Lectionary Readings
Book of Common Prayer - 1979
Sunday, October-11-2015
Proper 23

The Collect

Proper 23
Lord, we pray thee that thy grace may always precede and follow us, and make us continually to be given to all good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

Old Testament Reading

Amos 5:6-7,10-15
⁶ Seek the LORD and live, lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and it devour, with none to quench it for Bethel, ⁷ O you who turn justice to wormwood, and cast down righteousness to the earth! ¹⁰ They hate him who reproves in the gate, and they abhor him who speaks the truth. ¹¹ Therefore because you trample upon the poor and take from him exactions of wheat, you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not dwell in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine. ¹² For I know how many are your transgressions, and how great are your sins--you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe, and turn aside the needy in the gate. ¹³ Therefore he who is prudent will keep silent in such a time; for it is an evil time. ¹⁴ Seek good, and not evil, that you may live; and so the LORD, the God of hosts, will be with you, as you have said. ¹⁵ Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the LORD, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

Psalm

Psalm 90

Domine, refugium
1Lord, you have been our refuge *
     from one generation to another.
2Before the mountains were brought forth,
     or the land and the earth were born, *
     from age to age you are God.
3You turn us back to the dust and say, *
     "Go back, O child of earth."
4For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday
     when it is past *
     and like a watch in the night.
5You sweep us away like a dream; *
     we fade away suddenly like the grass.
6In the morning it is green and flourishes; *
     in the evening it is dried up and withered.
7For we consume away in your displeasure; *
     we are afraid because of your wrathful indignation.
8Our iniquities you have set before you, *
     and our secret sins in the light of your countenance.
9When you are angry, all our days are gone; *
     we bring our years to an end like a sigh.
10The span of our life is seventy years,
     perhaps in strength even eighty; *
     yet the sum of them is but labor and sorrow,
     for they pass away quickly and we are gone.
11Who regards the power of your wrath? *
     who rightly fears your indignation?
12So teach us to number our days *
     that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.
13Return, O LORD; how long will you tarry? *
     be gracious to your servants.
14Satisfy us by your loving-kindness in the morning; *
     so shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.
15Make us glad by the measure of the days that you afflicted us *
     and the years in which we suffered adversity.
16Show your servants your works *
     and your splendor to their children.
17May the graciousness of the LORD our God be upon us; *
     prosper the work of our hands;
     prosper our handiwork.

- OR -
Psalm 90:1-8,12

1Lord, you have been our refuge *
     from one generation to another.
2Before the mountains were brought forth,
     or the land and the earth were born, *
     from age to age you are God.
3You turn us back to the dust and say, *
     "Go back, O child of earth."
4For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday
     when it is past *
     and like a watch in the night.
5You sweep us away like a dream; *
     we fade away suddenly like the grass.
6In the morning it is green and flourishes; *
     in the evening it is dried up and withered.
7For we consume away in your displeasure; *
     we are afraid because of your wrathful indignation.
8Our iniquities you have set before you, *
     and our secret sins in the light of your countenance.
12So teach us to number our days *
     that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.

New Testament Reading

Hebrews 3:1-6
¹ Therefore, holy brethren, who share in a heavenly call, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession. ² He was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in God's house. ³ Yet Jesus has been counted worthy of as much more glory than Moses as the builder of a house has more honor than the house. ⁴ (For every house is built by some one, but the builder of all things is God.) ⁵ Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, ⁶ but Christ was faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house if we hold fast our confidence and pride in our hope.

Gospel Reading

Mark 10:17-27(28-31)
¹⁷ And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" ¹⁸ And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. ¹⁹ You know the commandments: `Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.'" ²⁰ And he said to him, "Teacher, all these I have observed from my youth." ²¹ And Jesus looking upon him loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." ²² At that saying his countenance fell, and he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions. ²³ And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it will be for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!" ²⁴ And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." ²⁶ And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, "Then who can be saved?" ²⁷ Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God." (²⁸ Peter began to say to him, "Lo, we have left everything and followed you." ²⁹ Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, ³⁰ who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. ³¹ But many that are first will be last, and the last first." )