O God, who
hast taught us to keep all thy commandments by loving thee and our neighbor:
Grant us the grace of thy Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to thee with our
whole heart, and united to one another with pure affection; through Jesus
Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same Spirit, one
God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Or
O God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving
you and our neighbor: Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may be
devoted to you with our whole heart, and united to one another with pure
affection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the
Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
A Reading from 2 Kings (5:1-14)
Na'aman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great
man with his master and in high favor, because by him the LORD had given
victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. Now the
Syrians on one of their raids had carried off a little maid from the land of
Israel, and she waited on Na'aman's wife. She said to her mistress, "Would
that my lord were with the prophet who is in Sama'ria! He would cure him of his
leprosy." So Na'aman went in and told his lord, "Thus and so spoke
the maiden from the land of Israel." And the king of Syria said, "Go
now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel." So he went, taking
with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten festal
garments. And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read,
"When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you Na'aman my
servant, that you may cure him of his leprosy." And when the king of
Israel read the letter, he rent his clothes and said, "Am I God, to kill
and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy?
Only consider, and see how he is seeking a quarrel with me." But when
Eli'sha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, he
sent to the king, saying, "Why have you rent your clothes? Let him come
now to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel." So Na'aman
came with his horses and chariots, and halted at the door of Eli'sha's house.
And Eli'sha sent a messenger to him, saying, "Go and wash in the Jordan seven
times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean." But
Na'aman was angry, and went away, saying, "Behold, I thought that he would
surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and
wave his hand over the place, and cure the leper. Are not Aba'na and Pharpar,
the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash
in them, and be clean?" So he turned and went away in a rage. But his
servants came near and said to him, "My father, if the prophet had
commanded you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much
rather, then, when he says to you, `Wash, and be clean'?" So he went down
and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man
of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was
clean.
Psalm
30
Exaltabo
te, Domine
1 I will exalt you, O Lord,
because you have lifted me up *
and have not let my enemies triumph over me.
2 O Lord my
God, I cried out to you, *
and you restored me to health.
3 You brought me up, O Lord, from the dead; *
you restored my life as I was going down to the grave.
4 Sing to the Lord, you servants of his; *
give thanks for the remembrance of his holiness.
5 For his wrath endures but the twinkling of an eye, *
his favor for a lifetime.
6 Weeping may spend the night, *
but joy comes in the morning.
7 While I felt secure, I said,
"I shall never be disturbed. *
You, Lord,
with your favor, made me as strong as the mountains."
8 Then you hid your face, *
and I was filled with fear.
9 I cried to you, O Lord; *
I pleaded with the Lord, saying,
10 "What profit is there in my blood, if I go down to the
Pit? *
will the dust praise you or declare your faithfulness?
11 Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me; *
O Lord,
be my helper."
12 You have turned my wailing into dancing; *
you have put off my sack-cloth and clothed me with joy.
13 Therefore my heart sings to you without ceasing; *
O Lord my
God, I will give you thanks for ever.
Glory to the
Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is
now, and will be for ever. Amen.
A Reading from
Galatians (6:1-16)
Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are
spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Look to yourself, lest
you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of
Christ. For if any one thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives
himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will
be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each man will have to bear his
own load. Let him who is taught the word share all good things with him who
teaches. Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that
he will also reap. For he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap
corruption; but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal
life. And let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap,
if we do not lose heart. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all
men, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. See with what
large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. It is those who want to
make a good showing in the flesh that would compel you to be circumcised, and
only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. For even
those who receive circumcision do not themselves keep the law, but they desire
to have you circumcised that they may glory in your flesh. But far be it from
me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world
has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision counts
for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. Peace and mercy be upon
all who walk by this rule, upon the Israel of God.
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke (10:1-11,
16-20)
After this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them on
ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about
to come. And he said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers
are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.
Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no
purse, no bag, no sandals; and salute no one on the road. Whatever house you
enter, first say, `Peace be to this house!' And if a son of peace is there,
your peace shall rest upon him; but if not, it shall return to you. And remain
in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer
deserves his wages; do not go from house to house. Whenever you enter a town
and they receive you, eat what is set before you; heal the sick in it and say
to them, `The kingdom of God has come near to you.' But whenever you enter a
town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, `Even the dust
of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off against you; nevertheless
know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.' "He who hears you hears
me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who
sent me." The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the
demons are subject to us in your name!" And he said to them, "I saw
Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to
tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and
nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits
are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."
Prayers for Peace