Sunday between 16 and 22 October
Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
First Reading - Genesis 32.22-30
A reading from the book of Genesis.
While it was still dark,
Jacob led
his two wives, his two maids,
and his eleven children,
to the place
where they could cross
the river Jabbok.
Jacob sent them across
ahead of him,
with everything they had;
until only Jacob remained.
And there,
someone wrestled with Jacob
until daybreak.
And still failing
to overpower Jacob,
the one who was
wrestling with Jacob
finally struck Jacob
on the hip,
putting it out of joint,
and said,
‘Let me go,
for it is nearly daybreak.’
But Jacob said, ‘I will
not let you go,
unless
you bless me.’
The one who had wrestled with Jacob
asked Jacob
his name,
and then said,
‘You shall
no longer be called Jacob,
but Israel,’
(which means ‘wrestling with God’),
‘for you have wrestled with God,
and with mortals,
and you have prevailed.’
And Jacob said,
‘Now tell me your name.’
But the one who had wrestled with Jacob
said, ‘Why is it
that you ask
my name?’
So Jacob called the place Peniel,
(which means ‘the face of God’)
saying, ‘I have seen God,
face to face,
and yet I live.’
This is the word of the Lord.
Second Reading - 2 Timothy 4.2-5
A reading from the second letter of Paul to Timothy.
Preach the word of God,
with patience,
and persistence,
both when it is
received with joy,
and when it is not.
Teach and encourage,
persuade and challenge,
even argue and debate,
for there will be times
when people
turn away from the truth
to go chasing after fantasies,
listening to teachers who will say
whatever it is
they want to hear.
Continue then
all the more
in the work
that God has called you to do.
Keep a clear mind
in every situation;
endure through every hardship;
and proclaim the good news!
This is the word of the Lord.
Gospel - Luke 18.1-8a
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ
according to Luke.
Jesus said, ‘In a city,
there was a judge, who respected
neither God
nor the people.
In the same city,
there was a widow, who kept on
coming to the judge, saying, “Grant me justice
against my opponent!”
At first,
the judge refused.
But eventually,
the judge said to himself, “I respect
neither God
nor the people,
but because this widow
keeps bothering me,
I will grant her justice,
before she wears me out.”’
And Jesus said
to his disciples, ‘Keep on praying,
and do not lose heart.
For God will surely
grant justice, and quickly,
to God’s chosen ones, who
call out to God,
night and day.’
This is the Gospel of the Lord.