Mass Reading: Sunday - 28th September 2025

First reading
Amos 6:1,4-7
Woe to those who live in luxury

The almighty Lord says this:

Woe to those ensconced so snugly in Zion

and to those who feel so safe on the mountain of Samaria,

those famous men of this first of nations

to whom the House of Israel goes as client.

Lying on ivory beds

and sprawling on their divans,

they dine on lambs from the flock,

and stall-fattened veal;

they bawl to the sound of the harp,

they invent new instruments of music like David,

they drink wine by the bowlful,

and use the finest oil for anointing themselves,

but about the ruin of Joseph they do not care at all.

That is why they will be the first to be exiled;

the sprawlers’ revelry is over.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 145(146):7-10

My soul, give praise to the Lord.

It is the Lord who keeps faith for ever,
    who is just to those who are oppressed.
It is he who gives bread to the hungry,
    the Lord, who sets prisoners free.

My soul, give praise to the Lord.

It is the Lord who gives sight to the blind,
    who raises up those who are bowed down.
It is the Lord who loves the just,
    the Lord, who protects the stranger.

My soul, give praise to the Lord.

The Lord upholds the widow and orphan
    but thwarts the path of the wicked.
The Lord will reign for ever,
    Zion’s God, from age to age.

My soul, give praise to the Lord.

________

Second reading
1 Timothy 6:11-16
Do all that you have been told, until the Appearing of the Lord

As a man dedicated to God, you must aim to be saintly and religious, filled with faith and love, patient and gentle. Fight the good fight of the faith and win for yourself the eternal life to which you were called when you made your profession and spoke up for the truth in front of many witnesses. Now, before God the source of all life and before Christ, who spoke up as a witness for the truth in front of Pontius Pilate, I put to you the duty of doing all that you have been told, with no faults or failures, until the Appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,

who at the due time will be revealed
by God, the blessed and only Ruler of all,
the King of kings and the Lord of lords,
who alone is immortal,
whose home is in inaccessible light,
whom no man has seen and no man is able to see:
to him be honour and everlasting power. Amen.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Jn10:27

Alleluia, alleluia!

The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice, 
says the Lord, 
I know them and they follow me.

Alleluia!

Or:
2Co8:9

Alleluia, alleluia!

Jesus Christ was rich,
but he became poor for your sake,
to make you rich out of his poverty.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Luke 16:19-31
Dives and Lazarus

    Jesus said to the Pharisees: ‘There was a rich man who used to dress in purple and fine linen and feast magnificently every day. And at his gate there lay a poor man called Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to fill himself with the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. Dogs even came and licked his sores. Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried.

    ‘In his torment in Hades he looked up and saw Abraham a long way off with Lazarus in his bosom. So he cried out, “Father Abraham, pity me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in agony in these flames.” “My son,” Abraham replied “remember that during your life good things came your way, just as bad things came the way of Lazarus. Now he is being comforted here while you are in agony. But that is not all: between us and you a great gulf has been fixed, to stop anyone, if he wanted to, crossing from our side to yours, and to stop any crossing from your side to ours.”

    ‘The rich man replied, “Father, I beg you then to send Lazarus to my father’s house, since I have five brothers, to give them warning so that they do not come to this place of torment too.” “They have Moses and the prophets,” said Abraham “let them listen to them.” “Ah no, father Abraham,” said the rich man “but if someone comes to them from the dead, they will repent.” Then Abraham said to him, “If they will not listen either to Moses or to the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone should rise from the dead.”’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 28th September 2025

 

AM 6:1A, 4-7; PS 146:7-10;1 TM 6:11-16; LK 16:19-31

“With great power comes great responsibility.” So goes the iconic line from the Spider-Man film in a poignant scene with Peter Parker and his wise Uncle Ben. We have all been given “great power” by God in the form of Time, Talents, and Treasure. Today’s readings remind us that this power is meant to be used for great good. And, that failure to do so has eternal consequences.

Our First Reading is again from the book of Amos. It warns of the danger of complacency. “Thus says the Lord the God of hosts: Woe to the complacent in Zion! Lying upon beds of ivory, stretched comfortably on their couches….” The Lord says that because of the complacency of the people, “They shall be the first to go into exile, and their wanton revelry shall be done away with.”

The tendency towards complacency is perhaps an even greater danger for us in the modern age with so many conveniences (fast food, home automation, Amazon Prime to name a few) and so many possibilities for diversion and entertainment (streaming TV, laptops, iPads, cell phones, and the myriad other devices we all use).

The Lord’s message could not be any clearer — we must get off the couch and put our powers (the many gifts He has given us) to work!

The Second Reading, from St. Paul’s letter to Timothy shows us how to free ourselves of this dangerous complacency we are warned of in the First Reading. Paul instructs us to:“Pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.”
“Compete well for the faith.”
“Lay hold of eternal life, to which [we] were called.” And
“Keep [God’s] commandment without stain or reproach.”


Notice how active St. Paul’s word choices are: “pursue,” “compete,” “lay hold,” and “keep” are the terms he uses to instruct us.

Our Lord Himself gives us a very clear illustration of the urgency for us to put our powers to good use in today’s Gospel Passage from Luke. He tells the rather chilling parable of the rich man who ignored poor Lazarus during their lifetimes. At the moment of the rich man’s death, he goes down to the netherworld while Lazarus is taken to the eternal joy and comfort in the bosom of Abraham. The rich man keenly regrets his complacency towards the needs of Lazarus, but it is too late for regret. His choices have played out and now the rich man will face the consequences of his failure to use the gifts God gave him.

Pursuit of God’s kingdom and care for the poor are not trifling matters. Our Lord makes this clear to us over and over in the Scriptures and the constant teachings of our 2,000-year-old Church. We are free to ignore these teachings and live instead for ourselves. But there will be tragic results for us in the end. And, because we are made for eternity, living selfishly on this earth doesn’t really bring us true happiness anyway.

So how can use our great powers for great good? By embracing a stewardship way of life. By putting God first in all areas of our lives — in the way we spend our time, the ways we share our talents, the ways we use our financial resources. Stewardship living calls us out of our comfort zone and into commitment to the Lord and the things that matter to Him.

Let us examine our lives and make any changes or corrections needed in our priorities so that we can indeed compete well for the faith, pursue righteousness and lay hold of eternal life.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 29th September 2024

First reading
Numbers 11:25-29
If only the whole people of the Lord were prophets!

    The Lord came down in the Cloud. He spoke with Moses, but took some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. When the spirit came on them they prophesied, but not again.

    Two men had stayed back in the camp; one was called Eldad and the other Medad. The spirit came down on them; though they had not gone to the Tent, their names were enrolled among the rest. These began to prophesy in the camp. The young man ran to tell this to Moses, ‘Look,’ he said ‘Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.’ Then said Joshua the son of Nun, who had served Moses from his youth, ‘My Lord Moses, stop them!’ Moses answered him, ‘Are you jealous on my account? If only the whole people of the Lord were prophets, and the Lord gave his Spirit to them all!’

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 18(19):8,10,12-14

The precepts of the Lord gladden the heart.

The law of the Lord is perfect,
    it revives the soul.
The rule of the Lord is to be trusted,
    it gives wisdom to the simple.

The precepts of the Lord gladden the heart.

The fear of the Lord is holy,
    abiding for ever.
The decrees of the Lord are truth
    and all of them just.

The precepts of the Lord gladden the heart.

So in them your servant finds instruction;
    great reward is in their keeping.
But who can detect all his errors?
    From hidden faults acquit me.

The precepts of the Lord gladden the heart.

From presumption restrain your servant
    and let it not rule me.
Then shall I be blameless,
    clean from grave sin.

The precepts of the Lord gladden the heart.

________

Second reading
James 5:1-6
The Lord hears the cries of those you have cheated

    An answer for the rich. Start crying, weep for the miseries that are coming to you. Your wealth is all rotting, your clothes are all eaten up by moths. All your gold and your silver are corroding away, and the same corrosion will be your own sentence, and eat into your body. It was a burning fire that you stored up as your treasure for the last days. Labourers mowed your fields, and you cheated them – listen to the wages that you kept back, calling out; realise that the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. On earth you have had a life of comfort and luxury; in the time of slaughter you went on eating to your heart’s content. It was you who condemned the innocent and killed them; they offered you no resistance.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Jn17:17

Alleluia, alleluia!

Your word is truth, O Lord:
consecrate us in the truth.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Mark 9:38-43,45,47-48
Do not stop anyone from working a miracle in my name

    John said to Jesus, ‘Master, we saw a man who is not one of us casting out devils in your name; and because he was not one of us we tried to stop him.’ But Jesus said, ‘You must not stop him: no one who works a miracle in my name is likely to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us.

    ‘If anyone gives you a cup of water to drink just because you belong to Christ, then I tell you solemnly, he will most certainly not lose his reward.

    ‘But anyone who is an obstacle to bring down one of these little ones who have faith, would be better thrown into the sea with a great millstone round his neck. And if your hand should cause you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life crippled, than to have two hands and go to hell, into the fire that cannot be put out. And if your foot should cause you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life lame, than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye should cause you to sin, tear it out; it is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell where their worm does not die nor their fire go out.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

 

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 29th September 2024

NM 11:25-29; PS 19:8, 10, 12-13, 14; JAS 5:1-6; MK 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

Our readings this week encourage us to not only be good stewards of all that God has given us but also to rejoice in the good stewardship of others.

In our First Reading, a young man approaches Moses to inform him that Eldad and Medad were prophesying in the camp. Joshua, who is Moses’ aide, encourages Moses to stop these men. Moses responds, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the people of the Lord were prophets! Would that the Lord might bestow his spirit on them all!”

Essentially, Moses is telling his men to stop being jealous that others too have the gift of prophecy bestowed on them from the Lord.

A similar situation occurred in our Gospel as John told Jesus about someone driving out demons in His name. John explains that he tried to prevent him since this man doesn’t follow them.

Jesus responds by saying, “Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us.”

Eldad, Medad, and the man driving out demons were all doing the work of God. They had been entrusted with a gift and used it to glorify the Lord. Joshua and John should have responded in joy and appreciation for another’s gifts and talents.

If we apply this scenario to our modern-day lives, we might find it extremely relatable. We oftentimes look at another’s strengths as our weakness whether it be in parish life, in the workforce, or even in our own families. We are left with a bitter heart and a negative attitude when we become jealous of another. And when we view others in this light, we not only diminish their good works but also overlook the gifts God has given to them and us.

Jesus is calling us to cut out those sinful thoughts and attitudes from our lives. The next time we witness someone being a good steward of God’s gifts — rejoice! And continue to examine how you are using your gifts and talents to ensure you are being a good steward of what God has entrusted to you.

We do not want to end up like the rich in our Second Reading from St. James. “Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries…You have lived on earth in luxury and pleasure; you have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter.”

The rich in this reading stored up their riches to the point where they withheld wages from their workers! They clenched tightly to the pleasures and luxuries that the world offers and put it in front of both God and their neighbor. They misused the gifts God bestowed on them.

We must keep this in perspective as we journey on our path as Christian stewards. We do not live for this life, but for the next. We cannot take our fancy pair of shoes, newly renovated house, or our bank accounts to heaven, but we do take our refined hearts.

How do we prepare ourselves for eternal life? It simply starts with being a good steward of what God has given us. It is not bad to have those things; however, we cannot let them rule our hearts. Rather, we are called to share what God has entrusted to us.

He has given us time every day, countless talents, and numerous treasures. Are we using them for His glory?

This week when we witness other people in our lives using the gifts God has given to them, instead of becoming jealous or critical, say a prayer of thanksgiving and take time to reflect on what God has gifted you and how you can offer it to Him for His glory.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 01st October 2023

First reading
Ezekiel 18:25-28
When the sinner renounces sin, he shall certainly live

The word of the Lord was addressed to me as follows: ‘You object, “What the Lord does is unjust.” Listen, you House of Israel: is what I do unjust? Is it not what you do that is unjust? When the upright man renounces his integrity to commit sin and dies because of this, he dies because of the evil that he himself has committed. When the sinner renounces sin to become law-abiding and honest, he deserves to live. He has chosen to renounce all his previous sins; he shall certainly live; he shall not die.’

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 24(25):4-9

Remember your mercy, Lord.

Lord, make me know your ways.
    Lord, teach me your paths.
Make me walk in your truth, and teach me:
    for you are God my saviour.

Remember your mercy, Lord.

Remember your mercy, Lord,
    and the love you have shown from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth.
    In your love remember me,
    because of your goodness, O Lord.

Remember your mercy, Lord.

The Lord is good and upright.
    He shows the path to those who stray,
He guides the humble in the right path,
    He teaches his way to the poor.

Remember your mercy, Lord.

________

Second reading
Philippians 2:1-11
Be united in your love

If our life in Christ means anything to you, if love can persuade at all, or the Spirit that we have in common, or any tenderness and sympathy, then be united in your convictions and united in your love, with a common purpose and a common mind. That is the one thing which would make me completely happy. There must be no competition among you, no conceit; but everybody is to be self-effacing. Always consider the other person to be better than yourself, so that nobody thinks of his own interests first but everybody thinks of other people’s interests instead. In your minds you must be the same as Christ Jesus:

His state was divine,

yet he did not cling

to his equality with God

but emptied himself

to assume the condition of a slave,

and became as men are;

and being as all men are,

he was humbler yet,

even to accepting death,

death on a cross.

But God raised him high

and gave him the name

which is above all other names

so that all beings in the heavens,

on earth and in the underworld,

should bend the knee at the name of Jesus

and that every tongue should acclaim

Jesus Christ as Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Jn14:23

Alleluia, alleluia!

If anyone loves me he will keep my word,
and my Father will love him, 
and we shall come to him.

Alleluia!

Or:
Jn10:27

Alleluia, alleluia!

The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice, 
says the Lord, 
I know them and they follow me.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Matthew 21:28-32
Tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you

Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people, ‘What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He went and said to the first, “My boy, you go and work in the vineyard today.” He answered, “I will not go,” but afterwards thought better of it and went. The man then went and said the same thing to the second who answered, “Certainly, sir,” but did not go. Which of the two did the father’s will?’ ‘The first’ they said. Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you solemnly, tax collectors and prostitutes are making their way into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you, a pattern of true righteousness, but you did not believe him, and yet the tax collectors and prostitutes did. Even after seeing that, you refused to think better of it and believe in him.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 01st October 2023

EZ 18:25-28; PS 25:4-5, 8-10, 14; PHIL 2:1-11 or 2:1-5; MT 21:28-32

Today’s readings challenge the modern-day disciple to imitate more fully both the actions and attitudes of Christ. This is, after all, the point of our stewardship way of life.
 
St. Paul encapsulates the actions and attitudes we must strive for in the Second Reading, from the Letter to the Philippians. “Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but also for those of others.” In other words, Paul continues, “Have in you the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus.” Whether we are at work or school or within our own homes, our actions should be focused on others first in imitation of Christ, Who is always perfectly focused on others. 
 
But there is another reason for seeing others as more important than ourselves, a reason that will help us to become better stewards. It is the recognition that the “others” in my life — whether my spouse and children, my next-door neighbor, or even the co-worker that gets on my last nerve — all these others are gifts from God, to be treasured and nurtured for God’s glory. 
 
And just in case this seems like a bit too much to ask of us, St. Paul gives us another reminder about the Savior we are imitating as we embrace this attitude towards others. “Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave… he humbled Himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Unimaginable humility.
 
We should not be overwhelmed by this high bar, however. Our God is a loving and patient Father. He embraces every faltering step we take in imitation of His Son. Jesus demonstrates this comforting truth through the parable He tells in today’s Gospel from Matthew. It is the story of two sons whose father instructs them to go out and work in his vineyard that day. The second son gives the right answer, right away: “Yes, sir.” But he does not follow through. Despite the lip service, he has failed to follow his father’s will.
 
The first son just can’t seem to get on board with his father’s command. He responds, “I will not.” At least he is honest! And this honest, less-than-perfect response should be consoling to us Christian stewards. Haven’t we all felt this way at times when God’s will for us seems to be just too hard? We can be honest with God at these times. He knows already, after all. But when we stayed engaged in a real relationship with Him, even if it’s just to say, “I don’t think I can, Lord,” He will supply us with just the grace we need to change our minds and do what He is asking us to do. 
 
We are called to a high and holy standard — living as Christ’s disciples every day and with every person the Lord places in our path. But we can move towards this goal in “baby steps.” We can even take a step backward from time to time because our Father is merciful and kind. What matters is that we keep baby stepping along, assured of the grace we need to more closely imitate the actions and attitudes of Christ. This is the beauty of the stewardship way of life.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 25th September 2022

AM 6:1A, 4-7; PS 146:7-10;1 TM 6:11-16; LK 16:19-31

“With great power comes great responsibility.” So goes the iconic line from the 2002 Spider-Man film in a poignant scene with Peter Parker and his wise Uncle Ben. We have all been given “great power” by God in the form of Time, Talents, and Treasure. Today’s readings remind us that this power is meant to be used for great good. And, that failure to do so has eternal consequences.
 
Our First Reading is again from the book of Amos. It warns of the danger of complacency. “Thus says the Lord the God of hosts: Woe to the complacent in Zion! Lying upon beds of ivory, stretched comfortably on their couches….” The Lord says that because of the complacency of the people, “They shall be the first to go into exile, and their wanton revelry shall be done away with.” 
 
The tendency towards complacency is perhaps an even greater danger for us in the modern age with so many conveniences (fast food, remote controls, Amazon prime to name a few) and so many possibilities for diversion and entertainment (cable tv, laptops, iPads, cell phones, and the myriad other devices we all use).

The Lord’s message could not be any clearer — we must get off the couch and put our powers (the many gifts He has given us) to work!
 
The Second Reading, from St. Paul’s letter to Timothy shows us how to free ourselves of this dangerous complacency we are warned of in the First Reading. 

Paul instructs us to:

• “Pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.
• “Compete well for the faith.”
• “Lay hold of eternal life, to which [we] were called.” And 
• “Keep [God’s] commandment without stain or reproach.”

Notice how active St. Paul’s word choices are: “pursue,” “compete,” “lay hold,” and “keep” are the terms he uses to instruct us.
 
Our Lord Himself gives us a very clear illustration of the urgency for us to put our powers to good use in today’s Gospel Passage from Luke. He tells the rather chilling parable of the rich man who ignored poor Lazarus during their lifetimes. At the moment of the rich man’s death, he goes down to the netherworld while Lazarus is taken to the eternal joy and comfort in the bosom of Abraham. The rich man keenly regrets his complacency towards the needs of Lazarus, but it is too late for regret. His choices have played out and now the rich man will face the consequences of his failure to use the gifts God gave him.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 25th September 2022

First reading
Amos 6:1,4-7
Woe to those who live in luxury

The almighty Lord says this:

Woe to those ensconced so snugly in Zion
and to those who feel so safe on the mountain of Samaria,
those famous men of this first of nations
to whom the House of Israel goes as client.
Lying on ivory beds
and sprawling on their divans,
they dine on lambs from the flock,
and stall-fattened veal;
they bawl to the sound of the harp,
they invent new instruments of music like David,
they drink wine by the bowlful,
and use the finest oil for anointing themselves,
but about the ruin of Joseph they do not care at all.
That is why they will be the first to be exiled;
the sprawlers’ revelry is over.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 145(146):7-10

My soul, give praise to the Lord.

It is the Lord who keeps faith for ever,
    who is just to those who are oppressed.
It is he who gives bread to the hungry,
    the Lord, who sets prisoners free.

My soul, give praise to the Lord.

It is the Lord who gives sight to the blind,
    who raises up those who are bowed down.
It is the Lord who loves the just,
    the Lord, who protects the stranger.

My soul, give praise to the Lord.

The Lord upholds the widow and orphan
    but thwarts the path of the wicked.
The Lord will reign for ever,
    Zion’s God, from age to age.

My soul, give praise to the Lord.

________

Second reading
1 Timothy 6:11-16
Do all that you have been told, until the Appearing of the Lord

    As a man dedicated to God, you must aim to be saintly and religious, filled with faith and love, patient and gentle. Fight the good fight of the faith and win for yourself the eternal life to which you were called when you made your profession and spoke up for the truth in front of many witnesses. Now, before God the source of all life and before Christ, who spoke up as a witness for the truth in front of Pontius Pilate, I put to you the duty of doing all that you have been told, with no faults or failures, until the Appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,who at the due time will be revealed
by God, the blessed and only Ruler of all, the King of kings and the Lord of lords,
who alone is immortal, whose home is in inaccessible light,
whom no man has seen and no man is able to see:
to him be honour and everlasting power. Amen.

The word of the Lord

__________

Gospel Acclamation
Jn10:27

Alleluia, alleluia!

The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice, 
says the Lord, 
I know them and they follow me.

Alleluia!

Or:
2Co8:9

Alleluia, alleluia!

Jesus Christ was rich,
but he became poor for your sake,
to make you rich out of his poverty.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Luke 16:19-31
Dives and Lazarus

    Jesus said to the Pharisees: ‘There was a rich man who used to dress in purple and fine linen and feast magnificently every day. And at his gate there lay a poor man called Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to fill himself with the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. Dogs even came and licked his sores. Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried.

    ‘In his torment in Hades he looked up and saw Abraham a long way off with Lazarus in his bosom. So he cried out, “Father Abraham, pity me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in agony in these flames.” “My son,” Abraham replied “remember that during your life good things came your way, just as bad things came the way of Lazarus. Now he is being comforted here while you are in agony. But that is not all: between us and you a great gulf has been fixed, to stop anyone, if he wanted to, crossing from our side to yours, and to stop any crossing from your side to ours.”

    ‘The rich man replied, “Father, I beg you then to send Lazarus to my father’s house, since I have five brothers, to give them warning so that they do not come to this place of torment too.” “They have Moses and the prophets,” said Abraham “let them listen to them.” “Ah no, father Abraham,” said the rich man “but if someone comes to them from the dead, they will repent.” Then Abraham said to him, “If they will not listen either to Moses or to the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone should rise from the dead.”’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 26th September 2021

Our readings this week encourage us to not only be good stewards of all that God has given us but also to rejoice in the good stewardship of others.    In our First Reading, a young man approaches Moses to inform him that Eldad and Medad were prophesying in the camp. Joshua, who is Moses’ aide, encourages Moses to stop these men. Moses responds, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the people of the Lord were prophets! Would that the Lord might bestow his spirit on them all!”   Essentially, Moses is telling his men to stop being jealous that others too have the gift of prophecy bestowed on them from the Lord.    A similar situation occurred in our Gospel as John told Jesus about someone driving out demons in His name. John explains that he tried to prevent him since this man doesn’t follow them.    Jesus responds by saying, “Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us.”    Eldad, Medad, and the man driving out demons were all doing the work of God. They had been entrusted with a gift and used it to glorify the Lord. Joshua and John should have responded in joy and appreciation for another’s gifts and talents.    If we apply this scenario to our modern-day lives, we might find it extremely relatable. We oftentimes look at another’s strengths as our weakness whether it be in parish life, in the workforce, or even in our own families. We are left with a bitter heart and a negative attitude when we become jealous of another. And when we view others in this light, we not only diminish their good works but also overlook the gifts God has given to them and us.    Jesus is calling us to cut out those sinful thoughts and attitudes from our lives. The next time we witness someone being a good steward of God’s gifts — rejoice! And continue to examine how you are using your gifts and talents to ensure you are being a good steward of what God has entrusted to you.    We do not want to end up like the rich in our Second Reading from St. James. “Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries…You have lived on earth in luxury and pleasure; you have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter.”   The rich in this reading stored up their riches to the point where they withheld wages from their workers! They clenched tightly to the pleasures and luxuries that the world offers and put it in front of both God and their neighbor. They misused the gifts God bestowed on them.    We must keep this in perspective as we journey on our path as Christian stewards. We do not live for this life, but for the next. We cannot take our fancy pair of shoes, newly renovated house, or our bank accounts to heaven, but we do take our refined hearts.    How do we prepare ourselves for eternal life? It simply starts with being a good steward of what God has given us. It is not bad to have those things; however, we cannot let them rule our hearts. Rather, we are called to share what God has entrusted to us.    He has given us time every day, countless talents, and numerous treasures. Are we using them for His glory?   This week when we witness other people in our lives using the gifts God has given to them, instead of becoming jealous or critical, say a prayer of thanksgiving and take time to reflect on what God has gifted you and how you can offer it to Him for His glory.

The Liturgy of the Word: Sunday - 26 September 2021

First reading
Numbers 11:25-29 ·

If only the whole people of the Lord were prophets!

The Lord came down in the Cloud. He spoke with Moses, but took some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. When the spirit came on them they prophesied, but not again.

  Two men had stayed back in the camp; one was called Eldad and the other Medad. The spirit came down on them; though they had not gone to the Tent, their names were enrolled among the rest. These began to prophesy in the camp. The young man ran to tell this to Moses, ‘Look,’ he said ‘Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.’ Then said Joshua the son of Nun, who had served Moses from his youth, ‘My Lord Moses, stop them!’ Moses answered him, ‘Are you jealous on my account? If only the whole people of the Lord were prophets, and the Lord gave his Spirit to them all!’

The word of the Lord.

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Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 18(19):8,10,12-14

The precepts of the Lord gladden the heart.

The law of the Lord is perfect,

  it revives the soul.

The rule of the Lord is to be trusted,

  it gives wisdom to the simple.

The precepts of the Lord gladden the heart.

The fear of the Lord is holy,

  abiding for ever.

The decrees of the Lord are truth

  and all of them just.

The precepts of the Lord gladden the heart.

So in them your servant finds instruction;

  great reward is in their keeping.

But who can detect all his errors?

  From hidden faults acquit me.

The precepts of the Lord gladden the heart.

From presumption restrain your servant

  and let it not rule me.

Then shall I be blameless,

  clean from grave sin.

The precepts of the Lord gladden the heart.

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Second reading	James 5:1-6 ·

The Lord hears the cries of those you have cheated

An answer for the rich. Start crying, weep for the miseries that are coming to you. Your wealth is all rotting, your clothes are all eaten up by moths. All your gold and your silver are corroding away, and the same corrosion will be your own sentence, and eat into your body. It was a burning fire that you stored up as your treasure for the last days. Labourers mowed your fields, and you cheated them – listen to the wages that you kept back, calling out; realise that the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. On earth you have had a life of comfort and luxury; in the time of slaughter you went on eating to your heart’s content. It was you who condemned the innocent and killed them; they offered you no resistance.

The word of the Lord.

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Gospel Acclamation	Jn17:17

Alleluia, alleluia!

Your word is truth, O Lord:

consecrate us in the truth.

Alleluia!

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Gospel
Mark 9:38-43,45,47-48

Do not stop anyone from working a miracle in my name

John said to Jesus, ‘Master, we saw a man who is not one of us casting out devils in your name; and because he was not one of us we tried to stop him.’ But Jesus said, ‘You must not stop him: no one who works a miracle in my name is likely to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us.

  ‘If anyone gives you a cup of water to drink just because you belong to Christ, then I tell you solemnly, he will most certainly not lose his reward.

  ‘But anyone who is an obstacle to bring down one of these little ones who have faith, would be better thrown into the sea with a great millstone round his neck. And if your hand should cause you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life crippled, than to have two hands and go to hell, into the fire that cannot be put out. And if your foot should cause you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life lame, than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye should cause you to sin, tear it out; it is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell where their worm does not die nor their fire go out.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Reflection On Readings - Sunday, 27th September 2020

 EZ 18:25-28; PS 25:4-5, 8-10, 14; PHIL 2:1-11 or 2:1-5; MT 21:28-32

Today’s readings challenge the modern-day disciple to imitate more fully both the actions and attitudes of Christ. This is, after all, the point of our stewardship way of life.

St. Paul encapsulates the actions and attitudes we must strive for in the Second Reading, from the Letter to the Philippians. “Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but also for those of others.” In other words, Paul continues, “Have in you the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus.” Whether we are at work or school or within our own homes, our actions should be focused on others first in imitation of Christ, Who is always perfectly focused on others. 

But there is another reason for seeing others as more important than ourselves, a reason that will help us to become better stewards. It is the recognition that the “others” in my life — whether my spouse and children, my next-door neighbor, or even the co-worker that gets on my last nerve — all these others are gifts from God, to be treasured and nurtured for God’s glory. 

And just in case this seems like a bit too much to ask of us, St. Paul gives us another reminder about the Savior we are imitating as we embrace this attitude towards others. “Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave… he humbled Himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Unimaginable humility.

We should not be overwhelmed by this high bar, however. Our God is a loving and patient Father. He embraces every faltering step we take in imitation of His Son. Jesus demonstrates this comforting truth through the parable He tells in today’s Gospel from Matthew. It is the story of two sons whose father instructs them to go out and work in his vineyard that day. The second son gives the right answer, right away: “Yes, sir.” But he does not follow through. Despite the lip service, he has failed to follow his father’s will.

The first son just can’t seem to get on board with his father’s command. He responds, “I will not.” At least he is honest! And this honest, less-than-perfect response should be consoling to us Christian stewards. Haven’t we all felt this way at times when God’s will for us seems to be just too hard? We can be honest with God at these times. He knows already, after all. But when we stayed engaged in a real relationship with Him, even if it’s just to say, “I don’t think I can, Lord,” He will supply us with just the grace we need to change our minds and do what He is asking us to do. 

We are called to a high and holy standard — living as Christ’s disciples every day and with every person the Lord places in our path. But we can move towards this goal in “baby steps.” We can even take a step backward from time to time because our Father is merciful and kind. What matters is that we keep baby-stepping along, assured of the grace we need to more closely imitate the actions and attitudes of Christ. This is the beauty of the stewardship way of life.

Mass Readings: Sunday, 27th September 2020

FIRST READING
A reading from the book of Ezekiel 18:25-28
When the sinner renounces sin, he shall certainly live.

The word of the Lord was addressed to me as follows: You object,
“What the Lord does is unjust”.
Listen, you House of Israel: is what I do unjust? Is it not what you do
that is unjust?
When the upright man renounces his integrity to commit sin and dies
because of this,he dies because of the evil that he himself has
committed.
When the sinner renounces sin to become law-abiding and honest,
he deserves to live. He has chosen to renounce all his previous sins;
he shall certainly live; he shall not die.

The Word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 24

Response:  Remember your mercy, Lord.

1. Lord, make me know your ways.
Lord, teach me your paths.
Make me walk in your truth, and teach me:
for you are God my saviour.

2. Remember your mercy, Lord,
and the love you have shown from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth.
In your love remember me,
because of your goodness, O Lord.

3. The Lord is good and upright.
He shows the path to those who stray,
he guides the humble in the right path;
he teaches his way to the poor.

SECOND READING
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Philippians 2:1-11
In your minds you must be the same as Christ Jesus.

If our life in Christ means anything to you, if love can persuade at all,
or the Spirit that we have in common, or any tenderness and
sympathy, then be united in your convictions and united in your love,
with a common purpose and a common mind. That is the one thing
which would make me completely happy. There must be no
competition among you, no conceit; but everybody is to be selfeffacing.
Always consider the other person to be better than
yourself, So that nobody thinks of his own interests first but everybody
thinks of other s people’s interests instead. In your minds you must be
the same as Christ Jesus:
His state was divine,
yet he did not cling
to his equality with God but emptied himself
to assume the condition of a slave,
and became as men are;
and being as all men are,
he was humbler yet,
even to accepting death,
death on a cross.
But God raised him high
and gave him the name
which is above all other names
so that all beings
in the heavens, on earth and in the underworld,
should bend the knee at the name of Jesus
and that every tongue should acclaim Jesus Christ as Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

The Word of the Lord.
_______________________________________________________

Alternative shorter
SECOND READING
A reading from the letter to the Philippians 2:1-5
In your minds you must be the same as Christ Jesus.

If our life in Christ means anything to you, if love can persuade at all,
or the Spirit that we have in common, or any tenderness and
sympathy, then be united in your convictions and united in your love,
with a common purpose and a common mind. That is the one thing
which would make me completely happy. There must be no
competition among you, no conceit; but everybody is to be selfeffacing.
Always consider the other person to be better than
yourself, So that nobody thinks of his own interests first but everybody
thinks of other s people’s interests instead. In your minds you must be
the same as Christ Jesus.

The Word of the Lord.
________________________________________________________

Gospel Acclamation Jn 14: 23

Alleluia, alleluia!

If anyone loves me he will keep my word,
and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him.
Alleluia!

or Jn 10: 27

Alleluia, alleluia!
The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice, says the Lord,
I know them and they follow me.
Alleluia!

GOSPEL
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 21:28-32
Afterwards he thought better of it and went, tax collectors and
prostitutes are making their way into the kingdom of God before
you.

Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people: ‘What is
your opinion?
A man had two sons. He went and said to the first, “My boy, you go
and work in the vineyard today”.
He answered, “I will not go”, but afterwards thought better of it and
went.
The man then went and said the same thing to the second who
answered, “Certainly, sir”, but did not go.
Which of the two did the father’s will?’ ‘The first’ they said.
Jesus said to them,
‘I tell you solemnly, tax collectors and prostitutes are making their
way into the kingdom of God before you.
For John came to you, a pattern of true righteousness, but you did
not believe him, and yet the tax collectors and prostitutes did.
Even after seeing that, you refused to think better of it and believe in
him.

The Gospel of the Lord.