22nd 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)
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 twofold 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
Prayers of Intercession
September 1st is the world Day of Prayer for Creation. It is the start of the Season of Creation, which ends on October 4th, the feast day of St Francis, a month when the Christian family unites for a worldwide celebration of prayer and action to protect our common home. This year’s theme is “Peace with Creation”, taken from Isaiah 32:14-18.
May we celebrate God as Creator of all and acknowledge the summons to care for the gift of all that is Creation.
Lord, in your mercy ... Hear our prayer
For the church throughout the world. May she be a messenger of life and an agent of love, instilling courage in the hearts of those who profess to follow Christ, that we may dare to proclaim hope to those who live in fear, encouragement to those in doubt, and comfort to those in despair.
Lord, in your mercy ... Hear our prayer
For world leaders, especially those in the war torn lands, where there is continuing untold desolation and famine. May their hearts be softened to see that nothing can justify this ongoing devastation of people’s lives and countries.
Lord, in your mercy ... Hear our prayer
For those nations still burdened by unjustified debt, that the wealthy countries might act with compassion and generosity to those already suffering the effects of our changing climate.
Lord, in your mercy ... Hear our prayer
For ourselves, that we learn from Jesus’ example and serve one another with true humility, having a special care for the most vulnerable in our midst. Sustained by the Holy Spirit, may we have the courage to act on behalf of those who silently endure injustice, both human and the natural world.
Lord, in your mercy ... Hear our prayer
For anyone suffering in mind, body or spirit in our communities. May they be cared for with gentleness and patience. We include those on the prayer foundation list.
Lord, in your mercy ... Hear our prayer
For those who have died recently and all whose anniversaries fall at this time. May they rest in the Lord’s loving care.
In particular, we remember
Dorothy Gilhooly, Patrick Boyle, Jack Laing, Jonathan (Jon) Savage and
Kate Selby.
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)
The gospel today tells us “…great crowds accompanied Jesus…” but he knows that their hopes of him as the liberator of the people from Roman oppression will be crushed and the majority of them will fall away. They have no idea what lies ahead. They have heard him speak but they have not listened to what he was saying. Perhaps it is in this context that we should read the stark message of today’s gospel.
Jesus gives examples of people who have not properly thought through their plan of action: the builder who is erecting a tower; the king who is contemplating going to war against an army of greater numbers. He is all too well aware that when he enters Jerusalem with these excited followers he will be leaving the city within the week carrying a cross on the way to execution.
To be a loyal disciple of Jesus is to walk along the less popular path; to enter through the narrow door. It is hard and often it is two steps forward and one step back. It is the experience of having done something that pleases God only to be followed by a foolish failure to do so. It is falling down and picking up that cross and moving forward. The first positive aspect is that when we do this, we are truly following Jesus on the road that leads, not just to Calvary, but to the Resurrection. The second is that we are not doing it alone: we have the example of Jesus and we have the support of each other. When we fall down, let’s always remember that this cluster is bristling with people willing to help – we only have to reach out.
1. Simon of Cyrene helped Jesus carry his cross. Who are the Simons (and Simones!) who help you in your faith journey?
2. How do you try to discover what God is asking of you?*
* All second questions
© The Pastoral Center
Gospel for the day - 22nd Sunday In Ordinary Time Year C
Luke 14:1, 7-14 - ‘Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.’’
One Sabbath, when Jesus went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully.
Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honour, saying to them, ‘When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honour, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, “Give your place to this person”, and then you, with shame, will take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, “Friend, move up higher.” Then you will be honoured in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.’
He said also to the man who had invited him, ‘When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends, or your brothers and sisters or your relatives or rich neighbours, lest they also invite you in return, and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.’
This is the gospel of the Lord. Commentary on the readings.