Liturgy for Sunday, August 24, 2025

Texts taken from the missal “Sulla Tua Parola,” July-August 2025

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)  - 1st week of the Psalter

First Reading

From the Book of the Prophet Isaiah (Is 66:18b-21)

Thus says the Lord: “I am coming to gather all nations and all languages; they will come and see my glory. I will place a sign among them and send their survivors to the peoples of Tarshish, Put, Lud, Meshech, Ros, Tubal, and Javan, to the distant islands that have not heard of me and have not seen my glory; they will proclaim my glory among the nations. They will bring all your brothers and sisters from all the nations as an offering to the Lord, on horses, chariots, litters, mules, and camels, to my holy mountain, Jerusalem - says the Lord - just as the Israelites bring the offering in pure vessels to the Lord’s temple. Among them too I will take priests and Levites, says the Lord.”

The word of God.

Commentary on the first reading

I Already in the time of the prophet Isaiah, this prophecy must have sounded strange: how can God choose faithful and devout people from among the pagan nations? Is Israel not the people he chose? Why, then, go so far as to seek priests among these peoples and compare them to the Levites, that is, those who were responsible for worship in the Lord’s temple? But the prophet’s message truly gave people food for thought: the Most High seeks above all those who are faithful to him in their hearts and strive to guard and live out his word in justice and holiness. No one can boast of a title - even that of belonging to the chosen people - if they do not then carry out the works pleasing to him. Perhaps this message scandalizes you too: try to reflect on it, and you will understand what God truly wants from you.

Second Reading

From the Letter to the Hebrews (Heb 12:5-7, 11-13)

Brothers and sisters, have you already forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as sons and daughters: “My child, do not despise the Lord’s correction, and do not lose heart when you are rebuked by him; for the Lord disciplines the one he loves and chastises everyone he accepts as a child”? It is for your correction that you suffer! God is treating you as his children; and what child is not corrected by his father? Of course, at the time, all discipline seems not to bring joy but sadness; later, however, it yields a peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the lame foot may not be dislocated but rather be healed.

The word of God.

Commentary on the second reading

If you have rebuked someone for their own good, you can better understand the meaning of these words: very often, the person who rebukes suffers more than the one being rebuked. The same is true of God, who knows that sometimes correction is a salutary source of salvation and redemption for us. And yet, no one likes being corrected and rebuked: it truly takes a great deal of faith to believe that it is for our own good! That is no reason to become discouraged: try instead to regard every suffering that comes your way as an attempt God is making with you to lead you to an ever greater and more perfect level of inner growth. This is the best way to live in faith in a God who loves you and always, whatever happens, wants what is best for you.

Gospel

From the Gospel according to Luke (Lk 13:22-30)

At that time, Jesus passed through cities and villages teaching, as he made his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter but will not succeed. When the master of the house gets up and shuts the door, you will remain outside and begin to knock at the door, saying: ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ But he will reply: ‘I do not know where you are from.’ Then you will begin to say: ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will declare to you: ‘I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!’ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, while you yourselves are cast out. And people will come from east and west, from north and south, and will recline at table in the kingdom of God. For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

The word of the Lord.

Commentary on the Gospel

How different our criteria for judgment are from those of God! Like the man in the Gospel passage, we dwell on secondary details of our life of faith, which often serve only to satisfy our curiosity. What matters to the Lord, instead, is to help us understand that salvation is above all a gift from God which, precisely because it is so important, must be welcomed with complete openness and attentiveness, allowing the word that the Lord has sown with such patience to bear fruit in our hearts. Otherwise, even performing miracles or giving great sermons in his name is of no use. At most, it increases our personal responsibility. So, rather than waiting for prophecies, let us commit ourselves with love and dedication to the kingdom of heaven.