LENT 3 YEAR C      Sunday 23 March 2025

FIRST READING Isaiah 55.1–9

A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.

The LORD says this:

Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters;

and you that have no money, come, buy and eat!

Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,

and your labour for that which does not satisfy?

Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good,

and delight yourselves in rich food.

Incline your ear, and come to me;

listen, so that you may live.

I will make with you an everlasting covenant,

my steadfast, sure love for David.

See, I made him a witness to the peoples,

a leader and commander for the peoples.

See, you shall call nations that you do not know,

and nations that do not know you shall run to you,

because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel,

for he has glorified you.

Seek the LORD while he may be found,

call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake their way,

and the unrighteous their thoughts;

let them return to the LORD, that he may have mercy on them,

and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.

PSALM Psalm 63.1–8

R My soul thirsts for you, O my God.

1 O God, you are my God; eagerly I seek you;

my soul thirsts for you, my flesh faints for you,

as in a barren and dry land where there is no water;

2 Therefore I have gazed upon you in your holy place,

that I might behold your power and your glory. R

3 For your loving-kindness is better than life itself;

my lips shall give you praise.

4 So will I bless you as long as I live

and lift up my hands in your name. R

5 My soul is content, as with marrow and fatness,

and my mouth praises you with joyful lips,

6 When I remember you upon my bed,

and meditate on you in the night watches. R

7 For you have been my helper,

and under the shadow of your wings I will rejoice.

8 My soul clings to you;

your right hand holds me fast. R

SECOND READING 1 Corinthians 10.1–13

A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians.

I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters,

that our ancestors were all under the cloud,

and all passed through the sea,

and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,

and all ate the same spiritual food,

and all drank the same spiritual drink.

For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them,

and the rock was Christ.

Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them,

and they were struck down in the wilderness.

Now these things occurred as examples for us,

so that we might not desire evil as they did.

Do not become idolaters as some of them did;

as it is written,

‘The people sat down to eat and drink, and they rose up to play.’

We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day.

We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did,

and were destroyed by serpents.

And do not complain as some of them did,

and were destroyed by the destroyer.

These things happened to them to serve as an example,

and they were written down to instruct us,

on whom the ends of the ages have come.

So if you think you are standing,

watch out that you do not fall.

No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone.

God is faithful,

and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength,

but with the testing he will also provide the way out

so that you may be able to endure it.

GOSPEL Luke 13.1–9

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.

There were some present who told Jesus about the Galileans

whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

He asked them ‘Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way

they were worse sinners than all other Galileans?

No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did.

Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them –

do you think that they were worse offenders

than all the others living in Jerusalem?

No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.’

Then he told this parable:

‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard;

and he came looking for fruit on it and found none.

So he said to the gardener, “See here!

For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none.

Cut it down!

Why should it be wasting the soil?”

He replied, “Sir, let it alone for one more year,

until I dig around it and put manure on it.

If it bears fruit next year, well and good;

but if not, you can cut it down.”’

MOTHERING SUNDAY YEARS A B C     30 March 2025

There is a large choice of readings, consult the service officiant

FIRST READING (Alternative readings)

Either Exodus 2.1–10

A reading from the book of Exodus.

1 A man from the house of Levi went and married a Levite woman.

2 The woman conceived and bore a son;

and when she saw that he was a fine baby,

she hid him for three months.

3 When she could hide him no longer she got a papyrus basket for him,

and plastered it with bitumen and pitch;

she put the child in it and placed it among the reeds on the bank of the river.

4 His sister stood at a distance, to see what would happen to him.

5 The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river,

while her attendants walked beside the river.

She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid to bring it.

6 When she opened it, she saw the child.

He was crying, and she took pity on him,

‘This must be one of the Hebrews’ children,’ she said.

7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter,

‘Shall I go and get you a nurse from the Hebrew women

to nurse the child for you?’

8 Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Yes.’

So the girl went and called the child’s mother.

9 Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Take this child and nurse it for me,

and I will give you your wages.’

So the woman took the child and nursed it.

10 When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter,

and she took him as her son.

She named him Moses,

‘because,’ she said, ‘I drew him out of the water.’

=

Or 1 Samuel 1.20–28

A reading from the first book of Samuel.

20 Hannah conceived and bore a son.

She named him Samuel, for she said,

‘I have asked him of the LORD.’

21 The man Elkanah and all his household

went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice,

and to pay his vow.

22 But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband,

‘As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him,

that he may appear in the presence of the LORD,

and remain there for ever;

I will offer him as a nazirite for all time.’

23 Her husband Elkanah said to her,

‘Do what seems best to you, wait until you have weaned him;

only – may the LORD establish his word.’

So the woman remained and nursed her son, until she weaned him.

24 When she had weaned him, she took him up with her,

along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour,

and a skin of wine.

She brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh;

and the child was young.

25 Then they slaughtered the bull,

and they brought the child to Eli.

26 And she said, ‘Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord,

I am the woman who was standing here in your presence,

praying to the LORD.

27 For this child I prayed;

and the LORD has granted me the petition that I made to him.

28 Therefore I have lent him to the LORD;

as long as he lives, he is given to the LORD.’

She left him there for the LORD.

PSALM

Either Psalm 34.11–20

R [Come, children, and listen to me:]

I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

11 Come, children, and listen to me;

I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

12 Who among you loves life

and desires long life to enjoy prosperity? R

13 Keep your tongue from evil-speaking

and your lips from lying words.

14 Turn from evil and do good;

seek peace and pursue it. R

15 The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous,

and his ears are open to their cry.

16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,

to root out the remembrance of them from the earth. R

17 The righteous cry and the Lord hears them

and delivers them from all their troubles.

18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted

and will save those whose spirits are crushed. R

19 Many are the troubles of the righteous,

but the Lord will deliver him out of them all.

20 He will keep safe all his bones;

not one of them shall be broken. R

Or Psalm 127.1–4

R It is the Lord who builds the house.

1 Unless the Lord builds the house,

their labour is in vain who build it.

2 Unless the Lord watches over the city,

in vain the guard keeps vigil. R

3 It is in vain that you rise so early

and go to bed so late;

vain, too, to eat the bread of toil,

for he gives to his belovèd sleep.

4 Children are a heritage from the Lord,

and the fruit of the womb is a gift. R

SECOND READING (Alternative readings)

Either 2 Corinthians 1.3–7

A reading from the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation,

4 who consoles us in all our affliction,

so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction

with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God.

5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are abundant for us,

so also our consolation is abundant through Christ.

6 If we are being afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation;

if we are being consoled, it is for your consolation,

which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings

that we are also suffering.

7 Our hope for you is unshaken;

for we know that as you share in our sufferings,

so also you share in our consolation.

Or Colossians 3.12–17

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Colossians.

12 As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,

clothe yourselves with compassion,

kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.

13 Bear with one another and,

if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other;

just as the Lord has forgiven you,

so you also must forgive.

14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love,

which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,

to which indeed you were called in the one body.

And be thankful.

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly;

teach and admonish one another in all wisdom;

and with gratitude in your hearts

sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.

17 And whatever you do, in word or deed,

do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,

giving thanks to God the Father through him.

GOSPEL (Alternative readings)

Either Luke 2.33–35

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.

33 The child’s father and mother

were amazed at what was being said about Jesus.

34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary,

‘This child is destined

for the falling and the rising of many in Israel,

and to be a sign that will be opposed

35 so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed –

and a sword will pierce your own soul too.’

Or John 19.25b–27

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.

25 Standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother,

and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas,

and Mary Magdalene.

26 When Jesus saw his mother

and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her,

he said to his mother, ‘Woman, here is your son.’

27 Then he said to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’

And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.

LENT 5 YEAR C     6 April 2025

FIRST READING Isaiah 43.16–21

A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.

 Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea,

a path in the mighty waters,

 who brings out chariot and horse, army and warrior;

they lie down, they cannot rise,

they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:

 Do not remember the former things,

or consider the things of old.

 I am about to do a new thing;

now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?

I will make a way in the wilderness

and rivers in the desert.

 The wild animals will honour me,

the jackals and the ostriches;

for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert,

to give drink to my chosen people,

 the people whom I formed for myself

so that they might declare my praise.

PSALM Psalm 126

R The Lord has done great things for us

[and we are glad indeed].

1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,

then were we like those who dream.

2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter,

and our tongue with shouts of joy. R

3 Then they said among the nations,

‘The Lord has done great things for them.’

4 The Lord has done great things for us,

and we are glad indeed. R

5 Restore our fortunes, O Lord,

like the watercourses of the Negev.

6 Those who sowed with tears

will reap with songs of joy.

7 Those who go out weeping, carrying the seed,

will come again with joy, shouldering their sheaves. R

SECOND READING Philippians 3.4b–14

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Philippians.

 If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more:

 circumcised on the eighth day,

a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin,

a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;

 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church;

as to righteousness under the law, blameless.

Yet whatever gains I had,

these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ.

 More than that, I regard everything as loss

because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things,

and I regard them as rubbish,

in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him,

not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law,

but one that comes through faith in Christ,

the righteousness from God based on faith.

I want to know Christ

and the power of his resurrection

and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death,

if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Not that I have already obtained this

or have already reached the goal;

but I press on to make it my own,

because Christ Jesus has made me his own.

Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own;

but this one thing I do:

forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,

I press on towards the goal

for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.

GOSPEL John 12.1–8

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany,

the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.

There they gave a dinner for him.

Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him.

Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard,

anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair.

The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples

(the one who was about to betray him), said,

‘Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii

and the money given to the poor?’

 (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief;

he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.)

 Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone.

She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial.

You always have the poor with you,

but you do not always have me.’