The Sixth Sunday in Lent
Passion Sunday | Palm Sunday
Sunday, April 2, 2023

Liturgy of the Palms:

The Psalm:
Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 KJV
O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good:*
because his mercy endureth for ever.
² Let Israel now say,*
that his mercy endureth for ever.
¹⁹ Open to me the gates of righteousness:*
I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord:
²⁰ This gate of the Lord,*
into which the righteous shall enter.
²¹ I will praise thee:*
for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.
²² The stone which the builders refused*
is become the head stone of the corner.
²³ This is the Lord’s doing;*
it is marvellous in our eyes.
²⁴ This is the day which the Lord hath made;*
we will rejoice and be glad in it.
²⁵ Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord:*
O Lord, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.
²⁶ Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord:*
we have blessed you out of the house of the Lord.
²⁷ God is the Lord, which hath shewed us light:*
bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.
²⁸ Thou art my God, and I will praise thee:*
thou art my God, I will exalt thee.
²⁹ O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good:*
for his mercy endureth for ever.

The Gospel:
Matthew 21:1-11 KJV
And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,
² Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.
³ And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.
⁴ All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,
⁵ Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.
⁶ And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,
⁷ And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.
⁸ And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.
⁹ And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
¹⁰ And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?
¹¹ And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.

Liturgy of the Passion:

The Collect:
Almighty and everliving God, in your tender love for the human race you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of his suffering, and also share in his resurrection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Old Testament Lesson:
Isaiah 50:4-9a KJV
⁴ The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.
⁵ The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.
⁶ I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
⁷ For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.
⁸ He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me.
⁹ Behold, the Lord God will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.

The Psalm:
Psalm 31:9-16 KJV
In te, Domine, speravi
⁹ Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am in trouble:*
mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.
¹⁰ For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing:*
my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.
¹¹ I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbours,*
and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me.
¹² I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind:*
I am like a broken vessel.
¹³ For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side:*
while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.
¹⁴ But I trusted in thee, O Lord:*
I said, Thou art my God.
¹⁵ My times are in thy hand:*
deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.
¹⁶ Make thy face to shine upon thy servant:*
save me for thy mercies’ sake.

The Epistle:
Philippians 2:5-11 KJV
⁵ Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
⁶ Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
⁷ But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
⁸ And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
⁹ Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
¹⁰ That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
¹¹ And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The Gospel:
Matthew 26:14—27:66 KJV
¹⁴ Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,
¹⁵ And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.
¹⁶ And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.
¹⁷ Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?
¹⁸ And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.
¹⁹ And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover.
²⁰ Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.
²¹ And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
²² And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?
²³ And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.
²⁴ The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.
²⁵ Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.
²⁶ And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
²⁷ And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
²⁸ For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
²⁹ But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.
³⁰ And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.
³¹ Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
³² But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.
³³ Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.
³⁴ Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
³⁵ Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.
³⁶ Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.
³⁷ And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.
³⁸ Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
³⁹ And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
⁴⁰ And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
⁴¹ Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
⁴² He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.
⁴³ And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.
⁴⁴ And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
⁴⁵ Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
⁴⁶ Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.
⁴⁷ And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people.
⁴⁸ Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.
⁴⁹ And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him.
⁵⁰ And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus and took him.
⁵¹ And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest’s, and smote off his ear.
⁵² Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
⁵³ Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
⁵⁴ But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?
⁵⁵ In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me.
⁵⁶ But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.
⁵⁷ And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.
⁵⁸ But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest’s palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end.
⁵⁹ Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;
⁶⁰ But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,
⁶¹ And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.
⁶² And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?
⁶³ But Jesus held his peace, And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.
⁶⁴ Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
⁶⁵ Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.
⁶⁶ What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.
⁶⁷ Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands,
⁶⁸ Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?
⁶⁹ Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee.
⁷⁰ But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.
⁷¹ And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.
⁷² And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.
⁷³ And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee.
⁷⁴ Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.
⁷⁵ And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

27 
¹When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:
² And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.
³ Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
⁴ Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.
⁵ And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.
⁶ And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood.
⁷ And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in.
⁸ Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day.
⁹ Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value;
¹⁰ And gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed me.
¹¹ And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.
¹² And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.
¹³ Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?
¹⁴ And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.
¹⁵ Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would.
¹⁶ And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.
¹⁷ Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?
¹⁸ For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.
¹⁹ When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.
²⁰ But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.
²¹ The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas.
²² Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.
²³ And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.
²⁴ When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.
²⁵ Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.
²⁶ Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
²⁷ Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers.
²⁸ And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.
²⁹ And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!
³⁰ And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.
³¹ And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.
³² And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.
³³ And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull,
³⁴ They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.
³⁵ And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.
³⁶ And sitting down they watched him there;
³⁷ And set up over his head his accusation written, This Is Jesus The King Of The Jews.
³⁸ Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.
³⁹ And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,
⁴⁰ And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.
⁴¹ Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,
⁴² He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.
⁴³ He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.
⁴⁴ The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.
⁴⁵ Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.
⁴⁶ And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
⁴⁷ Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.
⁴⁸ And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.
⁴⁹ The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.
⁵⁰ Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
⁵¹ And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
⁵² And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
⁵³ And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
⁵⁴ Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.
⁵⁵ And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him:
⁵⁶ Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedees children.
⁵⁷ When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple:
⁵⁸ He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.
⁵⁹ And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,
⁶⁰ And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.
⁶¹ And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.
⁶² Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,
⁶³ Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.
⁶⁴ Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.
⁶⁵ Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.
⁶⁶ So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.

The Fifth Sunday in Lent
Sunday, March 26, 2023

The Collect:
God of all consolation and compassion, your Son comforted the grieving sisters, Martha and Mary; your breath alone brings life to dry bones and weary souls. Pour out your Spirit upon us, that we may face despair and death with the hope of resurrection and faith in the One who called Lazarus forth from the grave. Amen.

The Old Testament Lesson:
Ezekiel 37:1-14 KJV
The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,
² And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.
³ And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord God, thou knowest.
⁴ Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.
⁵ Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:
⁶ And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.
⁷ So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.
⁸ And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.
⁹ Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord God; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.
¹⁰ So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.
¹¹ Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.
¹² Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.
¹³ And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,
¹⁴ And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord.

The Psalm:
Psalm 130 KJV
De profundis
Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord. ² Lord, hear my voice:*
let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
³ If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities,*
O Lord, who shall stand?
⁴ But there is forgiveness with thee,*
that thou mayest be feared.
⁵ I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait,*
and in his word do I hope.
⁶ My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning:*
I say, more than they that watch for the morning.
⁷ Let Israel hope in the Lord:*
for with the Lord there is mercy,
and with him is plenteous redemption.*
⁸ And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

The Epistle:
Romans 8:6-11 KJV
⁶ For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
⁷ Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
⁸ So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
⁹ But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
¹⁰ And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
¹¹ But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

The Gospel:
John 11:1-45 KJV
Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.
² (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)
³ Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.
⁴ When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.
⁵ Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.
⁶ When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.
⁷ Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again.
⁸ His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?
⁹ Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
¹⁰ But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.
¹¹ These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
¹² Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
¹³ Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
¹⁴ Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
¹⁵ And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.
¹⁶ Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.
¹⁷ Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.
¹⁸ Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off:
¹⁹ And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.
²⁰ Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.
²¹ Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
²² But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.
²³ Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.
²⁴ Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
²⁵ Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
²⁶ And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
²⁷ She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
²⁸ And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.
²⁹ As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.
³⁰ Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.
³¹ The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.
³² Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
³³ When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled.
³⁴ And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.
³⁵ Jesus wept.
³⁶ Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!
³⁷ And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?
³⁸ Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.

³⁹ Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.
⁴⁰ Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
⁴¹ Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.
⁴² And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.
⁴³ And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
⁴⁴ And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
⁴⁵ Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.

The Fourth Sunday in Lent
Sunday, March 19, 2023

The Collect:
Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

The Old Testament Lesson:
1 Samuel 16:1-13 KJV
And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.
² And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the Lord said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the Lord.
³ And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.
⁴ And Samuel did that which the Lord spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?
⁵ And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the Lord: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
⁶ And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him.
⁷ But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.
⁸ Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this.
⁹ Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this.
¹⁰ Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The Lord hath not chosen these.
¹¹ And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.
¹² And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.
¹³ Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

The Psalm:
Psalm 23 KJV
Dominus regit me
The Lord is my shepherd;*
I shall not want.
² He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:*
he leadeth me beside the still waters.
³ He restoreth my soul:*
he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil:*
for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
⁵ Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:*
thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:*
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

The Epistle:
Ephesians 5:8-14 KJV
⁸ For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
⁹ (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
¹⁰ Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
¹¹ And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
¹² For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
¹³ But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
¹⁴ Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

The Gospel:
John 9:1-41 KJV
And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
² And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
³ Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
⁴ I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
⁵ As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
⁶ When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,
⁷ And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.
⁸ The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?
⁹ Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he.
¹⁰ Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?
¹¹ He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.
¹² Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not.
¹³ They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind.
¹⁴ And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.
¹⁵ Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.
¹⁶ Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.
¹⁷ They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.
¹⁸ But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight.
¹⁹ And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?
²⁰ His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind:
²¹ But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.
²² These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.
²³ Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.
²⁴ Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.
²⁵ He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.
²⁶ Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes?
²⁷ He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?
²⁸ Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples.
²⁹ We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.
³⁰ The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.
³¹ Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.
³² Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.
³³ If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.
³⁴ They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.
³⁵ Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?
³⁶ He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?
³⁷ And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.
³⁸ And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.
³⁹ And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
⁴⁰ And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
⁴¹ Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

The Third Sunday in Lent
Sunday, March 12, 2023

The Collect:
Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

The Old Testament Lesson:
Exodus 17:1-7 KJV
And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the Lord, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink.
² Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the Lord?
³ And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?
⁴ And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me.
⁵ And the Lord said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go.
⁶ Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
⁷ And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, Is the Lord among us, or not?

The Psalm:
Psalm 95 KJV
Venite, exultemus
O come, let us sing unto the Lord:*
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
² Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving,*
and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.
³ For the Lord is a great God,*
and a great King above all gods.
⁴ In his hand are the deep places of the earth:*
the strength of the hills is his also.
⁵ The sea is his, and he made it:*
and his hands formed the dry land.
⁶ O come, let us worship and bow down:*
let us kneel before the Lord our maker.
⁷ For he is our God;*
and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,
⁸ Harden not your heart, as in the provocation,*
and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
⁹ When your fathers tempted me,*
proved me, and saw my work.
¹⁰ Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said,*
It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways:
¹¹ Unto whom I sware in my wrath*
that they should not enter into my rest.

The Epistle:
Romans 5:1-11 KJV
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
² By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
³ And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
⁴ And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
⁵ And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
⁶ For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
⁷ For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
⁸ But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
⁹ Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
¹⁰ For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
¹¹ And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

The Gospel:
John 4:5-42 KJV
⁵ Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.
⁶ Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.
⁷ There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.
⁸ (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)
⁹ Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.
¹⁰ Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
¹¹ The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?
¹² Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?
¹³ Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
¹⁴ But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
¹⁵ The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.
¹⁶ Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.
¹⁷ The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:
¹⁸ For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.
¹⁹ The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
²⁰ Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
²¹ Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
²² Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
²³ But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
²⁴ God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
²⁵ The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
²⁶ Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
²⁷ And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?
²⁸ The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,
²⁹ Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?
³⁰ Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.
³¹ In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.
³² But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.
³³ Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?
³⁴ Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
³⁵ Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
³⁶ And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
³⁷ And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.
³⁸ I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.
³⁹ And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.
⁴⁰ So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.
⁴¹ And many more believed because of his own word;
⁴² And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

The Second Sunday in Lent
Sunday, March 5, 2023

The Collect:
O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious to all who have gone astray from your ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of your Word, Jesus Christ your Son; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

The Old Testament Lesson:
Genesis 12:1-4a KJV
Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
² And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
³ And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
⁴ So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.

The Psalm:
Psalm 121 KJV
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills,*
from whence cometh my help.
² My help cometh from the Lord,*
which made heaven and earth.
³ He will not suffer thy foot to be moved:*
he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
⁴ Behold, he that keepeth Israel*
shall neither slumber nor sleep.
⁵ The Lord is thy keeper:*
the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.
⁶ The sun shall not smite thee by day,*
nor the moon by night.
⁷ The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil:*
he shall preserve thy soul.
⁸ The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in*
from this time forth, and even for evermore.

The Epistle:
Romans 4:1-5, 13-17 KJV
What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
² For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
³ For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
⁴ Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
⁵ But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
—
¹³ For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
¹⁴ For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
¹⁵ Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
¹⁶ Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
¹⁷ (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

The Gospel:
John 3:1-17 KJV
There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
² The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
³ Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
⁴ Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
⁵ Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
⁶ That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
⁷ Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
⁸ The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
⁹ Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
¹⁰ Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
¹¹ Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
¹² If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
¹³ And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
¹⁴ And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
¹⁵ That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
¹⁷ For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

The First Sunday in Lent
Sunday, February 26, 2023

The Collect:
God of mercy, your word was the sure defense of Jesus in his time of testing. Minister to us in the wilderness of our temptation, that we who have been set free from sin by Christ may serve you well into life everlasting. Amen.

The Old Testament Lesson:
Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 KJV
¹⁵ And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
¹⁶ And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
¹⁷ But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

3 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
² And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
³ But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
⁴ And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
⁵ For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
⁶ And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
⁷ And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

The Psalm:
Psalm 32 KJV
Beati quorum
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,*
whose sin is covered.
² Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity,*
and in whose spirit there is no guile.
³ When I kept silence,*
my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.
⁴ For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me:*
my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.
⁵ I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid.*
I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
⁶ For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found:*
surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.
⁷ Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble;*
thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.
⁸ I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go:*
I will guide thee with mine eye.
⁹ Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding:*
whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.
¹⁰ Many sorrows shall be to the wicked:*
but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about.
¹¹ Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous:*
and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

The Epistle:
Romans 5:12-19 KJV
¹² Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
¹³ (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
¹⁴ Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
¹⁵ But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
¹⁶ And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.
¹⁷ For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
¹⁸ Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
¹⁹ For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

The Gospel:
Matthew 4:1-11 KJV
Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
² And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
³ And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
⁴ But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
⁵ Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
⁶ And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
⁷ Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
⁸ Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
⁹ And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
¹⁰ Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
¹¹ Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

The Last Sunday after the Epiphany
Sunday, February 19, 2023

The Collect:
O God of the covenant, the cloud of your splendor and the fire of your love revealed your Son on the mountain heights. Transform our lives in his image, write your law of love on our hearts, and make us prophets of your glory, that we may lead others into your presence. Amen.

The Old Testament Lesson:
Exodus 24:12-18 KJV
¹² And the Lord said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.
¹³ And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God.
¹⁴ And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you: if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them.
¹⁵ And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount.
¹⁶ And the glory of the Lord abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.
¹⁷ And the sight of the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.
¹⁸ And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.

The Psalm:
Psalm 2 KJV
Quare fremuerunt gentes?
Why do the heathen rage,*
and the people imagine a vain thing?
² The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together,*
against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying,
³ Let us break their bands asunder,*
and cast away their cords from us.
⁴ He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh:*
the Lord shall have them in derision.
⁵ Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath,*
and vex them in his sore displeasure.
⁶ Yet have I set my king*
upon my holy hill of Zion.
⁷ I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me,*
Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
⁸ Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance,*
and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
⁹ Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron;*
thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
¹⁰ Be wise now therefore, O ye kings:*
be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
¹¹ Serve the Lord with fear,*
and rejoice with trembling.
¹² Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way,*
when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

~or this~

Psalm 99 KJV
Dominus regnavit
The Lord reigneth; let the people tremble:*
he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved.
² The Lord is great in Zion;*
and he is high above all the people.
³ Let them praise thy great and terrible name;*
for it is holy.
⁴ The king’s strength also loveth judgment;*
thou dost establish equity, thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob.
⁵ Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool;*
for he is holy.
⁶ Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name;*
they called upon the Lord, and he answered them.
⁷ He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar:*
they kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them.
⁸ Thou answeredst them, O Lord our God:*
thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions.
⁹ Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy hill;*
for the Lord our God is holy.

The Epistle:
2 Peter 1:16-21 KJV
¹⁶ For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
¹⁷ For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
¹⁸ And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
¹⁹ We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
²⁰ Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
²¹ For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

The Gospel:
Matthew 17:1-9 KJV
And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
² And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
³ And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.
⁴ Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
⁵ While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
⁶ And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.
⁷ And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.
⁸ And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.
⁹ And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.

The Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany
Sunday, February 12, 2023

The Collect:
Divine Gardener, you give growth to our seeds and to the towering forest trees; you raise to abundant life that which seems dead. Teach us to choose blessing and life rather than death, so that we may walk blamelessly, seeking you through reconciliation with all of your children. Amen.

The Old Testament Lesson:
Deuteronomy 30:15-20 KJV
¹⁵ See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;
¹⁶ In that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.
¹⁷ But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;
¹⁸ I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.
¹⁹ I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
²⁰ That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

The Psalm:
Psalm 119:1-8 KJV
Beati immaculate
Blessed are the undefiled in the way,*
who walk in the law of the Lord.
² Blessed are they that keep his testimonies,*
and that seek him with the whole heart.
³ They also do no iniquity:*
they walk in his ways.
⁴ Thou hast commanded us*
to keep thy precepts diligently.
⁵ O that my ways were directed*
to keep thy statutes!
⁶ Then shall I not be ashamed,*
when I have respect unto all thy commandments.
⁷ I will praise thee with uprightness of heart,*
when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.
⁸ I will keep thy statutes:*
O forsake me not utterly.

The Epistle:
1 Corinthians 3:1-9 KJV
And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
² I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
³ For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
⁴ For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
⁵ Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
⁶ I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
⁷ So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
⁸ Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
⁹ For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.

The Gospel:
Matthew 5:21-37 KJV
²¹ Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
²² But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
²³ Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
²⁴ Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
²⁵ Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
²⁶ Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.
²⁷ Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
²⁸ But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
²⁹ And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
³⁰ And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
³¹ It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
³² But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

³³ Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:
³⁴ But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:
³⁵ Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.
³⁶ Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.
³⁷ But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany
Sunday, February 5, 2023

The Collect:
O God of light, your searching Spirit reveals and illumines your presence in creation. Shine your radiant holiness into our lives, that we may offer our hands and hearts to your work: to heal and shelter, to feed and clothe, to break every yoke and silence evil tongues. Amen.

The Old Testament Lesson:
Isaiah 58:1-12 KJV
Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.
² Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.
³ Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.
⁴ Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.
⁵ Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord?
⁶ Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
⁷ Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
⁸ Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy reward.
⁹ Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;
¹⁰ And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day:
¹¹ And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
¹² And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.

The Psalm:
Psalm 112:1-10 KJV
Beatus vir
Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord,*
that delighteth greatly in his commandments.
² His seed shall be mighty upon earth:*
the generation of the upright shall be blessed.
³ Wealth and riches shall be in his house:*
and his righteousness endureth for ever.
⁴ Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness:*
he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.
⁵ A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth:*
he will guide his affairs with discretion.
⁶ Surely he shall not be moved for ever:*
the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.
⁷ He shall not be afraid of evil tidings:*
his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.
⁸ His heart is established, he shall not be afraid,*
until he see his desire upon his enemies.
⁹ He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor;*
his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.
¹⁰ The wicked shall see it, and be grieved;*
he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.

The Epistle:
1 Corinthians 2:1-16 KJV
And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
² For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
³ And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
⁴ And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
⁵ That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
⁶ Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
⁷ But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
⁸ Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
⁹ But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
¹⁰ But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
¹¹ For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
¹² Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
¹³ Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
¹⁴ But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
¹⁵ But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
¹⁶ For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ.

The Gospel:
Matthew 5:13-20 KJV
¹³ Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
¹⁴ Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
¹⁵ Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
¹⁷ Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
¹⁸ For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
¹⁹ Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
²⁰ For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany
Sunday, January 29, 2023

The Collect:
God our deliverer, you walk with the meek and the poor, the compassionate and those who mourn, and you call us to walk humbly with you. When we are foolish, be our wisdom; when we are weak, be our strength; that, as we learn to do justice and to love mercy, your rule may come as blessing. Amen.

The Old Testament Lesson:
Micah 6:1-8 KJV
Hear ye now what the Lord saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.
² Hear ye, O mountains, the Lord’s controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the Lord hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel.
³ O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me.
⁴ For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
⁵ O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the Lord.
⁶ Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?
⁷ Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
⁸ He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

The Psalm:
Psalm 15 KJV
Domine, quis habitabit?
Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle?*
who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
² He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness,*
and speaketh the truth in his heart.
³ He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour,*
nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
⁴ In whose eyes a vile person is contemned;*
but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.
⁵ He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent.*
He that doeth these things shall never be moved.

The Epistle:
1 Corinthians 1:18-31 KJV
¹⁸ For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
¹⁹ For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
²⁰ Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
²¹ For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
²² For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
²³ But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
²⁴ But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
²⁵ Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
²⁶ For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
²⁷ But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
²⁸ And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
²⁹ That no flesh should glory in his presence.
³⁰ But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
³¹ That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

The Gospel:
Matthew 5:1-12 KJV
And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:
² And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
³ Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
⁵ Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
⁶ Blessed are they which do 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 the children of God.
¹⁰ Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
¹¹ Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
¹² Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.