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<DIV>The following are the readings for the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost,
August 7, (Proper 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, Canadian and C of E
lectionaries are identical to the RCL for this day.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>OLD TESTAMENT: Isaiah 1: 1, 10 - 20 (RCL) </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Isai 1:1 (NRSV) The vision of Isai'ah son of A'moz, which he saw concerning
Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzzi'ah, Jo'tham, A'haz, and Hezeki'ah, kings
of Judah. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>10 Hear the word of the LORD, </DIV>
<DIV>you rulers of Sod'om! </DIV>
<DIV>Listen to the teaching of our God, </DIV>
<DIV>you people of Gomor'rah! </DIV>
<DIV>11 What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? </DIV>
<DIV>says the LORD; </DIV>
<DIV>I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams </DIV>
<DIV>and the fat of fed beasts; </DIV>
<DIV>I do not delight in the blood of bulls, </DIV>
<DIV>or of lambs, or of goats. </DIV>
<DIV>12 When you come to appear before me, </DIV>
<DIV>who asked this from your hand? </DIV>
<DIV>Trample my courts no more; </DIV>
<DIV>13 bringing offerings is futile; </DIV>
<DIV>incense is an abomination to me. </DIV>
<DIV>New moon and sabbath and calling of convocation-- </DIV>
<DIV>I cannot endure solemn assemblies with iniquity. </DIV>
<DIV>14 Your new moons and your appointed festivals </DIV>
<DIV>my soul hates; </DIV>
<DIV>they have become a burden to me, </DIV>
<DIV>I am weary of bearing them. </DIV>
<DIV>15 When you stretch out your hands, </DIV>
<DIV>I will hide my eyes from you; </DIV>
<DIV>even though you make many prayers, </DIV>
<DIV>I will not listen; </DIV>
<DIV>your hands are full of blood. </DIV>
<DIV>16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; </DIV>
<DIV>remove the evil of your doings </DIV>
<DIV>from before my eyes; </DIV>
<DIV>cease to do evil, </DIV>
<DIV>17 learn to do good; </DIV>
<DIV>seek justice, </DIV>
<DIV>rescue the oppressed, </DIV>
<DIV>defend the orphan, </DIV>
<DIV>plead for the widow. </DIV>
<DIV>18 Come now, let us argue it out, </DIV>
<DIV>says the LORD: </DIV>
<DIV>though your sins are like scarlet, </DIV>
<DIV>they shall be like snow; </DIV>
<DIV>though they are red like crimson, </DIV>
<DIV>they shall become like wool. </DIV>
<DIV>19 If you are willing and obedient, </DIV>
<DIV>you shall eat the good of the land; </DIV>
<DIV>20 but if you refuse and rebel, </DIV>
<DIV>you shall be devoured by the sword; </DIV>
<DIV>for the mouth of the LORD has spoken. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Genesis 15: 1 - 6 (alt. for RCL) </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Gene 15:1 (NRSV) After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a
vision, "Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very
great." 2 But Abram said, "O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue
childless, and the heir of my house is Elie'zer of Damascus?" 3 And Abram said,
"You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my
heir." 4 But the word of the LORD came to him, "This man shall not be your heir;
no one but your very own issue shall be your heir." 5 He brought him outside and
said, "Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them."
Then he said to him, "So shall your descendants be." 6 And he believed the LORD;
and the LORD reckoned it to him as righteousness. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Wisdom 18: 6 - 9 (Roman Catholic) </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>18:6 (NRSV) That night was made known beforehand to our ancestors,</DIV>
<DIV>so that they might rejoice in sure knowledge of the oaths in which they
trusted.</DIV>
<DIV>7 The deliverance of the righteous and the destruction of their
enemies</DIV>
<DIV>were expected by your people.</DIV>
<DIV>8 For by the same means by which you punished our enemies</DIV>
<DIV>you called us to yourself and glorified us.</DIV>
<DIV>9 For in secret the holy children of good people offered sacrifices,</DIV>
<DIV>and with one accord agreed to the divine law,</DIV>
<DIV>so that the saints would share alike the same things, </DIV>
<DIV>both blessings and dangers; </DIV>
<DIV>and already they were singing the praises of the ancestors. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>PSALM 50: 1 - 8, 22 - 23 (RCL) </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Psal 50:1 (NRSV) The mighty one, God the LORD, </DIV>
<DIV>speaks and summons the earth </DIV>
<DIV>from the rising of the sun to its setting. </DIV>
<DIV>2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, </DIV>
<DIV>God shines forth. </DIV>
<DIV>3 Our God comes and does not keep silence, </DIV>
<DIV>before him is a devouring fire, </DIV>
<DIV>and a mighty tempest all around him. </DIV>
<DIV>4 He calls to the heavens above </DIV>
<DIV>and to the earth, that he may judge his people: </DIV>
<DIV>5 "Gather to me my faithful ones, </DIV>
<DIV>who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!" </DIV>
<DIV>6 The heavens declare his righteousness, </DIV>
<DIV>for God himself is judge. [Se'lah] </DIV>
<DIV>7 "Hear, O my people, and I will speak, </DIV>
<DIV>O Israel, I will testify against you. </DIV>
<DIV>I am God, your God. </DIV>
<DIV>8 Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you; </DIV>
<DIV>your burnt offerings are continually before me. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>22 "Mark this, then, you who forget God, </DIV>
<DIV>or I will tear you apart, and there will be no one to deliver. </DIV>
<DIV>23 Those who bring thanksgiving as their sacrifice honor me; </DIV>
<DIV>to those who go the right way </DIV>
<DIV>I will show the salvation of God." </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Note: Verse numbering in your Psalter may differ from the above.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Psalm 33: 12 - 22 (alt. for RCL) </DIV>
<DIV>Psalm 33: 1, 12, 18 - 22 (Roman Catholic) </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Psal 33:1 (NRSV) Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous. </DIV>
<DIV>Praise befits the upright. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>12 Happy is the nation whose God is the LORD, </DIV>
<DIV>the people whom he has chosen as his heritage. </DIV>
<DIV>13 The LORD looks down from heaven; </DIV>
<DIV>he sees all humankind. </DIV>
<DIV>14 From where he sits enthroned he watches </DIV>
<DIV>all the inhabitants of the earth-- </DIV>
<DIV>15 he who fashions the hearts of them all, </DIV>
<DIV>and observes all their deeds. </DIV>
<DIV>16 A king is not saved by his great army; </DIV>
<DIV>a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. </DIV>
<DIV>17 The war horse is a vain hope for victory, </DIV>
<DIV>and by its great might it cannot save. </DIV>
<DIV>18 Truly the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, </DIV>
<DIV>on those who hope in his steadfast love, </DIV>
<DIV>19 to deliver their soul from death, </DIV>
<DIV>and to keep them alive in famine. </DIV>
<DIV>20 Our soul waits for the LORD; </DIV>
<DIV>he is our help and shield. </DIV>
<DIV>21 Our heart is glad in him, </DIV>
<DIV>because we trust in his holy name. </DIV>
<DIV>22 Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, </DIV>
<DIV>even as we hope in you. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>NEW TESTAMENT: Hebrews 11: 1 - 3, 8 - 16 (RCL) </DIV>
<DIV>
Hebrews 11: 1 - 2, 8 - 12 (13 - 19) (Roman Catholic) </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Hebr 11:1 (NRSV) Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the
conviction of things not seen. 2 Indeed, by faith our ancestors received
approval. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of
God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he
was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was
going. 9 By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a
foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him
of the same promise. 10 For he looked forward to the city that has foundations,
whose architect and builder is God. 11 By faith he received power of
procreation, even though he was too old--and Sarah herself was barren--because
he considered him faithful who had promised.12 Therefore from one person, and
this one as good as dead, descendants were born, "as many as the stars of heaven
and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore." </DIV>
<DIV>13 All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but
from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were
strangers and foreigners on the earth, 14 for people who speak in this way make
it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of the
land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. 16
But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore
God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for
them. </DIV>
<DIV>17 By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac. He who had
received the promises was ready to offer up his only son, 18 of whom he had been
told, "It is through Isaac that descendants shall be named for you." 19 He
considered the fact that God is able even to raise someone from the dead--and
figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>GOSPEL: Luke 12: 32 - 40 (RCL) </DIV>
<DIV>
Luke 12: (32 - 34) 35 - 40 (41 - 48) (Roman Catholic) </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Luke 12:32 (NRSV) "Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's
good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions, and give alms.
Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in
heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your
treasure is, there your heart will be also. </DIV>
<DIV>35 "Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; 36 be like those who are
waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may
open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those
slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will
fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them.
38 If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so,
blessed are those slaves. </DIV>
<DIV>39 "But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the
thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also
must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour." </DIV>
<DIV>41 Peter said, "Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for everyone?"
42 And the Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and prudent manager whom his
master will put in charge of his slaves, to give them their allowance of food at
the proper time? 43 Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when
he arrives. 44 Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his
possessions. 45 But if that slave says to himself, "My master is delayed in
coming,' and if he begins to beat the other slaves, men and women, and to eat
and drink and get drunk, 46 the master of that slave will come on a day when he
does not expect him and at an hour that he does not know, and will cut him in
pieces, and put him with the unfaithful. 47 That slave who knew what his master
wanted, but did not prepare himself or do what was wanted, will receive a severe
beating. 48 But the one who did not know and did what deserved a beating will
receive a light beating. From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be
required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be
demanded. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000">Chad
Wohlers<BR>Woodbury, VT
USA<BR>chadwohl@satucket.com<BR></DIV></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>