Our Sunday Supplication
Sunday, October 18, 2020
Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Holy Mass is at the very core of our worship as a Catholic community. Nothing can ever be substituted for the celebration of the Eucharist. But in this exceptional time of difficulty for our communities, our nation, and the whole world, this order of prayer can be offered by individuals and families and engages us in our Sunday celebration of the Word of God. We can pray this prayer in our homes—the “domestic churches” which help build up the Body of Christ on earth—and thus be connected to the entire Church at prayer.During this time of prayer, we include the opportunity to make a Spiritual Communion. Making a Spiritual Communion is a worthy practice, recommended by innumerable saints throughout the ages, which unites our whole selves to God and his Church.
Order of Prayer
Taken from the Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours
Introduction
Leader: God, ✠ come to my assistance.
Response: Lord, make haste to help me.
Leader: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
Response: as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Hymn
R. O Lord, you are the center of my life:
I will always praise you,
I will always serve you,
I will always keep you in my sight.
V. Keep me safe, O God, I take refuge in you.
I say to the Lord, “You are my God.
My happiness lies in you alone;
My happiness lies in you alone.” R.
V. You will show me the path of life,
the fullness of joy in your presence,
at your right hand, at your right hand
happiness for ever. R.
Act of Contrition
Leader: Let us acknowledge our sins, and seek the Lord’s pardon and peace.
Together: I confess to almighty God
and to you, my brothers and sisters,
that I have greatly sinned,
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done and in what I have failed to do,
through my fault, through my fault,
through my most grievous fault;
therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,
all the Angels and Saints,
and you, my brothers and sisters,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.
Leader: Almighty ever-living God,
grant that we may always conform our will to yours
and serve your majesty in sincerity of heart.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God,
for ever and ever.
Together: Amen.
The Sunday Readings
A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 45:1, 4–6)
Thus says the LORD to his anointed, Cyrus, whose right hand I grasp, subduing nations before him, and making kings run in his service, opening doors before him and leaving the gates unbarred: For the sake of Jacob, my servant, of Israel, my chosen one, I have called you by your name, giving you a title, though you knew me not. I am the LORD and there is no other, there is no God besides me. It is I who arm you, though you know me not, so that toward the rising and the setting of the sun people may know that there is none besides me. I am the LORD, there is no other.
The Word of the Lord.
―Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm (Psalms 96:1, 3, 4–5, 7–8, 9–10)
Reader: Give the Lord glory and honor.
Together: Give the Lord glory and honor.
Reader: Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
Together: Give the Lord glory and honor.
Reader: For great is the LORD and highly to be praised;
awesome is he, beyond all gods.
For all the gods of the nations are things of nought,
but the LORD made the heavens.
Together: Give the Lord glory and honor.
Reader: Give to the LORD, you families of nations,
give to the LORD glory and praise;
give to the LORD the glory due his name!
Bring gifts, and enter his courts.
Together: Give the Lord glory and honor.
Reader: Worship the LORD, in holy attire;
tremble before him, all the earth;
say among the nations: The LORD is king,
he governs the peoples with equity.
Together: Give the Lord glory and honor.
A Reading from the First Letter of Saint Paul to the Thessalonians (1 Thessalonians 1:1–5b)
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: grace to you and peace. We give thanks to God always for all of you, remembering you in our prayers, unceasingly calling to mind your work of faith and labor of love and endurance in hope of our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father, knowing, brothers and sisters loved by God, how you were chosen. For our gospel did not come to you in word alone, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with much conviction.
The word of the Lord.
―Thanks be to God.
Gospel Verse (Philippians 2:15D, 16A)
Reader: Shine like lights in the world
Together: as you hold on to the word of life.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Matthew 22:15–21)
The Pharisees went off and plotted how they might entrap Jesus in speech. They sent their disciples to him, with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. And you are not concerned with anyone's opinion, for you do not regard a person's status. Tell us, then, what is your opinion: Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?" Knowing their malice, Jesus said, "Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin that pays the census tax." Then they handed him the Roman coin. He said to them, "Whose image is this and whose inscription?" They replied, "Caesar's." At that he said to them, "Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God."
The Gospel of the Lord.
―Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ
For Reflection:
- The Herodians and disciples of the Pharisees said of Jesus, “…you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion, for you do not regard a person’s status.” Though the questioners appear to be commending Jesus for this trait, we know that they resented his lack of deference to their authority. Who are the “Pharisees” and “Herodians” of our day who demand undue respect or deference? In what ways are you challenged to live as Jesus lived, speaking truth according to the way of God without deference to the authorities of the world?
- The Catechism of the Catholic Church expounds on Jesus’ statement, “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” In paragraphs 2239-2240, the Catechism states:
The love and service of one’s country follow from the duty of gratitude and belong to the order of charity. Submission to legitimate authorities and service of the common good require citizens to fulfill their roles in the life of the political community. Submission to authority and co-responsibility for the common good make it morally obligatory to pay taxes, to exercise the right to vote, and to defend one’s country…
The Catechism continues in paragraph 2242:
The citizen is obliged in conscience not to follow the directives of civil authorities when they are contrary to the demands of the moral order, to the fundamental rights of persons or the teachings of the Gospel. Refusing obedience to civil authorities, when their demands are contrary to those of an upright conscience, finds its justification in the distinction between serving God and serving the political community.
What are some practical examples of how we give our due to “Caesar”? What are examples of issues where we must obey God over “Caesar”? How do you experience the tension between these demands?
Response to the Word
Leader: Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us.
Response: Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us.
Leader: You are seated at the right hand of the Father,
Response: have mercy on us.
Leader: Glory to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Response: Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us.
Prayer of the Faithful
Leader: Christ is the sun that never sets, the true light that shines on every man. Let us call out to him in praise:
Response: Lord, you are our life and our salvation.
Leader: Creator of the stars, we thank you for your gift, the first rays of the dawn, and we commemorate your resurrection.
Response: Lord, you are our life and our salvation.
Leader: May your Holy Spirit teach us to do your will today, and may your Wisdom guide us always.
Response: Lord, you are our life and our salvation.
Leader: Each Sunday give us the joy of gathering as your people, around the table of your word and your body.
Response: Lord, you are our life and our salvation.
Leader: From our hearts we thank you, for your countless blessings.
Response: Lord, you are our life and our salvation.
Leader: In your mercy, continue to sanctify all who are afflicted from the present pandemic, and draw us all closer to you, and to one another, in this time of suffering.
Response: Lord, you are our life and our salvation.
The Lord's Prayer
Leader: Let us pray together as Jesus taught us:
Together: Our Father, who art in heaven …
Spiritual Communion
Leader: You have given us bread from heaven, alleluia, alleluia.
Response: Containing in itself all delight, alleluia, alleluia.
Together: My Jesus,
I believe that you are present
in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
I love you above all things,
and I desire to receive you into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace you as if you were already there
and unite myself wholly to you.
Never permit me to be separated from you,
my Lord and my God!
Amen.
Canticle of Praise
Canticle of Zechariah (Luke 1:68-79)
Together: ✠ Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.
Conclusion
Leader: ✠ May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Together: Amen.
Hymn: Center of My Life, text: Psalm 16; verses trans. © 1963, The Grail, GIA Publications, Inc., agent; refrain, Paul Inwood, b. 1947, © 1985, Paul Inwood; Tune: Paul Inwood, b. 1947, © 1985, Paul Inwood. Published by OCP. Reprinted with permission granted by One License #A-705112.
Excerpts from the Lectionary for Mass for Use in Dioceses of the United States of America, second typical edition © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC; excerpts from The Roman Missal © 2010, ICEL; excerpts from The Liturgy of the Hours © 1994, ICEL; used with permission granted by the USCCB until November 22 during the COVID-19 pandemic. All rights reserved. No portion of these texts may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the copyright owner.