Judges 4:1-7
The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, after Ehud died. So
the LORD sold them into the hand of King Jabin of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; the
commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-ha-goiim. Then the Israelites
cried out to the LORD for help; for he had nine hundred chariots of iron, and had oppressed
the Israelites cruelly twenty years.
At that time Deborah, a prophetess, wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel. She used to sit
under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and
the Israelites came up to her for judgment. She sent and summoned Barak son of Abinoam
from Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, “The LORD, the God of Israel, commands you,
‘Go, take position at Mount Tabor, bringing ten thousand from the tribe of Naphtali and the
tribe of Zebulun. I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin’s army, to meet you by the
Wadi Kishon with his chariots and his troops; and I will give him into your hand.’”
Psalm 123
1 To you I lift up my eyes, *
to you enthroned in the heavens.
2 As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, *
and the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,
3 So our eyes look to the LORD our God, *
until he show us his mercy.
4 Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy, *
for we have had more than enough of contempt,
5 Too much of the scorn of the indolent rich, *
and of the derision of the proud.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have
anything written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will
come like a thief in the night. When they say, “There is peace and security,” then sudden
destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there
will be no escape! But you, beloved, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a
thief; for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of
darkness. So then let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober; for
those who sleep sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. But since we
belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a
helmet the hope of salvation. For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining
salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or
asleep we may live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as
indeed you are doing.
Matthew 25:14-30
Jesus said, “It is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his
property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each
according to his ability. Then he went away. The one who had received the five talents went
off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. In the same way, the one who
had the two talents made two more talents. But the one who had received the one talent
went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. After a long time the
master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. Then the one who had received
the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you handed over
to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done,
good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in
charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ And the one with the two talents
also came forward, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made
two more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have
been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy
of your master.’ Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying,
‘Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering
where you did not scatter seed; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground.
Here you have what is yours.’ But his master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy slave! You
knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? Then you
ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received
what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the
ten talents. For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance;
but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. As for this
worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and
gnashing of teeth.’”
HYMNS
JOYFUL, JOYFUL, WE ADORE THEE
Joyful, joyful, we adore thee, God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flowers before thee, praising thee, their sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day.
All thy works with joy surround thee, earth and heaven reflect thy rays,
Stars and angesl sing around thee, center of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain, blooming meadow, flashing sea,
Chanting bird and flowing fountain, call us to rejoice in thee.
Thou art giving and forgiving, every blessing, ever blest,
Well-spring of the joy of living, ocean-depth of happy rest!
Thou our Father, Christ our Brother; all who live in love are thine;
Teach us how to love each other, lift us to the joy divine.
NOW THANK WE ALL OUR GOD
Now thank we all our God, with heart, and hands, and voices,
Who wondrous things hath done, in whom his world rejoices;
Who from our mother’s arms hath blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.
O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us!
With ever joyful hearts and blessed peace to cheer us;
And keep us in his grace, and guide us when perplexed,
And free us from all ills in this world and the next.
All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given,
The Son, and Him who reigns with them in highest heaven,
Eternal, Triune God, whom earth and heaven adore;
For thus it was, is now, and shall be, evermore.
COME, YE THANKFUL PEOPLE, COME
Come, ye thankful people, come, raise the song of harvest-home;
All is safely gathered in, ere the winter storms begin;
God, our Maker, doth provide for our wants to be supplied;
Come to God’s own temple, come, raise the song of harvest-home.
All the world is God’s own field, fruit unto his praise to yield;
Wheat and tares together sown, unto joy or sorrow grown;
First the blade, and then the ear, then the full corn shall appear;
Grant, O harvest Lord, that we wholesome grain and pure may be.
For the Lord our God shall come, and shall take his harvest home;
From the field shall in that day all offenses purge away;
Give his angels charge at last in the fire the tares to cast,
But the fruitful years to store in his garner ever more.
Even so, Lord, quickly come to thy final harvest home;
Gather thou thy people in, free from sorrow, free from sin;
There, forever purified, in thy presence to abide;
Come with all thine angels come, raise the glorious harvest-home.
Prayer for Spiritual Communion
In union, O Lord, with your faithful people at every altar of your Church, where the Holy
Eucharist is now being celebrated, I desire to offer to you praise and thanksgiving. I
remember your death, Lord Christ; I proclaim your resurrection; I await your coming in
glory. Since I cannot receive you today in the Sacrament of your Body and Blood, I
beseech you to come spiritually into my heart. Cleanse and strengthen me with your
grace, Lord Jesus, and let me never be separated from you. May I live in you, and you
in me, in this life and in the life to come. Amen.
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