Tag: Fix your thoughts

28th Ordinary Sunday: Is 25:6-10; Ps 23:1-6; Phil 4:12-14, 19-20; Mt 22:1-14 ~ Come to the banquet!

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening prayer:

God of goodness and kindness – You invite all people to the banquet and offer them a feast beyond compare. Give us Your saving grace to keep unstained the white robe of our baptism until that day when You welcome us to heaven’s joyful table. We ask this 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.
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A Reading from the Old testament: Isaiah 25:6-10 (NLT)

In Jerusalem, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will spread a wonderful feast for all the people of the world. It will be a delicious banquet with clear, well-aged wine and choice meat. There he will remove the cloud of gloom, the shadow of death that hangs over the earth. He will swallow up death forever! The Sovereign Lord will wipe away all tears. He will remove forever all insults and mockery against his land and people. The Lord has spoken!

In that day the people will proclaim, “This is our God! We trusted in him, and he saved us! This is the Lord, in whom we trusted. Let us rejoice in the salvation he brings!” For the Lord’s hand of blessing will rest on Jerusalem.
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A Reading from the Psalms: Psalm 23:1-6 (NLT)

The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.

He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.

Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.

You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.

Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.
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A Reading from the Letters: Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20 (NLT)

I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty.
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And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen.
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A Reading from the Gospels: Matthew 22:1-14 (NLT)

Chalice on the altar with crucifix in background. Lower chapel of Our Lady of Mercy church, Hicksville, New York. Reference image 2142 taken January 15, 2006 by John Archer.
Chalice on the altar with crucifix in background. Lower chapel of Our Lady of Mercy church, Hicksville, New York. Image taken January 15, 2006 by John Archer.

Jesus also told them other parables. He said, “The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited. But they all refused to come!

“So he sent other servants to tell them, ‘The feast has been prepared. The bulls and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the banquet!’ But the guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way, one to his farm, another to his business. Others seized his messengers and insulted them and killed them.

“The king was furious, and he sent out his army to destroy the murderers and burn their town. And he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, and the guests I invited aren’t worthy of the honor. Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see.’ So the servants brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike, and the banquet hall was filled with guests.

“But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?’ But the man had no reply. Then the king said to his aides, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

“For many are called, but few are chosen.”
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Intercessions:

Gracious God, who gently shepherds all the flock, hear our prayers –

+ For Christians everywhere — that our belief in life after death may sustain us in difficult times…. Lord, hear us.

+ For those who care for the bereaved — that their own faith in the resurrection may sustain them…. Lord, hear us.

+ For people who live with violence — that the Lord may grant peace to those parts of the world most battered by war…. Lord, hear us.

+ For each one of us in our everyday lives — that we may encourage one another and reflect Your peace and joy…. Lord, hear us.

+ For couples preparing for marriage — that the gentle shepherd may lead them along right paths…. Lord, hear us.

+ For Christian families everywhere – that the peace of Christ and the love of Christ might be a daily reality…. Lord, hear us.

+ For those who have died – that a place at the heavenly banquet may be theirs…. Lord, hear us.

God our shepherd, You invite us to Your table in heaven: give us the grace we need on our journey there, we pray, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Benediction:

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

27th Ordinary Sunday: Isa 5:1-7; Psa 80:9, 12-16, 19; Phi 4:6-9; Mat 21:33-43 ~ think God, enjoy peace

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening prayer:

Yours, O God, is the vineyard and its harvest, Yours the kingdom of justice and peace. You call Your people to tend its growth. Bless the work entrusted to our hands, that we may offer You an abundance of just works, a rich harvest of peace. We ask this 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.
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A Reading from the Old testament: Isaiah 5:1-7 (NLT)

Now I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a rich and fertile hill. He plowed the land, cleared its stones, and planted it with the best vines. In the middle he built a watchtower and carved a winepress in the nearby rocks. Then he waited for a harvest of sweet grapes, but the grapes that grew were bitter.

Praying man at Western Wailing Wall, Jerusalem
Praying man at Western Wailing Wall, Jerusalem

Now, you people of Jerusalem and Judah, you judge between me and my vineyard. What more could I have done for my vineyard that I have not already done? When I expected sweet grapes, why did my vineyard give me bitter grapes?

Now let me tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will tear down its hedges and let it be destroyed. I will break down its walls and let the animals trample it. I will make it a wild place where the vines are not pruned and the ground is not hoed, a place overgrown with briers and thorns. I will command the clouds to drop no rain on it.

The nation of Israel is the vineyard of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. The people of Judah are his pleasant garden. He expected a crop of justice, but instead he found oppression. He expected to find righteousness, but instead he heard cries of violence.
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A Reading from the Psalms: Psalm 80:9, 12, 13-14, 15-16, 19-20 (NLT)

You cleared the ground for us, and we took root and filled the land.
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But now, why have you broken down our walls so that all who pass by may steal our fruit? The wild boar from the forest devours it, and the wild animals feed on it. Come back, we beg you, O God of Heaven’s Armies. Look down from heaven and see our plight. Take care of this grapevine that you yourself have planted, this son you have raised for yourself. For we are chopped up and burned by our enemies. May they perish at the sight of your frown.
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Turn us again to yourself, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies. Make your face shine down upon us. Only then will we be saved.
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A Reading from the Letters: Philippians 4:6-9 (NLT)

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me — everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.
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A Reading from the Gospels: Matthew 21:33-43 (NLT)

Gathering Grapes in Vineyard, Holy Land
Gathering Grapes in Vineyard, Holy Land

“Now listen to another story. A certain landowner planted a vineyard, built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country. At the time of the grape harvest, he sent his servants to collect his share of the crop. But the farmers grabbed his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. So the landowner sent a larger group of his servants to collect for him, but the results were the same.

“Finally, the owner sent his son, thinking, ‘Surely they will respect my son.’

“But when the tenant farmers saw his son coming, they said to one another, ‘Here comes the heir to this estate. Come on, let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!’ So they grabbed him, dragged him out of the vineyard, and murdered him.

“When the owner of the vineyard returns,” Jesus asked, “what do you think he will do to those farmers?”

The religious leaders replied, “He will put the wicked men to a horrible death and lease the vineyard to others who will give him his share of the crop after each harvest.”

Then Jesus asked them, “Didn’t you ever read this in the Scriptures?

‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing, and it is wonderful to see.’ I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce the proper fruit.”
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Intercessions:

Lord God of Heaven’s Armies – You promise peace to those who pray. Hear our prayers and grant us Your peace.:

+ For all Christians – that we may be thankful and content with what we have been given….
Lord, hear us.

+ For those who lead countries and governments – that they may respect human life and work to defend it….
Lord, hear us.

+ For all men and women of goodwill – that they may uphold the sacredness of human life from beginning to end….
Lord, hear us.

+ For those who make decisions over life and death – that they may opt for life, and hope, and peace….
Lord, hear us.

+ For our communities and fellowships – that we may respect and honour each other, as people created in the likeness of God….
Lord, hear us.

+ For people who worry, and for all who suffer – that the peace of God may fill them….
Lord, hear us.

+ For those who have died, especially at the hands of evil people – that eternal peace and comfort may be theirs….
Lord, hear us.

Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, You turn Your face to Your people: let Your grace fill us according to our needs, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Benediction:

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen