Tuesday, December 1, 2020

St. Hakoveek, Persian martyr,
St. Themistocles, martyr of Lycia

Proverbs 12:9-17
Lamentations 3:22-56
Romans 5:1-5
Luke 12:2-9

Proverbs 12:9-17

[9] Better is a man of humble standing who works for himself
than one who plays the great man but lacks bread.
[10] A righteous man has regard for the life of his beast,
but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.
[11] He who tills his land will have plenty of bread,
but he who follows worthless pursuits has no sense.
[12] The strong tower of the wicked comes to ruin,
but the root of the righteous stands firm.
[13] An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips,
but the righteous escapes from trouble.
[14] From the fruit of his words a man is satisfied with good,
and the work of a man’s hand comes back to him.
[15] The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
but a wise man listens to advice.
[16] The vexation of a fool is known at once,
but the prudent man ignores an insult.
[17] He who speaks the truth gives honest evidence,
but a false witness utters deceit.

Lamentations 3:22-56

[22] The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases,
his mercies never come to an end;
[23] they are new every morning;
great is thy faithfulness.
[24] “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in him.”
[25] The LORD is good to those who wait for him,
to the soul that seeks him.
[26] It is good that one should wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD.
[27] It is good for a man that he bear
the yoke in his youth.
[28] Let him sit alone in silence
when he has laid it on him;
[29] let him put his mouth in the dust —
there may yet be hope;
[30] let him give his cheek to the smiter,
and be filled with insults.
[31] For the Lord will not
cast off for ever,
[32] but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion
according to the abundance of his steadfast love;
[33] for he does not willingly afflict
or grieve the sons of men.
[34] To crush under foot
all the prisoners of the earth,
[35] to turn aside the right of a man
in the presence of the Most High,
[36] to subvert a man in his cause,
the Lord does not approve.
[37] Who has commanded and it came to pass,
unless the Lord has ordained it?
[38] Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
that good and evil come?
[39] Why should a living man complain,
a man, about the punishment of his sins?
[40] Let us test and examine our ways,
and return to the LORD!
[41] Let us lift up our hearts and hands
to God in heaven:
[42] “We have transgressed and rebelled,
and thou hast not forgiven.
[43] “Thou hast wrapped thyself with anger and pursued us,
slaying without pity;
[44] thou hast wrapped thyself with a cloud
so that no prayer can pass through.
[45] Thou hast made us offscouring and refuse
among the peoples.
[46] “All our enemies
rail against us;
[47] panic and pitfall have come upon us,
devastation and destruction;
[48] my eyes flow with rivers of tears
because of the destruction of the daughter of my people.
[49] “My eyes will flow without ceasing,
without respite,
[50] until the LORD from heaven
looks down and sees;
[51] my eyes cause me grief
at the fate of all the maidens of my city.
[52] “I have been hunted like a bird
by those who were my enemies without cause;
[53] they flung me alive into the pit
and cast stones on me;
[54] water closed over my head;
I said, `I am lost.’
[55] “I called on thy name, O LORD,
from the depths of the pit;
[56] thou didst hear my plea, `Do not close
thine ear to my cry for help!’

Romans 5:1-5

[1] Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
[2] Through him we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God.
[3] More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,
[4] and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
[5] and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us.

Luke 12:2-9

[2] Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.
[3] Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.
[4] “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
[5] But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear him!
[6] Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God.
[7] Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.
[8] “And I tell you, every one who acknowledges me before men, the Son of man also will acknowledge before the angels of God;
[9] but he who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God.

The Revised Standard Version of the Bible is copyright © National Council of Churches of Christ in America