The readings for this Sunday focus on the importance of God’s law, the wisdom and power of Christ, and the call to holiness and conversion.
THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT
INTROIT. Oculi mei. Ps. 25. MINE eyes are ever looking unto the Lord, for he shall pluck my feet out of the net: turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me: for I am desolate and in misery. Psalm ibid, O Lord, will I lift up my soul: my God, in thee have I put my trust, let me not be confounded. V. Glory be.
COLLECT. WE beseech thee, Almighty God, look upon the hearty desires of thy humble servants, and stretch forth the right hand of thy Majesty, to be our defence against all our enemies. [Through.]
First Lesson: Genesis 3:9-15 [9] But the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” [10] And he said, “I heard the sound of thee in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.” [11] He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” [12] The man said, “The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” [13] Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent beguiled me, and I ate.” [14] The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all cattle, and above all wild animals; upon your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.[15] I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.
Psalm 130 A Song of Ascents.
[1] Out of the depths I cry to thee, O LORD!
[2] Lord, hear my voice! Let thy ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications!
[3] If thou, O LORD, shouldst mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand?
[4] But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
[5] I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;
[6] my soul waits for the LORD more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.
[7] O Israel, hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is plenteous redemption.
[8] And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities
EPISTLE. Ephesians 5:1-14 1 BRETHREN: Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. 3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. 13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. 14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
GRADUAL. Ps. 9. Up, Lord, and let not man have the upper hand: let the heathen be judged in thy sight. V. While mine enemies are driven back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. V. Behold, even as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters. V. And as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress: even so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until he have mercy upon us. V. Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
GOSPEL. Saint Luke 11:14-28 14 AT that time: Jesus was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered. 15 But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils. 16 And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven. 17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth. 18 If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub. 19 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges. 20 But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you. 21 When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: 22 But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. 23 He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. 24 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. 25 And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. 26 Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. 27 And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. 28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
OFFERTORY. Ps. 19. The statues of the Lord are right, and rejoice the heart, sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb: moreover thy servant keepeth them.