Almighty and everlasting God, increase in us the gifts of faith, hope, and charity; and, that we may obtain what you promise, make us love what you command; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Isaiah 59:(1-4)9-19
- [See, the LORD's hand is not too short to save,
- nor his ear too dull to hear.
- Rather, your iniquities have been barriers
- between you and your God,
- and your sins have hidden his face from you
- so that he does not hear.
- For your hands are defiled with blood,
- and your fingers with iniquity;
- your lips have spoken lies,
- your tongue mutters wickedness.
- No one brings suit justly,
- no one goes to law honestly;
- they rely on empty pleas, they speak lies,
- conceiving mischief and begetting iniquity.]
- Therefore justice is far from us,
- and righteousness does not reach us;
- we wait for light, and lo! there is darkness;
- and for brightness, but we walk in gloom.
- We grope like the blind along a wall,
- groping like those who have no eyes;
- we stumble at noon as in the twilight,
- among the vigorous as though we were dead.
- We all growl like bears;
- like doves we moan mournfully.
- We wait for justice, but there is none;
- for salvation, but it is far from us.
- For our transgressions before you are many,
- and our sins testify against us.
- Our transgressions indeed are with us,
- and we know our iniquities:
- transgressing, and denying the LORD,
- and turning away from following our God,
- talking oppression and revolt,
- conceiving lying words and uttering them from the heart.
- Justice is turned back,
- and righteousness stands at a distance;
- for truth stumbles in the public square,
- and uprightness cannot enter.
- Truth is lacking,
- and whoever turns from evil is despoiled.
- The LORD saw it, and it displeased him
- that there was no justice.
- He saw that there was no one,
- and was appalled that there was no one to intervene;
- so his own arm brought him victory,
- and his righteousness upheld him.
- He put on righteousness like a breastplate,
- and a helmet of salvation on his head;
- he put on garments of vengeance for clothing,
- and wrapped himself in fury as in a mantle.
- According to their deeds, so will he repay;
- wrath to his adversaries, requital to his enemies;
- to the coastlands he will render requital.
- So those in the west shall fear the name of the LORD,
- and those in the east, his glory;
- for he will come like a pent-up stream
- that the wind of the LORD drives on.
Psalm 13 Page 597, BCP
Usquequo, Domine?
- 1
- How long, O LORD?
will you forget me for ever? *
how long will you hide your face from me? - 2
- How long shall I have perplexity in my mind,
and grief in my heart, day after day? *
how long shall my enemy triumph over me? -
- 3
- Look upon me and answer me, O LORD my God; *
give light to my eyes, lest I sleep in death; - 4
- Lest my enemy say, "I have prevailed over him," *
and my foes rejoice that I have fallen. - 5
- But I put my trust in your mercy; *
my heart is joyful because of your saving help. - 6
- I will sing to the LORD, for he has dealt with me richly; *
I will praise the Name of the Lord Most High.
Hebrews 5:12-6:1,9-12
For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic elements of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food; for everyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is unskilled in the word of righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, for those whose faculties have been trained by practice to distinguish good from evil.
Therefore let us go on toward perfection, leaving behind the basic teaching about Christ, and not laying again the foundation: repentance from dead works and faith toward God,
Even though we speak in this way, beloved, we are confident of better things in your case, things that belong to salvation. For God is not unjust; he will not overlook your work and the love that you showed for his sake in serving the saints, as you still do. And we want each one of you to show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope to the very end, so that you may not become sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Mark 10:46-52
Jesus and his disciples came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" Jesus stood still and said, "Call him here." And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart; get up, he is calling you." So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. Then Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man said to him, "My teacher, let me see again." Jesus said to him, "Go; your faith has made you well." Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.
