This Sunday's Readings
Updated: 3 days ago
Church of the Sacred Heart
29TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
17 & 18 OCTOBER 2026
Collect
Let us pray.
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,
God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
First Reading
A reading from the prophet Isaiah 45:1,4-6
I have taken Cyrus by his right hand to subdue nations before him
Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus,
whom he has taken by his right hand
to subdue nations before him
and strip the loins of kings,
to force gateways before him
that their gates be closed no more:
‘It is for the sake of my servant Jacob,
of Israel my chosen one,
that I have called you by your name,
conferring a title though you do not know me.
I am the Lord, unrivalled;
there is no other God besides me.
Though you do not know me, I arm you
that men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun
that, apart from me, all is nothing.’
The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm
R. Give the Lord glory and power.
O sing a new song to the Lord,
sing to the Lord all the earth.
Tell among the nations his glory
and his wonders among all the peoples.
R. Give the Lord glory and power.
The Lord is great and worthy of praise,
to be feared above all gods;
the gods of the heathens are naught.
It was the Lord who made the heavens,
R. Give the Lord glory and power.
Give the Lord, you families of peoples,
give the Lord glory and power;
give the Lord the glory of his name.
Bring an offering and enter his courts.
R. Give the Lord glory and power.
Worship the Lord in his temple.
O earth, tremble before him.
Proclaim to the nations: ‘God is king.’
He will judge the peoples in fairness.
R. Give the Lord glory and power.
Second Reading
A reading from the first letter of St Paul to the Thessalonians 1:1-5
We constantly remember your faith, your love and your hope
From Paul, Silvanus and Timothy, to the Church in Thessalonika which is in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ; wishing you grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
We always mention you in our prayers and thank God for you all, and constantly remember before God our Father how you have shown your faith in action, worked for love and persevered through hope, in our Lord Jesus Christ.
We know, brothers, that God loves you and that you have been chosen, because when we brought the Good News to you, it came to you not only as words, but as power and as the Holy Spirit and as utter conviction.
The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Your word is truth, O Lord:
consecrate us in the truth.
Alleluia!
Gospel
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew. 22:15-21
Response: Glory to you, O Lord.
Give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar – and to God what belongs to God
The Pharisees went away to work out between them how to trap Jesus in what he said. And they sent their disciples to him, together with the Herodians, to say, ‘Master, we know that you are an honest man and teach the way of God in an honest way, and that you are not afraid of anyone, because a man’s rank means nothing to you. Tell us your opinion, then. Is it permissible to pay taxes to Caesar or not?’ But Jesus was aware of their malice and replied, ‘You hypocrites! Why do you set this trap for me? Let me see the money you pay the tax with.’ They handed him a denarius, and he said, ‘Whose head is this? Whose name?’ ‘Caesar’s’ they replied. He then said to them, ‘Very well, give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar – and to God what belongs to God.’
The Gospel of the Lord.
Response: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Prayer Of The Faithful
Introduction: Our Heavenly Father calls each of us to share in the mission of His Son. Trusting that He can work through us to fulfil His plans, let us bring before Him the needs of the Church and the world.
Response: Lord, hear our prayer.
1. For our Pope, clergy, religious and all the faithful: That we may recognise God's hand at work in our lives and vocations, especially where we least expect it, and respond with faith and wisdom. We pray to the Lord.
2. For all political leaders: That they may govern with integrity, respect the place of God in people's lives, and exercise their power in service of what is right and good. We pray to the Lord.
3. For young people searching for purpose in life: That they may discover how their talents can make a difference in the lives of others, and find their place in Christ's mission. We pray to the Lord.
4. For all of us gathered here: That we set aside time this week to pray for those who do not know Christ or are searching for God, and be ready to accompany them when they seek our friendship. We pray to the Lord.
5. For missionaries facing hardship, and for churches that are young or have few resources: May our prayers and today's offerings sustain these communities and those who serve them. We pray to the Lord.
6. We now pray in silence for other needs and intentions …
For these other needs and intentions, we pray to the Lord.
Conclusion: Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for loving us and for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Hear our prayers and send us forth, firm in faith, to bring love and hope to others. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Amen.