Weekday readings are available on the USCCB website.


 

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 27

First Reading (Ezekiel 18:25-28)

Thus says the LORD:
You say, "The LORD's way is not fair!"
Hear now, house of Israel:
Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair?
When someone virtuous turns away from virtue to commit iniquity, and dies,
it is because of the iniquity he committed that he must die.
But if he turns from the wickedness he has committed,
he does what is right and just,
he shall preserve his life;
since he has turned away from all the sins that he has committed,
he shall surely live, he shall not die.



Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9)

Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.

Remember that your compassion, O LORD,
and your love are from of old.
The sins of my youth and my frailties remember not;
in your kindness remember me,
because of your goodness, O LORD.

Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice, 
and teaches the humble his way.

R.    Remember your mercies, O Lord.



Second Reading (Philippians 2:1-11)

Brothers and sisters:
If there is any encouragement in Christ,
any solace in love,
any participation in the Spirit,
any compassion and mercy,
complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love,
united in heart, thinking one thing.
Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory;
rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves,
each looking out not for his own interests,
but also for those of others.

Have in you the same attitude
that is also in Christ Jesus,
Who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
something to be grasped.
Rather, he emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
coming in human likeness;
and found human in appearance,
he humbled himself,
becoming obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross.
Because of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
which is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.



Alleluia (John 10:27)

My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.



Gospel (Matthew 20:1-16a)

Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people:
"What is your opinion?
A man had two sons.
He came to the first and said,
'Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.'
He said in reply, 'I will not, '
but afterwards changed his mind and went.
The man came to the other son and gave the same order.
He said in reply, 'Yes, sir, ‘but did not go.
Which of the two did his father's will?"
They answered, "The first."
Jesus said to them, "Amen, I say to you,
tax collectors and prostitutes
are entering the kingdom of God before you.
When John came to you in the way of righteousness,
you did not believe him;
but tax collectors and prostitutes did.
Yet even when you saw that,
you did not later change your minds and believe him."



Offertory Antiphon (Psalm 137:1, 2, 3, 4-5, 6)

By the rivers of Babylon,
there we sat and wept,
while we remembered you, O Sion.

On the poplars that grew there
we hung up our harps.

For it was there that they asked us,
our captors, for songs,
our oppressors, for joy.
“Sing to us,” they said,
“one of Sion’s songs.”

O how could we sing
the song of the LORD
on foreign soil?
If I forget you, Jerusalem,
let my right hand wither!

O let my tongue
cleave to my palate
if I remember you not,
if I prize not Jerusalem
as the first of my joys!





Communion Antiphon (1 John 3:16; Psalm 119:1, 2, 25, 28, 41, 74, 81, 82, 114)

By this we came to know the love of God:
that Christ laid down his life for us;
so we ought to lay down our lives for one another.

Blessed are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the LORD!

Blessed are those who keep his decrees!
With all their hearts they seek him.

My soul holds fast to the dust;
revive me by your word.

My soul pines away with grief;
by your word raise me up.

LORD, let your mercy come upon me,
the salvation you have promised.

Those who revere you see me and rejoice,
for I trust in your word.

My soul yearns for your salvation;
I hope in your word.

My eyes yearn to see your promise.
I ask, “When will you comfort me?”

You are my hiding place, my shield;
I hope in your word.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.



Salve, Regina (Hail, Holy Queen)

Acknowledgements