Monday in Easter — Open Word

FIRST READING

Isaiah 5:1-7

Verse 1. I will sing for my beloved a song of his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. Verse 2. He dug it up and cleared the stones and planted the finest vines. He built a watchtower in the middle and dug out a winepress as well. He waited for the vineyard to yield good grapes, but the fruit it produced was sour! Verse 3. “And now, O dwellers of Jerusalem and men of Judah, I exhort you to judge between Me and My vineyard. Verse 4. What more could have been done for My vineyard than I have done for it? Why, when I expected sweet grapes, did it bring forth sour fruit? Verse 5. Now I will tell you what I am about to do to My vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it will be consumed; I will tear down its wall, and it will be trampled. Verse 6. I will make it a wasteland, neither pruned nor cultivated, and thorns and briers will grow up. I will command the clouds that rain shall not fall on it.” Verse 7. For the vineyard of the LORD of Hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are the plant of His delight. He looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard a cry of distress.

PSALM

Psalm 80

For the choirmaster. To the tune of “The Lilies of the Covenant.” A Psalm of Asaph. Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel, who leads Joseph like a flock; You who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth

before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh. Rally Your mighty power and come to save us.

Restore us, O God, and cause Your face to shine upon us, that we may be saved.

O LORD God of Hosts, how long will Your anger smolder against the prayers of Your people?

You fed them with the bread of tears and made them drink the full measure of their tears.

You make us contend with our neighbors; our enemies mock us.

Restore us, O God of Hosts, and cause Your face to shine upon us, that we may be saved.

You uprooted a vine from Egypt; You drove out the nations and transplanted it.

You cleared the ground for it, and it took root and filled the land.

The mountains were covered by its shade, and the mighty cedars with its branches.

It sent out its branches to the Sea, and its shoots toward the River.

Why have You broken down its walls, so that all who pass by pick its fruit?

The boar from the forest ravages it, and the creatures of the field feed upon it.

Return, O God of Hosts, we pray! Look down from heaven and see! Attend to this vine—

the root Your right hand has planted, the son You have raised up for Yourself.

Your vine has been cut down and burned; they perish at the rebuke of Your countenance.

Let Your hand be upon the man at Your right hand, on the son of man You have raised up for Yourself.

Then we will not turn away from You; revive us, and we will call on Your name.

Restore us, O LORD God of Hosts; cause Your face to shine upon us, that we may be saved.

SECOND READING

Galatians 5:16-26

Verse 16. So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. Verse 17. For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want. Verse 18. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Verse 19. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; Verse 20. idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions, Verse 21. and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Verse 22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, Verse 23. gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Verse 24. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Verse 25. Since we live by the Spirit, let us walk in step with the Spirit. Verse 26. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying one another.