Proper 25 (30) (Year C)
The Prayer
All-Loving and everlasting God, increase in us the gifts of faith, hope, and love; and, that we may obtain what you promise, make us love what you command; through Jesus the Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The Lessons
23 Children of Zion,
rejoice and be glad in Yahweh your God,
because Yahweh will give you the early rain
as a sign of righteousness;
and will pour down abundant rain for you,
the early and the late rain, as before.
24 The threshing floors will be full of grain;
the vats will overflow with new wine and fresh oil.
25 I’ll repay you for the years
that the cutting locust,
the swarming locust, the hopping locust,
and the devouring locust have eaten —
my great army, which I sent against you.
26 You’ll eat abundantly and be satisfied,
and you’ll praise the name of Yahweh your God,
who has done wonders for you;
and my people will never again be put to shame.
27 You will know that I am in the midst of Israel,
and that I am Yahweh your God — no other exists;
never again will my people be put to shame.
28 After that I’ll pour out my spirit upon everyone;
your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
your old men will dream dreams,
and your young men will see visions.
29 In those days, I’ll also pour out my
spirit on the male and female slaves.
30I will give signs in the heavens and on the earth — blood and fire and columns of smoke. 31The sun will be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood before the great and dreadful day of Yahweh comes. 32But everyone who calls on Yahweh’s name will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be security, as Yahweh has promised; and in Jerusalem, Yahweh will summon those who survive.
For the music leader. A psalm of David. A song.
1 God of Zion, to you even silence is praise.
Promises made to you are kept —
2 you listen to prayer—
and all living things come to you.
3 When wrongdoings become too much for me,
you forgive our sins.
4 How happy is the one you choose to bring close,
the one who lives in your courtyards!
We are filled full by the goodness of your house,
by the holiness of your temple.
5 In righteousness you answer us,
by your awesome deeds,
God of our salvation —
you, who are the security
of all the far edges of the earth,
even the distant seas.
6 You establish the mountains by your strength;
you are dressed in raw power.
7 You calm the roaring seas;
calm the roaring waves,
calm the noise of the nations.
8 Those who dwell on the far edges
stand in awe of your acts.
You make the gateways
of morning and evening sing for joy.
9 You visit the earth and make it abundant,
enriching it greatly
by God’s stream, full of water.
You provide people with grain
because that is what you’ve decided.
10 Drenching the earth’s furrows,
leveling its ridges,
you soften it with rain showers;
you bless its growth.
11 You crown the year with your goodness;
your paths overflow with rich food.
12 Even the desert pastures drip with it,
and the hills are dressed in pure joy.
13 The meadowlands are covered with flocks,
the valleys decked out in grain —
they shout for joy;
they break out in song!
6I’m already being poured out like a sacrifice to God, and the time of my death is near. 7I’ve fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith. 8At last the champion’s wreath that’s awarded for righteousness is waiting for me. The Lord, who’s the righteous judge, is going to give it to me on that day. He’s giving it not only to me but also to all those who have set their hearts on waiting for his appearance.
16No one took my side at my first court hearing. Everyone deserted me. I hope that God doesn’t hold it against them! 17But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that the entire message would be preached through me and so all the nations could hear it. I was also rescued from the lion’s mouth! 18The Lord will rescue me from every evil action and will save me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and always. Amen.
9Jesus told this parable to certain people who had convinced themselves that they were righteous and who looked on everyone else with disgust: 10“Two people went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself with these words, ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like everyone else — crooks, evildoers, adulterers — or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week. I give a tenth of everything I receive.’ 13But the tax collector stood at a distance. He wouldn’t even lift his eyes to look toward heaven. Rather, he struck his chest and said, ‘God, show mercy to me, a sinner.’ 14I tell you, the tax collector went down to his home justified rather than the Pharisee. All who lift themselves up will be brought low, and those who make themselves low will be lifted up.”
~~~
In the Love of the Three in One,
Br. Jack+, LC
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[1] Scripture quotations marked (CEB) are taken from The Common English Bible. Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible.
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