Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
How Catholic Are We? Strangers No More!
Liturgical Cycle: A | Lectionary Cycle: II
Introduction
Greeting (See First Reading)
My house will be called
a house of prayer for all peoples,
says the Lord.
As the Lord welcomes us,
may we be open to all.
May the Lord, the Saviour of all, be with you. R/ And also with you.
Introduction by the Celebrant
1. How Catholic Are We?
How wide are the doors of our Church? Is there a place in our Church for everyone? We know and profess that God is the Father of all people. We believe and announce that Jesus died for everyone and all. Yet, is that the reality? We even look down on other Christians, and at times on other Catholics too, because they do not honour the Lord in exactly the same way as we do. Let us ask the Lord of all to help us do away with all discrimination and with him to make us open to all.
2. Strangers No More
What do we think of aliens and strangers and how do we treat them? What is our attitude toward people who are different? The Christian position should be one of acceptance and welcome, for this is God’s attitude. All are God’s children, and he wants the happiness of all. He calls all to his house and wants it to be a house of prayer for all. With Christ, let us welcome all.
Penitential Act
Let us ask pardon from God and one another
that our hearts are often closed
and not as wide as God’s heart.
(pause)
Lord Jesus, Son of David,
you revealed to us your Father
as the God of all people:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, you came to save all people
and you died and rose for all:
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy
Lord Jesus, you hear the prayer of pagans
and make yourself known
to all those who seek you:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Have mercy on us, Lord,
and forgive us our narrow-mindedness
and our selfishness.
Give us wide open hearts
and lead us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.
Opening Prayer
Let us pray to the Father of all
that our heart, like his own,
may be open to all people
(pause)
Father of all,
long ago you chose the people of Israel
to make your name known to all the nations.
Your Son Jesus Christ made it clear
that forgiveness and fullness of life are the share
of all who believe in him.
Make your Church truly a place of encounter
for all those who grope for you,
that all obstacles and barriers may be removed
and that the riches of all nations and cultures
may reveal the thousand faces
of the love you show us
in Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
First Reading
Foreigners Are No Longer Strangers: Not only the Jewish people but also pagans are called to live in the house of God. All those who want to be part of the covenant are no longer strangers to God and his people.
ISAIAH III
(Trito-Isaiah).
End of Exclusivism
This is what the Lord says: Maintain what is right and do what is just, for my salvation is close at hand, my justice is soon to come.
The Lord says to the foreigners who join him, serving him and loving his name, keeping his Sabbath unprofaned and remaining faithful to his Covenant:
I will bring them to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. I will accept on my altar their burnt offerings and sacrifices, for my house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (4) O God, let all the nations praise you!
May God have pity on us and bless us;
may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth;
among all nations, your salvation.
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
May the nations be glad and exult
because you rule the peoples in equity;
the nations on the earth you guide.
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you!
May God bless us,
and may all the ends of the earth fear him!
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
Second Reading
God’s Mercy Extends to All: Most of the Jews did not accept Christ as the Saviour. This was the occasion for the Church to preach the Good News to the pagans. God wants all to be saved, Jews and pagans.
Salvation of the Gentiles
Now I am speaking to you, Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I glory in my ministry
to make my own people jealous and ultimately save some of them.
If the world found peace with God when they stayed apart, what will it be like when they are welcomed? It will be nothing less than a passing from death to life.
because the call of God and his gifts cannot be revoked.
Because of the disobedience of the Jews, God’s mercy came to you who did not obey God.
They, in turn, will receive mercy in due time after this disobedience that brought God’s mercy to you.
So, God has allowed everyone to be disobedient, to show his mercy to all.
Alleluia Verse
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the kingdom
and cured every disease among the people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
There Is Room for Pagans in the Father’s House :Jesus affirms that priority is given to the Jews as heirs of the Messianic promises. Yet the kingdom is open to all who believe.
The Faith of a Canaanite Woman
After leaving that place, Jesus went to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
A Canaanite woman from the region came and called out:
“Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering from a demon.”
But Jesus did not answer her, not even a word. So his disciples approached him and said:
“Send her away! See how she is shouting after us.”
Then Jesus said to her:
“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the nation of Israel.”
But the woman was already kneeling before Jesus and said:
“Sir, help me!”
Jesus replied:
“It is not right to take the bread from the children and toss it to the dogs.”
The woman replied:
“That is true, sir, but even puppies eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”
Then Jesus said:
“Woman, how great is your faith! Let it be as you wish.”
And her daughter was healed at that moment.
Prayers of the Faithful
Let us pray to God our Father, who opens his heart and home to all who seek him, and let us say: R/ Listen to your people, Lord.
– That the Church may be attentive to the life and needs of today’s world and discover in its aspirations bridges toward Christian hope, let us pray: R/ Listen to your people, Lord.
– That there may be room in the universal Church for the cultural riches of various peoples and for manifesting one and the same faith in a variety of languages and forms of expression, let us pray: R/ Listen to your people, Lord.
– That the Jews, the first people called by God, may see their hopes fulfilled and one day discover Christ as their Savior, let us pray: R/ Listen to your people, Lord.
– That we may open our hearts and homes to those that are hard to accommodate: strangers and refugees, the jobless and the poor, victims of discrimination and oppression; that we may do all we can to integrate them into the human and Christian community, let us pray: R/ Listen to your people, Lord.
– That all of us here may be concerned about those who are not here because they are estranged from the Church, that our lives may reveal Christ to them, let us pray: R/ Listen to your people, Lord.
God our Father, do not allow us ever to become a self-enclosed, self-satisfied group, but make us into a real community open to all people and all needs, on account of Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
Prayer unnoticed—it takes place normally during the Agnus Dei—and the Gifts
Prayer over the Offerings
God our Father,
you set the table of your Son
for all who are willing to come:
for saints and for sinners,
for the poor and the rich.
Give us your Son Jesus Christ.
May we learn from him
to give to all those who ask for food or love
not meager crumbs or leftovers,
but the food of ourselves,
as Jesus does here for us,
Your Son and our Lord forever. R/ Amen.
Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer
At the heart of the Eucharistic celebration, we remember that Christ died and rose for all and wants to gather all into his kingdom.
Introduction to the Lord’s Prayer
In the words of Jesus our Lord
let us pray to the Father of all
that his kingdom may come to every person on earth.
R/ Our Father...
Prayer for Peace
Lord Jesus Christ,
you want to bring the peace of your kingdom
to everyone willing to receive your love.
At the table of your kingdom
you regard no one as a stranger.
Dispose us too, to recognize in every person
a beloved son or daughter of your Father.
Make us share your peace with all
and lead all into your kingdom
where you live for ever. R/ Amen.
Invitation to Communion
This is Jesus the Lord,
who has set his table for us.
He invites all those who believe in him
and are willing to come to him. R/ Lord, I am not worthy...
Prayer after Communion
God our Father,
in this Eucharist we have all been one
in Jesus Christ your Son.
He died and rose to life for all;
his likeness is reflected
in the face of every human being:
let it become visible in all.
Let his face not be marred or divided
by our prejudices and fears;
do not allow our love to be less than universal,
but unite us all in him
who is our common way to you and to one another,
Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
Blessing
We have heard the Lord tell us in this Eucharist:
“My house shall be called
a house of prayer for all peoples.”
The Lord’s house is not merely
this building of stone where we gather to pray,
but the People of God, the living body of Christ.
May there be room in this house,
that is, among us, in our Christian communities,
for all people, whatever their race or social class,
their culture or education.
May Almighty God bless you all:
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.
Go and bear witness
to the worldwide love of the Lord. R/ Thanks be to God.
REFLECTIONS
Matthew 15:21-28
Persistent Prayer, Boundless Mercy
In today's Gospel (Mt 15:21-28), Jesus encounters a Canaanite woman who begs him to free her daughter from demonic possession. At first, Jesus remains silent and explains that his mission is directed to the people of Israel. Using the image of children and dogs, he tests her faith. Undeterred, the woman humbly replies that even dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table. Moved by her unwavering trust, Jesus declares, "Woman, great is your faith!" and immediately heals her daughter.
This encounter reveals both the compassion of Christ and the power of authentic faith. Jesus' response shows that God's love is never rigid. Although his earthly ministry began with Israel, this moment foreshadows the universal salvation that would later embrace all peoples. Love is always attentive, creative and open to the needs of others. Jesus allows himself to be touched by genuine faith and suffering, reminding us that true compassion is never closed to change.
The Canaanite woman's faith is remarkable not because of her knowledge of religious teachings, but because of her perseverance. She approaches Jesus with humility, refuses to give up, and continues to trust despite every apparent rejection. Her faith is expressed through prayer, persistence and a personal relationship with the Lord rather than mere words or religious labels.
This Gospel invites us to examine ourselves. Are our hearts open and compassionate, or hardened by rigidity? Is our faith limited to beliefs we profess, or is it lived through trusting prayer, perseverance and loving action?