Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16 (JB)

A reading from the second book of the Kings

That is the holy man of God, let him remain there.

One day as Elisha was on his way to Shunem, a woman of rank who lived there pressed him to stay and eat there. After this he always broke his journey for a meal when he passed that way. She said to her husband, ‘Look, I am sure the man who is constantly passing our way must be a holy man of God. Let us build him a small room on the roof, and put him a bed in it, and a table and chair and lamp; whenever he comes to us he can rest there.’

One day when he came, he retired to the upper room and lay down. ‘What can be done for her?’ he asked. Gehazi (his servant) answered, ‘Well, she has no son and her husband is old.’ Elisha said, ‘Call her.’ The servant called her and she stood at the door. ‘This time next year,’ Elisha said ‘you will hold a son in your arms.’

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

2 Kings 4:8-12, 14-16 (NRSV)

A reading from the second book of Kings

One day Elisha was passing through Shunem,

where a wealthy woman lived,

who urged him to have a meal.

So whenever he passed that way,

he would stop there for a meal.

She said to her husband,

“Look, I am sure that this man who regularly passes our way

is a holy man of God.

Let us make a small roof chamber with walls,

and put there for him a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp,

so that he can stay there whenever he comes to us.”

One day when Elisha came there,

he went up to the chamber and lay down there.

He said to his servant Gehazi,

“What then may be done for the woman?”

Gehazi answered,

“Well, she has no son, and her husband is old.”

Elisha said, “Call her.”

When the servant had called her, she stood at the door.

Elisha said,

“At this season, in due time, you shall embrace a son.”

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ps 88:2-3, 16-19 (JB)

R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord;

through all ages my mouth will proclaim your truth.

Of this I am sure, that your love lasts for ever,

that your truth is firmly established as the heavens. R.

Happy the people who acclaim such a king,

who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face,

who find their joy every day in your name,

who make your justice the source of their bliss. R.

For it is you, O Lord, who are the glory of their strength;

it is by your favour that our might is exalted:

for our ruler is in the keeping of the Lord;

our king in the keeping of the Holy One of Israel. R.

Romans 6:3-4, 8-11 (JB)

A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans

Having been buried with him through baptism, we shall walk in a new life.

When we were baptised in Christ Jesus we were baptised in his death; in other words, when we were baptised we went into the tomb with him and joined him in death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father’s glory, we too might live a new life.

But we believe that having died with Christ we shall return to life with him: Christ, as we know, having been raised from the dead will never die again. Death has no power over him any more. When he died, he died, once for all, to sin, so his life now is life with God; and in that way, you too must consider yourselves to be dead to sin but alive for God in Christ Jesus.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Romans 6:3-4, 8-11 (NRSV)

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans

My brothers and sisters:

Do you not know

that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus

were baptized into his death?

Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death,

so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead

by the glory of the Father,

so we too might walk in newness of life.

But if we have died with Christ,

we believe that we will also live with him.

We know that Christ, being raised from the dead,

will never die again;

death no longer has dominion over him.

The death he died, he died to sin, once for all;

but the life he lives, he lives to God.

So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin

and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

1 Peter 2:9 (JB)

Alleluia, alleluia!

You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy people.

Praise God who called you out of darkness and into his marvellous light.

Alleluia!

1 Peter 2:9 (NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia!

You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy people.

Praise God who called you out of darkness and into his marvellous light.

Alleluia!

Matthew 10:37-42 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

Anyone who does not accept his cross is not worthy of me. Anyone who welcomes you, welcomes me.

Jesus instructed the Twelve as follows: ‘Anyone who prefers father or mother to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who prefers son or daughter to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who does not take his cross and follow in my footsteps is not worthy of me. Anyone who finds his life will lose it; anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it.

‘Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me; and those who welcome me welcome the one who sent me.

‘Anyone who welcomes a prophet because he is a prophet will have a prophet’s reward; and anyone who welcomes a holy man because he is a holy man will have a holy man’s reward.

‘If anyone gives so much as a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple, then I tell you solemnly, he will most certainly not lose his reward.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 10:37-42 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to Matthew

Jesus called the twelve to him

and sent them out with the following instructions:

“Whoever loves father or mother more than me

is not worthy of me;

and whoever loves son or daughter more than me

is not worthy of me;

and whoever does not take up the cross and follow

is not worthy of me.

Those who find their life will lose it,

and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.

“Whoever welcomes you welcomes me,

and whoever welcomes me

welcomes the one who sent me.

Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet

will receive a prophet’s reward;

and whoever welcomes a righteous person

in the name of a righteous person

will receive the reward of the righteous;

and whoever gives even a cup of cold water

to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple-

truly I tell you,

none of these will lose their reward.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.