Thirty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

1 Kings 17:10-16 (JB)

A reading from the first book of the Kings

The widow made a little scone from her flour meal and brought it to Elijah.

Elijah the Prophet went off to Sidon. And when he reached the city gate, there was a widow gathering sticks; addressing her he said, ‘Please bring a little water in a vessel for me to drink.’ She was setting off to bring it when he called after her. ‘Please’ he said ‘bring me a scrap of bread in your hand.’ ‘As the Lord your God lives,’ she replied ‘I have no baked bread, but only a handful of meal in a jar and a little oil in a jug; I am just gathering a stick or two to go and prepare this for myself and my son to eat, and then we shall die.’ But Elijah said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, go and do as you have said; but first make a little scone of it for me and bring it to me, and then make some for yourself and for your son. For thus the Lord speaks, the God of Israel:

“Jar of meal shall not be spent,

jug of oil shall not be emptied,

before the day when the Lord sends

rain on the face of the earth.”‘

The woman went and did as Elijah told her and they ate the food, she, himself and her son. The jar of meal was not spent nor the jug of oil emptied, just as the Lord had foretold through Elijah.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

1 Kings 17:10-16 (NRSV)

A reading from the first book of Kings

Elijah, the prophet, set out and went to Zarephath.

When he came to the gate of the town,

a widow was there gathering sticks;

he called to her and said,

“Bring me a little water in a vessel, so that I may drink.”

As she was going to bring it, he called to her and said,

“Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.”

But she said, “As the Lord your God lives,

I have nothing baked, only a handful of meal in ajar;

and a little oil in a jug;

I am now gathering a couple of sticks,

so that I may go home and prepare it for myself and my son,

that we may eat it, and die.”

Elijah said to her;

“Do not be afraid;

go and do as you have said;

but first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me,

and afterwards make something for yourself and your son.

For thus says the Lord the God of Israel:

‘The jar of meal will not be emptied

and the jug of oil will not fail

until the day that the Lord sends rain on the earth.”‘

She went and did as Elijah said,

so that she as well as he and her household ate for many days.

The jar of meal was not emptied,

neither did the jug of oil fail,

according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ps 145:7-10 (JB)

R. Praise the Lord, my soul!

or

R. Alleluia!

It is the Lord who keeps faith for ever,

who is just to those who are oppressed.

It is he who gives bread to the hungry,

the Lord, who sets prisoners free. R.

It is the Lord who gives sight to the blind,

who raises up those who are bowed down.

It is the Lord who loves the just,

the Lord, who protects the stranger. R.

The Lord upholds the widow and orphan

but thwarts the path of the wicked.

The Lord will reign for ever,

Zion’s God, from age to age. R.

Hebrews 9:24-28 (JB)

A reading from the letter to the Hebrews

Christ offered himself only once to take the faults of many on himself.

It is not as though Christ had entered a man-made sanctuary which was only modelled on the real one; but it was heaven itself, so that he could appear in the actual presence of God on our behalf. And he does not have to offer himself again and again, like the high priest going into the sanctuary year after year with the blood that is not his own, or else he would have had to suffer over and over again since the world began. Instead of that, he has made his appearance once and for all, now at the end of the last age, to do away with sin by sacrificing himself. Since men only die once, and after that comes judgement, so Christ, too, offers himself only once to take the faults of many on himself, and when he appears a second time, it will not be to deal with sin but to reward with salvation those who are waiting for him.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Hebrews 9:24-28 (NRSV)

A reading from the letter to the Hebrews

Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands,

a mere copy of the true one,

but he entered into heaven itself,

now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.

Nor was it to offer himself again and again,

as the high priest enters the Holy Place year after year

with blood that is not his own;

for then he would have had to suffer again and again

since the foundation of the world.

But as it is, Christ has appeared once for all at the end of the age

to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself.

And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once,

and after that comes the judgment,

so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many,

will appear a second time,

not to deal with sin,

but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Matthew 5:3 (JB)

Alleluia, alleluia!

Happy the poor in spirit;

the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

Alleluia!

Matthew 5:3 (NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessed are the poor in spirit;

the kingdom of heaven is theirs!

Alleluia!

Mark 12:38-44 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark

This poor widow has put more in than all who contributed.

In his teaching Jesus said, ‘Beware of the scribes who like to walk about in long robes, to be greeted obsequiously in the market squares, to take the front seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at banquets; these are the men who swallow the property of widows, while making a show of lengthy prayers. The more severe will be the sentence they receive.’

He sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the treasury, and many of the rich put in a great deal. A poor widow came and put in two small coins, the equivalent of a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, ‘I tell you solemnly, this poor widow has put more in than all who have contributed to the treasury; for they have all put in money they had over, but she from the little she had has put in everything she possessed, all she had to live on.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Mark 12:41-44 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark

This poor widow has put more in than all who contributed.

Jesus sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the treasury, and many of the rich put in a great deal. A poor widow came and put in two small coins, the equivalent of a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, ‘I tell you solemnly, this poor widow has put more in than all who have contributed to the treasury; for they have all put in money they had over, but she from the little she had has put in everything she possessed, all she had to live on.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Mark 12:38-44 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to Mark

Jesus was teaching in the temple,

and a large crowd was listening to him.

He said,

“Beware of the scribes,

who like to walk around in long robes,

and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces,

and to have the best seats in the synagogues

and places of honour at banquets!

They devour widows’ houses

and for the sake of appearance say long prayers.

They will receive the greater condemnation.”

Jesus sat down opposite the treasury,

and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury.

Many rich people put in large sums.

A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins,

which are worth a penny.

Then he called his disciples and said to them,

“Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more

than all those who are contributing to the treasury.

For all of them have contributed out of their abundance;

but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had,

all she had to live on.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Mark 12:38-44 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to Mark

Jesus sat down opposite the treasury,

and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury.

Many rich people put in large sums.

A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins,

which are worth a penny.

Then he called his disciples and said to them,

“Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more

than all those who are contributing to the treasury.

For all of them have contributed out of their abundance;

but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had,

all she had to live on.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.