6 Jan Hus, Prophetic Witness and Martyr, 1415
7
8
9
10
11 Benedict of Nursia, Abbot of Monte Cassino, c. 540 is a Christian saint, honoured by the Catholic Church and the Anglican Church[1] as the patron saint of Europe and students.
12 Nathan Söderblom, Archbishop of Uppsala and Ecumenist, 1931
13 Conrad Weiser, Witness to Peace and Reconciliation, 1760


OLD TESTAMENT: Genesis 24: 34 - 38, 42 - 49, 58 - 67 (RCL)

Gene 24:34 (NRSV) So he said, "I am Abraham's servant. 35 The LORD has greatly blessed my master, and he has become wealthy; he has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female slaves, camels and donkeys. 36 And Sarah my master's wife bore a son to my master when she was old; and he has given him all that he has. 37 My master made me swear, saying, "You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Ca'naanites, in whose land I live; 38 but you shall go to my father's house, to my kindred, and get a wife for my son.'

42 "I came today to the spring, and said, "O LORD, the God of my master Abraham, if now you will only make successful the way I am going! 43 I am standing here by the spring of water; let the young woman who comes out to draw, to whom I shall say, "Please give me a little water from your jar to drink," 44 and who will say to me, "Drink, and I will draw for your camels also"--let her be the woman whom the LORD has appointed for my master's son.'
45 "Before I had finished speaking in my heart, there was Rebekah coming out with her water jar on her shoulder; and she went down to the spring, and drew. I said to her, "Please let me drink.' 46 She quickly let down her jar from her shoulder, and said, "Drink, and I will also water your camels.' So I drank, and she also watered the camels. 47 Then I asked her, "Whose daughter are you?' She said, "The daughter of Bethu'el, Na'hor's son, whom Mil'cah bore to him.' So I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her arms. 48 Then I bowed my head and worshiped the LORD, and blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way to obtain the daughter of my master's kinsman for his son. 49 Now then, if you will deal loyally and truly with my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so that I may turn either to the right hand or to the left."

58 And they called Rebekah, and said to her, "Will you go with this man?" She said, "I will." 59 So they sent away their sister Rebekah and her nurse along with Abraham's servant and his men. 60 And they blessed Rebekah and said to her,
"May you, our sister, become
thousands of myriads;
may your offspring gain possession
of the gates of their foes."
61 Then Rebekah and her maids rose up, mounted the camels, and followed the man; thus the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.
62 Now Isaac had come from Be'er-la'hai-roi, and was settled in the Neg'eb. 63 Isaac went out in the evening to walk in the field; and looking up, he saw camels coming. 64 And Rebekah looked up, and when she saw Isaac, she slipped quickly from the camel, 65 and said to the servant, "Who is the man over there, walking in the field to meet us?" The servant said, "It is my master." So she took her veil and covered herself. 66 And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. 67 Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent. He took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.


Zechariah 9: 9 - 12 (alt. for RCL)
Zechariah 9: 9 - 10 (Roman Catholic)

Zech 9:9 (NRSV) Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem!
Lo, your king comes to you;
triumphant and victorious is he,
humble and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
10 He will cut off the chariot from E'phraim
and the war horse from Jerusalem;
and the battle bow shall be cut off,
and he shall command peace to the nations;
his dominion shall be from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
11 As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you,
I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.
12 Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope;
today I declare that I will restore to you double.


PSALM 45: 10 - 17 (RCL)

Psal 45:10 (NRSV) Hear, O daughter, consider and incline your ear;
forget your people and your father's house,
11 and the king will desire your beauty.
Since he is your lord, bow to him;
12 the people of Tyre will seek your favor with gifts,
the richest of the people 13 with all kinds of wealth.
The princess is decked in her chamber with gold-woven robes;
14 in many-colored robes she is led to the king;
behind her the virgins, her companions, follow.
15 With joy and gladness they are led along
as they enter the palace of the king.
16 In the place of ancestors you, O king, shall have sons;
you will make them princes in all the earth.
17 I will cause your name to be celebrated in all generations;
therefore the peoples will praise you forever and ever.

Note: Verse numbering may be different in your Psalter


45   Eructavit cor meum   (ECUSA BCP)

11      “Hear, O daughter; consider and listen closely; *
     forget your people and your father’s house.

12      The king will have pleasure in your beauty; *
     he is your master; therefore do him honor.

13      The people of Tyre are here with a gift; *
     the rich among the people seek your favor."

14      All glorious is the princess as she enters; *
     her gown is cloth-of-gold.

15      In embroidered apparel she is brought to the king; *
     after her the bridesmaids follow in procession.

16      With joy and gladness they are brought, *
     and enter into the palace of the king.

17      “In place of fathers, O king, you shall have sons; *
     you shall make them princes over all the earth.

18      I will make your name to be remembered
from one generation to another; *
     therefore nations will praise you for ever and ever.”



Psalm 145: 8 - 14 (alt. for RCL)
Psalm 145: 1 - 2, 8 - 11, 13 - 14 (Roman Catholic)

Psal 145:1 (NRSV) I will extol you, my God and King,
and bless your name forever and ever.
2 Every day I will bless you,
and praise your name forever and ever.

8 The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 The LORD is good to all,
and his compassion is over all that he has made.
10 All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD,
and all your faithful shall bless you.
11 They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom,
and tell of your power,
12 to make known to all people your mighty deeds,
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures throughout all generations.
The LORD is faithful in all his words,
and gracious in all his deeds.
14 The LORD upholds all who are falling,
and raises up all who are bowed down.


145   Exaltabo te, Deus   (ECUSA BCP)

8      The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, *
     slow to anger and of great kindness.

9      The Lord is loving to everyone *
     and his compassion is over all his works.

10  All your works praise you, O Lord, *
     and your faithful servants bless you.

11  They make known the glory of your kingdom *
     and speak of your power;

12  That the peoples may know of your power *
     and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

13  Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; *
     your dominion endures throughout all ages.

14  The LORD is faithful in all his words *
     and merciful in all his deeds.

15  The Lord upholds all those who fall; *
     he lifts up those who are bowed down.


Song of Solomon 2: 8 - 13 (alt. to Ps. 45 for RCL)

Song 2:8 (NRSV) The voice of my beloved!
Look, he comes,
leaping upon the mountains,
bounding over the hills.
9 My beloved is like a gazelle
or a young stag.
Look, there he stands
behind our wall,
gazing in at the windows,
looking through the lattice.
10 My beloved speaks and says to me:
"Arise, my love, my fair one,
and come away;
11 for now the winter is past,
the rain is over and gone.
12 The flowers appear on the earth;
the time of singing has come,
and the voice of the turtledove
is heard in our land.
13 The fig tree puts forth its figs,
and the vines are in blossom;
they give forth fragrance.
Arise, my love, my fair one,
and come away.


NEW TESTAMENT: Romans 7: 15 - 25a   (RCL)

Roma 7:15. I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. 17 But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me.
21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, 23 but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

h/t Montreal Anglican

Paul has written of two ways of being:
the old, where being subject to the Law, people continually contravene it (sin), are dependent on God’s love to restore them to harmony with him, and in sinning ensure that they have no spiritual life after death, and
the new,

attained through baptism, where through Christ sin is no more, and physical death leads to eternal life. But we have not yet fully attained the new, so we are still influenced by evil. Now Paul asks: how could sin (personified) use the Law, which is good, to destroy humans? Humans are at fault, not the Law. He endures conflict between what he does, his “actions”, his exterior, and his “inmost self” (v. 22), his “mind” (vv. 23, 25). His true self abides by “the law of God” (v. 22), by God’s ways; it sees that what he does is not what he wills, and is what he hates (v. 15). Vv. 17 and 20 seem to say that sin, not he, is responsible for his actions, but realize that the “sin” is his sin. He is caught up in sin; he wills to obey God, but he can’t! (v. 18). So it seems to be a principle of life (“law”, v. 21) that whenever he wills good, the devil is never far away. His body is “at war” (v. 23) with his being. It is God, through Christ, who “will rescue” (v. 24) him from this sorry estate.

Verses 1-6: An analogy from marriage. [ NOAB]

Verse 1: “Do you not know”: A frequent phrase in Paul’s writings, usually indicating something his readers already know well. He also uses it, for example, in 6:3; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:2; 9:24.

Verse 1: “the law”: Mosaic law is meant generally, but also specifically: Numbers 5:20, 24; 30:10-14 deal with marriage. See also Proverbs 6:29. [ NOAB] [ NJBC]

Verse 3: “adulteress”: A wife was the property of her husband; infidelity was considered to be adultery. See Exodus 20:17 (on of the Ten Commandments). Other ordinances are found in 21:3, 22; Leviticus 20:10. [ NJBC]

Verses 4-6: The “law” here is Mosaic law, as it is in 2:12-37; 3:19-21, 28-31; 4:13-16; however, Paul uses the word with a different meaning later. [ NOAB] See Clipping on v. 21.

Verse 4: A wife was no longer considered married when her husband had died, and was free to marry another man, so in the same way having died to Mosaic law, Christians are free to belong to Christ. [ NJBC]

Verse 4: “bear fruit for God”: Marriage was expected to “bear fruit” in terms of progeny; the union of Christ and the Christian is also like this. [ NJBC]

Verse 5: “in the flesh”: NJBC offers a helpful translation (interpretation): merely natural lives .

Verse 5: “our sinful passions, aroused by the law”: In 5:20, Paul writes: “But law came in, with the result that the trespass multiplied; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more”. See also 7:13 and Galatians 2:19. [ CAB]

Verse 6: In 10:4, Paul says “For Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes”. See also Galatians 3:23-26 and 2 Corinthians 3:6. [ CAB]

Verse 6: “that which held us captive”: i.e. Mosaic law. [ NOAB]

Verse 6: “the new life of the Spirit”: A reference to baptism. In 6:3-4, Paul writes: “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life”. [ JBC]

Verses 7-23: A view of Mosaic law and sin as seen through Christian eyes. [ NOAB]

Verse 7: As in 3:1-20, Paul anticipates questions which might come from his readers. and then proceeds to answer them. This form of rhetoric, developed in Greek philosophical debate, was called diatribe. See also 3:5; 4:1; 6:1; 9:14, 30. [ CAB]

Verse 7: “the law”: i.e. Mosaic law. [ NJBC]

Verse 7: “I would not have known sin”: I has been variously interpreted as Paul (before and after his conversion), Adam, adherents to Judaism, humans in general, or a Jewish boy before his coming of age (Bar mitzvah). The most likely interpretation is that he means one, as he does in 1 Corinthians 8:13; 13:1-3, 11-12; 14:6-19; Romans 14:21; Galatians 2:18-21. This is a rhetorical device also found in psalms of thanksgiving. To Paul, sin is something historical and corporate. See also 3:20; 5:13; 7:8. [ NOAB] [ NJBC]

Verse 7: “You shall not covet”: All of the commandments can be seen as being about coveting. This particular commandment is found in Exodus 20:17 and Deuteronomy 5:21. [ CAB]

Verse 8: “Apart from the law sin lies dead”: NJBC offers without the law, sin was life-less. It was like a corpse, unable to do anything; it could not make evil into an identifiable revolt against God: see also 4:15; 5:13.

Verse 9: “sin revived”: BlkRom offers sprang to life.

Verse 10: Leviticus 18:5 says “You shall keep my statutes and my ordinances; by doing so one shall live: I am the Lord”. Only by keeping the Law at all times could one live, but doing so was impossible. [ NOAB] See also Deuteronomy 4:1 (before entering the Promised Land); Deuteronomy 6:24; Galatians 3:12; Romans 10:5. [ JBC]

Verse 11: The Law itself is of God, but it makes one aware of sin (see Galatians 3:19) and also causes one to sin, e.g. by coveting.

Verse 13: A summary of vv. 7-13. [ CAB]

Verse 14: “spiritual”: i.e. of divine origin. [ CAB]

Verse 14: “of the flesh”: i.e. focussed on worldly desires. [ CAB]

Verse 15: God’s peace comes only as a gift (see 5:1-11 and 8:3). Paul says: I want his peace, but I find myself separated from God. [ CAB]

Verse 16: The Qumran sect also recognized this conflict within humans. They explained it by postulating that God had place two spirits in humans: a spirit of truth and one of perversity. But Paul sees things differently: the division is within humans themselves.

Verse 17: It is possible to read this verse, in isolation, as saying that one is not responsible for one’s evil deeds, but elsewhere Paul shows that he really does not mean this: see, for example, 1:31-2:5; 5:12, 14.

Verse 18: “in my flesh”: NJBC offers in my natural self.

Verse 19: One wants a life of harmony with God. [ CAB]

Verse 21: “law”: i.e. principle, pattern, precept, as in “law of faith” (in 3:27). [ NJBC] (The Greek word, nomos, is the origin of our word norm.)

Verses 24-25: We are threatened by complete defeat with evil permeating our lives, but in seeking God’s mercy through Christ we find freedom from the guilt and power of sin. [ NOAB]

GOSPEL: Matthew 11: 16 - 19, 25 - 30 (RCL)
                  Matthew 11: 25 - 30 (Roman Catholic)

Matt 11:16 (NRSV) "But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another,
17 "We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we wailed, and you did not mourn.'
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, "He has a demon'; 19 the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, "Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds."

25 At that time Jesus said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
28 "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

John the Baptist has sent his disciples to ask Jesus whether he is the expected Messiah. Jesus has invited John to decide for himself: does he not do deeds of healing as foretold of the Messiah in Isaiah? John, Jesus has said, is indeed a prophet, the “messenger” (v. 10) sent to prepare for the Messiah (foretold in Malachi, and there named as Elijah), and the greatest human. For people of faith, John heralds the dawn of the time of fulfilment of God’s promise.

Vv. 16-19a are a parable in which the “children” are John and Jesus; the people of Israel ignore their message, whether it be told austerely (by John, as at a funeral, “mourn”) or in merriment (by Jesus, as at a wedding). But God’s “wisdom” proves them right by their results. Then vv. 20-24: people in Jewish towns, where Jesus has invited conversion through miracles (“deeds of power”), have ignored his message and will be condemned at the Last Day, while people of Gentile towns would have been much more receptive. In vv. 25-26, Jesus thanks his Father for choosing the simple, uneducated (“infants”) over the religious leaders (“the wise ...”). He is totally the Father’s representative; only the Father knows him, and only he and those he chooses know the Father. He invites the downtrodden to accept his “rest” (v. 28). Rabbis spoke of the “yoke” (v. 29) of the Law, with its many regulations. Jesus’ way is “easy” (v. 30): love God and each other! He is both teacher and the one to emulate.

Verse 2: “When John heard in prison”: John the Baptist had been incarcerated for denouncing Herod Antipas for marrying his brother’s wife. See 14:3-4.

Verses 4-5: Jesus takes Isaiah 29:18-19; 35:5-6; 61:1-2 as predictions of the activities of the Messiah, although the cleansing of lepers is not mentioned there. [ NOAB]

Verse 6: Jesus’ statement of the Messiah’s deeds are not what was popularly expected; he pronounces a blessing on those who adapt to seeing the Messiah in this new way.

Verse 10: The quotation is Malachi 3:1. In Exodus 23:20, as God reaffirms the promise that the Israelites will enter the Promised Land, he promises to send an “angel in front of you, to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared”. [ NOAB] [ NJBC]

Verse 12: This verse is puzzling. A time of “violence” was expected to precede the coming of the Messiah. It is also true that the Romans had occupied Israel by force and that John the Baptist had been mistreated. [ NJBC]

Verse 13: i.e. all scripture (the Old Testament) points to the Messiah.

Verse 14: “he is Elijah who is to come”: In Malachi 4:5, God says through the prophet: “... I will send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes.”. Jesus infers that this verse in Malachi is not to be taken literally. [ NOAB] [ NJBC]

Verse 18: John the Baptist was thought by many to be crazy. In Luke 7:33, Jesus says: “For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon’”. [ NOAB]

Verse 19: Jesus is denounced as violating the traditions of Israel.

Verse 19: “by her deeds”: The parallel in Luke ( 7:34-35) has “by all her children” rather than “by her deeds”. Luke’s version fits better with v. 16, so is probably the original. In Luke 16:16, Jesus says: “The law and the prophets were in effect until John came; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is proclaimed, and everyone tries to enter it by force”.

Verses 20-24: In Luke 10:13-15, Jesus pronounces woe on Chorazin but not on Bethsaida and Capernaum. [ NJBC]

Verse 21: “Chorazin”: Some 4 km north of Capernaum, on the Sea of Galilee. The ruins of a synagogue can be seen there today. [ NOAB]

Verse 21: “Bethsaida”: Near the most northern point of the Sea of Galilee. [ NOAB]

Verse 21: “Tyre and Sidon”: Phoenician cities on the Mediterranean coast, condemned in both Isaiah 23:1-18 and Ezekiel 26-28. [ NOAB] [ NJBC]

Verse 21: “sackcloth and ashes”: Symbols of repentance. See also Genesis 37:34 (Jacob, at the loss of Joseph); 1 Kings 21:27 (Elijah tells of Yahweh’s judgement on Ahab and Jezebel); Jonah 3:5-8 (the reaction of the people of Nineveh on hearing Jonah’s prophecy).

Verse 23: “Capernaum”: Jesus’ own place of residence: see 4:13. Jesus alludes to Isaiah 14:13, 15. There, aspirations to divinity are dashed by being brought down to Sheol (the equivalent of “Hades”). [ NJBC]

Verse 24: “Sodom”: The destruction of the city for its wickedness is described in Genesis 19:24-28. [ NJBC]

Verses 25-30: See also Luke 10:21-22. [ NOAB] [ NJBC]

Verses 25-27: “Father”: The word occurs five times in three verses. Note the note of intimacy in v. 27: “my Father”. [ NOAB] [ NJBC]

Verse 25: “revealed”: Understanding spiritual realities involves God’s disclosure. See also 11:25; Luke 24:16; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25; 2:6-16.

Verse 26: “gracious will”: NJBC offers good pleasure.

Verse 27: For Jesus’ special relationship with the Father that he could share with others, see also John 3:35 and 13:3. For Jesus as the exclusive revelation of the Father, see 28:18; John 3:35; 10:15; 13:3. [ NOAB] [ NJBC]

Verse 28: Jesus speaks as did Lady Wisdom (wisdom personified) in Proverbs 8. [ NJBC]

Verse 28: “rest”: In Jeremiah 6:16, sabbath rest is a symbol of the Kingdom of God.