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Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Responsorial: Psalm 96:1, 3-5, 7-10 Response: 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.
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,
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.
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. |
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Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Second Reading: Extracted from the first letter of Saint Paul to the Thessalonians: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5 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. 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.
Gospel Acclamation John 17:17 Alleluia, alleluia! Your word is truth, O Lord: consecrate us in the truth. Alleluia! Or Philippians 2:15-16 Alleluia, alleluia! You will shine in the world like bright stars because you are offering it the word of life. Alleluia! |
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A man may claim how great he is, but instead of doing things beneficial to his allies, he has been secretly playing games to “抹黑” them. Such a man would continue to give you headache unless he is busy solving his own problems - the ‘Doctrine of Transferred Headache?’ The Lord who cooperates with the good, continues to keep them busy. 8-) A wise man would be careful in choosing his allies. Jesus then said to them, ‘Very well, give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar – and to God what belongs to God.’ The denarius has the image of Caesar on it, so give it back to Caesar. But I’m made in the Image of God (cf. Genesis 1:27). Am I giving back to Him what belongs to Him? |
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Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Gospel Reading: Extracted from the holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew 22:15-21 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.’
Sharing: It was the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time on 19 October 2014. The Readings that were read in the Eucharistic Celebrations all over the world on that day are shown in the previous page and above: First Reading Isaiah 45:1, 4-6, Responsorial: Psalm 96:1, 3-5, 7-10, Second Reading: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5 & Gospel Reading: Matthew 22:15-21. We have extracted the Homilies of Saint Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI & Pope Francis I based on the aforesaid Readings to share with you, so that you could similarly be encouraged: |
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PASTORAL VISIT TO THE PARISH HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS JOHN PAUL II Sunday, 17 October 1999
1. "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's" (Matthew 22: 21).
The answer Jesus gave to some Jews who were putting him to the test, as on other occasions, stands out in today's Gospel passage. Jesus avoids the trap, showing himself a Master of great wisdom, who teaches the way of God faithfully, without giving in to compromises.
Render to God the things that are God's! It is clear that what counts most is the kingdom of God. Christ's words illuminate the lines of conduct for Christians in the world. Faith does not require of them detachment from temporal realities; indeed, it becomes a greater incentive for them to be committed with lively generosity to transforming themselves from within, thus contributing to establishing the kingdom of heaven.
The first reading, from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, also clearly accentuates this truth. For believers there is only one God, who with his Providence guides humanity's journey through history (cf. Isaiah 45: 5-6). For this very reason they undertake to build the earthly city, in order to make it more just and human. They are upheld in this effort by the hope that they will one day participate in the communion of the heavenly city where God will be everything to everyone.
I greet you all with great affection. I greet the Cardinal Vicar, the Auxiliary Bishop Vincenzo Apicella of the sector, your zealous parish priest, Fr Maurizio Fagnani, the Superior General of the Piarists and all of the Piarist Fathers of the Roman Province who work with him in the pastoral guidance of the community.
A grateful thought then goes to the many members of religious institutes in the parish territory, as well as to the numerous lay groups who, with their different initiatives of catechesis, charity and organized recreation, enrich the parish's life, as well as the members of the pastoral council and the finance council.
I extend a cordial greeting to the AGESCI 27 group, the young people and leaders of the Calasanctius After-School Association, recently founded to create a centre for the children and young people of the neighbourhood.
I congratulate you on this youth work and above all, I am glad that adults share in the commitments and responsibilities of the pastoral care of youth and do not leave young people to develop alone on their path of education in the faith. For young people to be able to turn to mature adults who know how to suggest lofty goals to them, who can listen to them and offer them valid responses to the fundamental existential questions is a guarantee for their future and an enrichment for the Church and society. I therefore urge you to continue on this road, inspired by the example of St Joseph Calasanctius, founder of the Pious Schools and patron of popular Christian schools, who worked so hard for the good and for the Christian and cultural formation of youth.
3. Speaking of young people, my thoughts naturally turn to World Youth Day which, as everyone knows, will be celebrated in Rome from 15 to 20 August 2000. Although this is in an initiative primarily for young people, it cannot but see the participation of the entire Christian community of Rome, with all its members and branches. We must prepare ourselves to offer a warm welcome to the young men and women who will come to Rome for this event. Let us entrust to the Lord, through Mary's intercession, the successful outcome and spiritual fruit which this great event will not fail to produce.
Next to your praiseworthy commitment to the formation of young people, I do not want to forget the many other charitable and evangelizing initiatives of your parish, especially those which are the result of the City Mission that has just ended, but whose spirit and pastoral style must continue to imbue all apostolic activities. I am referring in particular to the setting up of a place to welcome and comfort the poor, as well as the centres for hearing the Gospel which you have opened in so many parts of the neighbourhood. We must never tire of being missionaries and of spreading the Gospel of charity. May the Virgin Mary protect you and Saints Joseph Calasanctius and Francis of Assisi obtain from God for each of you the gift of perseverance in your good resolutions, in the spirit and commitments of the new evangelization.
Amen!
9 November 2014 |