We are all called to love extraordinarily. Yet, how many of us can truly love others with the deep and profound love that we have for Christ? St. Paul exemplifies this extraordinary love in the first reading. It’s difficult to comprehend the depth of his love for Christ. He expressed willingness to be condemned and separated from Christ if it would save his fellow brothers.
You can sense the pain in his testimony. This pain stems from his inability to convince his fellow Jews to believe in Christ Jesus, his Lord.
Riding on this extraordinary love, remember there is no wrong time to do good. We should seize every opportunity to do good, whether it’s to heal, show love, or comfort someone in need. It is our Christian duty to always love, just as Jesus loves us. Amen.
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First reading Romans 9:1-5
I would willingly be condemned if it could help my brothers
What I want to say now is no pretence; I say it in union with Christ – it is the truth – my conscience in union with the Holy Spirit assures me of it too. What I want to say is this: my sorrow is so great, my mental anguish so endless, I would willingly be condemned and be cut off from Christ if it could help my brothers of Israel, my own flesh and blood. They were adopted as sons, they were given the glory and the covenants; the Law and the ritual were drawn up for them, and the promises were made to them. They are descended from the patriarchs and from their flesh and blood came Christ who is above all, God for ever blessed! Amen.
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Gospel Luke 14:1-6
‘Is it against the law to cure a man on the sabbath?’
Now on a sabbath day Jesus had gone for a meal to the house of one of the leading Pharisees; and they watched him closely. There in front of him was a man with dropsy, and Jesus addressed the lawyers and Pharisees. ‘Is it against the law’ he asked ‘to cure a man on the sabbath, or not?’ But they remained silent, so he took the man and cured him and sent him away. Then he said to them, ‘Which of you here, if his son falls into a well, or his ox, will not pull him out on a sabbath day without hesitation?’ And to this they could find no answer.
By God’s grace, and through our baptism we are reborn through the life, death and resurrection of Christ Jesus our Lord. We are now children of God, deeply loved by our Heavenly Father. Nothing can separate us from His love, except our own choice to sin and live in sin. However, if are repentant and remorseful, He is ready to embrace us with open arms.
Woe to those who do not believe, who refuse to accept the Son of God, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Everyone is given the chance to lead a full live in Him. And we hold onto the hope of eternal life with Him. Amen.
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First reading Romans 8:31-39 ·
God did not spare his own Son
With God on our side who can be against us? Since God did not spare his own Son, but gave him up to benefit us all, we may be certain, after such a gift, that he will not refuse anything he can give. Could anyone accuse those that God has chosen? When God acquits, could anyone condemn? Could Christ Jesus? No! He not only died for us – he rose from the dead, and there at God’s right hand he stands and pleads for us. Nothing therefore can come between us and the love of Christ, even if we are troubled or worried, or being persecuted, or lacking food or clothes, or being threatened or even attacked. As scripture promised: For your sake we are being massacred daily, and reckoned as sheep for the slaughter. These are the trials through which we triumph, by the power of him who loved us. For I am certain of this: neither death nor life, no angel, no prince, nothing that exists, nothing still to come, not any power, or height or depth, nor any created thing, can ever come between us and the love of God made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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Gospel Luke 13:31-35
It would not be right for a prophet to die outside Jerusalem
Some Pharisees came up to Jesus. ‘Go away’ they said. ‘Leave this place, because Herod means to kill you.’ He replied, ‘You may go and give that fox this message: Learn that today and tomorrow I cast out devils and on the third day attain my end. But for today and tomorrow and the next day I must go on, since it would not be right for a prophet to die outside Jerusalem. ‘Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you that kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often have I longed to gather your children, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you refused! So be it! Your house will be left to you. Yes, I promise you, you shall not see me till the time comes when you say:
‘Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord!’
Indeed, we who are walking humbly in righteousness and in the presence of the Lord, who love mercy, then the Spirit of Christ lives within us. His Holy Spirit helps us in every aspect of our lives. Even when we do not know how to pray or how to go about prayer, the Spirit of Christ within us prays for us, according to His will.
When we decide to follow after Him, to listen and do His Word and will for us, then truly, we are His disciples. We are children of God, our Heavenly Father. We do not have to worry when we call out to Him, Lord, Lord. The door will already be open for us, because we have chosen the narrow way.
We know that even amidst difficulties and challenges of walking the path of the narrow way, we are following after the way, the truth and the life. Amen.
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First reading Romans 8:26-30 ·
The Spirit himself expresses our plea in a way that could never be put into words
The Spirit comes to help us in our weakness. For when we cannot choose words in order to pray properly, the Spirit himself expresses our plea in a way that could never be put into words, and God who knows everything in our hearts knows perfectly well what he means, and that the pleas of the saints expressed by the Spirit are according to the mind of God. We know that by turning everything to their good God co-operates with all those who love him, with all those that he has called according to his purpose. They are the ones he chose specially long ago and intended to become true images of his Son, so that his Son might be the eldest of many brothers. He called those he intended for this; those he called he justified, and with those he justified he shared his glory.
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Gospel Luke 13:22-30
The last shall be first and the first last
Through towns and villages Jesus went teaching, making his way to Jerusalem. Someone said to him, ‘Sir, will there be only a few saved?’ He said to them, ‘Try your best to enter by the narrow door, because, I tell you, many will try to enter and will not succeed. ‘Once the master of the house has got up and locked the door, you may find yourself knocking on the door, saying, “Lord, open to us” but he will answer, “I do not know where you come from.” Then you will find yourself saying, “We once ate and drank in your company; you taught in our streets” but he will reply, “I do not know where you come from. Away from me, all you wicked men!” ‘Then there will be weeping and grinding of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves turned outside. And men from east and west, from north and south, will come to take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. ‘Yes, there are those now last who will be first, and those now first who will be last.’
We are citizens of heaven, children of God our Heavenly Father. All of us form one holy and apostolic Church, because we are built upon the foundation of the rock of Christ our Lord. And since we are one body in Him, we must exercise our gifts and charisms for the building up of His Church.
We have been empowered to lay hands, to heal, and to cast out demons. Yet many of us do not have the faith of a mustard seed to even try. If we are truly one in Him, and if all of us are bold and courageous enough to go out and minister to those He has sent our way, then we shall see the grandeur of our Lord’s glory upon the earth.
We would have opened the heavens so that His grace will be poured out abundantly on all of us and to the many He has sent our way. Amen.
Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles – pray for us…
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First reading Ephesians 2:19-22 ·
In Christ you are no longer aliens, but citizens like us
You are no longer aliens or foreign visitors: you are citizens like all the saints, and part of God’s household. You are part of a building that has the apostles and prophets for its foundations, and Christ Jesus himself for its main cornerstone. As every structure is aligned on him, all grow into one holy temple in the Lord; and you too, in him, are being built into a house where God lives, in the Spirit.
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Gospel Luke 6:12-19
Jesus chooses his twelve apostles
Jesus went out into the hills to pray; and he spent the whole night in prayer to God. When day came he summoned his disciples and picked out twelve of them; he called them ‘apostles’: Simon whom he called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot who became a traitor. He then came down with them and stopped at a piece of level ground where there was a large gathering of his disciples with a great crowd of people from all parts of Judaea and from Jerusalem and from the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon who had come to hear him and to be cured of their diseases. People tormented by unclean spirits were also cured, and everyone in the crowd was trying to touch him because power came out of him that cured them all.
Do we love our pets, animals more than people? Do we value worldly attachments more than human dignity? As true sons and daughters of God, our Heavenly Father, we should love everything that is spiritual and Holy. We should strive to be righteous and Holy, just as He is.
Today’s message remains about love. Love that transcends all words, love of God put into action for Him and brethren. Love as we are loved by him who died for us. Amen
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First reading Romans 8:12-17 ·
The Spirit himself and our spirit bear united witness that we are children of God
My brothers, there is no necessity for us to obey our unspiritual selves or to live unspiritual lives. If you do live in that way, you are doomed to die; but if by the Spirit you put an end to the misdeeds of the body you will live. Everyone moved by the Spirit is a son of God. The spirit you received is not the spirit of slaves bringing fear into your lives again; it is the spirit of sons, and it makes us cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’ The Spirit himself and our spirit bear united witness that we are children of God. And if we are children we are heirs as well: heirs of God and coheirs with Christ, sharing his sufferings so as to share his glory.
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Gospel Luke 13:10-17
Was it not right to untie this woman’s bonds on the sabbath day?
One sabbath day Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who for eighteen years had been possessed by a spirit that left her enfeebled; she was bent double and quite unable to stand upright. When Jesus saw her he called her over and said, ‘Woman, you are rid of your infirmity’ and he laid his hands on her. And at once she straightened up, and she glorified God. But the synagogue official was indignant because Jesus had healed on the sabbath, and he addressed the people present. ‘There are six days’ he said ‘when work is to be done. Come and be healed on one of those days and not on the sabbath.’ But the Lord answered him. ‘Hypocrites!’ he said ‘Is there one of you who does not untie his ox or his donkey from the manger on the sabbath and take it out for watering? And this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan has held bound these eighteen years – was it not right to untie her bonds on the sabbath day?’ When he said this, all his adversaries were covered with confusion, and all the people were overjoyed at all the wonders he worked.
The Pharisee’s prayer is almost a parody of the thanksgiving psalms (see for example Psalms 30, 118). Instead of praising God for His mighty works, the Pharisee congratulates himself for his own deeds, which he presents to God in some detail.
The tax collector stands at a distance, too ashamed even to raise his eyes to God (see Ezra 9:6). He prays with a humble and contrite heart (see Psalm 51:19). He knows that before God no one is righteous, no one has cause to boast (see Roman 3:10; 4:2).
We see in the Liturgy today one of Scripture’s abiding themes: that God “knows no favorites,” as today’s First Reading tells us (see 2 Chronicles 19:7; Acts 10:34–35; Romans 2:11).
God cannot be bribed (see Deuteronomy 10:17). We cannot curry favor with Him or impress Him—even with our good deeds or our faithful observance of religious duties such as tithing and fasting.
If we try to exalt ourselves before the Lord, as the Pharisee does, we will be brought low (see Luke 1:52).
This should be a warning to us—not to take pride in our piety, not to slip into the self-righteousness of thinking that we’re better than others, that we’re “not like the rest of sinful humanity.”
If we clothe ourselves with humility (see 1 Peter 5:5–6), if we recognize that all of us are sinners in need of His mercy, we will be exalted (see Proverbs 29:33).
The prayer of the lowly, the humble, pierces the clouds. Paul testifies to this in today’s Epistle as He thanks the Lord for giving him strength during his imprisonment.
Paul tells us what the Psalmist sings today—that the Lord redeems the lives of His humble servants.
We too must serve Him willingly. And He will hear us in our distress, deliver us from evil, and bring us safely to His heavenly kingdom.
We should never focus on the sins of others. Instead, with a remorseful and repentant heart, we must examine ourselves and look to Christ. He has taken upon Himself the sins of the world to free us, so that we might have eternal life with Him.
Therefore with grateful hearts we strive for holiness. This means living spiritual lives, renouncing the work of the enemies, and all that is unspiritual. For our Lord is patient and waits for us. Our goal is to always bring glory to Him and lead others to the full life that can be found in Him.
Amen.
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First reading Romans 8:1-11
The Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you
The reason why those who are in Christ Jesus are not condemned is that the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. God has done what the Law, because of our unspiritual nature, was unable to do. God dealt with sin by sending his own Son in a body as physical as any sinful body, and in that body God condemned sin. He did this in order that the Law’s just demands might be satisfied in us, who behave not as our unspiritual nature but as the spirit dictates. The unspiritual are interested only in what is unspiritual, but the spiritual are interested in spiritual things. It is death to limit oneself to what is unspiritual; life and peace can only come with concern for the spiritual. That is because to limit oneself to what is unspiritual is to be at enmity with God: such a limitation never could and never does submit to God’s law. People who are interested only in unspiritual things can never be pleasing to God. Your interests, however, are not in the unspiritual, but in the spiritual, since the Spirit of God has made his home in you. In fact, unless you possessed the Spirit of Christ you would not belong to him. Though your body may be dead it is because of sin, but if Christ is in you then your spirit is life itself because you have been justified; and if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, then he who raised Jesus from the dead will give life to your own mortal bodies through his Spirit living in you.
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Gospel Luke 13:1-9
‘Leave the fig tree one more year’
Some people arrived and told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with that of their sacrifices. At this he said to them, ‘Do you suppose these Galileans who suffered like that were greater sinners than any other Galileans? They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen on whom the tower at Siloam fell and killed them? Do you suppose that they were more guilty than all the other people living in Jerusalem? They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did.’ He told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it but found none. He said to the man who looked after the vineyard, “Look here, for three years now I have been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and finding none. Cut it down: why should it be taking up the ground?” “Sir,” the man replied “leave it one more year and give me time to dig round it and manure it: it may bear fruit next year; if not, then you can cut it down.”’
I find it very comforting to know that the great Apostle St. Paul struggled with temptation and sin just as we do. He shares with us that even a wretched man like him is saved through the grace of Christ alone. We too must cling to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ when faced with terrible temptations. This is especially true when we want to do the right thing but end up doing the wrong thing.
We must turn our eyes and focus on Christ. Cry out for His mercy and we shall be saved. The Gospel reminds us that by striving for holiness, we too are able to judge the signs of our times. We must choose to remain steadfast even though the world is changing and turning the world upside down. We must always choose the path of Christ.
He lights the way for us. He is the truth, the way, and the life. Let there be no quarrels among us and our brethren as we choose to remain steadfast in Christ our Lord. Amen.
Saint Antony Mary Claret, Bishop pray for us…
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First reading Romans 7:18-25
Every time I want to do good it is something evil that comes to hand
I know of nothing good living in me – living, that is, in my unspiritual self – for though the will to do what is good is in me, the performance is not, with the result that instead of doing the good things I want to do, I carry out the sinful things I do not want. When I act against my will, then, it is not my true self doing it, but sin which lives in me. In fact, this seems to be the rule, that every single time I want to do good it is something evil that comes to hand. In my inmost self I dearly love God’s Law, but I can see that my body follows a different law that battles against the law which my reason dictates. This is what makes me a prisoner of that law of sin which lives inside my body. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body doomed to death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!
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Gospel Luke 12:54-59
Do you not know how to interpret these times?
Jesus said to the crowds: ‘When you see a cloud looming up in the west you say at once that rain is coming, and so it does. And when the wind is from the south you say it will be hot, and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the face of the earth and the sky. How is it you do not know how to interpret these times? ‘Why not judge for yourselves what is right? For example: when you go to court with your opponent, try to settle with him on the way, or he may drag you before the judge and the judge hand you over to the bailiff and the bailiff have you thrown into prison. I tell you, you will not get out till you have paid the very last penny.’
We must prioritize the Lord our God above everything and everyone, including family and friends. He is the singular Lord and God who has rescued us from death and destruction. He has transformed our decaying bodies, minds, and spirits into sources of life.
Therefore, we should dedicate our lives to righteousness and serving Him and our brethren. This dedication will ignite our hearts with passion for Him and for our loved ones. Through Christ, we not only improve but strive to become the best versions of ourselves—better spouses, better children, better colleagues.
Let us then extend the flame of His love to everyone we encounter. Amen.
Saint John of Capistrano, Priest pray for us..
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First reading Romans 6:19-23
Now you are set free from sin, and slaves to God
If I may use human terms to help your natural weakness: as once you put your bodies at the service of vice and immorality, so now you must put them at the service of righteousness for your sanctification. When you were slaves of sin, you felt no obligation to righteousness, and what did you get from this? Nothing but experiences that now make you blush, since that sort of behaviour ends in death. Now, however, you have been set free from sin, you have been made slaves of God, and you get a reward leading to your sanctification and ending in eternal life. For the wage paid by sin is death; the present given by God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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Gospel Luke 12:49-53
How I wish it were blazing already!
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘I have come to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were blazing already! There is a baptism I must still receive, and how great is my distress till it is over! ‘Do you suppose that I am here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on a household of five will be divided: three against two and two against three; the father divided against the son, son against father, mother against daughter, daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law, daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.’
We often overlook the significance of our baptism. It is through baptism that we are integrated into the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Through baptism, we become children of light and truly belong to God, our Heavenly Father, who loves us deeply.
As children of light, we are transformed into slaves of righteousness rather than slaves of sin. Being a slave of righteousness means we possess the grace of the Lord our God and experience life fully in Him.
Therefore, we must remain steadfast as children of light by daily battling sin, resisting the temptations of the flesh, and the wanton desires of the body. We must shun all that is unholy. It is crucial that we control our speech and refrain from speaking evil.
Let us always glorify the Lord by our life. Amen.
Saint John Paul II, Pope pray for us…
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First reading Romans 6:12-18
Make every part of your body a weapon fighting on the side of God
You must not let sin reign in your mortal bodies or command your obedience to bodily passions, you must not let any part of your body turn into an unholy weapon fighting on the side of sin; you should, instead, offer yourselves to God, and consider yourselves dead men brought back to life; you should make every part of your body into a weapon fighting on the side of God; and then sin will no longer dominate your life, since you are living by grace and not by law. Does the fact that we are living by grace and not by law mean that we are free to sin? Of course not. You know that if you agree to serve and obey a master you become his slaves. You cannot be slaves of sin that leads to death and at the same time slaves of obedience that leads to righteousness. You were once slaves of sin, but thank God you submitted without reservation to the creed you were taught. You may have been freed from the slavery of sin, but only to become ‘slaves’ of righteousness.
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Gospel Luke 12:39-48
The Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what hour the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his house. You too must stand ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’ Peter said, ‘Lord, do you mean this parable for us, or for everyone?’ The Lord replied, ‘What sort of steward, then, is faithful and wise enough for the master to place him over his household to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? Happy that servant if his master’s arrival finds him at this employment. I tell you truly, he will place him over everything he owns. But as for the servant who says to himself, “My master is taking his time coming,” and sets about beating the menservants and the maids, and eating and drinking and getting drunk, his master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know. The master will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the unfaithful. The servant who knows what his master wants, but has not even started to carry out those wishes, will receive very many strokes of the lash. The one who did not know, but deserves to be beaten for what he has done, will receive fewer strokes. When a man has had a great deal given him, a great deal will be demanded of him; when a man has had a great deal given him on trust, even more will be expected of him.’
As I’ve aged, I find my body slowing down, and I’m not as alert or as fully awake as I ought to be. However, over the years, I’ve discovered that I feel truly alive only when I am serving the Lord and my brethren. I’m reinvigorated, and the fire of the Holy Spirit burns bright within me.
As we approach Advent, today’s Gospel reminds us to stand alert and awake with our lamps lit, ready to greet the Lord when He comes. Our Lord who through His righteousness alone had redeemed us by life, death and Resurrection. What better greeting can there be than to say, “Here I am, Lord, I’ve come to do Your will.” Amen.
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First reading Romans 5:12,15,17-21 ·
Divine grace, coming through Jesus Christ, came as an abundant free gift
Sin entered the world through one man, and through sin death, and thus death has spread through the whole human race because everyone has sinned; but the gift itself considerably outweighed the fall. If it is certain that through one man’s fall so many died, it is even more certain that divine grace, coming through the one man, Jesus Christ, came to so many as an abundant free gift. If it is certain that death reigned over everyone as the consequence of one man’s fall, it is even more certain that one man, Jesus Christ, will cause everyone to reign in life who receives the free gift that he does not deserve, of being made righteous. Again, as one man’s fall brought condemnation on everyone, so the good act of one man brings everyone life and makes them justified. As by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man’s obedience many will be made righteous. When law came, it was to multiply the opportunities of failing, but however great the number of sins committed, grace was even greater; and so, just as sin reigned wherever there was death, so grace will reign to bring eternal life thanks to the righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ our Lord.
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Gospel Luke 12:35-38
Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘See that you are dressed for action and have your lamps lit. Be like men waiting for their master to return from the wedding feast, ready to open the door as soon as he comes and knocks. Happy those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. I tell you solemnly, he will put on an apron, sit them down at table and wait on them. It may be in the second watch he comes, or in the third, but happy those servants if he finds them ready.’
One thing is clear: we all will die, sooner or later. From the cradle to the grave, our time on earth is short. We do not know when we will be called home. As Christians, we know where home is. Home is life with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
But how much closer are we to that journey home? What have we done to win the prize of eternal life with Him? Have we truly believed in Jesus? To believe in Him is to do His will and follow His word. Have we cared for the least of our brethren? Have we loved others as we love ourselves, or even more? Have we lived the beatitudes in our life?
Or have we instead chased after rainbows, indulged in wine and dining, and lived life carelessly, only for ourselves? Are we the fool in this Gospel? Or are we the son and daughter of God our Heavenly Father, eagerly awaiting His heavenly embrace?
The Lord is our guardian, beside us at our right hand, interceding for us in all our spiritual battles.
In today’s Psalm we’re told to lift our eyes to the mountains, that our help will come from Mount Zion and the Temple—the dwelling of the Lord who made heaven and earth.
Joshua and the Israelites, in today’s First Reading, are also told to look to the hilltops. They are to find their help there—through the intercession of Moses—as they defend themselves against their mortal foes, the Amalekites.
Notice the image: Aaron and Hur standing on each side of Moses, holding his weary arms so that he can raise the staff of God above his head. Moses is being shown here as a figure of Jesus, who also climbed a hilltop, and on Mount Calvary stretched out His hands between heaven and earth to intercede for us against the final enemy—sin and death (see 1 Corinthians 15:26).
By the staff of God, Moses bested Israel’s enemies (see Exodus 7:8–12; 8:1–2), parted the Red Sea (see Exodus 14:16) and brought water from the Rock (see Exodus 17:6).
The Cross of Jesus is the new staff of God, bringing about a new liberation from sin, bringing forth living waters from the body of Christ, the new Temple of God (see John 2:19–21; 7:37–39; 19:34; 1 Corinthians 10:4).
Like the Israelites and the widow in today’s Gospel, we face opposition and injustice—at times from godless and pitiless adversaries.
We, too, must lift our eyes to the mountains—to Calvary and the God who will guard us from all evil.
We must pray always and not be wearied by our trials, Jesus tells us today. As Paul exhorts in today’s Epistle, we need to remain faithful, to turn to the inspired Scriptures—given by God to train us in righteousness.
We must persist, so that when the Son of Man comes again in kingly power, He will indeed find faith on earth.
In our mission to share the joy of the Gospel, we will undoubtedly face opposition. Even when we find ourselves alone, with no one to support us, St. Paul encourages us in today’s first reading to persevere. Our Lord will stand by us and empower us so that our proclamation can reach the ends of the earth.
We must go forth in faith, trusting that the Lord our God will provide for all our needs. He has empowered us to bring His peace to everyone we meet. Therefore, we offer the Lord’s peace, which we carry with us. Freely we had received from our Lord, so too shall we give freely. Though we will accept gratefully the hospitality offered to us.
In our Lord’s empowerment, we are called to heal the sick and proclaim that the Lord’s kingdom is near. Let us go forth with joy in our hearts doing so, for the Lord’s will be done, now and forever. Amen.
Saint Luke, Evangelist – pray for us…
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First reading 2 Timothy 4:10-17
Only Luke is with me
Demas has deserted me for love of this life and gone to Thessalonika, Crescens has gone to Galatia and Titus to Dalmatia; only Luke is with me. Get Mark to come and bring him with you; I find him a useful helper in my work. I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus. When you come, bring the cloak I left with Carpus in Troas, and the scrolls, especially the parchment ones. Alexander the coppersmith has done me a lot of harm; the Lord will repay him for what he has done. Be on your guard against him yourself, because he has been bitterly contesting everything that we say. The first time I had to present my defence, there was not a single witness to support me. Every one of them deserted me – may they not be held accountable for it. But the Lord stood by me and gave me power, so that through me the whole message might be proclaimed for all the pagans to hear.
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Gospel Luke 10:1-9
Your peace will rest on that man
The Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them out ahead of him, in pairs, to all the towns and places he himself was to visit. He said to them, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest. Start off now, but remember, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Carry no purse, no haversack, no sandals. Salute no one on the road. Whatever house you go into, let your first words be, “Peace to this house!” And if a man of peace lives there, your peace will go and rest on him; if not, it will come back to you. Stay in the same house, taking what food and drink they have to offer, for the labourer deserves his wages; do not move from house to house. Whenever you go into a town where they make you welcome, eat what is set before you. Cure those in it who are sick, and say, “The kingdom of God is very near to you.”’
We are invited today to delve deeper into the love of God, our Father, has for us. In today’s Gospel, we learn just how deeply He loves us. We are told that we are worth more than a hundred sparrows. Every single hair on our head is counted for. His love for us is profound.
He invites us to remain steadfast in His love and not be distracted by the ways of the world. We are encouraged to walk boldly with integrity and faith in Him, just like our father Abraham, who was made righteous through his faith.
Our loving Father has forgiven our sins through His son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. By His precious life, death, and resurrection, He has cleansed our sins with His blood. This gives us hope to live eternally with Him.
Currently, we live life fully, rejoicing in the joy of our Lord. We love you, Father. We praise you, Father. We glorify you. Amen.
Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop, Martyr pray for us…
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First reading Romans 4:1-8
Abraham was justified not by his actions but by faith
What shall we say about Abraham, the ancestor from whom we are all descended? If Abraham was justified as a reward for doing something, he would really have had something to boast about, though not in God’s sight because scripture says: Abraham put his faith in God, and this faith was considered as justifying him. If a man has work to show, his wages are not considered as a favour but as his due; but when a man has nothing to show except faith in the one who justifies sinners, then his faith is considered as justifying him. And David says the same: a man is happy if God considers him righteous, irrespective of good deeds:
Happy those whose crimes are forgiven, whose sins are blotted out; happy the man whom the Lord considers sinless.
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Gospel Luke 12:1-7
Not one sparrow is forgotten in God’s sight
The people had gathered in their thousands so that they were treading on one another. And Jesus began to speak, first of all to his disciples. ‘Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees – that is, their hypocrisy. Everything that is now covered will be uncovered, and everything now hidden will be made clear. For this reason, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in hidden places will be proclaimed on the housetops. ‘To you my friends I say: Do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. I will tell you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has the power to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Can you not buy five sparrows for two pennies? And yet not one is forgotten in God’s sight. Why, every hair on your head has been counted. There is no need to be afraid: you are worth more than hundreds of sparrows.’
Here are some fundamental truths. There is only one God. All life, whether believer or unbeliever, was created through Him alone our one God. And He has given all of us free will to choose whether to accept these truths.
He has also sent His prophets into the world. Prophets like you and me, who are followers of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and our call is to share the good news of the gospel with everyone. So that, believing in Jesus themselves, they too shall have eternal life. Because of free will, they have a choice of whether to believe in faith and to accept the grace that will be given from their belief in Jesus.
All believers and unbelievers alike are subject to the commands and statutes that is the Word and Will of God, our Heavenly Father. We, who call ourselves Christians, have a higher calling. We must live upright lives with integrity and faithfulness, so as to lead others to Him. So that all glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Saint Hedwig, Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, pray for us…
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First reading Romans 3:21-30
It is the same justice of God that comes to Jew and pagan alike
God’s justice that was made known through the Law and the Prophets has now been revealed outside the Law, since it is the same justice of God that comes through faith to everyone, Jew and pagan alike, who believes in Jesus Christ. Both Jew and pagan sinned and forfeited God’s glory, and both are justified through the free gift of his grace by being redeemed in Christ Jesus who was appointed by God to sacrifice his life so as to win reconciliation through faith. In this way God makes his justice known; first, for the past, when sins went unpunished because he held his hand, then, for the present age, by showing positively that he is just, and that he justifies everyone who believes in Jesus. So what becomes of our boasts? There is no room for them. What sort of law excludes them? The sort of law that tells us what to do? On the contrary, it is the law of faith, since, as we see it, a man is justified by faith and not by doing something the Law tells him to do. Is God the God of Jews alone and not of the pagans too? Of the pagans too, most certainly, since there is only one God.
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Gospel Luke 11:47-54
You have not gone in yourselves and have prevented others who wanted to
Jesus said: ‘Alas for you who build the tombs of the prophets, the men your ancestors killed! In this way you both witness what your ancestors did and approve it; they did the killing, you do the building. ‘And that is why the Wisdom of God said, “I will send them prophets and apostles; some they will slaughter and persecute, so that this generation will have to answer for every prophet’s blood that has been shed since the foundation of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was murdered between the altar and the sanctuary.” Yes, I tell you, this generation will have to answer for it all. ‘Alas for you lawyers who have taken away the key of knowledge! You have not gone in yourselves, and have prevented others going in who wanted to.’ When he left the house, the scribes and the Pharisees began a furious attack on him and tried to force answers from him on innumerable questions, setting traps to catch him out in something he might say.
Judge not, lest you be judged. We often see the faults in our brothers’ and sisters’ eyes, but do not see the fault in our very own. Jesus is reminding us not to be hypocrites, but to act with integrity, if we have the faith and love in following after Him.
We must constantly dwell on our own actions as well inactions. That is why we pray at the beginning of Mass to be forgiven for our failings; for all that we have done, and all that we have failed to do. It is not about following the law to the letter, or imposing hardships on others for following after Jesus. But rather that we lead them through love, to the very source of life to be found behind and ordered life in Him.
Therefore, all of us must constantly seek to repent of our own sins, be filled with the grace from full reconciliation with Him, so that we can truly live out the Gospel in our lives, leading others to the joy of life with Him. Amen.
The Lord wants us to be transformed from within. Outward appearances of piety and faithfulness will not cut it. He sees into the depths of our heart, how filial we are and how we strive to be sanctified by Him.
Through His Word and His grace, we are transformed to be His light in the world. We will not allow the wisdom of the world to cloud our minds or affect our decisions in following after the Lord. For He is the way, the truth, and the life.
When we will follow after Him, we will demonstrate His love in all that we say and do. That is how we spread the joy of the Gospel. Amen.
Saint Callistus, Pope, Martyr pray for us…
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First reading Romans 1:16-25
These people knew God and failed to honour him
I am not ashamed of the Good News: it is the power of God saving all who have faith – Jews first, but Greeks as well – since this is what reveals the justice of God to us: it shows how faith leads to faith, or as scripture says: The upright man finds life through faith. The anger of God is being revealed from heaven against all the impiety and depravity of men who keep truth imprisoned in their wickedness. For what can be known about God is perfectly plain to them since God himself has made it plain. Ever since God created the world his everlasting power and deity – however invisible – have been there for the mind to see in the things he has made. That is why such people are without excuse: they knew God and yet refused to honour him as God or to thank him; instead, they made nonsense out of logic and their empty minds were darkened. The more they called themselves philosophers, the more stupid they grew, until they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for a worthless imitation, for the image of mortal man, of birds, of quadrupeds and reptiles. That is why God left them to their filthy enjoyments and the practices with which they dishonour their own bodies, since they have given up divine truth for a lie and have worshipped and served creatures instead of the creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen!
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Gospel Luke 11:37-41
Give thanks for what you have and it will all be clean
Jesus had just finished speaking when a Pharisee invited him to dine at his house. He went in and sat down at the table. The Pharisee saw this and was surprised that he had not first washed before the meal. But the Lord said to him, ‘Oh, you Pharisees! You clean the outside of cup and plate, while inside yourselves you are filled with extortion and wickedness. Fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside too? Instead, give alms from what you have and then indeed everything will be clean for you.’
In the infancy of our faith, we often ask the Lord for signs if He hears us, or if He wants us to move in a certain direction. But how long are we going to ask Him for signs? For if and when we are truly growing in our faith and love in Him then we will hear His word and will for us.
We know that we, as disciples of the Lord, are called to be the sign for all nations. We are likewise called and commanded to go out into the world baptizing in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and to teach them all that we have learned from the Lord. That is our destiny, that is the will of God for us.
And when we are truly one with and in Him, it will be our joy to spread the good news of our salvation so that all who come to know Him might have eternal life and might be free from all their sins. Amen
A foreign leper is cleansed and in thanksgiving returns to offer homage to the God of Israel. We hear this same story in both the First Reading and Gospel today.
There were many lepers in Israel in Elisha’s time, but only Naaman the Syrian trusted in God’s Word and was cleansed (see Luke 5:12–14). Today’s Gospel likewise implies that most of the ten lepers healed by Jesus were Israelites—but only a foreigner, the Samaritan, returned.
In a dramatic way, we’re being shown today how faith has been made the way to salvation, the road by which all nations will join themselves to the Lord, becoming His servants, gathered with the Israelites into one chosen people of God, the Church (see Isaiah 56:3–8).
Today’s Psalm also looks forward to the day when all peoples will see what Naaman sees—that there is no God in all the earth except the God of Israel.
We see this day arriving in today’s Gospel. The Samaritan leper is the only person in the New Testament who personally thanks Jesus. The Greek word used to describe his “giving thanks” is the word we translate as “Eucharist.”
And these lepers today reveal to us the inner dimensions of the Eucharist and sacramental life.
We, too have been healed by our faith in Jesus. As Naaman’s flesh is made again like that of a little child, our souls have been cleansed of sin in the waters of Baptism. We experience this cleansing again and again in the Sacrament of Penance—as we repent our sins, beg and receive mercy from our Master, Jesus.
We return to glorify God in each Mass, to offer ourselves in sacrifice—falling on our knees before our Lord, giving thanks for our salvation.
In this Eucharist, we remember “Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David,” Israel’s covenant king. And we pray, as Paul does in today’s Epistle, to persevere in this faith—that we too may live and reign with Him in eternal glory.
In today’s first reading from Joel, it starts off a bit bleak and dark, but it’s filled with hope. When the Lord comes, He will bring light into their darkness. He will vindicate all those who suffered under unrighteousness.
In this month of October, as we are drawing close to the start of Advent, it’s a good reminder that we should stay awake and stand ready for when the Lord comes. All of us who are just in the Lord shall rejoice!
The Lord reminds us in today’s Gospel that happy are those, or rather blessed are those, who listen to the Word of God and does His will. Amen.
Saint John XXIII, Pope pray for us…
_____________ First reading Joel 4:12-21 ·
The day of the Lord is near; sun and moon grow dark
The Lord says this:
‘Let the nations rouse themselves, let them march to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for I am going to sit in judgement there on all the nations round. Put the sickle in: the harvest is ripe; come and tread: the winepress is full, the vats are overflowing, so great is their wickedness!’
Host on host in the Valley of Decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the Valley of Decision!
Sun and moon grow dark, the stars lose their brilliance. The Lord roars from Zion, makes his voice heard from Jerusalem; heaven and earth tremble.
But the Lord will be a shelter for his people, a stronghold for the sons of Israel.
‘You will learn then that I am the Lord your God, dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain. Jerusalem will be a holy place, no alien will ever pass through it again.’
When that day comes, the mountains will run with new wine and the hills flow with milk, and all the river beds of Judah will run with water. A fountain will spring from the house of the Lord to water the wadi of Acacias. Egypt will become a desolation, Edom a desert waste on account of the violence done to the sons of Judah whose innocent blood they shed in their country. But Judah will be inhabited for ever, Jerusalem from age to age. ‘I will avenge their blood and let none go unpunished’, and the Lord shall make his home in Zion.
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Gospel Luke 11:27-28
‘Happy the womb that bore you and the breasts you sucked!’
As Jesus was speaking, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said, ‘Happy the womb that bore you and the breasts you sucked!’ But he replied, ‘Still happier those who hear the word of God and keep it!’
Today’s readings and the Gospel, when read on its own, may come across as dark and bleak. But if we read them through the lens of our resurrected Lord, through the power of His resurrection, for which He has come and transformed us from within. He cane to dispel all darkness and brought His light into the world.
All those who are repentant and have turned back to the Lord are given the opportunity to live life anew, to the full in Him, to do greater things than He has done. For we who are with Him will gather our fellow brothers and sisters into His kingdom. He has given us the power to cast out evil, to bring healing, and to bring His glory upon the earth.
Therefore, let us live worthy lives of our Lord, renouncing the works of the enemy on a daily basis and calling on our Lord through prayer to be sanctified, so that we shall bring glory to the Lord all the days of our lives. Amen.
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First reading Joel 1:13-15,2:1-2
Let all tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming
Priests, put on sackcloth and lament. Ministers of the altar, wail. Come, pass the night in sackcloth, you ministers of my God. For the house of our God has been deprived of oblation and libation. Order a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly; elders, call together all the inhabitants of the country to the house of the Lord your God. Cry out to the Lord, ‘Oh, what a day! For the day of the Lord is near, it comes as a devastation from Shaddai.’
Sound the trumpet in Zion, give the alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the country tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming, yes, it is near.
Day of darkness and gloom, day of cloud and blackness. Like the dawn there spreads across the mountains a vast and mighty host, such as has never been before, such as will never be again to the remotest ages.
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Gospel Luke 11:15-26
The finger of God has overtaken you
When Jesus had cast out a devil, some of the people said, ‘It is through Beelzebul, the prince of devils, that he casts out devils.’ Others asked him, as a test, for a sign from heaven; but, knowing what they were thinking, he said to them, ‘Every kingdom divided against itself is heading for ruin, and a household divided against itself collapses. So too with Satan: if he is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? – since you assert that it is through Beelzebul that I cast out devils. Now if it is through Beelzebul that I cast out devils, through whom do your own experts cast them out? Let them be your judges then. But if it is through the finger of God that I cast out devils, then know that the kingdom of God has overtaken you. So long as a strong man fully armed guards his own palace, his goods are undisturbed; but when someone stronger than he is attacks and defeats him, the stronger man takes away all the weapons he relied on and shares out his spoil. ‘He who is not with me is against me; and he who does not gather with me scatters. ‘When an unclean spirit goes out of a man it wanders through waterless country looking for a place to rest, and not finding one it says, “I will go back to the home I came from.” But on arrival, finding it swept and tidied, it then goes off and brings seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and set up house there, so that the man ends up by being worse than he was before.’
It is in our fallen nature to complain and to compare ourselves with others. There are even times we wonder why the sinful seem to go unpunished. How are they flourishing? But can you imagine if the Lord our God was not Himself patient with us? Would we not be doomed, since there would be no time for us to repent and turn back to Him? We should instead be focused on remaining steadfast in His love.
We should also do well to heed the Lord’s Word in today’s Gospel, that we should be constantly praying and to be persistent in our prayer. For if our prayers are to do His will, to build His Kingdom, then it is only a matter of time that our prayers will be answered. That is, all in God’s good time. For He assures us, seek and you will find, ask and it will be given, knock and the doors will be opened. All glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Saints Denis, Bishop, and his Companions, Martyrs , Saint John Leonardi, Priest pray for us…
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First reading Malachi 3:13-20
The day that is coming will burn up the wicked
You say harsh things about me, says the Lord. You ask, ‘What have we said against you?’ You say, ‘It is useless to serve God; what is the good of keeping his commands or of walking mournfully before the Lord of Hosts? Now we have reached the point when we call the arrogant blessed; yes, they prosper, these evil-doers; they try God’s patience and yet go free.’ This is what those who fear the Lord used to say to one another. But the Lord took note and heard them: a book of remembrance was written in his presence recording those who fear him and take refuge in his name. On the day which I am preparing, says the Lord of Hosts, they are going to be my own special possession. I will make allowances for them as a man makes allowances for the son who obeys him. Then once again you will see the difference between an upright man and a wicked one, between the one who serves God and the one who does not serve him. For the day is coming now, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and the evil-doers will be like stubble. The day that is coming is going to burn them up, says the Lord of Hosts, leaving them neither root nor stalk. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will shine out with healing in its rays.
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Gospel Luke 11:5-13
Ask, and it will be given to you
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to him in the middle of the night to say, “My friend, lend me three loaves, because a friend of mine on his travels has just arrived at my house and I have nothing to offer him”; and the man answers from inside the house, “Do not bother me. The door is bolted now, and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up to give it you.” I tell you, if the man does not get up and give it him for friendship’s sake, persistence will be enough to make him get up and give his friend all he wants. ‘So I say to you: Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For the one who asks always receives; the one who searches always finds; the one who knocks will always have the door opened to him. What father among you would hand his son a stone when he asked for bread? Or hand him a snake instead of a fish? Or hand him a scorpion if he asked for an egg? If you then, who are evil, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’
If the Lord our God had the heart and temperament of Jonah, we would all surely be doomed. In today’s first reading, Jonah was upset that God forgave the Ninevites. He did not care that they had repented. It just goes to show how fortunate we are that our Lord is patient and merciful.
And because He is such, we must emulate Him. So, let us always put God our Father above all things. His kingdom come, His will be done, just as Jesus our Lord has taught us to pray, not forgetting that just as we want to be forgiven, we too must forgive. And He our Lord will surely deliver us from all evil. Amen
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First reading Jonah 4:1-11
Jonah is angry at God’s mercy
Jonah was very indignant; he fell into a rage. He prayed to the Lord and said, ‘Ah, Lord, is not this just as I said would happen when I was still at home? That was why I went and fled to Tarshish: I knew that you were a God of tenderness and compassion, slow to anger, rich in graciousness, relenting from evil. So now, Lord, please take away my life, for I might as well be dead as go on living.’ The Lord replied, ‘Are you right to be angry?’ Jonah then went out of the city and sat down to the east of the city. There he made himself a shelter and sat under it in the shade, to see what would happen to the city. Then the Lord God arranged that a castor-oil plant should grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head and soothe his ill-humour; Jonah was delighted with the castor-oil plant. But at dawn the next day, God arranged that a worm should attack the castor-oil plant – and it withered. Next, when the sun rose, God arranged that there should be a scorching east wind; the sun beat down so hard on Jonah’s head that he was overcome and begged for death, saying, ‘I might as well be dead as go on living.’ God said to Jonah, ‘Are you right to be angry about the castor-oil plant?’ He replied, ‘I have every right to be angry, to the point of death.’ The Lord replied, ‘You are only upset about a castor-oil plant which cost you no labour, which you did not make grow, which sprouted in a night and has perished in a night. And am I not to feel sorry for Nineveh, the great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, to say nothing of all the animals?’
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Gospel Luke 11:1-4 How to pray
Once Jesus was in a certain place praying, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’ He said to them, ‘Say this when you pray:
‘“Father, may your name be held holy, your kingdom come; give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive each one who is in debt to us. And do not put us to the test.”’
Today, as I reflect on the first reading, it is more about how we, as Christians, should go out into the world, regardless of race, language, or even religion, that we should go out to touch as many lives and lead them to an encounter with our Lord Jesus Christ. For Jesus is for all, not for a select few.
Today’s first reading is a satire of how the Jewish behaviour was, that they could not see past their own race, that they were the chosen ones for salvation. And so the way Jonah goes out, reluctantly, to preach repentance is laughable. He only talked about their doom and destruction, and yet the people still decided to change their ways and repent.
Shouldn’t we instead go out in love and truly want to win souls for the Lord, so that everyone can have the light of Christ within them, to live joyous lives to the full in Him?
And so we are also reminded in today’s Gospel, that while it is important to be of service to our Lord and to our brethren, we must also come and sit by His feet to receive the graces He wants us to receive, to receive His love, so that we can share His love with all that we meet, and His love will truly reflect in our words and service, all in the Lord’s good time. Amen.
Our Lady of the Rosary pray for us…
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First reading Jonah 3:1-10
The Ninevites repent, and God spares them
The word of the Lord was addressed to Jonah: ‘Up!’ he said ‘Go to Nineveh, the great city, and preach to them as I told you to.’ Jonah set out and went to Nineveh in obedience to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was a city great beyond compare: it took three days to cross it. Jonah went on into the city, making a day’s journey. He preached in these words, ‘Only forty days more and Nineveh is going to be destroyed.’ And the people of Nineveh believed in God; they proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least. The news reached the king of Nineveh, who rose from his throne, took off his robe, put on sackcloth and sat down in ashes. A proclamation was then promulgated throughout Nineveh, by decree of the king and his ministers, as follows: ‘Men and beasts, herds and flocks, are to taste nothing; they must not eat, they must not drink water. All are to put on sackcloth and call on God with all their might; and let everyone renounce his evil behaviour and the wicked things he has done. Who knows if God will not change his mind and relent, if he will not renounce his burning wrath, so that we do not perish?’ God saw their efforts to renounce their evil behaviour, and God relented: he did not inflict on them the disaster which he had threatened.
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Gospel Luke 10:38-42
Martha works; Mary listens
Jesus came to a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. She had a sister called Mary, who sat down at the Lord’s feet and listened to him speaking. Now Martha who was distracted with all the serving said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.’ But the Lord answered: ‘Martha, Martha,’ he said ‘you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her.’
So many of us can relate to the story of Jonah in today’s First Reading. How the Lord has put us on mission, perhaps to share the truth with many who need to be reconciled to Him, to repent of their sins, and their sinful way of life. But we rationalize that it’s all in our head, that the Lord did not call us, or we try to run away from the task at hand. But because we know in our hearts that the calling came from the Lord, the Lord whom we worship and love, our hearts remain restless. Even our surroundings become restless to us, until such time that we die to ourselves so as to rise with Him.
Just as Jesus had to die and remain three days before rising to His resurrection glory, so, too, when we die to ourselves and in the Lord, so, too, shall we rise with Him and in Him. We will not need to question, who is my neighbour? For through that loving relationship with the Lord our God, we know who our neighbour is. The neighbour in question is always our Lord, the person whom we see the face of Christ in, whom we see is in need. ‘Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
So it does not matter what faith, religious background, race, or language. The fellow human being is a child of God. And we will do everything in our power to help and restore, like in today’s Gospel. For then we are truly living lives in and through Him. Amen.
Saint Bruno, Priest pray for us…
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First reading Jonah 1:1-2:1,11
Jonah flees from his call
The word of the Lord was addressed to Jonah son of Amittai: ‘Up!’ he said ‘Go to Nineveh, the great city, and inform them that their wickedness has become known to me.’ Jonah decided to run away from the Lord, and to go to Tarshish. He went down to Joppa and found a ship bound for Tarshish; he paid his fare and went aboard, to go with them to Tarshish, to get away from the Lord. But the Lord unleashed a violent wind on the sea, and there was such a great storm at sea that the ship threatened to break up. The sailors took fright, and each of them called on his own god, and to lighten the ship they threw the cargo overboard. Jonah, however, had gone below and lain down in the hold and fallen fast asleep. The boatswain came upon him and said, ‘What do you mean by sleeping? Get up! Call on your god! Perhaps he will spare us a thought, and not leave us to die.’ Then they said to each other, ‘Come on, let us draw lots to find out who is responsible for bringing this evil on us.’ So they cast lots, and the lot fell to Jonah. Then they said to him, ‘Tell us, what is your business? Where do you come from? What is your country? What is your nationality?’ He replied, ‘I am a Hebrew, and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land.’ The sailors were seized with terror at this and said, ‘What have you done?’ They knew that he was trying to escape from the Lord, because he had told them so. They then said, ‘What are we to do with you, to make the sea grow calm for us?’ For the sea was growing rougher and rougher. He replied, ‘Take me and throw me into the sea, and then it will grow calm for you. For I can see it is my fault this violent storm has happened to you.’ The sailors rowed hard in an effort to reach the shore, but in vain, since the sea grew still rougher for them. They then called on the Lord and said, ‘O Lord, do not let us perish for taking this man’s life; do not hold us guilty of innocent blood; for you, the Lord, have acted as you have thought right.’ And taking hold of Jonah they threw him into the sea; and the sea grew *calm again. At this the men were seized with dread of the Lord; they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows. The Lord had arranged that a great fish should be there to swallow Jonah; and Jonah remained in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights. The Lord spoke to the fish, which then vomited Jonah on to the shore.
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Gospel Luke 10:25-37
The good Samaritan
There was a lawyer who, to disconcert Jesus, stood up and said to him, ‘Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘What is written in the Law? What do you read there?’ He replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself.’ ‘You have answered right,’ said Jesus ‘do this and life is yours.’ But the man was anxious to justify himself and said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?’ Jesus replied, ‘A man was once on his way down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of brigands; they took all he had, beat him and then made off, leaving him half dead. Now a priest happened to be travelling down the same road, but when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. In the same way a Levite who came to the place saw him, and passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan traveller who came upon him was moved with compassion when he saw him. He went up and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. He then lifted him on to his own mount, carried him to the inn and looked after him. Next day, he took out two denarii and handed them to the innkeeper. “Look after him,” he said “and on my way back I will make good any extra expense you have.” Which of these three, do you think, proved himself a neighbour to the man who fell into the brigands‘ hands?’ ‘The one who took pity on him’ he replied. Jesus said to him, ‘Go, and do the same yourself.’
Because of his faith, the just man shall live. We hear in today’s First Reading the original prophetic line made so central by St. Paul (see Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38). We are to live by faith in Christ who loved us and gave Himself on the Cross for us (see Galatians 2:20).
The world, though, can seem to us as seventh-century Judah seemed to Habakkuk—in the control of God’s enemies. The strife and discord we face in our own lives can sometimes cause us to wonder, as the prophet does, why God doesn’t seem to hear or intervene when we cry for help.
We can’t let our hearts be hardened by the trials we undergo. As today’s Psalm reminds us: Israel forgot His mighty works, lost faith in the sound words of His promise. They tested God in the desert, demanding a sign.
But God didn’t redeem Israel from Egypt only to let them die in the desert. And He didn’t ransom us from futility only to abandon us in our trials. He is our God and we are the people He shepherds always—though at times His mercy and justice seem long delayed.
If we call on the Lord, as the Apostles do in today’s Gospel, He will increase our faith, will stir to a flame the Holy Spirit who has dwelt within us since Baptism.
As Paul tells us in today’s Epistle, the Lord will always give us the love and self-control we need to bear our share of hardship for the Gospel—with a strength that can come from God alone. Our task is to continue doing what He has commanded—to love and to build up His kingdom—trusting that His vision still presses on to its fulfillment.
For His vision still has its time. One day, though we are but “unprofitable servants,” we will be invited to eat and drink at our Master’s table. It is that day we anticipate with each celebration of the Eucharist
Sinners that we are, we have fallen short many times before the Lord our God, who is infinitely pure. And yet through Jesus Christ our Lord, we have hope and we can take courage to run back to Him. For in His mercy and love, He patiently awaits our return. And through Him, we are set free.
Through His grace, we are empowered to be His light in the world, to overcome the darkness that prevails the earth, to bring hope where there is none, to bring healing, to bring His light into the world, to cast out evil from all those He sends our way.
And yet, an important message that Jesus said should ring in our hearts and in our very being: do not rejoice that the Spirits submits to us, but rejoice that our names are written in heaven.
Yesterday, we had an outpouring session. And through the Holy Spirit and His grace alone, we saw many lives changed. Many were touched and were given new hope and joy in Him. We saw many endowed with special gifts of healing, of boldness, of great love for others.
And so, the words that we should rejoice for our names are written in heaven touched me in a more profound way. That truly, we are God our Father’s children, so loved by Him. And our names are written on His heart. Amen.
Saint Francis of Assisi pray for us…
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First reading Baruch 4:5-12,27-29
Take courage, my children, call on God
Take courage, my people, constant reminder of Israel. You were sold to the nations, but not for extermination. You provoked God; and so were delivered to your enemies, since you had angered your creator by offering sacrifices to demons, not to God. You had forgotten the eternal God who reared you. You had also grieved Jerusalem who nursed you, for when she saw the anger fall on you from God, she said:
Listen, you neighbours of Zion: God has sent me great sorrow. I have seen my sons and daughters taken into captivity, to which they have been sentenced by the Eternal. I had reared them joyfully; in tears, in sorrow, I watched them go away. Do not, any of you, exult over me, a widow, deserted by so many; I suffer loneliness because of the sins of my own children, who turned away from the Law of God.
Take courage, my children, call on God: he who brought disaster on you will remember you. As by your will you first strayed away from God, so now turn back and search for him ten times as hard; for as he brought down those disasters on you, so will he rescue you and give you eternal joy.
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Gospel Luke 10:17-24
Rejoice that your names are written in heaven
The seventy-two came back rejoicing. ‘Lord,’ they said ‘even the devils submit to us when we use your name.’ He said to them, ‘I watched Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Yes, I have given you power to tread underfoot serpents and scorpions and the whole strength of the enemy; nothing shall ever hurt you. Yet do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you; rejoice rather that your names are written in heaven.’ It was then that, filled with joy by the Holy Spirit, he said: ‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.’ Then turning to his disciples he spoke to them in private, ‘Happy the eyes that see what you see, for I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see, and never saw it; to hear what you hear, and never heard it.’
When will we realize that the Lord our God only wants us to live life to the full in Him? While sin, giving into temptations, thereby falling into greater sin separates us from Him and His love. How are we going to withstand the evil that comes as a result of our sinful ways?
In today’s first reading, the people realize how sinful they had become and how they had refused to listen to the Word of God. They saw the effects of their sinful life take a toll on them. But they repented, and as always, the Lord our God welcomed them back, ready with open arms.
In today’s Gospel, although a bit harsh, we hear Jesus shouting out the woes of how the cities refused to listen to Him, and the the call of God their Father. It was with great sadness He saw how the people suffered for their sins.
Let us always choose to be faithful and obedient to the Lord our God. Asking Him for the grace to overcome all sin and temptation, so that we may be free to love and live life to the full. Amen
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First reading Baruch 1:15-22 ·
We have been disobedient to the Lord our God
Integrity belongs to the Lord our God; to us the look of shame we wear today, to us, the people of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem, to our kings and princes, our priests, our prophets, as to our ancestors, because we have sinned in the sight of the Lord, have disobeyed him, and have not listened to the voice of the Lord our God telling us to follow the commandments which the Lord had ordained for us. From the day when the Lord brought our ancestors out of the land of Egypt until today we have been disobedient to the Lord our God, we have been disloyal, refusing to listen to his voice. And so the disasters, and the curse which the Lord pronounced through his servant Moses the day he brought our fathers out of Egypt to give us a land where milk and honey flow, have seized on us, disasters we experience today. Despite all the words of those prophets whom he sent us, we have not listened to the voice of the Lord our God, but, each following the dictates of his evil heart, we have taken to serving alien gods, and doing what is displeasing to the Lord our God.
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Gospel Luke 10:13-16
Anyone who rejects me rejects the one who sent me
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Alas for you, Chorazin! Alas for you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. And still, it will not go as hard with Tyre and Sidon at the Judgement as with you. And as for you, Capernaum, did you want to be exalted high as heaven? You shall be thrown down to hell. ‘Anyone who listens to you listens to me; anyone who rejects you rejects me, and those who reject me reject the one who sent me.’
In today’s first reading, we see that it is, in a sense, a prefiguring of the liturgy of the Word that we have today. What impressed me about the first reading was how the people were reverent and attentive to the Word of God. They let the Word transform them completely, acknowledging their sinfulness and repentance.
They listened attentively to the teachings, and while they may not have understood fully, the priests were on hand to teach, guide, and give instruction. Are we then reverent and attentive during the Holy Eucharist, from the beginning to the end? Do we sit there with minds and hearts open to His Word, like children sitting at His feet?
Afterall we are children of God, our Heavenly Father, so loved by Him are we not? And His love changes us, so that we not only love one another as fellow children of His, but we will go out of our way to seek His other children who are lost and bring them home. This is what it means to be a child of God, of our Heavenly Father, His child of light. Amen.
O Holy Guardian Angels pray for us…
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First reading Nehemiah 8:1-12
All the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law
When the seventh month came, all the people gathered as one man on the square before the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses which the Lord had prescribed for Israel. Accordingly Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, consisting of men, women, and children old enough to understand. This was the first day of the seventh month. On the square before the Water Gate, in the presence of the men and women, and children old enough to understand, he read from the book from early morning till noon; all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law. Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden dais erected for the purpose. In full view of all the people – since he stood higher than all the people – Ezra opened the book; and when he opened it all the people stood up. Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people raised their hands and answered, ‘Amen! Amen!’ Then they bowed down and, face to the ground, prostrated themselves before the Lord. And Ezra read from the Law of God, translating and giving the sense, so that the people understood what was read. Then Nehemiah – His Excellency – and Ezra, priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people, said to all the people, ‘This day is sacred to the Lord your God. Do not be mournful, do not weep.’ For the people were all in tears as they listened to the words of the Law. He then said, ‘Go, eat the fat, drink the sweet wine, and send a portion to the man who has nothing prepared ready. For this day is sacred to our Lord. Do not be sad: the joy of the Lord is your stronghold.’ And the Levites calmed all the people, saying, ‘Be at ease; this is a sacred day. Do not be sad.’ And all the people went off to eat and drink and give shares away and begin to enjoy themselves since they had understood the meaning of what had been proclaimed to them.
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Gospel Matthew 18:1-5,10
Anyone who welcomes a little child in my name welcomes me
The disciples came to Jesus and said, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ So he called a little child to him and set the child in front of them. Then he said, ‘I tell you solemnly, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. And so, the one who makes himself as little as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. ‘Anyone who welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. See that you never despise any of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven are continually in the presence of my Father in heaven.’
I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back. No turning back.
This must be the resolve of every Christian, every disciple of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As we go forth to build His kingdom and to spread the joy of His gospel, whatever leadership we come under, they will give us leave to do as we must for the favor, grace, mercy and love of our Lord is upon us.
He will empower us and provide for all that we need, so that whatever we say and do, we shall glorify the Lord. Amen.
Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin, Doctor pray for us…
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First reading Nehemiah 2:1-8
‘Give me leave to go to the city of my ancestors and rebuild it’
In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, the wine being my concern, I took up the wine and offered it to the king. Now I had never been downcast before. So the king said, ‘Why is your face so sad? You are not sick, surely? This must be a sadness of the heart.’ A great fear came over me and I said to the king, ‘May the king live for ever! How could my face be other than sad when the city where the tombs of my ancestors are lies in ruins, and its gates have been burnt down?’ ‘What’ the king asked ‘is your request?’ I called on the God of heaven and made this reply to the king, ‘If it pleases the king, and if you are satisfied with your servant, give me leave to go to Judah, to the city of my ancestors’ tombs, and rebuild it.’ The king, with the queen sitting there beside him, said, ‘How long will your journey take, and when will you return?’ So I named a date that seemed acceptable to the king and he gave me leave to go. I spoke to the king once more, ‘If it please the king, could letters be given me for the governors of Transeuphrates to allow me to pass through to Judah? And also a letter for Asaph, keeper of the king’s park, to supply me with timber for the gates of the citadel of the Temple, for the city walls and for the house I am to occupy?’ This the king granted me, for the kindly favour of my God was with me.
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Gospel Luke 9:57-62
‘I will follow you wherever you go’
As Jesus and his disciples travelled along they met a man on the road who said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ Jesus answered, ‘Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’ Another to whom he said, ‘Follow me’, replied, ‘Let me go and bury my father first.’ But he answered, ‘Leave the dead to bury their dead; your duty is to go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.’ Another said, ‘I will follow you, sir, but first let me go and say goodbye to my people at home.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Once the hand is laid on the plough, no one who looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’
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