[Propertalk] READINGS for the NINTH SUNDAY after PENTECOST

[Charles Wohlers]

The following are the readings for the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost, 
August 11, (Proper 14) according to the Revised Common (RCL), Episcopal 
(ECUSA), Roman Catholic, Canadian BAS, and the Church of England (Common 
Worship) lectionaries. All readings are taken from the New Revised 
Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible. Unless noted otherwise, the ECUSA, 
Canadian and C of E lectionaries are identical to the RCL for this day.



OLD TESTAMENT: Isaiah 1: 1, 10 - 20 (RCL)

Isai 1:1 (NRSV) The vision of Isai'ah son of A'moz, which he saw 
concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzzi'ah, Jo'tham, A'haz, 
and Hezeki'ah, kings of Judah.

10 Hear the word of the LORD,
you rulers of Sod'om!
Listen to the teaching of our God,
you people of Gomor'rah!
11 What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?
says the LORD;
I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
and the fat of fed beasts;
I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
or of lambs, or of goats.
12 When you come to appear before me,
who asked this from your hand?
Trample my courts no more;
13 bringing offerings is futile;
incense is an abomination to me.
New moon and sabbath and calling of convocation--
I cannot endure solemn assemblies with iniquity.
14 Your new moons and your appointed festivals
my soul hates;
they have become a burden to me,
I am weary of bearing them.
15 When you stretch out your hands,
I will hide my eyes from you;
even though you make many prayers,
I will not listen;
your hands are full of blood.
16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
remove the evil of your doings
from before my eyes;
cease to do evil,
17 learn to do good;
seek justice,
rescue the oppressed,
defend the orphan,
plead for the widow.
18 Come now, let us argue it out,
says the LORD:
though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be like snow;
though they are red like crimson,
they shall become like wool.
19 If you are willing and obedient,
you shall eat the good of the land;
20 but if you refuse and rebel,
you shall be devoured by the sword;
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.


Genesis 15: 1 - 6 (alt. for RCL)

Gene 15:1 (NRSV) After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram 
in a vision, "Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward 
shall be very great." 2 But Abram said, "O Lord GOD, what will you give 
me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Elie'zer of 
Damascus?" 3 And Abram said, "You have given me no offspring, and so a 
slave born in my house is to be my heir." 4 But the word of the LORD 
came to him, "This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own 
issue shall be your heir." 5 He brought him outside and said, "Look 
toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them." Then 
he said to him, "So shall your descendants be." 6 And he believed the 
LORD; and the LORD reckoned it to him as righteousness.


Wisdom 18: 6 - 9   (Roman Catholic)

18:6 (NRSV) That night was made known beforehand to our ancestors,
so that they might rejoice in sure knowledge of the oaths in which they 
trusted.
7 The deliverance of the righteous and the destruction of their enemies
were expected by your people.
8 For by the same means by which you punished our enemies
you called us to yourself and glorified us.
9 For in secret the holy children of good people offered sacrifices,
and with one accord agreed to the divine law,
so that the saints would share alike the same things,
both blessings and dangers;
and already they were singing the praises of the ancestors.


PSALM 50: 1 - 8, 22 - 23 (RCL)

Psal 50:1 (NRSV) The mighty one, God the LORD,
speaks and summons the earth
from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God shines forth.
3 Our God comes and does not keep silence,
before him is a devouring fire,
and a mighty tempest all around him.
4 He calls to the heavens above
and to the earth, that he may judge his people:
5 "Gather to me my faithful ones,
who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!"
6 The heavens declare his righteousness,
for God himself is judge. [Se'lah]
7 "Hear, O my people, and I will speak,
O Israel, I will testify against you.
I am God, your God.
8 Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you;
your burnt offerings are continually before me.

22 "Mark this, then, you who forget God,
or I will tear you apart, and there will be no one to deliver.
23 Those who bring thanksgiving as their sacrifice honor me;
to those who go the right way
I will show the salvation of God."

Note: Verse numbering in your Psalter may differ from the above.


Psalm 33: 12 - 22 (alt. for RCL)
Psalm 33: 1, 12, 18 - 22 (Roman Catholic)

Psal 33:1 (NRSV) Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous.
Praise befits the upright.

12 Happy is the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people whom he has chosen as his heritage.
13 The LORD looks down from heaven;
he sees all humankind.
14 From where he sits enthroned he watches
all the inhabitants of the earth--
15 he who fashions the hearts of them all,
and observes all their deeds.
16 A king is not saved by his great army;
a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
17 The war horse is a vain hope for victory,
and by its great might it cannot save.
18 Truly the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him,
on those who hope in his steadfast love,
19 to deliver their soul from death,
and to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waits for the LORD;
he is our help and shield.
21 Our heart is glad in him,
because we trust in his holy name.
22 Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us,
even as we hope in you.


NEW TESTAMENT: Hebrews 11: 1 - 3, 8 - 16 (RCL)
                Hebrews 11: 1 - 2, 8 - 12 (13 - 19) (Roman Catholic)

Hebr 11:1 (NRSV) Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the 
conviction of things not seen. 2 Indeed, by faith our ancestors received 
approval. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the 
word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not 
visible.

8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that 
he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where 
he was going. 9 By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been 
promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, 
who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he looked forward to 
the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 By 
faith he received power of procreation, even though he was too old--and 
Sarah herself was barren--because he considered him faithful who had 
promised.12 Therefore from one person, and this one as good as dead, 
descendants were born, "as many as the stars of heaven and as the 
innumerable grains of sand by the seashore."
13 All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but 
from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were 
strangers and foreigners on the earth, 14 for people who speak in this 
way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been 
thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had 
opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, 
that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their 
God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.
17 By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac. He who had 
received the promises was ready to offer up his only son, 18 of whom he 
had been told, "It is through Isaac that descendants shall be named for 
you." 19 He considered the fact that God is able even to raise someone 
from the dead--and figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.


GOSPEL: Luke 12: 32 - 40 (RCL)
         Luke 12: (32 - 34) 35 - 40 (41 - 48) (Roman Catholic)

Luke 12:32 (NRSV) "Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your 
Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your 
possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear 
out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no 
moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be 
also.
35 "Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; 36 be like those who 
are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that 
they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. 37 
Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; 
truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, 
and he will come and serve them. 38 If he comes during the middle of the 
night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.
39 "But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the 
thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You 
also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour."
41 Peter said, "Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for 
everyone?" 42 And the Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and prudent 
manager whom his master will put in charge of his slaves, to give them 
their allowance of food at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that slave 
whom his master will find at work when he arrives. 44 Truly I tell you, 
he will put that one in charge of all his possessions. 45 But if that 
slave says to himself, "My master is delayed in coming,' and if he 
begins to beat the other slaves, men and women, and to eat and drink and 
get drunk, 46 the master of that slave will come on a day when he does 
not expect him and at an hour that he does not know, and will cut him in 
pieces, and put him with the unfaithful. 47 That slave who knew what his 
master wanted, but did not prepare himself or do what was wanted, will 
receive a severe beating. 48 But the one who did not know and did what 
deserved a beating will receive a light beating. From everyone to whom 
much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom 
much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.


-- 
Chad Wohlers
chadwohl at satucket.com
Woodbury, VT   USA