Week of October 22nd 

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The Call to Prayer

Begin with the Sign of the Cross.

Leader:        My friends, let’s pause a moment here in the midst of all our activity to prepare ourselves to spend a few moments of prayer with God and each other.

The Word of God

Leader:        +A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.        Matthew 22:15-21

All:        Glory to you, O Lord!

The Pharisees went off

and plotted how they might entrap Jesus in speech.

They sent their disciples to him, with the Herodians, saying,

"Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man

and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.

And you are not concerned with anyone's opinion,

for you do not regard a person's status.

Tell us, then, what is your opinion:

Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?"

Knowing their malice, Jesus said,

"Why are you testing me, you hypocrites?

Show me the coin that pays the census tax."

Then they handed him the Roman coin.

He said to them, "Whose image is this and whose inscription?"

They replied, "Caesar's."

At that he said to them,

"Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar

and to God what belongs to God."

Leader: The Gospel of the Lord

All:        Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!

The Faith Sharing

Leader:        This week the parish is sharing faith based on this question:

 Adult/Child: What are the “Caesars” of my world today? Do I and my family attach ourselves to worldly things at the expense of the love and honor that we owe to God ?

Let us pause for a few moments to reflect on this question.

Allow a short time of silence, then invite sharing.

At the end of the sharing period, conclude with this or another prayer:

Leader:        Lord, we thank you for opening up our hearts to receive your word. May our prayer and sharing with each other lead us to deeper love of you and unity in Jesus Christ. Amen.

End with the Sign of the Cross.