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Thursday 1 November 2018 Alternative 1 of 3 All Saints’ Day or Year B

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Reading Notes: Collect
or Readings
Wisdom 3.1-9

3But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God,
and no torment will ever touch them. 
2 In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died,
and their departure was thought to be a disaster, 
3 and their going from us to be their destruction;
but they are at peace. 
4 For though in the sight of others they were punished,
their hope is full of immortality. 
5 Having been disciplined a little, they will receive great good,
because God tested them and found them worthy of himself; 
6 like gold in the furnace he tried them,
and like a sacrificial burnt-offering he accepted them. 
7 In the time of their visitation they will shine forth,
and will run like sparks through the stubble. 
8 They will govern nations and rule over peoples,
and the Lord will reign over them for ever. 
9 Those who trust in him will understand truth,
and the faithful will abide with him in love,
because grace and mercy are upon his holy ones,
and he watches over his elect. 

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
or Isaiah 25.6-9

6 On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples
a feast of rich food, a feast of well-matured wines,
of rich food filled with marrow, of well-matured wines strained clear. 
7 And he will destroy on this mountain
the shroud that is cast over all peoples,
the sheet that is spread over all nations; 
8 he will swallow up death for ever.
Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces,
and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth,
for the Lord has spoken. 
9 It will be said on that day,
Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us.
This is the Lord for whom we have waited;
let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

This is the word of the Lord.
All Thanks be to God.
Psalm 24.1-6

1  The earth is the Lord’s and all that fills it, •
the compass of the world and all who dwell therein.
2  For he has founded it upon the seas •
and set it firm upon the rivers of the deep.
3  ‘Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord, •
or who can rise up in his holy place?’
4  ‘Those who have clean hands and a pure heart, •
who have not lifted up their soul to an idol,
nor sworn an oath to a lie;
5  ‘They shall receive a blessing from the Lord, •
a just reward from the God of their salvation.’
6  Such is the company of those who seek him, •
of those who seek your face, O God of Jacob.

Revelation 21.1-6a

21Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
‘See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them; 
4 he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away.’

5 And the one who was seated on the throne said, ‘See, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ 6Then he said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.

This is the word of the Lord.
All Thanks be to God.
Gospel Reading
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
All Glory to you, O Lord.
John 11.32-44

32When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’ 33When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. 34He said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ 35Jesus began to weep. 36So the Jews said, ‘See how he loved him!’ 37But some of them said, ‘Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?’

38 Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it.39Jesus said, ‘Take away the stone.’ Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, ‘Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead for four days.’ 40Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?’ 41So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upwards and said, ‘Father, I thank you for having heard me. 42I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.’ 43When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ 44The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, and let him go.’

This is the Gospel of the Lord.
All Praise to you, O Christ.
Post Communion
God, the source of all holiness and givers of all good things.
May who share at this table
As strangers and pilgrims here on earth
Be welcome with your all saints
To heavenly feast in your kingdom;
Through Jesus Christ our Lord amen.
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Sunday 28 October 2018 Alternative 1 of 3 Last after Trinity Proper 25 Year B

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Reading Notes:  Use this provision if Simon and Jude, Apostles is transferred to Monday 29 October. If the date of dedication of a church is not known, the Dedication Festival may be celebrated today or on 7 October, or on a suitable date chosen locally. See 7 October for the Dedication Festival provision.Collect
Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: help us so to hear them, to read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them that, through patience, and the comfort of your holy word, we may embrace and for ever hold fast the hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.or
Merciful God, teach us to be faithful in change and uncertainty, that trusting in your word and obeying your will we may enter the unfailing joy of Jesus Christ our Lord.Readings
Continuous:
Job 42.1-6, 10-end

42Then Job answered the Lord: 
2 ‘I know that you can do all things,
and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. 
3 “Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?”
Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. 
4 “Hear, and I will speak;
I will question you, and you declare to me.” 
5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear,
but now my eye sees you; 
6 therefore I despise myself,
and repent in dust and ashes.’ 

10 And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he had prayed for his friends; and the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. 11Then there came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and they ate bread with him in his house; they showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him; and each of them gave him a piece of money and a gold ring. 12The Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; and he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand donkeys. 13He also had seven sons and three daughters. 14He named the first Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch. 15In all the land there were no women so beautiful as Job’s daughters; and their father gave them an inheritance along with their brothers. 16After this Job lived for one hundred and forty years, and saw his children, and his children’s children, four generations. 17And Job died, old and full of days.

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Psalm 34.1-8, 19-end

1  I will bless the Lord at all times; •
his praise shall ever be in my mouth.
2  My soul shall glory in the Lord; •
let the humble hear and be glad.
3  O magnify the Lord with me; •
let us exalt his name together.
4  I sought the Lord and he answered me •
and delivered me from all my fears.
5  Look upon him and be radiant •
and your faces shall not be ashamed.
6  This poor soul cried, and the Lord heard me •
and saved me from all my troubles.
7  The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him •
and delivers them.
8  O taste and see that the Lord is gracious; •
blessed is the one who trusts in him.
19  Many are the troubles of the righteous; •
from them all will the Lord deliver them.
20  He keeps all their bones, •
so that not one of them is broken.
21  But evil shall slay the wicked •
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22  The Lord ransoms the life of his servants •
and will condemn none who seek refuge in him.

or Psalm [ 34.1-8]

[

1  I will bless the Lord at all times; •
his praise shall ever be in my mouth.
2  My soul shall glory in the Lord; •
let the humble hear and be glad.
3  O magnify the Lord with me; •
let us exalt his name together.
4  I sought the Lord and he answered me •
and delivered me from all my fears.
5  Look upon him and be radiant •
and your faces shall not be ashamed.
6  This poor soul cried, and the Lord heard me •
and saved me from all my troubles.
7  The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him •
and delivers them.
8  O taste and see that the Lord is gracious; •
blessed is the one who trusts in him.
]

Related:
Jeremiah 31.7-9

7 For thus says the Lord:
Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob,
and raise shouts for the chief of the nations;
proclaim, give praise, and say,
‘Save, O Lord, your people,
the remnant of Israel.’ 
8 See, I am going to bring them from the land of the north,
and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth,
among them the blind and the lame,
those with child and those in labour, together;
a great company, they shall return here. 
9 With weeping they shall come,
and with consolations I will lead them back,
I will let them walk by brooks of water,
in a straight path in which they shall not stumble;
for I have become a father to Israel,
and Ephraim is my firstborn. 

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Psalm 126

1  When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, •
then were we like those who dream.
2  Then was our mouth filled with laughter •
and our tongue with songs of joy.
3  Then said they among the nations, •
‘The Lord has done great things for them.’
4  The Lord has indeed done great things for us, •
and therefore we rejoiced.
5  Restore again our fortunes, O Lord, •
as the river beds of the desert.
6  Those who sow in tears •
shall reap with songs of joy.
7  Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed, •
will come back with shouts of joy,
bearing their sheaves with them.

New Testament Reading
Hebrews 7.23-end

23 Furthermore, the former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office; 24but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues for ever.25Consequently he is able for all time to save those who approach God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

26 For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27Unlike the other high priests, he has no need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for those of the people; this he did once for all when he offered himself. 28For the law appoints as high priests those who are subject to weakness, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect for ever. 

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Gospel Reading
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.
AllGlory to you, O Lord.
Mark 10.46-end

46 They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. 47When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ 48Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’ 49Jesus stood still and said, ‘Call him here.’ And they called the blind man, saying to him, ‘Take heart; get up, he is calling you.’ 50So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51Then Jesus said to him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ The blind man said to him, ‘My teacher, let me see again.’ 52Jesus said to him, ‘Go; your faith has made you well.’ Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way. 

This is the Gospel of the Lord.
AllPraise to you, O Christ.
Post Communion
God of all grace, your Son Jesus Christ fed the hungry with the bread of his life and the word of his kingdom: renew your people with your heavenly grace, and in all our weakness sustain us by your true and living bread; who is alive and reigns, now and for ever.
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Sunday 21 October 2018 Alternative 1 of 2 21st Sunday after Trinity Proper 24 Year B

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Collect
Grant, we beseech you, merciful Lord, to your faithful people pardon and peace, that they may be cleansed from all their sins and serve you with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.or
Almighty God, in whose service lies perfect freedom: teach us to obey you with loving hearts and steadfast wills; through Jesus Christ our Lord.Readings
Continuous:
Job 38.1-7 [34-end]

38Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind: 
2 ‘Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? 
3 Gird up your loins like a man,
I will question you, and you shall declare to me. 

4 ‘Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell me, if you have understanding. 
5 Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
Or who stretched the line upon it? 
6 On what were its bases sunk,
or who laid its cornerstone 
7 when the morning stars sang together
and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy? 

[ 
34 ‘Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,
so that a flood of waters may cover you? 
35 Can you send forth lightnings, so that they may go
and say to you, “Here we are”? 
36 Who has put wisdom in the inward parts,
or given understanding to the mind? 
37 Who has the wisdom to number the clouds?
Or who can tilt the waterskins of the heavens, 
38 when the dust runs into a mass
and the clods cling together? 

39 ‘Can you hunt the prey for the lion,
or satisfy the appetite of the young lions, 
40 when they crouch in their dens,
or lie in wait in their covert? 
41 Who provides for the raven its prey,
when its young ones cry to God,
and wander about for lack of food? 

]

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Psalm 104.1-10, 26, 35c

1  Bless the Lord, O my soul. •
O Lord my God, how excellent is your greatness!
2  You are clothed with majesty and honour, •
wrapped in light as in a garment.
3  You spread out the heavens like a curtain •
and lay the beams of your dwelling place in the waters above.
4  You make the clouds your chariot •
and ride on the wings of the wind.
5  You make the winds your messengers •
and flames of fire your servants.
6  You laid the foundations of the earth, •
that it never should move at any time.
7  You covered it with the deep like a garment; •
the waters stood high above the hills.
8  At your rebuke they fled; •
at the voice of your thunder they hastened away.
9  They rose up to the hills and flowed down to the valleys beneath, •
to the place which you had appointed for them.
10  You have set them their bounds that they should not pass, •
nor turn again to cover the earth.
26  O Lord, how manifold are your works! •
In wisdom you have made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
35  I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; •
I will make music to my God while I have my being.

or Psalm [ 104.1-10]

[

1  Bless the Lord, O my soul. •
O Lord my God, how excellent is your greatness!
2  You are clothed with majesty and honour, •
wrapped in light as in a garment.
3  You spread out the heavens like a curtain •
and lay the beams of your dwelling place in the waters above.
4  You make the clouds your chariot •
and ride on the wings of the wind.
5  You make the winds your messengers •
and flames of fire your servants.
6  You laid the foundations of the earth, •
that it never should move at any time.
7  You covered it with the deep like a garment; •
the waters stood high above the hills.
8  At your rebuke they fled; •
at the voice of your thunder they hastened away.
9  They rose up to the hills and flowed down to the valleys beneath, •
to the place which you had appointed for them.
10  You have set them their bounds that they should not pass, •
nor turn again to cover the earth.
]

Related:
Isaiah 53.4-end

4 Surely he has borne our infirmities
and carried our diseases;
yet we accounted him stricken,
struck down by God, and afflicted. 
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions,
crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the punishment that made us whole,
and by his bruises we are healed. 
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have all turned to our own way,
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all. 

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth. 
8 By a perversion of justice he was taken away.
Who could have imagined his future?
For he was cut off from the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people. 
9 They made his grave with the wicked
and his tomb with the rich,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth. 

10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him with pain.
When you make his life an offering for sin,
he shall see his offspring, and shall prolong his days;
through him the will of the Lord shall prosper. 
11   Out of his anguish he shall see light;
he shall find satisfaction through his knowledge.
The righteous one, my servant, shall make many righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities. 
12 Therefore I will allot him a portion with the great,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong;
because he poured out himself to death,
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors. 

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Psalm 91.9-end

9  Because you have made the Lord your refuge •
and the Most High your stronghold,
10  There shall no evil happen to you, •
neither shall any plague come near your tent.
11  For he shall give his angels charge over you, •
to keep you in all your ways.
12  They shall bear you in their hands, •
lest you dash your foot against a stone.
13  You shall tread upon the lion and adder; •
the young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.
14  Because they have set their love upon me,
therefore will I deliver them; •
I will lift them up, because they know my name.
15  They will call upon me and I will answer them; •
I am with them in trouble,
I will deliver them and bring them to honour.
16  With long life will I satisfy them •
and show them my salvation.

New Testament Reading
Hebrews 5.1-10

5Every high priest chosen from among mortals is put in charge of things pertaining to God on their behalf, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2He is able to deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is subject to weakness; 3and because of this he must offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. 4And one does not presume to take this honour, but takes it only when called by God, just as Aaron was.

5 So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming a high priest, but was appointed by the one who said to him,
‘You are my Son,
today I have begotten you’; 
6as he says also in another place,
‘You are a priest for ever,
according to the order of Melchizedek.’

7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; 9and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, 10having been designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Gospel Reading
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.
AllGlory to you, O Lord.
Mark 10.35-45

35 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, ‘Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.’ 36And he said to them, ‘What is it you want me to do for you?’ 37And they said to him, ‘Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.’ 38But Jesus said to them, ‘You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?’ 39They replied, ‘We are able.’ Then Jesus said to them, ‘The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized;40but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.’

41 When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. 42So Jesus called them and said to them, ‘You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. 43But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, 44and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.45For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.’ 

This is the Gospel of the Lord.
AllPraise to you, O Christ.
Post Communion
Father of light, in whom is no change or shadow of turning, you give us every good and perfect gift and have brought us to birth by your word of truth: may we be a living sign of that kingdom where your whole creation will be made perfect in Jesus Christ our Lord.
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Sunday 14 October 2018 Alternative 1 of 2 20th Sunday after Trinity Proper 23 Year B

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God, the giver of life, whose Holy Spirit wells up within your Church: by the Spirit’s gifts equip us to live the gospel of Christ  and make us eager to do your will, that we may share with the whole creation the joys of eternal life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.or
God, our light and our salvation: illuminate our lives, that we may see your goodness in the land of the living, and looking on your beauty may be changed into the likeness of Jesus Christ our Lord.Readings
Continuous:
Job 23.1-9, 16-end

23Then Job answered: 

 ‘is Today also my complaint is bitter;
his hand is heavy despite my groaning. 
3 O 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 for ever 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! 

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Psalm 22.1-15

1  My God, my God, why have you forsaken me, •
and are so far from my salvation,
from the words of my distress?
2  O my God, I cry in the daytime,
but you do not answer; •
and by night also, but I find no rest.
3  Yet you are the Holy One, •
enthroned upon the praises of Israel.
4  Our forebears trusted in you; •
they trusted, and you delivered them.
5  They cried out to you and were delivered; •
they put their trust in you and were not confounded.
6  But as for me, I am a worm and no man, •
scorned by all and despised by the people.
7  All who see me laugh me to scorn; •
they curl their lips and wag their heads, saying,
8  ‘He trusted in the Lord; let him deliver him; •
let him deliver him, if he delights in him.’
9  But it is you that took me out of the womb •
and laid me safe upon my mother’s breast.
10  On you was I cast ever since I was born; •
you are my God even from my mother’s womb.
11  Be not far from me, for trouble is near at hand •
and there is none to help.
12  Mighty oxen come around me; •
fat bulls of Bashan close me in on every side.
13  They gape upon me with their mouths, •
as it were a ramping and a roaring lion.
14  I am poured out like water;
all my bones are out of joint; •
my heart has become like wax
melting in the depths of my body.
15  My mouth is dried up like a potsherd;
my tongue cleaves to my gums; •
you have laid me in the dust of death.

Related:
Amos 5.6-7, 10-15

6 Seek the Lord and live,
or he will break out against the house of Joseph like fire,
and it will devour Bethel, 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. 

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Psalm 90.12-end

12  So teach us to number our days •
that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.
13  Turn again, O Lord; how long will you delay? •
Have compassion on your servants.
14  Satisfy us with your loving-kindness in the morning, •
that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15  Give us gladness for the days you have afflicted us, •
and for the years in which we have seen adversity.
16  Show your servants your works, •
and let your glory be over their children.
17  May the gracious favour of the Lord our God be upon us; •
prosper our handiwork; O prosper the work of our hands.

New Testament Reading
Hebrews 4.12-end

12 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. 13And 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. 15For 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. 16Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

This is the word of the Lord.
AllThanks be to God.
Gospel Reading
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.
AllGlory to you, O Lord.
Mark 10.17-31

17 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?’ 18Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 19You 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; Honour your father and mother.” ’20He said to him, ‘Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.’ 21Jesus, 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.’ 22When 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!’ 24And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, ‘Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25It 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.’ 26They were greatly astounded and said to one another, ‘Then who can be saved?’ 27Jesus 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.’ 29Jesus 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, 30who 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. 31But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.’ 

This is the Gospel of the Lord.
AllPraise to you, O Christ.
Post Communion
God our Father, whose Son, the light unfailing, has come from heaven to deliver the world from the darkness of ignorance: let these holy mysteries open the eyes of our understanding that we may know the way of life, and walk in it without stumbling; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
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Sunday 7 October 2018 Alternative 1 of 3 19th Sunday after Trinity Proper 22 Year B

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Readings
Job 1.1, 2.1-10

1There was once a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.

2One day the heavenly beings came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord. 2The Lord said to Satan, ‘Where have you come from?’ Satan answered the Lord, ‘From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.’ 3The Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil. He still persists in his integrity, although you incited me against him, to destroy him for no reason.’ 4Then Satan answered the Lord, ‘Skin for skin! All that people have they will give to save their lives. 5But stretch out your hand now and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.’ 6The Lord said to Satan, ‘Very well, he is in your power; only spare his life.’

7 So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord, and inflicted loathsome sores on Job from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. 8Job took a potsherd with which to scrape himself, and sat among the ashes.

9 Then his wife said to him, ‘Do you still persist in your integrity? Curse God, and die.’ 10But he said to her, ‘You speak as any foolish woman would speak. Shall we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad?’ In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

This is the word of the Lord.
All Thanks be to God.
Psalm 26

1  Give judgement for me, O Lord,
for I have walked with integrity; •
I have trusted in the Lord and have not faltered.
2  Test me, O Lord, and try me; •
examine my heart and my mind.
3  For your love is before my eyes; •
I have walked in your truth.
4  I have not joined the company of the false, •
nor consorted with the deceitful.
5  I hate the gathering of evildoers •
and I will not sit down with the wicked.
6  I will wash my hands in innocence, O Lord, •
that I may go about your altar,
7  To make heard the voice of thanksgiving •
and tell of all your wonderful deeds.
8  Lord, I love the house of your habitation •
and the place where your glory abides.
9  Sweep me not away with sinners, •
nor my life with the bloodthirsty,
10  Whose hands are full of wicked schemes •
and their right hand full of bribes.
11  As for me, I will walk with integrity; •
redeem me, Lord, and be merciful to me.
12  My foot stands firm; •
in the great congregation I will bless the Lord.

Related:
Genesis 2.18-24

18 Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.’ 19So out of the ground the Lord God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner. 21So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 23Then the man said,
‘This at last is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
this one shall be called Woman,
for out of Man this one was taken.’ 
24Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh.

This is the word of the Lord.
All Thanks be to God.
Psalm 8

1  O Lord our governor, •
how glorious is your name in all the world!
2  Your majesty above the heavens is praised •
out of the mouths of babes at the breast.
3  You have founded a stronghold against your foes, •
that you might still the enemy and the avenger.
4  When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, •
the moon and the stars that you have ordained,
5  What is man, that you should be mindful of him; •
the son of man, that you should seek him out?
6  You have made him little lower than the angels •
and crown him with glory and honour.
7  You have given him dominion over the works of your hands •
and put all things under his feet,
8  All sheep and oxen, •
even the wild beasts of the field,
9  The birds of the air, the fish of the sea •
and whatsoever moves in the paths of the sea.
10  O Lord our governor, •
how glorious is your name in all the world!

New Testament Reading
Hebrews 1.1-4, 2.5-12

1Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, 2but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. 3He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

5 Now God did not subject the coming world, about which we are speaking, to angels. 6But someone has testified somewhere,
‘What are human beings that you are mindful of them,
or mortals, that you care for them? 
7 You have made them for a little while lower than the angels;
you have crowned them with glory and honour, 
8   subjecting all things under their feet.’
Now in subjecting all things to them, God left nothing outside their control. As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to them, 9but we do see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honour because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of Godhe might taste death for everyone.

10 It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, 12saying,
‘I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters,
in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.’

This is the word of the Lord.
All Thanks be to God.
Gospel Reading
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.
AllGlory to you, O Lord.
Mark 10.2-16

2 Some Pharisees came, and to test him they asked, ‘Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?’ 3He answered them, ‘What did Moses command you?’ 4They said, ‘Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her.’ 5But Jesus said to them, ‘Because of your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you. 6But from the beginning of creation, “God made them male and female.” 7“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, 8and the two shall become one flesh.” So they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.’

10 Then in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. 11He said to them, ‘Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; 12and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.’

13 People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. 14But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. 15Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.’ 16And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.

This is the Gospel of the Lord.
All Praise to you, O Christ.
Post Communion
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Sunday 30 September 2018 Alternative 1 of 2 18th Sunday after Trinity Proper 21 Year B

by

Almighty and everlasting God,

increase in us your gift of faith

that, forsaking what lies behind

and reaching out to that which is before,

we may run the way of your commandments

and win the crown of everlasting joy;

through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

or

God, our judge and saviour,

teach us to be open to your truth

and to trust in your love,

that we may live each day

with confidence in the salvation which is given

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Readings

Continuous:

Esther 7.1-6, 9-10, 9.20-22

7

1So the king and Haman went in to feast with Queen Esther. 2On the second day, as they were drinking wine, the king again said to Esther, ‘What is your petition, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.’ 3Then Queen Esther answered, ‘If I have won your favour, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me—that is my petition—and the lives of my people—that is my request. 4For we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. If we had been sold merely as slaves, men and women, I would have held my peace; but no enemy can compensate for this damage to the king.’ 5Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther, ‘Who is he, and where is he, who has presumed to do this?’ 6Esther said, ‘A foe and enemy, this wicked Haman!’ Then Haman was terrified before the king and the queen. 9Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs in attendance on the king, said, ‘Look, the very gallows that Haman has prepared for Mordecai, whose word saved the king, stands at Haman’s house, fifty cubits high.’ And the king said, ‘Hang him on that.’ 10So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the anger of the king abated.

20 Mordecai recorded these things, and sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, 21enjoining them that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar and also the fifteenth day of the same month, year by year, 22as the days on which the Jews gained relief from their enemies, and as the month that had been turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, days for sending gifts of food to one another and presents to the poor.

This is the word of the Lord.

All Thanks be to God.

Psalm 124

1  If the Lord himself had not been on our side, •

now may Israel say;

2  If the Lord had not been on our side, •

when enemies rose up against us;

3  Then would they have swallowed us alive •

when their anger burned against us;

4  Then would the waters have overwhelmed us

and the torrent gone over our soul; •

over our soul would have swept the raging waters.

5  But blessed be the Lord •

who has not given us over to be a prey for their teeth.

6  Our soul has escaped

as a bird from the snare of the fowler; •

the snare is broken and we are delivered.

7  Our help is in the name of the Lord, •

who has made heaven and earth.

Related:

Numbers 11.4-6, 10-16, 24-29

4 The rabble among them had a strong craving; and the Israelites also wept again, and said, ‘If only we had meat to eat! 5We remember the fish we used to eat in Egypt for nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; 6but now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.’

10 Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, all at the entrances of their tents. Then the Lord became very angry, and Moses was displeased. 11So Moses said to the Lord, ‘Why have you treated your servant so badly? Why have I not found favour in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? 12Did I conceive all this people? Did I give birth to them, that you should say to me, “Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a sucking child”, to the land that you promised on oath to their ancestors? 13Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they come weeping to me and say, “Give us meat to eat!” 14I am not able to carry all this people alone, for they are too heavy for me. 15If this is the way you are going to treat me, put me to death at once—if I have found favour in your sight—and do not let me see my misery.’

16 So the Lord said to Moses, ‘Gather for me seventy of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tent of meeting, and have them take their place there with you.

24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord; and he gathered seventy elders of the people, and placed them all around the tent. 25Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders; and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do so again.

26 Two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested on them; they were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. 27And a young man ran and told Moses, ‘Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.’ 28And Joshua son of Nun, the assistant of Moses, one of his chosen men, said, ‘My lord Moses, stop them!’ 29But Moses said to him, ‘Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit on them!’

This is the word of the Lord.

Al Thanks be to God.

Psalm 19.7-end

7  The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; •

the testimony of the Lord is sure

and gives wisdom to the simple.

8  The statutes of the Lord are right and rejoice the heart; •

the commandment of the Lord is pure

and gives light to the eyes.

9  The fear of the Lord is clean and endures for ever; •

the judgements of the Lord are true

and righteous altogether.

10  More to be desired are they than gold,

more than much fine gold, •

sweeter also than honey,

dripping from the honeycomb.

11  By them also is your servant taught •

and in keeping them there is great reward.

12  Who can tell how often they offend? •

O cleanse me from my secret faults!

13  Keep your servant also from presumptuous sins

lest they get dominion over me; •

so shall I be undefiled,

and innocent of great offence.

14  Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

be acceptable in your sight, •

O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.

New Testament Reading

James 5.13-end

13 Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. 14Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. 16Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. 17Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18Then he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and the earth yielded its harvest.

19 My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and is brought back by another, 20you should know that whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save the sinner’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

This is the word of the Lord.

All Thanks be to God.

Gospel Reading

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.

All Glory to you, O Lord.

Mark 9.38-end

38 John said to him, ‘Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.’ 39But Jesus said, ‘Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterwards to speak evil of me. 40Whoever is not against us is for us. 41For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.

42 ‘If any of you put a stumbling-block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. 43If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. 45And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell., 47And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell, 48where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.

49 ‘For everyone will be salted with fire. 50Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.’

This is the Gospel of the Lord.

All Praise to you, O Christ.

Post Communion

We praise and thank you, O Christ, for this sacred feast:

for here we receive you,

here the memory of your passion is renewed,

here our minds are filled with grace,

and here a pledge of future glory is given,

when we shall feast at that table where you reign

with all your saints for ever.

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Sunday 23 September 2018 Alternative 1 of 2 17th Sunday after Trinity Proper 20 Year B

by

Collect

Almighty God,

you have made us for yourself,

and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you:

pour your love into our hearts and draw us to yourself,

and so bring us at last to your heavenly city

where we shall see you face to face;

through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

or

Gracious God,

you call us to fullness of life:

deliver us from unbelief

and banish our anxieties

with the liberating love of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Readings

Continuous:

Proverbs 31.10-end

10 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.

14 She is like the ships of the merchant,

she brings her food from far away.

15 She rises while it is still night

and provides food for her household

and tasks for her servant-girls.

16 She considers a field and buys it;

with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.

17 She girds herself with strength,

and makes her arms strong.

18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.

Her lamp does not go out at night.

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.

21 She is not afraid for her household when it snows,

for all her household are clothed in crimson.

22 She makes herself coverings;

her clothing is fine linen and purple.

23 Her husband is known in the city gates,

taking his seat among the elders of the land.

24 She makes linen garments and sells them;

she supplies the merchant with sashes.

25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,

and she laughs at the time to come.

26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,

and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

27 She looks well to the ways of her household,

and does not eat the bread of idleness.

28 Her children rise up and call her happy;

her husband too, and he praises her:

29 ‘Many women have done excellently,

but you surpass them all.’

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.

This is the word of the Lord.

All Thanks be to God.

Psalm 1

1  Blessed are they who have not walked

in the counsel of the wicked, •

nor lingered in the way of sinners,

nor sat in the assembly of the scornful.

2  Their delight is in the law of the Lord •

and they meditate on his law day and night.

3  Like a tree planted by streams of water

bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither, •

whatever they do, it shall prosper.

4  As for the wicked, it is not so with them; •

they are like chaff which the wind blows away.

5  Therefore the wicked shall not be able to stand in the judgement, •

nor the sinner in the congregation of the righteous.

6  For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, •

but the way of the wicked shall perish.

Related:

Wisdom 1.16-2.1, 12-22

16 But the ungodly by their words and deeds summoned death;

considering him a friend, they pined away

and made a covenant with him,

because they are fit to belong to his company.

2

For they reasoned unsoundly, saying to themselves,

‘Short and sorrowful is our life,

and there is no remedy when a life comes to its end,

and no one has been known to return from Hades.

12 ‘Let us lie in wait for the righteous man,

because he is inconvenient to us and opposes our actions;

he reproaches us for sins against the law,

and accuses us of sins against our training.

13 He professes to have knowledge of God,

and calls himself a child of the Lord.

14 He became to us a reproof of our thoughts;

15 the very sight of him is a burden to us,

because his manner of life is unlike that of others,

and his ways are strange.

16 We are considered by him as something base,

and he avoids our ways as unclean;

he calls the last end of the righteous happy,

and boasts that God is his father.

17 Let us see if his words are true,

and let us test what will happen at the end of his life;

18 for if the righteous man is God’s child, he will help him,

and will deliver him from the hand of his adversaries.

19 Let us test him with insult and torture,

so that we may find out how gentle he is,

and make trial of his forbearance.

20 Let us condemn him to a shameful death,

for, according to what he says, he will be protected.’

21 Thus they reasoned, but they were led astray,

for their wickedness blinded them,

22 and they did not know the secret purposes of God,

nor hoped for the wages of holiness,

nor discerned the prize for blameless souls;

This is the word of the Lord.

All Thanks be to God.

or Jeremiah 11.18-20

18 It was the Lord who made it known to me, and I knew;

then you showed me their evil deeds.

19 But I was like a gentle lamb

led to the slaughter.

And I did not know it was against me

that they devised schemes, saying,

‘Let us destroy the tree with its fruit,

let us cut him off from the land of the living,

so that his name will no longer be remembered!’

20 But you, O Lord of hosts, who judge righteously,

who try the heart and the mind,

let me see your retribution upon them,

for to you I have committed my cause.

This is the word of the Lord.

All Thanks be to God.

Psalm 54

1  Save me, O God, by your name •

and vindicate me by your power.

2  Hear my prayer, O God; •

give heed to the words of my mouth.

3  For strangers have risen up against me,

and the ruthless seek after my life; •

they have not set God before them.

4  Behold, God is my helper; •

it is the Lord who upholds my life.

5  May evil rebound on those who lie in wait for me; •

destroy them in your faithfulness.

6  An offering of a free heart will I give you •

and praise your name, O Lord, for it is gracious.

7  For he has delivered me out of all my trouble, •

and my eye has seen the downfall of my enemies.

New Testament Reading

James 3.13-4.3, 7-8a

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. 14But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. 15Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. 16For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. 17But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. 18And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.

4

Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you? 2You want something and do not have it; so you commit murder. And you covet something and cannot obtain it; so you engage in disputes and conflicts. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures.

7Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

This is the word of the Lord.

All Thanks be to God.

Gospel Reading

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.

All Glory to you, O Lord.

Mark 9.30-37

30 They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; 31for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, ‘The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.’ 32But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.

33 Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, ‘What were you arguing about on the way?’ 34But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. 35He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, ‘Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.’ 36Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, 37‘Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.’

A This is the Gospel of the Lord.

All Praise to you, O Christ.

Post Communion

Lord, we pray that your grace may always precede and follow us,

and make us continually to be given to all good works;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.