Readings for Sunday – 7/6/25

The Fourth Sunday after Pentecost

THE COLLECT
Almighty God, you have built your Church upon the foundation of the apostles and
prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone: Grant us so to be joined
together in unity of spirit by their teaching, that we may be made a holy temple
acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

OLD TESTAMENT: 2 Kings 5:1-14
Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man and in high
favor with his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram. The
man, though a mighty warrior, suffered from leprosy. Now the Arameans on one of
their raids had taken a young girl captive from the land of Israel, and she served
Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, “If only my lord were with the prophet
who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” So Naaman went in and told
his lord just what the girl from the land of Israel had said. And the king of Aram
said, “Go then, and I will send along a letter to the king of Israel.” He went, taking
with him ten talents of silver, six thou sand shekels of gold, and ten sets of
garments. He brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, “When this letter
reaches you, know that I have sent to you my servant Naaman, that you may cure
him of his leprosy.” When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and
said, “Am I God, to give death or life, that this man sends word to me to cure a man
of his leprosy? Just look and see how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me.” But
when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he
sent a message to the king, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me,
that he may learn that there is a prophet in Israel.” So Naaman came with his horses
and chariots, and halted at the entrance of Elisha’s house. Elisha sent a messenger
to him, saying, “Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be
restored and you shall be clean.” But Naaman became angry and went away,
saying, “I thought that for me he would surely come out, and stand and call on the
name of the Lord his God, and would wave his hand over the spot, and cure the
leprosy! Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the
waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them, and be clean?” He turned and went
away in a rage. But his servants approached and said to him, “Father, if the prophet
had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How
much more, when all he said to you was, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” So, he went down
and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man
of God; his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean.
Reader: The Word of the Lord People: Thanks be to God

PSALM Psalm 30
1 I will exalt you, O Lord, because you have lifted me up *
and have not let my enemies’ triumph over me.
2 O Lord my God, I cried out to you, *
and you restored me to health.
3 You brought me up, O Lord, from the dead; *
you restored my life as I was going down to the grave.
4 Sing to the Lord, you servants of his; *
give thanks for the remembrance of his holiness.
5 For his wrath endures but the twinkling of an eye, *
his favor for a lifetime.
6 Weeping may spend the night, *
but joy comes in the morning.
7 While I felt secure, I said, “I shall never be disturbed. *
You, Lord, with your favor, made me as strong as the mountains.”
8 Then you hid your face, *
and I was filled with fear.
9 I cried to you, O Lord; *
I pleaded with the Lord, saying,
10 “What profit is there in my blood, if I go down to the Pit? *
will the dust praise you or declare your faithfulness?
11 Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me; *
O Lord, be my helper.”
12 You have turned my wailing into dancing; *
you have put off my sack-cloth and clothed me with joy.
13 Therefore my heart sings to you without ceasing; *
O Lord my God, I will give you thanks for ever.

EPISTLE: Galatians 6:(1-6), 7-16
My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the
Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Take care that you
yourselves are not tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way, you will
fulfill the law of Christ. For if those who are nothing think they are something,
they deceive themselves. All must test their own work; then that work, rather than
their neighbor’s work, will become a cause for pride. For all must carry their own
loads. Those who are taught the word must share in all good things with their
teacher. Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow.
If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you
sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit. So let us not grow
weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest-time, if we do not give up.
So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and
especially for those of the family of faith. See what large letters I make when I am
writing in my own hand! It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh
that try to compel you to be circumcised—only that they may not be persecuted for
the cross of Christ. Even the circumcised do not themselves obey the law, but they
want you to be circumcised so that they may boast about your flesh. May I never
boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has
been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision nor
uncircumcision is anything; but a new creation is everything! As for those who will
follow this rule—peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
Reader: The Word of the Lord People: Thanks be to God

THE GOSPEL of our Lord Jesus Christ according to:
Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 People: Glory to You Lord Christ
After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in
pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to
them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore, ask the Lord
of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am
sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag,
no sandals; and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say,
‘Peace to this house!’ And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace
will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same
house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be
paid. Do not move about from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and
its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the sick who are there,
and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whenever
you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say,
‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest
against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’ “Whoever
listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever
rejects me rejects the one who sent me.” The seventy returned with joy, saying,
“Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!” He said to them, “I
watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. See, I have given you
authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the
enemy; and nothing will hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the
spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
Reader: The Gospel of the Lord People: Praise to you, Lord Christ