O God, because without you we are not able to please
you, mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and
rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Isaiah 50:4-9a
The
Lord GOD has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to
sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens-- wakens my
ear to listen as those who are taught. The Lord GOD has opened my ear,
and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backward. I gave my back to
those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I
did not hide my face from insult and spitting. The Lord GOD helps me;
therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like
flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; he who vindicates me
is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who are my
adversaries? Let them confront me. It is the Lord GOD who helps me; who
will declare me guilty?
Psalm 116:1-8 Page 759, BCP Dilexi, quoniam
1 I love the LORD, because he has heard the voice of my supplication, *
because he has inclined his ear to me whenever I called upon him.
2 The cords of death entangled me;
the grip of the grave took hold of me; *
I came to grief and sorrow.
3 Then I called upon the Name of the LORD: *
"O LORD, I pray you, save my life."
4 Gracious is the LORD and righteous; *
our God is full of compassion.
5 The LORD watches over the innocent; *
I was brought very low, and he helped me.
6 Turn again to your rest, O my soul, *
for the LORD has treated you well.
7 For you have rescued my life from death, *
my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling.
8 I will walk in the presence of the LORD *
in the land of the living.
James 3:1-12
Not
many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you
know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For all
of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is
perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. If we put
bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their
whole bodies. Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes
strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder
wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small
member, yet it boasts of great exploits.
How
great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire.
The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it
stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself
set on fire by hell. For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and
sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but
no one can tame the tongue-- a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are
made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and
cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. Does a spring
pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? Can a
fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No
more can salt water yield fresh.
Mark 8:27-38
Jesus
went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on
the way he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" And they
answered him, "John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others,
one of the prophets." He asked them, "But who do you say that I am?"
Peter answered him, "You are the Messiah." And he sternly ordered them
not to tell anyone about him.
Then he began to teach them that the
Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders,
the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days
rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and
began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he
rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your
mind not on divine things but on human things."
He called the
crowd with his disciples, and said to them, "If any want to become my
followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow
me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who
lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save
it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit
their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those
who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful
generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in
the glory of his Father with the holy angels."
Optional parts of the readings are set off in square brackets.
The
Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from
the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division
of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ
in the USA, and used by permission.
The Collects, Psalms and Canticles are from the Book of Common Prayer, 1979.
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