Preface of a Saint (1)

The Collect

Almighty God, source of justice beyond human knowledge: We thank you for inspiring Karl Barth to resist tyranny and exalt your saving grace, without which we cannot apprehend your will. Teach us, like him, to live by faith, and even in chaotic and perilous times to perceive the light of your eternal glory, Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, throughout all ages. Amen.

Old Testament

Jeremiah 30:23–31:6

Look, the storm of the Lord!
Wrath has gone forth,

a whirling tempest;
it will burst upon the head of the wicked.

The fierce anger of the Lord will not turn back
until he has executed and accomplished
the intents of his mind.

In the latter days you will understand this.

At that time, says the Lord, I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.

Thus says the Lord:

The people who survived the sword
found grace in the wilderness;

when Israel sought for rest,
the Lord appeared to him from far away.

I have loved you with an everlasting love;
therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.

Again I will build you, and you shall be built,
O virgin Israel!

Again you shall take your tambourines,
and go forth in the dance of the merrymakers.

Again you shall plant vineyards
on the mountains of Samaria;

the planters shall plant,
and shall enjoy the fruit.

For there shall be a day when sentinels will call
in the hill country of Ephraim:

“Come, let us go up to Zion,
to the Lord our God.”

The Response

Psalm 76:7–12

Notus in Judaea

7 What terror you inspire! *
who can stand before you when you are angry?

8 From heaven you pronounced judgment; *
the earth was afraid and was still;

9 When God rose up to judgment *
and to save all the oppressed of the earth.

10 Truly, wrathful Edom will give you thanks, *
and the remnant of Hamath will keep your feasts.

11 Make a vow to the Lord your God and keep it; *
let all around him bring gifts to him who is worthy to be feared.

12 He breaks the spirit of princes, *
and strikes terror in the kings of the earth.

The Epistle

Romans 7:14–25

We know that the law is spiritual; but I am of the flesh, sold into slavery under sin. I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me.

So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, with my mind I am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh I am a slave to the law of sin.

The Gospel

John 8:34–36

Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”

Return to The Lectionary Page