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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>The following are the readings for the Sixth Sunday
after Pentecost, July 4, (Proper 9) 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 5: 1 - 14 (RCL)
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>2Kin 5:1 (NRSV) Na'aman, commander of the army of
the king of Ar'am, was a great man and in high favor with his master, because by
him the LORD had given victory to Ar'am. The man, though a mighty warrior,
suffered from leprosy. 2 Now the Arame'ans on one of their raids had taken a
young girl captive from the land of Israel, and she served Na'aman's wife. 3 She
said to her mistress, "If only my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria!
He would cure him of his leprosy." 4 So Na'aman went in and told his lord just
what the girl from the land of Israel had said. 5 And the king of Ar'am said,
"Go then, and I will send along a letter to the king of Israel." <BR>He went,
taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten
sets of garments. 6 He brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read,
"When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you my servant Na'aman,
that you may cure him of his leprosy." 7 When the king of Israel read the
letter, he tore his clothes and said, "Am I God, to give death or life, that
this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Just look and see how he
is trying to pick a quarrel with me." <BR>8 But when Eli'sha the man of God
heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent a message to the
king, "Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me, that he may learn
that there is a prophet in Israel." 9 So Na'aman came with his horses and
chariots, and halted at the entrance of Eli'sha's house. 10 Eli'sha sent a
messenger to him, saying, "Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh
shall be restored and you shall be clean." 11 But Na'aman became angry and went
away, saying, "I thought that for me he would surely come out, and stand and
call on the name of the LORD his God, and would wave his hand over the spot, and
cure the leprosy! 12 Are not Aba'na and Phar'par, the rivers of Damascus, better
than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them, and be clean?" He
turned and went away in a rage. 13 But his servants approached and said to him,
"Father, if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you
not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, "Wash, and be
clean'?" 14 So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan,
according to the word of the man of God; his flesh was restored like the flesh
of a young boy, and he was clean. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>
<DIV><BR>Isaiah 66: 10 - 14 (alt. for RCL, Roman Catholic) </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Isai 66:10 (NRSV) Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, <BR>all you
who love her; <BR>rejoice with her in joy, <BR>all you who mourn over her--
<BR>11 that you may nurse and be satisfied <BR>from her consoling breast;
<BR>that you may drink deeply with delight <BR>from her glorious bosom. <BR>12
For thus says the LORD: <BR>I will extend prosperity to her like a river,
<BR>and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream; <BR>and you shall
nurse and be carried on her arm, <BR>and dandled on her knees. <BR>13 As a
mother comforts her child, <BR>so I will comfort you; <BR>you shall be comforted
in Jerusalem. <BR>14 You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice; <BR>your
bodies shall flourish like the grass; <BR>and it shall be known that the hand of
the LORD is with his servants, <BR>and his indignation is against his enemies.
</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Note: The Roman Catholic lectionary omits the last line of v. 14.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR>1 Kings 21: 1 - 3, 17 - 21 (Can. BAS)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>1Kin 21:1 (NRSV) {Naboth's Vineyard} Later the following events took place:
Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel, beside the palace of King Ahab
of Samaria. 2 And Ahab said to Naboth, "Give me your vineyard, so that I may
have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near my house; I will give you a
better vineyard for it; or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its value
in money." 3 But Naboth said to Ahab, "The LORD forbid that I should give you my
ancestral inheritance." </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>17 {Elijah Pronounces God's Sentence} Then the word of the LORD came to
Elijah the Tishbite, saying: 18 Go down to meet King Ahab of Israel, who rules
{Heb [who is] } in Samaria; he is now in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has
gone to take possession. 19 You shall say to him, "Thus says the LORD: Have you
killed, and also taken possession?" You shall say to him, "Thus says the LORD:
In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, dogs will also lick up
your blood." <BR>20 Ahab said to Elijah, "Have you found me, O my enemy?" He
answered, "I have found you. Because you have sold yourself to do what is evil
in the sight of the LORD, 21 I will bring disaster on you; I will consume you,
and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel; </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR>PSALM 30 (RCL) </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Psal 30:1 (NRSV) I will extol you, O LORD, for you have drawn me up,
<BR>and did not let my foes rejoice over me. <BR>2 O LORD my God, I cried to you
for help, <BR>and you have healed me. <BR>3 O LORD, you brought up my soul from
She'ol, <BR>restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit. <BR>4
Sing praises to the LORD, O you his faithful ones, <BR>and give thanks to his
holy name. <BR>5 For his anger is but for a moment; <BR>his favor is for a
lifetime. <BR>Weeping may linger for the night, <BR>but joy comes with the
morning. <BR>6 As for me, I said in my prosperity, <BR>"I shall never be moved."
<BR>7 By your favor, O LORD, <BR>you had established me as a strong mountain;
<BR>you hid your face; <BR>I was dismayed. <BR>8 To you, O LORD, I cried,
<BR>and to the LORD I made supplication: <BR>9 "What profit is there in my
death, <BR>if I go down to the Pit? <BR>Will the dust praise you? <BR>Will it
tell of your faithfulness? <BR>10 Hear, O LORD, and be gracious to me! <BR>O
LORD, be my helper!" <BR>11 You have turned my mourning into dancing; <BR>you
have taken off my sackcloth <BR>and clothed me with joy, <BR>12 so that my soul
may praise you and not be silent. <BR>O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you
forever. </DIV>
<DIV><BR><BR>Psalm 66: 1 - 9 (alt. for RCL) <BR>Psalm 66: 1 - 7, 16,
20 (Roman Catholic) </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Psal 66:1 (NRSV) Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth; <BR>2 sing the
glory of his name; <BR>give to him glorious praise. <BR>3 Say to God, "How
awesome are your deeds! <BR>Because of your great power, your enemies cringe
before you. <BR>4 All the earth worships you; <BR>they sing praises to you,
<BR>sing praises to your name." [Se'lah] <BR>5 Come and see what God has done:
<BR>he is awesome in his deeds among mortals. <BR>6 He turned the sea into dry
land; <BR>they passed through the river on foot. <BR>There we rejoiced in him,
<BR>7 who rules by his might forever, <BR>whose eyes keep watch on the nations--
<BR>let the rebellious not exalt themselves. [Se'lah] <BR>8 Bless our God, O
peoples, <BR>let the sound of his praise be heard, <BR>9 who has kept us among
the living, <BR>and has not let our feet slip. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>16 Come and hear, all you who fear God, <BR>and I will tell what he has
done for me. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>20 Blessed be God, <BR>because he has not rejected my prayer <BR>or removed
his steadfast love from me. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Note: Verse numbering in your Psalter may differ from the above. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR>Psalm 5: 1 - 8 (Can. BAS)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Psal 5:1 (NRSV) Give ear to my words, O LORD; <BR>give heed to my sighing.
<BR>2 Listen to the sound of my cry, <BR>my King and my God, <BR>for to you I
pray. <BR>3 O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice; <BR>in the morning I plead
my case to you, and watch. <BR>4 For you are not a God who delights in
wickedness; <BR>evil will not sojourn with you. <BR>5 The boastful will not
stand before your eyes; <BR>you hate all evildoers. <BR>6 You destroy those who
speak lies; <BR>the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful. <BR>7 But I,
through the abundance of your steadfast love, <BR>will enter your house, <BR>I
will bow down toward your holy temple <BR>in awe of you. <BR>8 Lead me, O LORD,
in your righteousness <BR>because of my enemies; <BR>make your way straight
before me. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR>NEW TESTAMENT: Galatians 6: (1 - 6), 7 - 16 (RCL)
<BR>
Galatians 6: 14 - 18 (Roman Catholic)
<BR>
Galatians 6: 7 - 18 (Can. BAS)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Gala 6:1 (NRSV) My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you
who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of
gentleness. Take care that you yourselves are not tempted. 2 Bear one another's
burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if those who
are nothing think they are something, they deceive themselves. 4 All must test
their own work; then that work, rather than their neighbor's work, will become a
cause for pride. 5 For all must carry their own loads. <BR>6 Those who are
taught the word must share in all good things with their teacher. <BR>7 Do not
be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow. 8 If you sow to
your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the
Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit. 9 So let us not grow weary
in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up.
10 So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all,
and especially for those of the family of faith. <BR>11 See what large letters I
make when I am writing in my own hand! 12 It is those who want to make a good
showing in the flesh that try to compel you to be circumcised--only that they
may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 Even the circumcised do not
themselves obey the law, but they want you to be circumcised so that they may
boast about your flesh. 14 May I never boast of anything except the cross of our
Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the
world. 15 For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything; but a new
creation is everything! 16 As for those who will follow this rule--peace be upon
them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. <BR>17 From now on, let no one make
trouble for me; for I carry the marks of Jesus branded on my body. <BR>18 May
the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters.
Amen. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR>GOSPEL: Luke 10: 1 - 11, 16 - 20 (RCL)
<BR>
Luke 10: 1 - 9, (10 - 12, 17 - 20) (Roman Catholic)
<BR>
Luke 10: 1 - 12, 17 - 20 (Can. BAS)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Luke 10:1 (NRSV) After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them
on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to
go. 2 He said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;
therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 3
Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. 4
Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. 5 Whatever
house you enter, first say, "Peace to this house!' 6 And if anyone is there who
shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return
to you. 7 Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide,
for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. 8
Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before
you; 9 cure the sick who are there, and say to them, "The kingdom of God has
come near to you.' 10 But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you,
go out into its streets and say, 11 "Even the dust of your town that clings to
our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God
has come near.' 12 I tell you, on that day it will be more tolerable for Sod'om
than for that town. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>16 "Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects
me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me." <BR>17 The seventy
returned with joy, saying, "Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!" 18
He said to them, "I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. 19
See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all
the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. 20 Nevertheless, do not
rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are
written in heaven." <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>