Proper 25 (30) — Open Word

Semicontinuous (Track 1)

FIRST READING

Deuteronomy 34:1-12

Verse 1. Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which faces Jericho. And the LORD showed him the whole land — from Gilead as far as Dan, Verse 2. all of Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, Verse 3. the Negev, and the region from the Valley of Jericho (the City of Palms) all the way to Zoar. Verse 4. And the LORD said to him, “This is the land that I swore to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have let you see it with your own eyes, but you will not cross into it.” Verse 5. So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, as the LORD had said. Verse 6. And He buried him in a valley in the land of Moab facing Beth-peor, and no one to this day knows the location of his grave. Verse 7. Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak, and his vitality had not diminished. Verse 8. The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning for Moses came to an end. Verse 9. Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites obeyed him and did as the LORD had commanded Moses. Verse 10. Since that time, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face— Verse 11. no prophet who did all the signs and wonders that the LORD sent Moses to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh and to all his officials and all his land, Verse 12. and no prophet who performed all the mighty acts of power and awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.

PSALM

Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17

A prayer of Moses the man of God. Lord, You have been our dwelling place through all generations.

Before the mountains were born or You brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God.

You return man to dust, saying, “Return, O sons of mortals.”

For in Your sight a thousand years are but a day that passes, or a watch of the night.

You sweep them away in their sleep; they are like the new grass of the morning—

in the morning it springs up new, but by evening it fades and withers.

Return, O LORD! How long will it be? Have compassion on Your servants.

Satisfy us in the morning with Your loving devotion, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

Make us glad for as many days as You have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen evil.

May Your work be shown to Your servants, and Your splendor to their children.

May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish for us the work of our hands— yes, establish the work of our hands!

Complementary (Track 2)

FIRST READING

Leviticus 19:1-2, 15-18

Verse 1. Then the LORD said to Moses, Verse 2. “Speak to the whole congregation of Israel and tell them: Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy. Verse 15. You must not pervert justice; you must not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the rich; you are to judge your neighbor fairly. Verse 16. You must not go about spreading slander among your people. You must not endanger the life of your neighbor. I am the LORD. Verse 17. You must not harbor hatred against your brother in your heart. Directly rebuke your neighbor, so that you will not incur guilt on account of him. Verse 18. Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against any of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.

PSALM

Psalm 1

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers.

But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night.

He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does.

Not so the wicked! For they are like chaff driven off by the wind.

Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

For the LORD guards the path of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

SECOND READING

1 Thessalonians 2:1-8

Verse 1. You yourselves know, brothers, that our visit to you was not in vain. Verse 2. As you are aware, we had already endured suffering and shameful treatment in Philippi. But in the face of strong opposition, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God. Verse 3. For our appeal does not arise from deceit or ulterior motives or trickery. Verse 4. Instead, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, not in order to please men but God, who examines our hearts. Verse 5. As you know, we never used words of flattery or any pretext for greed. God is our witness! Verse 6. Nor did we seek praise from you or from anyone else, although as apostles of Christ we had authority to demand it. Verse 7. On the contrary, we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother caring for her children. Verse 8. We cared so deeply that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our own lives as well. That is how beloved you have become to us.

GOSPEL

Matthew 22:34-46

Verse 34. And when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they themselves gathered together. Verse 35. One of them, an expert in the law, tested Him with a question: Verse 36. “Teacher, which commandment is the greatest in the Law?” Verse 37. Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ Verse 38. This is the first and greatest commandment. Verse 39. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Verse 40. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Verse 41. While the Pharisees were assembled, Jesus questioned them: Verse 42. “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is He?” “David’s,” they answered. Verse 43. Jesus said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord’? For he says: Verse 44. ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand until I put Your enemies under Your feet.”’ Verse 45. So if David calls Him ‘Lord,’ how can He be David’s son?” Verse 46. No one was able to answer a word, and from that day on no one dared to question Him any further.