SUNDAY BETWEEN 9 AND 15
OCTOBER YEAR B
PROPER 23
TRACK 1
FIRST READING Job 23.1-9, 16-17
A reading from the book of Job.
1 Job answered his companions:
2 'Today also my complaint is bitter; his hand is heavy
despite my groaning.
3 Oh, that I knew where I might find him, that I might
come even to his dwelling!
4 I would lay my case before him, and fill my mouth with
arguments.
5 I would learn what he would answer me, and understand
what he would say to me.
6 Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power?
No; but he would give heed to me.
7 There an upright person could reason with him, and
I should be acquitted for ever by my judge.
8 If I go forward, he is not there; or backward, I cannot
perceive him;
9 on the left he hides, and I cannot behold him; I turn
to the right, but I cannot see him.
16 God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified
me;
17 If only I could vanish in darkness, and thick darkness
would cover my face!'
PSALM Psalm 22.1-15
RR Why are you so far from the words of my distress?
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? and are so
far from my cry and from the words of my distress?
2 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but you do not answer;
by night as well, but I find no rest.
3 Yet you are the Holy One, enthroned upon the praises
of Israel. RR
4 Our forebears put their trust in you; they trusted
and you delivered them.
5 They cried out to you and were delivered; they trusted
in you and were not put to shame. RR
6 But as for me, I am a worm and no man, scorned by all
and despised by the people.
7 All who see me laugh me to scorn; they curl their lips
and wag their heads, saying,
8 'He trusted in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him
rescue him, if he delights in him.' RR
9 Yet you are he who took me out of the womb, and kept
me safe upon my mother's breast.
10 I have been entrusted to you ever since I was born;
you were my God when I was still in my mother's womb. RR
11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there
is none to help.
12 Many young bulls encircle me; strong bulls of Bashan
surround me.
13 They open wide their jaws at me, like a ravening and
a roaring lion. RR
14 I am poured out like water; all my bones are out of
joint; my heart within my breast is melting wax.
15 My mouth is dried out like a pot-sherd; my tongue sticks
to the roof of my mouth; and you have laid me in the dust of the
grave. RR
Or TRACK 2
FIRST READING Amos 5.6-7, 10-15
A reading from the book of the prophet Amos.
6 Seek the LORD and live, or he will break out against
the house of Joseph like fire, and it will devour Bethel, with
no one to quench it.
7 Ah, you that turn justice to wormwood, and bring righteousness
to the ground!
10 They hate the one who reproves in the gate, and they
abhor the one who speaks the truth.
11 Therefore because you trample on the poor and take
from them levies of grain, you have built houses of hewn stone,
but you shall not live in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards,
but you shall not drink their wine.
12 For I know how many are your transgressions, and how
great are your sins - you who afflict the righteous, who take
a bribe, and push aside the needy in the gate.
13 Therefore the prudent will keep silent in such a time;
for it is an evil time.
14 Seek good and not evil, that you may live; and so the
LORD, the God of hosts, will be with you, just as you have said.
15 Hate evil and love good, and establish justice in the
gate; it may be that the LORD, the God of hosts, will be gracious
to the remnant of Joseph.
PSALM Psalm 90.13-17
RR We shall rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.
or
RR O Lord, be gracious to your servants.
13 Return, O Lord; how long will you tarry? be gracious
to your servants.
14 Satisfy us by your loving-kindness in the morning;
so shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life. RR
15 Make us glad by the measure of the days that you afflicted
us and the years in which we suffered adversity.
16 Show your servants your works and your splendour to
their children. RR
17 May the graciousness of the Lord our God be upon us;
prosper the work of our hands; prosper our handiwork. RR
SECOND READING Hebrews 4.12-16
A reading from the letter to the Hebrews.
12 The word of God is living and active, sharper than
any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit,
joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions
of the heart.
13 And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked
and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an
account.
14 Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed
through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to
our confession.
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize
with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has
been tested as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with
boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help
in time of need.
GOSPEL Mark 10.17-31
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.
17 As Jesus was setting
out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked
him, 'Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?'
18 Jesus said to him, 'Why do you call me good? No one
is good but God alone.
19 You know the commandments: "You shall not murder;
You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall
not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honour your father
and mother."'
20 He said to Jesus, 'Teacher, I have kept all these since
my youth.'
21 Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, 'You lack
one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.'
22 When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving,
for he had many possessions.
23 Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,
'How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom
of God!'
24 And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But
Jesus said to them again, 'Children, how hard it is to enter the
kingdom of God!
25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a
needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.'
26 They were greatly astounded and said to one another,
'Then who can be saved?'
27 Jesus looked at them and said, 'For mortals it is impossible,
but not for God; for God all things are possible.'
28 Peter began to say to him, 'Look, we have left everything
and followed you.'
29 Jesus said, 'Truly I tell you there is no one who has
left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children
or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news,
30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age
- houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields
- but with persecutions - and in the age to come eternal life.
31 But many who are first will be last, and the last will
be first.'
