21st Sunday In Ordinary Time - 2025 - Year C
The following are prayerful resources rather than a liturgy.
- The gospel for the day
- Some optional questions for reflection
- Prayers of Intercession
- Cluster Prayer
- The gospel of the week ahead with questions for reflection
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 please email us: cluster.alpha@outlook.com
Questions for reflection (framed for a group discussion)
Taken at face value, the question posed to Jesus, as well as his reply, must strike us as rather harsh and out of line with his usual message of love and inclusiveness. As so often, it is useful to consider the wider context. Against the backdrop of the commonly held belief of the Jews as God's chosen people, it is likely that the questioner is curious to know if non-Jews, or Jews who don't stringently follow the rules, are excluded from salvation.
In response, Jesus uncompromisingly nips in the bud any notion that simply belonging to a particular group will gain us any merit. It is by our actions, by entering through the narrow gate, that we will be judged. If people "from the east and west, from north and south, will come to take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God", we, too, would do well to look out for goodness beyond church-going Catholics, Christians, or indeed, institutionalised religion. Are we prepared to find God in unexpected places?
1. Share a moment when you were humbled by an unexpected act of kindness by a person of another faith or none.
2. What daily choices are you making that will allow you to be recognized at the doorway
of the reign of God?*
* All second questions
© The Pastoral Center
Prayers of Intercession
We bring before our heavenly Father, our Holy Father Pope Leo, as he leads the Church in bringing the Good news of God’s love, power and healing to our homes, our communities and the wider world. May the Spirit of God protect, inspire and strengthen him as he seeks to bring the Kingdom of God into a world wounded by war, greed and fear.
Lord, in your mercy ... Hear our prayer
For the leaders of our country, that they will hear and heed God’s call for justice and peace and let go of short term solutions that fail to touch the root causes of fear, poverty and division in our society . We pray that God will raise up leaders who have vision and courage to face up to the challenges of our age and strive to bring dignity and hope to all who live here.
Lord, in your mercy ... Hear our prayer
We pray for both leaders and citizens to have courage and wisdom to act for justice and peace, to bring life instead of death, to war-torn places in our world, especially Gaza, the Holy Land, Sudan, Ethiopia and Nigeria. Mary, Queen of Peace, intercede for all those suffering the horrors of war.
Lord, in your mercy ... Hear our prayer
For our faith communities here in Edinburgh, that we will all have the opportunity to listen and act on what the Spirit is saying to our churches and so be ready to greet the Lord whenever we meet him in the Word, in the Eucharist and in our neighbour. We also pray for our young people as they start the new school year, that they experience the Lord accompanying them in their learning.
Lord, in your mercy ... Hear our prayer
We bring before our Lord all who are suffering ill health in mind, body and spirit, all those who are fearful of the future , that they will be strengthened by the prayers and practical compassion of our parish communities and all those who care for them. We remember especially those named by the Prayer Foundation.
Lord, in your mercy ... Hear our prayer
For those who have died, especially Patrick Boyle, Jack Laing, Jonathan (Jon) Savage & Kate Selby and those whose anniversaries occur at this time, we ask for the comfort of God’s presence and for the intercession of the communion of Saints that they will rest in the peace of Christ and their loved ones be comforted in their loss.
Lord, in your mercy ... Hear our prayer
We will now say together the prayer to be missionary disciples.
Cluster prayer
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
Questions for reflection (framed for a group discussion)
In today's gospel Jesus is at a prominent Pharisee's house where he is being "carefully watched" and judged. It is likely that the pharisees were watching him in order to use his words against him. Despite this Jesus didn't change his message and was critical of some of the things he saw : he told people not to assume their own importance. Jesus also said that unconditional generosity is the only worthwhile form of generosity. These messages are as applicable today as then. The gospel challenges us with its two fold message, firstly, that we should act modestly and secondly that giving should always be unconditional. Jesus' own behaviour tells us that the essence of the message must remain the same whatever place you are in; whoever you are addressing and whatever the perceived risk. The message needs to remain the same but how you deliver it may alter.
1. How often do we choose to say the tactful thing rather than stay true to what we believe or understand to be right ?
2. Has the hunger for status and influence in the world around you endangered your life as a Christian?*
* All second questions
© The Pastoral Center
Gospel for the day - 21st Sunday In Ordinary Time Year C
Luke 13:22-30 - ‘People will come from east and west, and recline at table in the kingdom of God.’
At that time: Jesus went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying towards Jerusalem. And someone said to him, ‘Lord, will those who are saved be few?’ And he said to them, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, “Lord, open to us”, then he will answer you, “I do not know where you come from.” Then you will begin to say, “We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.” But he will say, “I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!” In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.’
This is the gospel of the Lord. Commentary on the readings.