The Sunday Lectionary and Prayers for Sunday, October 23, 2022

The Sunday Lectionary and Prayers

Sunday, October 23, 2022 — 20th Sunday after Pentecost

Joel 2:23-32; Psalm 65; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18; Luke 18:9-14

[Ordinary 30, Proper 25]

(Revised Common Lectionary Year C)

Prophecy, Dreams and Visions

Opening Prayer

Come, let us sing to the LORD!

Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come to Him with thanksgiving.

Let us sing psalms of praise to Him.

For the LORD is a great God, a great King above all gods.

He holds in His hands the depths of the earth

and the mightiest mountains.

The sea belongs to Him, for He made it.

His hands formed the dry land, too.

Come, let us worship & bow down.

Let us kneel before the LORD our maker,

for He is our God.

We are the people He watches over,

the flock under His care.

The Collect (Book of Common Prayers)

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.

Call to Confession

We turn to God in prayer not because we are compelled but because God invites us. We come to God not because of our righteousness but because of God’s grace. In that spirit, we offer this prayer of confession and unburdening.

Loving God, we know that in every generation you call forth prophets to proclaim your word. We give you thanks that you are still speaking even today. Your Spirit inspires the young to see visions of a new creation and elders to dream of a time not yet known. Yet, we confess that we fail to hear your voice when it comes from an unexpected place. Convinced that we are right, we miss the Good News of your reconciling love. Forgive us, God. Restore us with humility and awaken us anew to your presence and your promise. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon

The God of creation is a God of mercy. God is quick to forgive and God’s promise of restoration is for all people. Friends believe the Good News of the Gospel In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.
Thanks be to God!

First Reading

Joel 2:23-32

(The promise to restore Israel)

23 O children of Zion, be glad
     and rejoice in the Lord your God;
   for he has given the early rain for your vindication,
     he has poured down for you abundant rain,
     the early and the later rain, as before.
24 The threshing floors shall be full of grain,
     the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.

25 I will repay you for the years
     that the swarming locust has eaten,
   the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter,
     my great army, which I sent against you.

26 You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,
     and praise the name of the Lord your God,
     who has dealt wondrously with you.
   And my people shall never again be put to shame.
27 You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel,
     and that I, the Lord, am your God and there is no other.
   And my people shall never again be put to shame.

God’s Spirit Poured Out
28 Then afterward
     I will pour out my spirit on all flesh;
   your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
     your old men shall dream dreams,
     and your young men shall see visions.
29 Even on the male and female slaves,
     in those days, I will pour out my spirit.

30 I will show portents in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. 32 Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.

The Psalm

Psalm 65

(Your paths overflow with plenty)

Thanksgiving for Earth’s Bounty
To the leader. A Psalm of David. A Song.
1  Praise is due to you,
     O God, in Zion;
   and to you shall vows be performed,
2    O you who answer prayer!
   To you all flesh shall come.
3  When deeds of iniquity overwhelm us,
     you forgive our transgressions.
4  Happy are those whom you choose and bring near
     to live in your courts.
   We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house,
     your holy temple.

5  By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance,
     O God of our salvation;
   you are the hope of all the ends of the earth
     and of the farthest seas.
6  By your strength you established the mountains;
     you are girded with might.
7  You silence the roaring of the seas,
     the roaring of their waves,
     the tumult of the peoples.
8  Those who live at earth’s farthest bounds are awed by
         your signs;
   you make the gateways of the morning and the evening
         shout for joy.

9  You visit the earth and water it,
     you greatly enrich it;
   the river of God is full of water;
     you provide the people with grain,
     for so you have prepared it.
10 You water its furrows abundantly,
     settling its ridges,
   softening it with showers,
     and blessing its growth.
11 You crown the year with your bounty;
     your wagon tracks overflow with richness.
12 The pastures of the wilderness overflow,
     the hills gird themselves with joy,
13 the meadows clothe themselves with flocks,
     the valleys deck themselves with grain,
     they shout and sing together for joy.

Second Reading

2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18

(The good fight of faith)

4:6 As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
[...]
16 At my first defense no one came to my support, but all deserted me. May it not be counted against them! 17 But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and save me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

The Gospel

Luke 18:9-14

(A Pharisee and tax collector pray)

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
18:9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Here ends the Lessons

Click HERE to read today’s Holy Gospel Lesson message

The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Closing Prayer

In the name of the Father and of the Son,

and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

God of love and mercy,

You call us to be your people,

You gift us with Your abundant grace.

Make us a holy people,

radiating the fullness of your love.

Form us into a community of people who care,

expressing Your compassion.

Remind us day after day of our baptismal call

to serve with joy and courage.

Teach us how to grow in wisdom and grace

and joy in Your presence.

Through Jesus and Your Spirit,

we make this prayer. Amen.

Optional parts of the readings are set off in [square brackets.]

The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.
The Sunday Lectionary Readings
Joel 2:23-32; Psalm 65; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18; Luke 18:9-14
The text from Joel offers the promise of restoration and renewed vision from God. The apocalyptic imagery hints at the promise of a new heaven and a new earth. Similarly, Jesus’ parable calls us to humble recognition of our need for God’s grace.