[Propertalk] SEVENTH SUNDAY after PENTECOST

[Charles Wohlers]

The following are the readings for the Seventh Sunday of Easter, May 24, 
according to the Revised Common (RCL), Episcopal (ECUSA), Roman Catholic, 
Canadian BAS, and the Church of England (Common Worship) lectionaries. All 
readings are taken from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the 
Bible. Unless noted otherwise, the ECUSA, Canadian and C of E lectionaries 
are identical to the RCL for this day.

Throughout the Easter Season, if the OT alternative is used for the C of E, 
the Acts reading should be used for the second reading.



FIRST READING:  Acts 1: 15 - 17, 21 - 26   (RCL)
                                 Acts 1: 15 - 17, 20a, 20c - 26   (Roman 
Catholic)

Acts 1:15 (NRSV) In those days Peter stood up among the believers (together 
the crowd numbered about one hundred twenty persons) and said, 16 "Friends, 
the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit through David 
foretold concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus--  
17 for he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this 
ministry."

20 "For it is written in the book of Psalms,

"Let another take his position of overseer.'
21 So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the 
Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John 
until the day when he was taken up from us--one of these must become a 
witness with us to his resurrection." 23 So they proposed two, Joseph called 
Barsab'bas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthi'as. 24 Then they prayed 
and said, "Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which one of these two 
you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from 
which Judas turned aside to go to his own place." 26 And they cast lots for 
them, and the lot fell on Matthi'as; and he was added to the eleven 
apostles.


Ezekiel 36: 24 - 28   (alt. for C of E)

Ezek 36:24 (NRSV) I will take you from the nations, and gather you from all 
the countries, and bring you into your own land. 25 I will sprinkle clean 
water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from 
all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 A new heart I will give you, and a new 
spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of 
stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put my spirit within you, and 
make you follow my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances. 28 Then 
you shall live in the land that I gave to your ancestors; and you shall be 
my people, and I will be your God.


PSALM 1   (RCL)

Psal 1:1 (NRSV) Happy are those
who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or take the path that sinners tread,
or sit in the seat of scoffers;
2 but their delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law they meditate day and night.
3 They are like trees
planted by streams of water,
which yield their fruit in its season,
and their leaves do not wither.
In all that they do, they prosper.
4 The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.


Psalm 103: 1 - 2, 11 - 12, 19 - 20ab   (Roman Catholic)

Psal 103:1 (NRSV) Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name.
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and do not forget all his benefits-- 

11 For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far he removes our transgressions from us.

19 The LORD has established his throne in the heavens,
and his kingdom rules over all.
20 Bless the LORD, O you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,


SECOND READING:   1 John 5: 9 - 13  (RCL)

1Joh 5:9 (NRSV) If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is 
greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has testified to his Son. 
10 Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony in their hearts. 
Those who do not believe in God have made him a liar by not believing in the 
testimony that God has given concerning his Son. 11 And this is the 
testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever 
has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have 
life.


1 John 4: 11 - 16   (Roman Catholic)

1Joh 4:11 (NRSV) Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love 
one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives 
in us, and his love is perfected in us.
13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given 
us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father has 
sent his Son as the Savior of the world. 15 God abides in those who confess 
that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God. 16 So we have known and 
believe the love that God has for us.
God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in 
them.


GOSPEL:   John 17: 6 - 19   (RCL)
                    John 17: 11b - 19   (Can. BAS, Roman Catholic)

John 17:6 (NRSV) "I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from 
the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your 
word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; 8 for 
the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received 
them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you 
sent me. 9 I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the 
world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. 10 
All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. 
11 And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am 
coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given 
me, so that they may be one, as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I 
protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not 
one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost, so that the 
scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I am coming to you, and I speak 
these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in 
themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them 
because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the 
world. 15 I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you 
to protect them from the evil one. 16 They do not belong to the world, just 
as I do not belong to the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is 
truth. 18 As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the 
world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be 
sanctified in truth.



Chad Wohlers
East Bridgewater, Mass.   USA
chadwohl at satucket.com
cwohlers at bridgew.edu