Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Exodus 19:2-6 (JB)

A reading from the book of Exodus

You will be a kingdom of priests, a consecrated nation.

From Rephidim the Israelites set out again; and when they reached the wilderness of Sinai, there in the wilderness they pitched their camp; there facing the mountain Israel pitched camp.

Moses then went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, ‘Say this to the House of Jacob, declare this to the sons of Israel, “You yourselves have seen what I did with the Egyptians, how I carried you on eagle’s wings and brought you to myself. From this you know that now, if you obey my voice and hold fast to my covenant, you of all the nations shall be my very own, for all the earth is mine. I will count you a kingdom of priests, a consecrated nation.”‘

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Exodus 19:2-6 (NRSV)

A reading from the book of Exodus

They had journeyed from Rephidim,

entered the wilderness of Sinai,

and camped in the wilderness;

Israel camped there in front of the mountain.

Then Moses went up to God;

the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying,

“Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob,

and tell the Israelites:

‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians,

and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.

Now therefore, if you obey my voice and keep my covenant,

you shall be my treasured possession

out of all the peoples.

Indeed, the whole earth is mine,

but you shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation.’

“These are the words

that you shall speak to the Israelites.”

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ps 99:2-3, 5 (JB)

R. We are his people:

the sheep of his flock

Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth.

Serve the Lord with gladness.

Come before him, singing for joy. R.

Know that he, the Lord, is God.

He made us, we belong to him,

we are his people, the sheep of his flock. R.

Indeed, how good is the Lord,

eternal his merciful love.

He is faithful from age to age. R.

Romans 5:6-11 (JB)

A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans

We have been reconciled to God through the death of his Son; we are saved by his life.

We were still helpless when at his appointed moment Christ died for sinful men. It is not easy to die even for a good man – though of course for someone really worthy, a man might be prepared to die – but what proves that God loves us is that Christ died for us while we were still sinners. Having died to make us righteous, is it likely that he would now fail to save us from God’s anger? When we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, we were still enemies; now that we have been reconciled surely we may count on being saved by the life of his Son? Not merely because we have been reconciled but because we are filled with joyful trust in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have already gained our reconciliation.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Romans 5:6-11 (NRSV)

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans

While we were still weak,

at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person.

Though perhaps for a good person

someone might actually dare to die.

But God proves his love for us

in that while we still were sinners

Christ died for us.

Much more surely then,

now that we have been justified by his blood,

will we be saved through him from the wrath of God.

For if while we were enemies,

we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son,

much more surely, having been reconciled,

will we be saved by his life.

But more than that,

we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

through whom we have now received reconciliation.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Mark 1:15 (JB)

Alleluia, alleluia!

The kingdom of God is near;

repent and believe the Good News!

Alleluia!

Mark 1:15 (NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia!

The kingdom of God is near;

repent and believe the good news!

Alleluia!

Matthew 9:36 – 10:8 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

He summoned his twelve disciples, and sent them out.

When Jesus saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest.’

He summoned his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to cast them out and to cure all kinds of diseases and sickness.

These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, the one who was to betray him. These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them as follows:

‘Do not turn your steps to pagan territory, and do not enter any Samaritan town; go rather to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. And as you go, proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils. You received without charge, give without charge.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 9:36 – 10:8 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to Matthew

When Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion for them,

because they were harassed and helpless,

like sheep without a shepherd.

Then he said to his disciples

“The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few;

therefore ask the Lord of the harvest

to send out labourers into his harvest.”

Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples

and gave them authority over unclean spirits,

to cast them out,

and to cure every disease and every sickness.

These are the names of the twelve apostles:

first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew;

James son of Zebedee, and his brother John;

Philip and Bartholomew;

Thomas and Matthew the tax collector;

James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;

Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot,

the one who betrayed him.

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions:

“Go nowhere among the Gentiles,

and enter no town of the Samaritans,

but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

As you go, proclaim the good news,

‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’

Cure the sick, raise the dead,

cleanse the lepers, cast out demons.

You received without payment;

give without payment.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.