Church of the Sacred Heart
25TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
23 & 24 September 2023
5.00pm, 10.00am & 12.00nn Masses
Collect
Let us pray.
O God, who founded all the commands of your sacred Law
upon love of you and of our neighbour,
grant that, by keeping your precepts,
we may merit to attain eternal life.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
First Reading
A reading from the prophet Isaiah 55:6-9
My thoughts are not your thoughts
Seek the Lord while he is still to be found,
call to him while he is still near.
Let the wicked man abandon his way,
the evil man his thoughts.
Let him turn back to the Lord who will take pity on him,
to our God who is rich in forgiving;
for my thoughts are not your thoughts,
my ways not your ways – it is the Lord who speaks.
Yes, the heavens are as high above earth
as my ways are above your ways,
my thoughts above your thoughts.
The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm
R. The Lord is close to all who call him.
I will bless you day after day
and praise your name for ever.
The Lord is great, highly to be praised,
his greatness cannot be measured.
R. The Lord is close to all who call him.
The Lord is kind and full of compassion,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
How good is the Lord to all,
compassionate to all his creatures.
R. The Lord is close to all who call him.
The Lord is just in all his ways
and loving in all his deeds.
He is close to all who call him,
who call on him from their hearts.
R. The Lord is close to all who call him.
Second Reading
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Philippians 1:20-24,27
Life to me is Christ; but death would bring me more
Christ will be glorified in my body, whether by my life or by my death. Life to me, of course, is Christ, but then death would bring me something more; but then again, if living in this body means doing work which is having good results – I do not know what I should choose. I am caught in this dilemma: I want to be gone and be with Christ, which would be very much the better, but for me to stay alive in this body is a more urgent need for your sake.
Avoid anything in your everyday lives that would be unworthy of the gospel of Christ.
The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Blessings on the King who comes,
in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven
and glory in the highest heavens!
Alleluia!
Gospel
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew. 20:1-16
Response: Glory to you, O Lord.
Why be envious because I am generous?
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner going out at daybreak to hire workers for his vineyard. He made an agreement with the workers for one denarius a day, and sent them to his vineyard. Going out at about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the market place and said to them, “You go to my vineyard too and I will give you a fair wage.” So they went. At about the sixth hour and again at about the ninth hour, he went out and did the same. Then at about the eleventh hour he went out and found more men standing round, and he said to them, “Why have you been standing here idle all day?” “Because no one has hired us” they answered. He said to them, “You go into my vineyard too.” In the evening, the owner of the vineyard said to his bailiff, “Call the workers and pay them their wages, starting with the last arrivals and ending with the first.” So those who were hired at about the eleventh hour came forward and received one denarius each. When the first came, they expected to get more, but they too received one denarius each. They took it, but grumbled at the landowner. “The men who came last” they said “have done only one hour, and you have treated them the same as us, though we have done a heavy day’s work in all the heat.” He answered one of them and said, “My friend, I am not being unjust to you; did we not agree on one denarius? Take your earnings and go. I choose to pay the last comer as much as I pay you. Have I no right to do what I like with my own? Why be envious because I am generous?” Thus the last will be first, and the first, last.’
The Gospel of the Lord.
Response: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Prayer Of The Faithful
Introduction: Let us present our petitions to our Heavenly Father who is generous to all who call upon Him.
Response: Lord, hear our prayer.
1. For the Church, that its leaders may be faithful to the Gospel even in face of opposition and resistance. We pray to the Lord.
2. For ourselves, that we may see our work as a contribution to the well-being and progress of God’s creation. We pray to the Lord.
3. For those who are out of work and for young people preparing for careers. We pray to the Lord.
4. For migrant workers, that they may work in safe and just conditions, and that we who benefit from their labours may be truly grateful for what they provide. We pray to the Lord.
5. For refugees, that they will be protected from injustice and danger and that they may one day return to their homeland. We pray to the Lord.
6. For the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council: that the APC may discern the pastoral needs of our Church for the next ten years, particularly, the ways Jesus wants to form families and communities to be living reflections of God's love, mercy and presence. We pray to the Lord.
7. We now pray in silence for other needs and intentions …
For these other needs and intentions, we pray to the Lord.
Conclusion: Heavenly Father, we place these and all our needs before You. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.