Conversion of St. Paul (25 January) and the Third Sunday after Epiphany - 2014

The Conversion of Saint Paul (25 January)

Psalm 138

Confitebor tibi

I WILL give thanks unto thee, O Lord, with my whole heart : even before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.

2. I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy Name, because of thy loving-kindness and truth : for thou hast magnified thy Name and thy word above all things.

3. When I called upon thee, thou heardest me : and enduedst my soul with much strength.

4. All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O Lord : for they have heard the words of thy mouth.

5. Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord : that great is the glory of the Lord.

6. For though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly : as for the proud, he beholdeth them afar off.

7. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, yet shalt thou refresh me : thou shalt stretch forth thy hand upon the furiousness of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.

8. The lord shall make good his loving-kindness toward me : yea, thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever; despise not then the works of thine own hands.

The Collect

O God, who, through the preaching of the blessed Apostle Saint Paul, hast caused the light of the Gospel to shine throughout the world: Grant, we beseech thee, that we, having his wonderful conversion in remembrance, may shew forth our thankfulness unto thee for the same, by following the holy doctrine which he taught; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 1.4-10

Psalter: Psalm 67

Epistle Reading: Acts 9.1-22

Gospel Reading: *St. Matthew 19.27-30

The Third Sunday after the Epiphany.

Psalm 15

Domine, quis habitabit?

LORD, who shall dwell in thy tabernacle : or who shall rest upon thy holy hill?

2. Even he that leadeth an uncorrupt life : and doeth the thing which is right, and speaketh the truth from his heart.

3. He that hath used no deceit in his tongue, nor done evil to his neighbour : and hath not slandered his neighbour.

4. He that setteth not by himself, but is lowly in his own eyes : and maketh much of them that fear the Lord.

5. He that sweareth unto his neighbour, and disappointeth him not : thou it were to his own hindrance.

6. He that hath not given his money upon usury : nor taken reward against the innocent.

7. Whoso doeth these things : shall never fall.

The Collect.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, mercifully look upon our infirmities, and in all our dangers and necessities stretch forth thy right hand to help and defend us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 41.8-10, 17-20

Psalter: Psalm 20, 21 | 27, 29

Epistle Reading: Romans 12.16-21

Gospel Reading: St. Matthew 8.1-13

Personal Reflection: The Collect begins with a clear acknowledgment of our weakness, our brokenness. We are a people who have a clear-eyed view of things. Instead of positing to God a positive mental attitude, we state the situation truthfully: God is Almighty and we afflicted with infirmities. We are needy ones. From that clearheaded position we are then able to ask rightly “stretch forth thy right hand to help and defend us.” That line is displayed in the Gospel reading where Jesus stretches forth his hand to heal the leper, and it is promised in the Old Testament reading where God promises that “the right hand of my righteousness” will “hold thee” so that God can say to us, “Fear thou not”! It’s in that secure stance, that St. Paul’s admonitions can be lived out, and we are freed to put v. 21 in action: “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”