SPCP- Newsletter - Sunday, 28 September 2025 – Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year C

 

 SPCP- Newsletter - Sunday, 28 September 2025 – Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year C 

PDF version of this parish newsletter *PDF here*: 

You can also access an online -web- copy of the newsletter *Webcopy here*

 

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year C - Sunday, September 28th, 2025 - (EPISODE- 549)

 

Dear Parishioners and Visitors, Welcome to our Surfers Paradise Catholic Parish 'Flocknote' podcast email. We include the link to the latest podcast below. Homily and Mass (audio) for you at home, and for reflection upon the Scriptures of the week, both prior to Sunday celebration or in the days afterwards. Please click the button below for the Podcast of the Weekly Mass (and special Solemnities occasionally throughout the year). Latest Podcast  Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year C - Sunday, September 28th, 2025 - (EPISODE- 549) Image Credit- https://creator.nightcafe.studio/creation/lmwSv0xvzDELX91rsxKO/lazarus-was-comforted-in-the-arms-of-abraham-in-heaven-and-a-large-uncrossable-divide-separated-them?ru=Paul-Evangelion  Readings for Sunday, September 28th, 2025 - Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year C  FIRST READING: Amos 6:1a, 4-7  Ps 146:6c-7, 8-9a, 9b-10. "Praise the Lord, my soul!"  SECOND READING: 1 Tim 6:11-16  GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Luke 16:19-31). Alleluia, alleluia! Jesus Christ was rich but he became poor. To make you rich out of his poverty.  GOSPEL: Luke 16:19-31    ++++ Please listen to the audio recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers, and homily), for the Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year C - Sunday, September 28th, 2025, by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-ep-549/s-W5Ivga0lR7a  (EPISODE- 549)  +++++  PROLOGUE  This weekend, God's Word emphasises the importance of empathy and compassion, particularly having the eyes of compassion that are not blind to the suffering of others around us. The readings give a big serve to all who enjoy every kind of luxury but are quite ignorant of people in extreme need for even the basic necessities, people who are hidden in plain sight. The Lord wants everyone to know that the sick, the poor, the outcast are very dear to Him. They are cherished children as dear to God as the most lofty person on earth. The Lord desperately wants us to see and recognize our fellow brothers and sisters and to respond to them in a practical way as we would to a brother and sister in need. Their welfare is our welfare since we belong to the same family of God. ++++ HOMILY:  The parable in this weekend's gospel is often called the story of Lazarus and DIVÊS. These are supposedly the names of the poor man, who certainly is called Lazarus, and the rich man, who is actually not named, and I think quite deliberately he is not given a name in this parable. The word DIVÊS  simply is a Latin word which is translated as rich. So it's actually not a name, but rather a description. In many biblical stories, and in the culture of the time, the importance of the person is often shown by the fact that they're given a name. To know the name of someone is to know and understand the importance of that person. It's quite an error then, when commentators attempt to give a name to the rich man, when it's clearly not intended in the parable. This story is deliberately turning the usual conventions on their head. Usually the rich and influential person is regarded as so important that they must be given a name in the drama, while the unimportant bit character, insignificant, is the poor person, who remains nameless, as well as being without food, shelter or supplies. However, in Our Lord's parable, he makes it quite clear that the most important person in this story is Lazarus, the poor man. The whole point of the story is to overturn the usual expectations of status and importance. Tragically, this point is also lost on the rich man, who even in the torment of Hades still misses the point badly. For example, he ignorantly requests Abraham to command Lazarus, who's now in heaven, to cross over to Hades to serve him with a little taste of water. However, his request is rightly denied. Lazarus is poor no longer. He is no longer unseen and without value in the eyes of those around him. He's no longer at the beck and call of the powerful and influential, who would only notice him if they were of some practical use to them at the time. And if he was of no use to them, he would be quite invisible to them, which he was most of the time. As Saint Basil said in one of his homilies on this parable, tell us the reason why you have received your possessions. Is it so that God may be unjust? God, who unequally distributes those goods necessary to life? Why are you rich and another poor? To the hungry belongs that spare bread that you keep. To the naked the cloak you keep tucked away. You commit as many injustices as there are people to whom you could give. One of the great failings of the rich man in this parable is that he's ignorant and apathetic to the poverty and need of people around him. These people that he doesn't notice turn out to be his brother and his sister in God's kingdom. So these needy people are co-heirs to the kingdom which this uncaring man will never inherit. This parable invites us to change our way of seeing and looking. The gospel tells us in countless ways that the last will be first. Our Lord calls upon us to truly build up a world based on true gospel values. A world and a kingdom which is filled with many people like Lazarus, who are despised now by those who, according to this parable, do not deserve to have a name. This parable leaves no room for doubt. The unnamed rich man tries to say he had no idea about the plight of the poor. However, Father Abraham will have none of this excuse. He dismisses this categorically, saying, you have the word of God to listen to. The words and teachings of scripture are more than enough to guide us in how we should have lived and how we should respond to those in need. In spite of the clarity of the gospel message, we admit that we too can look for excuses or ask for more obvious signs before we respond to what's really an obvious demand of justice and compassion in the scriptures. The priorities of the gospel are really quite plain enough, without any further embellishment, without any further signs. We only have to pay attention, to look, to listen, and to feel. Those who ignore the poor are rejected by the Lord. Saint Paul gives us the reason for such behaviour. The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Greed leads us to place our trust in money when all true power rightly comes only from God. This is why Paul calls it idolatry, and the poor are victims of this distorted worship which separates people by a great chasm which is unable to be crossed over. But all is not lost. This parable continues on from the earlier parables in this section. Although we're told that the rich man faced a great gulf between himself and the kingdom of God, where Abraham and Lazarus are in paradise, Jesus himself has already given his carefully attentive listeners a hint and a small key. There is actually one way out of this seemingly impossible situation. In theory, this rich man can still be saved, but he's so ignorant that he cannot comprehend it, and so, in practical terms, he will probably never access this reprieve. But, if he were to act just like the foolish younger son did in the parable of the prodigal son, he must come to his senses and see, really see the folly of his ways. He must say to his heavenly father from the depths of his heart, Father, I have sinned against heaven and against earth. I no longer deserve to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants. Because we know, from our Lord's own lips, what the heavenly father's response will be to those who realize their error, who awake from their apathy, truly repent and turn back. Again, Luke's gospel is particularly addressed to influential and affluent Gentiles who want to be good Christians. Our Lord did not tell this parable so that people will give up in despair because their unavoidable destiny is turning out to be hades. He teaches this parable rather to wake up the living, to wake them up from their apathy and get them to show their fraternity to those who are really struggling. Someone once wrote into a publication to share a little example of their own life. They wrote, One day I received an appeal from a reputable foreign mission asking for an aid donation. I wrote a little cheque out to support the mission and I felt really good about myself. Then I went out to the local shopping centre and promptly spent twice as much on discretionary spending. Suddenly my eyes were opened and I was overcome with a sense of shame as I realized the chasm between the two actions. I quickly returned home and wrote five more cheques out, doing this to catch just a few more Lazaruses at the door or even further afield.  +++++++++++++++++++  References:    Fr Paul W. Kelly    SHARING THE WORD THROUGH THE LITURGICAL YEAR. GUSTAVO GUTIERREZ.    Fr. John Fuellenbach, SVD, (Rome), Sabbatical Lectures 2007. Rome. (Notes of Paul Kelly)    A BOOK OF GRACE-FILLED DAYS. BY ALICE CAMILLE. (2010)    Image Credit- https://creator.nightcafe.studio/creation/lmwSv0xvzDELX91rsxKO/lazarus-was-comforted-in-the-arms-of-abraham-in-heaven-and-a-large-uncrossable-divide-separated-them?ru=Paul-Evangelion     Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year C (Sunday, September 28th 2025) (EPISODE- 549)    Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (or/ The Lord be with You)  +++++++++++++  {{Greetings}}    My brothers and sisters, trusting in God's mercy and love, let us call to mind our sins.  Lord Jesus, you healed the sick: Lord, have mercy// Lord Jesus, you forgave sinners: Christ, have mercy Lord Jesus, you give us yourself to heal us and bring us strength: Lord, have mercy.  May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.  +++++++++++++++++++++  Ps 146:6c-7, 8-9a, 9b-10. "Praise the Lord, my soul!"    GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Luke 16:19-31). Alleluia, alleluia! Jesus Christ was rich, but he became poor. To make you rich out of his poverty.    Memorial Acclamation  2. When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.  ++++++++++++++++++++++++++  PREFACE: Sundays Ordinary VI  Eucharistic Prayer II  Communion side:     (theme variation: v3)    (welcome cycle- (welcome 6) Good evening/morning. Welcome to this Eucharist as we celebrate the Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year C. For all who are celebrating special events at this time, may God's blessing and care be deeply experienced for you and your families. Please check to see that your mobile devices are switched off or turned to silent. Our Presider tonight / today is Fr………………………… Please stand as we sing our entrance hymn: "__________" *)    (pre+post variation: v2-long)  ++++  {heartfelt thanks to you all for uniting in prayer and reflectying upon God's goodness and care.}    Go forth, the Mass is ended.    ++++++++  Archive of homilies and reflections: http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au  To contact Fr. Paul, please email: paulwkelly68@gmail.com    To listen to the weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks    Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:  "Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul Kelly    Prayers and chants — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy. (ICEL)    Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, and 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA)    "The Psalms" ©1963, 2009, The Grail - Collins publishers.    Prayers of the Faithful - " Together we pray" by Robert Borg'. E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993) . (Sydney Australia).    Sung "Mass In Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin" - By Jeffrey M. Ostrowski. The Gloria, Copyright © 2011 ccwatershed.org.     - "Faith, Hope and Love" theme hymn - in memory of William John Kelly - Inspired by 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. Music by Paul W. Kelly. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.    "Quiet Time." Instrumental Reflection music. Written by Paul W Kelly. 1988, 2007. & This arrangement: Stefan Kelk, 2020.     - "Today I Arise" - For Trisha J Kelly. Original words and music by Paul W. Kelly. Inspired by St Patrick's Prayer. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.    Sound Engineering and editing - P.W. Kelly.    Microphones: - Shure MV5 Digital Condenser (USB)     Editing equipment: NCH software - MixPad Multitrack Studio Recording Software  NCH – WavePad Audio Editing Software. Masters Edition v 12.44    Sound Processing: iZotope RX 6 Audio Editor    [Production - KER - 2025]  May God bless and keep you For the moment, I encourage you to select the 'Update My Info' button below, to explore Flocknote a little more, and update any other details you wish to share with this. Blessings Fr. Paul Kelly Parish Priest   Our Parish is part of the Archdiocese of Brisbane. Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults Policy “The Archdiocese of Brisbane holds that children, young people and vulnerable adults are a gift from God with an intrinsic right to dignity of life, respect and security from physical and emotional harm. They are to be treasured, nurtured and safeguarded by all.” Privacy Policy https://brisbanecatholic.org.au/privacy-policy/ Sent by Merla Nario Direct replies to this email can only be seen by admins.  Email me when people reply to this note To ensure that these emails land in your inbox and do not go into spam, please add mail@flocknote.com to your email address book or safe senders list.  my info  •  unsubscribe    50 Fairway Drive, Clear Island Waters, QLD 4226   •   surfersparadiseparish.com.au

SPCP- Newsletter - Sunday, 21 September 2025 – Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year C

SPCP- Newsletter - Sunday, 21 September 2025 – Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year C

 PDF version of this parish newsletter *PDF here*: 

You can also access an online -web- copy of the newsletter *Webcopy here*

 PDF version of this parish newsletter *PDF here*: 

You can also access an online -web- copy of the newsletter *Webcopy here*

 

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time. -Year C - Sunday, 21 September 2025 (EPISODE: 548)

 Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time. -Year C -  Sunday, 21 September 2025 (EPISODE: 548)

Readings for Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time.- Year C
FIRST READING: Amos 8:4-7
Psalm 113:1-2, 4-6, 7-8. “Praise the Lord, who lifts up the poor.”
SECOND READING: 1 Timothy 2:1-8
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (cf. 2 Corinthians 8:9). Alleluia, alleluia! Jesus Christ was rich but he became poor. To make you rich out of his poverty.
GOSPEL: Luke 16:1-13 or 16:10-13

Image Credit: https://creator.nightcafe.studio/creation/g78BDUh8BEd5Nlg2iDKo?ru=Paul-Evangelion
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Please listen to the audio-recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers and homily), for the Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year C - Sunday, 21 September 2025 - by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-ep-548/s-5F0dOe6Z1ID  (EPISODE: 548)
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Prologue:

Luke 16:13 lays down the critical rule that no slave can serve two masters. In the time of Jesus, the master possessed a slave, and possessed him exclusively. Nowadays, a servant or a worker can easily do two jobs or more, work for two different people.

They could do one job and another in their spare time. But back in the time of the Romans, and in the time of Jesus, a slave had no spare time. They were entirely owned by one master.

Every moment of their day, every ounce of their energy belonged to that master. They had no time which was their own. So this analogy is that serving God can never be a part-time or spare-time job.

Once we choose to serve God, every moment of our time and every atom of our energy should belong to God. God is the most exclusive of masters. We either totally give ourselves to him, or not at all.%%

{FHL}

HOMILY:

Today's parable from the Gospel of Luke about the dishonest steward would have to be one of the most confounding parables in the Gospels. At first glance, it looks like our Lord is praising the dishonesty and the unscrupulous behaviour of the manager who gets fired for dodgy practices. But a closer look shows that Jesus is actually contrasting the behaviour and priorities of people who have a worldly focus with those who have a focus on the Kingdom of God.

A parable that looks initially foreign to us actually tells us something significant. This jarring parable actually has a lot in common with other parables of Jesus, namely the parable of the rich fool which we've heard earlier in this year, or even the parable of the rich man and the poor man Lazarus at his gate which is coming up. All of these parables are trying to tell us that collecting money and possessions is not the most important thing in life, and they don't last.

It's establishing significant and lasting relationships with our brothers and sisters around us, that is everyone. In Jesus' mind, relationships are more important than money, and our relationships with others should be served by money rather than the other way around. This is why the master praised in today's Gospel, not because he stole his money, but because the manager did not allow money to distract him from the greater goal of creating relationships that will last beyond his employment.

This is how Jesus views money, and calls his followers to view it the same. The parable forces the listener to decide what is it that they trust the most. Whether we live for Jesus and his kingdom, or for the world and its fleeting possessions, forces a moment of decision on us.**

Do we trust that Jesus is more to be trustworthy than all the economic structures and worldly things around us? If those who don't know Jesus cheat one another because they know the value of relationships over money, then how much more should we use money to be freely given for the benefit of others?** 

The scripture scholar William Barclay says, in today's parable, the dodgy steward knew that he had lost his job, and he therefore came up with a brilliant plan. He falsified the entries in the books, so that the debtors were debited with far less than they actually owed. This would have two effects.%%

First, the debtors would be grateful to him, owe him in the future, and secondly, and much more effectively, he had involved the debtors in his own misdemeanour, and if the worst came to the worst, he was now in a strong position to exercise a little judicious blackmail. Terrible and quite dishonest behavior for sure, and not Christian. But as Jesus says of the parable, the sons of this world are wiser in their generation than the sons of light. %%

That means if only Christians were as eager and ingenious in their attempts to attain goodness as the people of the world are in their attempts to attain money and comforts, we'd be a much better people at our job of Christianity. If only we could give as much attention to the things which concern our souls as others do to achieve the things which concern their lives, passing things, their business, we would be very profitable for the kingdom. Over and over again, a person will expend 20 times the amount of time and money and effort on their business endeavors or their pleasures or hobbies or garden or sport as they do on their Christian faith. %%

Our Christianity will begin to be truly effective only when we spend as much time and effort on the things of God as others do on worldly activities that don't last. So this is a very unusual parable. Our Lord is using the parable to compare two quite unequal things. %%

People who are successful in the ways of this earthly world spend their days and nights plotting, scheming, working and planning for things that will produce good profits and material benefits in this life only. How much more importantly should we spend our time, energy, planning and honour scheming to produce the fruits of the kingdom of heaven which last forever? It's quite clear from these parables and from Jesus' teaching that our Lord had a very healthy suspicion and aversion to money and material possessions. He knew they were imperfect and tainted. %%

He was a realist though. Many people could not totally avoid dealing with money and material goods, but he quickly reminded his disciples that doesn't mean we should put much trust in them. Money and possessions are to be used with extreme caution and with a very strong suspicion for their inadequacy and shallowness. %%

According to our Lord's teaching, material possessions should be used, if they must be used, to cement the friendships and relationships whereby real and permanent value of life is found. That is, use our money and our material abilities to help those in need, to help our brothers and sisters who are doing it tough. The rabbis have a saying, the rich help the poor in this world, but it is the poor who will help the rich in the world to come. %%

Saint Ambrose commented on the rich fool who built bigger barns to store his goods and said, the bosoms of the poor, the houses of the widows, the mouths of the children are the barns which last forever. It was a strong and old belief in the Jewish tradition that charity given to poor people would stand to a man's credit in the world to come, in the next life. A person's true wealth would consist not in what they kept for themselves but what they gave away to those who needed it. %%

Luke's gospel, we have to keep in mind, was written and addressed largely to a Gentile group of Christians of Greek background who were people of influence and wealth and social status. So the gospel is clearly there to teach them. You can use your wealth and you can use it either selfishly or you can use it to make life easier, not just for ourselves but for your friends and fellow people, especially those in need.%%

And thank goodness for people who've done that throughout history. How many scholars are forever grateful to a rich benefactor who left money so that they could study and excel in their particular school of life which then helped many many people? How many people are grateful to a better off friend who saw them through some real time of need in a practical way? Possessions are not in themselves a sin but they are a great responsibility and the person who uses them to help their friends and those who are most needy has gone very far in discharging that very noble responsibility. %%

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References:

Fr Paul W. Kelly; 

*https://bibleproject.com/podcast/finding-meaning-in-the-parables/ - ;  

%%Barclay, W. (1975). The

Image Credit: https://creator.nightcafe.studio/creation/g78BDUh8BEd5Nlg2iDKo?ru=Paul-Evangelion
Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time.  Year C  -(Sunday, 21 September 2025)  (EPISODE: 548 )
3. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (or/ The Lord be with You)
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{{Hello everyone}} welcome everyone, we gather -  To take time to reflect upon the meaning of God's word for our everyday lives On this Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Coming together as brothers and sisters, with confidence let us ask the Fathers forgiveness, for he is full of gentleness and compassion
I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault,* through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God. Lord have mercy Christ have mercy Lord have mercy
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.  Amen.
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Memorial Acclamation
3. Save us, Saviour of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free.
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Psalm 113:1-2, 4-6, 7-8. “Praise the Lord, who lifts up the poor.”

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (cf. 2 Corinthians 8:9). ). Alleluia, alleluia! Jesus Christ was rich but he became poor. To make you rich out of his poverty.
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PREFACE: Ordinary 1
Eucharistic Prayer 4
(theme variation: theme 3 )

(post version: v1-long)

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{9. heartfelt thanks to you all ,for uniting in prayer and for reflection, upon God's overflowing goodness and care.}

3. Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.

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Archive of homilies and reflections:  http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email:  paulwkelly68@gmail.com

To listen to the weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here:  https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks

You are welcome to subscribe to Fr Paul’s homily mail-out by visting here:

https://surfersparadiseparish.us7.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=85b9ddd594b242276d423bfe9&id=002282d9e0  

Details relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:

"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul Kelly

Prayers and chants — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy. (ICEL)

Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, and 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA)

"The Psalms" ©1963, 2009, The Grail - Collins publishers.

Prayers of the Faithful - " Together we pray" by Robert Borg'. E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993). (Sydney Australia).

Sung "Mass in Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin" - By Jeffrey M. Ostrowski. The Gloria,  Copyright © 2011 ccwatershed.org.

"Faith, Hope and Love" theme hymn - In memory of William John Kelly (1942-2017) - Inspired by 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. Music by Paul W. Kelly. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.

“Quiet Time.”  Instrumental Reflection music. Written by Paul W Kelly. 1988, 2007. & This arrangement: Stefan Kelk, 2020.

“Today I Arise” - For Trisha J Kelly.  Original words and music by Paul W. Kelly. Inspired by St Patrick’s Prayer.  Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.

Sound Engineering and editing - P.W. Kelly. 

Microphones: - Shure Motiv MV5 Digital Condenser. And (2024+) Rode Nt-1 + AI-1 Sound Mixer.

Editing equipment:    -- MixPad Multitrack Studio Recording Software v10.49 (NCH Software).

NCH – WavePad Audio Editing Software. Masters Edition v 17.63 (NCH Software)

Sound Processing:  iZotope RX 10 Audio Editor (Izotope Inc.)

Text transcription as per recorded podcast version is transcribed by TurboScribe.ai

{excellent and accurate transcription from voice to text}

[Production -  KER -  2025]
May God bless and keep you.
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