1Kin 19:15 (NRSV) Then the LORD said to him [i. e., Elijah], "Go, return on
your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint
Haz'ael as king over Ar'am. 16 Also you shall anoint Je'hu son of Nim'shi as
king over Israel; and you shall anoint Eli'sha son of Sha'phat of A'bel-meho'lah
as prophet in your place. 17 Whoever escapes from the sword of Haz'ael, Je'hu
shall kill; and whoever escapes from the sword of Je'hu, Eli'sha shall kill. 18
Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to
Ba'al, and every mouth that has not kissed him." <BR>19 So he set out from
there, and found Eli'sha son of Sha'phat, who was plowing. There were twelve
yoke of oxen ahead of him, and he was with the twelfth. Eli'jah passed by him
and threw his mantle over him. 20 He left the oxen, ran after Eli'jah, and said,
"Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you." Then Eli'jah
said to him, "Go back again; for what have I done to you?" 21 He returned from
following him, took the yoke of oxen, and slaughtered them; using the equipment
from the oxen, he boiled their flesh, and gave it to the people, and they ate.
Then he set out and followed Eli'jah, and became his servant. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR>PSALM 77: 1 - 2, 11 - 20 (RCL) </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Psal 77:1 (NRSV) I cry aloud to God, <BR>aloud to God, that he may hear me.
<BR>2 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; <BR>in the night my hand is
stretched out without wearying; <BR>my soul refuses to be comforted. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>11 I will call to mind the deeds of the LORD; <BR>I will remember your
wonders of old. <BR>12 I will meditate on all your work, <BR>and muse on your
mighty deeds. <BR>13 Your way, O God, is holy. <BR>What god is so great as our
God? <BR>14 You are the God who works wonders; <BR>you have displayed your might
among the peoples. <BR>15 With your strong arm you redeemed your people, <BR>the
descendants of Jacob and Joseph. [Se'lah] <BR>16 When the waters saw you, O God,
<BR>when the waters saw you, they were afraid; <BR>the very deep trembled.
<BR>17 The clouds poured out water; <BR>the skies thundered; <BR>your arrows
flashed on every side. <BR>18 The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind;
<BR>your lightnings lit up the world; <BR>the earth trembled and shook. <BR>19
Your way was through the sea, <BR>your path, through the mighty waters; <BR>yet
your footprints were unseen. <BR>20 You led your people like a flock <BR>by the
hand of Moses and Aaron. </DIV>
<DIV><BR> </DIV>
<DIV>Psalm 16 (alt. for RCL) <BR>Psalm 16: 1, 2a, 5, 7 - 11 (Roman
Catholic)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Psal 16:1 (NRSV) Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge. <BR>2 I say
to the LORD, "You are my Lord; <BR>I have no good apart from you."<BR>3 As for
the holy ones in the land, they are the noble, <BR>in whom is all my delight.
<BR>4 Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows; <BR>their drink
offerings of blood I will not pour out <BR>or take their names upon my lips.
<BR>5 The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; <BR>you hold my lot. <BR>6 The
boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; <BR>I have a goodly
heritage. <BR>7 I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; <BR>in the night also my
heart instructs me. <BR>8 I keep the LORD always before me; <BR>because he is at
my right hand, I shall not be moved. <BR>9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my
soul rejoices; <BR>my body also rests secure. <BR>10 For you do not give me up
to She'ol, <BR>or let your faithful one see the Pit. <BR>11 You show me the path
of life. <BR>In your presence there is fullness of joy; <BR>in your right hand
are pleasures forevermore. </DIV>
<DIV><BR><BR>Psalm 44: 1 - 8 (Can. BAS) </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Psal 44:1 (NRSV) We have heard with our ears, O God, <BR>our ancestors have
told us, <BR>what deeds you performed in their days, <BR>in the days of old:
<BR>2 you with your own hand drove out the nations, <BR>but them you planted;
<BR>you afflicted the peoples, <BR>but them you set free; <BR>3 for not by their
own sword did they win the land, <BR>nor did their own arm give them victory;
<BR>but your right hand, and your arm, <BR>and the light of your countenance,
<BR>for you delighted in them. <BR>4 You are my King and my God; <BR>you command
victories for Jacob. <BR>5 Through you we push down our foes; <BR>through your
name we tread down our assailants. <BR>6 For not in my bow do I trust, <BR>nor
can my sword save me. <BR>7 But you have saved us from our foes, <BR>and have
put to confusion those who hate us. <BR>8 In God we have boasted continually,
<BR>and we will give thanks to your name forever. [Se'lah] </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR>NEW TESTAMENT: Galatians 5: 1, 13 - 25 (all but Roman Catholic)
<BR>
Galatians 5: 1, 13 - 18 (Roman Catholic) </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Gala 5:1 (NRSV) For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore,
and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. <BR>13 For you were called to
freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity
for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. 14 For the
whole law is summed up in a single commandment, "You shall love your neighbor as
yourself." 15 If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you
are not consumed by one another. <BR>16 Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not
gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For what the flesh desires is opposed to
the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are
opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. 18 But if you
are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law. 19 Now the works of the
flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery,
enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, 21 envy,
drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you
before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. <BR>22 By
contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law
against such things. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the
flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also be
guided by the Spirit. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR>GOSPEL: Luke 9: 51 - 62 (all) </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Luke 9:51 (NRSV) When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his
face to go to Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way
they entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him; 53 but they did
not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. 54 When his
disciples James and John saw it, they said, "Lord, do you want us to command
fire to come down from heaven and consume them?" 55 But he turned and rebuked
them. 56 Then they went on to another village. <BR>57 As they were going along
the road, someone said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." 58 And Jesus
said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of
Man has nowhere to lay his head." 59 To another he said, "Follow me." But he
said, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." 60 But Jesussaid to him, "Let
the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of
God." 61 Another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell
to those at my home." 62 Jesus said to him, "No one who puts a hand to the plow
and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God." </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </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></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>