Friday in Lent — Open Word

FIRST READING

Exodus 30:1-10

Verse 1. “You are also to make an altar of acacia wood for the burning of incense. Verse 2. It is to be square, a cubit long, a cubit wide, and two cubits high. Its horns must be of one piece. Verse 3. Overlay with pure gold the top and all the sides and horns, and make a molding of gold around it. Verse 4. And make two gold rings below the molding on opposite sides to hold the poles used to carry it. Verse 5. Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. Verse 6. Place the altar in front of the veil that is before the ark of the Testimony — before the mercy seat that is over the Testimony— where I will meet with you. Verse 7. And Aaron is to burn fragrant incense on it every morning when he tends the lamps. Verse 8. When Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he must burn the incense perpetually before the LORD for the generations to come. Verse 9. On this altar you must not offer unauthorized incense or a burnt offering or grain offering; nor are you to pour a drink offering on it. Verse 10. Once a year Aaron shall make atonement on the horns of the altar. Throughout your generations he shall make atonement on it annually with the blood of the sin offering of atonement. The altar is most holy to the LORD.”

PSALM

Psalm 51:1-12

For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. When Nathan the prophet came to him after his adultery with Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your loving devotion; according to Your great compassion, blot out my transgressions.

Wash me clean of my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.

Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You may be proved right when You speak and blameless when You judge.

Surely I was brought forth in iniquity; I was sinful when my mother conceived me.

Surely You desire truth in the inmost being; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice.

Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from Your presence; take not Your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit.

SECOND READING

Hebrews 4:14-5:4

Verse 14. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess. Verse 15. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin. Verse 16. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Verse 1. Every high priest is appointed from among men to represent them in matters relating to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. Verse 2. He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and misguided, since he himself is subject to weakness. Verse 3. That is why he is obligated to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. Verse 4. No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron was.