The following are the readings for the Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost, October 31, (Proper 26, ECUSA; Proper 31, RCL & Roman Catholic) according to the Revised Common (RCL), Episcopal (ECUSA), Roman Catholic, Church of England (Common Worship), and Canadian (BAS) Lectionaries. Unless noted otherwise, the ECUSA and Canadian lectionaries are identical to the RCL this Sunday. All readings are taken from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible. Note that the C of E lectionary uses only the alternative RCL reradings this Sunday.

OLD TESTAMENT:  Ruth 1: 1 - 18   (RCL)

Ruth 1:1 (NRSV) In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land, and a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to live in the country of Mo'ab, he and his wife and two sons. 2 The name of the man was Elim'elech and the name of his wife Na'omi, and the names of his two sons were Mah'lon and Chil'ion; they were Eph'rathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Mo'ab and remained there. 3 But Elim'elech, the husband of Na'omi, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4 These took Mo'abite wives; the name of the one was Or'pah and the name of the other Ruth. When they had lived there about ten years, 5 both Mah'lon and Chil'ion also died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband. 
6 Then she started to return with her daughters-in-law from the country of Mo'ab, for she had heard in the country of Mo'ab that the LORD had considered his people and given them food. 7 So she set out from the place where she had been living, she and her two daughters-in-law, and they went on their way to go back to the land of Judah. 8 But Na'omi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go back each of you to your mother's house. May the LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. 9 The LORD grant that you may find security, each of you in the house of your husband." Then she kissed them, and they wept aloud. 10 They said to her, "No, we will return with you to your people." 11 But Na'omi said, "Turn back, my daughters, why will you go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb that they may become your husbands? 12 Turn back, my daughters, go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. Even if I thought there was hope for me, even if I should have a husband tonight and bear sons, 13 would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, it has been far more bitter for me than for you, because the hand of the LORD has turned against me." 14 Then they wept aloud again. Or'pah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. 
15 So she said, "See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law." 16 But Ruth said, 
"Do not press me to leave you 
or to turn back from following you! 
Where you go, I will go; 
where you lodge, I will lodge; 
your people shall be my people, 
and your God my God. 
17 Where you die, I will die-- 
there will I be buried. 
May the LORD do thus and so to me, 
and more as well, 
if even death parts me from you!" 
18 When Na'omi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her. 

Deuteronomy 6: 1 - 9   (alt. for RCL)
Deuteronomy 6: 2 - 6   (Roman Catholic)

Deut 6:1 (NRSV) Now this is the commandment--the statutes and the ordinances--that the LORD your God charged me to teach you to observe in the land that you are about to cross into and occupy, 2 so that you and your children and your children's children may fear the LORD your God all the days of your life, and keep all his decrees and his commandments that I am commanding you, so that your days may be long. 3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe them diligently, so that it may go well with you, and so that you may multiply greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, as the LORD, the God of your ancestors, has promised you. 
4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. 6 Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. 7 Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. 8 Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, 9 and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. 

PSALM 146   (RCL)

Psal 146:1 (NRSV) Praise the LORD! 
Praise the LORD, O my soul! 
2 I will praise the LORD as long as I live; 
I will sing praises to my God all my life long. 
3 Do not put your trust in princes, 
in mortals, in whom there is no help. 
4 When their breath departs, they return to the earth; 
on that very day their plans perish. 
5 Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, 
whose hope is in the LORD their God, 
6 who made heaven and earth, 
the sea, and all that is in them; 
who keeps faith forever; 
7 who executes justice for the oppressed; 
who gives food to the hungry. 
The LORD sets the prisoners free; 
8 the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. 
The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; 
the LORD loves the righteous. 
9 The LORD watches over the strangers; 
he upholds the orphan and the widow, 
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin. 
10 The LORD will reign forever, 
your God, O Zion, for all generations. 
Praise the LORD! 

146   Lauda, anima mea    (ECUSA BCP)
 
1  	Hallelujah!
Praise the Lord, O my soul! *
 	I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
 	I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
 
2  	Put not your trust in rulers, nor in any child of earth, *
 	for there is no help in them.
 
3  	When they breathe their last, they return to earth, *
 	and in that day their thoughts perish.
 
4  	Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help! *
 	whose hope is in the Lord their God;
 
5  	Who made heaven and earth, the seas, and all that is in them; *
 	who keeps his promise for ever;
 
6  	Who gives justice to those who are oppressed, *
 	and food to those who hunger.
 
7  	The Lord sets the prisoners free;
the Lord opens the eyes of the blind; *
 	the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
 
8  	The Lord loves the righteous;
the Lord cares for the stranger; *
 	he sustains the orphan and widow,
 	but frustrates the way of the wicked.
 
9  	The Lord shall reign for ever, *
 	your God, O Zion, throughout all generations.
 	Hallelujah!

Paslm 119: 1 - 8   (alt. for RCL)

Psal 119:1 (NRSV) Happy are those whose way is blameless, 
who walk in the law of the LORD. 
2 Happy are those who keep his decrees, 
who seek him with their whole heart, 
3 who also do no wrong, 
but walk in his ways. 
4 You have commanded your precepts 
to be kept diligently. 
5 O that my ways may be steadfast 
in keeping your statutes! 
6 Then I shall not be put to shame, 
having my eyes fixed on all your commandments. 
7 I will praise you with an upright heart, 
when I learn your righteous ordinances. 
8 I will observe your statutes; 
do not utterly forsake me. 

119   (ECUSA BCP)
 
Aleph   Beati immaculati
 
1  	Happy are they whose way is blameless, *
 who walk in the law of the Lord!
 
2  	Happy are they who observe his decrees *
 and seek him with all their hearts!
 
3  	Who never do any wrong, *
 but always walk in his ways.
 
4  	You laid down your commandments, *
 that we should fully keep them.
 
5  	Oh, that my ways were made so direct *
 that I might keep your statutes!
 
6  	Then I should not be put to shame, *
 when I regard all your commandments.
 
7  	I will thank you with an unfeigned heart, *
 when I have learned your righteous judgments.
 
8  	I will keep your statutes; *
 do not utterly forsake me.

Psalm 18: 1 - 3, 46, 50   (Roman Catholic)

Psal 18:1 (NRSV) I love you, O LORD, my strength. 
2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, 
my God, my rock in whom I take refuge, 
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 
3 I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, 
so I shall be saved from my enemies. 

46 The LORD lives! Blessed be my rock, 
and exalted be the God of my salvation, 

50 Great triumphs he gives to his king, 
and shows steadfast love to his anointed, 
to David and his descendants forever. 

NEW TESTAMENT:  Hebrews 9: 11 - 14   (RCL)

Hebr 9:11 (NRSV) But when Christ came as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation), 12 he entered once for all into the Holy Place, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, with the sprinkling of the ashes of a heifer, sanctifies those who have been defiled so that their flesh is purified, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to worship the living God! 

Hebrews 7: 23 - 28   (Roman Catholic)

Hebr 7:23 (NRSV) Furthermore, the former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office; 24 but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. 25 Consequently he is able for all time to save those who approach God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. 
26 For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27 Unlike the other high priests, he has no need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for those of the people; this he did once for all when he offered himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests those who are subject to weakness, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever. 

GOSPEL:  Mark 12: 28 - 34   (all)

Mark 12:28 (NRSV) One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, "Which commandment is the first of all?" 29 Jesus answered, "The first is, "Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; 30 you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' 31 The second is this, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." 32 Then the scribe said to him, "You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that "he is one, and besides him there is no other'; 33 and "to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength,' and "to love one's neighbor as oneself,'--this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." 34 When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." After that no one dared to ask him any question. 

Note: The Roman Catholic lectionary omits the first part of v. 28.