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roman-catholic-mass-readings · 4 years

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2nd November >> Mass Readings (USA)

Feast of All Souls

(Liturgical Colour: Violet or Black)

(The following psalms and readings are selected from the many options for this day.)

First Reading

Wisdom 3:1-9

As sacrificial offerings he took them to himself.

The souls of the just are in the hand of God,

and no torment shall touch them.

They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead;

and their passing away was thought an affliction

and their going forth from us, utter destruction.

But they are in peace.

For if before men, indeed, they be punished,

yet is their hope full of immortality;

chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed,

because God tried them

and found them worthy of himself.

As gold in the furnace, he proved them,

and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself.

In the time of their visitation they shall shine,

and shall dart about as sparks through stubble;

they shall judge nations and rule over peoples,

and the Lord shall be their King forever.

Those who trust in him shall understand truth,

and the faithful shall abide with him in love:

because grace and mercy are with his holy ones,

and his care is with his elect.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6

R/ The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

R/ Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

In verdant pastures he gives me repose;

beside restful waters he leads me;

he refreshes my soul.

R/ The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

R/ Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.

He guides me in right paths

for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk in the dark valley

I fear no evil; for you are at my side

with your rod and your staff

that give me courage.

R/ The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

R/ Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.

You spread the table before me

in the sight of my foes;

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

R/ The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

R/ Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.

Only goodness and kindness follow me

all the days of my life;

and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord

for years to come.

R/ The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

R/ Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.

Second Reading

Romans 5:5-11

Justified by his Blood, we will be saved through Christ from the wrath.

Brothers and sisters: Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. For Christ, while we were still helpless, died at the appointed time for the ungodly. Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. How much more then, since we are now justified by his Blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath. Indeed, if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, once reconciled, will we be saved by his life. Not only that, but we also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation

cf. John 6:40

This is the will of my Father, says the Lord,

that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him

may have eternal life.

EITHER:

Gospel

Matthew 5:1-12a

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they who mourn,

for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek,

for they will inherit the land.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

for they will be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful,

for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the clean of heart,

for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they will be called children of God.

Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,

for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you

and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.

Rejoice and be glad,

for your reward will be great in heaven.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

OR:

Gospel

Matthew 11:25-30

Come to me ... and I will give you rest.

At that time Jesus exclaimed: “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to little ones. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.

“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

OR:

Gospel

Matthew 25:31-46

Come, you who are blessed by my Father.

Jesus said to his disciples: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’ Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’ He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

OR:

Gospel

Luke 7:11-17

Young man, I tell you, arise!

Jesus journeyed to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him. As he drew near to the gate of the city, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the city was with her. When the Lord saw her, he was moved with pity for her and said to her, “Do not weep.” He stepped forward and touched the coffin; at this the bearers halted, and he said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!” The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming, “A great prophet has arisen in our midst,” and “God has visited his people.” This report about him spread through the whole of Judea and in all the surrounding region.

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

OR:

Gospel

Luke 23:44-46, 50, 52-53; 24:1-6a

Father, into your hands, I commend my spirit.

It was about noon and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon because of an eclipse of the sun. Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle. Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”; and when he had said this he breathed his last.

Now there was a virtuous and righteous man named Joseph who, though he was a member of the council, went to Pilate and asked for the Body of Jesus. After he had taken the Body down, he wrapped it in a linen cloth and laid him in a rock-hewn tomb in which no one had yet been buried.

At daybreak on the first day of the week they took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb; but when they entered, they did not find the Body of the Lord Jesus. While they were puzzling over this, behold, two men in dazzling garments appeared to them. They were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground. They said to them, “Why do you seek the living one among the dead? He is not here, but he has been raised.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

OR:

Gospel

Luke 24:13-16, 28-35

Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?

That very day, the first day of the week, two of Jesus’ disciples were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus, and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred. And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. As they approached the village to which they were going, he gave the impression that he was going on farther. But they urged him, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?” So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the Eleven and those with them who were saying, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!” Then the two recounted to them what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of bread.

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

OR:

Gospel

John 5:24-29

Whoever hears my word and believes has passed from death to life.

Jesus answered the Jews and said to them: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life and will not come to condemnation, but has passed from death to life. Amen, amen, I say to you, the hour is coming and is now here when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in himself, so also he gave to his Son the possession of life in himself. And he gave him power to exercise judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not be amazed at this, because the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and will come out, those who have done good deeds to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked deeds to the resurrection of condemnation.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

OR:

Gospel

John 6:37-40

Everyone who believes in the Son will have eternal life and I shall raise him up on the last day.

Jesus said to the crowds: “Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me. And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

OR:

Gospel

John 6:51-58

Whoever eats this bread will live forever. I will raise him on the last day.

Jesus said to the crowds: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my Flesh for the life of the world.”

The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his Flesh to eat?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood, you do not have life within you. He who eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my Flesh is true food, and my Blood is true drink. Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also whoever feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

OR:

Gospel

John 11:17-27

I am the resurrection and the life.

When Jesus arrived in Bethany, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, only about two miles away. And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise.” Martha said to him, “I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

OR:

Gospel

John 11:32-45

Lazarus, come out!

When Mary, the sister of Lazarus, came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping, he became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Sir, come and see.” And Jesus wept. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him.” But some of them said, “Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man have done something so that this man would not have died?”

So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay across it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him, “Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus raised his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you for hearing me. I know that you always hear me; but because of the crowd here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent me.” And when he had said this, he cried out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, tied hand and foot with burial bands, and his face was wrapped in a cloth. So Jesus said to them, “Untie him and let him go.”

Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what he had done began to believe in him.

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

OR:

Gospel

John 14:1-6

In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.

Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. Where I am going you know the way.” Thomas said to him, “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

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orthodoxydaily · 4 years

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Saints&Reading: Fri., Mar., 27, 2020

Martyr Matrona of Thessalonica

The Holy Martyr Matrona of Thessalonica suffered in the third or fourth century. She was a slave of the Jewish woman Pautila (or Pantilla), wife of one of the military commanders of Thessalonica. Pautila constantly mocked her slave for her faith in Christ, and tried to convert her to Judaism. Saint Matrona, who believed in Christ from her youth, still prayed to the Savior Christ, and secretly went to church unbeknownst to her vengeful mistress.

Pautila, learning that Saint Matrona had been to church, asked, “Why won’t you come to our synagogue, instead of attending the Christian church?” Saint Matrona boldly answered, “Because God is present in the Christian church, but He has departed from the Jewish synagogue.” Pautila went into a rage and mercilessly beat Saint Matrona, tied her up, and shut her in a dark closet. In the morning, Pautila discovered that Saint Matrona had been freed of her bonds by an unknown Power.

In a rage Pautila beat the martyr almost to death, then bound her even more tightly and locked her in the closet. The door was sealed so that no one could help the sufferer. The holy martyr remained there for four days without food or water, and when Pautila opened the door, she again found Saint Matrona free of her bonds, and standing at prayer.

Pautila flogged the holy martyr and left the skin hanging in strips from her body. The fierce woman locked her in the closet again, where Saint Matrona gave up her spirit to God.

Pautila had the holy martyr’s body thrown from the roof of her house. Christians took up the much-suffered body of the holy martyr and buried it. Later, Bishop Alexander of Thessalonica built a church dedicated to the holy martyr. Her holy relics, glorified by many miracles, were placed in this church.

The judgment of God soon overtook the evil Pautila. Standing on the roof at that very place where the body of Saint Matrona had been thrown, she stumbled and fell to the pavement. Her body was smashed, and so she received her just reward for her sin.

Troparion — Tone 3

With undaunted spirit you preserved the Faith, / And your soul, Matrona, was not enslaved by the cruelty of your torturers. / You excelled in contest, slaying the crafty one / And were mystically wedded to the Lord of creation. / Fervently entreat him to deliver us from all harm!

Kontakion — Tone 4

Filled with the light of the Spirit, O Matrona, / you regarded your prison cell as a bridal chamber; / and from it you hastened to your radiant dwelling in the heavens, crying out: / “In divine love for You, O Word, I gladly endured scourgings.”

Source The Orthodox Church in America

Génésis 12:1-7 NKJV

Promises to Abram

12 Now the Lord had said to Abram:

“Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

4 So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. 5 Then Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the [a]people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they departed to go to the land of Canaan. So they came to the land of Canaan. 6 Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, as far as [b]the terebinth tree of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land.

7 Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your [c]descendants I will give this land.” And there he built an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.

Footnotes:

Genesis 12:5 Lit. souls

Genesis 12:6 Heb. Alon Moreh

Genesis 12:7 Lit. seed

Proverbs 14:15-28 NKJV

Proverbs 14 New King James Version (NKJV)The Ways of Life and Death

14 The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish pulls it down with her hands.

2 He who walks in his uprightness fears the Lord, But he who is perverse in his ways despises Him.

3 In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride, But the lips of the wise will preserve them.

4 Where no oxen are, the [a]trough is clean; But much increase comes by the strength of an ox.

5 A faithful witness does not lie, But a false witness will utter lies.

6 A scoffer seeks wisdom and does not find it, But knowledge is easy to him who understands. 7 Go from the presence of a foolish man, When you do not perceive in him the lips of knowledge. 8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way, But the folly of fools is deceit.

9 Fools mock at [b]sin, But among the upright there is favor.

10 The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not share its joy.

11 The house of the wicked will be overthrown, But the tent of the upright will flourish.

12 There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.

13 Even in laughter the heart may sorrow, And the end of mirth may be grief.

14 The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways, But a good man will be satisfied [c]from above.

15 The simple believes every word, But the prudent considers well his steps. 16 A wise man fears and departs from evil, But a fool rages and is self-confident. 17 A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, And a man of wicked intentions is hated. 18 The simple inherit folly, But the prudent are crowned with knowledge. 19 The evil will bow before the good, And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

20 The poor man is hated even by his own neighbor, But [d]the rich has many friends. 21 He who despises his neighbor sins; But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.

22 Do they not go astray who devise evil? But mercy and truth belong to those who devise good.

23 In all labor there is profit, But [e]idle chatter leads only to poverty.

24 The crown of the wise is their riches, But the foolishness of fools is folly.

25 A true witness [f]delivers souls, But a deceitful witness speaks lies.

26 In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, And His children will have a place of refuge

#orthodoxy #spirituality #ancientchristianity #firstchristian #biblequotes

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dfroza · 3 years

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Today’s reading from the ancient book of Proverbs and book of Psalms

for October 5 of 2021 with Proverbs 5 and Psalm 5, accompanied by Psalm 14 for the 14th day of Astronomical Autumn and Psalm 128 for day 278 of the year (now with the consummate book of 150 Psalms in its 2nd revolution this year)

[Proverbs 5]

My son, stay focused; listen to the wisdom I have gained;

give attention to what I have learned about life

So you may be able to make sensible judgments

and speak with knowledge.

You see, the lips of a seductive woman speak honey-sweet words;

they are smooth like oil and enticing.

But in the end, she is bitter,

turning the stomach and rotting the soul;

she cuts as deep as a double-edged sword.

She leads you down a path that can only end in death;

her steps lead eventually to the grave.

She does not travel the road to life and truth.

She follows a wandering path—

a rocky, pit-filled road that twists and turns—and she doesn’t even know it.

So, my children, listen to me.

Do not stray from my advice.

Stay away from her, far away from her path;

don’t even go near her door

Unless you are ready to hand over your reputation to someone else,

unless you want to spend the rest of your years at the mercy of some cruel person.

If you do, strangers will help themselves to your wealth,

and everything you have worked hard to acquire will end up in someone else’s hands.

Your life will end with groanings of remorse, of opportunities missed,

and your flesh and bones will be eaten up with sorrow, regret for worthless efforts.

Then you’ll say, “Why did I hate being taught?

Why did I turn my back on correction?

I disregarded all that my teachers said to me;

I turned my ear away from my instructors!

Now I am on the edge of complete and utter ruin

in the midst of the community.”

Here’s what you should do to be satisfied:

go home and drink in the pleasures of your own cistern, your wife;

enjoy the sweet, fresh water that has been there all along, flowing from your own well.

Take care. Should your own springs, your body, be freely shared?

Should your streams of water satisfy anyone in the streets? Absolutely not!

They should be kept pure for you and you alone,

not for sharing with strangers.

May your fountain, your sex life, be blessed by God;

may you know true joy with the wife of your youth.

She who is lovely as a deer and graceful as a doe—

as you drink in her love,

may her breasts satisfy you at all times.

My son, why get caught up in some other woman

and embrace the breast of a stranger?

You see, the Eternal sees our ways before Him.

He watches every move we make and knows where those paths lead.

The wicked will be snared by their own wrongdoing.

Their flaws will tie their own hands, and they will be dragged through life by the cords of their sins.

Because they have no discipline, their spirits die and their bodies will soon follow;

because they are immensely foolish, they wander lost and confused.

The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 5 (The Voice)

[Psalm 5]

For the worship leader. A song of David accompanied by flutes.

Bend Your ear to me and listen to my words, O Eternal One;

hear the deep cry of my heart.

Listen to my call for help,

my King, my True God;

to You alone I pray.

In the morning, O Eternal One, listen for my voice;

in the day’s first light, I will offer my prayer to You and watch expectantly for Your answer.

You’re not a God who smiles at sin;

You cannot abide with evil.

The proud wither in Your presence;

You hate all who pervert and destroy what is good.

You destroy those with lying lips;

the Eternal detests those who murder and deceive.

Yet I, by Your loving grace,

am welcomed into Your house;

I will turn my face toward Your holy place

and fall on my knees in reverence before You.

O Eternal One, lead me in the path of Your righteousness

amidst those who wish me harm;

make Your way clear to me.

Their words cannot be trusted;

they are destructive to their cores.

What comes out of their mouths is as foul as a rotting corpse;

their words stink of flattery.

Find them guilty, O True God;

let their own devices bring them ruin.

Throw them out, and let them drown in the deluge of their sin,

for in revolt they brazenly spit in Your face.

But let those who run to You for safety be glad they did;

let them break out in joyful song.

May You keep them safe—

their love for You resounding in their hearts.

You, O Eternal, are the One who lays all good things in the laps of the right-hearted.

Your blessings surround them like a shield.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 5 (The Voice)

[Psalm 14]

For the worship leader. A song of David.

A wicked and foolish man truly believes there is no God.

They are vile, their sinfulness nauseating to their Creator;

their actions are soiled and repulsive; every deed is depraved;

not one of them does good.

The Eternal leans over from heaven to survey the sons of Adam.

No one is missed, and no one can hide.

He searches to see who understands true wisdom,

who desires to know the True God.

They all turn their backs, walking their own roads;

they are rancid, leaving a trail of rotten footsteps behind them;

not one of them does good,

not even one.

Do the wicked have no clue about what really matters?

They devour my brothers and sisters the way a man eats his dinner.

They ignore the Eternal and don’t call on Him, rejecting His reality and truth.

They shall secretly tremble behind closed doors, hearts beating hard within their chests,

knowing that God always avenges the upright.

You laugh at the counsel of the poor, the needy, the troubled who put their trust in God.

You try to take away their only hope,

but the Eternal is a strong shelter in the heaviest storm.

May a new day, a day of deliverance come for Israel, starting with Zion.

When the Eternal breaks the chains of His oppressed people,

the family of Jacob will rejoice, and Israel will be delighted.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 14 (The Voice)

[Psalm 128]

A song for those journeying to worship.

Those who stand in awe of the Eternal—

who follow wherever He leads, committed in their hearts—experience His blessings!

God will use your hard work to provide you food.

You will prosper in your labor, and it will go well for you.

Your wife will be like a healthy vine producing plenty of fruit,

a spring of life in your home.

Your children will be like young olive shoots;

you will watch them bud and bloom around your table.

Such are the blessings the Eternal lavishes

on those who stand in awe of Him!

May the Eternal continue to pour out His love on you,

showering down blessings from His holy mountain, Zion.

May you see Jerusalem prosper

all your days.

May you have the privilege of seeing your grandchildren as they grow.

May peace flourish in Israel!

The Book of Psalms, Poem 128 (The Voice)

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thesufidotcom · 7 years

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The treasure that we are looking for is hidden in our house (i.e. what you are looking for is to be found in yourself). - Story from Mevlana Rumi’s Masnavi [2.1.4] There once was a man who inherited money and estates: he squandered all and was left destitute and miserable. Inherited wealth indeed does not remain faithful to its new owner, since it was parted against its will from the deceased one. Just because the heir got it easily, he does not know its value; for he never made haste to work, toil and earn it. His ready money went and his furniture and houses went: he was left alone like owls in the deserts. He cried, “O Lord, You gave me provision: the provision is gone: either give me some provision or send death.” When he became empty, he began to call unto God: he started the lament of “O Lord!” and “O Lord, protect me!” He dreamed that he heard a Voice from heaven saying, “Your fortune will be found in Cairo Go to Cairo: there your affair will be set right. God has accepted your humble plea: He is the only beacon of hope. In such and such a spot is a great treasure: you must go to Cairo to seek it. When he left Baghdad and came to Cairo, his courage was restored when he saw Cairo, But he had no money left for great or small expenses; and he was about to go and beg from the common people. “At nightfall,” he said to himself, “I will slip out very quietly, in order that I may beg in the dark without feeling ashamed.” With this in mind he went out into the street, and with these thoughts in his head he wandered to and fro. Suddenly the night patrol seized him and, unable to restrain his anger beat him with fist and truncheon. As it happened, the people of the city had suffered losses in those dark nights from the plundering of night thieves. So much so that the Khalīfa said, “Cut off the hand of anyone who roams about by night, even if he is a relative of mine.” The night patrol saw him in the street at such a time and gave him a thorough beating and countless blows. Shrieks and cries for mercy arose from the poor wretch: “Don’t strike! Let me tell the truth about it all!” He replied, “Look now, I will give you time: speak, that I may learn how you came out into the streets by night. You do not belong to this place, you are a stranger and unknown to me: tell me what you are really plotting here. After taking many oaths he replied, “I am not a burglar or pickpocket. I am no thief and criminal: I am a stranger in Cairo, I belong to Baghdad.” He related the story of his dream and the treasure of gold, and under the influence of his truthfulness the man’s heart expanded like a flower. The night patrol said, “You are not a thief and you are not a villain: you are a good man, but you are foolish and silly. You make such a long journey, relying on a fantasy and mere dream: your intelligence does not have the least spark of brightness. I have dreamed many times, continuously, that there is a hidden treasure in Baghdad, Buried in such and such a quarter and such and such a street” – the name, in fact, was that of the street where this sorrowful man lived! “I have often dreamed myself that there is a treasure in the dwelling-place in Baghdad. I never left my home because of this fantasy, but in pursuit of a single dream you come here without considering the fatigue. The treasure seeker said to himself, “The treasure is in my house [or myself]: then why am I poverty-stricken and lamenting there? While living above the treasure, I have almost died of beggary because I am heedless and blind.” This good news intoxicated him with joy: his sorrow vanished, and without opening his lips he chanted a hundred thousand praises to God. He returned from Cairo to Baghdad, prostrating himself, bowing in prayer and giving praise and thanks to God. When he came home, he discovered the treasure there: by Divine grace his fortune was restored! Extract from The-Heart-of-Hearts-of-Rumi’s-Mathnawi by Wazir-Dayers, with his kind permission and compliments, see here. #rumi http://ift.tt/2n31T1G

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steve-aloverofgod-blog · 6 years

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Our New Identity

Identity issues determine so much about how we live and what we do with our time. You can’t enjoy life if you have a poor image of yourself. Yet, even the gospel isn’t here to tell you how great you are—for it was Jesus who said, “Without me, you can do nothing.” Therefore, you can only rightly define yourself in Christ and not in prideful self-esteem.

Discovering who we really are means our sense of self-worth will be purely based upon the solid rock of Jesus’ love for us. That’s it! Nothing is better than the astounding fact that you are His beloved.

Identity and the Lost Image

What could be more valuable to us than discovering who we really are? Not truly knowing who God is, made us not know who we are either. We all suffer from this debilitating identity loss, which is made worse by our failure to realize it and face up to it.

Our identity crisis resulted from the fall from grace. When Adam fell he died spiritually and lost the capacity to rightly behold God. Both God’s and man’s image fell from his sight and left Adam unable to see who God was or who he truly was himself.

Jesus came to restore our lost vision of God and our true identity. We have a new identity as New Creations now that faith in Christ has come to us. This is the new birth’s miracle that raises us from sin and separation from God into eternal life united with Him.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a New Creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

What Does It Mean to Be a New Creation?

Despite being a New Creation, we may still experience our old nature in how we feel, think and live. But in truth, new things have been added that radically change all things. Upon becoming New Creations, some things already passed away such as:

1.Our former self who didn't know Jesus ceases to exist. Christ's revelation transforms us into someone who can now choose to live for Him. Before conversion our only option was living for ourselves. How well did that work out?

2. We stop being one with our sins. Receiving Jesus separates us from our sins through forgiveness and justification. Continuing in sin becomes difficult because of the guilt we feel and our loss of Christ’s presence. Eventually, this leads us to hate sin.

3. We stop being outsiders and belong to the family of God. Since we are now part of His Body here on earth, we are no longer strangers to the covenant. And we are never alone for He is always with us.

Those three things get taken away, but new things—wonderful things—get added in:

· �� We no longer measure anything without reference to Christ, now that we know who He is as Creator of all and Lord over all.

· We are given a new heart, a new spirit, the Holy Spirit (!), Jesus’s name (for power and petition) and God’s righteousness (to cover us).

· We live in a new covenant of great mercy!

· We stop being our past, our sin, our negative emotions and become children of God with a wide-open future and a new nature to cultivate.

As New Creations, however, we are still a mystery even to ourselves. Our true identity is only revealed by Jesus when we trust Him enough to follow Him. We, therefore, should die to self (the false god) and learn to live through trusting Christ.

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:3

BONUS: Go now to receive a totally free download, “The Missing Peace“—our eBook on gaining inner peace and freedom at our website for emotional, spiritual and physical healing: healingstreamsusa.org.

We Are New, But the Old Is in Us

Here’s how this works. Our true self is reborn through conversion. We now have a fresh start (as often as we need it) with a new center in Christ from which to live. Even so, the New Creation is a redeeming of the old, not an elimination of it.

Since the New Creation comes to life when we fully trust in Jesus, continued trust in God and walking in the light lays our old self to rest. However, if we cease to rely on God, our old nature comes back to life. Therefore, ask yourself: will you live by a resuscitation of the old “dead” version of you, or by a resurrection of the new?

I have been crucified with Christ… it is no longer I who live, but Christ… lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Galatians 2:20

Breaking with False Ideas of Self

False ideas from the world shaped our old nature. Some of us carry false characteristics in our personality that we mistakenly think of as ourselves. Those characteristics might be in us, but they are not us. For example:

anxiousness, perfectionism, addictions, self-salvation, anger, excessive sensitivity, timidity, deep grief, persistent loneliness, panic, impatience, stubbornness and excessive being-in-control

These elements may describe our previous personality as we knew it, but they aren’t our true God-given personas. They spring from false ideas that block the power of the New Creation from emerging. They certainly don’t reflect what God originally made us to be before the enemy interfered.

Note this about our these false “personalities”:

1.We didn’t have any of these negative traits in the womb. As children we didn’t have any “baggage.” We loved and trusted freely.

2. When we die and go to heaven these traits will be stripped from us. They weren’t God’s original intention for us. They certainly aren’t who we now are deep down.

Refuse any false belief about yourself—don’t be deceived by the enemy. Instead, embrace the new identity that God is speaking to you about. Get your image right by seeing His. Anything in you that is not like Jesus is not you—not the “real” you that is now united to Him.

The Great Exchange

Without Christ we are weak, sinful, foolish and ignorant, but in Him we are secure, complete and sustained. Archbishop François Fénelon wrote, “Expect nothing of yourself, but all things of God. Knowledge of one’s own hopeless, incorrigible weakness combined with absolute confidence in God’s power are the two foundations of the spiritual life.”

God isn’t asking for perfection, or for us to change ourselves, but to learn to see life from His perspective. Heaven's perspective on our life is liberating. Look through to heaven with eyes of faith and seek to see who you are in your eternal being for that’s the real you, the eternal you. Let the power of that vision be released into your heart now.

The Way of Restoration

We become joyful when we realize who we really are in Christ through faith. However, always remember that the greater joy is who Jesus is to us.

To get restoration, learn to detect false images in you, take responsibility by repenting and renouncing them, and thank God for making you a New Creation. Then, as you trust Him, the new you will come to life, like a child awakening to the morning’s light!

Prayer

Father, as a New Creation I cannot define myself by anything less than who I am now in Christ without damaging my self-image, security, sense of worth and purpose. I will, therefore, accept no lesser definitions of who I am. Help me break all agreement with my former ways of seeing myself and trust completely in Your heavenly perspective!

KEEP GROWING: See other liberating and healing articles in our 24-part, absolutely free eCourse for Healing at healingstreamsusa.org.

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pamphletstoinspire · 7 years

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Wartime Prayers - Part 5

For all fighting forces - Those living in a world at war - May God's mercy be upon them. Prayers used by Fulton J. Sheen during WWII.

LOOKING INTO MY SOUL

I may not believe in taxation, but taxation is inescapable. I may not believe that one day God will judge me, but the judgment is inescapable. "It is appointed for men to die once, but after that comes judgment." (Heb. 9:27)

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"For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life? For the Son of Man is to come with His angels in the glory of His Father, and then He will repay every man for what he has done." (Matt. 16:26 – 27)

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"Then the King will say to those at His right hand, 'Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see Thee hungry and feed Thee, or thirsty and give Thee drink? And when did we see Thee a stranger and welcome Thee, or naked and clothed Thee? And when did we see Thee sick or in prison and visit Thee?' And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.' Then He will say to those at His left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see Thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to Thee?' Then He will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.'" (Matt. 25:34 – 45)

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How do I stand in my duties toward God? "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the great and first commandment." (Matt. 22:37 – 38)

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Do I seek to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him? I know that I ought to do it. I would like to do it, I am not doing it, and I hate to be reminded about it.

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How do I stand in my duties toward my neighbor? "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." (Matt. 22:39) My neighbor is often my enemy. "And as you wish that men would do to you, do so to them. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish." (Luke 6:31 – 35) "If anyone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should love his brother also." (John 4:20 – 21)

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Do I boast and consider myself superior to my neighbor, because he is ignorant, or poor, or a member of a certain class or race? "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." (Matt. 23:12) "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Gal. 3:28)

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How do I stand in relation to myself? What kind of thoughts and desires possess my soul? Do I realize that if it is wrong to do a certain thing, then it is wrong to think about that thing? That the way to keep my actions clean is to keep my thoughts clean? That it is not when the act has been committed that the danger to the soul begins, but when the thought has been freely and favorably accepted by my will? "Do you know they your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? By no means! Or do you not know that he who cleaves to a harlot, becomes one body with her? 'For the two,' it says, 'shall be in one flesh.' But he who cleaves to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Flee immorality. Every sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." (1 Cor. 6:15 – 20) "But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Matt. 5:28) "But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander." (Matt. 15:18 – 19) "Then desire when it is conceived gives birth to sin; and sin when it is full-grown brings forth death." (James 1:15) "For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by men and hating one another; but when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit." (Titus 3:3 – 5) "Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food – and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for immortality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body." (1 Cor. 6:13)

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HOW DO I STAND BEFORE GOD IN MY WORDS?

Do I realize that a spoken word is like a shot fired and that it can never be taken back? Do I spread evil about others, whether it be true or false? Do I set myself up as a judge of others' actions? Is my speech clean? Do I take the name of God in vain? "You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment men will render account for every careless word they utter; for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned"? (Matt. 12:34 – 37) "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain." (Exodus 20:7) "To the pure all things are pure, but to the corrupt and unbelieving nothing is pure; their very minds and consciences are corrupted." (Titus 1:15) "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." (Matt. 5:8)

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"The General is sorry to be informed that the foolish and wicked practice of profane cursing and swearing, a vice heretofore little-known in an American army, is growing into fashion. He hopes the officers will, by example as well as by influence, endeavor to check it, and that both they and the men will reflect that we can have little hope of the blessing of Heaven on our arms if we insult it by our impiety and folly. Added to this, it is a vice so mean and so low, without any temptation, that every man of sense and character, detests and despises it." – Gen. George Washington

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HOW DO I STAND BEFORE GOD IN MY DEEDS?

Do I send by omission? Do I fail to be charitable to those who need my help, to edify by good example, to pray, to diffuse God's truth, to prevent scandal? "What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not works? Can his faith save him?" (James 2:14) "Shall your brethren go to the war while you sit here?" (Num. 32:6) "So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth." (Apoc. 3:16)

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What sin do I actually commit? Am I guilty of any of these sins which manifest that I live not by Christ, but by the flesh; "Now the works of the flesh a plain; fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." (Gal. 5:19 – 21) "Watch therefore – for you do not know when the Master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning – lest He come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: watch." (Mark 13:35 – 37)

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"Lord Jesus, I believe, and by Thy grace will ever believe and hold, and I know that it is true, and will be true to the end of the world, then nothing great is done without suffering, without humiliation, and that all things are possible by means of it. To possess Thee, O Lover of souls, is happiness, and the only happiness of the immortal soul! To enjoy the sight of Thee is the only happiness of eternity. At present I may amuse and sustain myself with the vanities of sense and time, but they will not last forever. We shall be stripped of them when we pass out of this world. All shadows will one day be gone. And what shall I do then? There will be nothing left to me but the Almighty God. God and my soul would be the only two beings left in the whole world, as far as I am concerned. He will be all in all, whether I wish it or not. What a strait I shall then be in if I do not love Him." – Cardinal Newman

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"Earth must fade away from my eyes, and I must anticipate the great and solemn truth, which I shall not fully understand until I stand before God in judgment, that to me there are but two beings in the whole world, God and myself. The sympathy of others, the pleasant voice, the glad eye, the smiling countenance, the thrilling heart, which at present are my very life, all will be away from me when Christ comes in judgment. I shall have to think of myself. My eyes shall see Him; my heart will be full of Him. He will speak to me; and I shall be rendering to Him my own account. By self-restraint, by abstinence, by prayer, by meditation, by recollection, by penance, I now anticipate in my measure that dreadful season. By thinking of it before hand, I hope to mitigate its terrors when it comes. By humbling myself now, I hope to escape humiliation then. By owning my faults now, I hope to avert the disclosures of that day. By judging myself now I hope to be spared that judgment which mercy tempers not. I prepare now to meet my God; I retire, as it were, to my sick room and put my house in order.… I leave the goods of earth before they leave me." – Cardinal Newman

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Did God send us, above all other men, into the world to be idle in spiritual matters? It is our mission only to find pleasure in this world, in which we are merely pilgrims and sojourners? Are we more than sons of Adam, who, by the sweat of their brow, are to eat bread till they return to the earth out of which they are taken? Unless we have some work in hand, unless we are struggling, unless we are fighting with ourselves, we are not followers of those who "through many tribulations entered into the kingdom of God. A fight is the very token of a Christian. He is a soldier of Christ; high or low, he is this and nothing else. If we have triumphed over all mortal sin, then we must attack our venial sins; there is no help for it; there is nothing else to do if we would be soldiers of Jesus Christ.

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"Everyone is made for his day; he does his work in his day, what he does is not the work of any other day, but of his own day; his work is necessary in order to prepare the work of that next day, which is not his, as a steppingstone on which we, who come next, are to raise our own work." – Cardinal Newman

#wartime prayers

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tj-van-heerden · 7 years

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Righteousness in the New Testament (1of 2)

Matt 4:17 [WEB] From that time, Jesus began to preach, and to say, “Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”

Matt 5:3-12 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Matt 5:16 Even so, let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Matt 5:17-19 17 “Don’t think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn’t come to destroy, but to fulfill. 18 For most certainly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished. 19 Whoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and teach others to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Matt 5:21-22 “You have heard that it was said to the ancient ones, ‘You shall not murder;’ and ‘Whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that everyone who is angry with his brother without a cause will be in danger of the judgment. Whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ [an Aramaic insult] will be in danger of the council. Whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of Gehenna [or Hell].

Matt 5:23-24 23 “If therefore you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has anything against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Matt 5:27-28 27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery;’ 28 but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Matt 5:29-30 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna [or, Hell]. 30 If your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off, and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna [or, Hell].

Matt 5:32 but I tell you that whoever puts away his wife, except for the cause of sexual immorality, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries her when she is put away commits adultery.

Matt 5:39-45 39 But I tell you, don’t resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 If anyone sues you to take away your coat, let him have your cloak also. 41 Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks you, and don’t turn away him who desires to borrow from you. 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.

Matt 5:48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Matt 6:1 “Be careful that you don’t do your charitable giving before men, to be seen by them, or else you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

Matt 6:14-15 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you don’t forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Matt 6:31-33 “Therefore don’t be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’ or, ‘With what will we be clothed?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.

Matt 7:7 “Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you.

Matt 7:12 Therefore whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.

Matt 7:13-14 13 “Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it. 14 How narrow is the gate, and restricted is the way that leads to life! Few are those who find it.

Matt 7:15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.

Matt 7:21-23 21 Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will tell me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?’ 23 Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.’

Matt 7:24-27 24 “Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock. 25 The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 Everyone who hears these words of mine, and doesn’t do them will be like a foolish man, who built his house on the sand. 27 The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”

Matt 10:40-42 40 He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me. 41 He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. He who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, most certainly I tell you he will in no way lose his reward.”

Matt 13:41-43 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of his Kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and those who do iniquity, 42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Matt 13:49-50 49 So will it be in the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked from among the righteous, 50 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.”

Matt 21:32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you didn’t believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. When you saw it, you didn’t even repent afterward, that you might believe him.

Matt 22:36-40 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”

Matt 23:28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

Matt 25:34-46 34 Then the King will tell those on his right hand, ‘Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35 for I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in. 36 I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you; or thirsty, and give you a drink? 38 When did we see you as a stranger, and take you in; or naked, and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?’ 40 “The King will answer them, ‘Most certainly I tell you, because you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ 41 Then he will say also to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry, and you didn’t give me food to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink; 43 I was a stranger, and you didn’t take me in; naked, and you didn’t clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ 44 “Then they will also answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and didn’t help you?’ 45 “Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Most certainly I tell you, because you didn’t do it to one of the least of these, you didn’t do it to me.’ 46 These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Mark 8:38 For whoever will be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man also will be ashamed of him, when he comes in his Father’s glory, with the holy angels.”

Luke 9:26 For whoever will be ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed, when he comes in his glory, and the glory of the Father, and of the holy angels.

Luke 14:13-14 13 But when you make a feast, ask the poor, the maimed, the lame, or the blind; 14 and you will be blessed, because they don’t have the resources to repay you. For you will be repaid in the resurrection of the righteous.”

John 8:29 He who sent me is with me. The Father hasn’t left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”

John 16:7-8 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I don’t go away, the Counselor won’t come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he has come, he will convict the world about sin, about righteousness, and about judgment;

Acts 2:38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 10:34-35 Peter opened his mouth and said, “Truly I perceive that God doesn’t show favoritism; 35 but in every nation he who fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.

Acts 17:31 because he has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained; of which he has given assurance to all men, in that he has raised him from the dead.”

Acts 24:25 As he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was terrified, and answered, “Go your way for this time, and when it is convenient for me, I will summon you.”

Rom 1:17 For in it is revealed God’s righteousness from faith to faith. As it is written, “But the righteous shall live by faith.”

Rom 2:13 For it isn’t the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified

Rom 6:18 Being made free from sin, you became bondservants of righteousness.

Rom 12:1-2 1 Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. 2 Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.

1Cor 12:4-11 4 Now there are various kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are various kinds of service, and the same Lord. 6 There are various kinds of workings, but the same God, who works all things in all. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the profit of all. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith, by the same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, by the same Spirit; 10 and to another workings of miracles; and to another prophecy; and to another discerning of spirits; to another different kinds of languages; and to another the interpretation of languages. 11 But the one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing to each one separately as he desires.

1Cor 12:28 God has set some in the assembly: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracle workers, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, and various kinds of languages.

1Cor 13:1-7 1 If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don’t have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don’t have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don’t have love, it profits me nothing. 4 Love is patient and is kind. Love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud, 5 doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; 6 doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.

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dfroza · 3 years

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Today’s reading from the ancient book of Proverbs and book of Psalms

for August 14 of 2021 with Proverbs 14 and Psalm 14, accompanied by Psalm 56 for the 56th day of Astronomical Summer and Psalm 76 for day 226 of the year (now with the consummate book of 150 Psalms in its 2nd revolution this year)

[Proverbs 14]

A wise woman builds her house,

but a foolish one picks it to splinters with her own hands.

Whoever travels through life with integrity respects the Eternal,

but whoever turns from it hates Him.

A fool’s words betray his pride and invite punishment,

but the humble speech of the wise will spare them.

A farm without oxen has a manger without grain;

there’s a good return in the strength of an ox.

An honest witness can always be trusted,

but a false witness breathes out nothing but lies.

Wisdom eludes mockers, though they seek it,

but insight comes quickly to those with understanding.

Walk away from the company of fools,

for you cannot find insight in their words.

It takes wisdom for the clever to understand the path they are on,

but the fool is deceived by his own foolishness.

Fools make a mockery of guilt and repentance,

but those who do what is right receive special standing.

Only the heart can know its own resentment;

likewise no stranger can experience its joy.

The house of the wicked will be destroyed,

while the tent of the upright will prosper.

Before every person lies a road that seems to be right,

but the end of that road is death and destruction.

Laughter can mask heartache,

and joy often gives way to grief.

A disloyal heart has its fill of disloyal ways,

but a good person will be satisfied from above.

The gullible believe anything they are told,

but clever people know to question every step.

The wise are cautious and stay far from evil,

but fools are hotheaded and careless.

Quick-tempered people make fools of themselves,

and evil schemers make many enemies.

The naive are heirs to foolishness,

but the clever are honored with insight.

Evil people will be humbled before the good;

the wicked will stoop at the doorstep of the righteous.

The poor are hated even by their own neighbors,

but the rich are loved by many friends.

Those who have contempt for their neighbors are sinners,

but those who are kind to the poor are happy.

Don’t those who work evil stray from the truth?

Those who plan goodness experience unfailing love and faithfulness.

Prosperity comes from hard work,

but talking too much leads to great scarcity.

The wise are honored for their wealth;

the reward of fools is more foolishness.

A truthful witness protects lives by not allowing evil to triumph,

but a deceitful witness speaks lies and puts the innocent in jeopardy.

Reverence for the Eternal brings bold confidence,

and one’s offspring will have hope of protection.

Respect and honor for Him is the basis of a satisfied life,

which guards a person from being trapped in the snares of death.

A king’s splendor is in his many people,

but a declining population will lead to his ruin.

Whoever is patient and slow to anger shows great understanding,

but whoever has a quick temper magnifies his foolishness.

A serene heart can add years to one’s life;

but jealous passion rots the bones.

Whoever oppresses the poor insults his Maker,

but anyone who is gracious to the needy honors Him.

The wicked are waylaid by their evil actions,

but the right-living find hope’s sanctuary even in their death.

Wisdom rests in the heart of one with insight

and can even be experienced by fools.

Living according to God’s instructions makes a nation great,

but sin colors those who commit it with disgrace.

The king shows kindness to a servant who acts wisely,

but his anger burns toward one who brings shame.

The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 14 (The Voice)

[Psalm 14]

For the worship leader. A song of David.

A wicked and foolish man truly believes there is no God.

They are vile, their sinfulness nauseating to their Creator;

their actions are soiled and repulsive; every deed is depraved;

not one of them does good.

The Eternal leans over from heaven to survey the sons of Adam.

No one is missed, and no one can hide.

He searches to see who understands true wisdom,

who desires to know the True God.

They all turn their backs, walking their own roads;

they are rancid, leaving a trail of rotten footsteps behind them;

not one of them does good,

not even one.

Do the wicked have no clue about what really matters?

They devour my brothers and sisters the way a man eats his dinner.

They ignore the Eternal and don’t call on Him, rejecting His reality and truth.

They shall secretly tremble behind closed doors, hearts beating hard within their chests,

knowing that God always avenges the upright.

You laugh at the counsel of the poor, the needy, the troubled who put their trust in God.

You try to take away their only hope,

but the Eternal is a strong shelter in the heaviest storm.

May a new day, a day of deliverance come for Israel, starting with Zion.

When the Eternal breaks the chains of His oppressed people,

the family of Jacob will rejoice, and Israel will be delighted.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 14 (The Voice)

[Psalm 56]

For the worship leader. A prayer of David to the tune “Silent Dove in the Distance,” when the Philistine oppressors seized him in Gath.

Lord, show me your kindness and mercy,

for these men oppose and oppress me all day long.

Not a day goes by without somebody harassing me.

So many in their pride trample me under their feet.

But in the day that I’m afraid, I lay all my fears before you

and trust in you with all my heart.

What harm could a man bring to me?

With God on my side, I will not be afraid of what comes.

The roaring praises of God fill my heart

as I trust his promises.

Day after day cruel critics distort my words;

constantly they plot my collapse.

They lurk in the dark, waiting, spying on my movements in secret

to take me by surprise, ready to take my life.

They don’t deserve to get away with this!

Look at their wickedness, their injustice, Lord.

In your fierce anger cast them down to defeat.

You’ve kept track of all my wandering and my weeping.

You’ve stored my many tears in your bottle—not one will be lost.

For they are all recorded in your book of remembrance.

The very moment I call to you for a father’s help

the tide of battle turns and my enemies flee.

This one thing I know: God is on my side!

I trust in the Lord. And I praise him!

I trust in the Word of God. And I praise him!

What harm could man do to me?

With God on my side, I will not be afraid of what comes.

My heart overflows with praise to God and for his promises.

I will always trust in him.

So I’m thanking you with all my heart,

with gratitude for all you’ve done.

I will do everything I’ve promised you, Lord.

For you have saved my soul from death

and my feet from stumbling

so that I can walk before the Lord

bathed in his life-giving light.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 56 (The Passion Translation)

[Psalm 76]

For the worship leader. A song of Asaph accompanied by strings.

The One known in Judah is the True God;

in Israel, His name is great.

He has made Salem His home;

indeed, He rests in Zion.

There He destroyed the instruments of war:

flaming arrows, shields, and swords.

[pause]

You rise and shine like the dawn.

You are more majestic than the mountains where game runs wild.

The strong-hearted enemies were plundered;

they were buried in slumber.

Even the noble warriors

could not raise a hand to stop You.

O True God of Jacob, with just Your rebuke

both horse and rider fell into a deep sleep.

You are feared; yes, You.

And who can stand before You when Your anger flares?

You decreed judgment from the heavens.

The earth heard it and was petrified with fear, completely still,

When the True God arose for judgment

to deliver all the meek of the earth.

[pause]

For the wrath of man will end in praise of You,

and whatever wrath is left You will wrap around Yourself like a belt.

Make vows to the Eternal your God,

and do all you promised;

Let all the nations around you bring gifts

to the God who arouses fear and awe.

He squashes the arrogant spirit of the rulers

and inspires fear in the hearts of the kings of the earth.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 76 (The Voice)

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dfroza · 3 years

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Today’s reading from the ancient book of Proverbs and book of Psalms

for may 27 of 2021 with Proverbs 27 and Psalm 27, accompanied by Psalm 69 for the 69th day of Spring and Psalm 147 for day 147 of the year

[Proverbs 27]

Don’t brag about what may happen tomorrow

because you have no idea what it will bring.

Let someone else praise you;

compliments are always sweeter from a stranger’s lips than from your own.

Heavy is rock and weighty is sand,

but more burdensome than either is the anger of a fool.

Wrath is fierce and anger is a tidal wave of fury,

but who of us can stand up against jealousy?

Open rebuke is better

than hidden love.

Wounds inflicted by the correction of a friend prove he is faithful;

the abundant kisses of an enemy show his lies.

The person who is full has no interest in honey;

but to the starving, bitterness itself is sweet.

Like a bird that strays far from its nest,

so is a person who forsakes his own home.

The heart is delighted by the fragrance of oil and sweet perfumes,

and in just the same way, the soul is sweetened by the wise counsel of a friend.

Do not neglect your friend or your parent’s friend for that matter.

When hard times come, you don’t have to travel far to get help from family;

A neighbor who is near is better

than a brother who is far away.

Study to be wise, my son, and make my heart glad,

for then your life will be my answer to anyone who hurls insults.

The astute see evil coming and take shelter,

but the stupid plow right on and then, of course, have to pay the price.

If someone guarantees a stranger’s debt, hold his garment as collateral;

if that guarantee is for the debt of a foreigner, make sure you get a deposit.

Anyone who blesses his neighbor with a loud voice

early in the morning,

will find his blessing regarded as a curse.

A constant dripping on a rainy day

and a wife’s bickering are very much alike:

Anyone who tries to control her might as well try to control the wind

or pick up oil in his right hand.

In the same way that iron sharpens iron,

a person sharpens the character of his friend.

Whoever takes care of a fig tree will eat of its fruit,

and whoever cares for his master will be honored.

Just as water reflects a person’s true face,

so the human heart reflects a person’s true character.

Neither the grave nor destruction is ever satisfied;

the desires of people are never totally fulfilled.

The crucible is used for refining silver, the furnace for gold,

but praise is what tests a person’s mettle.

Though you grind a fool like grain

in a mortar with a pestle,

still his foolishness will not be separated from him.

Pay careful attention to your flocks,

and see to the welfare of your herds

Because riches do not last forever,

nor does one dynasty retain power through all generations.

When the hay is harvested and the autumn grasses begin to grow

and the herbs of the mountains are gathered,

Then the lambs will provide wool for your clothing,

young goats can be sold to buy a new field,

And there will be enough milk from your goats

to sustain you, your family, and your serving girls.

The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 27 (The Voice)

[Psalm 27]

Light, space, zest—

that’s God!

So, with him on my side I’m fearless,

afraid of no one and nothing.

When vandal hordes ride down

ready to eat me alive,

Those bullies and toughs

fall flat on their faces.

When besieged,

I’m calm as a baby.

When all hell breaks loose,

I’m collected and cool.

I’m asking God for one thing,

only one thing:

To live with him in his house

my whole life long.

I’ll contemplate his beauty;

I’ll study at his feet.

That’s the only quiet, secure place

in a noisy world,

The perfect getaway,

far from the buzz of traffic.

God holds me head and shoulders

above all who try to pull me down.

I’m headed for his place to offer anthems

that will raise the roof!

Already I’m singing God-songs;

I’m making music to God.

Listen, God, I’m calling at the top of my lungs:

“Be good to me! Answer me!”

When my heart whispered, “Seek God,”

my whole being replied,

“I’m seeking him!”

Don’t hide from me now!

You’ve always been right there for me;

don’t turn your back on me now.

Don’t throw me out, don’t abandon me;

you’ve always kept the door open.

My father and mother walked out and left me,

but God took me in.

Point me down your highway, God;

direct me along a well-lighted street;

show my enemies whose side you’re on.

Don’t throw me to the dogs,

those liars who are out to get me,

filling the air with their threats.

I’m sure now I’ll see God’s goodness

in the exuberant earth.

Stay with God!

Take heart. Don’t quit.

I’ll say it again:

Stay with God.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 27 (The Message)

[Psalm 69]

For the worship leader. A song of David to the tune “Lilies.”

Reach down for me, True God; deliver me.

The waters have risen to my neck; I am going down!

My feet are swallowed in this murky bog;

I am sinking—there is no sturdy ground.

I am in the deep;

the floods are crashing in!

I am weary of howling;

my throat is scratched dry.

I still look for my God

even though my eyes fail.

My enemies despise me without any cause;

they outnumber the hairs on my head.

They torment me with their power;

they have absolutely no reason to hate me.

Now I am set to pay for crimes

I have never committed!

O True God, my foolish ways are plain before You;

my mistakes—no, nothing can be hidden from You.

Don’t let Your hopeful followers face disgrace because of me,

O Lord, Eternal One, Commander of heaven’s armies;

Don’t let Your seekers be shamed on account of me,

O True God of Israel.

I have been mocked when I stood up for You;

I cower, shamefaced.

You know my brothers and sisters?

They now reject me—they act as if I never existed.

I’m like a stranger to my own family.

And here’s why: I am consumed with You, completely devoted to protecting Your house;

when they insult You, they insult me.

When I mourn and discipline my soul by fasting,

they deride me.

And when I put on sackcloth,

they mock me.

Those who sit at the gate gossip about me;

I am shamed by the slurred songs of drunkards.

But, Eternal One, I just pray the time is right

that You would hear me. And, True God,

because You are enduring love, that You would answer.

In Your faithfulness, please, save me.

Pluck me from this murky bog;

don’t let it pull me down!

Pull me from this rising water;

take me away from my enemies to dry land.

Don’t let the flood take me under

or let me, Your servant, be swallowed into the deep

or let the yawning pit seal me in!

O Eternal One, hear me. Answer me. For Your enduring love is good comfort;

in Your great mercy, turn toward me.

Yes, shine Your face upon me, Your servant;

put an end to my anguish—don’t wait another minute.

Come near; rescue me!

Set me free from my enemies.

You know all my opponents;

You see them, see the way they treat me—

humiliating me with insults, trying to disgrace me.

All this ridicule has broken my heart,

killed my spirit.

I searched for sympathy, and I came up empty.

I looked for supporters, but there was no one.

Even more, they gave me poison for my food

and offered me only sour vinegar to drink.

Let them be ambushed at the dinner table,

caught in a trap when they least expect it.

Cloud their vision so they cannot see;

make their bodies shake, their knees knock in terror.

Pour out Your fiery wrath upon them!

Make a clean sweep; engulf them with Your flaming fury.

May their camps be bleak

with not one left in any tent.

Because they have persecuted the one You have struck,

add insult to those whom You have wounded.

Compound their sins; don’t let them off the hook!

Keep them from entering into Your mercy.

Blot out their names from Your book of life

so they will not be recorded alongside those who are upright before You.

I am living in pain; I’m suffering,

so save me, True God, and keep me safe in troubled times!

The name of the True God will be my song,

an uplifting tune of praise and thanksgiving!

My praise will please the Eternal more than if I were to sacrifice an ox

or the finest bull. (Horns, hooves, and all!)

Those who humbly serve will see and rejoice!

All you seekers-after-God will revive your souls!

The Eternal listens to the prayers of the poor

and has regard for His people held in bondage.

All God’s creation: join together in His praise! All heaven, all earth,

all seas, all creatures of the ocean deep!

The True God will save Zion

and rebuild the cities of Judah

So that His servants may own it and live there once again.

Their children and children’s children shall have it as their inheritance,

and those who love His name will live in it.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 69 (The Voice)

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dfroza · 4 years

Text

Today’s reading from the ancient books of Proverbs and Psalms

for Sunday, november 29 of 2020 with Proverbs 29 and Psalm 29, accompanied by Psalm 69 for the 69th day of Autumn, and Psalm 33 for day 334 of the year (now with the consummate book of 150 Psalms in its 3rd revolution this year)

[Proverbs 29]

The one who remains defiant after repeated reprimands

will suddenly be shattered, and there will be no remedy for him.

When just leaders are in power, the citizens celebrate;

but when evil people gain control, their joys become moans.

An adult who loves wisdom and follows its ways gives his parents joy,

but one who hangs out with women of the street will lose everything.

A king brings stability to a land with his justice,

but one who makes unjust demands brings it to ruin.

The one who flatters his friend

is laying a trap that will catch his friend’s feet.

An evil person is sure to be trapped by his sin,

but a man who lives right is free to sing and be glad.

The just get involved with the poor and know their issues,

but the wicked cannot comprehend such concerns.

Mockers stir up a city and inflame passions,

but the wise know how to put out the fire and ease tensions.

When the wise go to court against a fool,

there will be ranting and raving but no resolution.

Bloodthirsty men despise those who are honest,

but the just find a way to help them.

A fool does not think before he unleashes his temper,

but a wise man holds back and remains quiet.

When it is known that a ruler listens to the words of liars,

soon he will have only scoundrels for advisors.

A poor man and his oppressor have this in common:

the Eternal created them and provides both with light and life.

The king who is fair in his treatment of the poor

will see his dynasty continue forever.

Corporal punishment and correction produce wisdom,

but a child left to follow his own willful way shames his mother.

When evil people are free to flourish, sin is on the rise,

but the just will surely see their destruction.

If you discipline your children, they will make your life easier

and refresh your soul.

Where there is no vision from God, the people run wild,

but those who adhere to God’s instruction know genuine happiness.

Words are not enough to correct a servant;

even if he understands, he will not respond.

Have you ever met someone who is overly eager to talk?

There is more hope for a fool than for him.

If you indulge your servant from early in life,

in the end it won’t go well for either of you.

A hot-head provokes quarrels,

and one mastered by anger commits all kinds of sins.

A person’s pride brings him down,

but one of humble spirit has a firm hold on honor and respect.

Anyone who teams up with a thief must despise his own life,

for he is bound by an oath to tell the truth and yet refuses.

If you fear other people, you are walking into a dangerous trap;

but if you trust in the Eternal, you will be safe.

Many people vie for special treatment from a ruler,

yet genuine justice proceeds from the Eternal.

The right-living are disgusted by the actions of the unjust;

likewise, the wicked are disgusted by the ways of the righteous.

The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 29 (The Voice)

[Psalm 29]

A song of David.

Give all credit to the Eternal, O heavenly creatures;

give praise to Him for His glory and power.

Give to the Eternal the glory due His name;

worship Him with lavish displays of sacred splendor.

The voice of the Eternal echoes over the great waters;

God’s magnificence roars like thunder.

The Eternal’s presence hovers over all the waters.

His voice explodes in great power over the earth.

His voice is both regal and grand.

The Eternal’s voice shatters the cedars;

His power splinters the great cedars of Lebanon.

He speaks, and Lebanon leaps like a young calf;

Sirion jumps like a wild, youthful ox.

The voice of the Eternal cuts through with flames of fire.

The voice of the Eternal rumbles through the wilderness

with great quakes;

He causes Kadesh to tremble.

The Eternal’s voice brings life from the doe’s womb;

His voice strips the forest bare,

and all the people in the temple declare, “Glory!”

The Eternal is enthroned over the great flood;

His reign is unending.

We ask You, Eternal One, to give strength to Your people;

Eternal One, bless them with the gift of peace.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 29 (The Voice)

[Psalm 69]

For the worship leader. A song of David to the tune “Lilies.”

Reach down for me, True God; deliver me.

The waters have risen to my neck; I am going down!

My feet are swallowed in this murky bog;

I am sinking—there is no sturdy ground.

I am in the deep;

the floods are crashing in!

I am weary of howling;

my throat is scratched dry.

I still look for my God

even though my eyes fail.

My enemies despise me without any cause;

they outnumber the hairs on my head.

They torment me with their power;

they have absolutely no reason to hate me.

Now I am set to pay for crimes

I have never committed!

O True God, my foolish ways are plain before You;

my mistakes—no, nothing can be hidden from You.

Don’t let Your hopeful followers face disgrace because of me,

O Lord, Eternal One, Commander of heaven’s armies;

Don’t let Your seekers be shamed on account of me,

O True God of Israel.

I have been mocked when I stood up for You;

I cower, shamefaced.

You know my brothers and sisters?

They now reject me—they act as if I never existed.

I’m like a stranger to my own family.

And here’s why: I am consumed with You, completely devoted to protecting Your house;

when they insult You, they insult me.

When I mourn and discipline my soul by fasting,

they deride me.

And when I put on sackcloth,

they mock me.

Those who sit at the gate gossip about me;

I am shamed by the slurred songs of drunkards.

But, Eternal One, I just pray the time is right

that You would hear me. And, True God,

because You are enduring love, that You would answer.

In Your faithfulness, please, save me.

Pluck me from this murky bog;

don’t let it pull me down!

Pull me from this rising water;

take me away from my enemies to dry land.

Don’t let the flood take me under

or let me, Your servant, be swallowed into the deep

or let the yawning pit seal me in!

O Eternal One, hear me. Answer me. For Your enduring love is good comfort;

in Your great mercy, turn toward me.

Yes, shine Your face upon me, Your servant;

put an end to my anguish—don’t wait another minute.

Come near; rescue me!

Set me free from my enemies.

You know all my opponents;

You see them, see the way they treat me—

humiliating me with insults, trying to disgrace me.

All this ridicule has broken my heart,

killed my spirit.

I searched for sympathy, and I came up empty.

I looked for supporters, but there was no one.

Even more, they gave me poison for my food

and offered me only sour vinegar to drink.

Let them be ambushed at the dinner table,

caught in a trap when they least expect it.

Cloud their vision so they cannot see;

make their bodies shake, their knees knock in terror.

Pour out Your fiery wrath upon them!

Make a clean sweep; engulf them with Your flaming fury.

May their camps be bleak

with not one left in any tent.

Because they have persecuted the one You have struck,

add insult to those whom You have wounded.

Compound their sins; don’t let them off the hook!

Keep them from entering into Your mercy.

Blot out their names from Your book of life

so they will not be recorded alongside those who are upright before You.

I am living in pain; I’m suffering,

so save me, True God, and keep me safe in troubled times!

The name of the True God will be my song,

an uplifting tune of praise and thanksgiving!

My praise will please the Eternal more than if I were to sacrifice an ox

or the finest bull. (Horns, hooves, and all!)

Those who humbly serve will see and rejoice!

All you seekers-after-God will revive your souls!

The Eternal listens to the prayers of the poor

and has regard for His people held in bondage.

All God’s creation: join together in His praise! All heaven, all earth,

all seas, all creatures of the ocean deep!

The True God will save Zion

and rebuild the cities of Judah

So that His servants may own it and live there once again.

Their children and children’s children shall have it as their inheritance,

and those who love His name will live in it.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 69 (The Voice)

[Psalm 34]

A David Psalm, When He Outwitted Abimelech and Got Away

I bless God every chance I get;

my lungs expand with his praise.

I live and breathe God;

if things aren’t going well, hear this and be happy:

Join me in spreading the news;

together let’s get the word out.

God met me more than halfway,

he freed me from my anxious fears.

Look at him; give him your warmest smile.

Never hide your feelings from him.

When I was desperate, I called out,

and God got me out of a tight spot.

God’s angel sets up a circle

of protection around us while we pray.

Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see—

how good God is.

Blessed are you who run to him.

Worship God if you want the best;

worship opens doors to all his goodness.

Young lions on the prowl get hungry,

but God-seekers are full of God.

Come, children, listen closely;

I’ll give you a lesson in God worship.

Who out there has a lust for life?

Can’t wait each day to come upon beauty?

Guard your tongue from profanity,

and no more lying through your teeth.

Turn your back on sin; do something good.

Embrace peace—don’t let it get away!

God keeps an eye on his friends,

his ears pick up every moan and groan.

God won’t put up with rebels;

he’ll cull them from the pack.

Is anyone crying for help? God is listening,

ready to rescue you.

If your heart is broken, you’ll find God right there;

if you’re kicked in the gut, he’ll help you catch your breath.

Disciples so often get into trouble;

still, God is there every time.

He’s your bodyguard, shielding every bone;

not even a finger gets broken.

The wicked commit slow suicide;

they waste their lives hating the good.

God pays for each slave’s freedom;

no one who runs to him loses out.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 34 (The Message)

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dfroza · 4 years

Text

Today’s reading in the ancient book of Psalms and Proverbs

for Thursday, february 27 of 2020 with Psalm 27 and Proverbs 27, accompanied by Psalm 69 for the 69th day of Winter and Psalm 58 for day 58 of the year

beginning with the lines of Psalm 27 that points to silencing the traffic noise of the world:

[Psalm 27]

A David Psalm

Light, space, zest—

that’s God!

So, with him on my side I’m fearless,

afraid of no one and nothing.

When vandal hordes ride down

ready to eat me alive,

Those bullies and toughs

fall flat on their faces.

When besieged,

I’m calm as a baby.

When all hell breaks loose,

I’m collected and cool.

I’m asking God for one thing,

only one thing:

To live with him in his house

my whole life long.

I’ll contemplate his beauty;

I’ll study at his feet.

That’s the only quiet, secure place

in a noisy world,

The perfect getaway,

far from the buzz of traffic.

God holds me head and shoulders

above all who try to pull me down.

I’m headed for his place to offer anthems

that will raise the roof!

Already I’m singing God-songs;

I’m making music to God.

Listen, God, I’m calling at the top of my lungs:

“Be good to me! Answer me!”

When my heart whispered, “Seek God,”

my whole being replied,

“I’m seeking him!”

Don’t hide from me now!

You’ve always been right there for me;

don’t turn your back on me now.

Don’t throw me out, don’t abandon me;

you’ve always kept the door open.

My father and mother walked out and left me,

but God took me in.

Point me down your highway, God;

direct me along a well-lighted street;

show my enemies whose side you’re on.

Don’t throw me to the dogs,

those liars who are out to get me,

filling the air with their threats.

I’m sure now I’ll see God’s goodness

in the exuberant earth.

Stay with God!

Take heart. Don’t quit.

I’ll say it again:

Stay with God.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 27 (The Message)

[Psalm 69]

For the worship leader. A song of David to the tune “Lilies.”

Reach down for me, True God; deliver me.

The waters have risen to my neck; I am going down!

My feet are swallowed in this murky bog;

I am sinking—there is no sturdy ground.

I am in the deep;

the floods are crashing in!

I am weary of howling;

my throat is scratched dry.

I still look for my God

even though my eyes fail.

My enemies despise me without any cause;

they outnumber the hairs on my head.

They torment me with their power;

they have absolutely no reason to hate me.

Now I am set to pay for crimes

I have never committed!

O True God, my foolish ways are plain before You;

my mistakes—no, nothing can be hidden from You.

Don’t let Your hopeful followers face disgrace because of me,

O Lord, Eternal One, Commander of heaven’s armies;

Don’t let Your seekers be shamed on account of me,

O True God of Israel.

I have been mocked when I stood up for You;

I cower, shamefaced.

You know my brothers and sisters?

They now reject me—they act as if I never existed.

I’m like a stranger to my own family.

And here’s why: I am consumed with You, completely devoted to protecting Your house;

when they insult You, they insult me.

When I mourn and discipline my soul by fasting,

they deride me.

And when I put on sackcloth,

they mock me.

Those who sit at the gate gossip about me;

I am shamed by the slurred songs of drunkards.

But, Eternal One, I just pray the time is right

that You would hear me. And, True God,

because You are enduring love, that You would answer.

In Your faithfulness, please, save me.

Pluck me from this murky bog;

don’t let it pull me down!

Pull me from this rising water;

take me away from my enemies to dry land.

Don’t let the flood take me under

or let me, Your servant, be swallowed into the deep

or let the yawning pit seal me in.

O Eternal One, hear me. Answer me. For Your enduring love is good comfort;

in Your great mercy, turn toward me.

Yes, shine Your face upon me, Your servant;

put an end to my anguish—don’t wait another minute.

Come near; rescue me!

Set me free from my enemies.

You know all my opponents;

You see them, see the way they treat me—

humiliating me with insults, trying to disgrace me.

All this ridicule has broken my heart,

killed my spirit.

I searched for sympathy, and I came up empty.

I looked for supporters, but there was no one.

Even more, they gave me poison for my food

and offered me only sour vinegar to drink.

Let them be ambushed at the dinner table,

caught in a trap when they least expect it.

Cloud their vision so they cannot see;

make their bodies shake, their knees knock in terror.

Pour out Your fiery wrath upon them!

Make a clean sweep; engulf them with Your flaming fury.

May their camps be bleak

with not one left in any tent.

Because they have persecuted the one You have struck,

add insult to those whom You have wounded.

Compound their sins; don’t let them off the hook!

Keep them from entering into Your mercy.

Blot out their names from Your book of life

so they will not be recorded alongside those who are upright before You.

I am living in pain; I’m suffering,

so save me, True God, and keep me safe in troubled times!

The name of the True God will be my song,

an uplifting tune of praise and thanksgiving!

My praise will please the Eternal more than if I were to sacrifice an ox

or the finest bull. (Horns, hooves, and all!)

Those who humbly serve will see and rejoice!

All you seekers-after-God will revive your souls!

The Eternal listens to the prayers of the poor

and has regard for His people held in bondage.

All God’s creation: join together in His praise! All heaven, all earth,

all seas, all creatures of the ocean deep!

The True God will save Zion

and rebuild the cities of Judah

So that His servants may own it and live there once again.

Their children and children’s children shall have it as their inheritance,

and those who love His name will live in it.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 69 (The Voice)

[Psalm 58]

Judge of the Judges

For the Pure and Shining One

King David’s golden song of instruction

To the tune of “Do Not Destroy”

God’s justice? You high and mighty politicians

know nothing about it!

Which one of you has walked in justice toward others?

Which one of you has treated everyone right and fair?

Not one! You only give “justice” in exchange for a bribe.

For the right price you let others get away with murder.

Wicked wanderers even from the womb, that’s who you are!

Lying with your words, your teaching is poison.

Like cobras closing their ears to the most expert of the charmers,

you strike out against all who are near.

O God, break their fangs;

shatter the teeth of these ravenous lions!

Let them disappear like water falling on thirsty ground.

Let all their weapons be useless.

Let them be like snails dissolving into the slime.

Let them be cut off, never seeing the light of day!

God will sweep them away so fast

that they’ll never know what hit them.

The godly will celebrate in the triumph of good over evil.

And the lovers of God will trample

the wickedness of the wicked under their feet!

Then everyone will say, “There is a God who judges the judges”

and “There is a great reward in loving God!”

The Book of Psalms, Poem 58 (The Passion Translation)

[Proverbs 27]

Don’t brag about what may happen tomorrow

because you have no idea what it will bring.

Let someone else praise you;

compliments are always sweeter from a stranger’s lips than from your own.

Heavy is rock and weighty is sand,

but more burdensome than either is the anger of a fool.

Wrath is fierce and anger is a tidal wave of fury,

but who of us can stand up against jealousy?

Open rebuke is better

than hidden love.

Wounds inflicted by the correction of a friend prove he is faithful;

the abundant kisses of an enemy show his lies.

The person who is full has no interest in honey;

but to the starving, bitterness itself is sweet.

Like a bird that strays far from its nest,

so is a person who forsakes his own home.

The heart is delighted by the fragrance of oil and sweet perfumes,

and in just the same way, the soul is sweetened by the wise counsel of a friend.

Do not neglect your friend or your parent’s friend for that matter.

When hard times come, you don’t have to travel far to get help from family;

A neighbor who is near is better

than a brother who is far away.

Study to be wise, my son, and make my heart glad,

for then your life will be my answer to anyone who hurls insults.

The astute see evil coming and take shelter,

but the stupid plow right on and then, of course, have to pay the price.

If someone guarantees a stranger’s debt, hold his garment as collateral;

if that guarantee is for the debt of a foreigner, make sure you get a deposit.

Anyone who blesses his neighbor with a loud voice

early in the morning,

will find his blessing regarded as a curse.

A constant dripping on a rainy day

and a wife’s bickering are very much alike:

Anyone who tries to control her might as well try to control the wind

or pick up oil in his right hand.

In the same way that iron sharpens iron,

a person sharpens the character of his friend.

Whoever takes care of a fig tree will eat of its fruit,

and whoever cares for his master will be honored.

Just as water reflects a person’s true face,

so the human heart reflects a person’s true character.

Neither the grave nor destruction is ever satisfied;

the desires of people are never totally fulfilled.

The crucible is used for refining silver, the furnace for gold,

but praise is what tests a person’s mettle.

Though you grind a fool like grain

in a mortar with a pestle,

still his foolishness will not be separated from him.

Pay careful attention to your flocks,

and see to the welfare of your herds

Because riches do not last forever,

nor does one dynasty retain power through all generations.

When the hay is harvested and the autumn grasses begin to grow

and the herbs of the mountains are gathered,

Then the lambs will provide wool for your clothing,

young goats can be sold to buy a new field,

And there will be enough milk from your goats

to sustain you, your family, and your serving girls.

The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 27 (The Voice)

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dailyofficereadings · 5 years

Text

Daily Office Readings March 20, 2019

Psalm 72

Prayer for Guidance and Support for the King

Of Solomon.

1 Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to a king’s son. 2 May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice. 3 May the mountains yield prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness. 4 May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the needy, and crush the oppressor.

5 May he live[a] while the sun endures, and as long as the moon, throughout all generations. 6 May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth. 7 In his days may righteousness flourish and peace abound, until the moon is no more.

8 May he have dominion from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. 9 May his foes[b] bow down before him, and his enemies lick the dust. 10 May the kings of Tarshish and of the isles render him tribute, may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts. 11 May all kings fall down before him, all nations give him service.

12 For he delivers the needy when they call, the poor and those who have no helper. 13 He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy. 14 From oppression and violence he redeems their life; and precious is their blood in his sight.

15 Long may he live! May gold of Sheba be given to him. May prayer be made for him continually, and blessings invoked for him all day long. 16 May there be abundance of grain in the land; may it wave on the tops of the mountains; may its fruit be like Lebanon; and may people blossom in the cities like the grass of the field. 17 May his name endure forever, his fame continue as long as the sun. May all nations be blessed in him;[c] may they pronounce him happy.

18 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things. 19 Blessed be his glorious name forever; may his glory fill the whole earth. Amen and Amen.

20 The prayers of David son of Jesse are ended.

Footnotes:

Psalm 72:5 Gk: Heb may they fear you

Psalm 72:9 Cn: Heb those who live in the wilderness

Psalm 72:17 Or bless themselves by him

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Psalm 119:73-96

73 Your hands have made and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may learn your commandments. 74 Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice, because I have hoped in your word. 75 I know, O Lord, that your judgments are right, and that in faithfulness you have humbled me. 76 Let your steadfast love become my comfort according to your promise to your servant. 77 Let your mercy come to me, that I may live; for your law is my delight. 78 Let the arrogant be put to shame, because they have subverted me with guile; as for me, I will meditate on your precepts. 79 Let those who fear you turn to me, so that they may know your decrees. 80 May my heart be blameless in your statutes, so that I may not be put to shame.

81 My soul languishes for your salvation; I hope in your word. 82 My eyes fail with watching for your promise; I ask, “When will you comfort me?” 83 For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke, yet I have not forgotten your statutes. 84 How long must your servant endure? When will you judge those who persecute me? 85 The arrogant have dug pitfalls for me; they flout your law. 86 All your commandments are enduring; I am persecuted without cause; help me! 87 They have almost made an end of me on earth; but I have not forsaken your precepts. 88 In your steadfast love spare my life, so that I may keep the decrees of your mouth.

89 The Lord exists forever; your word is firmly fixed in heaven. 90 Your faithfulness endures to all generations; you have established the earth, and it stands fast. 91 By your appointment they stand today, for all things are your servants. 92 If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my misery. 93 I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life. 94 I am yours; save me, for I have sought your precepts. 95 The wicked lie in wait to destroy me, but I consider your decrees. 96 I have seen a limit to all perfection, but your commandment is exceedingly broad.

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

Jeremiah 3:6-18

A Call to Repentance

6 The Lord said to me in the days of King Josiah: Have you seen what she did, that faithless one, Israel, how she went up on every high hill and under every green tree, and played the whore there? 7 And I thought, “After she has done all this she will return to me”; but she did not return, and her false sister Judah saw it. 8 She[a] saw that for all the adulteries of that faithless one, Israel, I had sent her away with a decree of divorce; yet her false sister Judah did not fear, but she too went and played the whore. 9 Because she took her whoredom so lightly, she polluted the land, committing adultery with stone and tree. 10 Yet for all this her false sister Judah did not return to me with her whole heart, but only in pretense, says the Lord.

11 Then the Lord said to me: Faithless Israel has shown herself less guilty than false Judah. 12 Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say:

Return, faithless Israel, says the Lord. I will not look on you in anger, for I am merciful, says the Lord; I will not be angry forever. 13 Only acknowledge your guilt, that you have rebelled against the Lord your God, and scattered your favors among strangers under every green tree, and have not obeyed my voice, says the Lord. 14 Return, O faithless children, says the Lord, for I am your master; I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion.

15 I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. 16 And when you have multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, says the Lord, they shall no longer say, “The ark of the covenant of the Lord.” It shall not come to mind, or be remembered, or missed; nor shall another one be made. 17 At that time Jerusalem shall be called the throne of the Lord, and all nations shall gather to it, to the presence of the Lord in Jerusalem, and they shall no longer stubbornly follow their own evil will. 18 In those days the house of Judah shall join the house of Israel, and together they shall come from the land of the north to the land that I gave your ancestors for a heritage.

Footnotes:

Jeremiah 3:8 Q Ms Gk Mss Syr: MT I

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

Romans 1:28-2:11

28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind and to things that should not be done. 29 They were filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, craftiness, they are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters,[a] insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, rebellious toward parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 They know God’s decree, that those who practice such things deserve to die—yet they not only do them but even applaud others who practice them.

The Righteous Judgment of God

2 Therefore you have no excuse, whoever you are, when you judge others; for in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things. 2 You say,[b] “We know that God’s judgment on those who do such things is in accordance with truth.” 3 Do you imagine, whoever you are, that when you judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself, you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you despise the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not realize that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But by your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 For he will repay according to each one’s deeds: 7 to those who by patiently doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 while for those who are self-seeking and who obey not the truth but wickedness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be anguish and distress for everyone who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality.

Footnotes:

Romans 1:30 Or God-hated

Romans 2:2 Gk lacks You say

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

John 5:1-18

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

5 After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

2 Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew[a] Beth-zatha,[b] which has five porticoes. 3 In these lay many invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed.[c] 5 One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” 7 The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Stand up, take your mat and walk.” 9 At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk.

Now that day was a sabbath. 10 So the Jews said to the man who had been cured, “It is the sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your mat.” 11 But he answered them, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your mat and walk.’” 12 They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take it up and walk’?” 13 Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had disappeared in[d] the crowd that was there. 14 Later Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you have been made well! Do not sin any more, so that nothing worse happens to you.” 15 The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. 16 Therefore the Jews started persecuting Jesus, because he was doing such things on the sabbath. 17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father is still working, and I also am working.” 18 For this reason the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because he was not only breaking the sabbath, but was also calling God his own Father, thereby making himself equal to God.

Footnotes:

John 5:2 That is, Aramaic

John 5:2 Other ancient authorities read Bethesda, others Bethsaida

John 5:3 Other ancient authorities add, wholly or in part, waiting for the stirring of the water; 4 for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool, and stirred up the water; whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was made well from whatever disease that person had.

John 5:13 Or had left because of

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

#March 20 #2019

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dailyofficereadings · 7 years

Text

Daily Office Readings March 15, 2017 at 01:00AM

Psalm 72

Prayer for Guidance and Support for the King

Of Solomon.

18 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things. 19 Blessed be his glorious name forever; may his glory fill the whole earth. Amen and Amen.

20 The prayers of David son of Jesse are ended.

Footnotes:

Psalm 72:5 Gk: Heb may they fear you

Psalm 72:9 Cn: Heb those who live in the wilderness

Psalm 72:17 Or bless themselves by him

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

Psalm 119:73-96

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

Jeremiah 3:6-18

A Call to Repentance

11 Then the Lord said to me: Faithless Israel has shown herself less guilty than false Judah. 12 Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say:

Footnotes:

Jeremiah 3:8 Q Ms Gk Mss Syr: MT I

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

Romans 1:28-2:11

The Righteous Judgment of God

Footnotes:

Romans 1:30 Or God-hated

Romans 2:2 Gk lacks You say

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

John 5:1-18

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

5 After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

Footnotes:

John 5:2 That is, Aramaic

John 5:2 Other ancient authorities read Bethesda, others Bethsaida

John 5:13 Or had left because of

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

#March 15 #2017 at 01:00AM

0 notes