I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord”
Psalm 122:1
Scripture Readings For the Week:
*Amos 9:11-15
*Romans 12:6-16a
*John 2:1-11
IGod promises that He will repair what sin has broken, and the blessings will be more than we know what to do with “The plowman shall overtake the reaper…the mountains shall drip with sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it.” These blessings come through the Word of God, the Scripture and the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ, our Lord. “Whatever He says to you, do it” says the mother of our Lord. This is the source of all blessings. The starting place is what Jesus says in John 6 “This is the work of God, that you should believe in Him whom He has sent” and all the work of our life flows from their. The Epistle reading shows how God blesses us with various gifts, but we use them for blessing according to God’s Word.
Prayer of the Day:
Salutation and Collect of the Day
Almighty and everlasting God, who governs all things in heaven and on earth, mercifully hear the prayers of Your people and grant us Your peace through all our days; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Hymns
*TLH 622 The Voice That Breathed o’er Eden
*402 The Only Son from Heaven
*394 Songs of Thankfulness and Praise
*636 Sou, Adorn Yourself with Gladness
*TLH 131 The Star Proclaims the King is Here
Bach Cantata for the Week
BWV 155 My God, how long, how long then? (Translation)
- Recit. (S)
My God, how long, how long then?
Of grief there is too much,
I see no end at all
Of mis’ry and of sorrow!
Thy soothing mercy’s face
Beneath the night and clouds itself hath hidden;
Thy hand of love, alas, is quite withdrawn;
For comfort I’m most anxious.
I find that to this wretch’s daily anguish,
My cup of tears is ever full replenished,
The wine of joy doth fail;
And falls nigh all my confidence!
- Aria (A, T)
Thou be faithful, thou be hopeful,
Thou must rest assured in God!
Jesus knows the proper hour,
Thee with help and joy to fill.
When this troubled time is over,
All his heart to thee shall open.
- Recit. (B)
So be, O soul of mine, contented!
If it should to thine eyes appear
As if thy dearest friend
Were fully from thee absent
When he a short time thee hath left,
Heart, keep thy faith:
A short time will it be,(1)
When he for bitter weeping
Of hope and joy the wine,
And honey sweet, replacing gall will grant thee!(2)
Ah, do not think
That from his heart he thee would sadden;
He only tests through sorrow thine affection;
He maketh now thy heart to weep through cheerless hours,
So that his gracious light
To thee appear e’en still more lovely;
He hath reserved thy joy
For last,
To thy delight and consolation;
So yield to him, O heart, in all things power!(3)
- Aria (S)
Cast, my heart yet, cast thyself
In the Highest’s loving bosom,
That he grant to thee his mercy.
And remove thy sorrows’ yoke,
All that thee till now hath burdened,
On the shoulders of his mercy.
- Chorale (S, A, T, B)
Though it should seem he were opposed,
Be thou by this not frightened,
For where he is at best with thee,
His wont is not to show it.
His word take thou more certain still,
And though thy heart say only “No,”
Yet let thyself not shudder.