Sunday Texts for August 16th, 2015

First Reading: Proverbs 9:1-6

  1 Wisdom has built her house,

     she has hewn her seven pillars.

  2 She has slaughtered her animals, she has mixed her wine,

     she has also set her table.

  3 She has sent out her servant-girls, she calls

     from the highest places in the town,

  4 “You that are simple, turn in here!”

     To those without sense she says,

  5 “Come, eat of my bread

     and drink of the wine I have mixed.

  6 Lay aside immaturity, and live,

     and walk in the way of insight.”

The Word of the Lord

Psalm: Psalm 34:9-14

9 Fear the LORD, you that are his saints, *

    for those who fear him lack nothing.

10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger, *

    but those who seek the LORD lack nothing that is good.

11 Come, children, and listen to me; *

    I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

12 Who among you loves life *

    and desires long life to enjoy prosperity?

13 Keep your tongue from evil-speaking *

    and your lips from lying words.

14 Turn from evil and do good; *

    seek peace and pursue it.

Second Reading: Ephesians 5:15-20

15 Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, 16 making the most of the time, because the days are evil. 17 So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, 20 giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Word of the Lord

Gospel: John 6:51-58

[Jesus said,] 51 “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

  52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; 55 for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. 56 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.”