OLD TESTAMENT: Exodus 3: 1 - 15 (RCL)

Exod 3:1 (NRSV) Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jeth'ro, the priest of Mid'ian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Ho'reb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. 3 Then Moses said, "I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up." 4 When the LORD saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." 5 Then he said, "Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground." 6 He said further, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
7 Then the LORD said, "I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Ca'naanites, the Hit'tites, the Am'orites, the Per'izzites, the Hi'vites, and the Jeb'usites. 9 The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. 10 So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt." 11 But Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" 12 He said, "I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain."
13 But Moses said to God, "If I come to the Israelites and say to them, "The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,' and they ask me, "What is his name?' what shall I say to them?" 14 God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." He said further, "Thus you shall say to the Israelites, "I AM has sent me to you.'" 15 God also said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the Israelites, "The LORD, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you':
This is my name forever,
and this my title for all generations.


Jeremiah 15: 15 - 21 (alt. for RCL)

Jere 15:15 (NRSV) O LORD, you know;
remember me and visit me,
and bring down retribution for me on my persecutors.
In your forbearance do not take me away;
know that on your account I suffer insult.
16 Your words were found, and I ate them,
and your words became to me a joy
and the delight of my heart;
for I am called by your name,
O LORD, God of hosts.
17 I did not sit in the company of merrymakers,
nor did I rejoice;
under the weight of your hand I sat alone,
for you had filled me with indignation.
18 Why is my pain unceasing,
my wound incurable,
refusing to be healed?
Truly, you are to me like a deceitful brook,
like waters that fail.
19 Therefore thus says the LORD:
If you turn back, I will take you back,
and you shall stand before me.
If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless,
you shall serve as my mouth.
It is they who will turn to you,
not you who will turn to them.
20 And I will make you to this people
a fortified wall of bronze;
they will fight against you,
but they shall not prevail over you,
for I am with you
to save you and deliver you,
qsays the LORD.
21 I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked,
and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.


Jeremiah 20: 7 - 9 (Roman Catholic)

Jere 20:7 (NRSV) O LORD, you have enticed me,
and I was enticed;
you have overpowered me,
and you have prevailed.
I have become a laughingstock all day long;
everyone mocks me.
8 For whenever I speak, I must cry out,
I must shout, "Violence and destruction!"
For the word of the LORD has become for me
a reproach and derision all day long.
9 If I say, "I will not mention him,
or speak any more in his name,"
then within me there is something like a burning fire
shut up in my bones;
I am weary with holding it in,
and I cannot.


PSALM 105: 1 - 6, 23 - 26, 45c (RCL)

Psal 105:1 (NRSV) O give thanks to the LORD, call on his name,
make known his deeds among the peoples.
2 Sing to him, sing praises to him;
tell of all his wonderful works.
3 Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
4 Seek the LORD and his strength;
seek his presence continually.
5 Remember the wonderful works he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,
6 O offspring of his servant Abraham,
children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

23 Then Israel came to Egypt;
Jacob lived as an alien in the land of Ham.
24 And the LORD made his people very fruitful,
and made them stronger than their foes,
25 whose hearts he then turned to hate his people,
to deal craftily with his servants.
26 He sent his servant Moses,
and Aaron whom he had chosen.

45 Praise the LORD!


105

Part I Confitemini Domino (ECUSA BCP)

1 Give thanks to the LORD and call upon his Name; *
make known his deeds among the peoples.

2 Sing to him, sing praises to him, *
and speak of all his marvelous works.

3 Glory in his holy Name; *
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.

4 Search for the LORD and his strength; *
continually seek his face.

5 Remember the marvels he has done, *
his wonders and the judgments of his mouth,

6 O offspring of Abraham his servant, *
O children of Jacob his chosen.


23 Israel came into Egypt, *
and Jacob became a sojourner in the land of Ham.

24 The LORD made his people exceedingly fruitful; *
he made them stronger than their enemies;

25 Whose heart he turned, so that they hated his people, *
and dealt unjustly with his servants.

26 He sent Moses his servant, *
and Aaron whom he had chosen.


45 Hallelujah!



Psalm 26: 1 - 8 (alt. for RCL)

Psal 26:1 (NRSV) Vindicate me, O LORD,
for I have walked in my integrity,
and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.
2 Prove me, O LORD, and try me;
test my heart and mind.
3 For your steadfast love is before my eyes,
and I walk in faithfulness to you.
4 I do not sit with the worthless,
nor do I consort with hypocrites;
5 I hate the company of evildoers,
and will not sit with the wicked.
6 I wash my hands in innocence,
and go around your altar, O LORD,
7 singing aloud a song of thanksgiving,
and telling all your wondrous deeds.
8 O LORD, I love the house in which you dwell,
and the place where your glory abides.


26 Judica me, Domine (ECUSA BCP)

1 Give judgment for me, O LORD,
for I have lived with integrity; *
I have trusted in the Lord and have not faltered.

2 Test me, O LORD, and try me; *
examine my heart and my mind.

3 For your love is before my eyes; *
I have walked faithfully with you.

4 I have not sat with the worthless, *
nor do I consort with the deceitful.

5 I have hated the company of evildoers; *
I will not sit down with the wicked.

6 I will wash my hands in innocence, O LORD, *
that I may go in procession round your altar,

7 Singing aloud a song of thanksgiving *
and recounting all your wonderful deeds.

8 LORD, I love the house in which you dwell *
and the place where your glory abides.



Psalm 63: 1 - 5, 7 - 8 (Roman Catholic)

Psal 63:1 (NRSV) O God, you are my God, I seek you,
my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
3 Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.
4 So I will bless you as long as I live;
I will lift up my hands and call on your name.
5 My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast,
and my mouth praises you with joyful lips
7 for you have been my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy.
8 My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.

Note: Verse numbering in Roman Catholic Bibles is one higher than the above.


NEW TESTAMENT: Romans 12: 9 - 21 (RCL)

Roma 12:9 (NRSV) Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; 10 love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. 18 If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." 20 No, "if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads." 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

h/t montreal anglican

Romans 12: 1 - 2 (Roman Catholic)

Roma 12:1 (NRSV) I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God--what is good and acceptable and perfect.


In the preceding chapters, Paul has told us about the “mercies of God” (v. 1), i.e. what God has done for those who have faith in him. In vv. 1-8, he began to explain what our response should be, what is involved in living the ethical life, what obedience to God means, what Christian ethics is, what serving the Lord (v. 11) is.

“Let love be genuine” (v. 9) introduces instructions on what it means to be loving towards others. V. 10 can be rendered: Have brotherly love for your fellow Christian; treat him or her with the greatest honour. Then vv. 11-12: do not allow your “zeal” for Christ to slacken; be fervent in the Holy Spirit; “serve the Lord”. Rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, looking beyond the present suffering to the future, keep praying. We are to share with (“Contribute to”, v. 13) the “saints”, the holy ones, our fellow Christians. Practising hospitality to Christians from other places (“strangers”, v. 13) was important in the early Church, public accommodation being infested with prostitutes and bandits.

Paul now says what pursuing “what is good” (v. 9) requires in our attitude to those beyond the community. He seems to be drawing on the gospel tradition (but not the gospels per se – they were yet to be written.) V. 14 is in the Sermon on the Mount. Hold all in mutual esteem, not thinking oneself better than others (v. 16). Seek out what is “noble” (v. 17) in others. To the extent that you can control the situation, “live peaceably with all” (v. 18). Never even desire revenge (v. 19); leave handling sin to God (at the end of time). Perhaps v. 20 says that by shaming “your enemies” they may come round, repent. Do good when faced with evil (v. 21).

Verse 9: See also 13:8-10; 1 Corinthians 13:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:9; Galatians 5:14, 22; 1 John 4:19. [NOAB] [CAB]
Verse 10: “mutual affection”: The Greek word philadelphia is also used in 1 Thessalonians 4:9; Hebrews 13:1; 1 Peter 1:22; 2 Peter 1:7. [CAB]
Verse 11: “serve the Lord”: Some manuscripts have kairo (time, in the sense of opportune time) rather than kyrio (Lord), leading to the translation serve the hour and the interpretation meet the demands of the time in which you live. [NJBC]
Verse 12: “Rejoice in hope”: See also 5:2-5 and 1 Peter 1:3-9. [CAB]
Verse 12: “be patient in suffering”: See also 5:2-4; 8:24-25; 1 Corinthians 13:7; 1 Thessalonians 1:3. [CAB]
Verse 13: “Contribute to the needs of the saints”: There is possibly a hint here to support the impoverished members of the Jerusalem church. [NJBC]
Verse 14: See also Exodus 23:4-5; 2 Chronicles 28:8-15; Matthew 5:38-39, 44; Luke 6:29, 35; 1 Thessalonians 5:15; 1 Peter 3:9.
Verse 14: “who persecute you”: This verse echoes Jesus’ words in Luke 6:27-28. Some important manuscripts (including P46) omit “you”, thus giving the verse a more general sense: bless (all) persecutors. There is no reason to think that Paul knew of official persecution in the Roman church when he wrote. [NJBC] See also 1 Corinthians 4:12; James 3:9-12; 1 Peter 2:23.
Verse 15: In Philippians 3:1 and 4:4, Paul also calls on his readers to rejoice in the Lord.
Verse 16: Paul also advises his readers to live in harmony with one another in 15:5, as he does in 2 Corinthians 13:11; Philippians 2:2; 4:2.
Verse 16: “associate with the lowly”: This translation assumes that tapeinos (“lowly”) is masculine, but if it is neuter the translation is give yourselves to lowly tasks. [NJBC] Paul may have intended the ambiguity. [BlkRom]
Verse 16: “do not claim ...”: This is Proverbs 3:7, freely quoted. [NJBC]
Verse 17: “Do not repay anyone evil for evil”: This may also echo Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:39, 43-44. [NJBC] Paul seems to have Proverbs 3:4 (in the Septuagint translation) in mind. [BlkRom]
Verse 17: “take thought ...”: In 1 Corinthians 10:32, Paul advises: “Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God”. See also 2 Corinthians 4:2; 8:21; 1 Timothy 5:14; 1 Peter 2:12, 15; 3:16.
Verse 18: In Mark 9:50, Jesus says: “... be at peace with one another”. See also Matthew 5:9 and 1 Timothy 2:1-2.
Verse 19: “never avenge”: NJBC offers never look for revenge. Even desiring revenge is outside Christian conduct.
Verse 19: “Vengeance is mine ...”: Vengeance is God’s, not ours. [NOAB] The quotation is Deuteronomy 32:35. See also Leviticus 19:18; Proverbs 20:22; 24:29; 2 Chronicles 28:8-15.
Verse 20: The quotation is Proverbs 25:21 in the Septuagint translation. [NOAB]; however NJBC finds “heap burning coals ...” to be obscure. There are two interpretations in patristic writings.
Verse 21: This verse summarizes vv. 14-21.





GOSPEL: Matthew 16: 21 - 28 (RCL)
Matthew 16: 21 - 27 (Roman Catholic)

Matt 16:21 (NRSV) From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you." 23 But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things."
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?
27 "For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. 28 Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."


Jesus has been instructing his disciples about the mission they are to carry out on his behalf, about telling the good news. Now his message to them shifts to teaching them that he, the Messiah, must (per God's will and purpose), undergo great suffering – something inconceivable to most Jews. (“Jerusalem” is the city where prophets are put to death.) Peter grasped that Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of the living God”, (v. 16) but he cannot yet deal with the impending death of the Messiah, rather than his direct ascendance to glory.
Then v. 24: to be Jesus' followers, we must devote the whole thrust of our lives to God (“deny themselves”), not reserving any part for our personal goals. Be willing to give up physical comfort and safety, accepting martyrdom if necessary. This approach to life will lead to true life with God. V. 26 asks a rhetorical question: nothing that one can get or “gain” now measures up to what God will give to the faithful in the time to come. There will be a reckoning, when Jesus comes in glory at the end of time. Some who hear these words now will still be alive at the Judgement Day (v. 28). People in the early church expected the age to end within their own lifetimes; however some today see the Transfiguration (which follows in Chapter 17) as fulfilment of this prophecy.

The parallels are Mark 8:31-9:1 and Luke 9:22-27.

Verse 21: See also Luke 9:43-45; 17:25; 18:31-34. Jesus accepted rejection because he insisted that he himself be freely followed: see Mark 10:33-34. [NOAB]

Verse 21: For Jerusalem as the city where prophets are put to death by the religious authorities, see 23:29-39. There Jesus accuses the religious leaders of showing that they “are descendants of those who murdered the prophets”. [NJBC] Only one such murder is mentioned in the Old Testament (see 2 Chronicles 24:20-22), but Jewish legend had added others to the list of national martyrs. [NOAB]

Verse 21: “the elders and chief priests and scribes”: The three groups of leaders compose the Sanhedrin; elders were lay leaders. Note that the Pharisees are not explicitly mentioned. [NJBC]

Verse 22: “rebuke”: Peter wants only a theology of grace and glory; he wants to separate Christ from the cross. [NJBC]

Verse 23: Jesus sees in Peter’s words a continuation of Satan’s temptation of him in the desert: see Matthew 4:10 and Luke 4:8. [NOAB]

Verse 23: “You are a stumbling block to me”: Ironic after 16:18: “... I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church...”! [NJBC]

Verses 24-28: These verses contain five sayings. The first three can be understood as a commentary on the great commandment in Deuteronomy 6:5: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might” as it was understood by early rabbis:

The “heart” refers to the two effective impulses or drives, good and evil: to “deny themselves” (v. 24) is self-denial, submission of one’s will to God’s;
The “soul” means “life” (v. 25), even martyrdom;
“Might” means wealth, property and other external possessions (see Mishna Berakot 9:5): here gaining the whole world (v. 26). [NJBC]

Verse 24: “cross”: In Jesus’ day, the cross was proverbial for suffering and cruelty, so this is unlikely to be a reference to Jesus’ crucifixion. [NJBC] Crucifixion was a Roman means of execution in which the condemned carried the cross (actually the cross-arm) to the scene of death. Jesus sees that acceptance of his message with its promise also may bring destruction. Only those who in faith accept the threat of destruction will find life. See also Matthew 5:11-12; 10:38-39; Mark 10:29-31; Luke 14:27; 17:33; John 12:25. [NOAB]

Verse 26: “life”: Life here is not mere physical existence, but the higher or spiritual life, the real self. In Luke 12:15, Jesus says: “‘... Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions’”. [NOAB]

Verses 27-28: Two sayings which paint end-time rewards of discipleship. The “Son of Man” will come as judge; the Kingdom will be his. [NJBC]

Verse 27: In Psalm 62:12, a psalmist says of God: “... you repay to all according to their work”. In Matthew 10:33, Jesus says: “... whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven”.

Verse 28: In Mark 9:1, Jesus says: “... there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God has come with power”. In 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18, Paul tells of those already dead and those still alive meeting “the Lord in the air”. James 5:7 advises readers to be “patient, ... until the coming of the Lord”. Revelation 1:7 says: “... He is coming with the clouds; every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail. So it is to be ...”.

Verse 28: “taste death”: i.e. become personally acquainted with death. [NOAB]

Verse 28: Comments: some today see the Transfiguration (which follows in Chapter 17) as fulfilment of this prophecy: Note that mention of the Transfiguration as a “vision” (see 17:9) fits with seeing “the Son of Man coming”. [NJBC]