Mass Readings for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C
- First Reading – Genesis 18:20-32: "See how I am presuming to speak to my Lord, though I am but dust and ashes!"
- Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 138: "Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me."
- Second Reading – Colossians 2:12-14: "You were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead."
- Gospel - Luke 11:1-13: "I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."
Themes for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C
The readings for 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C encourage us to pray and ask God for good things. In the first reading Abraham asks God to spare the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. The psalm sings "Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me." In the second reading Paul reminds us that we have been set free and forgiven in Christ Jesus. In the gospel Jesus teaches his disciples the Our Father and encourages them to be persistent in prayer.
- Prayer
- Trust in God
- Persistence
- Different types of prayer
See the Homilies and Reflections section and the More Thoughts section for further expansion on these readings and some reflection questions for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C.
Resources for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C
Catholic Prayers
Prayers bring us closer to God. We pray to change our own hearts and bring them into alignment with the heart of God. We pour ourselves out to God and know that we are heard. We also let God speak to us. See some prayer ideas here.
A Prayer of a Grateful Heart
This prayer is based on Psalm 138, which is the responsorial psalm for this Sunday. It expresses gratitude for God’s loving care. We may seem insignificant in this world, but we are important to our Heavenly Father.
Learn a New Prayer
It is good to keep your prayer life fresh by trying a new type of prayer from time to time. While I like just sitting and listening or doing something a little less structured like Lectio Divina, sometimes there are times when a traditional prayer brings me comfort and inspiration.
Homilies and Reflections for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C
What Is the Lord’s Prayer About?
From Bishop Robert Barron. This prayer, which is probably recited millions of times a day all over the world, includes some of the best-known words on the planet. But what do they mean? It might be good for us to walk slowly through Luke’s version to see what this great prayer is about—and what we are asking for when we pray it.
Abraham's Request
Jeff Cavins reflects on Abraham’s prayer for Sodom and Gomorrah and on the Lord’s Prayer, encouraging us to be persistent when we pray.
Abba Father, Bring us Jesus
Also from Bishop Robert Barron. The Our Father, the Lord’s Prayer, is a request for Christ. As we examine this most famous prayer line by line, we see it’s all about Jesus. That He might come and have communion with us is precisely what we hope for when we cry out to “our Abba who art in heaven.”
Asked and Answered
From Scott Hahn. Though we be “but dust and ashes,” we can presume to draw near and speak boldly to our Lord, as Abraham dares. Through the Spirit given to us in Baptism, we can cry to Him as our Father- knowing that when we call He will answer.
What Should We Talk to God About? Everything.
There are a lot of different kinds of prayers (liturgical, litanies, the rosary, the chaplet of divine mercy, etc.), but today Father Mike Schmitz hones in on mental prayer. Mental prayer—including lectio divina and Ignatian prayer—is about having a conversation with God and inviting him into your mind and your heart. But our minds are messy places, and our hearts are wounded. Should we really be talking to God about all of our thoughts, longings, and desires?
More Thoughts for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C
St. Therese of Lisieux described prayer as a "surge of the heart". It is more than just words in our heads. It is truly sharing with God our deepest longings, joys, sorrows, and feelings. This is the type of prayer which Jesus teaches his disciples.
He tells us to call God "Father", an intimate term, and to remember that God is holy. He tells us to speak to God about his Kingdom and his will for us. We also speak of "our daily bread", our needs. We ask for mercy and the ability to show mercy. And for God's presence in times of trial.
He also tells them to be persistent. Why? Prayer is not meant to "change God's mind" but to draw us into union with the divine. Not giving up on prayer keeps the line of communication open, allowing God to speak to us also. This can help us see things in a different light, or lead us in a new direction, or soften our hearts. Or maybe we just need to be patient.
Prayer is meant to break us out of our closed mindedness. We call to the God who is both near enough that we can call him Father and yet so different from us. God is a mystery to us, but through prayer we can gain insight into his nature. And then we can learn to depend on him for all that we need.
Reflection Questions for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C
- What can be difficult about praying from the heart?
- What have I learned personally from persisting in prayer?
- Do I need to change up my prayer routine?
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