ISAIAH 55:10-13

 

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.  For you shall go out in joy, and be led back in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.  Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall be to the LORD for a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.  

 

ADDITIONAL TEXTS

 

For Economic Justice in Western North Carolina:

 

If you close your ear to the cry of the poor, you will cry out and not be heard.

         Proverbs 21:13   

 

On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of well-aged wines strained clear.  And [the LORD] will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations;  [the LORD] will swallow up death forever. Then the Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of [the] people [the LORD] will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken.  It will be said on that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for [the LORD], so that [the LORD] might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in [the LORD’s] salvation.    

         Isaiah 25:6-9  

 

[Jesus] looked up at his disciples and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.  Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled.  Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.  Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man.  Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven…”       

         Luke 6:20-23a  

 

For the Land of Western North Carolina:

 

Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.  Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your judgments are like the great deep; you save humans and animals alike, O LORD.  How precious is your steadfast love, O God! All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings.  They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights.  For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. 

         Psalm 36:5-9

 

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of [a] hand, or with the breadth of [a] hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance? . . . Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these?  [God] who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name.  

         Isaiah 40:12, 26

 

For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope  that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.  We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now;

and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved.     

         Romans 8:19-24a   

 

 

 

ADDITIONAL LECTIONARY TEXTS:   

Genesis 25:19-34       

Psalm 119:105-112        

Psalm 65:1-13

Romans 8:1-11      

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

 

Texts are from the NRSV.