Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
A Prayer against All Who Hate Zion
129 “They have made it hard for me many times since I was young,” let Israel now say. 2 “They have made it hard for me many times since I was young. But they have not won over me. 3 Those who plow have plowed my back. And they have made their ditches long.” 4 The Lord is right and good. He has cut in two the ropes of the sinful.
5 May all who hate Zion be put to shame and turned away. 6 Let them be like grass on the roof, which dries up before it grows. 7 No one can pick it and fill his hand. No one can gather it and fill his arms. 8 And those who pass by do not say, “May the Lord be good to you. We pray that good will come to you in the name of the Lord.”
God Speaks through Jeremiah about Babylon
50 The word which the Lord spoke about Babylon, the land of the Babylonians, through Jeremiah the man of God: 2 “Make it known among the nations. Lift up a flag and make it known. Do not hide it, but say, ‘Babylon has been taken. Bel has been put to shame. Marduk has been broken down. Her objects of worship have been put to shame. Her false gods have been broken down.’ 3 For a nation has come up against her from the north. It will make her land an empty waste, and no one will live in it. Both man and animal will run away.
4 “In those days and at that time,” says the Lord, “the sons of Israel will come, together with the sons of Judah. They will cry as they come, and will be looking for the Lord their God. 5 They will ask the way to Zion, with faces turned toward it, saying, ‘Come, let us join ourselves to the Lord in an agreement that lasts forever, one that will never be forgotten.’
6 “My people have become lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them the wrong way. They have made them turn away on the mountains. They have gone from mountain to hill and have forgotten their resting place. 7 All who found them have destroyed them. Those who hate them have said, ‘We are not guilty, for they have sinned against the Lord, their true resting place Who is right and good, the hope of their fathers.’
Israel Is Like a Flock of Sheep
17 “Israel is like sheep sent everywhere, driven away by lions. The first one who destroyed Israel was the king of Assyria. And the last one who has broken his bones is Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. 18 So the Lord of All, the God of Israel, says: ‘I am going to punish the king of Babylon and his land, just as I punished the king of Assyria. 19 I will return Israel to his field, and he will feed on Carmel and Bashan. And his desire will be filled in the hill country of Ephraim and Gilead. 20 In those days and at that time,’ says the Lord, ‘sin will be looked for in Israel, but there will be none. And sin will be looked for in Judah, but it will not be found. For I will forgive those whom I allow to return.’
Jesus Prays in the Garden (A)
39 Jesus came out of the room. Then He went to the Mount of Olives as He had been doing. The followers went with Him. 40 When He got there, He said to them, “Pray that you will not be tempted.” 41 He walked away from them about as far as a stone can be thrown. There He got down with His face on the ground and prayed. 42 He said, “Father, if it can be done, take away what must happen to Me. Even so, not what I want, but what You want.” 43 An angel from heaven came and gave Him strength. 44 His heart was much troubled and He prayed all the more. Water ran from His face like blood and fell to the ground.
45 When Jesus got up after praying, He went back to the followers. He found them sleeping because of so much sorrow. 46 He said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you will not be tempted.”
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