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Sunday, May 18, 2008
The Holy Trinity
First Sunday after Pentecost
First Reading:
Genesis 1:1—2:4a
This first creation story reached its current form
during the crisis of the Babylonian exile of the people of
Israel. God, not their captors' god Marduk, was responsible for
their existence. God created women and men as rulers over
creation, to preserve and protect it. God also rested on the
seventh day, hallowing that day forever as the Sabbath.
Chapter 1
In the beginning when God created the heavens and the
earth, 2the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face
of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the
waters. 3Then
God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.
4And God
saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from
the darkness. 5God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night.
And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
6And
God said, "Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters,
and let it separate the waters from the waters."
7So God
made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome
from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so.
8God
called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was
morning, the second day.
9And
God said, "Let the waters under the sky be gathered
together into one place, and let the dry land appear." And
it was so. 10God
called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered
together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.
11Then
God said, "Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants
yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear
fruit with the seed in it." And it was so.
12The
earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every
kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it.
And God saw that it was good.
13And
there was evening and there was morning, the third day.
14And
God said, "Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to
separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and
for seasons and for days and years,
15and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give
light upon the earth." And it was so.
16God
made the two great lights — the greater light to rule the day
and the lesser light to rule the night — and the stars.
17God set
them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth,
18to rule
over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from
the darkness. And God saw that it was good.
19And
there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.
20And
God said, "Let the waters bring forth swarms of living
creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of
the sky." 21So
God created the great sea monsters and every living creature
that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and
every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good.
22God
blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill
the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the
earth." 23And
there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.
24And
God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures of
every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the
earth of every kind." And it was so.
25God
made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle
of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of
every kind. And God saw that it was good.
26Then
God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, according to
our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the
sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and
over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping
thing that creeps upon the earth."
27So
God created humankind in his image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
28God
blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and
multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion
over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over
every living thing that moves upon the earth."
29God
said, "See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that
is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in
its fruit; you shall have them for food.
30And to
every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to
everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the
breath of life, I have given every green plant for food."
And it was so. 31God saw
everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And
there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
Chapter 2
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their
multitude. 2And
on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and
he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done.
3So God
blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God
rested from all the work that he had done in creation.
4These
are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were
created.
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Psalm (ELW):
Psalm 8
How majestic is your name in all the earth! (Ps. 8:1)
1O |
LORD our Lord,
how majestic is your name in |
all the earth!—
2you
whose glory is chanted above the heavens out of the mouths of
in- | fants and
children;
you have set up a fortress against your enemies, to
silence the foe |
and avenger. R
3When I
consider your heavens, the work |
of your fingers,
the moon and the stars you have set |
in their courses,
4what
are mere mortals that you should be mind- | ful of them,
human beings that you should |
care for them?
5Yet you
have made them little less |
than divine;
with glory and hon- |
or you crown them.
6You
have made them rule over the works |
of your hands;
you have put all things un- |
der their feet:
7all |
flocks and cattle,
even the wild beasts |
of the field,
8the
birds of the air, the fish |
of the sea,
and whatever passes along the paths |
of the sea.
9O |
LORD our Lord,
how majestic is your name in |
all the earth! R
Second Reading:
2 Corinthians 13:11–13
Paul closes a challenging letter to the Corinthians with
an appeal to Christian fellowship grounded in the triune harmony
of Christ's grace, God's love, the Spirit's partnership.
11Finally,
brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to
my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of
love and peace will be with you.
12Greet
one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you.
13The
grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the
communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.
Gospel:
Matthew 28:16–20
After his resurrection, Jesus summons his remaining
disciples and commissions them to baptize and teach all nations
in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
16Now the
eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus
had directed them. 17When
they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18And Jesus
came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on
earth has been given to me.
19Go
therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20and
teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And
remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
From Sundays and Seasons.com.
Copyright 2008 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.
Reprinted by permission under
Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #26405.
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