XXVI Sunday of the Year

THE ENDGAME MATTERS

INTRODUCTORY RITES

Gather as a family/ community; create an environment appropriate for prayer (dress appropriately - switch off your phones...). 

We are conscious that Christ is present not only in the Blessed Sacrament but also in the Scriptures and in our hearts. Even when we are on our own, we remain part of the Body of Christ.

Place lighted candles, a crucifix, and the Bible on a covered table. These remind us of the sacredness of our time of prayer and could help us feel connected with our local worshipping communities.

You may sing or play an appropriate hymn. For instance:

Come Back to Me

Sing Out, Earth and Skies

The Sign of the Cross

Greeting and Introductory Words

L: The Lord invites us to the table of his Word: let us bless him for his goodness.

A: Blessed be God forever.

L: We feel within us the tension between what is right and our own interests/inclinations, between knowing God’s will and doing it.

The liturgy today calls us to a personal and daily conversion to God’s will: a conversion seen in our actions, a conversion that is integral in the social, ecological, cultural, economic, and political dimensions of our lives.

We ask the Lord to strengthen us to do his will at all times, and that our words and actions may always be in sync.

Penitential Rite

L: For the times we have not done God’s will, for the moments our words and actions have not been in sync, we ask the Lord’s mercy.

        Pause

L: Lord Jesus, you were always obedient to the will of your Father:

Lord, have mercy.

A: Lord, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, you showed mercy to every repentant sinner: 

Christ, have mercy.

A: Christ, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, you call us to change our minds and hearts:

Lord, have mercy.

A: Lord, have mercy.

L: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.

A: Amen.

Gloria

 

Opening Prayer

L: O God,

you alone judge rightly

and search the depths of the heart.

Make us swift to do your will

and slow to judge our neighbour,

that we may walk with those

who follow the way of repentance and faith

and so enter your heavenly kingdom.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you 

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God for ever and ever. 

A: Amen.

THE LITURGY OF THE WORD

Readings

The readings are those assigned for the day in the Lectionary.

Preferably use a Bible/ Lectionary for reading.

Liturgical Readings for the XXVI Sunday of the Year

Reading 1    Ezekiel 18:25-28

Psalm         Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9

Response Remember your mercies, O Lord.

                Response Option 1 or Response Option 2 or Response Option 3

Reading 2 Philippians 2:1-11 (or short form 2:1-5)

Acclamation

                        Alleluia, alleluia.

                        My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;

                I know them, and they follow me.

                  Acclamation

Gospel         Matthew 21:28-32

 

Reflection on the Readings

 

Use one of the following ways to reflect on the readings.

Lectio Divina

Imagine listening to Jesus as he tells the chief priests and elders the parable of the two sons. How will you respond to Jesus’ question: “What is your opinion?” What are your thoughts and feelings when you hear about the two sons?

Sunday Snippets

The 1984 French Open final. The legendary John McEnroe arrived on court that day amid a 42-match winning streak. He raced to a two-set lead with his usual aggressive style that seemed destined to turn the match into a rout. Then Lendl broke him in the sixth game of the third set and the match turned around. McEnroe’s last shot was a potentially easy volley that he tiredly knocked out of court; it seemed to symbolize the steady decay of his game.

McEnroe’s 42 prior wins did not matter; his amazing display till then counted for nothing. The endgame mattered, and he did not deliver.

What is true of sport is true of life and the spiritual life: the endgame matters. 

In the gospel parable of the two sons, Jesus compares “tax collectors and prostitutes” (whom the religious elders considered transgressors of the law) to the first son; they rebelled initially but heeded John’s exhortation and repented. Jesus is emphatic that they “are entering the kingdom of God”. The chief priests and elders are like the second son; they professed to do to do God’s will but did not. Jesus implies that they will be left out of the kingdom if they fail to repent.

This seems outrageous! The first reading from Ezekiel emphasises that, for God, the end matters: A person may turn at any time from wickedness to righteousness and vice versa; s/he will be judged by the new life to which s/he has turned, not by his/her previous life. 

God has a very short memory! He is concerned about our present relationship with him. Further, no matter how far we have strayed from him, it is never too late to turn back to a no-questions-asked welcome. Remember the prodigal son, Zacchaeus, the Samaritan woman, the woman who anointed Jesus’ feet, the thief crucified with Jesus! God’s kingdom is for those who answer his call today; yesterday does not count.

Like which son am I? Do my actions indicate my obedience to God’s will? Am I ready to change my attitudes and behaviour?

The challenge is to be like the third son, Jesus, who was always faithful. St Paul reminds us: “Have in you the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus, who… humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death.”

Questions to Ponder

Reflect on some (or all) of the following questions:

Reading 1: Pope Francis talks about the difficulty of daily conversion, and the effort to remain faithful to our call to holiness. How do I overcome this “difficulty of daily conversion”?

Reading 2: St Paul urges us to have “the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus”. Do I strive to adopt the attitude of Jesus: his humility and total surrender to his Father’s will?

Gospel: In what vineyard is God calling me to work? How can I be more responsive to God’s call? In what areas of my life do I need conversion?

In this Season of Creation, what are my actions that show I am responding to God’s call to integral ecological conversion? 

The Creed

Prayer of the Faithful

L: The Lord calls us to a conversion of heart to do his will. For the grace to respond to his call, we pray: Lord, hear our prayer.

R: For the Church: that we may empty ourselves so that God can raise us to a new life of faithful relationships and loving service, we pray… 

R: For world leaders: that the Lord may help them listen to the needs of people, and give them wisdom in developing just policies so that all may have necessities and peace, we pray…

R: For the young: that the Spirit may give them understanding and insight to recognize God’s invitation and follow the path of life to which he calls them, we pray…

R: For the grace of conversion: that God may help all who have made poor life choices to change course and follow Christ who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, we pray…

R: For all who are ill: that the Lord may ease their pain, help them receive life-enhancing treatment, and restore them to their loved ones, we pray…

R: For a healing of the earth: that God may draw us to a personal ecological conversion, and inspire us to act boldly in addressing climate change, we pray…

R: For ourselves: that we may not merely speak of God’s ways but sincerely commit to living them as faithful disciples, we pray…

L: God our Father, strengthen us to imitate your Son in total loyalty to your will. Help us to say and live an unconditional yes to your life and love. We ask this through Christ our Lord. 

A: Amen.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

The Lord’s Prayer 

Spiritual Communion 

A: Jesus, I know and believe in your real presence in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. It is you I desire to love and receive above all things. As I am unable to receive your sacramental presence now, come and be with me in heart and soul. Let my entire self be united with you as I welcome you again and know your loving embrace. Amen.

Post Spiritual Communion Reflection

Lord, 

I sometimes think that the “good” son 

is the one who said “yes” to his father.

What could be worse than a rude “no” to the father?

But that’s not what your Son says.

He says that the no-saying son did the will of his father,

and is the one who entered the kingdom of heaven.

Ah! It’s all about doing and living!

Lord, with the psalmist I pray: 

“Lord, teach us your ways!”

Help me to imitate 

not the sons in the parable 

but your Son,

who humbled himself, 

and was obedient to the point of death.

Lord, change my heart and my mind

that I may always do your will – in word and in deed.

Let my hands and feet follow my words!

CONCLUDING RITE

Concluding Prayer

L: Loving Father,

you do not want sinners to die,

but to turn away from sin

so that they may live.

You know that we are weak and fragile.

Keep forgiving us,

give us the mentality of Jesus,

that with him we may say ‘yes’ to you

with the deep love of a forgiven people.

Through Christ our Lord.

A: Amen.

Blessing

L: The Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and lead us to everlasting life.

A: Amen.

L: Go in the peace of Christ.

A: Thanks be to God.

Conclude with a hymn. For instance:

One Day at a Time

Amazing Grace

XXV Sunday of the Year

IS GOD UNFAIR?

INTRODUCTORY RITES

Gather as a family/ community; create an environment appropriate for prayer (dress appropriately - switch off your phones...). 

We are conscious that Christ is present not only in the Blessed Sacrament but also in the Scriptures and in our hearts. Even when we are on our own, we remain part of the Body of Christ.

Place lighted candles, a crucifix, and the Bible on a covered table. These remind us of the sacredness of our time of prayer and could help us feel connected with our local worshipping communities.

You may sing or play an appropriate hymn. For instance:

Glory and Praise to Our God

For the Fruit of All Creation

The Sign of the Cross

Greeting and Introductory Words

L: The Lord invites us to the table of his Word: let us bless him for his goodness.

A: Blessed be God forever.

L: Sometimes we think that God is unfair! Why does he give his gifts to people who, in our opinion, do not deserve them? Why is he patient and lenient with sinners? But God’s ways are not our ways, his thoughts are not our thoughts. 

Let us pray that we may let God be God, that our thoughts and actions may become more like his, and that we may rejoice at his generous grace for all people.

Penitential Rite

L: We may have questioned God’s generosity and merciful love, and envied the gifts he gave others. Let us ask him to forgive us.

        Pause

L: Lord Jesus, in your mercy you keep forgiving sinners:

Lord, have mercy.

A: Lord, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, in your generosity you keep giving us your grace: 

Christ, have mercy.

A: Christ, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, in your patience you keep inviting us to imitate your ways:

Lord, have mercy.

A: Lord, have mercy.

L: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.

A: Amen.

Gloria

 

Opening Prayer

L: God the Father of all people,

        you lavish kindness equally upon all.

        Teach us to welcome your grace and mercy toward others,

        even as we hope to receive grace and mercy from you.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you

        in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God for ever and ever. 

A: Amen.

THE LITURGY OF THE WORD

Readings

The readings are those assigned for the day in the Lectionary.

Preferably use a Bible/ Lectionary for reading.

Liturgical Readings for the XXV Sunday of the Year

Reading 1    Isaiah 55:6-9

Psalm         Psalm 145:2-3, 8-9, 17-18

Response The Lord is near to all who call upon him.

                Response Option 1 or Response Option 2

Reading 2 Philippians 1:20-24, 27

Acclamation

                        Alleluia, alleluia.

                        Open our hearts, O Lord,

                        to listen to the words of your Son.

                  Acclamation

Gospel         Matthew 20:1-16

 

Reflection on the Readings

 

Use one of the following ways to reflect on the readings.

Lectio Divina

Imagine listening to Jesus when he tells the disciples the parable about the vineyard workers. What are your thoughts and feelings when you hear that the first workers got the same wage as those who worked one hour? Why do you think/ feel that way?

Sunday Snippets

Robert De Moor shares an incident from his childhood: “When the apples ripened, mom would sit all seven of us down… with pans and knives until the mountain of fruit was reduced to neat rows of filled canning jars. She never bothered keeping track of how many we did… When the job was done, the reward for everyone was the same: a large chocolate-dipped cone. A stickler might argue it wasn’t quite fair... but I can’t remember anyone complaining about it. A family understands it operates under a different set of norms than a courtroom.”

When we understand the kingdom of God as a family – with a different yardstick of fairness and equality – we will perhaps cease ‘complaining’ about owner of the vineyard!

The landowner does seem unfair. Human justice argues that those who work a full day should be paid more than those who work less. 

However, we must note that the landowner pays the full-day labourers the agreed-upon wage. He generously pays the ‘late comers’ what he considers just: a full-day’s wage – the average ‘daily wage’ was enough only for the ‘daily bread’ for a family; were the owner not to pay the late comers the full daily wage, their families would go hungry.

This parable is about God’s invitation to collaborate with him in the work of the kingdom. The kingdom cannot be earned through our effort. True, we must do all we can to receive it: sow the word, launch the boat and cast the net, love with all our strength. But we do not merit the kingdom.

This parable is not about labour laws or justice. It is about the gift of grace. Ralph Milton describe how grace works: “All we need to do is say ‘Yes,’ and God gives us the whole bundle.” God does not partition grace into different amounts for different people; he gifts his grace abundantly and equally to all regardless of the hour they accept his offer.

Unfair? The first reading reminds us: “My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.” 

Will I begrudge God’s fairness to the late-comer forgetting that I am a late-comer, too, and do not merit his grace? Will I do my part of the kingdom work, and allow God’s grace to do the rest?

Questions to Ponder

Reflect on some (or all) of the following questions:

Reading 1: In what aspects are my thoughts and ways different from God’s thoughts and ways?

Reading 2: Is there someone or some group who “magnifies” the Lord for me? When I am around him/her/them, do I feel Christ is present? Why is that? What is it about them that “clears my eyesight”?

Gospel: Like whom do I think: the owner or the first workers? Why? What if God’s ways were like our ways, if God’s bountiful generosity did not exceed the level of simple distributive justice?
How can I discern God’s thoughts and ways towards the human community and towards his creation? What more can I do to heal relationships with God, with people, with the Earth in ways that respond with love and care to the cry of the poor and the cry of Earth? 

The Creed

Prayer of the Faithful

L: Let us pray to God our Father whose generosity is always greater than we expect or can imagine: Lord, hear our prayer.

R: For the Churchthat we may humbly accept God’s gift of salvation and recognize that every day is his gift to us, we pray… 

R: For the world: that leaders may find ways together to rebuild from the pandemic and economic declines in accord with God’s ways, God’s vision of economic, social, and ecological justice, we pray…

R: For all who have been cheated and defrauded: that God may bring them justice and help them in their attempts to reclaim what they are justly owed, we pray…

R: For all who are unemployed or underemployed: that God may open opportunities for them to use their gifts and talents for the good of society and not allow their time and energy to be idled away, we pray…

R: For all who are suffering: that God may heal the sick, comfort the lonely, strengthen those fleeing violence and disasters, and give hope to those seeking jobs, we pray…

R: For greater stewardship of creation: that God may help us oppose the misuse of earth’s resources and empower us to work to protect nature for future generations, we pray…

R: For ourselves: that we may strive each day to be faithful disciples by trusting in God’s providence and showing compassion to all who enter our lives, we pray…

L: God our Father, make us generous like you, that we may live fully and bring others to life. Through Christ our Lord. 

A: Amen.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

The Lord’s Prayer 

Spiritual Communion 

A: Jesus, I know and believe in your real presence in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. It is you I desire to love and receive above all things. As I am unable to receive your sacramental presence now, come and be with me in heart and soul. Let my entire self be united with you as I welcome you again and know your loving embrace. Amen.

Post Spiritual Communion Reflection

Lord, I can test how well I understand grace 

by gauging my reaction to the gospel parable:

the work day ends and the owner hands out the wages; 

the same wage for every worker, 

whether he/she worked eight hours or just one. 

My reaction? This is not fair! This is against worker rights! 

I tend to think like the eight-hour workers.

I am like the older brother of the prodigal son, 

doing right things mostly out of bitter duty.

That’s an occupational hazard for ‘the good’ and ‘the faithful’! 

Peter and the other apostles struggled with it.

So do I.

Like the vineyard workers (and the older brother),

Lord, I think you owe me something, 

that my work for you merits a reward.

I am working for myself!

But you call me to work with you, to a relationship with you,

and not for what I can get from you.

What you give me isn’t deserved payment; 

it is gift – it is grace – it is YOU. 

There is no greater reward than this, 

and joy is the only right response to this gift.

Help me, Lord, to understand what grace is.

CONCLUDING RITE

Concluding Prayer

L: Lord our God, 

you are a God with a love

that surpasses even justice.

Thank you for accepting 

the little ones as much as the great,

those who turn to you at the last hour

and those who have toiled all their lives.

Open us more to the free gifts of your grace,

make us accept them with gratitude

and appreciate your generosity.

Through Christ our Lord.

A: Amen.

Blessing

L: The Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and lead us to everlasting life.

A: Amen.

L: Go in the peace of Christ.

A: Thanks be to God.

Conclude with a hymn. For instance:

Blessed Assurance

Amazing Grace

XXIV Sunday of the Year

REMEMBER GOD’S MERCY

INTRODUCTORY RITES

Gather as a family/ community; create an environment appropriate for prayer (dress appropriately - switch off your phones...). 

We are conscious that Christ is present not only in the Blessed Sacrament but also in the Scriptures and in our hearts. Even when we are on our own, we remain part of the Body of Christ.

Place lighted candles, a crucifix, and the Bible on a covered table. These remind us of the sacredness of our time of prayer and could help us feel connected with our local worshipping communities.

You may sing or play an appropriate hymn. For instance:

Lord, Teach Us to Pray

For the Healing of the Nations

The Sign of the Cross

Greeting and Introductory Words

L: The Lord invites us to the table of his Word: let us bless him for his goodness.

A: Blessed be God forever.

L: We know that it is difficult to forgive. In Old English, it means “give to the uttermost”; that is what forgiveness really is: going all the way! But we find it difficult to let go of the hurt; we feel the scars and keep the memories.

Today’s readings invite us to remember God’s mercy towards us: he forgives without condition and keeps no account. We pray for the grace to extend the mercy God has given us towards those who have wronged us.

Penitential Rite

L: Conscious of God’s mercy, patience, and compassion towards us, we ask his forgiveness for the times we have not forgiven others.

        Pause

L: Lord Jesus, you did not condemn the woman caught in adultery:

Lord, have mercy.

A: Lord, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, you forgave Peter after he had denied you: 

Christ, have mercy.

A: Christ, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, you prayed to your Father to forgive those who had crucified you:

Lord, have mercy.

A: Lord, have mercy.

L: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.

A: Amen.

Gloria

 

Opening Prayer

L: O God most high,

you are slow to anger and rich in compassion. Keep alive in us the memory of your mercy, that our anger may be calmed and our resentment dispelled. May we discover the forgiveness promised to those who forgive and become a people rich in mercy.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

God for ever and ever. 

A: Amen.

THE LITURGY OF THE WORD

Readings

The readings are those assigned for the day in the Lectionary.

Preferably use a Bible/ Lectionary for reading.

Liturgical Readings for the XXIV Sunday of the Year

Reading 1    Sirach 27:30—28:7

Psalm         Psalm 103:1-4, 9-12

Response The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.

                Response Option 1 or Response Option 2

Reading 2 Romans 14:7-9

Acclamation

                        Alleluia, alleluia.

                        I give you a new commandment, says the Lord:

                        love one another as I have loved you.

                  Acclamation

Gospel         Matthew 18:21-35

 

Reflection on the Readings

 

Use one of the following ways to reflect on the readings.

Lectio Divina

Imagine you are with Jesus when Peter asks: “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive?” What would your response to Peter be?

What are your thoughts and feelings when Jesus says “seventy-seven times”; as he shares the parable of the unforgiving servant? With whom do you identify yourself most in the parable? Why?

Sunday Snippets

Corrie ten Boom lost her whole family in the Nazi concentration camps. After the war, she travelled about Europe lecturing on forgiveness and reconciliation. After one such talk in Munich, a man came forward, talked to her, and put his hand out to shake hers. She recognized him as a guard at the Ravensbruck camp in which she was interred! Corrie froze. She felt a deep resentment and coldness. She, who had spoken about forgiveness, couldn’t forgive the man. She writes: “It could not have been many seconds that he stood there, hand held out, but to me it seemed hours as I wrestled with the most difficult thing I had ever had to do.”

We can empathise with Corrie’s experience. Forgiveness is difficult. We think we have forgiven, but then we meet the person who hurt us and the feelings resurface. It is almost physical. 

It’s not surprising, therefore, that Peter asks Jesus in the gospel: “How often must I forgive my brother?” It was Rabbinic teaching that a man must forgive his brother thrice. Peter doubles the rabbinic three, adds one, and suggests that forgiving seven times is enough. 

Jesus’ answer (seventy-seven times) reverses the old law of vengeance: “If Cain is to be avenged seven-fold, truly Lamech is to be avenged seventy and seven-fold” (Genesis 4:24). For the Jews there was no limit to hatred and vengeance; for Jesus’ disciples there can be no limit to love and forgiveness.

Jesus emphasises this through the parable of the two debtors. The contrast between the debts is staggering. The offences we suffer from other humans are nothing compared to our offences against God. and while God forgives all, we do not. 

We often hear and say “I can forgive but I can’t forget.” It is when we forget God’s forgiving love that we cannot forgive. 

Corrie ten Boom did forgive the ex-Nazi guard! She remembered God’s gracious forgiving love towards her, prayed, and woodenly thrust her hand into the man’s. Then a healing warmth seemed to flood her being, she grasped the man’s hands, and forgave him.

What unforgiven hurts still torture me? Is there anyone I have not forgiven? 

Let me remember God’s immense compassion towards me and pray for the grace to forgive that person from the heart.

Questions to Ponder

Reflect on some (or all) of the following questions:

Reading 1: “He remembers their sins in detail.” How easy/difficult is it for me to forget the wrong done to me; the wrong I have done? 

How do I calm myself when I am angry? Do I “forget” my feeling or “process” it?

Reading 2: Sometimes God asks people to do extraordinary things; but most of the time not. How do I live my ordinary life for the Lord? Do I find God there?

Gospel: Do I recognise that God has forgiven me a huge debt I can never repay? How does this affect my willingness to forgive? Do I “keep count” or put conditions on my forgiveness of others?
How can I grow in awareness of the ways we live unconscious of or unconcerned about waste, pollution, a “throw away culture,” overuse of resources, inequality and poverty? 

The Creed

Prayer of the Faithful

L: Let us pray to our merciful God that we, who have experienced his forgiveness, may bring the joy of reconciliation to the world: Lord, hear our prayer.

R: For the Church: that we may mediate God’s love, mercy, and forgiveness through our words and deeds, we pray… 

R: For all Christian Churches, divided by grudges and pride: that we may be brought together in the unity of the one Gospel and one love of Christ, we pray…

R: For the world: that God may bring an end to violence and chaos in countries and between countries, and guide leaders to bring about justice and peace, we pray…

R: For all who have experienced violence, terrorism, or war: that God may help them break the cycle of violence and make life-giving choices amid their pain, we pray…

R: For all who are suffering: that God may heal the sick, comfort the lonely, strengthen those fleeing violence and disasters, and give hope to those seeking jobs, we pray…

R: For greater care for the earth: that God may free us from narrow vision, help us to change the ways we misuse his gift of nature, and inspire us to find ways to heal the damage done to the ecosystem, we pray…

R: For ourselves: that we may recognize God’s boundless and unconditional forgiveness and forgive others as he has forgiven us, we pray…

L: God our Father, may we remember your mercy to us, learn to accept one another, even with our frailties, and forgive one another as you have forgiven us. Through Christ our Lord. 

A: Amen.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

The Lord’s Prayer 

Spiritual Communion 

A: Jesus, I know and believe in your real presence in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. It is you I desire to love and receive above all things. As I am unable to receive your sacramental presence now, come and be with me in heart and soul. Let my entire self be united with you as I welcome you again and know your loving embrace. Amen.

Post Spiritual Communion Reflection

Lord, it is hard to believe that you forgive endlessly. 

Forgive again and again and again? 

Nah! I tend to think that if I forgive too easily, 

people will walk all over me – everyone will! 

So, I set limits: 

“I’ll forgive once, maybe twice.”

I find Peter’s “seven times” very tough.

Or “If there is some promise/sign of change.” 

Or “Let them acknowledge their sin and say sorry.”

But, Lord, this attitude troubles me. 

The weight of unforgiven hurt is a heavy burden. 

The grudges I carry are like clinkers, burnt and cold.

May I embrace your law of love and forgiveness.

You forgive me out of love, unconditionally, always. 

Give me the grace to forgive those who wrong me.

Let me halt the chain of causality,

and pass along love instead of hate.

May I relax my clenched fist and release the rocks I hold

to embrace the wrong-doer.

CONCLUDING RITE

Concluding Prayer

L: All-loving Father,

you are compassionate and merciful with us.

Let your pardon bring us joy and hope

and induce us to forgive readily the debts,

often so small, that others owe us

because of the wrongs they have done to us.

You have restored us to life:

help us to make others live by our pardon,

that they may feel your goodness in us.

Through Christ our Lord.

A: Amen.

Blessing

L: The Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and lead us to everlasting life.

A: Amen.

L: Go in the peace of Christ.

A: Thanks be to God.

Conclude with a hymn. For instance:

Where Love is Found

Lord, Make Us Instruments of Your Peace

XXIII Sunday of the Year

BUILD BRIDGES NOT BARRIERS…

INTRODUCTORY RITES

Gather as a family/ community; create an environment appropriate for prayer (dress appropriately - switch off your phones...). 

We are conscious that Christ is present not only in the Blessed Sacrament but also in the Scriptures and in our hearts. Even when we are on our own, we remain part of the Body of Christ.

Place lighted candles, a crucifix, and the Bible on a covered table. These remind us of the sacredness of our time of prayer and could help us feel connected with our local worshipping communities.

You may sing or play an appropriate hymn. For instance:

For the Healing of the Nations

The Sign of the Cross

Greeting and Introductory Words

L: The Lord invites us to the table of his Word: let us bless him for his goodness.

A: Blessed be God forever.

L: Material which is used to build walls/fences, barriers of all kinds, can be used to build bridges! What do we do when someone hurts us: do we build barriers or do we build bridges? The word of God today gives us guidelines for conflict resolution: carefrontation.

Let us pray for the courage to care-front one another, and to build not barriers but bridges.

Penitential Rite

L: For our failure to reconcile with those who have hurt us; for being at odds with creation, we ask the Lord’s pardon.

        Pause

L: Lord Jesus, you came to reconcile us to one another and to the Father:

Lord, have mercy.

A: Lord, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, you heal the wounds of sin and division: 

Christ, have mercy.

A: Christ, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, you challenge us to take the first step towards reconciliation:

Lord, have mercy.

A: Lord, have mercy.

L: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins,

and bring us to everlasting life.

A: Amen.

Gloria

 

Opening Prayer

L: God our Father,

your Son has brought us together as a community.

When we are tempted to build barriers,

give us the strength

to care for one another, to dialogue with one another,

and to do all we can to remain

a living, forgiving, and welcoming community.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

God for ever and ever. 

A: Amen.

THE LITURGY OF THE WORD

Readings

The readings are those assigned for the day in the Lectionary.

Preferably use a Bible/ Lectionary for reading.

Liturgical Readings for the XXIII Sunday of the Year

Reading 1    Ezekiel 33:7-9

Psalm         Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9

Response If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

                Response Option 1 or Response Option 2

Reading 2 Romans 13:8-10

Acclamation

                        Alleluia, alleluia.

                        God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ

                        and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

                  Acclamation

Gospel         Matthew 18:15-20

 

Reflection on the Readings

 

Use one of the following ways to reflect on the readings.

Lectio Divina

Imagine you are with Jesus and his disciples. He talks about correcting someone who sins against you. What are your thoughts and feelings? Does his strategy sound plausible to you? Why/ why not?

Sunday Snippets

In The Great Divorce, C. S. Lewis writes that hell is like a vast city inhabited only at the periphery; it has rows and rows of empty houses in the middle – empty because the residents quarrelled with their neighbours and moved. Then, they quarrelled with their new neighbours and moved again. This process of quarrel-move-quarrel slowly left the old neighbourhoods empty. Hell has gotten so large because everyone chose distance instead of honest confrontation.

Lewis’ picture is as true as it’s stark! When someone hurts us, it’s either fight or – more often than not – flight! “Let it be” is the preferred course of action… with one problem: we do not “let it be”!

In today’s gospel, Jesus sets guidelines for conflict resolution. He challenges us to seek reconciliation by talking to the person instead of about the person! 

The first step is dialogue: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault…” DIALOGUE is not a finger-pointing venture; it is an honest, specific communication of perspectives/feelings.

If/when dialogue fails, if the other refuses to see his/her fault or rebuffs the attempt at reconciliation, resort to step two – DIPLOMACY: “If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you…”

If/when diplomacy also fails, move to step three: “Treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.” Is step three dissociation? That would be easy, but Jesus loved the Gentile and the tax collector, and never ceased to associate with them.

So, step three is perhaps DEEP LOVE (this is not affection!). This is what Paul tells the Romans (second reading): “Owe no one anything except to love one another… love does no wrong to a neighbour.”

The underlying reason behind this strategy is hinted at in the First Reading. The Lord tells Ezekiel to speak to people when they are wrong. This is to help them back to the community.

This pericope ends with a reminder that attempts at carefrontation must be in a context of prayer.

We can’t always make peace with those who hurt us, but we can and must still love them… unless we want to live in hell.

Will I resolve hurts through dialogue, diplomacy and deep love, and be reconciled with the people who have hurt me? Will I build barriers or build bridges? How will I restore my relationship with creation?

Questions to Ponder

Reflect on some (or all) of the following questions:

Reading 1: Do we have a shared responsibility for others, the world, for creation? In what way am I/ can I become a “watchperson”? How can I educate and warn others about the ecological crises facing us and threatening life as we know it on the planet?

Reading 2: Which ranks highest: how much I love? how much I do? how smart or powerful I am? In what way am I neighbour to those around me and to creation?

Gospel: How do I deal with conflict with others: do I carefront or do I prefer to ignore it? Why? 
Why is not resolving conflict harmful for the other and for me? 

The Creed

Prayer of the Faithful

L: Jesus says: “If two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father.” Let us, then, together pray to God our Father: Lord, hear our prayer.

R: For the Church: that we may be a community that continues Christ’s mission of reconciling those who are estranged, we pray… 

R: For the world: that God may guide leaders to speak the truth to one another and find ways to resolve differences through dialogue, we pray…

R: For the Synod: that the Spirit may open the minds and hearts of the participants and help them to recognize his promptings for the good of the Church, we pray…

R: For those affected by unresolved conflict: that all may work to restore relationships and promote the dignity of everyone, we pray…

R: For greater care for the earth: that we may deepen our gratitude for our world and may grow in openness to wiser and more just ways of caring for it, we pray…

R: For ourselves: that the Spirit may heal us of our wounds and free our hearts to forgive those who have injured or betrayed us, we pray…

L: God our Father, give us the grace to accept one another and to learn to live in harmony with one another. May we remember your goodness to us, and may we not tie our brothers and sisters to their sins and past mistakes. Through Christ our Lord. 

A: Amen.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

The Lord’s Prayer 

Spiritual Communion 

A: Jesus, I know and believe in your real presence in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. It is you I desire to love and receive above all things. As I am unable to receive your sacramental presence now, come and be with me in heart and soul. Let my entire self be united with you as I welcome you again and know your loving embrace. Amen.

Post Spiritual Communion Reflection

Through each other’s defences 

are all the tools to mend broken fences,

and all the means to make the other pay.

Bring your ledger – it’s judgment day.

But watch those mines and steely traps

the other laid when you turned your back.

An insurance plan – but you’ve got one too. 

Who weighs up the cost when you both lose?

Just grab your tools and watch your step. 

Leave the scales behind for lesser men.

Roll up your sleeves and start next door

the job of building bridges, for ever more.

CONCLUDING RITE

Concluding Prayer

L: God of power and might,

        your Son has strengthened us in this celebration. May we learn from him the art of bringing those who err back to you and into our communities. May we grow in holiness, in love of our neighbour, and in reverence and care for your creation.

Through Christ our Lord.

A: Amen.

Blessing

L: The Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and lead us to everlasting life.

A: Amen.

L: Go in the peace of Christ.

A: Thanks be to God.

Conclude with a hymn. For instance:

Here I Am, Lord

One Bread, One Body