Selected Scripture Readings
| October 01, 2017 |
| EPISTLE: Corinthians (6: 16 - 7: 1) Brothers and Sisters! You are the temple of the living God, just as God has said: “I will dwell with them and walk among them. I will be their God and they shall be my people. Therefore, ‘Come out from among them,’ says the Lord; ‘and touch nothing unclean. I will welcome you and be a father to you and you will be my sons and daughters,’ says the Lord Almighty.’’ Since we have these promises, beloved, let us purify ourselves from every defilement of flesh and spirit, and in the fear of God strive to fulfill our consecration perfectly. GOSPEL: Matthew (15: 21 - 28)
At that time Jesus entered into the district of
Tyre and Sidon. It happened that a Canaanite
woman living in that locality presented herself,
crying out to him, “Lord, Son of David, have
pity on me! My daughter is terribly troubled by
a demon.’’ He gave her no word of response.
His disciples came up and began to entreat
him, “Get rid of her. She keeps shouting after
us.’’ “My mission is only to the lost sheep of the
house of Israel,’’ Jesus replied. She came
forward then and did him homage with the plea,
“Help me, Lord!’’ But he answered, “it is not
right to take the food of sons and daughters
and throw it to the dogs.’’ “Please, Lord,’’ she
insisted, “even the dogs eat the leavings that
fall from their masters’ tables.’’ Jesus said in
reply, “Woman, you have great faith! Your wish
will come to pass.’’ That very moment her
daughter got better.
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| October 08, 2017 |
| EPISTLE: Corinthians (9: 6-11)
Brothers and Sisters! He who sows sparingly
will reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully
will reap bountifully. Everyone must give
according to what he has inwardly decided; not
sadly, not grudgingly, for God loves a cheerful
giver. God can multiply his favors among you
so that you may always have enough of
everything and even a surplus for good works,
as it is written: “He scattered abroad and gave
to the poor, his justice endures forever.” He
who supplies seed for the sower and bread for
the eater will provide in abundance; he will
multiply the seed you sow and increase your
generous yield. In every way your liberality is
enriched; through us it results in thanks offered
to God.
At that time as he stood by the Lake of
Gennesaret, and the crowd pressed in on him
to hear the word of God, he saw two boats
moored by the side of the lake; the fishermen
had disembarked and were washing their nets.
He got into one of the boats, the one belonging
to Simon, and asked him to pull out a short
distance from the shore; then, remaining
seated, he continued to teach the crowds from
the boat. When he had finished speaking he
said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and
lower your nets for a catch.” Simon answered,
“Master, we have been hard at it all night long
and have caught nothing; but if you say so, I
will lower the nets.” Upon doing this they
caught such a great number of fish that their
nets were at the breaking point. They signaled
to their mates in the other boat to come and
help them. These came, and together they
filled the two boats until they nearly sank. At
the sight of this, Simon Peter fell at the knees
of Jesus saying, “Leave me, Lord. I am a sinful
man.” For indeed, amazement at the catch they
had made seized him and all his shipmates, as
well as James and John, Zededee’s sons, who
were partners with Simon. Jesus said to Simon,
“Do not be afraid. From now on you will be
catching men.” With that they brought their
boats to land, left everything, and became his
followers
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| October 15, 2017 |
| EPISTLE: II Corinthians (11:31 - 12:9) Brothers and Sisters! The God and Father of the Lord Jesus knows --- blessed be he forever --- that I do not lie. In Damascus the ethnarch of King Aretas was keeping a close watch on the city in order to arrest me, but I was lowered in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands. I must go on boasting, however useless it may be, and speak of visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who, fourteen years ago, whether he was in or outside his body I cannot say, only God can say --- a man who was snatched up to the third heaven. I know that this man --- whether in or outside his body I do not know, God knows --- was snatched up to Paradise to hear words which cannot be uttered, words which no man may speak. About this man I will boast; but I will do no boasting about myself unless it be about my weaknesses. And even if I were to boast it would not be folly in me because I would only be telling the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone think more of me than what he sees in me or hears from my lips. As to the extraordinary revelations, in order that I might no become conceited I was given a thorn in the flesh, an angel of Satan to beat me and keep me from getting proud. Three times I begged the Lord that this might leave me. He said to me, “My grace is enough for you, for in weakness power reaches perfection.” And so I willingly boast of my weaknesses instead, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. GOSPEL: Luke (6: 31 -36) The Lord said: “Do to others what you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, how can you claim any credit? Sinners do as much. If you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what merit is there in it for you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. Love your enemy and do good; lend without expecting repayment. Then will your recompense be great. You will rightly be called sons of the Most High, since he himself is good to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be compassionate, as your Father is compassionate.” |
October 22, 2017 |
| EPISTLE: Galatians (1: 11-19) Brothers and Sisters! I assure you, the gospel I proclaimed to you is no mere human invention. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I schooled in it. I came by revelation from Jesus Christ. You have heard, I know, the story of my former way of life in Judaism. You know that I went to extremes in persecuting the Church of God and tried to destroy it. I made progress in Jewish observance far beyond most of my contemporaries, in my excess of zeal to live out all the traditions of my ancestors. But the time came when he who had set me apart before I was born and called me by his favor chose to reveal his Son to me, that I might spread among the Gentiles the good tidings concerning him. Immediately, without seeking human advisers or even going to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before me, I went off to Arabia; later I returned to Damascus. Three years after that I went up to Jerusalem to get to know Cephas, with whom I stayed fifteen days. I did not meet any other apostles except James, the brother of the Lord. GOSPEL: Luke (7: 11-16) At that time Jesus went to a town called Naim, and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him. As he approached the gate of the town a dead man was being carried out, the only son of a widowed mother. A considerable crowd of townsfolk were with her. The Lord was moved with pity upon seeing her and said to her, “Do not cry.” Then he stepped forward and touched the litter; at this, the bearers halted. He said, “Young man, I bid you get up.” The dead man sat up and began to speak. Then Jesus gave him back to his mother. Fear seized them all and they began to praise God. “A great prophet has risen among us,” they said; and, “God has visited his people.” |
| October 29, 2017 |
| EPISTLE: Colossians (1:12-20 ) Brothers and Sisters! Give thanks to the Father for having made you worthy to share the lot of the saints in light. He rescued us from the power of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of his beloved Son. Through him we have redemption, the forgiveness of our sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creatures. In him everything in heaven and on earth was created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominations, principalities or powers; all were created through him, and for him. He is before all else that is. In him everything continues in being. It is he who is head of the body, the church; he who is the beginning, the first-born of the dead, so that primacy may be his in everything. It pleased God to make absolute fullness reside in him and by means of him, to reconcile everything in his person both on earth and in the heavens, making peace through the blood of his cross. GOSPEL: John (18: 33-37) At that time, Pilate went back into the praetorium and summoned Jesus. “Are you the King of the Jews?” he asked him. Jesus answered, “Are you saying this on your own, or have others been telling you about me?” “I am no Jew!” Pilate retorted. “It is your own people and the chief priests who have handed you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered: “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my subjects would be fighting to save me from being handed over to the Jews. As it is, my kingdom is not here.” At this Pilate said to him, “So, then, you are a king?” Jesus replied: “It is you who say I am a king. The reason I was born, the reason why I came into the world is to testify to the truth. Anyone committed to the truth hears my voice.” This page was last updated
October 09, 2017 |