[Propertalk] READINGS for the TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY after PENTECOST

[Charles Wohlers]

The following are the readings for the Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost 
(Proper 28), Nov. 13, according to the Revised Common (RCL), Episcopal 
(ECUSA), Roman Catholic, Canadian BAS, and the Church of England (Common 
Worship) lectionaries. Unless stated otherwise, the ECUSA readings are 
identical to the RCL for this Sunday. All readings are taken from the New 
Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible. Throughout Pentecost the 
alternate RCL Psalm would normally be used with the alternate RCL O. T. 
reading. Note also that the Canadian RCL does not have the alternative 
readings.



OLD TESTAMENT:  Judges 4: 1 - 7  (RCL)

Judg 4:1 (NRSV) The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the 
LORD, after E'hud died. 2 So the LORD sold them into the hand of King Ja'bin 
of Ca'naan, who reigned in Ha'zor; the commander of his army was Sis'era, 
who lived in Haro'sheth-ha-goi'im. 3 Then the Israelites cried out to the 
LORD for help; for he had nine hundred chariots of iron, and had oppressed 
the
Israelites cruelly twenty years.
4 At that time Deb'orah, a prophetess, wife of Lap'pidoth, was judging 
Israel. 5 She used to sit under the palm of Deb'orah between Ra'mah and 
Beth'el in the hill country of E'phraim; and the Israelites came up to her 
for judgment. 6 She sent and summoned Bar'ak son of Abin'oam from Ke'desh in 
Naph'tali, and said to him, "The LORD, the God of Israel, commands you, "Go, 
take position at Mount Ta'bor, bringing ten thousand from the tribe of 
Naph'tali and the tribe of Zeb'ulun. 7 I will draw out Sis'era, the general 
of Ja'bin's army, to meet you by the Wadi Ki'shon with his chariots and his 
troops; and I will give him into your hand.'"


Zephaniah 1: 7, 12 - 18  (C of E, alt. for RCL)

Zeph 1:7 (NRSV) Be silent before the Lord GOD!
For the day of the LORD is at hand;
the LORD has prepared a sacrifice,
he has consecrated his guests.

12 At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps,
and I will punish the people
who rest complacently on their dregs,
those who say in their hearts,
"The LORD will not do good,
nor will he do harm."
13 Their wealth shall be plundered,
and their houses laid waste.
Though they build houses,
they shall not inhabit them;
though they plant vineyards,
they shall not drink wine from them.
14 The great day of the LORD is near,
near and hastening fast;
the sound of the day of the LORD is bitter,
the warrior cries aloud there.
15 That day will be a day of wrath,
a day of distress and anguish,
a day of ruin and devastation,
a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and thick darkness,
16 a day of trumpet blast and battle cry
against the fortified cities
and against the lofty battlements.
17 I will bring such distress upon people
that they shall walk like the blind;
because they have sinned against the LORD,
their blood shall be poured out like dust,
and their flesh like dung.
18 Neither their silver nor their gold
will be able to save them
on the day of the LORD's wrath;
in the fire of his passion
the whole earth shall be consumed;
for a full, a terrible end
he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth.


Proverbs 31: 10 - 13, 19 - 20, 30 - 31  (Roman Catholic)

Prov 31:10 (NRSV) A capable wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.

19 She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
20 She opens her hand to the poor,
and reaches out her hands to the needy.

30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Give her a share in the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the city gates.


PSALM 123  (RCL)

Psal 123:1 (NRSV) To you I lift up my eyes,
O you who are enthroned in the heavens!
2 As the eyes of servants
look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maid
to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the LORD our God,
until he has mercy upon us.
3 Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us,
for we have had more than enough of contempt.
4 Our soul has had more than its fill
of the scorn of those who are at ease,
of the contempt of the proud.


123   Ad te levavi oculos meos     (U. S. Book of Common Prayer)

1   To you I lift up my eyes, *
  to you enthroned in the heavens.

2   As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, *
  and the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,

3   So our eyes look to the Lord our God, *
  until he show us his mercy.

4   Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy, *
  for we have had more than enough of contempt,

5   Too much of the scorn of the indolent rich, *
  and of the derision of the proud.


Psalm 90: 1 - 8 (9 - 11) 12   (C of E, alt. for RCL)

Psal 90:1 (NRSV) Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
3 You turn us back to dust,
and say, "Turn back, you mortals."
4 For a thousand years in your sight
are like yesterday when it is past,
or like a watch in the night.
5 You sweep them away; they are like a dream,
like grass that is renewed in the morning;
6 in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;
in the evening it fades and withers.
7 For we are consumed by your anger;
by your wrath we are overwhelmed.
8 You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your countenance.
9 For all our days pass away under your wrath;
our years come to an end like a sigh.
10 The days of our life are seventy years,
or perhaps eighty, if we are strong;
even then their span is only toil and trouble;
they are soon gone, and we fly away.
11 Who considers the power of your anger?
Your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you.
12 So teach us to count our days
that we may gain a wise heart.


90   Domine, refugium   (U. S. Book of Common Prayer)

1   Lord, you have been our refuge *
 from one generation to another.

2   Before the mountains were brought forth,
or the land and the earth were born, *
 from age to age you are God.

3   You turn us back to the dust and say, *
 "Go back, O child of earth."

4   For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday
  when it is past *
 and like a watch in the night.

5   You sweep us away like a dream; *
 we fade away suddenly like the grass.

6   In the morning it is green and flourishes; *
 in the evening it is dried up and withered.

7   For we consume away in your displeasure; *
 we are afraid because of your wrathful indignation.

8   Our iniquities you have set before you, *
 and our secret sins in the light of your countenance.

9   When you are angry, all our days are gone; *
 we bring our years to an end like a sigh.

10  The 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.

11  Who regards the power of your wrath? *
 who rightly fears your indignation?

12  So teach us to number our days *
 that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.


Psalm 128: 1 - 5   (Roman Catholic)

Psal 128:1 (NRSV) Happy is everyone who fears the LORD,
who walks in his ways.
2 You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
you shall be happy, and it shall go well with you.
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
around your table.
4 Thus shall the man be blessed
who fears the LORD.
5 The LORD bless you from Zion.
May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.


NEW TESTAMENT:  1 Thessalonians 5: 1 - 11   (RCL, C of E)
                                     1 Thessalonians 5: 1 - 6   (Roman 
Catholic)

1The 5:1 (NRSV) Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and 
sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you. 2 For you 
yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in 
the night. 3 When they say, "There is peace and security," then sudden 
destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, 
and there will be no escape! 4 But you, beloved, are not in darkness, for 
that day to surprise you like a thief; 5 for you are all children of light 
and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. 6 So then 
let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober; 7 
for those who sleep sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at 
night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the 
breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For 
God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our 
Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or 
asleep we may live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build up 
each other, as indeed you are doing.


GOSPEL:  Matthew 25: 14 - 30  (RCL, C of E)
                    Matthew 25: 14 - 15 (16 - 18) 19 - 21 (22 - 30)   (Roman 
Catholic)

Matt 25:14 (NRSV) "For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his 
slaves and entrusted his property to them; 15 to one he gave five talents, 
to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he 
went away. 16 The one who had received the five talents went off at once and 
traded with them, and made five more talents. 17 In the same way, the one 
who had the two talents made two more talents. 18 But the one who had 
received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his 
master's money. 19 After a long time the master of those slaves came and 
settled accounts with them. 20 Then the one who had received the five 
talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, "Master, you 
handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.' 21 His 
master said to him, "Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been 
trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter 
into the joy of your master.' 22 And the one with the two talents also came 
forward, saying, "Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have 
made two more talents.' 23 His master said to him, "Well done, good and 
trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you 
in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.' 24 Then the 
one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, "Master, I 
knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering 
where you did not scatter seed; 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your 
talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.' 26 But his master 
replied, "You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I 
did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? 27 Then you ought to have 
invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received 
what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it 
to the one with the ten talents. 29 For to all those who have, more will be 
given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, 
even what they have will be taken away. 30 As for this worthless slave, 
throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing 
of teeth.'


Chad Wohlers
East Bridgewater, Mass.   USA
chadwohl at satucket.com
cwohlers at bridgew.edu