Lectionary Readings
Book of Common Prayer - 1979
Sunday, October-04-2015
Proper 22

The Collect

Proper 22
Almighty and everlasting God, who art always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than either desire or deserve: Pour upon us the abundance of thy mercy, forgiving us those things whereof our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things which we are not worthy to ask, but through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

Old Testament Reading

Genesis 2:18-24
¹⁸ Then the LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him." ¹⁹ So out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. ²⁰ The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper fit for him. ²¹ So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh; ²² and the rib which the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. ²³ Then the man said, "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." ²⁴ Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh.

Psalm

Psalm 8

Domine, Dominus noster
1O LORD our Governor, *
     how exalted is your Name in all the world!
2Out of the mouths of infants and children *
     your majesty is praised above the heavens.
3You have set up a stronghold against your adversaries, *
     to quell the enemy and the avenger.
4When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, *
     the moon and the stars you have set in their courses,
5What is man that you should be mindful of him? *
     the son of man that you should seek him out?
6You have made him but little lower than the angels; *
     you adorn him with glory and honour;
7You give him mastery over the works of your hands; *
     you put all things under his feet:
8All sheep and oxen, *
     even the wild beasts of the field,
9The birds of the air, the fish of the sea, *
     and whatsoever walks in the paths of the sea.
10O LORD our Governor, *
     how exalted is your Name in all the world!

- OR -
Psalm 128

Beati omnes
1Happy are they all who fear the LORD, *
     and who follow in his ways!
2You shall eat the fruit of your labor; *
     happiness and prosperity shall be yours.
3Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine within your house, *
     your children like olive shoots round about your table.
4The man who fears the LORD *
     shall thus indeed be blessed.
5The LORD bless you from Zion, *
     and may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days
     of your life.
6May you live to see your children's children; *
     may peace be upon Israel.

New Testament Reading

Hebrews 2:(1-8)9-18
(¹ Therefore we must pay the closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. ² For if the message declared by angels was valid and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, ³ how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him, ⁴ while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his own will. ⁵ For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. ⁶ It has been testified somewhere, "What is man that thou art mindful of him, or the son of man, that thou carest for him? ⁷ Thou didst make him for a little while lower than the angels, thou hast crowned him with glory and honor, ⁸ putting everything in subjection under his feet." Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. )⁹ But we see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for every one. ¹⁰ For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through suffering. ¹¹ For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified have all one origin. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brethren, ¹² saying, "I will proclaim thy name to my brethren, in the midst of the congregation I will praise thee." ¹³ And again, "I will put my trust in him." And again, "Here am I, and the children God has given me." ¹⁴ Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature, that through death he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵ and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage. ¹⁶ For surely it is not with angels that he is concerned but with the descendants of Abraham. ¹⁷ Therefore he had to be made like his brethren in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make expiation for the sins of the people. ¹⁸ For because he himself has suffered and been tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.

Gospel Reading

Mark 10:2-16
² And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" ³ He answered them, "What did Moses command you?" ⁴ They said, "Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to put her away." ⁵ But Jesus said to them, "For your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. ⁶ But from the beginning of creation, `God made them male and female.' <sup>7</sup> `For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, ⁸ and the two shall become one flesh.' So they are no longer two but one flesh. ⁹ What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder." ¹⁰ And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. ¹¹ And he said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another, commits adultery against her; ¹² and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery." ¹³ And they were bringing children to him, that he might touch them; and the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴ But when Jesus saw it he was indignant, and said to them, "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God. ¹⁵ Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." ¹⁶ And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands upon them.