Mass Readings for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C
- First Reading – Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18: "The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds; it does not rest till it reaches its goal, nor will it withdraw till the Most High responds, judges justly and affirms the right, and the Lord will not delay."
- Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 34: "The Lord hears the cry of the poor."
- Second Reading – 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18: "The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat and will bring me safe to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen."
- Gospel - Luke 18:9-14: "The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, 'O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity -- greedy, dishonest, adulterous -- or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.'"
Themes for the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C
The readings for 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C focus on God's mercy for the poor and the humble. In the first reading we are told that God hears those who cry out in pain. And the psalm echoes this sentiment. In the second reading Paul speaks of feeling deserted by all those around him, but the Lord stood by him. In the gospel Jesus tells the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.
- Pride
- Humility
- Trust in God
See the Homilies and Reflections section and the More Thoughts section for further expansion on these readings and some reflection questions for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C.
Resources for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C
First or Last? A Lesson Plan on Humility
This lesson plan encourages youth to consider why humility is an important aspect of discipleship. We should look up to Jesus. We should not spend our energy trying to get people to look up to us.
Litany of Humility
This prayer asks for the grace to be humble, and to let go of our own need to be important, so that Jesus Christ can be exalted.
Prayer for Humility
Jesus is asking us to be humble servants. This prayer asks for the grace to serve with humility.
Thanks Be to God My Deliverer
Psalm 34, the responsorial psalm for this Sunday, is a prayer of thanksgiving which David prayed when God delivered him from his enemies. This prayer based on Psalm 34 expresses this same sentiment. God delivers those who are weak and broken and powerless.
Homilies and Reflections for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C
Finish the Race
From Bishop Robert Barron. "Friends, our second reading this week is from Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy—one of the last letters we have from St. Paul. Now toward the end of his life, Paul passes on various pieces of wisdom to his young friend, including this: 'I have finished the race.' The spiritual life is like a race; it includes different stages, from the promise, energy, and enthusiasm of the beginning to the experience of hitting the wall, where you can’t go on. St. Paul experienced all of those stages, and his hugely inspiring words are for all of us: no matter where you are in the race, finish it."
Walk in Humility
Jeff Cavins encourages us to walk in humility and remember that God is the one who justifies.
No Favorites
Dr. Scott Hahn explains that these readings show us that God does not play favorites. He cannot be bribed or impressed. We must not take pride in our piety. Continue reading.
A Gospel of Humility
From Fr. Richard Rohr of the Center for Action and Contemplation. "In this talk, Richard unpacks the parable of the tax collector and the Pharisee (Luke 18:9–14), showing how Jesus affirmed a spirituality of imperfection. With this parable, Jesus invites us to struggle with the contrast between a spirituality of perfection and what I’m calling a spirituality of imperfection. Notice the beginning lines..." Continue reading.
A Parable about Prayer
From Loyola Press. "The second parable that Jesus tells in Luke 18 addresses attitude in prayer. In contrasting the prayer of the Pharisee with the prayer of the tax collector, Jesus teaches his disciples to pray in humility before God. Jesus again surprises his listeners by showing the tax collector as the example of faith, rather than the Pharisee. " Continue reading.
Prayer and Pride
Bishop Robert Barron reflects on the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. Our liturgy and prayer must make us humble and open to love. Otherwise there is no point.
More Thoughts for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C
Pharisees were held in high esteem in Jewish culture. Tax collectors, on the other hand, were collaborators with the Romans. They also cheated people to increase their earnings. So they were despised. So for Jesus to tell this story where the Pharisee is the "villain" and the tax collector is the "hero" is a complete reversal of how these roles were perceived.
Jesus is showing us that it is not social status which matters in the eyes of God. He cares about how our hearts are oriented. We must remember that everything we are and have comes from God. And we are all in need of God's mercy. When we start thinking that praying and following the rules somehow earn us a special place in the Kingdom of God, then we are relying on our own efforts instead of trusting in God.
Reflection Questions for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C
- Do I trust in my own strength and look out for myself?
- Or do I believe that if I let go of power that God will care for me?
- Are there individuals or groups of people whom I look down upon?
Quotes and Social Media Graphics for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C
I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.
Luke 18:14
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