Orthodox Lectionary

Thank you for listening to the Orthodox Lectionary every day.This podcast will be on hiatus from 28 September until 5 October 2021, when recordings of the scripture readings prescribed for the day will resume. Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from: Galatians 2.11-16 Luke 4.38-44 New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from: I John 4.12-19 John 19.25-27; 21.24-25 New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from: I Corinthians 4.1-5 Luke 4.31-36 New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from: II Timothy 3.10-15 Luke 5.12-16 New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from: Galatians 4.22-27 Luke 1.5-25 New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from: II Corinthians 13.3-13 Luke 4.1-15 New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from: II Corinthians 12.20-13.2 Luke 3.23-4.1 New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from: Ephesians 6.10-17 Luke 21.12-19 New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from: Galatians 2.16-20 Mark 8.34-9.1 New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from: I Corinthians 1.26-2.5 John 8.21-30 New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from: II Corinthians 11.5-21 Mark 4.1-9 New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from: II Corinthians 6.1-10 Luke 7.36-50 New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from: Colossians 1.24-2.1 Matthew 10.16-22 New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from: I Corinthians 1.18-24 John 19.6-11, 13-20, 25-28, 30 New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from: Hebrews 3.1-4 Matthew 16:13-19 New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from: Galatians 6.11-18 John 3.13-17 New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from: I Corinthians 2:6-9 Matthew 10.37-11.1 New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from: II Corinthians 7.10-16 John 3:16-21 New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from: Galatians 4.22-27 Luke 8.16-21 New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from: Philippians 2.5-11 Luke 10.38-42, 11.27-28 New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from: II Corinthians 5.15-21 Mark 1.16-22 New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from: Hebrews 2.2-10 Luke 10.16-21 New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from: I Corinthians 9.2-12 Matthew 18.23-35 New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from: I Corinthians 1.3-9 Matthew 19.3-12 New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from:II Corinthians 4.13-18Brethren, since we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, "I believed, and so I spoke," we too believe, and so we speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed every day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, because we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.Matthew 24.27-33, 42-51The Lord said to his disciples, "As the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of man. Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together. Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken; then will appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory; and he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the householder had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find so doing. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that wicked servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eats and drinks with the drunken, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will punish him, and put him with the hypocrites; there men will weep and gnash their teeth."New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from:Romans 8.28-39Brethren, we know that everything works for good with those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the first-born among many brethren. And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified. What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, will he not also give us all things with him? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies; who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, "For thy sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.Matthew 24.13-28The Lord said to his disciples, "He who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, as a testimony to all nations; and then the end will come. So when you see the desolating sacrilege spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains; let him who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house; and let him who is in the field not turn back to take his mantle. And alas for those who are with child and for those who give suck in those days! Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been shortened, no human being would be saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. Then if any one says to you, 'Lo, here is the Christ!' or 'There he is!' do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. Lo, I have told you beforehand. So, if they say to you, 'Lo, he is in the wilderness,' do not go out; if they say, 'Lo, he is in the inner rooms,' do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of man. Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together."New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from:I Timothy 2.1-7Timothy, my son, first of all, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way. This is good, and it is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, the testimony to which was borne at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.Luke 4.16-22At that time, Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; and he went to the synagogue, as his custom was, on the sabbath day. And he stood up to read; and there was given to him the book of the prophet Isaiah. He opened the book and found the place where it was written, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." And all spoke well of him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth.New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from:Hebrews 9.1-7Brethren, the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly sanctuary. For a tent was prepared, the outer one, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence; it is called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain stood a tent called the Holy of Holies, having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, which contained a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail. These preparations having thus been made, the priests go continually into the outer tent, performing their ritual duties; but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood which he offers for himself and for the errors of the people. Luke 10.38-42, 11.27-28At that time, Jesus entered a village; and a woman called Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve you alone? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her." As he said this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that you sucked!" But he said, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from:II Corinthians 2.3-15Brethren, my joy is the joy of you all. For I wrote you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you. But if any one has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure - not to put it too severely - to you all. For such a one this punishment by the majority is enough; so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, for he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything. Any one whom you forgive, I also forgive. What I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, to keep Satan from gaining the advantage over us; for we are not ignorant of his designs. When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, a door was opened for me in the Lord; but my mind could not rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia. But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumph, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.Matthew 23.13-22The Lord said to the Jews who had come to him, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you devour widows' houses and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive the greater condemnation. But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither enter yourselves, nor allow those who would enter to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you traverse sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves. Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'If any one swears by the temple, it is nothing; but if any one swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.' You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred? And you say, 'If any one swears by the altar, it is nothing; but if any one swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.' You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? So he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it; and he who swears by the temple, swears by it and by him who dwells in it; and he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it."New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from:Acts 13.25-33IN THOSE DAYS, as John was finishing his course, he said, "What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie." Brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you that fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation. For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets which are read every sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning him. Though they could charge him with nothing deserving death, yet they asked Pilate to have him killed. And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead; and for many days he appeared to those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus.Mark 6.14-30At that time, Herod the King heard about the fame of Jesus, for his name had become known. He said, "John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; that is why these powers are at work in him." But others said, "It is Elijah." And others said, "It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old." But when Herod heard of it he said, "John, whom I beheaded, has been raised." For Herod had sent and seized John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; because he had married her. For John said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe. When he heard him, he was much perplexed; and yet he heard him gladly. But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and the leading men of Galilee. For when Herodias' daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, "Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will grant it." And he vowed to her, "Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom." And she went out, and said to her mother, "What shall I ask?" And she said, "The head of John the baptizer." And she came in immediately with haste to the king, and asked, saying, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter." And the king was exceedingly sorry; but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. And immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard and gave orders to bring his head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb. The apostles returned to Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught.New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from:Romans 15.30-33Brethren, I appeal to you, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, so that by God's will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. The God of peace be with you all. Amen.Matthew 17:24-18.4At that time, the collectors of the half-shekel tax went up to Peter and said, "Does not your teacher pay the tax?" He said, "Yes." And when he came home, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tribute? From their sons or from others?" And when he said, "From others, " Jesus said to him, "Then the sons are free. However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook, and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel; take that and give it to them for me and for yourself." At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them, and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from:II Corinthians 1.12-20Brethren, our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience that we have behaved in the world, and still more toward you, with holiness and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God. For we write you nothing but what you can read and understand; I hope you will understand fully, as you have understood in part, that you can be proud of us as we can be of you, on the day of the Lord Jesus. Because I was sure of this, I wanted to come to you first, so that you might have a double favor; I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and to come back to you from Macedonia and have you send me on my way to Judea. Was I vacillating when I wanted to do this? Do I make my plans like a worldly man, ready to say Yes and No at once? For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we preached among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No; but in him it is always Yes. For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why we utter the Amen through him, to the glory of God.Matthew 22.23-33At that time, Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection, came to Jesus; and they asked him a question, saying, "Teacher, Moses said, 'If a man dies, having no children, his brother must marry the widow, and raise up children for his brother.' Now there were seven brothers among us; the first married, and died, and having no children left his wife to his brother. So too the second and third, down to the seventh. After them all, the woman died. In the resurrection, therefore, to which of the seven will she be wife? For they all had her." But Jesus answered them, "You are wrong, because you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven. And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God, 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?' He is not God of the dead, but of the living." And when the crowd heard it, they were astonished at his teaching.New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from:Hebrews 6.9-12BRETHREN, we feel sure of better things that belong to salvation. For God is not so unjust as to overlook your work and the love which you showed for his sake in serving the saints, as you still do. And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness in realizing the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.Matthew 21.43-46The Lord said to the Jews who had come to him: "I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing the fruits of it. And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but when it falls on any one, it will crush him." When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. But when they tried to arrest him, they feared the multitudes, because they held him to be a prophet.New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from:Titus 1.1-5; 2.15; 3.1-2, 12-15PAUL, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to further the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life which God, who never lies, promised ages ago and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by command of God our Savior; To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. Declare these things; exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you. Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for any honest work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all men. When I send Artemas or Tychicos to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. Do your best to speed Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they lack nothing. And let our people learn to apply themselves to good deeds, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not to be unfruitful. All who are with me send greetings to you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.Matthew 5.14-19The Lord said to his disciples, "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from:I Corinthians 15.29-38Brethren, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? Why am I in peril every hour? I protest, brethren, by my pride in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesos? If the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die." Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals." Come to your right mind, and sin no more. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame. But some one will ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?" You foolish man! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And what you sow is not the body which is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or some other grain. But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body.Matthew 21.23-27At that time, when Jesus entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?" Jesus answered them, "I also will ask you a question; and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, whence was it? From heaven or from men?" And they argued with one another, "If we say, 'From heaven, ' he will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?' But if we say, 'From men, ' we are afraid of the multitude; for all hold that John was a prophet." So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." And he said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from:Philippians 2.5-11Brethren, have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.Luke 10.38-42, 11.27-28At that time, Jesus entered a village; and a woman called Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve you alone? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her." As he said this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that you sucked!" But he said, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from:I Corinthians 3.9-17Brethren, we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and another man is building upon it. Let each man take care how he builds upon it. For no other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any one builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw - each man's work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If any one destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and that temple you are.Matthew 14.22-34At that time, Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was many furlongs distant from the land, beaten by the waves; for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. But immediately he spoke to them, saying "Take heart, it is I; have no fear." And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you on the water." He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus; but when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me." Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "O man of little faith, why did you doubt?" And when they entered the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God." And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret.New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from:Romans 14.6-9Brethren, he who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. He also who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; while he who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord, and gives thanks to God. None of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.Mark 3.13-21At that time, Jesus went up on the mountain, and called to him those whom he desired; and they came to him. And he appointed twelve, to be with him, and to be sent out to preach and have authority to cast out demons: Simon whom he surnamed Peter; James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, whom he surnamed Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder; Andrew and Philip and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaios, and Thaddaios, and Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. Then he went home; and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for people were saying, "He is beside himself."New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from:I Corinthians 14.26-40Brethren, when you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn; and let one interpret. But if there is no one to interpret, let each one of them keep silence in church and speak to himself and to God. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. If a revelation is made to another by sitting by, let the first be silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged; and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. But God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, the women should keep silence in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be subordinate, as even the law says. If there is anything they desire to know, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. What! Did the word of God originate with you, or are you the only one it has reached? If any one thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that what I am writing to you is a command of the Lord. If any one does not recognize this, he is not recognized. So, my brethren, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues; but all things should be done decently and in order. Matthew 2.12-14; 17-20At that time, Jesus entered the temple of God and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer'; but you make it a den of robbers." And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged there. In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he was hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the wayside he went to it, and found nothing on it but leaves only. And he said to it, "May no fruit ever come from you again!" And the fig tree withered at once. When the disciples saw it they marveled, saying, "How did the fig tree wither at once?"New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from:I Corinthians 14.6-19Brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how shall I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will any one know what is played? And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? So with yourselves; if you in a tongue utter speech that is not intelligible, how will any one know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air. There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning; but if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me. So with yourselves; since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excell in building up the church. Therefore, he who speaks in a tongue should pray for the power to interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. What am I to do? I will pray with spirit and I will sing with the mind also. Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how can any one in the position of an outsider say the "Amen" to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying? For you may give thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified. I thank God that I speak in tongues more than you all; nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind, in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.Matthew 20.17-28At that time, as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and deliver him to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day." Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him, with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. And he said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Command that these two sons of mine may sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom." But Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?" They said to him, "We are able." He said to them, "You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father." And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave; even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from:I Corinthians 13:4-14.5Brethren, love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends; as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood. So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. Make love your aim, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. On the other hand, he who prophesies speaks to men for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than he who speaks in tongues, unless some one interprets, so that the church may be edified.Matthew 20.1-16The Lord said this parable, "The kingdom of heaven is like a householder who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and to them he said, 'You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing; and he said to them, 'Why do you stand here idle all day?' They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You go into the vineyard too.' And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.' And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. And on receiving it they grumbled at the householder, saying, 'These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.' But he replied to one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you, and go; I choose to give to this last as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or is your eye evil because I am good?' So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few are chosen."New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from:I Corinthians 12.12-26Brethren, just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body - Jews or Greeks, slaves or free - and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, "because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the organs in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single organ, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you, " nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." On the contrary, the parts of the body which seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those parts of the body which we think less honorable we invest with the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior part, that there may be no discord in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.Matthew 18.18-22; 19.1-2, 13-15The Lord said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven." Now when Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from Galilee and entered the region of Judea beyond the Jordan; and large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people; but Jesus said, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven." And he laid his hands on them and went away.New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from:I Timothy 3.13-4.5TIMOTHY, my son, those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these instructions to you so that, if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth. Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of our religion: God was manifested in the flesh,justified in the Spirit,seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory. Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by giving heed to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, through the pretensions of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and enjoin abstinence from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving; for then it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.Luke 9.51-57, 10.22-24, 13.22At that time, when the days drew near for him to be received up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him; but the people would not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, "Lord, do you want us to bid fire come down from heaven and consume them as Elijah did?" But he turned and rebuked them, and he said, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of; for the Son of man came not to destroy men's lives but to save them." And they went on to another village. As they were going along the road, he said to those who followed him, "All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." Then turning to the disciples he said privately, "Blessed are the eyes which see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it." And he went on his way through towns and villages, teaching, and journeying towards Jerusalem.New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from:Philippians 2.5-11Brethren, have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.Luke 10.38-42, 11.27-28At that time, Jesus entered a village; and a woman called Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve you alone? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her." As he said this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that you sucked!" But he said, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from:Romans 13.1-10Brethren, let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore he who resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct but to bad. Would you have no fear of him who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your own good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain; he is the servant of God to execute his wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be subject, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For the same reasons you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending this very thing. Pay all of their dues, taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due. Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not covet, " and any other commandment, are summed up in this sentence, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.Matthew 12.30-37The Lord said, "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters. Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree bad, and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment men will render account for every careless word they utter; for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from:I Corinthians 11.8-23Brethren, man was not made from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. That is why a woman ought to have a veil on her head because of the angels. (Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God.) Judge for yourselves; is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not nature itself teach you that for a man to wear long hair is degrading to him, but if a woman has long hair, it is to her pride? For her hair is given to her for a covering. If anyone is disposed to be contentious, we recognize no other practice, nor do the churches of God. But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. For, in the first place, when you assemble as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you; and I partly believe it, for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. When you meet together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat. For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal, and one is hungry and another is drunk. What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not. For I have received from the Lord what I also delivered to you.Matthew 17.10-18At that time, the disciples asked Jesus, "Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?" He replied, "Elijah does come and he is to restore all things; but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not know him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of man will suffer at their hands." Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist. And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and kneeling before him said, "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly; for often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him." And Jesus answered, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me." And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured instantly.New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from:I Corinthians 10.28-11.8Brethren, if someone says to you, "This has been offered in sacrifice," then out of consideration for the man who informed you, and for conscience's sake - I mean his conscience, not yours - do not eat it. For why should my liberty be determined by another man's scruples? If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks? So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please all men in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I have delivered them to you. But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a woman is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. Any man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, but any woman who prays or prophesies with her head unveiled dishonors her head - it is the same as if her head were shaven. For if a woman will not veil herself, then she should cut off her hair, but if it is disgraceful for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her wear a veil. For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. (For man was not made from woman, but woman from man.)Matthew 16.24-28The Lord said to his disciples, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life? For the Son of man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father and then he will repay every man for what he has done. Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from:I Corinthians 10:12-22Brethren, let any one who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. Therefore, my beloved, shun the worship of idols. I speak as to sensible men: judge for yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a communion in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a communion in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. Consider Israel according to the flesh: are not those who eat the sacrifices partners in the altar? What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be partners with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of the demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of the demons. Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?Matthew 16.20-24At that time, Jesus strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ. From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him and began to rebuke him, saying, "God forbid, Lord! This shall never happen to you." But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men." Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from:I Corinthians 10.5-12Brethren, God was not pleased with most of the fathers; for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things are warnings for us, not to desire evil as they did. Do not be idolators as some of them were; as it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to dance." We must not indulge in 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 the Destroyer. Now these things happened to them as a warning, but they were written down for our instruction, upon whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore let any one who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.Matthew 16.6-12The Lord said to his disciples, "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees." And they discussed it among themselves, saying, "We brought no bread." But Jesus, aware of this, said, "O men of little faith, why do you discuss among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? Or the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? How is it that you fail to perceive that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees." Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.

Today's readings are from:Acts 1.12-17, 21-26In those days, the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day's journey away; and when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaios and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. In those days Peter stood up among the brethren (the company of persons was in all about a hundred and twenty), and said, "Brethren, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David, concerning Judas who was guide to those who arrested Jesus. For he was numbered among us, and was allotted his share in this ministry. "So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us -- one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection. And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justos, and Matthias. And they prayed and said, "Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show which one of these two thou hast chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside, to go to his own place." And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was enrolled with the eleven apostles.Matthew 16.1-6At that time, the Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. He answered them, "When it is evening, you say, 'It will be fair weather; for the sky is red.' And in the morning, 'It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of Jonah." So he left them and departed. When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. Jesus said to them, "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.New Testament passages are usually from the Holy Cross translation, Brookline, MA. Old Testament readings are frequently from the Revised Standard Version.Please feel free to share this podcast from The Ambigua with anyone who might enjoy or benefit from it - especially people with busy lives, or big families, or who spend a lot of time traveling, or who can't make it to liturgy, or who have any other time and accessibility constraints.Comments & suggestions for improvement welcome @TheAmbigua or via email.