Readings

Saturday after the Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost

The Collect of the Day

Proper 25

The Sunday closest to October 26

Almighty and everlasting God, increase in us the gifts of faith, hope, and charity; and, that we may obtain what you promise, make us love what you command; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

O God, the Maker and Redeemer of all believers: Grant to the faithful departed the unsearchable benefits of the passion of your Son; that on the day of his appearing they may be manifested as your children; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Psalms

55

Exaudi, DeusBCP p. 660

1Hear my prayer, O God; *do not hide yourself from my petition.

2Listen to me and answer me; *I have no peace, because of my cares.

3I am shaken by the noise of the enemy *and by the pressure of the wicked;

4For they have cast an evil spell upon me *and are set against me in fury.

5My heart quakes within me, *and the terrors of death have fallen upon me.

6Fear and trembling have come over me, *and horror overwhelms me.

7And I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! *I would fly away and be at rest.

8I would flee to a far-off place *and make my lodging in the wilderness.

9I would hasten to escape *from the stormy wind and tempest.”

10Swallow them up, O Lord; confound their speech; *for I have seen violence and strife in the city.

11Day and night the watchmen make their rounds upon her walls, *but trouble and misery are in the midst of her.

12 There is corruption at her heart; *her streets are never free of oppression and deceit.

13For had it been an adversary who taunted me, then I could have borne it; *or had it been an enemy who vaunted himself against me, then I could have hidden from him.

14But it was you, a man after my own heart, *my companion, my own familiar friend.

15We took sweet counsel together, *and walked with the throng in the house of God.

16Let death come upon them suddenly; let them go down alive to the grave; *for wickedness is in their dwellings, in their very midst.

17But I will call upon God, *and the Lord will deliver me.

18In the evening, in the morning, and at noonday, I will complain and lament, *and he will hear my voice.

19He will bring me safely back from the battle waged against me; *for there are many who fight me.

20God, who is enthroned of old, will hear me and bring them down; *they never change; they do not fear God.

21My companion stretched forth his hand against his comrade; *he has broken his covenant.

22His speech is softer than butter, *but war is in his heart.

23His words are smoother than oil, *but they are drawn swords.

24Cast your burden upon the Lord, and he will sustain you; *he will never let the righteous stumble.

25For you will bring the bloodthirsty and deceitful *down to the pit of destruction, O God.

26They shall not live out half their days, *but I will put my trust in you.

Daily Office Readings

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Luke 12:32-48

32 “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.

Ecclus. 35:1-22a

1 One who keeps the law makes many offerings; 2    one who heeds the commandments makes an offering of well-being. 3 One who returns a kindness offers choice flour, 4    and one who gives alms sacrifices a thank-offering. 5 To keep from wickedness is pleasing to the Lord,    and to forsake unrighteousness is an atonement. 6 Do not appear before the Lord empty-handed, 7    for all that you offer is in fulfilment of the commandment. 8 The offering of the righteous enriches the altar,    and its pleasing odour rises before the Most High. 9 The sacrifice of the righteous is acceptable,    and it will never be forgotten. 10 Be generous when you worship the Lord,    and do not stint the first fruits of your hands. 11 With every gift show a cheerful face,    and dedicate your tithe with gladness. 12 Give to the Most High as he has given to you,    and as generously as you can afford. 13 For the Lord is the one who repays,    and he will repay you sevenfold. 14 Do not offer him a bribe, for he will not accept it; 15    and do not rely on a dishonest sacrifice; for the Lord is the judge,    and with him there is no partiality. 16 He will not show partiality to the poor;    but he will listen to the prayer of one who is wronged. 17 He will not ignore the supplication of the orphan,    or the widow when she pours out her complaint. 18 Do not the tears of the widow run down her cheek 19    as she cries out against the one who causes them to fall? 20 One whose service is pleasing to the Lord will be accepted,    and his prayer will reach to the clouds. 21 The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds,    and it will not rest until it reaches its goal; it will not desist until the Most High responds 22 and does justice to the righteous, and executes judgement. Indeed, the Lord will not delay, and like a warrior will not be patient until he crushes the loins of the unmerciful

Ecclus. 35:1-17

1 One who keeps the law makes many offerings; 2    one who heeds the commandments makes an offering of well-being. 3 One who returns a kindness offers choice flour, 4    and one who gives alms sacrifices a thank-offering. 5 To keep from wickedness is pleasing to the Lord,    and to forsake unrighteousness is an atonement. 6 Do not appear before the Lord empty-handed, 7    for all that you offer is in fulfilment of the commandment. 8 The offering of the righteous enriches the altar,    and its pleasing odour rises before the Most High. 9 The sacrifice of the righteous is acceptable,    and it will never be forgotten. 10 Be generous when you worship the Lord,    and do not stint the first fruits of your hands. 11 With every gift show a cheerful face,    and dedicate your tithe with gladness. 12 Give to the Most High as he has given to you,    and as generously as you can afford. 13 For the Lord is the one who repays,    and he will repay you sevenfold. 14 Do not offer him a bribe, for he will not accept it; 15    and do not rely on a dishonest sacrifice; for the Lord is the judge,    and with him there is no partiality. 16 He will not show partiality to the poor;    but he will listen to the prayer of one who is wronged. 17 He will not ignore the supplication of the orphan, or the widow when she pours out her complaint.

Rev. 13:11-18

11 Then I saw another beast that rose out of the earth; it had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. 12 It exercises all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and it makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound had been healed. 13 It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in the sight of all; 14 and by the signs that it is allowed to perform on behalf of the beast, it deceives the inhabitants of earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that had been wounded by the sword and yet lived; 15 and it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast so that the image of the beast could even speak and cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16 Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, 17 so that no one can buy or sell who does not have the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. 18 This calls for wisdom: let anyone with understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a person. Its number is six hundred sixty-six.