30th Sunday in Ordinary Time C
October 23, 2022
INTRODUCTIONHOMILIESVIDEOSCOMMENTARYCHURCH FATHERSCATECHISMANECDOTESQUESTIONSCHILDREN SERMONSMUSIC
Key Themes
World Mission Day
In 1926 Pope Pius XI instituted Mission Sunday for the whole Church with the first worldwide Mission Sunday collection taking place in October 1927. The Mission Sunday collection is always taken on the next to last Sunday during the month of October. That day is celebrated in all the local Churches as the feast of catholicity and universal solidarity so Christians the world over will recognize their common responsibility with regard to the evangelization of the world.
The church’s mission is not a solo operation but one that requires help from others. We offer monetary support for the foreign missions through the collection this Sunday, but our home country and every other country is also mission territory. Mission is integral to the identity of the church, and that mission is a communal responsibility.
Mission Sunday always challenges us to accept our responsibility for sharing the faith with others. The final line of last week’s Gospel might prompt some useful reflection: “But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” Mission Sunday also calls us to live up to our name as “catholic” or “universal” in the extent of our concern and love.
FIRST READING
People Today who Cry Out for Justice
The first reading reminds us that our God is a God of justice
The first reading reminds us that our God is a God of justice, who hears the cry of the oppressed, the orphan, the widow and the lowly.
Preachers and those who compose intercessions for this weekend might link those categories of people with contemporary issues crying out for justice: elderly people with no one to help them, children without stable homes, the poor and the mentally ill, and a variety of groups oppressed by our distorted economy and social attitudes.
SECOND READING
The Lord Stands by the Poor
We may not always be able to resolve their problems but we can be with them as they deal with their troubles
The psalm today continues that theme, with a repeated reminder that “The Lord hears the cry of the poor.” The second reading offers another perspective. Paul speaks of having to face his difficulties alone: “No one appeared on my behalf, but everyone deserted me.” One of the ways that we can assist the poor and the oppressed is simply to stand with them, to be on their side, to accompany them in their difficulties. We may not always be able to resolve their problems but we can be with them as they deal with their troubles. That helps them realize, as Paul did, that the Lord stands by them, too.
GOSPEL
Our Sin and the Plight of the Poor
We may not always be able to resolve their problems but we can be with them as they deal with their troubles
The Gospel challenges us in a different direction, pushing us to consider where we need to acknowledge our own sinfulness, which often contributes to the plight of the poor. Often our sins are sins of omission. We think we are living a good life, like the Pharisee in this parable, while we overlook the needs of others around us. Only when we recognize our omissions can we amend our behavior.
SOURCE: SOME OF THE content above IS COURTESY OF the National Catholic Reporter Cycle C Sunday Resources. View the full series.
Related Resources
Vatican Documents on Mission
Ad Gentes
Evangelii Nuntiandi
Redemptoris Missio
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Documents on Mission
To the Ends of the Earth: A Pastoral Statement on World Mission
Teaching the Spirit of Mission Ad Gentes: Continuing Pentecost Today
Best Practices to Teach the Spirit of Mission
