The following are the readings for the Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost, October 13, (Proper 23, RCL; Proper 28, Roman Catholic) according to the Revised Common (RCL), Episcopal (ECUSA), Roman Catholic, Church of England, and Canadian (BAS) Lectionaries. All readings are taken from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible. Unless noted otherwise, the lectionaries of ECUSA, Canada and England are identical to the RCL this Sunday. 

OLD TESTAMENT:   Job 23: 1 - 9, 16 - 17   (RCL)

Job  23:1 (NRSV) Then Job answered: 
2 "Today also my complaint is bitter; 
his hand is heavy despite my groaning. 
3 Oh, that I knew where I might find him, 
that I might come even to his dwelling! 
4 I would lay my case before him, 
and fill my mouth with arguments. 
5 I would learn what he would answer me, 
and understand what he would say to me. 
6 Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power? 
No; but he would give heed to me. 
7 There an upright person could reason with him, 
and I should be acquitted forever by my judge. 
8 "If I go forward, he is not there; 
or backward, I cannot perceive him; 
9 on the left he hides, and I cannot behold him; 
I turn to the right, but I cannot see him. 

16 God has made my heart faint; 
the Almighty has terrified me; 
17 If only I could vanish in darkness, 
and thick darkness would cover my face! 

Amos 5: 6 - 7, 10 - 15   (alt. for RCL)

Amos 5:6 (NRSV) Seek the LORD and live, 
or he will break out against the house of Joseph like fire, 
and it will devour Beth'el, with no one to quench it. 
7 Ah, you that turn justice to wormwood, 
and bring righteousness to the ground! 

10 They hate the one who reproves in the gate, 
and they abhor the one who speaks the truth. 
11 Therefore because you trample on the poor 
and take from them levies of grain, 
you have built houses of hewn stone, 
but you shall not live in them; 
you have planted pleasant vineyards, 
but you shall not drink their wine. 
12 For I know how many are your transgressions, 
and how great are your sins-- 
you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe, 
and push aside the needy in the gate. 
13 Therefore the prudent will keep silent in such a time; 
for it is an evil time. 
14 Seek good and not evil, 
that you may live; 
and so the LORD, the God of hosts, will be with you, 
just as you have said. 
15 Hate evil and love good, 
and establish justice in the gate; 
it may be that the LORD, the God of hosts, 
will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph. 

Wisdom 7: 7 - 11   (Roman Catholic)

Wis 7:7 (NRSV) Therefore I prayed, and understanding was given me;
I called on God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.
8 I preferred her to scepters and thrones,
and I accounted wealth as nothing in comparison with her.
9 Neither did I liken to her any priceless gem,
because all gold is but a little sand in her sight,
and silver will be accounted as clay before her.
10 I loved her more than health and beauty,
and I chose to have her rather than light,
because her radiance never ceases.
11 All good things came to me along with her,
and in her hands uncounted wealth.

PSALM 22: 1 - 15   (RCL)

Psal 22:1 (NRSV) My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 
Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning? 
2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer; 
and by night, but find no rest. 
3 Yet you are holy, 
enthroned on the praises of Israel. 
4 In you our ancestors trusted; 
they trusted, and you delivered them. 
5 To you they cried, and were saved; 
in you they trusted, and were not put to shame. 
6 But I am a worm, and not human; 
scorned by others, and despised by the people. 
7 All who see me mock at me; 
they make mouths at me, they shake their heads; 
8 "Commit your cause to the LORD; let him deliver-- 
let him rescue the one in whom he delights!" 
9 Yet it was you who took me from the womb; 
you kept me safe on my mother's breast. 
10 On you I was cast from my birth, 
and since my mother bore me you have been my God. 
11 Do not be far from me, 
for trouble is near 
and there is no one to help. 
12 Many bulls encircle me, 
strong bulls of Ba'shan surround me; 
13 they open wide their mouths at me, 
like a ravening and roaring lion. 
14 I am poured out like water, 
and all my bones are out of joint; 
my heart is like wax; 
it is melted within my breast; 
15 my mouth is dried up like a potsherd, 
and my tongue sticks to my jaws; 
you lay me in the dust of death. 

22   Deus, Deus meus    (ECUSA BCP)
 
1  	My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? *
 	and are so far from my cry
 	and from the words of my distress?
 
2  	O my God, I cry in the daytime, but you do not answer; *
 	by night as well, but I find no rest.
 
3  	Yet you are the Holy One, *
 	enthroned upon the praises of Israel.
 
4  	Our forefathers put their trust in you; *
 	they trusted, and you delivered them.
 
5  	They cried out to you and were delivered; *
 	they trusted in you and were not put to shame.
 
6  	But as for me, I am a worm and no man, *
 	scorned by all and despised by the people.
 
7  	All who see me laugh me to scorn; *
 	they curl their lips and wag their heads, saying,
 
8  	“He trusted in the Lord; let him deliver him; *
 	let him rescue him, if he delights in him.”
 
9  	Yet you are he who took me out of the womb, *
 	and kept me safe upon my mother's breast.
 
10  	I have been entrusted to you ever since I was born; *
 	you were my God when I was still in my
		mother's womb.
 
11  	Be not far from me, for trouble is near, *
 	and there is none to help.

12  	Many young bulls encircle me; *
 	strong bulls of Bashan surround me.
 
13  	They open wide their jaws at me, *
 	like a ravening and a roaring lion.
 
14  	I am poured out like water;
all my bones are out of joint; *
 	my heart within my breast is melting wax.
 
15  	My mouth is dried out like a pot-sherd;
my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; *
 	and you have laid me in the dust of the grave.

Psalm 90: 12 - 17   (Roman Catholic, alt. for RCL)

Psal 90:12 (NRSV) So teach us to count our days 
that we may gain a wise heart. 
13 Turn, O LORD! How long? 
Have compassion on your servants! 
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, 
so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 
15 Make us glad as many days as you have afflicted us, 
and as many years as we have seen evil. 
16 Let your work be manifest to your servants, 
and your glorious power to their children. 
17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, 
and prosper for us the work of our hands-- 
O prosper the work of our hands! 

90   Domine, refugium   (ECUSA BCP)
 
12  So teach us to number our days *
 	that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.
  
13  Return, O Lord; how long will you tarry? *
 	be gracious to your servants.
 
14  Satisfy us by your loving-kindness in the morning; *
 	so shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.
 
15  Make us glad by the measure of the days that you afflicted us *
 	and the years in which we suffered adversity.
 
16  Show your servants your works *
 	and your splendor to their children.
 
17  May the graciousness of the Lord our God be upon us; *
 	prosper the work of our hands;
 	prosper our handiwork.

NEW TESTAMENT:   Hebrews 4: 12 - 16   (RCL)
                                      Hebrews 4: 12 - 13   (Roman Catholic)

Hebr 4:12 (NRSV)  Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account. 
14 Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. 

GOSPEL:   Mark 10: 17 - 31   (RCL)
                     Mark 10: 17 - 27 (28 - 30)   (Roman Catholic)

Mark 10:17 (NRSV) As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 18 Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 19 You know the commandments: "You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.'" 20 He said to him, "Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth." 21 Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." 22 When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions. 
23 Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!" 24 And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." 26 They were greatly astounded and said to one another, "Then who can be saved?" 27 Jesus looked at them and said, "For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible." 
28 Peter began to say to him, "Look, we have left everything and followed you." 29 Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, 30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age--houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields with persecutions--and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first."