Sunday between 11 and 17 September    

Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

First Reading - Exodus 32.7-8,10-11,13-14

A reading from the book of Exodus. At the top of Mount Sinai, the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go down at once to your people, the people you brought out of Egypt, for they have corrupted themselves. They have already turned aside from the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves an image of a calf; and they have worshipped it, and made sacrifices to it. They have even declared that this is the god who brought them out of Egypt. Now let my anger burn hot against them to destroy them. And from you alone I will make a great nation.’ But Moses pleaded with the Lord his God, saying, ‘O Lord, do not let your anger burn hot against your people, the people you brought out of Egypt with great power and with your own mighty hand. Remember your promise to your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that you would multiply their descendants like the stars of heaven, and give them this land as their inheritance.’ And the Lord heard Moses’ plea, and drew back from anger at the rebellion of the people. This is the word of the Lord.

Second Reading - 1 Timothy 1.12-17

A reading from the first letter of Paul to Timothy. I give thanks to Jesus Christ our Lord for showing the utmost patience in strengthening me, raising me up, and appointing me into his service; and so demonstrating in me, the worst of all sinners, the truth I now proclaim, that it might be heard and received, in every nation: that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.

For in my ignorance and unbelief, I was surely the worst of all sinners, persecuting, slandering, and abusing the church. But the saving mercy and grace of our Lord overflowed for me even more, that with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus, I myself might be an example of God’s saving mercy and grace for all who will come to believe in Christ Jesus for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory for ever. This is the word of the Lord.

Gospel - Luke 15.1-10

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke. Amongst those who came to hear Jesus were collectors of the Roman taxes, and other notorious sinners. Jesus welcomed them, and would even sit and eat with them. For this, the Pharisees and the scribes complained against Jesus. So Jesus told them this parable: ‘If you have a hundred sheep, and lose one, you surely leave the ninety-nine, feeding in the pasture, and go searching for the one that is lost. And when you find it, you carry it home, and you call your friends and neighbours, “Come, celebrate with me! I have found the sheep that was lost!” In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous, who need no repentance. And if a woman has ten silver coins, and loses one, she lights a lamp, sweeps the house, and searches until she finds it. Then she calls her friends and neighbours, “Come, celebrate with me! I have found the silver coin that was lost.” In the same way, when one sinner repents, all the angels of God rejoice.’ This is the Gospel of the Lord.