[Propertalk] READINGS for the TWENTIETH SUNDAY after PENTECOST

[Charles Wohlers]

The following are the readings for the Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost,
October 14, (Proper 23, RCL; Proper 28, Roman Catholic) according to the
Revised Common (RCL), Episcopal (ECUSA), Roman Catholic, Church of England,
and Canadian (BAS) Lectionaries. All readings are taken from the New Revised
Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible. Unless noted otherwise, the
lectionaries of ECUSA, Canada and England are identical to the RCL this
Sunday.


OLD TESTAMENT:   Job 23: 1 - 9, 16 - 17   (RCL)

Job  23:1 (NRSV) Then Job answered:
2 "Today also my complaint is bitter;
his hand is heavy despite my groaning.
3 Oh, that I knew where I might find him,
that I might come even to his dwelling!
4 I would lay my case before him,
and fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would learn what he would answer me,
and understand what he would say to me.
6 Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power?
No; but he would give heed to me.
7 There an upright person could reason with him,
and I should be acquitted forever by my judge.
8 "If I go forward, he is not there;
or backward, I cannot perceive him;
9 on the left he hides, and I cannot behold him;
I turn to the right, but I cannot see him.

16 God has made my heart faint;
the Almighty has terrified me;
17 If only I could vanish in darkness,
and thick darkness would cover my face!


Amos 5: 6 - 7, 10 - 15   (alt. for RCL)

Amos 5:6 (NRSV) Seek the LORD and live,
or he will break out against the house of Joseph like fire,
and it will devour Beth'el, with no one to quench it.
7 Ah, you that turn justice to wormwood,
and bring righteousness to the ground!

10 They hate the one who reproves in the gate,
and they abhor the one who speaks the truth.
11 Therefore because you trample on the poor
and take from them levies of grain,
you have built houses of hewn stone,
but you shall not live 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 push aside the needy in the gate.
13 Therefore the 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,
just 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.


Wisdom 7: 7 - 11   (Roman Catholic)

Wis 7:7 (NRSV) Therefore I prayed, and understanding was given me;
I called on God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.
8 I preferred her to scepters and thrones,
and I accounted wealth as nothing in comparison with her.
9 Neither did I liken to her any priceless gem,
because all gold is but a little sand in her sight,
and silver will be accounted as clay before her.
10 I loved her more than health and beauty,
and I chose to have her rather than light,
because her radiance never ceases.
11 All good things came to me along with her,
and in her hands uncounted wealth.


PSALM 22: 1 - 15   (RCL)

Psal 22:1 (NRSV) My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?
2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;
and by night, but find no rest.
3 Yet you are holy,
enthroned on the praises of Israel.
4 In you our ancestors trusted;
they trusted, and you delivered them.
5 To you they cried, and were saved;
in you they trusted, and were not put to shame.
6 But I am a worm, and not human;
scorned by others, and despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock at me;
they make mouths at me, they shake their heads;
8 "Commit your cause to the LORD; let him deliver-- 
let him rescue the one in whom he delights!"
9 Yet it was you who took me from the womb;
you kept me safe on my mother's breast.
10 On you I was cast from my birth,
and since my mother bore me you have been my God.
11 Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help.
12 Many bulls encircle me,
strong bulls of Ba'shan surround me;
13 they open wide their mouths at me,
like a ravening and roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like wax;
it is melted within my breast;
15 my mouth is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to my jaws;
you lay me in the dust of death.


Psalm 90: 12 - 17   (Roman Catholic, alt. for RCL)

Psal 90:12 (NRSV) So teach us to count our days
that we may gain a wise heart.
13 Turn, O LORD! How long?
Have compassion on your servants!
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad as many days as you have afflicted us,
and as many years as we have seen evil.
16 Let your work be manifest to your servants,
and your glorious power to their children.
17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
and prosper for us the work of our hands-- 
O prosper the work of our hands!


NEW TESTAMENT:   Hebrews 4: 12 - 16   (RCL)
                                      Hebrews 4: 12 - 13   (Roman Catholic)

Hebr 4:12 (NRSV)  Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than
any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from
marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And
before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the
eyes of the one to whom we must render an account.
14 Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the
heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. 15 For
we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our
weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are,
yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with
boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of
need.


GOSPEL:   Mark 10: 17 - 31   (RCL)
                     Mark 10: 17 - 27 (28 - 30)   (Roman Catholic)

Mark 10:17 (NRSV) As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt
before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal
life?" 18 Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but
God alone. 19 You know the commandments: "You shall not murder; You shall
not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness;
You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.'" 20 He said to him,
"Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth." 21 Jesus, looking at him,
loved him and said, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the
money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow
me." 22 When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he
had many possessions.
23 Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it will be
for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!" 24 And the disciples
were perplexed at these 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 someone who is rich to enter the
kingdom of God." 26 They were greatly astounded and said to one another,
"Then who can be saved?" 27 Jesus looked at them and said, "For mortals it
is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible."
28 Peter began to say to him, "Look, we have left everything and followed
you." 29 Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house
or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my
sake and for the sake of the good news, 30 who will not receive a
hundredfold now in this age--houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and
children, and fields with persecutions--and in the age to come eternal life.
31 But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first."


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