Sixth Sunday after Pentecost	July 20, 2025
Prayer of the Day
Let your merciful ears, O Lord, be open to the prayers of your humble servants; that you may hear our petitions. In all things, help us to ask for what will please you; through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
First Reading: Genesis 18:1-10a [10b-14] 
1The Lord appeared to {Abraham} by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. 2He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth 3and said, “O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant. 4Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree, 5while I bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on — since you have come to your servant.” So they said, “Do as you have said.” 6And Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick! Three seahs of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes.” 7And Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to a young man, who prepared it quickly. 8Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate. 9They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “She is in the tent.” 10aThe Lord said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” [10bAnd Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. 11Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah. 12So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?” 13The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ 14Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.”]
Psalm 27:[1-6] 7-18 (LBW)*
[1The 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?
2When evildoers came upon me to eat | up my flesh,*
	it was they, my foes and my adversaries, who stum- | bled and fell.
3Though an army should en- | camp against me,*
	yet my heart shall not | be afraid;
4And though war should rise | up against me,*
	yet will I put my | trust in him.
5One 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;
6To behold the fair beauty | of the Lord*
	and to seek him | in his temple.]
7For 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 up- | on a rock.
8Even now he lifts | up my head*
	above my enemies | round about me.
9Therefore I will offer in his dwelling an oblation with sounds | of great gladness;*
	I will sing and make music | to the Lord.
10Hearken to my voice, O Lord, | when I call;*
	have mercy on me and | answer me.
11You speak in my heart and say, | “Seek my face.”*
	Your face, Lord, | will I seek.
12Hide not your | face from me,*
	nor turn away your servant | in displeasure.
13You have been my helper; cast me | not away;*
	do not forsake me, O God of | my salvation.
14Though my father and my moth- | er forsake me,*
	the Lord | will sustain me.
15Show me your | way, O Lord;*
	lead me on a level path, because | of my enemies.
16Deliver me not into the hand of my | adversaries,*
	for false witnesses have risen up against me, and also those | who speak malice.
17What if I had not believed that I should see the goodness | of the Lord*
	in the land | of the living!
18O tarry and await the Lord’s pleasure; be strong, and he shall com- | fort your heart;* 
	wait patiently | for the Lord.
Psalm 27:[1-6] 7-14 (ESV)*
[1The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
2When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall.
3Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.
4One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.
5For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock.
6And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord.]
7Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me!
8You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, Lord, do I seek.”
9Hide not your face from me. Turn not your servant away in anger, O you who have been my help. Cast me not off; forsake me not, O God of my salvation!
10For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in.
11Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.
12Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence.
13I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!
14Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

*The Book of Common Prayer verse numbers for this psalm are different from the numbering in the ESV.
Second Reading: Colossians 1:21-29 
21You, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister. 24Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.
Gospel: Luke 10:38-42
38Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 40But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
Lessons for Next Week
Genesis 18:[17-19] 20-33; Psalm 138; Colossians 2:6-15 [16-19]; Luke 11:1-13