|
Proper 25
Closest to October 26 |
| Almighty and everlasting God, give unto us the increase of
faith, hope, and charity; and, that we may obtain that which
thou dost promise, make us to love that which thou dost
command; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and
reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever
and ever. Amen. |
|
Lesson |
Jeremiah 14:(1-6)7-10,19-22
The Great Drought
The word of the LORD which came to Jeremiah concerning the drought: "Judah mourns and her gates languish; her people lament on the ground,
and the cry of Jerusalem goes up. Her nobles send their servants for water; they come to the cisterns, they
find no water, they return with their vessels empty; they are ashamed and
confounded and cover their heads. Because of the ground which is dismayed, since there is no rain on the
land, the farmers are ashamed, they cover their heads. Even the hind in the field forsakes her newborn calf because there is no
grass. The wild asses stand on the bare heights, they pant for air like jackals;
their eyes fail because there is no herbage. "Though our iniquities testify against us, act, O LORD, for thy name's
sake; for our backslidings are many, we have sinned against thee. O thou hope of Israel, its savior in time of trouble, why shouldst thou
be like a stranger in the land, like a wayfarer who turns aside to tarry for
a night? Why shouldst thou be like a man confused, like a mighty man who cannot
save? Yet thou, O LORD, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy
name; leave us not." Thus says the LORD concerning this people: "They have loved to wander
thus, they have not restrained their feet; therefore the LORD does not
accept them, now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins."
The People Plead for Mercy
Hast thou utterly rejected Judah? Does thy soul loathe Zion? Why hast
thou smitten us so that there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, but
no good came; for a time of healing, but behold, terror. We acknowledge our wickedness, O LORD, and the iniquity of our fathers,
for we have sinned against thee. Do not spurn us, for thy name's sake; do not dishonor thy glorious
throne; remember and do not break thy covenant with us. Are there any among the false gods of the nations that can bring rain?
Or can the heavens give showers? Art thou not he, O LORD our God? We set our
hope on thee, for thou doest all these things. |
|
Epistle |
2 Timothy 4:6-8,16-18
For I am already on the point of being sacrificed; the time of my
departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the
faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the
Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me
but also to all who have loved his appearing. At my first defense no one took my part; all deserted me. May it not be
charged against them! But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength to proclaim the message
fully, that all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's
mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil and save me for his heavenly
kingdom. To him be the glory for ever and ever. Amen. |
|
Gospel |
Luke 18:9-14
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they
were righteous and despised others: "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a
tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, `God, I thank thee that
I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this
tax collector. I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes
to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, `God, be merciful to me a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the
other; for every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles
himself will be exalted." |
|
