Preparing for the Seventh
Sunday after the Epiphany

Year B

Prayer

Psalm 41

Heal me, O God

 

Happy are those who consider the poor;

the Lord delivers them in the day of trouble.

The Lord protects them and keeps them alive;

they are called happy in the land.

You do not give them up to the will of their enemies.

The Lord sustains them on their sickbed;

in their illness you heal all their infirmities.

As for me, I said, “O Lord, be gracious to me;

heal me, for I have sinned against you.”

My enemies wonder in malice

when I will die, and my name perish.

And when they come to see me, they utter empty words,

while their hearts gather mischief;

when they go out, they tell it abroad.

All who hate me whisper together about me;

they imagine the worst for me.

They think that a deadly thing has fastened on me,

that I will not rise again from where I lie.

Even my bosom friend in whom I trusted,

who ate of my bread, has lifted the heel against me.

But you, O Lord, be gracious to me,

and raise me up, that I may repay them.

By this I know that you are pleased with me;

because my enemy has not triumphed over me.

But you have upheld me because of my integrity,

and set me in your presence forever.

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,

from everlasting to everlasting.

Amen and Amen.

 

Isaiah 39:1-8

A gift for a healed king

 

At that time King Merodach-baladan son of Baladan of Babylon sent envoys with letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered. Hezekiah welcomed them; he showed them his treasure house, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his whole armory, all that was found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them. Then the prophet Isaiah came to King Hezekiah and said to him, “What did these men say? From where did they come to you?” Hezekiah answered, “They have come to me from a far country, from Babylon.” He said, “What have they seen in your house?” Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing in my storehouses that I did not show them.”

 

Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord of hosts: Days are coming when all that is in your house, and that which your ancestors have stored up until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left, says the Lord. Some of your own sons who are born to you shall be taken away; they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “There will be peace and security in my days.”

 

Luke 4:38-41

The healing at Simon’s house

 

After leaving the synagogue he entered Simon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked him about her. Then he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. Immediately she got up and began to serve them.

 

As the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various kinds of diseases brought them to him; and he laid his hands on each of them and cured them. Demons also came out of many, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Messiah.