Bulletin November 03, 2024

THE EPISTLE

(For the Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

The Lord is my strength and my song. The Lord has chastened me severely.

The Reading from the Second Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians. (11:31-12:9)

Brethren, the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, the One who is blessed for evermore, knows that I do not lie. In Damascus, the governor under Arétas the king guarded the city of the Damascenes, willing to seize me, and through a window I was let down in a basket by the wall, and escaped his hands. I must boast, though it is not expedient; but I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body, I do not know, or whether out of the body, I do not know; God knows—who was caught up to the third heaven. And I know that this man—whether in the body or out of the body, I do not know; God knows—was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which no person is allowed to utter. On behalf of this one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my infirmities. For if I would desire to boast, I shall not be foolish, for I shall speak the truth. But I refrain from it, lest anyone should think of me above that which he sees me to be, or hears from me. And to keep me from being exalted above measure through the abundance of revelations, I was given a thorn in the flesh, an angel of Satan to buffet me, to keep me from being exalted above measure. For this thing I beseeched the Lord three times, that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for thee, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore will I rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

THE GOSPEL

(For the Fifth Sunday of Luke)

The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke. (16:19-31)

The Lord said, “There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, full of sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried; and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus in his bosom. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”

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