August 17, 2025
Liturgy Notes Sunday Prep
Liturgy Notes Sunday Prep
SUNDAY
TV MASS
Location: Crypt Church in the Basilica of the National Shrine (Washington D.C.)
Celebrant & Homilist: Rev. Msgr. Raymond East
Guest Choir: St. Bernadette Contemporary Choir, Springfield, VA
Date: August 18, 2019
The Church
Governments and Salvation of the World
Those Burdened by Adversity
Local Parish / Faith Community
CALENDAR
- August 15: The Solemnity of the Assumption of the BVM is a Holy Day of Obligation this year.
- Ritual Masses (i.e., marriage, confirmation) and funeral Masses are prohibited. A marriage or funeral may be celebrated outside of Mass using the texts from the Rite of Marriage or the Order of Christian Funerals.
SEPTEMBER
- September 1 — World Day of Prayer of the Care of Creation [start of Season of Creation, to Oct. 4, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, Patron Saint of Ecology.]
- Pope Francis instituted the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation in 2015 as a practical step following the publication of his encyclical Laudato Si’. September 1 was chosen for the yearly observance, as it is the same date chosen by the Orthodox Church in 1989. The day of prayer gives Catholics the opportunity to give thanks to God for the creation of the world and of humanity, and to recall and strengthen the responsibility of men and women to care for that creation.
- September 8 — World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly (moved from July in US).
- September 9 — Day of Prayer for Peace in Our Communities (USA) See Also
- September 11 – National Day of Mourning and Remembrance: parishes may wish to celebrate a special Mass for “first responders” – such as police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians/paramedics – using the Mass for Those in Public Office (#22) or the Mass for the Preservation of Peace and Justice (#30).
- September 14 – Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Replaces the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time - September 21 (Third Sunday in September; USA) — Catechetical Sunday / See Also
- September 22-28 (Last Week in September) — National Migration Week (USA)
- September 28 (Last Sunday in September) — World Day of Migrants and Refugees
SOURCE: Diocese of Davenport
Liturgy Links
- Art & Architecture
- Canon Law
- Centers of Study
- Gateways / Collections
- Liturgical Ministries (including Music)
- Liturgy of the Hours
- Mulitucultural / Intercultural Ministry
- Persons with Disabilities
- Professional Groups
- Publishers (Music, Resources, Ritual Texts)
- Recursos liturgicos en Español
- Sacraments (including RCIA)
- U.S. Church
- Websites of Individual Liturgists
- Youth in Liturgy
1. Our Image of God
- Bishop Golka’s reflection mentions two potentially dangerous extremes: an overly "stern and angry God" and a "nice and fluffy" God who makes no demands. Which of these two images do you think is more common in our culture today? Which do you personally lean towards?
- Why is it important to have a balanced view of God as both incredibly loving and challenging?
2. The Fire of a Parent's Love
- The central metaphor of Bishop’s reflection is God as a loving parent who knows what is best for us, even when we don't understand. Can you recall a time in your life (perhaps as a child) when a parent's or authority figure's "no" felt restrictive but was ultimately for your own good?
- When has God's call to "change your course" felt like a "disturbing power" in your life? Was it difficult to trust Him in that moment?
3. Necessary Division
- Jesus says he has come to bring division. The reflection explains this in the choice between God's way and the world's way. Can you think of a situation where choosing to live by your faith (e.g., with honesty, integrity, or charity) might create tension or "division" with friends, family, or coworkers?
- Is "keeping the peace" always the right thing to do? When might it be a way of avoiding the necessary division that comes from standing for the truth?
4. Trust and Surrender
- BIshop Golka’s call to action is to "let God cast fire into our life, disrupt anything we don't need." What is one area of your life right now where you feel God might be calling you to trust Him and allow for some disruption?
- What makes it so difficult to trust God when we don't understand why something is happening?
Closing Reflection
God's love is not a passive, gentle breeze; it is an active, powerful fire. It seeks to enter every disordered part of our lives and our world to heal, purify, and set things right. Our challenge is to trust this love, to surrender to its heat, and to have the courage to let it burn away our attachments, our misunderstandings, and our fear, leaving only His everlasting goodness.
1. The Unwelcome Truth
- Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, O.P. notes that Jeremiah was considered to be "demoralizing the troops" for speaking God's truth. Have you ever been in a situation where speaking a necessary truth was seen as being negative or causing trouble?
- The Letter to the Hebrews encourages believers by reminding them of the "great cloud of witnesses" who suffered before them. Do you find this comforting, or, as the transcript says, "a little bit threatening as well"? Why?
2. The Fire of Division
- Jesus says, "I have come to set the earth on fire... Do you think I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division." What is your gut reaction to hearing this from Jesus, the "Prince of Peace"?
- Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, O.P. explains that this division comes from challenging the status quo. For example, bringing "good news to the poor" is bad news for "the people making money off of them not being poor." Can you think of a modern example where standing for justice for one group would inevitably create conflict with another?
3. The Challenge of Discernment
- This is the core question from Fr. Scott's reflection: How do we know if the divisions we see or participate in are the "necessary divisions that if you want to follow God you'll be opposed," or if they are "more the self-righteous, self-congratulating kind of divisions"?
- Think about a significant division in our world today (in politics, in the Church, in our community). How would you apply that question to it? What helps you discern the difference between a holy, necessary stand and just being difficult?
- When has your faith made you feel unpopular or caused friction in your relationships? How did you know that it was a "problem that needs to be done" for the sake of following God?
20th Sunday of Year C
Music
20th Sunday of Year C
OCP | WILLOW | GIA | CANTICA NOVA
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Greeting
20th Sunday of Year C
Good morning, and welcome. In our daily lives, we often seek peace and harmony, but sometimes, living out our faith can bring us into conflict—whether it’s an internal struggle to do the right thing or a difficult conversation with a loved one about our values. Today’s readings speak directly to this reality. In the Gospel, Jesus himself gives us the hard truth that following him may not always bring peace, but division, even within families. As we gather to celebrate this Mass, let us pray for the courage to stand firm in our faith, for the strength to endure every challenge, and for the wisdom to see that true peace is found not in avoiding conflict, but in faithfully following the one who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Penitential Rite
20th Sunday of Year C
- Lord Jesus, you came to set the world on fire: Lord, have mercy.
- Christ Jesus, you came with a message that divides us: Christ, have mercy.
- Lord Jesus, you call us to be ready for conflict: Lord, have mercy.
SOURCE: CELEBRATION
Fr. Lawrence Mick
20th Sunday of Year C
1923-2017
Most churches now are NOT filled with multiple statues and images of the saints. In the past, many Catholics spent their time at Mass praying to the saints rather than participating in the liturgy itself. So the architectural focus on the altar and pulpit is a healthy change, but again, it diminishes parishioners’ awareness of the saints and their role as models of the Christian life and intercessors in heaven.
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