Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, C
Wisdom 18: 6-9
Ps. 33
Hebrews 11: 1-2, 8-19
Luke 12: 32-48

The image of being prepared for God’s unexpected actions connects the Scriptures today. In the First Reading, the book of Wisdom recounts the “wonderful works of God” in the Exodus from Egypt, and the preparedness of the people—not only the Children of Israel living in exile in Egypt, but the patriarchs, their ancestors, who laid the foundation for this by their faith and their faithfulness. The Responsorial Psalm catches this reverence for the relationship between God and His people, and sings: “Happy the people the Lord has chosen to be His own!” In the Gospel, Jesus relates the parable of the waiting servants, with language that seems to come right out of the Passover, “Let your loins be girded!” It is Eucharistic as well, for the Christian knows that, at every celebration of the Mass, the Master [Christ] will gird Himself and have them sit at table and He will come and serve them.”

In the Second Reading, we begin our four-week, in-course reading of the Letter to the Hebrews. In today’s reading, the author makes a list of Old Testament men and women who are examples of faith. The first sentence of the reading explains what the author’s definition of faith is: “confident assurance concerning what we hope for, and conviction about things we do not see.” Like Abraham, we Christians too “have no abiding city;” we are looking forward “to the city with foundations, whose designer and maker is God.”

This hymn is based on today’s Scriptures:
As Israel was brought by God
In Paschal night to freedom
By faithful service to God's call,
We hear this cry with gladness:
Live not in fear, O little flock!
Your Father, guarding you from shock,
Is giving you the Kingdom!

Sell what you have, give to the poor,
Get purses fit for heaven,
All filled with treasure from the Lord
Which moth and thief can't threaten.
Live not in fear, O little flock!
Your Father, guarding you from shock,
Is giving you the Kingdom!

Faith gives conviction though unseen,
Assurance of our longing;
As Abraham went forth in faith,
So too we trust God, learning:
Live not in fear, O little flock!
Your Father, guarding you from shock ,
Is giving you the Kingdom!

87.87.887
suggested tune: Mit Freuden zart

Propers from the Roman Gradual

Introit: Respice, Domine (Ps. 74:19a, 18b, 21a, 22a)
Look, O Lord, graciously upon your covenant,
and do not forget the souls of your poor,
neither forsake them forever.
Arise, O Lord our God, and forget not the voices of those who seek you.
O God, why have you utterly cast us off?
Why is your wrath so hot against the sheep of your pasture?

Offertory: In te speravi (Ps. 31:14-15a)
In you have I trusted, O Lord.
I have said: You are my God, and in your holy hands are all my ages.

Communion: Panis quem ego dedero (Jn. 6:52)
(based on the Gospel for Year B)
The bread which I will give is my flesh,
which I will give for the life of the world.

Propers from the Simple Gradual

The suite of antiphons and psalms from Ordinary Time II (BFW 230–238) —
trust and hope in God — is especially appropriate.

Response: BFW 647 (Taste and see) or alleluia psalm BFW 646
Offertory: BFW 477 (Those who hope in you . . . shall inherit . . . )
Communion: BFW 210 (I am the living bread . . . )