Monday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time
TODAY IS THE TIME OF GRACE
Liturgical Cycle: C | Lectionary Cycle: I
Introduction
In today’s first reading Paul calms the fears of the Christian community of Thessalonica. They are expecting the return of Christ soon, in their very lifetime. Now, what about the Christians who have died before the parousia, are they lost? No, says Paul, this makes no difference. As Christ died and rose from the dead, so those who have died will be raised up by Christ and reign with him. To them – and to us – Christ’s resurrection is the foundation of our faith.
Gospel. From now on until Advent begins, we shall read the gospel of Luke, the evangelist who pays special attention to the Holy Spirit, the mercy of God, Jesus’ special concern for the poor, the role of women in the life of Jesus, and the liturgy. Luke presents his gospel in the form of a journey from Nazareth in Galilee to Jerusalem. Today we hear about the beginning of the so-called public life of Jesus, his program set for him by the Spirit. He announces salvation as starting “today” with his teaching and working among the people. For us too, the time of grace is today, in our time, with the Lord working and living among us now.
Opening Prayer
God, Father of mercy and love,
you let your Son announce to us
that today is the time of grace.
Let his Spirit be upon us today,
that in the poverty of our own hearts
we may hear Jesus’ stirring message,
that blind as we are, he may give us eyes of faith,
and that he may set us free
from the captivity of our fears and selfishness.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.
First Reading
The Coming of the Lord
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who are already asleep, so that you do not grieve like those who have no hope.
Since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in the same way, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died.
By the same word of the Lord, we declare this: those of us who are alive at His coming will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
When the archangel’s voice commands, the Lord himself will descend from heaven, and the sound of the divine trumpet will be heard. Then those who have died in the Lord will rise first;
as for us who are still alive, we will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And we will be with the Lord forever.
Therefore, comfort each other with these words.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (13b) The Lord comes to judge the earth.
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.
For great is the LORD and highly to be praised;
awesome is he, beyond all gods.
For all the gods of the nations are things of nought,
but the LORD made the heavens.
R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
let the sea and what fills it resound;
let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!
Then shall all the trees of the forest exult.
R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.
Before the LORD, for he comes;
for he comes to rule the earth.
He shall rule the world with justice
and the peoples with his constancy.
R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.
Alleluia Verse
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me;
he has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
He stood up to read, and they handed him the book of the prophet Isaiah.
Jesus then unrolled the scroll and found the place where it is written:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.
He has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
to proclaim liberty to captives,
and give sight to the blind;
to free the oppressed;
and to announce
the Lord’s year of mercy.”
Then he said to them:
“Today, these prophetic words are coming true right before your eyes.”
So he replied, “Doubtless you will quote me the saying: Doctor, heal yourself! Do here, in your town, what they say you did in Capernaum.”
Jesus added:
There were also many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them were healed except Naaman the Syrian.”
But he moved through their midst and continued on his way.
Prayers of the Faithful
– Lord, give eloquence and courage to our leaders and all teachers in the Church, that they may understand it and proclaim it as good news of liberation to all, we pray:
– Lord, open our eyes to the miseries of people; make us concerned about those imprisoned in their fears and the grip of injustice, we pray:
– Lord, make us receptive to your word. Free us from banality and fear, our self-security and certainties, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God,
it is perhaps easier for us
to accept your Son as our Savior and Lord
than the people who knew him
as the son of Joseph and Mary.
Help us to recognize him here in our midst
in these signs of bread and wine.
Accept this offering of our faith
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
God our Father,
through his words and his body
your Son Jesus Christ is alive among us.
Fill us with his Holy Spirit,
that we too, with him and in his name,
may bring his good news to the poor,
proclaim liberty to captives,
open the eyes of the blind
and set the downtrodden free.
Let this be to all the time of the grace
of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Blessing
Today, with Jesus alive among us in our community, we should also be ready to say with Jesus: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon us. He sends us to bring good news to the poor.” May Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Reflection
1 September 2025
Luke 4: 16-30
God’s mercy has no borders - Youtube
Nazareth was the town where Jesus grew up. It was not a forgotten village, but a lively town on the slopes of Galilee. From its hills one could see the history of Israel spread out like a map: the battlefields of Deborah and Gideon, the vineyard of Naboth, Mount Carmel where Elijah called down fire from heaven. Caravans passed by on the great roads, pilgrims walked toward Jerusalem, soldiers marched under the Roman eagle. From the beginning, Jesus lived at a crossroads of peoples and histories.
It was there, in the synagogue of Nazareth, that Jesus first announced his mission. He read from Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me… He has sent me to bring good news to the poor.” At first, the people were amazed. But when Jesus reminded them that God’s mercy had also touched foreigners—the widow of Zarephath, Naaman the Syrian—their amazement turned into anger. How could this young man, whom they had known since childhood, speak as if God’s love extended beyond the boundaries of Israel?
This is the scandal of mercy: God’s love is always greater than our calculations. It breaks down our walls, it embraces those we would exclude.
Two lessons stand out. First, Jesus faithfully went to the synagogue every Sabbath. Even when worship was imperfect, he prayed with his people. We too are called to remain faithful to our community, even with its weaknesses, because God still meets us there.
Second, Jesus brings Good News. John the Baptist proclaimed judgment; Jesus reveals the tenderness of the Father. He comes not to condemn, but to free, to heal, to restore.
The question for us is simple: Can we rejoice that God’s mercy knows no borders?