WEEKLY READINGS

The First Lesson

I Samuel 4:1c-11

Reader: A reading from the first book of Samuel.

And the word of Samuel came to all Israel.

In those days the Philistines mustered for war against Israel, and Israel went out to battle against them; they encamped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines encamped at Aphek. The Philistines drew up in line against Israel, and when the battle was joined, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the field of battle. When the troops came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, ‘Why has the Lord put us to rout today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord here from Shiloh, so that he may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.’ So the people sent to Shiloh, and brought from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, who is enthroned on the cherubim. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

When the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel gave a mighty shout, so that the earth resounded. When the Philistines heard the noise of the shouting, they said, ‘What does this great shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?’ When they learned that the ark of the Lord had come to the camp, the Philistines were afraid; for they said, ‘Gods have come into the camp.’ They also said, ‘Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before. Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with every sort of plague in the wilderness. Take courage, and be men, O Philistines, in order not to become slaves to the Hebrews as they have been to you; be men and fight.’

So the Philistines fought; Israel was defeated, and they fled, everyone to his home. There was a very great slaughter, for there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot-soldiers. The ark of God was captured; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

Reader: Word of God, word of life.

People: Thanks be to God.

The Psalm

Psalm 44:7-14, 23-26

7 Surely, you gave us victory over our adversaries *
and put those who hate us to shame.

8 Every day we gloried in God, *
and we will praise your Name for ever.

9 Nevertheless, you have rejected and humbled us *
and do not go forth with our armies.

10 You have made us fall back before our adversary, *
and our enemies have plundered us.

11 You have made us like sheep to be eaten *
and have scattered us among the nations.

12 You are selling your people for a trifle *
and are making no profit on the sale of them.

13 You have made us the scorn of our neighbors, *
a mockery and derision to those around us.

14 You have made us a byword among the nations, *
a laughing-stock among the peoples.

23 Awake, O Lord! why are you sleeping? *
Arise! do not reject us for ever.

24 Why have you hidden your face *
and forgotten our affliction and oppression?

25 We sink down into the dust; *
our body cleaves to the ground.

26 Rise up, and help us, *
and save us, for the sake of your steadfast love.

The Gospel

Mark 1:40-45

Celebrant: The Holy Gospel according to Mark.

People: Glory to you, O Lord.

A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, ‘If you choose, you can make me clean.’ Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I do choose. Be made clean!’ Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. After sternly warning him he sent him away at once, saying to him, ‘See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.’ But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter.

Celebrant: This is the Gospel of the Lord.

People: Praise to you, O Christ.