25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time reminds us that God’s ways are not like ours. In each year’s readings, we hear that God shows mercy and calls us to live with honesty and justice. The Gospel readings warn against greed and encourage us to serve God, not wealth or power.

In Year A, the landowner gives the same pay to all workers, showing God’s generous love. In Year B, Jesus speaks of being a servant and welcomes a child. In Year C, we hear about the dishonest steward and are told to be faithful with little things. All three years teach us to trust God, live humbly, and care for others.

Click on the appropriate year below to see resources, themes, homilies, and more. See how to determine the correct year.

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A
25th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B
25th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C

Mass Readings for the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

See resources, homilies, and more for the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A readings here.

• First Reading – Isaiah 55:6-9: Seek the Lord while He is near and turn away from wrongdoing. God’s ways and thoughts are higher than ours, and He forgives generously.
• Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 145: God is merciful, kind, and just, deserving praise forever. He shows compassion to all and is close to those who seek Him truthfully.
• Second Reading – Philippians 1:20C-24, 27A: Christ is honored in my life or death. Living means working for Christ, but dying is better. Yet, I remain for your sake. Live worthily according to Christ’s gospel.
• Gospel – Matthew 20:1-16A: A landowner hires workers throughout the day, agreeing to a fair wage. Even late hires receive a full day’s pay, illustrating God’s generous nature in the kingdom of heaven.

Mass Readings for the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B

See resources, homilies, and more for the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B readings here.

• First Reading – Wisdom 2:12, 17-20: The wicked plot to test the righteous man with insults and torture, challenging his faith and patience, and plan to condemn him to a disgraceful death to see if God will protect him.
• Responsorial Psalm –Psalm 54: O God, save and defend me. Hear my prayer. The proud and ruthless seek my life. You are my helper and support. I will praise your name, O LORD.
• Second Reading – James 3:16-4:3: Jealousy and selfishness cause disorder and evil. Wisdom from above is pure and peaceable. Wars come from inner desires. You lack because you do not ask or ask with wrong motives.
• Gospel – Mark 9:30-37: Jesus taught his disciples about his death and resurrection. In Capernaum, he addressed their argument about greatness, teaching that true greatness comes from being last and serving all, using a child as an example.

Mass Readings for the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C

See resources, homilies, and more for the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C readings here.

• First Reading – Amos 8:4-7: God condemns those who cheat and exploit the poor, vowing to remember their wrongdoings.
• Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 113: Praise the Lord, who is above all and helps the needy, lifting them from low places to high positions.
• Second Reading – 1 Timothy 2:1-8: Pray for everyone, including leaders, so we may live peacefully. God wants everyone saved. Christ is our mediator. I was appointed to teach this truth. Pray with pure hearts.
• Gospel – Luke 16:1-13: Jesus tells a story about a manager who, after being fired, shrewdly reduces debts to secure future favors. He teaches that one cannot serve both God and money.

Lookup Other Liturgical Dates in the Lectionary

A Bible and a Lectionary both include Scripture, but they are used in different ways. The Bible contains all the books of the Old and New Testaments and can be read in any order. The Lectionary, on the other hand, is a book used for Mass. It has selected readings arranged in a set order to match the Church calendar. These readings are grouped by season and feast days. Each reading has a lectionary number to help people find it easily.

The Lectionary follows a three-year cycle for Sundays and a two-year cycle for weekdays. Each cycle uses a different Gospel: Matthew in Year A, Mark in Year B, and Luke in Year C. The Gospel of John is read during special seasons. The 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time will have a different set of readings each year. These readings are picked to match the theme of the season and help Catholics understand the message of Jesus.

How to Determine the Liturgical Year

The liturgical cycle is a three-year sequence of A, B, and C.

• 2024 is Year B
• 2025 is Year C
• 2026 is Year A
• 2027 is Year B
• 2028 is Year C
• 2029 is Year A
• 2030 is Year B
• 2031 is Year C
• … and so on

The 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time teaches us that God sees things differently than we do. In Year A, Jesus tells a story about workers who are all paid the same, no matter how long they worked. This shows that God gives freely and does not measure by our standards. It reminds us that God’s mercy is not something we can earn.

In Year B, Jesus talks about serving others. He says the greatest person is the one who is willing to be the least. He uses a child as an example, showing that we must welcome and care for those who are often ignored.

Year C speaks about a dishonest steward. Jesus tells us to be wise and faithful with what we have. We are called to serve God, not money or selfish goals. The 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time calls us to trust God, live justly, and treat others with fairness.

The readings for the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time speak about fairness, service, and trust in God. We are reminded that God’s mercy is greater than our idea of justice. We are also asked to be good and faithful in small things. This message is simple but important.

Take a few minutes to read the Scripture for this Sunday. Think about how you see fairness, trust, and service in your own life. Do you find it hard to accept God’s way of doing things? Leave a comment below and share what stood out to you. Let’s learn from one another.