Twenty Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Exodus 32:7-11, 13-14 (JB)

A reading from the book of Exodus

The Lord relented and did not send the evil he had threatened.

The Lord spoke to Moses, ‘Go down now, because your people whom you brought out of Egypt have apostatised. They have been quick to leave the way I marked out for them; they have made themselves a calf of molten metal and have worshipped it and offered it sacrifice. “Here is your God, Israel,” they have cried “who brought you up from the land of Egypt!” The Lord said to Moses, ‘I can see how headstrong these people are! Leave me, now, my wrath shall blaze out against them and devour them; of you, however, I will make a great nation.’

But Moses pleaded with the Lord his God. ‘Lord,’ he said, ‘why should your wrath blaze out against this people of yours whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with arm outstretched and mighty hand? Remember Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, your servants to whom by your own self you swore and made this promise: I will make your offspring as many as the stars of heaven, and all this land which I promised I will give to your descendants, and it shall be their heritage for ever.’ So the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Exodus 32:7-11, 13-14 (NRSV)

A reading from the book of Exodus

At the top of Mount Sinai, the Lord said to Moses,

“Go down at once!

Your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt,

have acted perversely;

they have been quick to turn aside from the way that I commanded them;

they have cast for themselves an image of a calf,

and have worshipped it and sacrificed to it,

and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel,

who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!'”

The Lord said to Moses,

“I have seen this people,

how stiff-necked they are.

Now let me alone,

so that my wrath may burn hot against them

and I may consume them;

and of you I will make a great nation.”

But Moses implored the Lord his God, and said,

“O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people,

whom you brought out of the land of Egypt

with great power and with a mighty hand?

Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants,

how you swore to them by your own self, saying to them,

‘I will multiply your descendants like the stars of heaven,

and all this land that I have promised

I will give to your descendants;

and they shall inherit it forever.'”

And the Lord changed his mind

about the disaster that he planned to bring to his people.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ps 50:3-4, 12-13, 17, 19 (JB)

R. I will rise and go to my father.

Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness.

In your compassion blot out my offence.

O wash me more and more from my guilt

and cleanse me from my sin. R.

A pure heart create for me, O God,

put a steadfast spirit within me.

Do not cast me away from your presence,

nor deprive me of your holy spirit. R.

O Lord, open my lips

and my mouth shall declare your praise.

My sacrifice, a contrite spirit;

a humbled, contrite heart you will not spurn. R.

1 Timothy 1:12-17 (JB)

A reading from the first letter of St Paul to Timothy

Christ came to save sinners.

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, and who judged me faithful enough to call me into his service even though I used to be a blasphemer and did all I could to injure and discredit the faith. Mercy, however, was shown me, because until I became a believer I had been acting in ignorance; and the grace of our Lord filled me with faith and with the love that is in Christ Jesus. Here is a saying that you can rely on and nobody should doubt: that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. I myself am the greatest of them; and if mercy has been shown to me, it is because Jesus Christ meant to make me the greatest evidence of his inexhaustible patience for all the other people who would later have to trust in him to come to eternal life. To the eternal King, the undying, invisible and only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

1 Timothy 1:12-17 (NRSV)

A reading from the first letter of Paul to Timothy

I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord,

who has strengthened me,

because he judged me faithful and appointed me to his service,

even though I was formerly a blasphemer,

a persecutor, and a man of violence.

But I received mercy

because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief,

and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me

with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance,

that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-

of whom I am the foremost.

But for that very reason I received mercy,

so that in me, as the foremost,

Jesus Christ might display the utmost patience,

making me an example

to those who would come to believe in him for eternal life.

To the King of the ages,

immortal, invisible, the only God,

be honour and glory forever and ever. Amen.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

2 Corinthians 5:19 (JB)

Alleluia, alleluia!

God was in Christ, to reconcile the world to himself;

and the Good News of reconciliation he has entrusted to us.

Alleluia!

2 Corinthians 5:19 (NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia!

God was in Christ, to reconcile the world to himself;

and the good news of reconciliation he has entrusted to us.

Alleluia!

Luke 15:1-10 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke

There will be joy in heaven over one sinner who does penance.

The tax collectors and the sinners were all seeking the company of Jesus to hear what he had to say, and the Pharisees and the scribes complained. ‘This man’ they said ‘welcomes sinners and eats with them.’ So he spoke this parable to them: ‘What man among you with a hundred sheep, losing one, would not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the missing one till he found it? And when he found it, would he not joyfully take it on his shoulders and then, when he got home, call together his friends and neighbours? “Rejoice with me,” he would say, “I have found my sheep that was lost.” In the same way, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than over ninety-nine virtuous men who have no need of repentance.

‘Or again, what woman with ten drachmas would not, if she lost one, light a lamp and sweep out the house and search thoroughly till she found it? And then, when she had found it, call together her friends and neighbours? “Rejoice with me,” she would say “I have found the drachma I lost.” In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing among the angels of God over one repentant sinner.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 15:1-32 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke

There will be joy in heaven over one sinner who does penance.

The tax collectors and the sinners were all seeking the company of Jesus to hear what he had to say, and the Pharisees and the scribes complained. ‘This man’ they said ‘welcomes sinners and eats with them.’ So he spoke this parable to them:

‘What man among you with a hundred sheep, losing one, would not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the missing one till he found it? And when he found it, would he not joyfully take it on his shoulders and then, when he got home, call together his friends and neighbours? “Rejoice with me,” he would say “I have found my sheep that was lost.” In the same way, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than over ninety-nine virtuous men who have no need of repentance.

‘Or again, what woman with ten drachmas would not, if she lost one, light a lamp and sweep out the house and search thoroughly till she found it? And then, when she had found it, call together her friends and neighbours? “Rejoice with me,” she would say “I have found the drachma I lost.” In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing among the angels of God over one repentant sinner.’

He also said, ‘A man had two sons. The younger said to his father, “Father, let me have the share of the estate that would come to me.” So the father divided the property between them. A few days later, the younger son got together everything he had and left for a distant country where he squandered his money on a life of debauchery.

‘When he had spent it all, that country experienced a severe famine, and now he began to feel the pinch, so he hired himself out to one of the local inhabitants who put him on his farm to feed the pigs. And he would willingly have filled his belly with the husks the pigs were eating but no one offered him anything. Then he came to his senses and said, “How many of my father’s paid servants have more food than they want, and here am I dying of hunger! I will leave this place and go to my father and say: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as one of your paid servants.” So he left the place and went back to his father.

‘While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity. He ran to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him tenderly. Then his son said, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son.” But the father said to his servants, “Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the calf we have been fattening, and kill it; we are going to have a feast, a celebration, because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and is found.” And they began to celebrate.

‘Now the elder son was out in the fields, and on his way back, as he drew near the house, he could hear music and dancing. Calling one of the servants he asked what it was all about. “Your brother has come” replied the servant, “and your father has killed the calf we had fattened because he has got him back safe and sound.” He was angry then and refused to go in, and his father came out to plead with him; but he answered his father, “Look, all these years I have slaved for you and never once disobeyed your orders, yet you never offered me so much as a kid for me to celebrate with my friends. But, for this son of yours, when he comes back after swallowing up your property – he and his women – you kill the calf we had been fattening.”

‘The father said, “My son, you are with me always and all I have is yours. But it was only right we should celebrate and rejoice, because your brother here was dead and has come to life; he was lost and is found.”‘

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 15:1-10 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to Luke

All the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to Jesus.

And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying,

“This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

So Jesus told them a parable:

“Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them,

does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness

and go after the one that is lost until he finds it?

When he has found it,

he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices.

And when he comes home,

he calls together his friends and neighbours, saying to them,

‘Rejoice with me,

for I have found my sheep that was lost.’

Just so, I tell you,

there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents

than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

“Or what woman having ten silver coins,

if she loses one of them,

does not light a lamp, sweep the house,

and search carefully until she finds it?

When she has found it,

she calls together her friends and neighbours, saying,

‘Rejoice with me,

for I have found the coin that I had lost.’

Just so, I tell you,

there is joy in the presence of the angels of God

over one sinner who repents.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 15:1-32 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to Luke

All the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to Jesus.

And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying,

“This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

So Jesus told them a parable:

“Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them,

does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness

and go after the one that is lost until he finds it?

When he has found it,

he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices.

And when he comes home,

he calls together his friends and neighbours, saying to them,

‘Rejoice with me,

for I have found my sheep that was lost.’

Just so, I tell you,

there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents

than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

“Or what woman having ten silver coins,

if she loses one of them,

does not light a lamp, sweep the house,

and search carefully until she finds it?

When she has found it,

she calls together her friends and neighbours, saying,

‘Rejoice with me,

for I have found the coin that I had lost.’

Just so, I tell you,

there is joy in the presence of the angels of God

over one sinner who repents.”

Then Jesus said,

“There was a man who had two sons.

The younger of them said to his father,

‘Father, give me the share of the property

that will belong to me.’

So the father divided his property between them.

“A few days later the younger son gathered all he had

and travelled to a distant country,

and there he squandered his property in dissolute living.

When he had spent everything,

a severe famine took place throughout that country,

and he began to be in need.

So he went and hired himself out

to one of the citizens of that country,

who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs.

The young man would gladly have filled himself

with the pods that the pigs were eating;

and no one gave him anything.

“But when he came to himself he said,

‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare,

but here I am dying of hunger!

I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him,

“Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you;

I am no longer worthy to be called your son;

treat me like one of your hired hands.”‘

“So he set off and went to his father.

But while he was still far off,

his father saw him and was filled with compassion;

he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him.

Then the son said to him,

‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you;

I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

“But the father said to his slaves,

‘Quickly, bring out a robe-the best one-and put it on him;

put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.

And get the fatted calf and kill it,

and let us eat and celebrate;

for this son of mine was dead and is alive again;

he was lost and is found!’

And they began to celebrate.

“Now his elder son was in the field;

and when he came and approached the house,

he heard music and dancing.

He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on.

The slave replied, ‘Your brother has come,

and your father has killed the fatted calf,

because he has got him back safe and sound.’

Then the elder son became angry and refused to go in.

His father came out and began to plead with him.

But he answered his father,

‘Listen! For all these years

I have been working like a slave for you,

and I have never disobeyed your command;

yet you have never given me even a young goat

so that I might celebrate with my friends.

But when this son of yours came back,

who has devoured your property with prostitutes,

you killed the fatted calf for him!’

“Then the father said to him,

‘Son, you are always with me,

and all that is mine is yours.

But we had to celebrate and rejoice,

because this brother of yours was dead

and has come to life;

he was lost and has been found.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.