Worship along with us!

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time September 24, 2023

St. Mary’s uses music by permission from OCP through One License. Our license number is M-400277. All songs used in today’s Mass are used by permission.

INTRODUCTORY RITES************************

Overflow

Song by Matt Maher

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSU4U1t15rY

1. Your grace is power, your will forever
Your love is a river; overflow in me

2. Your word: true presence. Your body: our recompense
Your blood: salvation; overflow in me

Refrain
Overflow in me, my Lord, overflow in me, my Lord
Let your people bless you as your cup is poured;
Overflow in me, my Lord, overflow in me, my Lord

3. Your worship of you, its your gift to us from you
No one could give this gift but you; overflow in me

Bridge
We lift up our hearts. We lift up our souls
We lift up our minds. Every good thing is yours
Yeah, every good thing is yours, so overflow. Oh

Final Refrain
Overflow in me, my Lord, overflow in me, my Lord
Let your people bless you as your cup is poured;
Overflow in me, my Lord, overflow in me, my Lord
Overflow in me, my Lord. Overflow. Oh
Overflow in me, my Lord. Overflow in me, my Lord
Overflow in me, my Lord

Greeting

Bishop Tom: Welcome to St. Mary’s of Washington, DC, a parish of the National Catholic Church of North America!

Let us begin,

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. +

All: Amen.

Bp. Tom: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

All: And also with you.

Sign of Peace

Bp. Tom: Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles: I leave you peace, my peace I give you. Look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church, and grant us the peace and unity of your kingdom where you live for ever and ever.
All: Amen.

Bp. Tom: The Peace of the Lord be with you always.
All: And also with you.

Bp. Tom: Let us offer each other a sign of peace.

Kyrie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zMU0gGbwCc&list=PLMQrJzPlip5UbD5dD-9wikt4lSghEHdyq&index=2

Kyrie Eleison

ALL: Kyrie eleison

Christe eleison

ALL: Christe eleison.

Kyrie eleison

ALL: Kyrie eleison.

Bishop Tom: May almighty God have mercy on us,

Forgive us our sins,

And bring us to everlasting life.

ALL: AMEN

Glory to God in the Highest!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nCtNgwLxMg&list=PLMQrJzPlip5U4-PL3NwbFkk5sLav37tGX&index=3

Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to people of good will.

We praise you,
we bless you,
we adore you,

we glorify you,
we give you thanks for your great glory,

Lord God, heavenly King,
O God, almighty Father.

Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
you take away the sins of the world,
    have mercy on us;
you take away the sins of the world,
    receive our prayer;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father,
    have mercy on us.

For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory; the glory of God the Father.

Amen.

Opening Prayer

Let us pray.

Father,

guide us, as you guide creation

according to your law of love.

May we love one another

and come to perfection

in the eternal life prepared for us.

Grant this

through our Lord

Jesus the Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

God, for ever and ever.

ALL: AMEN

LITURGY OF THE WORD***********************

Our first reading is from the Book of Isaiah

Is 55:6-9

Seek the LORD while he may be found,
call him while he is near.
Let the scoundrel forsake their way,
and the wicked their thoughts;
let them turn to the LORD for mercy;
to our God, who is generous in forgiving.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD.
As high as the heavens are above the earth,
so high are my ways above your ways
and my thoughts above your thoughts.

The Word of the Lord

ALL: Thanks be to God

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 145:2-3, 8-9, 17-18

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR_RYj35j4g

R. (18a) The Lord is near to all who call upon him.

Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.
Great is the LORD and highly to be praised;
his greatness is unsearchable.

R. The Lord is near to all who call upon him.

The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.

R. The Lord is near to all who call upon him.

The LORD is just in all his ways
and holy in all his works.
The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.

R. The Lord is near to all who call upon him.

The second reading is from the letter of Paul to the Philippians

Phil 1:20c-24, 27a

Brothers and sisters:
Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.
For to me life is Christ, and death is gain.
If I go on living in the flesh,
that means fruitful labor for me.
And I do not know which I shall choose.
I am caught between the two.
I long to depart this life and be with Christ,
for that is far better.
Yet that I remain in the flesh
is more necessary for your benefit.

Only, conduct yourselves in a way worthy of the gospel of Christ.

The Word of the Lord.

ALL: Thanks be to God

Gospel

"May the Lord be in your heart and on your lips that you may proclaim His Gospel worthily and well, in the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit"

Alleluia! (Sung)

ALL: Alleluia, alleluia.

Open our hearts, O Lord,
to listen to the words of your Son.

ALL: Alleluia, alleluia.

Bp. Tom: The Lord is WITH you!

ALL: And also with you!

Bp. Tom: A Reading from the Holy Gospel, according to Matthew

ALL: Glory to you, Oh Lord!

Mt 20:1-16a

Jesus told his disciples this parable:
"The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner
who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard.
After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage,
he sent them into his vineyard.
Going out about nine o'clock,
the landowner saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
and he said to them, 'You too go into my vineyard,
and I will give you what is just.'
So they went off.
And he went out again around noon,
and around three o'clock, and did likewise.
Going out about five o'clock,
the landowner found others standing around, and said to them,
'Why do you stand here idle all day?'
They answered, 'Because no one has hired us.'
He said to them, 'You too go into my vineyard.'
When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman,
'Summon the laborers and give them their pay,
beginning with the last and ending with the first.'
When those who had started about five o'clock came,
each received the usual daily wage.
So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more,
but each of them also got the usual wage.
And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying,
'These last ones worked only one hour,
and you have made them equal to us,
who bore the day's burden and the heat.'
He said to one of them in reply,
'My friend, I am not cheating you.
Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?
Take what is yours and go.
What if I wish to give this last one the same as you?
Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money?
Are you envious because I am generous?'
Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last."

Bp. Tom: The Gospel of the Lord

ALL: Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

HOMILY

THE NICENE CREED (Pre 2014)

We believe in one God,

the Father, the Almighty,

maker of heaven and earth,

of all that is seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,

the only Son of God,

eternally begotten of the Father,

God from God,

Light from Light,

true God from true God,

begotten not made, one in being with the Father.

Through him all things were made.

For us and our salvation he came down from heaven:

by the power of the Holy Spirit

he was born of the Virgin Mary and became man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;

he suffered, died, and was buried.

On the third day he rose again

in fulfillment of the Scriptures;

he ascended into heaven

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory

to judge the living and the dead,

and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit,

the Lord, the giver of life,

who proceeds from the Father and the Son.

With the Father and the Son

she is worshipped and glorified.

She has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.

We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

We look for the resurrection of the dead,

and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Universal Prayer

General Intercessions / Prayer of the Faithful:

Bp. Tom: Heavenly Father, give us the wisdom to know your ways. When we think we have been cheated or shortchanged, let ‘your will be done!’ Never let us cease forgiving those who trespass against us just as you forgive us when we trespass. We thank you for answering these prayers and petitions which you know are on our hearts and in our minds.

*For those in Libya and Morocco who have been devastated by natural disasters. And for those in our country that face the challenges of heat, rain, wind, and storms. Strengthen those who seek to help and comfort those who have lost.

WE PRAY TO THE LORD
LORD THANK YOU FOR HEARING OUR PRAYER

*September is suicide prevention month. We speak out that it is okay to not be okay. We offer a hand to those needing help or just to comfort them and let them know they are not alone as they wrestle with life on a daily basis.

WE PRAY TO THE LORD

LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR HEARING OUR PRAYER

*For your church, that she may boldly stand against those who choose to persecute the poor, the immigrant, or those with different sexuality, especially our LGBTQ brothers and sisters. Let your church respond with boldness, love, and courage. Let us make room for those who are rejected. Let the church not be silent.

WE PRAY TO THE LORD