Year B, Proper 22 10/8/06

Almighty and everlasting 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 mediation 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 LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner." So out of the ground the LORD God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner. So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said,

"This at last is bone of my bones

and flesh of my flesh;

this one shall be called Woman,

for out of Man this one was taken."

Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh.

Psalm 8 Page 592, BCP

Domine, Dominus noster

1

O LORD our Governor, *
how exalted is your Name in all the world!

2

Out of the mouths of infants and children *
your majesty is praised above the heavens.

3

You have set up a stronghold against your adversaries, *
to quell the enemy and the avenger.

4

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, *
the moon and the stars you have set in their courses,

5

What is man that you should be mindful of him? *
the son of man that you should seek him out?

6

You have made him but little lower than the angels; *
you adorn him with glory and honor;

7

You give him mastery over the works of your hands; *
you put all things under his feet:

8

All sheep and oxen, *
even the wild beasts of the field,

9

The birds of the air, the fish of the sea, *
and whatsoever walks in the paths of the sea.

10

O LORD our Governor, *
how exalted is your Name in all the world!

or

Psalm 128 Page 783, BCP

Beati omnes

1

Happy are they all who fear the LORD, *
and who follow in his ways!

2

You shall eat the fruit of your labor; *
happiness and prosperity shall be yours.

3

Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine within your house, *
your children like olive shoots round about your table.

4

The man who fears the LORD *
shall thus indeed be blessed.

5

The LORD bless you from Zion, *
and may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.

6

May you live to see your children's children; *
may peace be upon Israel.

Hebrews 2:(1-8)9-18

[We must pay greater attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. For if the message declared through angels was valid, and every transgression or disobedience received a just penalty, how can we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? It was declared at first through the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him, while God added his testimony by signs and wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, distributed according to his will.

Now God did not subject the coming world, about which we are speaking, to angels. But someone has testified somewhere,

"What are human beings that you are mindful of them,

or mortals, that you care for them?

You have made them for a little while lower than the angels;

you have crowned them with glory and honor,

subjecting all things under their feet."

Now in subjecting all things to them, God left nothing outside their control. As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to them,] but we do see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, saying,

"I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters,

in the midst of the congregation I will praise you."

And again,

"I will put my trust in him."

And again,

"Here am I and the children whom God has given me."

Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. For it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.

Mark 10:2-9

Some Pharisees came, and to test Jesus they asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" He answered them, "What did Moses command you?" They said, "Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her." But Jesus said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you. But from the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female.' 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate."