Twenty Ninth Sunday Homily in Ordinary Time Year A

1st Reading – Isaiah 45:1, 4-6

¹ Thus says the Lord to my anointed Cyrus, whose right hand I hold, so that I may subjugate the nations before his face, and I may turn the backs of kings, and I may open the doors before him, and so that the gates will not be shut.

⁴ For the sake of Jacob, my servant, and Israel, my elect, I have even called you by your name. I have taken you up, and you have not known me.

⁵ I am the Lord, and there is no one else. There is no god beside me. I girded you, and you have not known me.

⁶ So may those who are from the rising of the sun, and those who are from its setting, know that there is no one beside me. I am the Lord, and there is no other.

Responsorial Psalm – Psalms 96:1, 3, 4-5, 7-8, 9-10

R. (7b) Give the Lord glory and honor.

¹ Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
³ Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
R. Give the Lord glory and honor.

⁴ For great is the LORD and highly to be praised;
awesome is he, beyond all gods.
⁵ For all the gods of the nations are things of nought,
but the LORD made the heavens.
R. Give the Lord glory and honor.

⁷ Give to the LORD, you families of nations,
give to the LORD glory and praise;
⁸ give to the LORD the glory due his name!
Bring gifts, and enter his courts.
R. Give the Lord glory and honor.

⁹ Worship the LORD, in holy attire;
tremble before him, all the earth;
¹⁰ say among the nations: The LORD is king,
he governs the peoples with equity.
R. Give the Lord glory and honor.

2nd Reading – 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5B

¹ Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: grace to you and peace.

² We give thanks to God always for all of you, remembering you in our prayers, unceasingly

³ calling to mind your work of faith and labor of love and endurance in hope of our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father,

⁴ knowing, brothers and sisters loved by God, how you were chosen.

^5AB For our gospel did not come to you in word alone, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with much conviction.

Alleluia – Philippians 2:15D, 16A

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
^15D Shine like lights in the world
^16A as you hold on to the word of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel – Matthew 22:15-21

¹⁵ The Pharisees went off and plotted how they might entrap Jesus in speech.

¹⁶ They sent their disciples to him, with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. And you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion, for you do not regard a person’s status.

¹⁷ Tell us, then, what is your opinion: Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?”

¹⁸ Knowing their malice, Jesus said, “Why are you testing me, you hypocrites?

¹⁹ Show me the coin that pays the census tax.” Then they handed him the Roman coin.

²⁰ He said to them, “Whose image is this and whose inscription?”

²¹ They replied, “Caesar’s.” At that he said to them, “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”