25th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Processional Hymn - 859 - God of Day and God of Darkness
God of day and God of darkness,
Now we stand before the night.
As the shadows stretch and deepen,
Come and make our darkness bright.
All creation still is groaning
For the dawning of your might.
When the Sun of peace and justice
Fills the earth with radiant light.
Still the nations curse the darkness,
Still the rich oppress the poor.
Still the earth is bruised and broken
By the ones who still want more.
Come and wake us from our sleeping,
So our hearts cannot ignore
All your people lost and broken,
All your children at our door.
You shall be the path that guides us;
You the light that in us burns.
Shining deep within all people,
Yours the love that we must learn.
For our hearts shall wander restless
'Til they safe to you return.
Finding you in one another,
We shall all your face discern.
Praise to you in day and darkness,
You our source and you are end;
Praise to you who love and nurture
As a father, mother, friend.
Grant us all a peaceful resting,
Let each mind and body mend,
So we rise refreshed tomorrow,
Hearts renewed to kingdom tend.
First Reading - Amos 8:4-7
Hear this, you who trample upon the needy and destroy the poor of the land!
“When will the new moon be over,” you ask, “that we may sell our grain, and the sabbath, that we may display the wheat?
We will diminish the ephah, add to the shekel,
and fix our scales for cheating!
We will buy the lowly for silver, and the poor for a pair of sandals; even the refuse of the wheat we will sell!”
The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob:
Never will I forget a thing they have done!
Responsorial Psalm -
Psalm 113
Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
Praise, you servants of the LORD,
praise the name of the LORD.
Blessed be the name of the LORD
both now and forever.
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
High above all nations is the LORD;
above the heavens is his glory.
Who is like the LORD, our God, who is enthroned on high
and looks upon the heavens and the earth below?
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
He raises up the lowly from the dust;
from the dunghill he lifts up the poor
to seat them with princes,
with the princes of his own people.
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
Second Reading - 1 Timothy 2:1-8
Beloved:
First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity.
This is good and pleasing to God our savior, who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.
For there is one God.
There is also one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as ransom for all.
This was the testimony at the proper time.
For this I was appointed preacher and apostle — I am speaking the truth, I am not lying —, teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.
Gospel - Luke 16:1-13
Jesus said to his disciples, “A rich man had a steward
who was reported to him for squandering his property.
He summoned him and said, ‘What is this I hear about you?
Prepare a full account of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.’
The steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do, now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me?
I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg.
I know what I shall do so that, when I am removed from the stewardship, they may welcome me into their homes.’
He called in his master's debtors one by one.
To the first he said, ‘How much do you owe my master?’
He replied, ‘One hundred measures of olive oil.’
He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note.
Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.’
Then to another the steward said, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’
He replied, ‘One hundred kors of wheat.’
The steward said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note;
write one for eighty.’
And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.
“For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.
I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones.
If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth?
If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours?
No servant can serve two masters.
He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other.
You cannot serve both God and mammon.”
Prayer for Our Lady of Angels Parish
Heavenly Father, we thank you for gathering us together and calling us to serve as your disciples.
You have charged us through your Son, Jesus, with the great mission of evangelizing and witnessing your love to the world.
Send your Holy Spirit to guide us as we discern your will for the spiritual renewal of our parish.
Give us strength, courage, and clear vision as we use our gifts to serve you.
We entrust our parish family to the care of Mary, our mother, and ask for her intercession and guidance, as we strive to build a parish that loves God, embraces all people, and shares the Gospel joyfully.
Offertory Hymn - 47 - The Cry of the Poor
The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
Blessed be the Lord.
I will bless the Lord at all times,
With praise ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the Lord,
Who will hear the cry of the poor.
The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
Blessed be the Lord.
Let the lowly hear and be glad:
The Lord listens to their plea;
And to hearts broken God is near,
Who will hear the cry of the poor.
The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
Blessed be the Lord.
Every spirit crushed, God will save;
Will Be ransom for their lives;
Will be safe shelter for their fears,
And will hear the cry of the poor.
The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
Blessed be the Lord.
We proclaim your greatness, O God,
Your praise very in our mouth;
Every face brightened in your light,
For you hear the cry of the poor.
The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
Blessed be the Lord.
Communion Hymn - 940 - You Satisfy the Hungry Heart
You satisfy the hungry heart,
With gift of finest wheat;
Come give to us, O Saving Lord,
The Bread of Life to eat.
As when the shepherd calls his sheep,
They know and heed his voice;
So when you call your family Lord,
They follow and rejoice.
You satisfy the hungry heart,
With gift of finest wheat;
Come give to us, O Saving Lord,
The Bread of Life to eat.
With joyful lips, we sing to you,
Our praise and gratitude;
That you should count us worthy Lord,
To share this Heavenly food.
You satisfy the hungry heart,
With gift of finest wheat;
Come give to us, O Saving Lord,
The Bread of Life to eat.
Is not the cup we bless and share,
The blood of Christ outpoured?
Does not one cup, one loaf declare
Our Oneness in the Lord?
You satisfy the hungry heart,
With gift of finest wheat;
Come give to us, O Saving Lord,
The Bread of Life to eat.
The myst’ry of your presence, Lord,
No mortal tongue can tell;
Whom all the world cannot contain
Comes in our hearts to dwell.
You satisfy the hungry heart
With gift of finest wheat;
Come give to us, O Saving Lord,
The bread of life to eat.
You give yourself to us, O Lord;
Then selfless let us be,
To serve each other in your name
In truth and charity.
You satisfy the hungry heart
With gift of finest wheat;
Come give to us, O Saving Lord,
the bread of life to eat.
Recessional Hymn - 803 - For the Healing of the Nations
For the healing of the nations,
Lord, we pray with one accord;
For a just and equal sharing
Of the things that Earth affords.
To a life of love in action
Help us rise and pledge our word.
Lead your people into freedom,
From despair your world release
That, redeemed from war and hatred,
All may come and go in peace.
Show us how, through care and goodness,
Fear will die and hope increase.
All that kills abundant living,
Let it from the earth be banned;
Pride of status, race, or schooling,
Dogmas that obscure your plan.
In our common quest for justice
May we hallow life’s brief span.
You, creator God, have written
Your great name on humankind;
For our growing in your likeness
Bring the life of Christ to mind,
That by our response and service
Earth its destiny may find.