Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Alef [a]
Living in the Law of God
119 How blessed are those whose life[b] is blameless,
who walk in the Law of the Lord!
2 How blessed are those who observe his decrees,
who seek him with all of their heart,
3 who practice no evil
while they walk in his ways.
4 You have commanded concerning your precepts,
that they be guarded with diligence.
5 Oh, that my ways were steadfast,
so I may keep your statutes.
6 Then I will not be ashamed,
since my eyes will be fixed on all of your commands.
7 I will praise you with an upright heart,
as I learn your righteous decrees.
8 I will keep your statutes;
do not ever abandon me.
Restoration after the Exile
30 “When all these things happen to you—both the blessings and the curses that I’ve presented to you—and you take them seriously[a] in all the nations where the Lord your God will deport you, 2 and when you—you and your descendants, that is—will have returned to him[b] and obeyed all the commands that I’m giving you today with all your heart and soul, 3 then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and will show compassion to you. He will gather you from among the nations[c] where he[d] had scattered you. 4 Even if the Lord had banished you to the ends of the heavens, the Lord your God will gather you from there 5 and he’ll[e] bring you to the land that your ancestors inherited. You’ll possess it, you’ll prosper, and you’ll greatly multiply more than your ancestors did. 6 Then the Lord your God will circumcise both your hearts and those[f] of your descendants so that you can love him[g] with your heart and with your soul and therefore live. 7 Then the Lord your God will inflict all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate and persecute you.”
Prosperity in Obedience
8 “So now, return and obey the Lord your God and observe all his commands that I’m giving you today, 9 and the Lord your God will prosper you abundantly in all that you do, along with your children,[h] your livestock, and the produce of your fields, because the Lord your God will again be delighted with you for good, just as he was delighted with your ancestors,
Jesus Challenges the Tradition of the Elders(A)
15 Then some Pharisees and scribes came from Jerusalem to Jesus and asked, 2 “Why do your disciples disregard the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands when they eat.”[a]
3 But he answered them, “Why do you also disregard the commandment of God because of your tradition? 4 Because God said,[b] ‘You are to honor your father and your mother,’[c] and, ‘Whoever curses father or mother must certainly be put to death.’[d] 5 But you say, ‘Whoever tells his father or his mother, “Whatever support you might have received from me has been given to God,”[e] 6 does not have to honor his father.’[f] Because of your tradition, then, you have disregarded[g] the authority of God’s word.[h] 7 You hypocrites! How well did Isaiah prophesy of you when he said,
8 ‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
9 Their worship of me is empty,
because they teach human rules as doctrines.’”[i]
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