25th Sunday of the Year (a)
Ordinary Season of the Year. (a)
Weekdays – Year 1
Sunday 24th September: Twenty-Fifth Sunday of the Year. (a)
In the first reading, from the Prophet Isaiah, we are reminded that God’s wisdom and goodness are far beyond our understanding.
In the second reading, from the Letter to the Philippians, St. Paul, writing from prison, tried to put into words what Jesus means to him. He is thinking of his own death and longing for complete union with Christ.
The Gospel passage presents us with a scene where Jesus is talking about the generosity of God that is far beyond anything we know.
Monday 25th September: Monday of the 25th week of the year.
Over the next three weeks on ordinary days, we look at various books of the Old Testament that were written after the end of the Babylonian exile. The final stage of the exile began in 587 BC when King Cyrus allowed the exiles to go home. The first group returned to Judaea in 537 and this is what today’s first reading tells us about. It talks of the sacred vessels which were brought back to be used in the Temple that was to be re-built.
Jesus continues with his parables in the Gospel. We are reminded that what we are given we must show to the world and not keep to ourselves. We are to be the lamps that enlighten peoples’ hearts.
Tuesday 26th September: Tuesday of the 25th week of the year.
The first group of exiles returned home in 537 b.c. but the rebuilding of the Temple was to take many years. Eventually the King allowed money from the state to be used to help and a great celebration took place to mark its completion.
The relatives of Jesus come looking for him but Jesus uses the opportunity to highlight that anyone who tries to follow him is his brother and sister.
Wednesday 27th September: Memorial of St. Vincent de Paul.
Vincent was born in Gascogny in France in 1580. He was ordained a priest and eventually settled in Paris where he spent the rest of his life, looking after the poor. In 1633, he gathered a group of like-minded men around him, which would become the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians). Along with Louise de Marillac he founded the Daughters of Charity who engaged in works of charity and care among the poor also. They preached parish missions and worked in the seminaries. Vincent died in 1660. He is venerated as the patron of all charitable societies.
Thursday 28th September: Thursday of the 25th week of the year.
Earlier in the week we heard about the rebuilding of the Temple. Haggai, the author of today’s passage, encouraged the people to work as hard as possible to complete the building of the Temple and not to be always finding excuses to sit back and do nothing.
Too many people are getting worried about Jesus and what he is saying and doing. Even Herod falls in to that category.
Friday 26th September: Feast of Ss Michael, Gabriel and Raphael.
Today is a feast celebrating the care God has for each one of us. Traditionally, we believe that angels are his messengers to us. Michael means ‘who is like God’ and is regarded as the guardian angel of the People of God; Gabriel means ‘God’s power. Raphael means ‘God’s healing.’
Saturday 27th September: Memorial of St. Jerome.
St. Jerome was born in 342 and died in 420. He devoted his life to translating and explaining the Scriptures. One of his best-known sayings is that ‘to be ignorant of the Scriptures is to be ignorant of Christ.’ His greatest work was the translation of the Scriptures into Latin.
Always remember there are two types of people in this world. Those who come into a room and say, “Well, here I am!” and those who come in and say,
“Ah, there you are!”
