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Thursday, February 10, 2022 

Collect   Creator of the universe, the light of your gory shines in the darkness of our lives.  Make us attentive to your presence, prompt us to serve you, and be ever eager to follow in the steps of the one who is our true light, Jesus Christ your Son our Lord.  AMEN.  Come, let us worship. 

The Proclamation of the Word-

1st Reading:  Isaiah 60:1-17 (NRSV)

The Ingathering of the Dispersed

Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.  For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you.  Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.Lift up your eyes and look around; they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from far away, and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses’ arms.  Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and rejoice, because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you.  A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come.  They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord.  All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered to you, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you; they shall be acceptable on my altar, and I will glorify my glorious house.Who are these that fly like a cloud, and like doves to their windows?  For the coastlands shall wait for me, the ships of Tarshish first, to bring your children from far away, their silver and gold with them, for the name of the Lord your God, and for the Holy One of Israel, because he has glorified you.  Foreigners shall build up your walls, and their kings shall minister to you; for in my wrath I struck you down, but in my favour I have had mercy on you.  Your gates shall always be open; day and night they shall not be shut, so that nations shall bring you their wealth, with their kings led in procession.  For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you shall perish; those nations shall be utterly laid waste.  The glory of Lebanon shall come to you, the cypress, the plane, and the pine, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will glorify where my feet rest.  The descendants of those who oppressed you shall come bending low to you, and all who despised you shall bow down at your feet; they shall call you the City of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.  Whereas you have been forsaken and hated, with no one passing through, I will make you majestic for ever, a joy from age to age.  You shall suck the milk of nations, you shall suck the breasts of kings; and you shall know that I, the Lord, am your Saviour and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.Instead of bronze I will bring gold, instead of iron I will bring silver; instead of wood, bronze, instead of stones, iron.  I will appoint Peace as your overseer and Righteousness as your taskmaster. 

Psalm 83 (Book of Alternative Services page 816):

            O God, do not be silent; * do not keep still nor hold your peace, O God;

2            For your enemies are in tumult, * and those who hate you have lifted up their heads.

3            They take secret counsel against your people * and plot against those whom you protect.

4            They have said, “Come, let us wipe them out from among the nations; * let the name of Israel be remembered no more.”

5            They have conspired together; * they have made an alliance against you:

6            The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; * the Moabites and the Hagarenes;  

7            Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; * the Philistines and those who dwell in Tyre.

8            The Assyrians also have joined them, * and have come to help the people of Lot.

9            Do to them as you did to Midian, * to Sisera, and to Jabin at the river of Kishon:

10          They were destroyed at Endor; * they became like dung upon the ground.

11          Make their leaders like Oreb and Zeëb, * and all their commanders like Zebah and Zalmunna,

12          Who said, ”Let us take for ourselves * the fields of God as our possession.”  

13          O my God, make them like whirling dust * and like chaff before the wind;  

14          Like fire that burns down a forest, * like the flame that sets mountains ablaze.

15          Drive them with your tempest * and terrify them with your storm; 

16          Cover their faces with shame, O Lord, * that they may seek your name.

17          Let them be disgraced and terrified for ever; * let them be put to confusion and perish. 

18          Let them know that you, whose name is Yahweh, * you alone are the Most High over all the earth. 

Lord, dispel from us the error of pride and the illusions of greatness, and help us to abandon every vice and stand in awe of you, for you alone are the Most High over all the world now and for ever.  Amen. 

2nd Reading:  2 Timothy 2:14-26 (NRSV)

A Worker Approved by God

Remind them of this and warn them before God that they are to avoid wrangling over words, which does no good but only ruins those who are listening. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth. Avoid profane chatter, for it will lead people into more and more impiety, and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth by claiming that the resurrection has already taken place. They are upsetting the faith of some.  But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this inscription: ‘The Lord knows those who are his’, and ‘Let everyone who calls on the name of the Lord turn away from wickedness.’In a large house there are utensils not only of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for special use, some for ordinary. All who cleanse themselves of the things I have mentioned will become special utensils, dedicated and useful to the owner of the house, ready for every good work. Shun youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.  Have nothing to do with stupid and senseless controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly to everyone, an apt teacher, patient, correcting opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant that they will repent and come to know the truth, and that they may escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. 

Gospel Reading:  Mark 10:17-31 (NRSV)

The Rich ManAs he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: “You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honour your father and mother.” ’ He said to him, ‘Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.’ Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, ‘How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!’ And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, ‘Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.’ They were greatly astounded and said to one another, ‘Then who can be saved?’ Jesus looked at them and said, ‘For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.’Peter began to say to him, ‘Look, we have left everything and followed you.’ Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.’ 

The Lord’s PrayerOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.  And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.  For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever.  Amen. Closing Prayer

Hear us Lord when we cry to you.  Calm our bodies and minds with the peace which passes understanding, and make us radiant with the knowledge of your goodness; through Jesus Christ our Saviour. May the grace of God uphold you, the peace of God surround you, the love of God flow from you and the strength of God protect and bring you safely through this day.  Amen.