25th Sunday C

The following are prayerful resources rather than a liturgy.

  • The gospel for the day
    (a useful commentary on the reading         here)
  • Some optional questions for reflection
  • Prayers of Intercession
  • Cluster Prayer
  • The gospel of the week ahead with questions

Luke 16: 1-13  You cannot be the slave of both God and money


Jesus said to his disciples:
‘There was a rich man and he had a steward denounced to him

for being wasteful with his property.

He called for the man and said,

“What is this I hear about you? Draw me up an account of your stewardship

because you are not to be my steward any longer.”

Then the steward said to himself,

“Now that my master is taking the stewardship from me, what am I to do? Dig?

I am not strong enough. Go begging? I should be too ashamed.

Ah, I know what I will do to make sure that when I am dismissed from office

there will be some to welcome me into their homes.”


Then he called his master’s debtors one by one.

To the first he said, “How much do you owe my master?”

“One hundred measures of oil” was the reply.

The steward said, “Here, take your bond; sit down straight away and write fifty.”

To another he said, “And you, sir, how much do you owe?”

“One hundred measures of wheat” was the reply.

The steward said, “Here, take your bond and write eighty.”
‘The master praised the dishonest steward for his astuteness.

For the children of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind

than are the children of light.


‘And so I tell you this: use money, tainted as it is, to win you friends,

and thus make sure that when it fails you,

they will welcome you into the tents of eternity.

The man who can be trusted in little things can be trusted in great;

the man who is dishonest in little things will be dishonest in great.

If then you cannot be trusted with money, that tainted thing,

who will trust you with genuine riches?

And if you cannot be trusted with what is not yours,

who will give you what is your very own?


‘No servant can be the slave of two masters:

he will either hate the first and love the second,

or treat the first with respect and the second with scorn.

You cannot be the slave both of God and of money.’

This is the gospel of the Lord

Copyright © 1996-2021 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com.

Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc.

Text of the Psalms: Copyright © 1963, The Grail (England). All rights reserved.

Having used our prayer resources, you might want simply to reflect yourself on them and how that might flow into your coming week. Some people have found it very helpful to meet with others and share their thoughts.
If you are interested  in joining a small group to share your thoughts and feelings about God's Word from any of the resources you have watched please email us.         cluster.alpha@outlook.com

Questions for reflection (framed for a group discussion)

"...use money, tainted as it is, to win you friends..." but what kind of friends?

Jesus was friends with a wide range of people who included those on the fringes of society.

  1. Does your circle of friends include those "on the fringes"?
    Think of someone with whom you could spend time (and a little money) this week.
  2. Can cheating and deception ever be justified?

Prayers of Intercession

 

As we celebrate today’s Eucharist let us reflect on whether we are using our wealth for the benefit of others or if our pursuit of wealth is blinding us to the needs of our neighbour.

 

For our Holy Father, Pope Francis, and for all in positions of leadership in the church, that they give us all an example of serving the poor.

Lord in your mercy…. hear our prayer.


We pray for world leaders that God may grant them the wisdom to make just decisions which respect the earth and all who live in it, especially the poorest and most vulnerable.

Lord in your mercy…. hear our prayer.


We pray for our parish and the local community that through the grace of God we may hear the urgent cry of the earth and all of the poor and be inspired to respond at this crucial time.

Lord in your mercy…. hear our prayer.

 

We pray that we may be good neighbours to each other and the whole of creation, restoring and caring for all that God has made.

Lord in your mercy…. hear our prayer.


For all those who are sick and those on the prayer foundation list, may they be freed from danger, relieved of suffering and healed in body and spirit.

Lord in your mercy…. hear our prayer.


For all those who have died that they may be with their saviour in paradise and for those who mourn their loved ones that our Saviour will give them the strength and courage to bear their burden of grief. We pray especially for...

 

We remember especially Queen Elizabeth the 2nd as the whole country comes together to celebrate her life, love and service to our country.

Lord in your mercy…. hear our prayer.

Prayer to be Missionary Disciples

Picture of Jesus at door

Lord continue to bless our community
in this time of transition.
Help us on our journey
to grow from a maintenance church
to a missionary church.
Give us the courage
to be missionary disciples.
Make our doors wide enough
to receive all who need
human love and fellowship;
narrow enough to shut out
all envy, pride and prejudice.
Kindle in us the fire of your love
that all who come here
will find joy, peace and love.
Make this a house of prayer
and a gateway to your kingdom.
AMEN

Preparing for next week -  26th Sunday of the Year C

Luke 16: 19-31 Good things came your way, just as bad things came the way of Lazarus. Now he is being comforted here while you are in agony.


Jesus said to the Pharisees:

‘There was a rich man who used to dress in purple and fine linen

and feast magnificently every day.

And at his gate there lay a poor man called Lazarus,

covered with sores, who longed to fill 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 by the angels to the bosom of Abraham.

The rich man also died and was buried.


‘In his torment in Hades he looked up

and saw Abraham a long way off with Lazarus in his bosom.

So he cried out, “Father Abraham, pity me

and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,

for I am in agony in these flames.”

“My son,” Abraham replied “remember that during your life good things came your way, just as bad things came the way of Lazarus.

Now he is being comforted here while you are in agony.

But that is not all: between us and you a great gulf has been fixed,

to stop anyone, if he wanted to, crossing from our side to yours,

and to stop any crossing from your side to ours.”

‘The rich man replied, “Father, I beg you then to send Lazarus to my father’s house,

since I have five brothers, to give them warning

so that they do not come to this place of torment too.”

“They have Moses and the prophets,” said Abraham “let them listen to them.”

“Ah no, father Abraham,” said the rich man

“but if someone comes to them from the dead, they will repent.”

Then Abraham said to him,

“If they will not listen either to Moses or to the prophets,

they will not be convinced even if someone should rise from the dead.”’

This is the gospel of the Lord.

Copyright © 1996-2021 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com.

Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc.

Text of the Psalms: Copyright © 1963, The Grail (England). All rights reserved

Questions for reflection (framed for a group discussion)

The gospel never goes out of date. This parable comes as the cost of living crisis deepens.

There's a meeting on Sat 24th September where the cluster is discussing what it can do...

Each of us needs to make a judgement call - conscious that we will be judged on it when the time comes.

  1. If you can't make that meeting, let Gerry know of your interest
    and starting thinking what part you can play. Discuss it in your group.
  2. What are the "rewards" of caring for the needs of the poor?