Saturday in Season after Pentecost

Semicontinuous (Track 1)

FIRST READING

Judges 6:1-10

Verse 1. Again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD; so He delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years, Verse 2. and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds. Verse 3. Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites, and other people of the east would come up and invade them, Verse 4. encamping against them as far as Gaza and destroying the produce of the land. They left Israel with no sustenance, neither sheep nor oxen nor donkeys. Verse 5. For the Midianites came with their livestock and their tents like a great swarm of locusts. They and their camels were innumerable, and they entered the land to ravage it. Verse 6. Israel was greatly impoverished by Midian, and the Israelites cried out to the LORD. Verse 7. Now when the Israelites cried out to the LORD because of Midian, Verse 8. He sent them a prophet, who told them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. Verse 9. I delivered you out of the hands of Egypt and all your oppressors. I drove them out before you and gave you their land. Verse 10. And I said to you: ‘I am the LORD your God. You must not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.’ But you did not obey Me.”

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.

Complementary (Track 2)

FIRST READING

Exodus 13:3-10

Verse 3. So Moses told the people, “Remember this day, the day you came out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; for the LORD brought you out of it by the strength of His hand. And nothing leavened shall be eaten. Verse 4. Today, in the month of Abib, you are leaving. Verse 5. And when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites, and Jebusites — the land He swore to your fathers that He would give you, a land flowing with milk and honey — you shall keep this service in this month. Verse 6. For seven days you are to eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the LORD. Verse 7. Unleavened bread shall be eaten during those seven days. Nothing leavened may be found among you, nor shall leaven be found anywhere within your borders. Verse 8. And on that day you are to explain to your son, ‘This is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ Verse 9. It shall be a sign for you on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that the Law of the LORD is to be on your lips. For with a mighty hand the LORD brought you out of Egypt. Verse 10. Therefore you shall keep this statute at the appointed time year after year.

PSALM

Psalm 78:23-29

Yet He commanded the clouds above and opened the doors of the heavens.

He rained down manna for them to eat; He gave them grain from heaven.

Man ate the bread of angels; He sent them food in abundance.

He stirred the east wind from the heavens and drove the south wind by His might.

He rained meat on them like dust, and winged birds like the sand of the sea.

He felled them in the midst of their camp, all around their dwellings.

So they ate and were well filled, for He gave them what they craved.

SECOND READING

Matthew 16:5-12

Verse 5. When they crossed to the other side, the disciples forgot to take bread. Verse 6. “Watch out!” Jesus told them. “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Verse 7. They discussed this among themselves and concluded, “It is because we did not bring any bread.” Verse 8. Aware of their conversation, Jesus said, “You of little faith, why are you debating among yourselves about having no bread? Verse 9. Do you still not understand? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? Verse 10. Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? Verse 11. How do you not understand that I was not telling you about bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Verse 12. Then they understood that He was not telling them to beware of the leaven used in bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.