The Lessons Appointed for Use on the
Fifth Sunday after Epiphany
Year A BCP

Habakkuk 3:1-6,17-19
1 Corinthians 2:1-11
Matthew 5:13-20
Psalm 27 or 27:1-7

Set us free, O God, from the bondage of our sins, and give us the liberty of that abundant life which you have made known to us in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Habakkuk 3:1-6,17-19

A prayer of the prophet Habakkuk according to Shigionoth.
O LORD, I have heard of your renown,
and I stand in awe, O LORD, of your work.
In our own time revive it;
in our own time make it known;
in wrath may you remember mercy.
God came from Teman,
the Holy One from Mount Paran. [Selah]
His glory covered the heavens,
and the earth was full of his praise.
The brightness was like the sun;
rays came forth from his hand,
where his power lay hidden.
Before him went pestilence,
and plague followed close behind.
He stopped and shook the earth;

he looked and made the nations tremble.
The eternal mountains were shattered;
along his ancient pathways
the everlasting hills sank low.

Though the fig tree does not blossom,
and no fruit is on the vines;
though the produce of the olive fails
and the fields yield no food;
though the flock is cut off from the fold
and there is no herd in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD;
I will exult in the God of my salvation.
GOD, the Lord, is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
and makes me tread upon the heights.

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.

Psalm 27 or 27:1-7 Page 617, BCP

Dominus illuminatio

1

The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom then shall I fear? *
the LORD is the strength of my life;
of whom then shall I be afraid?

2

When evildoers came upon me to eat up my flesh, *
it was they, my foes and my adversaries, who

stumbled and fell.

3

Though an army should encamp against me, *
yet my heart shall not be afraid;

4

And though war should rise up against me, *
yet will I put my trust in him.

5

One thing have I asked of the LORD;
one thing I seek; *
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days

of my life;

6

To behold the fair beauty of the LORD *
and to seek him in his temple.

7

For in the day of trouble he shall keep me safe

in his shelter; *
he shall hide me in the secrecy of his dwelling
and set me high upon a rock.

8

Even now he lifts up my head *
above my enemies round about me.

9

Therefore I will offer in his dwelling an oblation
with sounds of great gladness; *
I will sing and make music to the LORD.

10

Hearken to my voice, O LORD, when I call; *
have mercy on me and answer me.

11

You speak in my heart and say, "Seek my face." *
Your face, LORD, will I seek.

12

Hide not your face from me, *
nor turn away your servant in displeasure.

13

You have been my helper;
cast me not away; *
do not forsake me, O God of my salvation.

14

Though my father and my mother forsake me, *
the LORD will sustain me.

15

Show me your way, O LORD; *
lead me on a level path, because of my enemies.

16

Deliver me not into the hand of my adversaries, *
for false witnesses have risen up against me,
and also those who speak malice.

17

What if I had not believed
that I should see the goodness of the LORD *
in the land of the living!

18

O tarry and await the LORD'S pleasure;
be strong, and he shall comfort your heart; *
wait patiently for the LORD.

1 Corinthians 2:1-11

When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.

Yet among the mature we do speak wisdom, though it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to perish. But we speak God's wisdom, secret and hidden, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written,

"What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the human heart conceived,
what God has prepared for those who love him" --

these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For what human being knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is within? So also no one comprehends what is truly God's except the Spirit of God.

Matthew 5:13-20

Jesus said, "You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.

"You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.

The text of the Psalms are from the Psalter of the Book of Common Prayer, 1979.

Return to The Lectionary Page.