Deacon:  Wisdom. Stand up. Hear the Holy Gospel.

Priest:   Peace to you all.

People:  And to your spirit.

Deacon: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke [16:19-31]

People:  Glory to You Lord. Glory to You.

Priest:   Listen.

Deacon: 

A rich man used to dress in purple and fine linen, and feast magnificently every day.

At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, who was covered with sores. He longed to feed himself with the scraps that fell from the rich man's table. Dogs even came and licked his sores.

Now the poor man died and was carried away to the breast of Abraham.

The rich man also died and was buried. In his torment in the underworld he looked up and saw Abraham a long way off with Lazarus at his breast.

So he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water to cool my tongue, for I am in agony in these flames.'

Abraham replied, 'My son, remember how during your life good things came your way, just as bad things came the way of Lazarus.  Now he is comforted here, while you are in agony.'

'But that is not all. Between us and you a great gap has been fixed, to stop anyone, even if they want to, crossing from our side to yours, and to stop anyone crossing from your side to ours.'

The rich man replied, 'Father, I beg you then, send Lazarus to my father's house, where I have five brothers, to give them warning, so they do not come to this place of torment too.'

Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the prophets. They can listen to them.'

The rich man said, 'Oh no father Abraham, if someone comes from the dead, they will repent.'

Then Abraham said to him, 'If they will not listen to either Moses or the prophets, they will not be convinced if someone rises from the dead either.'  

People: Glory to You Lord, Glory to You.