THE TWENTIETH SUNDAY after PENTECOST
(Proper 31)
READINGS
Joshua 3:7-17
Psalm 107:1-7, 33-37
1 Thessalonians 2:9-13
Matthew 23:1-12
OPENING PRAYER
Almighty God,
we have no father but you;
no teacher but your Son.
Conform our lives to the faith we profess,
preserve us from arrogance and pride,
and lead us in a Christ-like life of humility and service;
for we ask it in his name
and for his sake.
Amen.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Heavenly Father,
bring to perfection within us
the communion we share in this sacrament.
May the unity we know this day
lead to the unity of all your children.
This we pray in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord.
Amen.
YEAR A
THE TWENTIETH SUNDAY after PENTECOST
(Proper 31)
YEAR A
FIRST READING: Joshua 3:7-11, 13-17
A Reading from the Book of Joshua.
God said to Joshua, "This day I shall begin to exalt you in the sight of all
Israel, so that they may know that I will be with you, as I was with Moses. You
are the one who shall command the priests who carry the Ark of the Covenant,
'When you come to the edge of the River Jordan, you shall wade into the
water, and stand still there in the Jordan.'"
Joshua then said to the Israelites, "Draw near and hear the words of
Yahweh your God." Joshua said, "By this you shall know that among you is the
living God who without fail will drive out from before you the Canaanites,
Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites: the ark of the
covenant of the God of all the earth shall pass before you into the Jordan.
When the feet of the priests carrying the Ark of our God, the God of all the
whole earth, touch the water of the Jordan, it will stop flowing: the Jordan
flowing from upstream shall be cut off, as if it were dammed up."
When the people set out from their encampment to cross over the
Jordan, the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant led them. Now the Jordan
was overflowing its banks, for it was harvest time. But no sooner had the
priests set their feet in the edge of the river than the water upstream stopped
flowing, rising up in a single heap for a great distance, as far as Adam, the town
next to Zarethan. The water flowing downstream to the sea of the Arabah—
that is, the Salt Sea—was completely cut off.
Then the people crossed over opposite Jericho. While all Israel were
crossing over on dry ground, the priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant of
Yahweh stood on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, until the entire
nation had crossed the river.
Listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.
Thanks be to God.
THE TWENTIETH SUNDAY after PENTECOST
(Proper 31)
PSALM 107:1-7, 33-37
Give thanks to God, who is good,
whose mercy endures for ever.
Let all those whom God has redeemed
proclaim that God redeemed them
from the hand of the foe.
God gathered them out of the lands;
from the east and from the west,
from the north and from the south.
Some wandered in desert wastes;
they found no way to a city where they might dwell.
They were hungry and thirsty;
their spirits languished within them.
Then they cried out to God in their trouble,
and God delivered them from their distress:
placing their feet on a straight path
toward a city where they might dwell;
changing rivers into deserts,
and water-springs into thirsty ground;
a fruitful land into salt flats,
because of the wickedness of those who dwell there;
changing deserts into pools of water
and dry land into water-springs;
settling the hungry there,
where they founded a city to dwell in;
where they sowed fields, and planted vineyards,
and brought in a fruitful harvest.
YEAR A
THE TWENTIETH SUNDAY after PENTECOST
(Proper 31)
YEAR A
SECOND READING: 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13
A Reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians.
You remember our labour and toil, brothers and sisters; we worked
night and day, so that we might not burden any of you while we proclaimed
to you the gospel of God.
You are witnesses, as God is also, how pure, upright, and blameless
our conduct was toward you believers. As you know, we dealt with each one
of you like a father with his children, urging and encouraging you and
pleading that you lead a life worthy of God, who calls you into glory, into
God's own realm.
We also constantly give thanks to God for this, that when you received
the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human
word but as what it really is, God's word, which is also at work in you who
believe.
Listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.
Thanks be to God.
THE TWENTIETH SUNDAY after PENTECOST
(Proper 31)
YEAR A
GOSPEL READING: Matthew 23:1-12
The Lord be with you.
And with thy spirit.
The Holy Gospel
of our Lord Jesus Christ
according to Matthew.
Glory be to Thee, O Christ.
God be with you.
And also with you.
The Good News
of Jesus Christ
according to Matthew.
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:
The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat;
therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it;
but do not do as they do,
for they do not practise what they teach.
They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear,
and lay them on the shoulders of others;
but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them.
They do all their deeds to be seen by others;
for they make their phylacteries broad
and their fringes long.
They love to have the place of honour at banquets
and the best seats in the synagogues,
and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces,
and to have people call them 'Rabbi'.
But you are not to be called rabbi,
for you have only one teacher,
and you are all students.
And call no one your 'father' on earth,
for you have only one Father,
THE TWENTIETH SUNDAY after PENTECOST
(Proper 31)
YEAR A
the One God in heaven.
Nor are you to be called leaders,
for you have only one leader,
God's Chosen One.
The greatest among you will be your servant.
All who exalt themselves will be humbled,
and all who humble themselves will be exalted.
The Gospel of Christ.
Praise be to Thee, O Christ.
The Gospel of Christ.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.