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Notable Feast Days this Week:

July 17 - Marcellina, Rome, 398
July 18 - Philastrius, Brescia, 387
July 19 - Marcina the Younger, 379
July 20 - The Prophet Elijah (Eastern and Lutheran)
July 20 - Flavian, Antioch, 512
July 21 - The Prophet Ezekiel (Lutheran)
July 22 - Mary Magdalene
July 23 - Bridget of Sweden, 1373 (Roman Catholic)
July 23 - The Prophet Ezekiel (Eastern)

Revised Common Lectionary

Genesis 28:10-19a
Psalm 139:1-12, 23-24
Isaiah 44:6-8
Psalm 86:11-17
Romans 8:12-25
Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

Daily Readings (RCL)
Liturgical Color - Green

Forward

- The Seventh Sunday after Pentecost - July 23, 2017 (Year A)

God Keeps His Promises and Saves His Children

From the beginning, God has kept the covenant promises he made to His children and their offspring (Genesis 28:10-19a). He knows us better than we know ourselves (Psalm 139) and through His greatness has offered us mercy and hope (Psalm 86). The Holy Spirit bears witness that we are God's children through Christ (Romans 8:12-25). All of creation is waiting for Christ to come again and eradicate the things that destroy life (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43). We wait patiently in the midst of suffering because, as the children of God, we have hope.

Psalm of the Week

Scripture Readings

Psalm 86:11-17

Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths, from the realm of the dead...

Psalm 139:1-12, 23-24

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways...Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain...

Commentary on Psalm 139
Augustine, Calvin, Spurgeon,
Benedict XVI (Part 1/Part 2)

Genesis 28:10-19a
Jacob's ladder

Isaiah 44:6-8
No God but the LORD

Romans 8:12-25
The revealing of the children of God

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
The parable of the weeds

Daily Readings
Revised Common Lectionary

Daily Readings
Book of Common Prayer

The Entire Bible in One Year

Chronological

"...let us listen to what the prophet says about this: 'Your knowledge is to worderful for me.' But let us see what he says further on: 'I will give you thanks, for you are fearful and wonderful.' Why 'fearful'? We wonder at the beauty of columns, mural art, the physical bloom of youth. Again, we wonder at the open sea and its limitless depth, but we wonder fearfully when we stoop down and see how deep it is. It was in this way that the prophet stooped down and looked at the limitless and yawning sea of God's wisdom. And he was struck with shuddering. We has deeply frightened, he drew back, and said in a loud voice, "I will give you thanks for you are fearfully wondrous, wonderous are your works.' And again, 'Your knowledge is too wonderous for me; it is too lofty and I cannot attain to it.'"
- Chrysostom, commenting on Psalm 139, Against the Anomoeans 1.24-25.

Prayer

Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking: Have compassion on our weakness, and mercifully give us those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask; through the worthiness of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. -The Book of Common Prayer

Contemplative Prayer (Click to View)

Daily Prayer (Click to View)

Spotify Playlist

Singing Psalms and Hymns

Jesus, With Thy Church Abide - Words by Thomas Pollack, 1871 / Music by Eric Gilbert Leadsheet | Leadsheet (Guitar Capo)

Wait for the Lord | by Jacques Berthier (Taize)

You are Good and Forgiving (Psalm 86) | by Joel Payne (Resound Worship)

For Love is Lord of All (Psalm 86) | Celtic Psalm

Psalm 139 (My Lord You Have Examined Me) - By Sarah Majorins
Leadsheet (Part 1) | Leadsheet (Part 2) | Tune: Resignation

Lord, You Have Searched Me (Psalm 139) | Music by Vito Aiuto, 2015 |Leadsheet

Songs for Psalm 139 from The Verses Project

Psalm 86 | Genevan Psalter | Leadsheet and Recording

Psalm 139 Pointed Chant | Chart | How to Sing Pointed Chant

Psalm 86 and 139 Anglican Chant | Music on pgs. 187 and 309 of Anglican Chant Psalter

Psalm 86 Metrical Options

Psalm 139 Metrical Options

Hymn Suggestions for The Seventh Sunday after Pentecost from Hymnary.org

Commentary on Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

"In my opinion, the design of the parable is simply this: So long as the pilgrimage of the Church in this world continues, bad men and hypocrites will mingle in it with those who are good and upright, that the children of God may be armed with patience and, in the midst of offenses which are fitted to disturb them, may preserve unbroken steadfastness of faith." - John Calvin

More Historical Commentary
(View and Download)

Music for Listening

Thematic Art

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