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St. Thomas Anglican Church, 227 W. Belknap Street, Jacksboro, TX (2026)

10/24/2026

The Lessons Appointed for Use on the 22nd Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 25
Exodus 22:21-27
Psalm 1
1 Thessalonians 2:1-8
Matthew 22:34-46
The Collect
Almighty and everlasting God, increase in us the gifts of faith, hope, and charity; and, that we may obtain what you promise, make us love what you command; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Old Testament
Exodus 22:21-27
21 “You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. 22 You shall not afflict any widow or orphan. 23 If you do afflict them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry; 24 and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.
25 “If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be to him as a creditor, and you shall not exact interest from him. 26 If ever you take your neighbor’s garment in pledge, you shall restore it to him before the sun goes down; 27 for that is his only covering, it is his mantle for his body; in what else shall he sleep? And if he cries to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.

The Psalm
Psalm 1. Beatus vir qui non abiit.

BLESSED is the man that hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, * and hath not sat in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; * and in his law will he exercise himself day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the water-side, * that will bring forth his fruit in due season.
4 His leaf also shall not wither; * and look, whatsoever he doeth, it shall prosper.
5 As for the ungodly, it is not so with them; * but they are like the chaff, which the wind scattereth away from the face of the earth.
6 Therefore the ungodly shall not be able to stand in the judgment, * neither the sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
7 But the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous; * and the way of the ungodly shall perish.

The New Testament
1 Thessalonians 2:1-8

2 For you yourselves know, brethren, that our visit to you was not in vain; 2 but though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the face of great opposition. 3 For our appeal does not spring from error or uncleanness, nor is it made with guile; 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please men, but to please God who tests our hearts. 5 For we never used either words of flattery, as you know, or a cloak for greed, as God is witness; 6 nor did we seek glory from men, whether from you or from others, though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. 7 But we were gentle among you, like a nurse taking care of her children. 8 So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.

The Gospel
Matthew 22:34-46
34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sad′ducees, they came together. 35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, to test him. 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.”
41 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, 42 saying, “What do you think of the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.” 43 He said to them, “How is it then that David, inspired by the Spirit, calls him Lord, saying,
44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord,
Sit at my right hand,
till I put thy enemies under thy feet’?
45 If David thus calls him Lord, how is he his son?” 46 And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day did any one dare to ask him any more questions.

10/03/2026

The Lessons Appointed for Use on the 19th Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 22
Isaiah 5:1-7
Psalm 80 or 80:7-14
Philippians 3:14-21
Matthew 21:33-43
The Collect
Almighty and everlasting God, who art always more ready to hear than we to pray, and art wont to give more than either we desire or deserve: Pour down upon us the abundance of thy mercy, forgiving us those things whereof our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things which we are not worthy to ask, but through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Old Testament
Isaiah 5:1-7
5 Let me sing for my beloved
a love song concerning his vineyard:
My beloved had a vineyard
on a very fertile hill.
2 He digged it and cleared it of stones,
and planted it with choice vines;
he built a watchtower in the midst of it,
and hewed out a w**e vat in it;
and he looked for it to yield grapes,
but it yielded wild grapes.
3 And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem
and men of Judah,
judge, I pray you, between me
and my vineyard.
4 What more was there to do for my vineyard,
that I have not done in it?
When I looked for it to yield grapes,
why did it yield wild grapes?
5 And now I will tell you
what I will do to my vineyard.
I will remove its hedge,
and it shall be devoured;
I will break down its wall,
and it shall be trampled down.
6 I will make it a waste;
it shall not be pruned or hoed,
and briers and thorns shall grow up;
I will also command the clouds
that they rain no rain upon it.
7 For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts
is the house of Israel,
and the men of Judah
are his pleasant planting;
and he looked for justice,
but behold, bloodshed;
for righteousness,
but behold, a cry!
The Psalm
Psalm 80. Qui regis Israel.

HEAR, O thou Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; * show thyself also, thou that sittest upon the Cherubim.
2 Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, * stir up thy strength, and come and help us.
3 Turn us again, O God; * show the light of thy countenance, and we shall be whole.
4 O LORD God of hosts, * how long wilt thou be angry with thy people that prayeth?
5 Thou feedest them with the bread of tears, * and givest them plenteousness of tears to drink.
6 Thou hast made us a very strife unto our neighbours, * and our enemies laugh us to scorn.
7 Turn us again, thou God of hosts; * show the light of thy countenance, and we shall be whole.
8 Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt; * thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.
9 Thou madest room for it; * and when it had taken root, it filled the land.
10 The hills were covered with the shadow of it, * and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedar-trees.
11 She stretched out her branches unto the sea, * and her boughs unto the River.
12 Why hast thou then broken down her hedge, * that all they that go by pluck off her grapes?
13 The wild boar out of the wood doth root it up, * and the wild beasts of the field devour it.
14 Turn thee again, thou God of hosts, look down from heaven, * behold, and visit this vine;
15 And the place of the vineyard that thy right hand hath planted, * and the branch that thou madest so strong for thyself.
16 It is burnt with fire, and cut down; * and they shall perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.
17 Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, * and upon the son of man, whom thou madest so strong for thine own self.
18 And so will not we go back from thee: * O let us live, and we shall call upon thy Name.
19 Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts; * show the light of thy countenance, and we shall be whole.

The New Testament
Philippians 3:14-21
14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature be thus minded; and if in anything you are otherwise minded, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.
17 Brethren, join in imitating me, and mark those who so live as you have an example in us. 18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. 20 But our commonwealth is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will change our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power which enables him even to subject all things to himself.

The Gospel
Matthew 21:33-43
33 “Hear another parable. There was a householder who planted a vineyard, and set a hedge around it, and dug a w**e press in it, and built a tower, and let it out to tenants, and went into another country. 34 When the season of fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants, to get his fruit; 35 and the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other servants, more than the first; and they did the same to them. 37 Afterward he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ 39 And they took him and cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 40 When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41 They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”
42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures:
‘The very stone which the builders rejected
has become the head of the corner;
this was the Lord’s doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing the fruits of it.”

09/26/2026

The Lessons Appointed for Use on the 18th Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 21
Ezekiel 18:1-4,25-32
Philippians 2:1-13
Matthew 21:28-32
Psalm 25:1-14 or 25:3-9
The Collect
O God, who declarest thy almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity: Mercifully grant unto us such a measure of thy grace, that we, running to obtain thy promises, may be made partakers of thy heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Old Testament
Ezekiel 18:1-4,25-32
18 The word of the LORD came to me again: 2 “What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’? 3 As I live, says the Lord GOD, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. 4 Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sins shall die.
25 “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way not just? Is it not your ways that are not just? 26 When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he shall die for it; for the iniquity which he has committed he shall die. 27 Again, when a wicked man turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is lawful and right, he shall save his life. 28 Because he considered and turned away from all the transgressions which he had committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die. 29 Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ O house of Israel, are my ways not just? Is it not your ways that are not just?
30 “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, says the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin.[d] 31 Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed against me, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of any one, says the Lord GOD; so turn, and live.”

The Psalm
Psalm 25. Ad te, Domine, levavi.

UNTO thee, O LORD, will I lift up my soul; my God, I have put my trust in thee: * O let me not be confounded, neither let mine enemies triumph over me.
2 For all they that hope in thee shall not be ashamed; * but such as transgress without a cause shall be put to confusion.
3 Show me thy ways, O LORD, * and teach me thy paths.
4 Lead me forth in thy truth, and learn me: * for thou art the God of my salvation; in thee hath been my hope all the day long.
5 Call to remembrance, O LORD, thy tender mercies, * and thy loving-kindnesses, which have been ever of old.
6 O remember not the sins and offences of my youth; * but according to thy mercy think thou upon me, O LORD, for thy goodness.
7 Gracious and righteous is the LORD; * therefore will he teach sinners in the way.
8 Them that are meek shall he guide in judgment; * and such as are gentle, them shall he learn his way.
9 All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth, * unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.
10 For thy Name's sake, O LORD, * be merciful unto my sin; for it is great.
11 What man is he that feareth the LORD? * him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.
12 His soul shall dwell at ease, * and his seed shall inherit the land.
13 The secret of the LORD is among them that fear him; * and he will show them his covenant.
14 Mine eyes are ever looking unto the LORD; * for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.
15 Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; * for I am desolate, and in misery.
16 The sorrows of my heart are enlarged: * O bring thou me out of my troubles.
17 Look upon my adversity and misery, * and forgive me all my sin.
18 Consider mine enemies, how many they are; * and they bear a tyrannous hate against me.
19 O keep my soul, and deliver me: * let me not be confounded, for I have put my trust in thee.
20 Let perfectness and righteous dealing wait upon me; * for my hope hath been in thee.
21 Deliver Israel, O God, * out of all his troubles.

The New Testament
Philippians 2:1-13
2 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any incentive of love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Shining as Lights in the World
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

The Gospel
Matthew 21:28-32
28 “What do you think? A man had two sons; and he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 And he answered, ‘I will not’; but afterward he repented and went. 30 And he went to the second and said the same; and he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the harlots believed him; and even when you saw it, you did not afterward repent and believe him.

09/19/2026

The Lessons Appointed for Use on the 17th Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 20

Jonah 3:10-4:11
Philippians 1:21-27
Matthew 20:1-16
Psalm 145 or 145:1-8

The Collect
Grant us, O Lord, not to mind earthly things, but to love things heavenly; and even now, while we are placed among things that are passing away, to cleave to those that shall abide; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Old Testament
Jonah 3:10-4:11
10 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God repented of the evil which he had said he would do to them; and he did not do it.
Jonah’s Anger
4 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. 2 And he prayed to the LORD and said, “I pray thee, LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that thou art a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and repentest of evil. 3 Therefore now, O LORD, take my life from me, I beseech thee, for it is better for me to die than to live.” 4 And the LORD said, “Do you do well to be angry?” 5 Then Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city, and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city.
6 And the LORD God appointed a plant, and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant. 7 But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm which attacked the plant, so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God appointed a sultry east wind, and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah so that he was faint; and he asked that he might die, and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.” 9 But God said to Jonah, “Do you do well to be angry for the plant?” And he said, “I do well to be angry, angry enough to die.” 10 And the LORD said, “You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night, and perished in a night. 11 And should not I pity Nin′eveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?”

The Psalm
Psalm 145. Exaltabo te, Deus.

I WILL magnify thee, O God, my King; * and I will praise thy Name for ever and ever.
2 Every day will I give thanks unto thee; * and praise thy Name for ever and ever.
3 Great is the LORD, and marvellous worthy to be praised; * there is no end of his greatness.
4 One generation shall praise thy works unto another, * and declare thy power.
5 As for me, I will be talking of thy worship, * thy glory, thy praise, and wondrous works;
6 So that men shall speak of the might of thy marvellous acts; * and I will also tell of thy greatness.
7 The memorial of thine abundant kindness shall be showed; * and men shall sing of thy righteousness.
8 The LORD is gracious and merciful; * long-suffering, and of great goodness.
9 The LORD is loving unto every man; * and his mercy is over all his works.
10 All thy works praise thee, O LORD; * and thy saints give thanks unto thee.
11 They show the glory of thy kingdom, * and talk of thy power;
12 That thy power, thy glory, and mightiness of thy kingdom, * might be known unto men.
13 Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, * and thy dominion endureth throughout all ages.
14 The LORD upholdeth all such as fall, * and lifteth up all those that are down.
15 The eyes of all wait upon thee, O Lord; * and thou givest them their meat in due season.
16 Thou openest thine hand, * and fillest all things living with plenteousness.
17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways, * and holy in all his works.
18 The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him; * yea, all such as call upon him faithfully.
19 He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him; * he also will hear their cry, and will help them.
20 The LORD preserveth all them that love him; * but scattereth abroad all the ungodly.
21 My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD; * and let all flesh give thanks unto his holy Name for ever and ever.

The New Testament
Philippians 1:21-27
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If it is to be life in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.
27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you stand firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,

The Gospel
Matthew 20:1-16
20 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the market place; 4 and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. 5 Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing; and he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ 8 And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ 9 And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. 10 Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. 11 And on receiving it they grumbled at the householder, 12 saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ 13 But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what belongs to you, and go; I choose to give to this last as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first last.”

09/12/2026

The Lessons Appointed for Use on the Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost; Proper 19

Ecclesiasticus 27:30-28:7
Romans 14:5-12
Matthew 18:21-35
Psalm 103 or 103:8-13

The Collect
O God, forasmuch as without thee we are not able to please thee, mercifully grant that thy Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee and the same Spirit liveth and reigneth, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Old Testament
Sirach 27:30-28:7
30 Anger and wrath, these also are abominations,
and the sinful man will possess them.
28 He that takes vengeance will suffer vengeance from the Lord,
and he will firmly establish his sins.
2 Forgive your neighbor the wrong he has done,
and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray.
3 Does a man harbor anger against another,
and yet seek for healing from the Lord?
4 Does he have no mercy toward a man like himself,
and yet pray for his own sins?
5 If he himself, being flesh, maintains wrath,
who will make expiation for his sins?
6 Remember the end of your life, and cease from enmity,
remember destruction and death, and be true to the commandments.
7 Remember the commandments, and do not be angry with your neighbor;
remember the covenant of the Most High, and overlook ignorance.
The Psalm
Psalm 103. Benedic, anima mea.

PRAISE the LORD, O my soul; * and all that is within me, praise his holy Name.
2 Praise the LORD, O my soul, * and forget not all his benefits:
3 Who forgiveth all thy sin, * and healeth all thine infirmities;
4 Who saveth thy life from destruction, * and crowneth thee with mercy and loving-kindness;
5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things, * making thee young and l***y as an eagle.
6 The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment * for all them that are oppressed with wrong.
7 He showed his ways unto Moses, * his works unto the children of Israel.
8 The LORD is full of compassion and mercy, * long-suffering, and of great goodness.
9 He will not alway be chiding; * neither keepeth he his anger for ever.
10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; * nor rewarded us according to our wickednesses.
11 For look how high the heaven is in comparison of the earth; * so great is his mercy also toward them that fear him.
12 Look how wide also the east is from the west; * so far hath he set our sins from us.
13 Yea, like as a father pitieth his own children; * even so is the LORD merciful unto them that fear him.
14 For he knoweth whereof we are made; * he remembereth that we are but dust.
15 The days of man are but as grass; * for he flourisheth as a flower of the field.
16 For as soon as the wind goeth over it, it is gone; * and the place thereof shall know it no more.
17 But the merciful goodness of the LORD endureth for ever and ever upon them that fear him; * and his righteousness upon children's children;
18 Even upon such as keep his covenant, * and think upon his commandments to do them.
19 The LORD hath prepared his seat in heaven, * and his kingdom ruleth over all.
20 O praise the LORD, ye angels of his, ye that excel in strength; * ye that fulfil his commandment, and hearken unto the voice of his word.
21 O praise the LORD, all ye his hosts; * ye servants of his that do his pleasure.
22 O speak good of the LORD, all ye works of his, in all places of his dominion: * praise thou the LORD, O my soul.

The New Testament
Romans 14:5-12
5 One man esteems one day as better than another, while another man esteems all days alike. Let every one be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. He also who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; while he who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 None of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8 If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.
10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God; 11 for it is written,
“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,
and every tongue shall give praise to God.”
12 So each of us shall give account of himself to God.
The Gospel
Matthew 18:21-35
21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.
23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; 25 and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. 32 Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me; 33 and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, till he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

09/04/2026

The Lessons Appointed for Use on the Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost; Proper 18

Ezekiel 33:(1-6)7-11
Psalm 119:33-48 or 119:33-40
Romans 12:9-21
Matthew 18:15-20

The Collect
Grant us, O Lord, we pray thee, to trust in thee with all our heart; seeing that, as thou dost alway resist the proud who confide in their own strength, so thou dost not forsake those who make their boast of thy mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Old Testament
Ezekiel 33:(1-6)7-11
33 (The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them, If I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and make him their watchman; 3 and if he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows the trumpet and warns the people; 4 then if any one who hears the sound of the trumpet does not take warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. 5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, and did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But if he had taken warning, he would have saved his life. 6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes, and takes any one of them; that man is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.)
7 “So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. 8 If I say to the wicked, O wicked man, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. 9 But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way; he shall die in his iniquity, but you will have saved your life.
10 “And you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, Thus have you said: ‘Our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we waste away because of them; how then can we live?’ 11 Say to them, As I live, says the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel?

The Psalm
Psalm 119
V. Legem pone.

TEACH me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes, * and I shall keep it unto the end.
34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; * yea, I shall keep it with my whole heart.
35 Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; * for therein is my desire.
36 Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, * and not to covetousness.
37 O turn away mine eyes, lest they behold vanity; * and quicken thou me in thy way.
38 O stablish thy word in thy servant, * that I may fear thee.
39 Take away the rebuke that I am afraid of; * for thy judgments are good.
40 Behold, my delight is in thy commandments; * O quicken me in thy righteousness.

VI. Et veniat super me.

LET thy loving mercy come also unto me, O LORD, * even thy salvation, according unto thy word.
42 So shall I make answer unto my blasphemers; * for my trust is in thy word.
43 O take not the word of thy truth utterly out of my mouth; * for my hope is in thy judgments.
44 So shall I alway keep thy law; * yea, for ever and ever.
45 And I will walk at liberty; * for I seek thy commandments.
46 I will speak of thy testimonies also, even before kings, * and will not be ashamed.
47 And my delight shall be in thy commandments, * which I have loved.
48 My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; * and my study shall be in thy statutes.

The New Testament
Romans 12:9-21
9 Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; 10 love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; never be conceited. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends upon you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 No, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

The Gospel
Matthew 18:15-20
15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”