Podcast: 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Hi and welcome to the Modern Psalmist Podcast. I’m Rebecca De La Torre.

This weekend we celebrate the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, year C. Our readings today encourage us to hope in the Lord and pray without ceasing, looking to Him to protect and preserve us.

We open with the entrance antiphon for today, taken from Psalm chapter 17 verses 6 & 8:

“To you I call; for you will surely heed me, O God;
turn your ear to me; hear my words.
Guard me as the apple of your eye;
in the shadow of your wings protect me.”

And continuing on to the psalm for today, from chapter 121, we proclaim that the Lord – the master of all creation – is who we look to for help in times of trouble. The response reads:

“Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”

All four verses illustrate the ways in which the Lord cares for those who hope in him.

In the communion antiphon for today we sing the same message of hoping in the Lord, who is our help. Taken from Psalm chapter 33, verses 18 and 19, it says:

“Behold, the eyes of the Lord
are on those who fear him,
who hope in his merciful love,
to rescue their souls from death,
to keep them alive in famine.”

In the gospel for today, taken from Luke chapter 18, Jesus tells the parable of the widow and the unjust judge, to encourage us to continue to pray without ceasing. In verses 7 and 8 Jesus says:

“Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones
who call out to him day and night?
Will he be slow to answer them?
I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily.”

This is a great encouragement to us, along with the other readings for today, that God *wants* to hear our prayers. He wants us to call out to him for help when we need it. And Jesus reminds us here that God will see that justice is done on our behalf.

A song that I’m using at my masses this weekend in both English and Spanish is by Jacque Berthier from the Taizé community titled “Oculi Nostri” which is latin for ‘our eyes’. The refrain is in Latin as well:

Oculi nostri ad Dominum Deum
Oculi nostri ad Dominum nostrum

This means “Our eyes are on the Lord our God”

The verses are taken directly from the psalm 121 for today, which makes it a perfect fit for our liturgy.

That was “Oculi Nostri” by Jacques Berthier for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, year C. Head over to TheModernPsalmist.com where you can find all the individual recordings and sheet music for the songs on this podcast. You can also find direct links in the show notes.

Thanks for listening to the Modern Psalmist Podcast. Have a blessed week.