·  23 John Cassian, Abbot at Marseilles, 433 was a Christian monk and theologian celebrated in both the Western and Eastern Churches for his mystical writings. Cassian is noted for his role in bringing the ideas and practices of Christian monasticism to the early medieval West.

·  24 Thomas a Kempis, Priest, 1471 was a German who became a canon regular in the Netherlands and authored The Imitation of Christ, one of the most popular and best known Christian books on devotion

·  25 Saint James the Apostle

·  26 The Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary (traditionally identified as Anne and Joachim)

·  27 William Reed Huntington, Priest, 1909

·  28 Johann Sebastian Bach, 1750, George Frederick Handel, 1759, and Henry Purcell, 1695, Composers

·  29 Mary, Martha and Lazarus of Bethany

·  30 William Wilberforce, 1833 and Anthony Ashley Cooper, Lord Shaftesbury, 1885, Prophetic Witnesses

OLD TESTAMENT: Genesis 28: 10 - 19a (RCL)

Gene 28:10 (NRSV) Jacob left Be'er-she'ba and went toward Har'an. 11 He came to a certain place and stayed there for the night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place. 12 And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 And the LORD stood beside him and said, "I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring; 14 and your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring. 15 Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you." 16 Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, "Surely the LORD is in this place--and I did not know it!" 17 And he was afraid, and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."

18 So Jacob rose early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. 19 He called that place Beth'el;

Wisdom 12: 13, 16 - 19 (Roman Catholic, alt. for RCL)

13 For neither is there any god besides you, whose care is for all people,

to whom you should prove that you have not judged unjustly;

16 For your strength is the source of righteousness,

and your sovereignty over all causes you to spare all.

17 For you show your strength when people doubt the completeness of your power,

and you rebuke any insolence among those who know it.

18 Although you are sovereign in strength, you judge with mildness,

and with great forbearance you govern us;

for you have power to act whenever you choose.

19 Through such works you have taught your people

that the righteous must be kind,

and you have filled your children with good hope,

because you give repentance for sins.

Isaiah 44: 6 - 8 (alt. for RCL)

Isai 44:6 (NRSV) Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel,

and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts:

I am the first and I am the last;

besides me there is no god.

7 Who is like me? Let them proclaim it,

let them declare and set it forth before me.

Who has announced from of old the things to come?

Let them tell us what is yet to be.

8 Do not fear, or be afraid;

have I not told you from of old and declared it?

You are my witnesses!

Is there any god besides me?

There is no other rock; I know not one.

PSALM 139: 1 - 12, 23 - 24 (RCL)

Psal 139:1 (NRSV) O LORD, you have searched me and known me.

2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;

you discern my thoughts from far away.

3 You search out my path and my lying down,

and are acquainted with all my ways.

4 Even before a word is on my tongue,

O LORD, you know it completely.

5 You hem me in, behind and before,

and lay your hand upon me.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

it is so high that I cannot attain it.

7 Where can I go from your spirit?

Or where can I flee from your presence?

8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there;

if I make my bed in She'ol, you are there.

9 If I take the wings of the morning

and settle at the farthest limits of the sea,

10 even there your hand shall lead me,

and your right hand shall hold me fast.

11 If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me,

and the light around me become night,"

12 even the darkness is not dark to you;

the night is as bright as the day,

for darkness is as light to you.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my thoughts.

24 See if there is any wicked way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting.

Note: Verse numbering in your Psalter may differ from the above.

139   Domine, probasti  (ECUSA BCP)

1               Lord, you have searched me out and known me; *

     you know my sitting down and my rising up;

     you discern my thoughts from afar.

2               You trace my journeys and my resting-places *

     and are acquainted with all my ways.

3               Indeed, there is not a word on my lips, *

     but you, O Lord, know it altogether.

4               You press upon me behind and before *

     and lay your hand upon me.

5               Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; *

     it is so high that I cannot attain to it.

6               Where can I go then from your Spirit? *

     where can I flee from your presence?

7               If I climb up to heaven, you are there; *

     if I make the grave my bed, you are there also.

8               If I take the wings of the morning *

     and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

9               Even there your hand will lead me *

     and your right hand hold me fast.

10             If I say, “Surely the darkness will cover me, *

     and the light around me turn to night,”

11             Darkness is not dark to you;

the night is as bright as the day; *

     darkness and light to you are both alike.

22             Search me out, O God, and know my heart; *

     try me and know my restless thoughts.

23             Look well whether there be any wickedness in me *

     and lead me in the way that is everlasting.

Psalm 86: 5 - 6, 9 - 10, 15 - 16 (Roman Catholic)

Psalm 86: 11 - 17 (alt. for RCL)

Psal 86:1 (NRSV) Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me,

for I am poor and needy.

2 Preserve my life, for I am devoted to you;

save your servant who trusts in you.

You are my God; 3 be gracious to me, O Lord,

for to you do I cry all day long.

4 Gladden the soul of your servant,

for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,

abounding in steadfast love to all who call on you.

6 Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer;

listen to my cry of supplication.

7 In the day of my trouble I call on you,

for you will answer me.

8 There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,

nor are there any works like yours.

9 All the nations you have made shall come

and bow down before you, O Lord,

and shall glorify your name.

10 For you are great and do wondrous things;

you alone are God.

11 Teach me your way, O LORD,

that I may walk in your truth;

give me an undivided heart to revere your name.

12 I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,

and I will glorify your name forever.

13 For great is your steadfast love toward me;

you have delivered my soul from the depths of She'ol.

14 O God, the insolent rise up against me;

a band of ruffians seeks my life,

and they do not set you before them.

15 But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

16 Turn to me and be gracious to me;

give your strength to your servant;

save the child of your serving girl.

17 Show me a sign of your favor,

so that those who hate me may see it and be put to shame,

because you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me.

86   Inclina, Domine   (ECUSA BCP)

11  Teach me your way, O LORD,

and I will walk in your truth; *

     knit my heart to you that I may fear your Name.

12  I will thank you, O LORD my God, with all my heart, *

     and glorify your Name for evermore.

13  For great is your love toward me; *

     you have delivered me from the nethermost Pit.

14  The arrogant rise up against me, O God,

and a band of violent men seeks my life; *

     they have not set you before their eyes.

15  But you, O Lord, are gracious and full of compassion, *

     slow to anger, and full of kindness and truth.

16  Turn to me and have mercy upon me; *

     give your strength to your servant;

     and save the child of your handmaid.

17  Show me a sign of your favor,

so that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed; *

     because you, O Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

NEW TESTAMENT: Romans 8: 12 - 25   (RCL)

Roma 8:12 (NRSV) So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh-- 13 for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, "Abba! Father!" 16 it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ--if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

18 I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; 20 for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; 23 and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

h/t Montreal Anglican

Paul has told us how Christian experience is dominated by life in the Spirit rather than by the desires of the flesh, or self-centeredness. Christians are still subject to suffering, to bearing crosses and affliction, but not to eternal condemnation. Not being condemned, we have hope.
Now he says that we are under an obligation (“debtors”) to God: to live in the way of the Spirit. Living this way, we look forward to eternal life (v. 13) at the end of time rather than the finality of physical death. We are “children of God” (v. 14). When baptised, we do not lose freedom (“slavery”, v. 15) but are adopted by him. As his children, we are “heirs” (v. 17) with hope for the future – unlike slaves who fear their master (v. 15). (In the Old Testament, the land of Israel is God's inheritance for his people.) In calling him as Dad or “Father”, we express the close relationship we have with him; our hearts are motivated by the Spirit. (Slaves did not inherit.) Being “with Christ” (v. 17), by sharing in his suffering, we will be able to attain union with him in heaven (“glorified”).
Now Paul relates this to the present situation. His suffering and/or that of his readers is minuscule compared to the splendour (glory”, v. 18) we will enjoy at the end of time. To Paul, everyone and everything created (“creation”, v. 20) has helplessly compounded sin through the ages (“subjected to futility”). All hope for resolution of the present chaotic state of the world (“bondage to decay”, v. 21), to attaining the “glory” which awaits us. The world, the material “creation” (v. 23), was in expectation, but also in pain (“labour pains”, v. 22) until the arrival of Christ. We Christians have a painful experience too – we do suffer, as we wait for the age to come (the “redemption of our bodies”, v. 23), we who are guided by the Holy Spirit (“have the first fruits”). The hope we have is very real: one doesn't hope for what is visible now, but rather for what one can't see but expects to happen. We wait in patience, and endure.

Verses 12-13: These verses probably belong to the preceding section. [ JBC]
Verse 12: “debtors”: BlkRom says that we are under obligation to God, rather than being “debtors” – for there is no actual debt. The same Greek word is used in 1:14-15: “I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish – hence my eagerness to proclaim the gospel to you also who are in Rome.”
Verse 13: In 6:12, Paul admonishes “do not let sin exercise dominion in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions”. See also Colossians 3:5 and Galatians 5:24. [ CAB]
Verses 14-15: Note Paul’s play on the word pneuma, here meaning spirit or Spirit. We are made “children” by the Spirit; we are not slaves. [ JBC]
Verse 14: God’s action continues in the life of the believer. In 2:4, Paul asks: “... do you despise the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not realize that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?”. In Galatians 5:18, Paul writes “... if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law”. See also 1 Corinthians 12:2. [ CAB]
Verse 14: “children of God”: In Galatians 4:24-26, Paul writes “Now this is an allegory: these women are two covenants. One woman, in fact, is Hagar, from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the other woman corresponds to the Jerusalem above; she is free, and she is our mother”.
Verse 15: “a spirit of slavery”: At times Paul does speak of Christians as slaves, but only to make a particular point. Examples are 6:16 and 1 Corinthians 7:22. [ NJBC]
Verse 15: “spirit”: Paul may intend Spirit. [ NJBC]
Verse 15: “adoption”: The Greek word used here is also found in 8:23; 9:4; Galatians 4:5; Ephesians 1:5. [ CAB] In 9:4, Paul uses it to describe Israel as chosen by God. This Greek word is not found in the Septuagint translation, probably because adoption was not common until more recent times among Jews. It was known in Hellenic society, and was quite common among the Roman aristocracy, as a means of acquiring a worthy heir. When a man had no heir, or only a dissolute one, he would choose someone to adopt - sometimes even a freed slave - who would become the heir both to the man's property and also to his reputation and station in the community. Paul’s use of the term shows that Christians have status with God. [ JBC]
Verse 15: “When we cry”: NJBC offers which enables us to cry. In 9:27, “cry” has the sense of cry aloud, proclaim.
Verse 15: “Abba”: This is the Aramaic word of familiar address to a father. Paul uses it in Galatians 4:6: “because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’”. Jesus addressed the Father as Abba in his prayers: see Mark 14:36. [ NOAB] In the Greek text of Luke 11:2, the Lord’s Prayer begins Abba. The early church used this title for the Father, as indeed does a Christian song sung today. [ NJBC]
Verse 16: In proclaiming that God is our Father, we are stating that we recognize ourselves to be adopted by God. The Spirit shares with us in this recognition, and is the mechanism by which we are active as children.
Verse 17: “heirs of God”: Paul discusses the promise to Abraham, that he would be the “father of many nations”, in Chapter 4 (especially 4:17). It is now fulfilled. [ CAB]
Verse 17: “joint heirs with Christ”: Christ has already received a share of the Father’s glory; the Christian will receive a share. In Jesus’ time, a son inherited his father’s estate; God’s estate is his glory. [ NJBC]
Verses 18-25: In Philippians 3:14, Paul writes: “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus”. See also 1 Corinthians 1:7. [ CAB]
Verse 18: “the glory about to be revealed to us”: In 5:1-2, Paul says: “... since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God”. [ NOAB]
Verse 19: “the creation”: Recall that God’s promise to Noah (in Genesis 9:12-13) included “every living creature”. [ NJBC]
Verse 20: “the one who subjected it”: God’s curse on proto-human (Adam) for eating of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. [ JBC]
Verse 21: See also 1 Corinthians 15:23-28. When humans (in and through Christ) are restored to full godliness, so too will all createdness. [ NJBC]
Verse 22: Non-human createdness also shares in the stress and pain humans now endure. See also Galatians 4:19. [ CAB]
Verse 22: “groaning in labour pains”: An idea common in Greek philosophy. [ NJBC]
Verse 23: “first fruits”: The offering of the first yield of the harvest to God symbolized the sanctification of the whole harvest: see Leviticus 23:15-21 for the ordinance, but “first fruits” is often used in connection with a pledge or guarantee of future benefits. [ NJBC]
Verse 24: “we were saved”: It may be that the tense in the Greek is one which expresses a general truth rather than something that occurred in the past. This fits better with the mention of “hope” here and in v. 25. [ NJBC]
Verse 24: “what is seen”: NJBC offers what he [or she] sees.

GOSPEL: Matthew 13: 24 - 30, 36 - 43 (RCL)

                   Matthew 13: 24 - 30 (31 - 43) (Roman Catholic)

Matt 13:24 (NRSV) He put before them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. 27 And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, "Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?' 28 He answered, "An enemy has done this.' The slaves said to him, "Then do you want us to go and gather them?' 29 But he replied, "No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. 30 Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'"

31 He put before them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; 32 it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches."

33 He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened."

34 Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables; without a parable he told them nothing. 35 This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet:

"I will open my mouth to speak in parables;

I will proclaim what has been hidden from the foundation of the world."

36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field." 37 He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; 38 the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, 42 and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!

“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to ...” Jesus continues to tell parables, memorable stories with a deep meaning, to teach the crowd how what we do now will affect what happens to us at the end of time, at the “end of the age” (v. 39). Agricultural stories appeal to his rural listeners. The first parable focussed on where the seed landed. All the seed was good, but only some fell on fertile ground; however, here some of the seed sown there is good (wheat) and some is bad (weeds, tares, or darnel – a weed that looks like wheat.) The “enemy” (whose identity we learn later) sows the bad seed secretly (“while everybody was asleep”, v. 25.) Both the good and the bad seed grow together. At harvest time the roots of the weeds have intertwined with those of the wheat (v. 29). The occurrence of gather three times in vv. 28-30 is a clue that Jesus speaks of the community.
Jesus offers two interpretations of the parable to his disciples. In vv. 37-39, he states what each of the figures and events in the story stands for. The kingdom begins now when Jesus (“the Son of Man”) sows the seed, drawing people to him, but the Devil seeks to subvert his efforts. The “harvest” is when Christ comes again, at the end of the age. The second interpretation is in vv. 40-43a. At the end of the age, he says, the evil will be separated out, judged and destroyed (“burned up”, v. 40). The lots of the “evildoers” (v. 41) will be a miserable one (“gnashing of teeth”, v. 42). The “righteous” (v. 43), those who are faithful to God, will be gathered together, rewarded and brought into God's presence. Finally v. 43b: the gospel is open to all who will listen!

There are no real parallels to this passage. NJBC suggests that it is Matthew’s rewriting of Mark 4:26-29.
Verse 24: “someone”: i.e. a householder who has slaves. In v. 27, the slaves are scandalized that there are weeds, because they trust the householder/farmer! [ NJBC]
Verses 28-30: Within the community, there are both good and bad apples .
Verse 30: “Let both of them grow together ...”: Be patient and tolerant (however, remember the Parable of the Sower in Mark 4:1-20, Matthew 13:1-23, and Luke 8:1-15: weeds can choke the wheat!) [ NJBC]
According to Leviticus 19:19 the sowing of the weeds renders the whole field ritually impure. Simply gathering the weeds (as suggested by the slaves) would not be enough to right the wrong. Jesus’ story would therefore grab the attention of the crowd.
Verse 38: “world”: The Greek word is kosmos, meaning humanity. [ NJBC]
Verse 38: “the evil one”: Evil personified, as it is in 5:37; 6:13; 13:19. Note that “the devil” is named in v. 39. [ NJBC]
Verse 42: See also Luke 12:49. An apocalyptic vision of Hell. [ NOAB]
Verse 42: “weeping and gnashing of teeth”: See also 8:12; 13:50; 24:51; 25:30; Luke 13:28. [ NJBC]
Verse 43: This verse is similar to Daniel 12:3, a description of the end-times; however, “righteous” replaces Daniel’s “wise” and “kingdom” replaces “sky”. [ NOAB]
This passage contrasts with Paul’s view that the Christian community should be made up only of saints. From this parable alone, it may seem that evil should be allowed free reign in the Church – because God will handle it later. [ NJBC]