28 Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, 430. Moses the Black, Desert Father and Martyr, c. 400 whose writings influenced the development of Western Christianity and Western philosophy. He was the bishop of Hippo Regius (modern-day Annaba, Algeria), located in Numidia (Roman province of Africa). He is viewed as one of the most important Church Fathers in Western Christianity for his writings in the Patristic Era. Among his most important works are The City of God and Confessions.

29 John Bunyan, Writer, 1688

30 Charles Chapman Grafton, Bishop of Fond du Lac, and Ecumenist, 1912

31 Aidan, Bishop of Lindisfarne, 651. Cuthbert, Bishop of Lindisfarne, 687  was a saint of the early Northumbrian church in the Celtic tradition. He was a monk, bishop and hermit, associated with themonasteries of Melrose and Lindisfarne in what might loosely be termed the Kingdom of Northumbria in the North East of England.

September[edit]

1 David Pendleton Oakerhater, Deacon and Missionary, 1931

2 The Martyrs of New Guinea, 1942

3 Prudence Crandall, Teacher and Prophetic Witness, 1890 a schoolteacher raised as a Quaker,[2] stirred controversy with her education of African-American girls in Canterbury, Connecticut

OLD TESTAMENT: Jeremiah 2: 4 - 13 (RCL)

Jere 2:4 (NRSV) Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel. 5 Thus says the LORD:

What wrong did your ancestors find in me

that they went far from me,

and went after worthless things, and became worthless themselves?

6 They did not say, "Where is the LORD

who brought us up from the land of Egypt,

who led us in the wilderness,

in a land of deserts and pits,

in a land of drought and deep darkness,

in a land that no one passes through,

where no one lives?"

7 I brought you into a plentiful land

to eat its fruits and its good things.

But when you entered you defiled my land,

and made my heritage an abomination.

8 The priests did not say, "Where is the LORD?"

Those who handle the law did not know me;

the rulers transgressed against me;

the prophets prophesied by Ba'al,

and went after things that do not profit.

9 Therefore once more I accuse you, says the LORD,

and I accuse your children's children.

10 Cross to the coasts of Cyprus and look,

send to Ke'dar and examine with care;

see if there has ever been such a thing.

11 Has a nation changed its gods,

even though they are no gods?

But my people have changed their glory

for something that does not profit.

12 Be appalled, O heavens, at this,

be shocked, be utterly desolate, says the LORD,

13 for my people have committed two evils:

they have forsaken me,

the fountain of living water,

and dug out cisterns for themselves,

cracked cisterns

that can hold no water.

Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 10: 12 - 18 (alt. for RCL)

Ecclus. 10:12 (NRSV) The beginning of human pride is to forsake the Lord;

the heart has withdrawn from its Maker.

13 For the beginning of pride is sin,

and the one who clings to it pours out abominations.

Therefore the Lord brings upon them unheard-of calamities,

and destroys them completely.

14 The Lord overthrows the thrones of rulers,

and enthrones the lowly in their place.

15 The Lord plucks up the roots of the nations,

and plants the humble in their place.

16 The Lord lays waste the lands of the nations,

and destroys them to the foundations of the earth.

17 He removes some of them and destroys them,

and erases the memory of them from the earth.

18 Pride was not created for human beings,

or violent anger for those born of women.

Proverbs 25: 6 - 7 (alt. for RCL)

Prov 25:6 (NRSV) Do not put yourself forward in the king's presence

or stand in the place of the great;

7 for it is better to be told, "Come up here,"

than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.

Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 3: 17 - 18, 20, 28 - 29   (Roman Catholic)

17 My child, perform your tasks with humility;

then you will be loved by those whom God accepts.

18 The greater you are, the more you must humble yourself;

so you will find favor in the sight of the Lord.

20 For great is the might of the Lord;

but by the humble he is glorified.

28 When calamity befalls the proud, there is no healing,

for an evil plant has taken root in him.

29 The mind of the intelligent appreciates proverbs,

and an attentive ear is the desire of the wise.

PSALM 81: 1, 10 - 16 (RCL)

Psal 81:1 (NRSV) Sing aloud to God our strength;

shout for joy to the God of Jacob.

10 I am the LORD your God,

who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.

Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.

11 "But my people did not listen to my voice;

Israel would not submit to me.

12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,

to follow their own counsels.

13 O that my people would listen to me,

that Israel would walk in my ways!

14 Then I would quickly subdue their enemies,

and turn my hand against their foes.

15 Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him,

and their doom would last forever.

16 I would feed you with the finest of the wheat,

and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you."

81   Exultate Deo      (ECUSA BCP)

1               Sing with joy to God our strength *

     and raise a loud shout to the God of Jacob.

10             I am the Lord your God,

who brought you out of the land of Egypt and said, *

     “Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.”

11             And yet my people did not hear my voice, *

     and Israel would not obey me.

12             So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their hearts, *

     to follow their own devices.

13  Oh, that my people would listen to me! *

     that Israel would walk in my ways!

14  I should soon subdue their enemies *

     and turn my hand against their foes.

15  Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him, *

     and their punishment would last for ever.

16  But Israel would I feed with the finest wheat *

     and satisfy him with honey from the rock.

Psalm 112 (alt. for RCL)

Psal 112:1 (NRSV) Praise the LORD!

Happy are those who fear the LORD,

who greatly delight in his commandments.

2 Their descendants will be mighty in the land;

the generation of the upright will be blessed.

3 Wealth and riches are in their houses,

and their righteousness endures forever.

4 They rise in the darkness as a light for the upright;

they are gracious, merciful, and righteous.

5 It is well with those who deal generously and lend,

who conduct their affairs with justice.

6 For the righteous will never be moved;

they will be remembered forever.

7 They are not afraid of evil tidings;

their hearts are firm, secure in the LORD.

8 Their hearts are steady, they will not be afraid;

in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.

9 They have distributed freely, they have given to the poor;

their righteousness endures forever;

their horn is exalted in honor.

10 The wicked see it and are angry;

they gnash their teeth and melt away;

the desire of the wicked comes to nothing.

112   Beatus vir   (ECUSA BCP)

1               Hallelujah!

Happy are they who fear the Lord *

     and have great delight in his commandments!

2               Their descendants will be mighty in the land; *

     the generation of the upright will be blessed.

3               Wealth and riches will be in their house, *

     and their righteousness will last for ever.

4               Light shines in the darkness for the upright; *

     the righteous are merciful and full of compassion.

5               It is good for them to be generous in lending *

     and to manage their affairs with justice.

6               For they will never be shaken; *

     the righteous will be kept in everlasting remembrance.

7               They will not be afraid of any evil rumors; *

     their heart is right;

     they put their trust in the Lord.

8               Their heart is established and will not shrink, *

     until they see their desire upon their enemies.

9               They have given freely to the poor, *

     and their righteousness stands fast for ever;

     they will hold up their head with honor.

10             The wicked will see it and be angry;

they will gnash their teeth and pine away; *

     the desires of the wicked will perish.

Psalm 68: 3 - 6, 9 - 10   (Roman Catholic)

Psal 68:3 But let the righteous be joyful;

let them exult before God;

let them be jubilant with joy.

4 Sing to God, sing praises to his name;

lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds --

his name is the LORD--

be exultant before him.

5 Father of orphans and protector of widows

is God in his holy habitation.

6 God gives the desolate a home to live in;

he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,

9 Rain in abundance, O God, you showered abroad;

you restored your heritage when it languished;

10 your flock found a dwelling in it;

in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.

Note: verse numbering in the Roman Catholic Bible is one higher.

NEW TESTAMENT: Hebrews 13: 1 - 8, 15 - 16 (RCL)

Hebr 13:1 (NRSV) Let mutual love continue. 2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. 3 Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured. 4 Let marriage be held in honor by all, and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled; for God will judge fornicators and adulterers. 5 Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you." 6 So we can say with confidence,

"The Lord is my helper;

I will not be afraid.

What can anyone do to me?"

7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

15 Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. 16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

h/t Montreal Anglicans

The author, in concluding his letter, offers guidance regarding the shared life in the Christian community. He expects members to “show hospitality to strangers” (v. 2), i.e. to Christians from other churches. (Inns existed, but because they were frequented by prostitutes and bandits, travellers generally stayed with other Christians.) Perhaps you will entertain “angels”, as Abraham did at Mamre: he looked after three men who were either angels or God himself. Marital irresponsibility (v. 4) and greed (v. 5) can corrupt community life, so should be avoided. God will look after your needs. (The quotation is God’s words to Joshua, after Moses died.) Emulate the way of life of your past “leaders” (v. 7), now deceased. Jesus is always the same (v. 8); the “word of God” (v. 7) they spoke continues. Vv. 9-11 counsel avoidance of errant teachings: dietary restrictions and (probably) sharing in Jewish sacrificial meals. Be “strengthened” by God’s gift of love, not Mosaic law. Being Christian may involve persecution and even martyrdom; remember and share Jesus’ suffering. Focus on eternal life, not earthly (v. 14). Offer the “sacrifice” (v. 15) of thanksgiving, made in faith. Lead an exemplary life of faith so your present “leaders” (v. 17) can be proud of you.

Verse 2: “hospitality”: See also Romans 16:1-2 (welcome and help Phoebe); 1 Peter 4:9 (“Be hospitable to one another without complaining”); 3 John 5-8. [ NOAB]

Verse 2: “entertained angels”: For the story of Abraham and the three men at Mamre, see Genesis 18:1-8. [ NJBC] See also Genesis 19:1-3 (Lot entertains two angels who come to Sodom); Judges 6:11-18 (Gideon entertains an angel at Ophrah); 13:3-22 (Samson’s parents provide hospitality to an angel); Tobit 5:4-9. [ NOAB] [ CAB]

Verse 5: “I will never leave you or forsake you”: The quotation is from Joshua 1:5. There Yahweh tells Joshua “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you”. [ NOAB]

Verse 6: The quotation is Psalm 118:6. [ NOAB]

Verse 7: Support your leaders. [ CAB]

Verse 8: John tells us in Revelation 1:17-18: “When I saw him [Christ], I fell at his feet as though dead. But he placed his right hand on me, saying, ‘Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living one. I was dead, and see, I am alive forever and ever; and I have the keys of Death and of Hades’”.

Verse 9a: See also 9:10; Romans 14:17; Colossians 2:16. [ JBC]

Verse 10: The emphatic position of the first words implies that this is an answer to the charge that Christians are at a disadvantage with respect to sacrifice.

Verse 10: “altar”: Probably the sacrifice of Christ, in which believers participate. There is no convincing reason to think that the Eucharist is in view. This verse may be speaking of useless meals, i.e. the sacrificial meals of Judaism. [ NJBC]

Verse 11: As is commanded in Leviticus 16:27. [ NOAB]

Verse 12: A rather inexact comparison between the Day of Atonement ritual and Jesus’ suffering. Jesus “suffered outside the city gate” of Jerusalem. [ NOAB]

Verse 14: “the city that is to come”: i.e. the new, heavenly Jerusalem. In 11:10, the author speaks of “the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God”. See also 12:22. [ NOAB]

Verse 15: “sacrifice”: i.e. of thanksgiving. Leviticus 7:12 commands: “If you offer it [the sacrifice of the offering of well-being] for thanksgiving, you shall offer with the thank offering unleavened cakes mixed with oil, unleavened wafers spread with oil, and cakes of choice flour well soaked in oil”. See also Psalm 50:14, 23; Hosea 14:2. [ NOAB]

Verse 15: “the fruit of lips”: This is from the Septuagint translation of Hosea 14:3: “... turn to the Lord your God: speak to him that you may not receive the reward of unrighteousness, but that you may receive good things; and we will render in return the fruit of our lips”. [ BlkHeb]

Verse 17: “leaders”: See also v. 7. [ NOAB]

Verse 19: “that I may be restored to you”: Perhaps from prison. [ CAB]

Verse 20: The is the only explicit reference in Hebrews to the resurrection; however resurrection is presumed when Jesus’ exaltation is mentioned, as it is in 1:3: “he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high”. [ JBC]

Verse 20: “great shepherd of the sheep”: In the Septuagint translation of Isaiah 63:11, Moses is called “the shepherd of the sheep”. [ NJBC]

Verse 21: “make you complete in everything good”: While the Greek word translated “complete” can mean this, BlkHeb considers that another meaning, equip, is more likely, so he offers may equip you with all that is good.

Verses 22-25: NJBC sees Hebrews as a homily, up to this point. He says that these verses (and v. 19) may be the ending added when Hebrews was sent, as a letter, to a group of Christians.

Verse 22: “I appeal to you ... bear with my word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly”: This letter is, in fact, quite brief, but to its first readers it may have seemed long, because it is condensed and the arguments are complex. [ BlkHeb]

Verse 22: “my word of exhortation”: This designation is also given to a synagogue sermon in Acts 13:15 (Paul and Barnabas visit the synagogue at Antioch in Pisidia). [ NJBC]

Verse 22: “briefly”: i.e. considering the extent of the subject. [ NOAB]

Verse 23: “Timothy”: There is no way of knowing whether this is the “Timothy” of the Pastoral Epistles.

Verse 24: “Greet all your leaders and all the saints”: The “saints” are God’s people. Noting that “all” appears twice, BlkHeb thinks that the author is advising the particular church to which he writes to overcome internal strife in which some members recognize certain leaders, and other members recognize certain other leaders.

Verse 24: “Those from Italy”: Perhaps local residents of Rome or expatriates where the author writes. [ CAB]

GOSPEL: Luke 14: 1, 7 - 14 (all)

Luke 14:1 (NRSV) On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Phar'isees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely.

7 When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. 8 "When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; 9 and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, "Give this person your place,' and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, "Friend, move up higher'; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. 11 For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

12 He said also to the one who had invited him, "When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14 And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."

Luke continues his series of sayings of Jesus about the qualifications for entry into the kingdom of God. The Pharisees believed in the resurrection of the godly at the end of time, and were keen to be among those chosen as faithful, so they “were watching him closely”. As he has done earlier, Jesus heals a person on the sabbath (vv. 2-6), this time one with “dropsy” (edema). The “lawyers and Pharisees” (v.3), experts on correct observance of the sabbath, are speechless when Jesus challenges them (v. 6): surely acts of compassion can be done on this day. Jesus’ host is a prominent Pharisee (v. 1); we recognize that the “parable” (v. 7) is about membership in the Kingdom. The Greek word rendered as “guests” means apparently chosen or see themselves as chosen. The gathering of God’s elect at the end of time was commonly depicted as a “wedding banquet” (v. 8). There the host is God. The punch line (v. 11) is good manners, but Jesus is drawing a conclusion about the kingdom: attendance depends on God’s invitation. God will not be fooled by self-promotion! Jewish and Greco-Roman societies both spurned the “poor” (v. 13) and the disabled. A Qumran document says that these people will be excluded from the banquet, but Jesus says: share with them! (v. 13) Giving to those unable to “repay” (v. 14) will admit one to the kingdom. For the Pharisee, this is a real surprise. He should have invited the man with dropsy.

Verses 1-6: For Jesus healing on the Sabbath, see also:

Matthew 12:10-12: Jesus cites the example of saving a sheep on the Sabbath as showing that doing good on this day is in accord with the law.

Luke 6:6-11: on the Sabbath Jesus heals “a man [in a synagogue] whose right hand was withered”. When criticised, he asks “is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to destroy it?”.

Luke 13:10-17: on the Sabbath Jesus heals a crippled woman. There he cites the example of taking an ox or donkey to give it water on the Sabbath. His opponents are “put to shame”.

John 5:1-18: Jesus heals a paralysed man at the Beth-zatha pool on the Sabbath. [ NOAB]

Jesus is “lord of the sabbath” ( 6:5): he champions works of compassion on the sabbath. [ NJBC]

Verse 1: “a leader of the Pharisees”: The Pharisees had no leaders. The Greek is literally from the Pharisees. [ JBC]

Verse 2: “dropsy”: i.e. edema. The body retains too much fluid, with attendant problems of swelling and poor blood circulation. In western societies, edema is often due to excessive consumption of sodium. [ NJBC] Congestive heart failure is the other major cause.

Verse 3: “‘Is it lawful to cure people on the sabbath, or not?’”: Rabbinic evidence from a slightly later time is that healing was permitted if there is a danger to life. But much casuistry was possible: certain things had a medicinal value but could be enjoyed by a healthy person as food or be used for the care of his health. Such foods did not count as medicine, and might therefore be given to a sick man on the Sabbath. [ BlkLk]

Verse 5: “a child or an ox ... well”: In Aramaic, there is a pun here. A scholar quoted by BlkLk offers as the original: Which of you shall have an ox (be`ira ) or an ass (bar hamra) fallen into a well (bera) ... The Aramaic word for “ass” literally means son of the yoke; this would account for the word “child”. [ BlkLk] The NRSV footnote says that donkey is a possible translation.

Verse 6: Perhaps because there was a difference of opinion among them on this matter. [ BlkLk]

Verse 7: “the guests”: The Greek word is keklemenoi . The parable of the Great Dinner, which follows in vv. 16-24, contrasts those considered elect and those deemed non-elect. [ NJBC]

Verse 8: Proverbs 25:6-7 advises: “Do not put yourself forward in the king's presence or stand in the place of the great; for it is better to be told, ‘Come up here,’ than to be put lower in the presence of a noble”. In Luke, the same idea is found in 11:43 and 20:46. [ NOAB]

Verse 10: “then you will be honoured in the presence of all who sit at the table with you”: BlkLk offers then you will have respect from those reclining with you. Guests reclined at table. Theologically, it is God alone who can allot places in the heavenly kingdom. See also Mark 10:40 (Jesus’ reply to James and John as they seek special status) and Matthew 20:23.

Verse 11: The same saying is found in Matthew 23:12, in a different setting. This teaching is also found in James 4:6, 10; 1 Peter 5:5 and Philippians 2:5-11. Jesus gives secular wisdom a theological orientation. [ NJBC] [ BlkLk]

Verses 12-14: Luke tells us in Acts 4:32 that, for a time, the Christian community held all possessions in common. [ NJBC]

Verse 12: James 2:2-4 asks: “For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, ‘Have a seat here, please,’ while to the one who is poor you say, ‘Stand there,’ or, ‘Sit at my feet,’ have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?”. See also Matthew 5:43-48. [ NOAB] Jesus answers questions that arise about religiously correct people, all of which occur in the context of eating with Pharisees:

Should they associate with the religiously unclean? See 7:36-50 (a woman, a sinner, anoints Jesus’ feet with an ointment)

What renders one ritually unclean?: see 11:37-54 (Jesus does not wash before dinner)

Who should be invited to meals?: this passage

It is likely that these questions also arose in the community which first read this gospel. [ NJBC]

Verse 13: “the poor, the crippled ...”: They are mentioned again in the next parable: see v. 21. 1QSa (Qumran Rule of the Community, Appendix A) 2:5-22 lists the following people as forbidden entry into the eschatological banquet: those who are afflicted in the flesh, crushed in feet or hands, lame, blind, deaf, or dumb; those who suffer from defective eyesight or senility. Jesus adds the “poor” to this list – but all will be invited to the banquet! In both the Old Testament and the Qumran literature, “the poor” is used as a designation for Israel. [ NJBC]

Verse 14: Jesus appeals not to a spirit of material gain, i.e. the hope of reward in the judgement, but rather to the faith that the principle of love will be vindicated. See Colossians 3:23-24. [ NOAB]

Verse 14: “the resurrection of the righteous”: Belief varied as to whether the ungodly would be raised as well as the godly:

Acts 24:15 shows Paul as believing in the resurrection of both. This belief is found in Daniel 12:2 and some parts of 1 Enoch. The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs also envisages all being resurrected at the end of time, though perhaps not all at the same time.

Luke presents a view that has more in common with:

Psalms of Solomon, which sees only the resurrection of the godly, and

2 Maccabees, where resurrection is the reward of the martyrs. (For example, 2 Maccabees 7:9: “the King of the universe will raise us up to an everlasting renewal of life, because we have died for his laws”.) [ BlkLk]

Note the chronological sequence in these verses: v. 1: enter to take food; v. 7: choose places; v. 12: at lunch or dinner; v. 16: at dinner.