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SOCL, 27C

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Sunday October 05, 2025


See


The cry of the disciples to the Lord, “increase our faith,” resonates very much with us today. Is being a person of faith harder today than it has ever been? In one sense no: previous generations too had to struggle. But today has its particular challenges. For the most part, public discourse is against faith in general and against church in particular. It would be easy to lose heart. Just holding on to faith would be enough, not to mention growing!! We grow in faith by desire and by practice—desire for God and the practice of prayer. The times call us to focus on the heart of the Christian project—Jesus and the Gospel—and on the heart of discipleship—love and service.


Listen



Reflect


(Luke 17: 5-10)


Faith can move mountains…well it can certainly get us moving. Recall a time when you were full of self-doubt, skepticism about a project, or lacking trust in God. What was that like? Contrast this with times when you believed in yourself, or in the value of a project you had undertaken, or when your faith and trust in God were strong. What kind of faith have you found enriched your life?


Faith is like a mustard seed—small— and sometimes we may be tempted to wait till our faith grows. Part of the message in the gospel is to use the faith we have, even though it may be small. That is how we grow in belief in ourselves and in God’s presence in our lives. Does your experience back up this?


It is nice when what we do is recognised and acknowledged, but the desire for recognition leaves us vulnerable It is not always forthcoming. It can be helpful if our main motivation in doing something is the value of the action itself. Have you experienced this?


Love is a free gift. What is given lovingly is not given because of a claim. What is your experience of the freedom of love, given and received?


Pray


God, the rock of our salvation, whose gifts can never fail, deepen the faith you have already bestowed and let its power be seen in your servants. We make our prayer 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. Amen.

 
 
 

The Word today, 27C

ree

October 06 - October 11, 2025


St Bruno, monk


For three days we read from the book of Jonah. This intriguing novella belongs to a group of intertestamental stories (e.g. Tobit or Judith), designed to encourage or challenge Jews and Jewish practice of the time. Using drama, pastiche, irony and wit, the writer challenges tendencies to religious exclusivity and national superiority. Even the Ninevite moo cows do penance, after all, for whatever sins they might have committed!


Jonah 1:1-2:1, 11 This reading sets up the opening story of the very reluctant prophet Jonah, but God “nets” him at the end.


Luke 10:25-37 The teaching of this passage is very clear and needs almost no comment. The mention of the Samaritan — traditionally despised “cousins” — creates an intentional shock. To recreate the sense of shock, we need to explore our own prejudices. Is there anyone in our society of whom we would not expect such goodness?


Our Lady of the Rosary


Jonah 3:1-10 Jonah is called a second time and proclaims God’s word among the people of Nineveh, who are non-Jews. To his surprise (and chagrin), they listen to him! Even the cows do penance—part of the distorting wit of the book. (Bovine sins do not feature elsewhere in the Bible.)


Luke 10:38-42 Balancing life and prayer, the active and the contemplative, is always a challenge. Years ago, Archbishop Temple noted that it is not that action matters and prayer helps, but rather that prayer matters and action is its test. In this way, he moves away from the tempting either/or towards a more integrated approach.



Jonah 4:1-11 Jonah is very disappointed because his preaching is successful (!) and he gets to see no fireworks against Nineveh. God’s outreach beyond the confines of Israel is exactly the point of the book, which ends with a great question from God.


Luke 11:1-4 The Lord’s Prayer arises in Matthew and Luke. Luke’s setting is much more realistic and may touch our own need to be taught how to prayer. The prayer is also briefer and may be close to the original. Lord, teach us to pray!


St John Henry Newman, priest, religious and doctor; St Denis, bishop, and companions, martyrs


Malachi 3:13-20 Our reading reflects on a questions we all feel from time to time: what’s the point in believing, seeing that evil doers evidently prosper?


Luke 11:5-13 There’s a double teaching here, a kind of marvellous tension between persistence / resistance and the natural desire to give what is good to you children.



The book prophet Joel comes from the post-Exilic period, some time around 445-353 BC. It is usually regarded as a late book because of its cross-references to other books and on account of its complex eschatology.


Joel 1:13-15,2:1-2 This reading sounds more like something for Ash Wednesday: it is a clarion call to repentance, to a change of heart and of life.


Luke 11:15-26 It still shocks that some people attributed Jesus’ powers to the spirit of evil. There is, however, a kind of logic: if not from God, then from where? Jesus’ own logic is irrefutable: even evil cannot be selfdestructive!


St John XXIII, bishop of Rome; St Canice, abbot


Joel 4:12-21 You might sometimes wonder where our images regarding the end of time come from. This reading is the source of much of it—a bit scary, but at the same time “the Lord will be a shelter for his people”. The reading closes on a positive note.


Luke 11:27-28 This is an unexpected story, given the substantial profile of the mother of Jesus in Luke 1-2. The unknown woman utters a beatitude, an acclamation of blessing. Jesus, in his reply, gives an a fortiori response, profiling the hearing and keeping of the word of God.


References

-United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (2025ch, October 5). Twenty-seventh Sunday in ordinary time. USCCB. https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/100525.cfm

-Sunday readings. (n.d.-s). Hearers of the Word. https://www.tarsus.ie/SundayReadings


 
 
 

One another, 27C

ree

October 05, 2025



Friends in Christ, God invites us to hold the needs of our sisters and brothers as dear to us as our own needs. Loving our neighbors as ourselves, we offer our thanksgivings and our petitions on behalf of the church and the world:


For the Church: that God will stir up the Spirit who has been given to each of us and embolden us to love without expectation and to forgive without condition: let us pray to the Lord.


For the flowering of faith: that we may grow in our reliance upon and loyalty to God in every area of our lives and be open to following wherever God will lead us: let us pray to the Lord.


For a vision of hope: that all who face violence, destruction, or chaos may be renewed by the Spirit of God and become a source of light and promise to others who are struggling: let us pray to the Lord.


For growth in patience: that God will sustain and strengthen us as we await the fulfillment of God's promises and plans: let us pray to the Lord.


For all who are searching for meaning and value in their life: that they may experience God's gentle invitations and recognize the goodness which God has in mind for them: let us pray to the Lord.


For an attitude of service: that we may recognize God's free gift of salvation and surrender our attitudes of self-sufficiency or that we have earned anything from God: let us pray to the Lord.


For grace to support one another: that we may affirm and support one another's growth in faith through all of life's phases and transitions: let us pray to the Lord.


For all who serve the church in Holy Orders: that Spirit of God will inspire the ministry of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons and embolden them with wisdom and love to serve God's people: let us pray to the Lord.


For all who suffer for their faith: that those living in oppressive societies may know God's presence in their suffering and that the Spirit will renew and strengthen them: let us pray to the Lord.

For those who work for social justice: that they may continue to manifest the vision of God's reign where all will be sisters and brothers caring for and seeking the good of one another: let us pray to the Lord.


For greater respect for human life: that the hearts of all may appreciate God's gift of life from conception to natural death: let us pray to the Lord.


For all who are ill: that God will bring healing and courage to all who have been diagnosed with cancer or other life-threatening disease and help them to draw closer to God during this time of struggle: let us pray to the Lord.


For an end to violence and warfare: that God will open the minds and hearts of all leaders, turn them away from bloodshed, and protect children and the elderly from harm: let us pray to the Lord.


Hear our prayers, God of power, and through the ministry of your Son free us from the grip of the tomb, that we may desire you as the fullness of life and proclaim your saving deeds to all the world. Amen.


References

-United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (2025ch, October 5). Twenty-seventh Sunday in ordinary time. USCCB. https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/100525.cfm

-Cormier, J. (1995). Lord, Hear Our Prayer: Prayer of the Faithful for Sundays, Holy Days, and Ritual Masses.


 
 
 
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