Isaiah 55: 6-13
Seek the Lord while he may be found,
call upon him while he is near;
let the wicked forsake their way,
and the unrighteous their thoughts;
let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
and do not return there until they have watered the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
For you shall go out in joy,
and be led back in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
shall burst into song,
and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;
instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;
and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial,
for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
| 2 Corinthians 9: 6-12
The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. As it is written, |
Mark 4: 1-9
Again he began to teach beside the lake. Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the lake and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the lake on the land. He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: ‘Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.’ And he said, ‘Let anyone with ears to hear listen!’
HYMNS
ALL CREATURES OF OUR GOD AND KING
All creatures of our God and King,
Lift up your voices, let us sing;
Alleluia, alleluia!
Bright burning sun with golden beams,
Pale silvery moon that gently gleams,
Refrain:
O praise him, O praise him,
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Great rushing winds and breezes soft,
You clouds that ride the heavens aloft,
O praise him, Alleluia!
Fair rising morn, with prayers rejoice,
Stars nightly shining, find a voice,
Refrain
Swift flowing water, pure and clear,
Make music for your Lord to hear,
Alleluia, alleluia!
Fire, so intense and fiercely bright,
You give to us both warmth and light,
Refrain
Dear mother earth, you day by day
Unfold your blessings on our way,
O praise him, Alleluia!
All flowers and fruits that in you grow,
Let them his glory also show;
Refrain
ALL THINGS BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL
Refrain
All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful, the Lord God made them all.
Each little flower that opens, each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colors, he made their tiny wings.
Refrain
The purple-headed mountain, the river running by,
The sunset, and the morning that brightens up the sky.
Refrain
The cold wind in the winter, the pleasant summer sun,
The ripe fruits in the garden, he made them every one.
Refrain
He gave us eyes to see them, and lips that we might tell
How great is God Almighty, who has made all things well.
Refrain
FOR THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH
For the beauty of the earth,
For the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies;
Lord of all to thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise.
For the beauty of each hour
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale and tree and flower,
Sun and moon and stars of light;
Lord of all to thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise.
For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth and friends above;
For all gentle thoughts and mild;
Lord of all to thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise.
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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