Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Something New for Israel
16 This is what the Lord says —
who makes a way through the sea,
a path through the mighty waters,
17 who brings out chariots and horsemen,
and[a] armies and warriors at the same time.
They lay there, never to rise again,
extinguished, snuffed out like a candle:[b]
18 “Don’t remember[c] the former things;
don’t dwell on things past.
19 Watch! I’m about to carry out something new!
And[d] now it’s springing up—
don’t you recognize it?
I’m making a way in the wilderness
and paths[e] in the desert.
20 Wild animals, jackals, and owls[f] will honor me
because I provide[g] water in the desert
and streams in the wilderness
to give drink to my people, my chosen ones,[h]
21 the people whom I formed for myself
and[i] so that they may speak[j] my praise.”
A Song of Ascents
The Exiles Restored
4 although I could have confidence in the flesh. If anyone thinks he can place confidence in the flesh, I have more reason to think so.[a] 5 Having been circumcised on the eighth day, I am of the nation of Israel, from the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews. As far as the Law is concerned, I was a Pharisee. 6 As for my zeal, I was a persecutor of the church. As far as righteousness in the Law is concerned, I was blameless.
7 But whatever things were assets to me, these I now consider a loss for the sake of the Messiah.[b] 8 What is more, I continue to consider all these things to be a loss for the sake of what is far more valuable, knowing the Messiah[c] Jesus, my Lord. It is because of him that I have experienced the loss of all those things. Indeed, I consider them rubbish[d] in order to gain the Messiah[e] 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the Law, but one that comes through the faithfulness[f] of the Messiah,[g] the righteousness that comes from God and that depends on faith. 10 I want to know the Messiah[h]—what his resurrection power is like and what it means to share in his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, 11 though I hope to experience the resurrection from the dead.
Pursuing the Goal
12 It’s not that I have already reached this goal or have already become perfect. But I keep pursuing it, hoping somehow to embrace it just as I have been embraced by the Messiah[i] Jesus. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself to have embraced it yet.[j] But this one thing I do: Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I keep pursuing the goal to win the prize[k] of God’s heavenly call in the Messiah[l] Jesus.
Mary Anoints Jesus(A)
12 Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived in Bethany, where Lazarus lived,[a] the man whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. 3 Mary took a litron[b] of very expensive perfume made of pure nard and anointed Jesus’ feet. She wiped his feet with her hair, and the house became filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, who was going to betray him, asked, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold for 300 denarii[c] and the money[d] given to the destitute?” 6 He said this, not because he cared about the destitute, but because he was a thief. He was in charge of the moneybag and would steal what was put into it.
7 Then Jesus said, “Leave her alone so she can observe the day of my burial, 8 because you will always have the destitute with you, but you won’t always have me.”
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