16th Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 21C)

Prayers

O God, you declare your almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity: Grant us the fullness of your grace, that we, running to obtain your promises, may become partakers of your heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Anglican Cycle of Prayer

• The See of Canterbury and selection of the next Archbishop of Canterbury
• Province of the Episcopal Church of Sudan

Episcopal Church

• The Most Rev. Sean Rowe, XXVIII Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church
• Episcopal Communicators, The Episcopal Community
• Dioceses of Oklahoma, Rio Grande

Diocese of Olympia

• The Rt. Rev. Philip N. LaBelle, IX Bishop of the Diocese of Olympia
• Huston Camp and Conference Center, Gold Bar
• St. Andrew’s House, Union
• Refugee Resettlement Office
• Chaplains on the Harbor, Montesano

Church of the Redeemer

• The Rev. Theresa Newell, Priest in Charge
• The Wardens and Vestry serving this parish
• All members of this parish

Pray for the welfare of the world

• All victims of the conflicts in Ukraine, Sudan, Palestine, Israel, and Haiti
• All immigrants and migrants in the United States and around the world
• The victims of earthquake, flood, mass shootings, hurricanes, and wildfire
• Hopelink Kenmore Place
• Heron Haven Kenmore Senior Women’s Shelter
• Camp United We Stand
• All without adequate housing in our community
• All in the military and for their families
• Our enemies

Those in authority

• António Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations
• Donald J. Trump, President of the United States
• Robert Ferguson, Governor of Washington
• Teri Gobin, Chair of the dxʷlilap [Tulalip] Tribes
• Cecile Hansen, Chair of the dxʷdəwʔabš [Duwamish] Tribe

Give thanks for the blessings of this life

• Those celebrating the anniversary of their birth
• Those celebrating the anniversary of their baptism
• Those celebrating the anniversary of their marriage
  

Lessons

Lessons appointed for use for this day from the Revised Common Lectionary (Episcopal version).

Amos 6:1a, 4-7 (NRSV)

Alas for those who are at ease in Zion, and for those who feel secure on Mount Samaria,Alas for those who lie on beds of ivory, and lounge on their couches, and eat lambs from the flock, and calves from the stall;who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp, and like David improvise on instruments of music;who drink wine from bowls, and anoint themselves with the finest oils, but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph!Therefore they shall now be the first to go into exile, and the revelry of the loungers shall pass away.

Psalm 146 (BCP)

Lauda, anima mea

1 Hallelujah! Praise the Lord, O my soul! *
        I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
2 Put not your trust in rulers, nor in any child of earth, *
        for there is no help in them.
3 When they breathe their last, they return to earth, *
        and in that day their thoughts perish.
4 Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help! *
        whose hope is in the Lord their God;
5 Who made heaven and earth, the seas, and all that is in them; *
        who keeps his promise for ever;
6 Who gives justice to those who are oppressed, *
        and food to those who hunger.
7 The Lord sets the prisoners free; the Lord opens the eyes of the blind; *
        the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
8 The Lord loves the righteous; the Lord cares for the stranger; *
        he sustains the orphan and widow, but frustrates the way of the wicked.
9 The Lord shall reign for ever, *
        your God, O Zion, throughout all generations. Hallelujah!

1 Timothy 6:6-19 (NRSV)

Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.

But as for you, man of God, shun all this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep the commandment without spot or blame until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will bring about at the right time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords. It is he alone who has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see; to him be honour and eternal dominion. Amen.

As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life.

Luke 16:19-31 (NRSV)

‘There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. He called out, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.” But Abraham said, “Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.” He said, “Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.” Abraham replied, “They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.” He said, “No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.” He said to him, “If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.” ’

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The Old Testament, New Testament and Gospel readings are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The Psalm is from the Book of Common Prayer, 1979.