Lectionary Readings Book of Common Prayer - 1979 Sunday, September-01-2013 Proper 17

The Collect

Proper 17
Lord of all power and might, who art the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of thy Name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness; and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen
Preface of the Lord's Day

Old Testament Reading

Ecclesiasticus 10:(7-11)12-18
(⁷ Arrogance is hateful before the Lord and before men, and injustice is outrageous to both. ⁸ Sovereignty passes from nation to nation on account of injustice and insolence and wealth. ⁹ How can he who is dust and ashes be proud? for even in life his bowels decay. ¹⁰ A long illness baffles the physician; the king of today will die tomorrow. ¹¹ For when a man is dead he will inherit creeping things, and wild beasts, and worms. )¹² The beginning of man's pride is to depart from the Lord; his heart has forsaken his Maker. ¹³ For the beginning of pride is sin, and the man who clings to it pours out abominations. Therefore the Lord brought upon them extraordinary afflictions, and destroyed them utterly. ¹⁴ The Lord has cast down the thrones of rulers, and has seated the lowly in their place. ¹⁵ The Lord has plucked up the roots of the nations, and has planted the humble in their place. ¹⁶ The Lord has overthrown the lands of the nations, and has destroyed them to the foundations of the earth. ¹⁷ He has removed some of them and destroyed them, and has extinguished the memory of them from the earth. ¹⁸ Pride was not created for men, nor fierce anger for those born of women. -- RSV

Psalm

Psalm 112

Beatus vir
1Hallelujah!
     Happy are they who fear the Lord *
     and have great delight in his commandments!
2Their descendants will be mighty in the land; *
     the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3Wealth and riches will be in their house, *
     and their righteousness will last for ever.
4Light shines in the darkness for the upright; *
     the righteous are merciful and full of compassion.
5It is good for them to be generous in lending *
     and to manage their affairs with justice.
6For they will never be shaken; *
     the righteous will be kept in everlasting remembrance.
7They will not be afraid of any evil rumors; *
     their heart is right;
     they put their trust in the Lord.
8Their heart is established and will not shrink, *
     until they see their desire upon their enemies.
9They have given freely to the poor, *
     and their righteousness stands fast for ever;
     they will hold up their head with honour.
10The wicked will see it and be angry;
     they will gnash their teeth and pine away; *
     the desires of the wicked will perish.

New Testament Reading

Hebrews 13:1-8
¹ Let brotherly love continue. ² Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. ³ Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them; and those who are ill-treated, since you also are in the body. ⁴ Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled; for God will judge the immoral and adulterous. ⁵ Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, "I will never fail you nor forsake you." ⁶ Hence we can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid; what can man do to me?" ⁷ Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God; consider the outcome of their life, and imitate their faith. ⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever.

Gospel Reading

Luke 14:1,7-14
¹ One sabbath when he went to dine at the house of a ruler who belonged to the Pharisees, they were watching him. ⁷ Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he marked how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, ⁸ "When you are invited by any one to a marriage feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest a more eminent man than you be invited by him; ⁹ and he who invited you both will come and say to you, `Give place to this man,' and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. <sup>10</sup> But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, `Friend, go up higher'; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. ¹¹ For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." ¹² He said also to the man who had invited him, "When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your kinsmen or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return, and you be repaid. ¹³ But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, ¹⁴ and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just."