Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle C

Celebrant:

We have responded to God’s invitation to come to his Kingdom. We therefore pray with confidence.

Deacon/Lector:

That the Church, through the clear proclamation of the Gospel and through works of mercy, may always comfort those who are enduring trials of every kind, we pray to the Lord…

That government leaders around the world may make their decisions in light of the truth and justice that characterize God’s Kingdom, we pray to the Lord…

That those who find their pregnancy a trial too difficult to bear may experience new strength from God and from the assistance of all of us, we pray to the Lord…

That students returning to school in these days may draw wisdom and knowledge from the Holy Spirit, and fulfill their duties diligently and safely, we pray to the Lord…

That the sick may experience the peace and joy that comes from trusting God and his Providence in their lives, we pray to the Lord…

That all who have died may be received into the everlasting banquet of God, we pray to the Lord…

Celebrant:

Father, we thank you
for making us members of your family.
As you hear our prayers,
May we extend your goodness
to all our brothers and sisters.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Testimony of a Dad after abortion

“Quite often I even wake up in the morning thinking painfully of the undeniably selfish act I did over 11 years ago - STILL! I know I overrode in my core being my conscience (dulled at the time) and my Fatherhood instinct. No two ways about it: I acted - no, I was a coward. My action, despite my confession and repentance before my Creator - continues to rob much of the joy from my life. I would do anything (if God would accept the bargain) to reverse that fateful mistake.”  -- See more testimonies at www.AbortionTestimonies.com.

Is 66:18-21
Heb 12:5-7, 11-13
Lk 13:22-30

Watch a video with homily hints

“We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.” Evidently, that is not enough to be saved. The Gospel today challenges us to be disciples internally, not just externally. We may indeed eat and drink with the Lord: he is among us, we go to Mass, we identify ourselves as Christians to others, we have our sacramental certificates, and we might wear crosses and have other religious symbols around us. But that is not enough.

We may indeed hear the Lord teach in our streets. He continues to teach and proclaim his Gospel every time an ordained minister of the Church gives a homily. We hear the Lord speaking through many others, too, and through our own individual contact with his Word. But still that is not enough.

Discipleship requires obedience to the teaching we hear the Lord give us, and actual union with the one with whom we sit at table. This has implications for our pro-life stance. It is not and cannot be enough simply to “be” pro-life, in the sense that we “believe” abortion is wrong, “oppose” it, or have the right viewpoint. Attitudinal opposition to abortion has to translate into behavioral opposition, not just in the sense that we would never participate in it, but in the sense that we do not tolerate it. On the contrary, we reach out and intervene to save others who are being aborted by the choice of others.