LABOR DAY (In the United States, the first Monday in September)

FIRST READING: Ecclesiastus (Sirach) 38:27-32 Every carpenter and workmaster that laboreth night and day, and they that give themselves to fashioning imagery, and watch to finish a work; The smith also sitting by the anvil, and considering the iron work, he setteth his mind to finish his work, and watcheth to polish it perfectly. So doth the potter sitting at his work, and turning the wheel about with his feet, who is always carefully set at his work, and maketh all his work by number. All these trust to their hands, and every one is wise in his work. Without these cannot a city be inhabited, and they shall not dwell where they will nor go up and down. They shall not be sought for in public council, nor sit high in the congregation; But they will maintain the state of the world, and all their desire is in the work of their craft.

ALTERNATE FIRST READINGS:

Proverbs 31:10-31 (How admirable is a woman who manages her estate well!)

Genesis 1:1--2:3 (God in creating the world shows himself to be a maker and craftsman. He then creates man (male and female) in his image, by implication giving to them the nature of makers and craftsmen.)

Exodus 20:9-11 (Six days are for labor, but the seventh for rest, because God rested on the seventh day after creating the world.)

Genesis 1:26--2:3 (God makes man and puts him in charge of the earth.)

Genesis 2:4-8,15 (God makes man and puts him in the garden, to till it and care for it.)

Exodus 35:30-35 (God has given to some the gift of extraordinary skill in workmanship.)

Nehemiah 4:6-23 (Returning from exile in Babylon, a band of determined patriots rebuild Jerusalem, against the opposition and threats of their neighbors.)

Ecclesiastes 3:1,9-13 (or Ecclesiastes 5:11-19) (It is good to rejoice in the fruits of one's labor.)

Deuteronomy 5:12-15 (Six days are for labor, but the seventh for rest; and we must give our servants rest also, because the LORD delivered us from bondage in Egypt.)

Amos 5:11-15 (Woe to the oppressors of the poor!)

PSALM 107:1-9 (praise to the LORD, who delivers from distress)

EPISTLE: 1 CORINTHIANS 3:10-14 (we are accountable to God for the quality of our work)

THE HOLY GOSPEL: Matthew 6:9-24 (we cannot have our hearts set both on God and on wealth)

PRAYER (traditional language) Almighty God, who hast so linked our lives one with another that all we do affects, for good or ill, all other lives: So guide us in the work we do, that we may do it not for self alone, but for the common good; and as we seek a fit return for our own labor, make us mindful of the rightful aspirations of others, and arouse our concern for those who have no employment; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

PRAYER (contemporary language) Almighty God, who have so linked our lives one with another that all we do affects, for good or ill, all other lives: So guide us in the work we do, that we may do it not for self alone, but for the common good; and as we seek a fit return for our own labor, make us mindful of the rightful aspirations of others, and arouse our concern for those who have no employment; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

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<Proper 18> =The Sunday closest to September 7=

PRAYER (traditional language) Grant us, O Lord, we pray thee, to trust in thee with all our heart; for, as thou dost alway resist the proud who confide in their own strength, so thou dost not forsake those who make their boast of thy mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

PRAYER (contemporary language) Grant us, O Lord, to trust in you with all our hearts; for, as you always resist the proud who confide in their own strength, so you never forsake those who make their boast of your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

FOR YEAR A

FIRST READING: Ezekiel 33:(1-6)7-11 (If you see a wicked man and do not warn him, you share his guilt.)

PSALM 119:33-48 (or 119:33-40) ("Lead me in the path of thy commandments, for I delight in it.)

EPISTLE: Romans 12:9-21 (Bless those who persecute you. Leave vengeance to God.)

THE HOLY GOSPEL: Matthew 18:15-20 (If your brother wrongs you, speak to him privately at first, then with witnesses, then before the congregation.)

FOR YEAR B

FIRST READING: Isaiah 35:4-7a (Do not lose heart, your God will come to save you. Then shall the blind see, and the deaf hear, and the lame leap for joy, and the desert shall abound with springs and greenery.)

PSALM 146 (or 146:4-9) (I'll praise my maker while I've breath, C - C D E C E F G - and, when my voice is stilled in death, G - F E D C E R G - praise shall employ my nobler powers. A - G F E A D D C - - - My days of praise shall ne'er be passed c - c c B G A A G - while thought and life and being last, c - c c B G A A G - or immortality endures. C - D E F E D D C - - -

How happy they whose hopes rely (remember that R = F#) on Israel's God, who made the sky and earth and sea, with all their train; whose word forever stands secure, who heals the sick and feeds the poor. And none shall find his promise vain.

The Lord gives eyesight to the blind. The Lord supports the fainting mind and gives the laboring conscience peace. He helps the stranger in distress, the widowed and the fatherless, and grants the prisoner sweet release.

I'll praise him while he lends me breath, and, when my voice is stilled in death, praise shall employ my nobler powers. My days of praise shall ne'er be passed while thought and life and being last, or immortality endures.

Isaac Watts. The tune is Old 113th.

EPISTLE: James 1:17-27 (God made us for holiness. Let us live accordingly.)

THE HOLY GOSPEL: Mark 7:31-37 (Jesus heals a deaf mute.)

FOR YEAR C

FIRST READING: Deuteronomy 30:15-20 (Moses, in his farewell address to the people of Israel, tells them that two ways lie open before them, the way of blessing and life in service to the LORD, and the way of cursing and death in service to the false gods of the Canaanites.)

PSALM 1 (The man who delights in the LORD has life and blessing, not so the ungodly.)

EPISTLE: Philemon 1-20 (or 1-25) (Paul writes this covering letter for a runaway slave Onesimus, who is voluntarily returning to his master. Paul reminds the owner that he is dealing with a brother in Christ.)

THE HOLY GOSPEL: Luke 14:25-33 (Jesus reminds would-be followers that following Him means total commitment, and with two brief parables warns His hearers to count the cost of discipleship.)

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<Proper 19> =The Sunday closest to September 14=

PRAYER (traditional language) O God, forasmuch as without thee we are not able to please thee, mercifully grant that thy Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

PRAYER (contemporary language) O God, because without you we are not able to please you, mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

FOR YEAR A

FIRST READING: Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 27:30--28:7 Rage and anger, these also I abhor, but a sinner has them ready at hand. Whoever acts vengefully will face the vengeance of the LORD, who keeps strict account of sins. Forgive your neighbor any wrong he has done you; then, when you pray, your sins will be forgiven. If anyone harbors anger against another, can he expect help form the Lord? If he refuses mercy to his fellow, can he ask forgivness for his own sins? If a mere mortal cherishes rage, where is he to look for pardon? Think of the end that awaits you, and have done with hate; think of mortality and death, and be true to the commandments; think of the commandments, and do not be enraged at your neighbor; think of the covenant of the most High, and overlook errors.

ALTERNATE FIRST READING: Genesis 50:15-21 (After their father's death, Joseph's brothers fear his vengeance, but he tells them, "You meant evil to me, but God turned it to good. Fear nothing.")

PSALM 103 (or 103:8-13) (Bless the LORD, who forgives and redeems us, who loves us as a father loves his children.)

EPISTLE: Romans 14:5-12 (One man observes certain days, and another does not. One abstains from certain foods, and another does not. Do not judge your brother. We all belong to God.)

THE HOLY GOSPEL: Matthew 18:21-35 (How often are we to forgive others? As often as we need God's forgiveness. Once a king forgave a servant who owed him ten thousand dollars and could not pay. The servant promptly went out and had a fellow servant arrested for owing him five dollars and being unable to pay. The king was angry.)

FOR YEAR B

FIRST READING: Isaiah 50:4-9 (This reading is part of one of the Servant Songs in Isaiah. The Servant who speaks for the Lord suffers persecution, but trusts in God to vindicate him.)

PSALM 116 (or 116:1-8) (When I was in the grip of death, I called upon the LORD, and he rescued me.)

EPISTLE: James 2:1-5,8-10,14-18 (When a rich man enters your assembly, do you treat him better than a poor man? If you do, then what has happened to the command to love your neighbor as yourself? If your faith means anything, it must affect your behavior.)

THE HOLY GOSPEL: Mark 8:27-38 (Peter acknowledged Jesus as the Christ. Jesus begins to speak of his coming suffering.)

ALTERNATE READING FROM THE HOLY GOSPEL: Mark 9:14-29 (Jesus heals a demoniac boy whom his disciples had tried unsuccessfully to help.)

FOR YEAR C

FIRST READING: Exodus 32:1,7-14 (The people of Israel turn away from God to the worship of an idol; but God, at the intercession of Moses, forgives them)

PSALM 51:1-18 (voice of a penitent sinner, seeking pardon and forgiveness)

EPISTLE: 1 Timothy 1:12-17 (The calling of the Apostle Paul as an example of God's mercy and love even to His enemies and persecuters.)

THE HOLY GOSPEL: Luke 15:1-10 (God's concern for lost sinners, shown by the Parables of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin)

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The Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after September 14 are the traditional autumnal Ember Days.

Among some Christians, it is the custom to observe these clusters of three days roughly at the beginnings of the four seasons. They fall on the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday following The First Sunday in Lent Pentecost Sunday September 14th December 13th (or, Third Sunday of Advent) They are days of special prayer for those about to be ordained to the ministry, and some measure of fasting or abstinence, or partial fasting, or token fasting (such as not eating meat) is a customary part of their observance. The entree shrimp tempura and its relatives, which we are accustomed to think of as traditional Japanese dishes, were invented by a Portugese missionary as meatless dishes for special days like the Ember days, and the word "tempura" is derived from the word "Ember." The history of the days has been a subject of much dispute. Their name is apparently derived from the Latin QUATTUOR TEMPORA, or "The Four Seasons." They appear to have originated in Rome and to have spread from there. (The Qumran community ("Dead Sea Scrolls") had a similar observance, and I former thought that there was probably a connection (see previous postings by me), but apparently this is only a coincidence.) Originally there were perhaps only three sets of them, with the Spring Ember Days simply part of the days of Lent. The prophet Zechariah speaks (Zech. 8:19) of "the fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth," and many Western manuscripts omitted the reference to the fifth. Counting from March as the first month, this would have been understood to refer to fasts in June, September, and December, and may have influenced the Christian observance. Again, there were pagan rites of purification connected with the times of sowing seed (December) and harvest (June) and vintage (December) and the Christian fasts may have been chosen to counter-act these. It has been said that the Ember Days were first observed in the time of Pope Callistus I (218-225), but the earliest definite reference to them that we have is in the sermons of Pope Leo the Great (440-461). Pope Gelasius I (492-496) decreed that ordinations should take place at the end of the first full week of Lent, and it may be that he both (a) added the Spring Ember Days to the calenday and (b) introduced the connection between the Ember Days and ordination. (We have evidence that ordinations also took place on the third Saturday in December.)

EMBER WEDNESDAY

for those about to be ordained

PRAYER (traditional language) Almighty God, the giver of all good gifts, who of thy divine providence hast appointed various orders in thy Church: Give thy grace, we humbly beseech thee, to all who are called to any office and ministry for thy people; and so fill them with the truth of thy doctrine and clothe them with holiness of life, that they may faithfully serve before thee, to the glory of thy great Name and for the benefit of thy holy Church; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

PRAYER (contemporary language) Almighty God, the giver of all good gifts, who in your divine providence have appointed various orders in your Church: Give your grace, we humbly pray, to all who are called to any office and ministry for your people; and so fill them with the truth of your doctrine and clothe them with holiness of life, that they may faithfully serve before thee, to the glory of your great Name and for the benefit of your holy Church; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

FIRST READING: Numbers 11:16-17,24-29 (A group of elders gathered with Moses and praised God in ecstasy. Back in the camp, two others did likewise. Moses said, "Would that all God's people did likewise!")

PSALM 99 (or 27:1-9) (The LORD is enthroned. May I dwell in his sanctuary for ever.)

EPISTLE: 1 Corinthians 3:5-11 (Paul said: You are God's field. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.)

THE HOLY GOSPEL: John 4:31-38 (Jesus said: The harvest is ripe, and I am sending you to gather it.)

EMBER FRIDAY

For the choice of fit persons for the ministry.

PRAYER (traditional language) O God, who didst lead thy holy apostles to ordain ministers in every place: Grant that thy Church, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, may choose suitable persons for the ministry of Word and Sacrament, and may uphold them in their work for the extension of thy kingdom; through him who is the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls, Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

PRAYER (contemporary language) O God, who led your holy apostles to ordain ministers in every place: Grant that your Church, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, may choose suitable persons for the ministry of Word and Sacrament, and may uphold them in their work for the extension of your kingdom; through him who is the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

FIRST READING: 1 Samuel 3:1-10 (The child Samuel is called by God to serve God and to be a prophet.)

PSALM 63:1-8 (A psalm rejoicing in the love of God.)

EPISTLE: Ephesians 4:11-16 (Christ has given different men different gifts, for the building up of the Church into a perfect structure in Christ.)

THE HOLY GOSPEL: Matthew 9:35-38 (Jesus said: "Pray to the Lord to send laborers for his harvest.)

EMBER SATURDAY

For all Christians in their vocation

PRAYER (traditional language) Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of thy faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers, which we offer before thee for all members of thy holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and godly serve thee; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

PRAYER (contemporary language) Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers, which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

FIRST READING: Exodus 19:3-8 (The LORD said to the Israelites: "If you will keep my covenant, you shall be my chosen people, a holy nation." And the people said: "We will.")

PSALM 15 (Who shall abide in the LORD's sanctuary? He who lives uprightly.)

EPISTLE: 1 Peter 4:7-11 (Let each serve the whole with the gifts that God has given him, that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ our Lord.)

THE HOLY GOSPEL: Matthew 16:24-27 (Jesus said: "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.")

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<Proper 20> =The Sunday closest to September 21=

PRAYER (traditional language) Grant us, O Lord, not to mind earthly things, but to love things heavenly; and even now, while we are placed among things that are passing away, to cleave to those that shall abide; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

PRAYER (contemporary language) Grant us, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things, but to love things heavenly; and even now, while we are placed among things that are passing away, to hold fast to those that shall endure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

FOR YEAR A

FIRST READING: Jonah 3:10--4:11 (At the preaching of Jonah, the people of Nineveh repented, and the LORD spared the city. Jonah was angry at this, but the LORD said, "Does it anger you to see me merciful?")

PSALM 145 (or 145:1-8) (The LORD opens his hand, and satisfies the desire of every living thing.)

EPISTLE: Philippians 1:21-27 (If I die, so much the better for me, since I shall be with Christ. If I live, so much the better for you and others to whom I preach. I expect to live and come to see you again. Stand firm against persecution.)

THE HOLY GOSPEL: Matthew 20:1-16 (A man with a vineyard hired workers early in the morning, and agreed to pay them one danarius (a day's wage). He kept hiring all day, some only a hour before sundown. At sundown, he paid each of them a full day's wage. Those who had worked all day grumbled, but he said to one of them. "Did you not get everything you earned? Why are you angry at the good fortune of another?")

NOTE on the Epistle Reading: Apparently this is written at a time when Paul is in prison and about to be tried for his life, and he considers the implications of the verdict. He says, "For me to live is Christ, to die is gain." The first clause is commonly understood to mean, "Christ is the center of my life, my reason for living, etc." This is in accordance with Paul's teaching and example, but is oddly worded. Someone has therefore suggested that the word CHRISTOS in our text may be a copyist's error for CHRESTOS, which means "useful." This would fit the context very well, and make Paul say, "My continued living is useful for you, while my death is a gain for me," which is precisely the sentiment that he expands on in the next few clauses.

FOR YEAR B

FIRST READING: Wisdom 1:16--2:1(6-11)12-22 The godless by their words and deeds have asked death for his company. Thinking him their friend and pining for him, they have made a pact with him because they are fit members of his party. They said to themselvees in their deluded way: "Our life is short and full of trouble, and when a person comes to the end there is no remedy; no one has been known to return from the grave. ["Come, then, let us enjoy the good things while we can and, with all the eagerness of youth, make full use of the creation. Let us have costly wines and perfumes to our heart's content, and let no flower of spring escape us. Let us crown ourselves with rosebuds before they wither. Let none of us fail to share the good things that are ours; let us leave behind on every side traces of our revelry. This is the life for us, this our birthright. "Down with the poor and honest man! Let us show no mercy to the widow, no reverence to the gray hairs of old age. For us let might be right! Weakness is proved to be good for nothing.] "Let us set a trap for the just man; he stands in our way, a check to us at every turn; he girds at us as breakers of the law, and calls us traitors to our upbringing. He knows God, or so he says; he styles himself "child of the Lord". He is a living condemnation of all our way of thinking. The very sight of him is an affliction to us, because his life is not like other people's, and the paths he follows are quite different. He rejects us like base coin, and avoids us and our ways as if we were filth; he says that the just die happy, and boasts that God is his father. Let us test the truth of his claim, let us see what will happen to him at the end; for if the just man is God's son, God will stretch out a hand to him and save him from the clutches of his enemies. Insult and torture are the means to put him to the test, to measure his forbearance and learn how long his patience lasts. Let us condemn him to a shameful death, for, if what he says is true, he will have a protector." So they argued, and how wrong they were! Blinded by their own malevolence, they failed to understnd God's hidden plan; they never expected that holiness of life would have its recompense, never thought that innocence would have its reward.

ALTERNATE FIRST READING: Jeremiah 11:18-20 ("Evil men have sought to destroy me: vindicate me O LORD.")

PSALM 54 ("Save me, O God, for ruthless men seek my life.")

EPISTLE: James 3:16--4:6 (Jealousy and ambition will lead to quarreling and other evils. Renounce the quest for greatness as the world defines it. Humble yourselves before God and he will make you truly great.)

THE HOLY GOSPEL: Mark 9:30-37 (Jesus speaks of his coming sufferings. He rebukes the disciples for disputing about their positions in the Kingdom to come.)

FOR YEAR C

FIRST READING: Amos 8:4-12 (The prophet denounces wicked merchants who practice fraud and oppress the poor. The Lord will judge the land for such wickedness.)

PSALM 138 (Thanksgiving for deliverance from trouble)

EPISTLE: 1 Timothy 2:1-8 (Christians are urged to pray (1) for rulers, and thus for the peace of the realm, and (2) for all persons, that they may come to a knowledge of the truth.)

THE HOLY GOSPEL: Luke 16:1-13 (The Parable of the Dishonest Manager (Unjust Steward); "he who is honest with a litle will be honest with much"; "you cannot serve God and wealth")

NOTE ON THE READING FROM THE HOLY GOSPEL: The Parable of the Unjust Steward has baffled some readers. One way of understanding it is as follows: Jesus has been urging his listeners to make God the center of their lives, and to be willing to give up everything else for the kingdom of God. Some of His listeners (perhaps some of the publicans) have objected, "That sounds fine, but it is simply not practical. In order to get along in the real world, a man cannot be a starry-eyed idealist, the way you want us to be. He has got to be practical, and perhaps even a little bit sneaky." Jesus replies: Not practical? It is the only policy that IS practical. Let me tell you a story. Once there was a rich man who suspected his accountant of incompetence or worse. So he called him in and said, "I am letting you go at the end of the month." The accountant said to himself, "I am in trouble. How shall I provide for my future? Aha, an idea!" Till the end of the month, he still had his power of attorney, his right to sign financial agreements in his employer's name. So he called in his master's debtors, one at a time, and said to each, "We all know that this has been a rough year for business. I think is is a shame you should have to pay so much. How about settling your account for eighty cents on the dollar?" Thus, by an arrangement that cost him nothing, he earned the gratitude of a multitude of businessmen who were only too happy to take care of him when he needed it. Would you call that accountant a starry-eyed idealist? Far from it. He was one sharp customer. He got himself the long-term good-will of many men, to his own long-term benefit, and what did he pay them for it? He paid them with wealth that was in his hands, but which he did not own, which had been temporarily entrusted to him, but which he was going to lose all possession of at the end of the month anyway. He lost nothing that was not already slipping out of his hands, and he gained a permanent benefit for himself. Was he practical? You bet he was. Was he sneaky? You bet he was. He was precisely the sort of clever scoundrel that you guys down at the Exchange admire. Now, consider the man who makes God rather than money the center of his life. One result is that he has considerably less money than he could have had. Another result is that he has a friendship that will be his for all eternity. You say that the friendship has cost him money. But was that money really his to keep, or was it put into his hands on a temporary basis, subject to recall by the owner at any moment? If he could not keep it, and if he did not know on any day whether it would still be in his hands the next day, then exchanging it for an eternal good made excellent sense. You call him a starry-eyed idealist? You should give him the Publican's Trophy as Cunning Rascal of the Month! As someone or other has said, "That man is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."

In accordance with this interpretation, I take the words, "Make for yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness" to mean "make friends using the wealth that is not legally yours, the wealth that is in your momentary possession, but that you do not own or have a permanent claim to."

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<Proper 21> =The Sunday closest to September 28=

PRAYER (traditional language) O God, who declarest thy almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity: Mercifully grant unto us such a measure of thy grace, that we, running to obtain thy promises, may be made partakers of thy heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

PRAYER (contemporary language) O God, who declare your almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity: Grant us the fullness of your grace, that we, running to obtain your promises, may become partakers of your heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

FOR YEAR A

FIRST READING: Ezekiel 18:1-4,25-32 (A wicked man who repents and does good shall be accepted, while a good man who turns aside to do evil shall be rejected.)

PSALM 25:1-14 (or 25:3-9) (Remember not, O LORD, the transgressions of my youth, but be mindful of your mercy and your steadfast love.)

EPISTLE: Philippians 2:1-13 (Show love and humility toward one another. Follow the example of Christ Jesus, who relinquished his heavenly glory for pain, disgrace, and death.)

THE HOLY GOSPEL: Matthew 21:28-32 (A man had two sons, and told them both to work in the vineyard. The first said, "No," but then changed his mind and went. The second said, "Yes, sir," but then changed his mind and did not go. Which did the will of his father?)

FOR YEAR B

FIRST READING: Numbers 11:4-6,10-16,24-29 (A group of elders, gathered with Moses, prophesied. Meanwhile, back in the camp, two others also prophesied, and Joshua said, "Moses, forbid them!" But Moses said, "I wish that everyone would prophesy!")

PSALM 19 (or 19:7-14) (The word of the LORD is like bright, hot, piercing sunlight.)

EPISTLE: James 4:7-12(13--5:6) (Repent and reform. Be humble. Do not condemn your brother. Remember, when you make plans, that it is God who makes the final decisions. Woe to those with wealth and power who have used them to oppress their brothers.)

THE HOLY GOSPEL: Mark 9:38-48 (A man was casting out demons in the name of Jesus. John forbade him. Jesus told John, "Do not forbid him." He also said, "Be ready to sacrifice anything that stands between you and God, even your right hand.)

FOR YEAR C

FIRST READING: Amos 6:1-7 (the prophet denounces those who live in luxury and forget the poor)

PSALM 146 (Praise to the LORD, who delivers the poor and the distressed. See above, Proper 18, year B.)

EPISTLE: 1 Timothy 6:11-19 (Paul tells Timothy: avoid a life centered on material goods, and consider the glory that shall be revealed. Instruct wealthy Christians to use their wealth responsibly.)

THE HOLY GOSPEL: Luke 16:19-31 (The Parable of the Rich Man and the Beggar Lazarus.)

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