The Collect and Bible Lessons for the 19th Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 22B 10/3/2021

Prayer to collect our thoughts on today's theme: Almighty God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediations of Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Genesis 2:18-24: “The Garden of Eden”

Reader: 18 “The LORD God said,

Congregation: ‘It isn't good for the man to live alone. I need to make a suitable partner for him.’

Reader: 19-20 So the LORD took some soil and made animals and birds. He brought them to the man to see what names he would give each of them. Then the man named the tame animals and the birds and the wild animals. That's how they got their names. None of these was the right kind of partner for the man. 21-23 So the LORD God made him fall into a deep sleep, and he took out one of the man's ribs. Then after closing the man's side, the LORD made a woman out of the rib. The LORD God brought her to the man, and the man exclaimed,

Congregation: ‘Here is someone like me! She is part of my body, my own flesh and bones. She came from me, a man. So I will name her Woman!’

Reader: 24 That's why a man will leave his own father and mother. He marries a woman, and the two of them become like one person. 25 Although the man and his wife were both naked, they were not ashamed.”

Psalm 8: “The Wonderful Name of the Lord”

1 “Our LORD and Ruler, your name is wonderful everywhere on earth!

You let your glory be seen in the heavens a-bove.

2 With praises from children and from tiny infants, you have built a fortress.

It makes your enemies silent, and all who turn against you are left speechless.

3 I often think of the heavens your hands have made,

and of the moon and stars you put in place.

4 Then I ask, ‘Why do you care about us humans?

Why are you concerned for us weaklings?’

5 You made us a little lower than you your-self,

and you have crowned us with glory and honor.

6 You let us rule everything your hands have made.

And you put all of it under our power

7 the sheep and the cattle, and every wild animal,

8 the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and all ocean creatures.

9 Our LORD and Ruler,

your name is wonderful everywhere on earth!”

Glory to the Father and to the Son

and to the HolySpirit

as it was in the beginning, is now,

and will be forever. A-men.

Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12: “The One Who Leads Us to Be Saved”

The unknown author of the book of Hebrews wrote: 1 “Long ago in many ways and at many times God's prophets spoke his message to our ancestors. 2 But now at last, God sent his Son to bring his message to us. God created the universe by his Son, and everything will someday belong to the Son. 3 God's Son has all the brightness of God's own glory and is like him in every way. By his own mighty word, he holds the universe together. After the Son had washed away our sins, he sat down at the right side of the glorious God in heaven. 4 He had become much greater than the angels, and the name he was given is far greater than any of theirs… 5 We know that God did not put the future world under the power of angels. 6 Somewhere in the Scriptures someone says to God, ‘What makes you care about us humans? Why are you concerned for weaklings such as we? 7 You made us lower than the angels for a while. Yet you have crowned us with glory and honor. 8 And you have put everything under our power!’ God has put everything under our power and has not left anything out of our power. But we still don't see it all under our power. 9 What we do see is Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels. Because of God's wonderful kindness, Jesus died for everyone. And now that Jesus has suffered and died, he is crowned with glory and honor! 10 Everything belongs to God, and all things were created by his power. So God did the right thing when he made Jesus perfect by suffering, as Jesus led many of God's children to be saved and to share in his glory. 11 Jesus and the people he makes holy all belong to the same family. That is why he isn't ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters. 12 He even said to God, ‘I will tell them your name and sing your praises when they come together to worship.’”

Mark 10: 2-16: “Teaching about Divorce” and “Jesus Blesses Little Children”

Deacon: 2 “Some Pharisees wanted to test Jesus. So they came up to him and asked if it was right for a man to divorce his wife. 3 Jesus asked them,

Congregation: ‘What does the Law of Moses say about that?’

Deacon: 4 They answered,

Congregation: ‘Moses allows a man to write out divorce papers and send his wife away.’

Deacon: 5 Jesus replied, ‘Moses gave you this law because you are so heartless. 6 But in the beginning God made a man and a woman. 7 That's why a man leaves his father and mother and gets married. 8 He becomes like one person with his wife. Then they are no longer two people, but one. 9 And no one should separate a couple that God has joined together.’ 10 When Jesus and his disciples were back in the house, they asked him about what he had said. 11 He told them, ‘A man who divorces his wife and marries someone else is unfaithful to his wife. 12 A woman who divorces her husband and marries again is also unfaithful.’ 13 Some people brought their children to Jesus so that he could bless them by placing his hands on them. But his disciples told the people to stop bothering him. 14 When Jesus saw this, he became angry and said, ‘Let the children come to me! Don't try to stop them. People who are like these little children belong to the kingdom of God. 15 I promise you that you cannot get into God's kingdom, unless you accept it the way a child does.’ 16 Then Jesus took the children in his arms and blessed them by placing his hands on them.’”

Next Week’s Lessons- Proper 23B

Amos 5:6-7, 10-15: “Choose Good Instead of Evil”

Psalm 90: 12-17: “God Is Eternal”

Hebrews 4:12- 16: “Jesus Is the Great High Priest”

Mark 10:17-31: “A Rich Man”