READINGS FOR SUNDAY, October 16, 2016
Twenty-second Sunday After Pentecost
- Jeremiah 31:27-34 and Psalm 119:97-104 •
- Genesis 32:22-31 and Psalm 121 •
- 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5 •
- Luke 18:1-8
PASTOR’S QUESTIONS
… Many these days are frightened by the upcoming elections. Are you?
- If you are not, how can you help those around you who are afraid?
- If you are, what do you fear? What might prevent those fears from paralyzing you?
… In our gospel reading Jesus tells a parable encouraging His disciples to “pray always and not to lose heart.” Might we do that?
GOSPEL VERSE
Luke 18:1-8
The Parable of the Widow and the Unjust Judge
18 Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. 2He said, ‘In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. 3In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, “Grant me justice against my opponent.” 4For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, “Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, 5yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.” ’ 6And the Lord said, ‘Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? 8I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?’
Sources:
Readings are from the online Revised Common Lectionary, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, a division of the Jean and Alexander Heard Library.
Scripture texts are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, from the Oremus Bible Browser.
Image Source: Fortt, Annette Gandy. Jacob and the Angel, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=56023 [retrieved October 13, 2016]. Original source: annettefortt.com.