The Seventeenth
Sunday after Pentecost
Year A
O
God, who declarest thy almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity:
Mercifully grant unto us such a measure of thy grace, that we, running to
obtain thy promises, may be made partakers of thy heavenly treasure; through
Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Or
O
God, you declare your almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity: Grant
us the fullness of your grace, that we, running to obtain your promises, may
become partakers of your heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who
lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
A
Reading from Exodus (17:1-7)
All
the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by
stages, according to the commandment of the LORD, and camped at Reph'idim; but
there was no water for the people to drink. Therefore the people found fault
with Moses, and said, "Give us water to drink." And Moses said to
them, "Why do you find fault with me? Why do you put the LORD to the
proof?" But the people thirsted there for water, and the people murmured
against Moses, and said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us
and our children and our cattle with thirst?" So Moses cried to the LORD,
"What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone
me." And the LORD said to Moses, "Pass on before the people, taking
with you some of the elders of Israel; and take in your hand the rod with which
you struck the Nile, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock
at Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, that
the people may drink." And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel.
And he called the name of the place Massah and Mer'ibah, because of the
faultfinding of the children of Israel, and because they put the LORD to the
proof by saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?"
Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16
Attendite, popule
1 Hear my teaching, O my people; *
incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth in a parable; *
I will declare the mysteries of ancient times.
3 That which we have heard and known,
and what our forefathers have told us, *
we will not hide from their children.
4 We will recount to generations to come
the praiseworthy deeds and the power of the Lord, *
and the wonderful works he has done.
12 He worked marvels in the sight of their
forefathers, *
in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
13 He split open the sea and let them pass
through; *
he made the waters stand up like walls.
14 He led them with a cloud by day, *
and all the night through with a glow of
fire.
15 He split the hard rocks in the wilderness *
and gave them drink as from the great
deep.
16 He brought streams out of the cliff, *
and the waters gushed out like rivers.
A
Reading from Philippians (2:1-13)
So,
if there is any encouragement in Christ, any incentive of love, any
participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by
being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one
mind. Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others
better than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but
also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is
yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count
equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form
of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form
he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.
Therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is
above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven
and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is
Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Therefore, my beloved, as you have always
obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work
out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for God is at work in you, both
to will and to work for his good pleasure.
The Holy Gospel of
our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew (21:23-32)
And
when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came
up to him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority are you doing
these things, and who gave you this authority?" Jesus answered them,
"I also will ask you a question; and if you tell me the answer, then I
also will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John,
whence was it? From heaven or from men?" And they argued with one another,
"If we say, `From heaven,' he will say to us, `Why then did you not
believe him?' But if we say, `From men,' we are afraid of the multitude; for
all hold that John was a prophet." So they answered Jesus, "We do not
know." And he said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what
authority I do these things. "What do you think? A man had two sons; and
he went to the first and said, `Son, go and work in the vineyard today.' And he
answered, `I will not'; but afterward he repented and went. And he went to the
second and said the same; and he answered, `I go, sir,' but did not go. Which
of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The first."
Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the
harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way
of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the
harlots believed him; and even when you saw it, you did not afterward repent
and believe him.
The Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
Year A
O God, the protector of all that trust in thee, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us thy mercy, that, thou being our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever
and ever. Amen.
Or
O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so
pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
A Reading from Genesis (29:15-28)
Then Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?" Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah's eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful and lovely. Jacob loved Rachel; and he said, "I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel." Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me." So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her. Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed." So Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. (Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her maid.) And in the morning, behold, it was Leah; and Jacob said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?" Laban said, "It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the first-born. Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years." Jacob did so, and completed her week; then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to wife.
Psalm 105:1-11, 45b
Confitemini Domino
1 Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name; *
make known his deeds among the peoples.
2 Sing to him, sing praises to him, *
and speak of all his marvelous works.
3 Glory in his holy Name; *
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
4 Search for the Lord and his strength; *
continually seek his face.
5 Remember the marvels he has done, *
his wonders and the judgments of his mouth,
6 O offspring of Abraham his servant, *
O children of Jacob his chosen.
7 He is the Lord our God; *
his judgments prevail in all the world.
8 He has always been mindful of his covenant, *
the promise he made for a thousand generations:
9 The covenant he made with Abraham, *
the oath that he swore to Isaac,
10 Which he established as a statute for Jacob, *
an everlasting covenant for Israel,
11 Saying, "To you will I give the land of Canaan *
to be your allotted inheritance."
45b Hallelujah!
A Reading from The Letter to the Romans (8:26-39)
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words. And he who searches the hearts of men knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the first-born among many brethren. And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified. What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, will he not also give us all things with him? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies; who is to condemn? Is it Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, "For thy sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The Holy Gospel According to Matthew (13:31-33,44-52)
Another parable he put before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches." He told them another parable. "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened." "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind; when it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into vessels but threw away the bad. So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous, and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth. "Have you understood all this?" They said to him, "Yes." And he said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.
