Crusading Anglican

24TH JUNE, 2024
THE BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST

COMMUNION SERVICE🍞🍷

*Lesson: Isaiah 40:1-11 NRSV*
*God’s People Are Comforted*

*40:* 1 Comfort, O comfort my people,
says your God.
2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and cry to her
that she has served her term,
that her penalty is paid,
that she has received from the LORD’s hand
double for all her sins.
3 A voice cries out:
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD;
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be lifted up,
and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
and the rough places a plain.
5 Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,
and all flesh shall see it together,
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
6 A voice says, “Cry out!”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
All flesh is grass;
their constancy is like the flower of the field.
7 The grass withers; the flower fades,
[[when the breath of the LORD blows upon it;
surely the people are grass.
8 The grass withers; the flower fades,]]
but the word of our God will stand forever.
9 Get you up to a high mountain,
O Zion, herald of good news;
lift up your voice with strength,
O Jerusalem, herald of good news;
lift it up, do not fear;
say to the cities of Judah,
“Here is your God!”
10 See, the Lord GOD comes with might,
and his arm rules for him;
his reward is with him
and his recompense before him.
11 He will feed his flock like a shepherd;
he will gather the lambs in his arms
and carry them in his bosom
and gently lead the mother sheep.

*Proper: Psalm 85:7-end BCP 1662*
*Benedixisti, Domine*

*85:* 7 Shew us thy mercy, O LORD :
and grant us Thy salvation.
8 I will hearken what the LORD God will say concerning me :
for He shall speak peace unto His people, and to His saints, that they turn not again.
9 For His salvation is nigh them that fear Him :
that glory may dwell in our land.
10 Mercy and Truth are met together :
Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other.
11 Truth shall flourish out of the Earth :
and Righteousness hath looked down from Heaven.
12 Yea, the LORD shall shew loving-kindness :
and our land shall give her increase.
13 Righteousness shall go before Him :
and He shall direct His going in the way.

*_Gloria Patri_*

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost:
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen

*Epistle: Acts 13:14b-26 NRSV*
*Paul preaches in the Synagogue of Antioch in Pisidia*

*13:* 14b And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. 15 After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the officials of the synagogue sent them a message, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, give it.” 16 So Paul stood up and with a gesture began to speak:
“Fellow Israelites and others who fear God, listen. 17 The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it. 18 For about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness. 19 After he had destroyed seven peoples in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance 20 for about four hundred fifty years. After that he gave them judges until the time of the prophet Samuel. 21 Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, who reigned for forty years. 22 When he had removed him, he made David their king. In his testimony about him he said, ‘I have found David, son of Jesse, to be a man after my heart, who will carry out all my wishes.’ 23 Of this man’s posterity God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised; 24 before his coming John had already proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25 And as John was finishing his work, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but one is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the strap of the sandals on his feet.’
26 “Brothers and sisters, you descendants of Abraham’s family and others who fear God, to us the message of this salvation has been sent.

*Gospel: Luke 1:57-66, 80 NRSV*
*The Birth of John the Baptist*

*1:* 57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the LORD had shown His great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.
59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. 60 But his mother said, “No; he is to be called John.” 61 They said to her, “None of your relatives has this name.” 62 Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. 63 He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And all of them were amazed. 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God. 65 Fear came over all their neighbors, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard them pondered them and said, “What then will this child become?” For indeed the hand of the Lord was with him.

_Readings are taken from the Anglican Communion’s Society for the Propagation of Christian Knowledge (SPCK) published Lectionary._

23RD JUNE, 2024
🟢4TH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

COMMUNION SERVICE 🍞🍷

*Lesson: Job 38:22-end NRSV*
*The LORD Answers Job*

*38:* 22 “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow,
or have you seen the storehouses of the hail,
23 which I have reserved for the time of trouble,
for the day of battle and war?
24 What is the way to the place where the light is distributed
or where the east wind is scattered upon the earth?
25 “Who has cut a channel for the torrents of rain
and a way for the thunderbolt,
26 to bring rain on a land where no one lives,
on the desert, which is empty of human life,
27 to satisfy the waste and desolate land,
and to make the ground put forth grass?
28 “Has the rain a father,
or who has fathered the drops of dew?
29 From whose womb did the ice come forth,
and who has given birth to the hoarfrost of heaven?
30 The waters become hard like stone,
and the face of the deep is frozen.
31 “Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades
or loose the cords of Orion?
32 Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season,
or can you guide the Bear with its children?
33 Do you know the ordinances of the heavens?
Can you establish their rule on the earth?
34 “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,
so that a flood of waters may cover you?
35 Can you send forth lightnings, so that they may go
and say to you, ‘Here we are’?
36 Who has put wisdom in the inward parts[c]
or given understanding to the mind?[d]
37 Who has the wisdom to number the clouds?
Or who can tilt the waterskins of the heavens
38 when the dust runs into a mass
and the clods cling together?
39 “Can you hunt the prey for the lion
or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
40 when they crouch in their dens
or lie in wait in their covert?
41 Who provides for the raven its prey,
when its young ones cry to God
and wander about for lack of food?

*Proper: Psalm 107: 1-3, 23-32 BCP 1662*
*_Confitemini Domino_*

*107:* 1 O GIVE thanks unto the LORD, for He is gracious :
and His mercy endureth for ever.
2 Let them give thanks whom the LORD hath redeemed :
and delivered from the hand of the enemy;
3 And gathered them out of the lands, from the east and from the west :
from the north and from the south.

23 They that go down to the sea in ships :
and occupy their business in great waters;
24 These men see the works of the LORD :
and His wonders in the deep.
25 For at His word the stormy wind ariseth :
which lifteth up the waves thereof.
26 They are carried up to the heaven, and down again to the deep :
their soul melteth away because of the trouble.
27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man :
and are at their wits' end.
28 So when they cry unto the LORD in their trouble :
He delivereth them out of their distress.
29 For He maketh the storm to cease :
so that the waves thereof are still.
30 Then are they glad, because they are at rest :
and so He bringeth them unto the haven where they would be.
31 O that men would therefore praise the LORD for His goodness :
and declare the wonders that He doeth for the children of men!
32 That they would exalt Him also in the congregation of the people :
and praise Him in the seat of the elders!

*_Gloria Patri_*

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost:
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen

*Epistle: 2 Corinthians 6:1-13 NRSV*
*Now is the day of salvation*

*6:* 1 As we work together with him, we entreat you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. 2 For he says,
“At an acceptable time I have listened to you,
and on a day of salvation I have helped you.”
Look, now is the acceptable time; look, now is the day of salvation! 3 We are putting no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: in great endurance, afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6 in purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, 7 truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8 in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors and yet are true, 9 as unknown and yet are well known, as dying and look—we are alive, as punished and yet not killed, 10 as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing and yet possessing everything.
11 We have spoken frankly to you Corinthians; our heart is wide open to you. 12 There is no restriction in our affections but only in yours. 13 In return—I speak as to children—open wide your hearts also.

*Gospel: Mark 4:35-end NRSV*
*Jesus Stills a Storm*

*4:* 35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. 37 A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion, and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And waking up, he rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Be silent! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

_Readings are taken from the Anglican Communion’s Society for the Propagation of Christian Knowledge (SPCK) published Lectionary._

22ND JUNE, 2024

🟢SATURDAY OF THIRD WEEK AFTER TRINITY

COMMUNION SERVICE🍞🍷

Lesson: 2 Chronicles 24:17-25 NRSV

King Joash kills his cousin Zechariah

24: 17 Now after the death of Jehoiada the officials of Judah came and did obeisance to the king; then the king listened to them. 18 They abandoned the house of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and served the sacred poles and the idols. And wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs. 19 Yet he sent prophets among them to bring them back to the Lord; they testified against them, but they would not listen.

20 Then the spirit of God took possession of Zechariah son of the priest Jehoiada; he stood above the people and said to them, “Thus says God: Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has also forsaken you.” 21 But they conspired against him, and by command of the king they stoned him to death in the court of the house of the Lord. 22 King Joash did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah’s father, had shown him but killed his son. As he was dying, he said, “May the Lord see and avenge!”

Death of Joash

23 At the end of the year, the army of Aram came up against Joash. They came to Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the officials of the people from among them and sent all the spoil they took to the king of Damascus. 24 Although the army of Aram had come with few men, the Lord delivered into their hand a very great army because they had abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors. Thus they executed judgment on Joash.

25 When they had withdrawn, leaving him severely wounded, his servants conspired against him because of the blood of the son of the priest Jehoiada, and they killed him on his bed. So he died, and they buried him in the city of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings.

Proper: Psalm 89: 25-33 BCP 1662

Misericordias Domini

89: 25 My truth also and My mercy shall be with him:

and in My NAME shall his horn be exalted.

26 I will set his dominion also in the sea :

and his right hand in the floods.

27 He shall call me, Thou art my Father :

my God, and my strong salvation.

28 And I will make him My first-born :

higher than the kings of the earth.

29 My mercy will I keep for him for evermore :

and My covenant shall stand fast with him.

30 His seed also will I make to endure for ever :

and his throne as the days of heaven.

31 But if his children forsake My Law :

and walk not in my judgements;

32 If they break My statutes, and keep not My commandments :

I will visit their offences with the rod, and their sin with scourges.

33 Nevertheless, my loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him :

nor suffer My truth to fail.

Gloria Patri

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost:

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

Amen

Gospel: Matthew 6:24-end NRSV

Do Not Be Anxious

6: 24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Readings are taken from the Anglican Communion’s Society for the Propagation of Christian Knowledge (SPCK) published Lectionary.

21ST JUNE, 2024

🟢FRIDAY OF THIRD WEEK AFTER TRINITY

COMMUNION SERVICE 🍞🍷

Lesson: 2 Kings 11:1-4, 9-18, 20 NRSV

Athaliah Reigns over Judah

11: 1 Now when Athaliah, Ahaziah’s mother, saw that her son was dead, she set about to destroy all the royal family. 2 But Jehosheba, King Joram’s daughter, Ahaziah’s sister, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the king’s children who were about to be killed; she put him and his nurse in a bedroom. Thus she hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not killed; 3 he remained with her six years, hidden in the house of the Lord, while Athaliah reigned over the land.

Jehoiada Anoints the Child Joash

4 But in the seventh year Jehoiada summoned the captains of the Carites and of the guards and had them come to him in the house of the Lord. He made a covenant with them and put them under oath in the house of the Lord; then he showed them the king’s son.

9 The captains did according to all that the priest Jehoiada commanded; each brought his men who were to go off duty on the Sabbath, with those who were to come on duty on the Sabbath, and came to the priest Jehoiada. 10 The priest delivered to the captains the spears and shields that had been King David’s, which were in the house of the Lord; 11 the guards stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, from the south side of the house to the north side of the house, around the altar and the house, to guard the king on every side. 12 Then he brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, and gave him the covenant; they proclaimed him king and anointed him; they clapped their hands and shouted, “Long live the king!”

Death of Athaliah

13 When Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she went into the house of the Lord to the people; 14 when she looked, there was the king standing by the pillar, according to custom, with the captains and the trumpeters beside the king, and all the people of the land rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Athaliah tore her clothes and cried, “Treason! Treason!” 15 Then the priest Jehoiada commanded the captains who were set over the army, “Bring her out between the ranks and kill with the sword anyone who follows her.” For the priest said, “Let her not be killed in the house of the Lord.” 16 So they laid hands on her; she went through the horses’ entrance to the king’s house, and there she was put to death.

17 Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord and the king and people, that they should be the Lord’s people; also between the king and the people. 18 Then all the people of the land went to the house of Baal and tore it down; his altars and his images they broke in pieces, and they killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars. The priest posted guards over the house of the Lord.

20 So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet after Athaliah had been killed with the sword at the king’s house.

Proper: Psalm 132: 1-5, 11-13 BCP 1662

Memento, Domine

132: 1 LORD, Remember David :

and all his trouble;

2 How he sware unto the LORD :

and vowed a vow unto the Almighty God of Jacob;

3 I will not come within the tabernacle of mine house :

nor climb up into my bed;

4 I will not suffer mine eyes to sleep, nor mine eye-lids to slumber :

neither the temples of my head to take any rest;

5 Until I find out a place for the temple of the LORD :

an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.

11 The LORD hath made a faithful oath unto David :

and he shall not shrink from it;

12 Of the fruit of thy body :

shall I set upon thy seat.

13 If thy children will keep My covenant, and My testimonies that I shall learn them :

their children also shall sit upon thy seat for evermore.

Gloria Patri

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost:

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

Amen

Gospel: Matthew 6:19-23 NRSV

Concerning Treasures

6: 19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The Eye

22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If, then, the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!



Readings are taken from the Anglican Communion’s Society for the Propagation of Christian Knowledge (SPCK) published Lectionary.

20TH JUNE, 2024

🟢THURSDAY OF THIRD WEEK AFTER TRINITY

COMMUNION SERVICE 🍞🍷

Lesson: Isaiah 63:7-9 NRSV

God’s Mercy Remembered

63: 7 I will recount the gracious deeds of the Lord,
the praiseworthy acts of the Lord,
because of all that the Lord has done for us
and the great favor to the house of Israel
that he has shown them according to his mercy,
according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
8 For he said, “Surely they are my people,
children who will not act deceitfully,”
and he became their savior
9 in all their distress.
It was no messenger or angel
but his presence that saved them;
in his love and pity it was he who redeemed them;
he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.

Proper: Psalm 97:1-8 BCP 1662

Dominus regnavit

97: 1 THE LORD is King, the earth may be glad thereof :

yea, the multitude of the isles may be glad thereof.

2 Clouds and darkness are round about Him :

righteousness and judgement are the habitation of His seat.

3 There shall go a fire before Him :

and burn up His enemies on every side.

4 His lightnings gave shine unto the world :

the earth saw it, and was afraid.

5 The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD :

at the presence of the LORD of the whole earth.

6 The heavens have declared His righteousness :

and all the people have seen His glory.

7 Confounded be all they that worship carved images, and that delight in vain gods :

worship Him, all ye gods.

8 Sion heard of it, and rejoiced : and the daughters of Judah were glad, because of Thy judgements, O LORD.

Gloria Patri

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost:

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

Amen

Gospel: Matthew 6:7-15 NRSV

The Lord’s Prayer

6: 7 “When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

9 “Pray, then, in this way:

Our Father in heaven,
may your name be revered as holy.
10 May your kingdom come.
May your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And do not bring us to the time of trial,
but rescue us from the evil one.

14 “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.


Readings are taken from the Anglican Communion’s Society for the Propagation of Christian Knowledge (SPCK) published Lectionary.

19TH JUNE, 2024

🟢WEDNESDAY OF THIRD WEEK AFTER TRINITY

COMMUNION SERVICE 🍞🍷

Lesson: 2 Kings 2:1, 6-14 NRSV

Elijah Ascends to Heaven

2: 1 Now when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.

6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. 7 Fifty men of the company of prophets also went and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. 8 Then Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up and struck the water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and the two of them crossed on dry ground.

9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I may do for you before I am taken from you.” Elisha said, “Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit.” 10 He responded, “You have asked a hard thing, yet if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not.” 11 As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven. 12 Elisha kept watching and crying out, “Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” But when he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

Elisha Succeeds Elijah

13 He picked up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 He took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water. He said, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah? Where is he?” He struck the water again, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha crossed over.

Proper: Psalm 31:21-end BCP 1662

In te, Domine, speravi

31: 21 O HOW Plentiful is Thy goodness, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee :

and that Thou hast prepared for them that put their trust in Thee, even before the sons of men!

22 Thou shalt hide them privily by Thine own presence from the provoking of all men :

Thou shalt keep them secretly in Thy tabernacle from the strife of tongues.

23 Thanks be to the LORD :

for He hath shewed me marvellous great kindness in a strong city.

24 And when I made haste, I said :

I am cast out of the sight of Thine eyes.

25 Nevertheless, Thou heardest the voice of my prayer :

when I cried unto Thee.

26 O love the LORD, all ye His saints :

for the LORD preserveth them that are faithful, and plenteously rewardeth the proud doer.

27 Be strong, and He shall establish your heart :

all ye that put your trust in the LORD.

Gloria Patri

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost:

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

Amen

Gospel: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 NRSV

Concerning Almsgiving

6: 1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before others in order to be seen by them, for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.

2 “So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your alms may be done in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Concerning Prayer

5 “And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 6 But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Concerning Fasting

16 “And whenever you fast, do not look somber, like the hypocrites, for they mark their faces to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Readings are taken from the Anglican Communion’s Society for the Propagation of Christian Knowledge (SPCK) published Lectionary.

18TH JUNE, 2024

🟢TUESDAY OF THIRD WEEK AFTER TRINITY

COMMUNION SERVICE 🍞🍷

Lesson: 1 Kings 21:17-end NRSV

Elijah Pronounces God’s Sentence

21: 17 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 18 “Go down to meet King Ahab of Israel, who rules in Samaria; he is now in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take possession. 19 You shall say to him: Thus says the Lord: Have you killed and also taken possession? You shall say to him: Thus says the Lord: In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, dogs will also lick up your blood.”

20 Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, O my enemy?” He answered, “I have found you. Because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the Lord, 21 I will bring disaster on you; I will consume you and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel, 22 and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked me to anger and have caused Israel to sin. 23 Also concerning Jezebel the Lord said: The dogs shall eat Jezebel within the bounds of Jezreel. 24 Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone of his who dies in the open country the birds of the air shall eat.”

25 (Indeed, there was no one like Ahab, who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord, urged on by his wife Jezebel. 26 He acted most abominably in going after idols, as the Amorites had done, whom the Lord had driven out before the Israelites.)

27 When Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth over his bare flesh; he fasted, lay in the sackcloth, and went about dejectedly. 28 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, 29 “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days, but in his son’s days I will bring the disaster on his house.”

Proper: Psalm 51:1-9 BCP 1662

Miserere mei, Deus

1 HAVE mercy upon me, O God, after Thy great goodness :

according to the multitude of Thy mercies do away mine offences.

2 Wash me throughly from my wickedness :

and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I acknowledge my faults :

and my sin is ever before me.

4 Against Thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight : that thou mightest be justified in Thy saying, and clear when Thou art judged.

5 Behold, I was shapen in wickedness :

and in sin hath my mother conceived me.

6 But lo, Thou requirest truth in the inward parts:

and shalt make me to understand wisdom secretly.

7 Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean :

Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

8 Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness :

that the bones which Thou hast broken may rejoice.

9 Turn Thy face from my sins :

and put out all my misdeeds.

Gloria Patri

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost:

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

Amen

Gospel: Matthew 5:43-end NRSV

Love for Enemies

5: 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be children of your Father in heaven, for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the gentiles do the same? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

NB:These Mass Readings are set out so that you will be able to read the entire Bible in 2 years as you read each Weekday and 3 years as you read each Sunday.

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Readings are taken from the Anglican Communion’s Society for the Propagation of Christian Knowledge (SPCK) published Lectionary.