Twenty-second
Sunday in Ordinary Time
August
31, 2025 Cycle C
Green
priestly vestments symbolize hope and the vitality of the life
of faith.
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Liturgical Year Cycle C 2024-2025
Introductory
Acts Of Worship
The
Entrance Prayers:
On
Sunday, usually a hymn praising God is sung in place of
reciting a Psalm from the Bible which invites us to enter
more deeply into the mystery of God's love for us. The
recited weekday Psalm expresses a youthful heart and spirit,
delighted that we may come before the living God.
Entrance
Song / Entrance Psalm (Antiphon)
Psalm
86:3, 530
Have mercy
on me, O Lord, for I cry to you all the day long. O Lord,
you are good and forgiving, full of mercy to all who call to
you.
The
Priest Approaches and Kisses the Altar: The
altar is a symbol of Christ. In it are cut five
crosses to recall the five wounds of Christ. The altar
also represents the Church and has embedded in it the relics
of her saints. The priest comes to the altar to
celebrate the Sacrifice in the Church's name. Because
of the glory surrounding the altar upon which the divine
Sacrifice will be made, the kiss of the priest unites the
Church to Christ, its Redeemer.
Priest:
In the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
All:
Amen.
Priest: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the
love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you
all.
All: And with your spirit.
The
Penitential Prayers:
We
recognize our guilt for past sins, express our sorrow for
them, and ask that Mary, the angels, the saints, and our
brothers and sisters in Christ pray for the Lord God's
mercy. (The priest may select from several forms).
Priest:
Brothers
and sisters, let us acknowledge our sins, and so prepare
ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.
Priest / All: 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.
The
Absolution:
Priest:
May
almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us
to everlasting life.
All:
Amen.
The
Gloria: The
Glory of God prayers have existed from the second
century. They repeat the angels praise of God which
heralded the birth of Christ on earth. Our praise is
lifted again through the years as we rejoice at His coming
as Lord, God, the most high Jesus Christ, who at Christmas
took on our human nature while at the same time being the
son of Man. This ancient hymn expresses our recognition of
God's glory and love. It calls upon Christ as our holy
and divine mediator, and the Holy Spirit who forever binds
us together in God's love.
Priest
and All: Glory
to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship
you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of
God, you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us; you
are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our
prayer. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the
Lord, you alone are the most high Jesus Christ, with the Holy
Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
The
Collect:
The
priest lifts the united prayers and petitions of the
congregation to God the Father through the merits of Jesus
Christ in the Holy Spirit.
Priest:
Let us
pray.
Priest: God of might, giver of every good
gift, put into our hearts the love of your name, so that, by
deepening our sense of reverence, you may nurture in us what is
good and, by your watchful care, keep safe what you have
nurtured. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who
lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one
God, forever and ever.
Liturgy
of the Word
Christ
is made known to us through the Old Testament which prepares
us to recognize Him. In those days, God inspired men
who spoke His message. Now, the New Testament Gospel
reading announces His presence to us directly through His
Son. Both readings bring God's message to us.
Our responsibility is to respond.
The
First Reading: From
the Old Testament.
Sirach
3:17-18, 20, 28-29
My child,
conduct your affairs with humility, and you will be loved more
than a giver of gifts. Humble yourself the more, the
greater you are, and you will find favor with God. What is
too sublime for you, seek not, into things beyond your strength
search not. The mind of a sage appreciates proverbs, and
an attentive ear is the joy of the wise. Water quenches a
flaming fire, and alms atone for sins.
Priest/Reader:
The
Word of the Lord.
All:
Thanks
be to God.
The
Responsorial Psalm: This
Psalm praising God, is a prayer to God, or recommends the
practice of virtue. It is sung as an interlude between
the scriptural readings. It provides yet another
instructional setting and invites the assembly to imitate
the cantor who sings a repeated response to the verses of an
ancient Psalm many of which are attributed to King
David. The verses are sung first by a cantor (song
leader) accompanied by instruments, the refrain is sung by
the people.
Responsorial
Psalm 68:4-5, 6-7, 10-11
Cantor: God, in
your goodness, you have made a home for the poor.
All R/: God, in your goodness, you have made a
home for the poor.
Cantor: The just rejoice and exult before God; they
are glad and rejoice. Sing to God, chant praise to his
name, whose name is the lord.
All R/: God, in your goodness, you have made a
home for the poor.
Cantor: The father of orphans and the defender of
widows is God in his holy dwelling. God gives a home to
the forsaken; he leads forth prisoners to prosperity.
All R/: God, in your goodness, you have made a home
for the poor.
Cantor: A bountiful rain you showered down, O God,
upon your inheritance; you restored the land when it languished;
your flock settled in it; in your goodness, O God, you
provided it for the needy.
All R/: God, in your goodness, you have made a
home for the poor.
The Second Reading: Taken
from the New Testament.
Second
Reading Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24a
Brothers
and sisters: You have not approached that which could be
touched and a blazing fire and gloomy darkness and storm and a
trumpet blast and a voice speaking words such that those who
heard begged that no message be further addressed to them.
No, you have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living
God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and countless angels in festal
gathering, and the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven,
and God the judge of all, and the spirits of the just made
perfect, and Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and the
sprinkled blood that speaks more eloquently than that of Abel.
The
Alleluia: An
ancient expression of joy anticipating the Lord's message we
will hear in the Gospel.
Matthew
11:29ab
Cantor: Alleluia!
Alleluia! Alleluia!
All: R/. Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia!
Cantor: Take my yoke upon you, says the
Lord, and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart.
All: R/. Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia!
The
Gospel: The
Liturgy of the Word is completed by the reading of the
Gospel. Before its reading, the members of the
assembly trace the sign of the cross upon the forehead to
indicate their mental acceptance of the Truth, on the lips
to indicate their readiness to announce it, and over the
heart to indicate their sincere desire to accept it into
their lives. The "Good News" of the Gospel tells that
God's kingdom has come for all to hear, accept, and announce
to the world for its salvation. It is God who is
speaking to us. Christ comes to teach us by the
example of His life and by His own words.
Gospel
Luke 14:1, 7-14
Luke wrote
to explain that
Christ
came to save everyone.
Priest: The
Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise
to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
The
Priest's Sermon: The
priest develops, explains, and comments upon the Master's
words, so our minds may be enlightened, and our hearts
enriched.
(A
priestly reflection upon this Gospel)
Profession
of Faith:
We state
in the Nicene Creed the principles of our faith in precise
and definite terms.
All: I
believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven
and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. I believe in
one Lord, Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of
the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from
Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made,
consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were
made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from
heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary
and became man. For our sake he was crucified under
Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried and rose again
on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He
ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the
Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living
and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. I believe
in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds
from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is
adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I
confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look for
the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to
come. Amen.
General
Intercessions: We pray
for the needs of the pope, civic leaders, our own needs,
those of others, the sick, the dying, those who have died,
the church, and the world. The response of all to each
intercession: Lord hear our prayer.
All: Lord,
hear our prayer.
The
Liturgy of the Eucharist
Gifts of
bread and wine symbolizing ourselves are presented to the
priest who will offer them to God the Father. Through
the Holy Spirit, they will become the Body and Blood of
Jesus Christ whom we receive in Holy Communion. Jesus
unites Himself with us for our spiritual nourishment and
strength. Today, when individuals do not present their
own personal offerings of bread and wine, the monetary
contribution symbolizes the material of their united
sacrifice. The priest makes and offering of the bread
and wine to God.
Preparation
of the Bread and Wine:
Priest: Blessed
are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we
have received the bread we offer you: fruit of the earth and
work of human hands, it will become for us the bread of
life.
All:
Blessed
be God for ever.
Priest: By the
mystery of this water and wine may we come to share in the
divinity of Christ, who humbled himself to share in our
humanity.
Priest: Blessed
are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we
have received the wine we offer you; fruit of the vine and work
of human hands it will become our spiritual drink.
All: Blessed
be God for ever.
Priest: With
humble spirit and contrite heart may we be accepted by you, O
Lord, and may our sacrifice in your sight this day be pleasing
to you, Lord God.
The
Priest's Hands are Washed: This act
was traditionally necessary because the priest handled the
various gifts presented by the people. Now, the
cleansing act using water reminds the priest and ourselves
of the need to cleanse not only the hands but the
soul. Soon, the priest's hands will hold the actual
body of Christ, and we will become His dwelling
place.
Priest: Wash me
O Lord, from m iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
Pray, brethren, that my sacrifice and yours may be
acceptable to God, the almighty Father.
All: May the
Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory
of his name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church.
Prayer
over the Gifts:
Speaking
in our name, the priest asks the Father to accept the gifts
we offer through him.
Priest:
May
this sacred offering, O Lord, confer on us always the blessing
of salvation, that what it celebrates in mystery it may
accomplish in power. Through Christ our Lord.
Eucharistic
Prayer: (Number
Four: The priest may select from several forms).
Priest: The
Lord be with you.
All: And
with your spirit.
Priest: Lift up
your hearts.
All: We lift
them up to the Lord.
Priest: Let us
give thanks to the Lord, our God.
All: It is right
and just.
Preface
Prayer:
Priest: It
is truly right to give you thanks, truly just to give you glory,
Father most holy, for you are the one God living and true,
existing before all ages and abiding for all eternity, dwelling
in unapproachable light; yet you, who alone are good, the source
of life, have made all that is, so that you might fill your
creatures with blessings and bring joy to many of them by the
glory of your light.
And so, in
your presence are countless hosts of Angels, who serve you day
and night and, gazing upon the glory of your face, glorify you
without ceasing.
With them
we, too, confess your name in exultation, giving voice to every
creature under heaven, as we acclaim:
Acclamation:
Priest
and All: Holy,
Holy, Holy Lord, God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full
of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who
comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
Priest:
We give
you praise, Father most holy, for you are great and you have
fashioned all your works in wisdom and in love. You formed
man in your own image and entrusted the whole world to his care,
so that in serving you alone, the Creator, he might have
dominion over all creatures. And when through disobedience
he had lost your friendship, you did not abandon him to the
domain of death. For you came in mercy to the aid of all,
so that those who seek might find you. Time and again you
offered them covenants and through the prophets taught them to
look forward to salvation.
And you so
loved the world, Father most holy, that in the fullness of time
you sent your Only Begotten Son to be our Savior. Made
incarnate by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, he
shared our human nature in all things but sin. To the poor
he proclaimed the good news of salvation, to prisoners, freedom,
and to the sorrowful of heart, joy. To accomplish your
plan, he gave himself up to death, and, rising from the dead, he
destroyed death and restored life.
And that we
might live no longer for ourselves but for him who died and rose
again for us, he sent the Holy Spirit from you, Father, as the
first fruits for those who believe, so that, bringing to
perfection his work in the world, he might sanctify creation to
the full.
Priest:
Therefore,
O Lord, we pray, may this same Holy Spirit graciously sanctify
these offerings, that they may become the Body and Blood of our
Lord Jesus Christ for the celebration of this great mystery,
which he himself left us as an eternal covenant.
The
priest repeats the words which Christ used at his Last
Supper when He changed the bread into His Body and the wine
into His Blood. His Body and Blood are truly present
but under the appearance of bread and wine. The death
of Christ is prolonged in each of those who receive Him
worthily. We apply His death to ourselves so that we
may share His glory. This moment is the most solemn on
earth because it is Divine act which enables us to apply to
ourselves the Cross which Christ willingly took upon
Himself.
We are
called to die to sin and lift our very selves to God so that
we become changed; to do as God would have us do, to become
what God would have us become. Our own little cross
can lift us into union with Christ's Cross so we may earn
the joys of everlasting happiness with God the Father.
The Lord's Supper: For
when the hour had come for him to be glorified by you, Father
most holy, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved
them to the end: and while they were at supper, he took bread,
blessed and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take
this, all of you and eat of it: this is my Body which will
be given up for you.
In a
similar way, taking the chalice filled with the fruit of the
vine, he gave thanks, and gave the chalice to his disciples,
saying:
Take this, all of you, and drink from it; for this is the
chalice of my Blood, the Blood of the new and eternal
covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for
the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me.
Memorial
Acclamation: (The
priest may select from several forms).
Priest: The
mystery of faith.
Priest / All: When we
eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O
Lord, until you come again.
Memorial
Prayer: (The
priest may select from several forms).
Priest:
Recalls
Christ's Passion, Resurrection, Ascension, the Church, the
dead, and ourselves.
Therefore,
O Lord, as we celebrate the memorial of our redemption, we
remember Christ's Death and his descent to the realm of the
dead, we proclaim his resurrection and his Ascension to your
right hand, and, as we await his coming in glory, we offer you
his Body and Blood, the sacrifice acceptable to you which brings
salvation to the whole world.
Look, O
Lord, upon the Sacrifice which you yourself have provided for
your Church, and grant in your loving kindness to all who
partake of this one Bread and one Chalice that, gathered into
one body by the Holy Spirit, they may truly become a living
sacrifice in Christ to the praise of your glory.
Therefore,
Lord, remember now all for whom we offer this sacrifice:
especially your servant _____ our Pope, _____ our Bishop, and
the whole Order of Bishops, all the clergy, those who take part
in this offering, those gathered here before you, your entire
people, and all who seek you with a sincere heart.
Remember also those who have died in the peace of your Christ
and all the dead, whose faith you alone have known.
To all of
us, your children, grant, O merciful Father, that we may enter
into a heavenly inheritance with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother
of God, with blessed Joseph, her Spouse, and with your Apostles
and Saints in your kingdom. There, with the whole of
creation, freed from the corruption of sin and death, may we
glorify you through Christ our Lord, through whom you bestow on
the world all that is good.
Doxology:
Prayer
of Praise:
Through
him, with him, and in him, O God, almighty Father, in the unity
of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, for ever and
ever.
All:
Amen.
Communion
Rite
In the
Liturgy of the Eucharist, we symbolically offer ourselves to
the Lord through the gifts of bread and wine. At the
Consecration, we offer our very lives to be united the God
the Father through the Cross of Christ. In Communion,
we find that we have not died at all; but have come to
life. We have surrendered ourselves to God through His
Divine Son, Jesus Christ. In return, we become
ennobled and enriched. We give up time and we get
eternity, we give up our sin and we receive grace, we
surrender our self-will and receive the strength of the
Divine Will, we give up ourselves and we receive
everything. For the Son of God says to us that unless
we receive Him, we shall not have Divine life in us.
But it is not really we who receive Christ, as it is Christ
who receives us, bringing us into Himself.
God
makes His Cross the very means of our salvation and our
life. While we have crucified Him, His eternal love
cannot be extinguished. Christ willed to give us the
very life we crucified in our Redemption, the Consecration
of Holy Thursday into Communion, His death into our
everlasting life.
The
Lord's Prayer:
Priest:
At the
Savior's command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say:
Priest
and All: Our
Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be they name; Thy kingdom
come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as
we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Priest:
Deliver us,
Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our
days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free
from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed
hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
All:
For the
kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and forever.
Prayer
for Peace:
Priest:
Lord Jesus
Christ, who said to your Apostles: Peace I leave you, my peace I
give you, look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church,
and graciously grant her peace and unity in accordance with your
will. Who live and reign for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
Priest:
The peace
of the Lord be with you always.
All: And with your spirit.
Priest: Let us offer each other the sign of
peace.
Breaking
of the Bread:
Priest:
May
this mingling of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ
bring eternal life to us who receive it.
Priest
and All: Lamb of
God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have
mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant
us peace.
Priestly
Preparation: May the
receiving of your Body and Blood, Lord Jesus Christ, not bring
me to judgment and condemnation, but through your loving mercy
be for me protection in mind and body and a healing remedy.
All: Amen
Priest: Behold
the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the
world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.
Priest
and All: Lord, I
am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say
the word and my soul shall be healed.
Priest: May the
Body of Christ keep me safe for eternal life.
May the Blood of Christ keep me safe for eternal life.
Communion
Antiphon
Psalm
31:20
How great
is the goodness, Lord, that you keep for those who fear you.
Communion
of the Faithful:
Priest: The
Body of Christ.
The
Faithful: Amen.
Priest/Deacon/
Extraordinary Eucharistic Minister: The
Blood of Christ.
The Faithful: Amen.
Cleansing
of the Vessels:
Priest:
What
has passed our lips as food, O Lord, may we possess in purity of
heart, that what has been given to us in time may be our healing
for eternity.
Prayer
after Communion:
Priest: Let us
pray.
Priest: Renewed
by this bread from the heavenly table, we beseech you, Lord,
that, being the food of charity, it may confirm our hearts and
stir us to serve you in our neighbor. Through Christ our
Lord.
All: Amen.
Concluding
Rite
Greeting
Priest: The
Lord be with you.
All: And with
your spirit.
Priest: Bow down
for the blessing.
Blessing: (The
priest may select from several forms)
Priest:
May the
peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your
hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his
son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
All: Amen.
Final
Blessing:
Priest:
And may the
blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy
Spirit, come down on you and remain with you forever.
All: Amen.
Dismissal
Prayer:
O my
Jesus, forgive us our sins.