Saturday, October 18, 2025

Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Catechism Links [1]

CCC 2574-2577: Moses and prayer of intercession
CCC 2629-2633: prayer of petition
CCC 2653-2654: the Word of God, a source of prayer
CCC 2816-2821: “Thy kingdom come”
CCC 875: urgency of the preaching task

”Portrait of a Widow at her Devotions”
by Leandro Bassano, 1590’s
 
Readings for the Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary: [4]
 
Reading 1: Exodus 17:8-13
 
In those days, Amalek came and waged war against Israel.
Moses, therefore, said to Joshua,
"Pick out certain men,
and tomorrow go out and engage Amalek in battle.
I will be standing on top of the hill
with the staff of God in my hand."
So Joshua did as Moses told him:
he engaged Amalek in battle
after Moses had climbed to the top of the hill with Aaron and Hur.
As long as Moses kept his hands raised up,
Israel had the better of the fight,
but when he let his hands rest,
Amalek had the better of the fight.
Moses’ hands, however, grew tired;
so they put a rock in place for him to sit on.
Meanwhile Aaron and Hur supported his hands,
one on one side and one on the other,
so that his hands remained steady till sunset.
And Joshua mowed down Amalek and his people
with the edge of the sword.
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Commentary on Ex 17:8-13
 
The Israelites had just finished arguing (at the legendary Massah and Meribah) about whether the Lord was in their midst or not as they continue their trek out of Egypt. In this passage, God’s presence is made clearly known as Moses, raising the staff of God during battle, gives them a sign of his continued support (against Amalek, leader of the indigenous people of southern Palestine). This incident is also mentioned in Deuteronomy 25:17-19. It introduces Joshua as military commander and from this point forward his role is frequently mentioned.  It is another example of Moses' intercessory prayer for the Hebrew people. (see also Exodus 32:11ff, Exodus 34:6-9; Numbers 12:11-14)
 
CCC: Ex 17:8-13 2577
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 121:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
 
R. (cf. 2) Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
 
I lift up my eyes toward the mountains;
whence shall help come to me?
My help is from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
 
May he not suffer your foot to slip;
may he slumber not who guards you:
indeed he neither slumbers nor sleeps,
the guardian of Israel.
R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
 
The Lord is your guardian; the Lord is your shade;
he is beside you at your right hand.
The sun shall not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
 
The Lord will guard you from all evil;
he will guard your life.
The Lord will guard your coming and your going,
both now and forever.
R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
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Commentary on Ps 121:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
 
Psalm 121 is a hymn of blessing given prior to a long and difficult journey. These strophes explain that God is faithful, and will protect the traveler from harm – God is always with us (“he is beside you at your right hand. The sun shall not harm you by day, nor the moon by night”). The imagery in the opening strophes reminds us of Moses in Exodus 17:8-13 as he stood upon a high place so that the Israelites could see that God was with them. In this song of blessing we are reminded of God’s continuing guidance and the salvation he provides us through his Son.
 
CCC: Ps 121:2 1605
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Reading II: 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2
 
Beloved:
Remain faithful to what you have learned and believed,
because you know from whom you learned it,
and that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures,
which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus.
All Scripture is inspired by God
and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction,
and for training in righteousness,
so that one who belongs to God may be competent,
equipped for every good work.
 
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus,
who will judge the living and the dead,
and by his appearing and his kingly power:
proclaim the word;
be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient;
convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.
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Commentary on 2 Tm 3:14-4:2
 
St. Paul, in his instructions to St. Timothy, tells him that Scripture provides wisdom because it is inspired by God. (Here he is speaking of the Hebrew canon, since the first Christian canon had not yet been codified. However, Dei Verbum, from Dogmatic Constitution On Divine Revelation, quotes this passage as the Church’s view on that body of  Scripture as well.)
 
It is important in this passage to understand what St. Paul is not saying as well. “Paul extols Scripture as a preeminent guide for the moral life. He does not claim, however, that Scripture supplies us with comprehensive instruction in all matters of Christian doctrine, worship, and ecclesial government. Besides the divine authority of the biblical books, he also acknowledges the authority of apostolic tradition (1 Corinthians 11:22 Thessalonians 2:15) and sees the Church built on the foundation of Christ and the apostles (1 Corinthians 3:11Ephesians 2:20) as the bearer of God’s truth to the world (1 Timothy 3:15).” [5]
 
He goes on to tell his disciple that his work needs to be persistent, alluding to the idea that the work of spreading the Gospel will be difficult, and a life-long task. Timothy is charged to admonish and teach in all manner of situations (see also Ephesians 5:16).
 
CCC: 2 Tm 4 2015; 2 Tm 4:1 679
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Gospel: Luke 18:1-8
 
Jesus told his disciples a parable
about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.
He said, "There was a judge in a certain town
who neither feared God nor respected any human being.
And a widow in that town used to come to him and say,
'Render a just decision for me against my adversary.'
For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought,
'While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being,
because this widow keeps bothering me
I shall deliver a just decision for her
lest she finally come and strike me.'"
The Lord said, "Pay attention to what the dishonest judge 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.
But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"
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Commentary on Lk 18:1-8
 
This is the first of two parables on the need for prayer found in St. Luke’s Gospel. In this selection, the Lord tells the disciples of the need for persistent prayer so they do not fall victim to apostasy.  He assures them that God, the just judge, will listen to their prayers, and come speedily to their aid in times of need.
 
“As the widow pleaded for justice, so we should persevere in faith and tirelessly petition God for our needs (Romans 12:121 Thessalonians 5:17)” In v.6, “His [the unrighteous judge’s] indifference to the widow’s distress was a violation of justice (Deuteronomy 27:19).  The parable’s outcome is thus a mere shadow of God’s concern for us.  If an unjust and callous judge will vindicate a persevering widow, the Father will much more come to the aid of his prayerful children (Sirach 35:12-17).” [6]
 
The question at the end of the parable (“But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”) completes a thought in Luke 17:37, which relates the relationship of the faithful to God at the final judgment.
 
CCC: Lk 18:1-8 2573, 2613; Lk 18:1 2098; Lk 18:8 675
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Reflection:
 
"It must be humbly and realistically recognized that we are poor creatures, confused in ideas, tempted by evil, frail and weak, in continual need of inner strength and consolation.
 
  • Prayer gives the strength for great ideas, to maintain faith, charity, purity and generosity.
  • Prayer gives the courage to emerge from indifference and guilt, if unfortunately, one has yielded to temptation and weakness.
  • Prayer gives light to see and consider the events of one's own life and of history in the salvific perspective of God and eternity.
 
“Therefore, do not stop praying! Let not a day pass without your having prayed a little! Prayer is a duty, but it is also a great joy, because it is a dialogue with God through Jesus Christ! Every Sunday, Holy Mass: if it is possible for you, sometimes during the week; every day, morning and evening prayers, and at the most suitable moments!” (Saint John Paul II, "Audience with Young People", 14 March 1979).
 
So much is written on prayer, and so many great leaders of our faith have exhorted us to pray and spoken about how we must do so, it is difficult to find new words that would improve upon those given to us by St. Luke’s Gospel, or the words quoted above from Saint John Paul II.  We resort then to asking one question, since we all know how important it is to pray, and thereby come into God’s presence spiritually: why is it that so few of us achieve the blessed status of the saints who have gone before us?  It is not rocket science. For over two thousand years we have been told to pray, pray constantly, yet we often find prayer either difficult or empty.
 
We will not embark upon a treatise on prayer, on the hows or whys of it.  Rather we will simply point to the idea that one reason our prayer is so often difficult or empty is because we do not believe God will listen, and listening to our insignificant needs, answer.  The parable of the widow and the unjust judge assures us that, in spite of our inner feelings, our Heavenly Father loves us so intensely that he does listen and will answer, even the most insignificant of prayers.  Our challenge, knowing this, is to listen for the answer, and not become disheartened because the answer, more often than not, is no.
 
Recall a story I have used before about the great drought in northern India. People were suffering and finally, a great multitude of Christians decided to all get together and pray that God would send rain to end the drought.  Five thousand gathered on a plain in that region and prayed.  Lo and behold it started to rain and in all that huge crowd, only a five-year-old girl had brought an umbrella!
 
Today we rededicate ourselves to walking with God in prayer.  His Son came to us so that we might know how intensely he listens and left us the Holy Spirit as a “heavenly hearing aid.” It only requires the batteries of faith and the will to plug it in.
 
Pax
 
In other years on October 19: Saints John De Brébeuf and Isaac Jogues, Priests and Martyrs, and their Companions, Martyrs Memorial

[1] Catechism links are taken from the Homiletic Directory, published by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 June 2014.
[2] The picture used today is ”Portrait of a Widow at her Devotions” by Leandro Bassano, 1590’s.
[3] S.S. Commemoratio
[4] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[5] Ignatius Catholic Study Bible New Testament (Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA. © 2010), 400.
[6] Ibid p.140.

Friday, October 17, 2025

Feast of Saint Luke, Evangelist

“St Luke Painting the Virgin and Child” (detail)
by Maerten van Heemskerck, 1532

Readings for the Feast of St. Luke [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary[3]
 
Reading 1: 2 Timothy 4:10-17b
 
Beloved:
Demas, enamored of the present world,
deserted me and went to Thessalonica,
Crescens to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.
Luke is the only one with me.
Get Mark and bring him with you,
for he is helpful to me in the ministry.
I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus.
When you come, bring the cloak I left with Carpus in Troas,
the papyrus rolls, and especially the parchments.
 
Alexander the coppersmith did me a great deal of harm;
the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.
You too be on guard against him,
for he has strongly resisted our preaching.
 
At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf,
but everyone deserted me.
May it not be held against them!
But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength,
so that through me the proclamation might be completed
and all the Gentiles might hear it.
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Commentary on 2 Tm 4:10-17b
 
St. Paul, when this letter was written, is on his second missionary journey.  Just before his martyrdom, he has run into significant opposition, and his companions, with the exception of “Luke” (believed to be the Evangelist) have deserted him. (Note: Luke was also mentioned in the apostle’s earlier travels in Colossians 4:14 and Philemon 24.)The Lord, however, through his divine assistance, has kept St. Paul’s mission alive and effective.
 
The apostle mentions Demas. He was one of Paul's companions and had traveled with him for some time. Demas could not continue to endure Paul’s austere lifestyle and was afraid of the coming persecution. Here Paul says Demas has deserted him.  Similarly, others in his party also left on various missions, leaving only St. Luke the Evangelist with him.
 
St. Paul points to the contrast between the way men treat him and the way God does.  Because of the hazards involved in staying with Paul or defending him some of his friends, even some of his closest friends, have deserted him; whereas God stays by his side.” [4]
 
CCC: 2 Tm 4 2015
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 145:10-11, 12-13, 17-18
 
R. (12) Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
 
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and your faithful bless you.
They speak of the glory of your reign
and tell of your great works,
R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
 
Making known to all your power,
the glorious splendor of your rule.
Your reign is a reign for all ages,
your dominion for all generations.
R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
 
You, LORD, are just in all your ways,
faithful in all your works
You, LORD, are near to all who call upon you,
to all who call upon you in truth.
R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
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Commentary on Ps 145:10-11, 12-13, 17-18
 
Psalm 145 is a hymn of praise. These strophes call on the faithful to give thanks to God for opening the gates of his heavenly kingdom. The psalmist (David) rejoices in the image of God’s heavenly kingdom, as its very existence announces God’s glory to the world. They continue praising God for his justice, and his creating hand. God in turn supports his faithful servants and blesses their efforts.
 
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Gospel: Luke 10:1-9
 
The Lord Jesus appointed seventy-two disciples
whom he sent ahead of him in pairs
to every town and place he intended to visit.
He said to them,
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.
Go on your way;
behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.
Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals;
and greet no one along the way.
Into whatever house you enter,
first say, ‘Peace to this household.’
If a peaceful person lives there,
your peace will rest on him;
but if not, it will return to you.
Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you,
for the laborer deserves payment.
Do not move about from one house to another.
Whatever town you enter and they welcome you,
eat what is set before you,
cure the sick in it and say to them,
‘The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.’”
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Commentary on Lk 10:1-9
 
It is only in the Gospel of St. Luke that we hear the story of Jesus sending the seventy (two). This event is supported by other non-biblical writings (see Eusebius of Caesarea (c. 265-c. 340) Church History, Book. 1). The instructions given to those sent out are very similar to the instructions given to the Twelve, as was the message they were sent to proclaim.
 
This selection emphasizes Jesus' early struggle to accomplish what he came to do by himself. We sense the humanness as he says: "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few." We also find this event and statement in St. Matthew’s Gospel where instead of the 72 he names the 12 (Matthew 10:1-8). While in St. Matthew’s story Jesus sends them first to the Hebrew people, St. Luke makes no such distinction.
 
This effort by Jesus was modeled on Moses’ leadership structure in which 70 elders were appointed (Numbers 11:24-25). It is also possible that the reference number 70 relates to the number of nations mentioned in Genesis 10. The disciples were sent two by two, a custom that would be replicated later in the post-resurrection missionary activities of the Church (see Acts 8:1415:39-40).
 
In another historical similarity, the disciples were sent without possessions, presumably depending upon the traditionally required hospitality for their support. Similar instructions were given by the prophet Elisha as he sent his servant in 2 Kings 4:29.
 
The Lord’s instructions concerning this hospitality “the laborer deserves payment” is also quoted in St. Paul’s first letter to Timothy (1 Timothy 5:18b) and has further support in 1 Corinthians 9:7, 14. Those who labor on behalf of the Gospel and cannot take time to support themselves deserve the support of the community. In a final twist, the Lord’s instruction to “eat what is set before you” sets aside Mosaic dietary laws (also 1 Corinthians 10:27 and Acts 10:25). It is a clear indication that the scope of their mission is to call all peoples to the Gospel.
 
CCC: Lk 10:1-2 765; Lk 10:2 2611; Lk 10:7 2122
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Reflection:
 
As we reflect upon St. Luke and his amazing gift to us, the Gospel he wrote and the Acts of the Apostles which he penned as a companion we cannot help but think about the journey he undertook and the situations he encountered.  Some of the people and places must have been open and welcoming – if they had all been full of doubt and persecution, the seventy (two) would not have been rejoicing when they returned.
 
While we may often wonder about these exploits, there are some accounts related by early Church historians that can fuel our zeal and imagination.  At the risk of running long – I give you one such account from the cited second century account by Eusebius of Caesarea taken from the first volume of his Church History.  In this passage he recounts the exploits of one of the seventy:
 
Chapter 13. Narrative concerning the Prince of the Edessenes.
1. The divinity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ being noised abroad among all men on account of his wonder-working power, he attracted countless numbers from foreign countries lying far away from Judea, who had the hope of being cured of their diseases and of all kinds of sufferings.
 
2. For instance the King Abgarus, who ruled with great glory the nations beyond the Euphrates, being afflicted with a terrible disease which it was beyond the power of human skill to cure, when he heard of the name of Jesus, and of his miracles, which were attested by all with one accord sent a message to him by a courier and begged him to heal his disease.
 
3. But he did not at that time comply with his request; yet he deemed him worthy of a personal letter in which he said that he would send one of his disciples to cure his disease, and at the same time promised salvation to himself and all his house.
 
4. Not long afterward his promise was fulfilled. For after his resurrection from the dead and his ascent into heaven, Thomas, one of the Twelve apostles, under divine impulse sent Thaddeus, who was also numbered among the seventy disciples of Christ, to Edessa, as a preacher and evangelist of the teaching of Christ.
 
5. And all that our Savior had promised received through him its fulfillment. You have written evidence of these things taken from the archives of Edessa, which was at that time a royal city. For in the public registers there, which contain accounts of ancient times and the acts of Abgarus, these things have been found preserved down to the present time. But there is no better way than to hear the epistles themselves which we have taken from the archives and have literally translated from the Syriac language in the following manner.
 
Copy of an epistle written by Abgarus the ruler to Jesus, and sent to him at Jerusalem by Ananias the swift courier.
6. Abgarus, ruler of Edessa, to Jesus the excellent Savior who has appeared in the country of Jerusalem, greeting. I have heard the reports of you and of your cures as performed by you without medicines or herbs. For it is said that you make the blind to see and the lame to walk, that you cleanse lepers and cast out impure spirits and demons, and that you heal those afflicted with lingering disease, and raise the dead.
 
7. And having heard all these things concerning you, I have concluded that one of two things must be true: either you are God, and having come down from heaven you do these things, or else you, who does these things, are the Son of God.
 
8. I have therefore written to you to ask you if you would take the trouble to come to me and heal the disease which I have. For I have heard that the Jews are murmuring against you and are plotting to injure you. But I have a very small yet noble city which is great enough for us both.
 
The answer of Jesus to the ruler Abgarus by the courier Ananias.
9. “Blessed are you who hast believed in me without having seen me. For it is written concerning me, that they who have seen me will not believe in me, and that they who have not seen me will believe and be saved. But in regard to what you have written me, that I should come to you, it is necessary for me to fulfill all things here for which I have been sent, and after I have fulfilled them thus to be taken up again to him that sent me. But after I have been taken up I will send to you one of my disciples, that he may heal your disease and give life to you and yours.”[5]
 
What must make us tremble as we read this account is our knowledge that, like the seventy, we are sent with the same mission as the one who came to the king after the Lord’s resurrection.  We too are sent.
 
Pax
 
In other years on this date: 
Saturday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time
 
[1] The picture is “St Luke Painting the Virgin and Child” (detail) by Maerten van Heemskerck, 1532.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] Letters of St. Paul, The Navarre Bible (Four Courts Press, © 2003), 606.
[5] From Eusebius of Caesarea (c. 265-c. 340) Church History, Book. 1.

Thursday, October 16, 2025

Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr

“Martyrdom of St. Ignatius of Antioch”
by Cesare Fracanzano (1605-1651)
 
Readings for Friday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Romans 4:1-8
 
Brothers and sisters:
What can we say that Abraham found,
our ancestor according to the flesh?
Indeed, if Abraham was justified on the basis of his works,
he has reason to boast;
but this was not so in the sight of God.
For what does the Scripture say?
Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.
A worker’s wage is credited not as a gift, but as something due.
But when one does not work,
yet believes in the one who justifies the ungodly,
his faith is credited as righteousness. 
So also David declares the blessedness of the person
to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
 
Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven
and whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not record.
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Commentary on Rom 4:1-8
 
In this passage, St. Paul addresses the gift of salvation through faith in the One True God. It is a gift given to Abraham and David who worked to follow God’s command but did not “earn” faith through these actions. Rather, it was a gift as was the salvation that flowed through it.
 
This selection may seem to contradict St. James' statement that our justification or salvation comes only through faith supported by actions. However he (St. James) was speaking of extremists who used St. Paul’s argument to support moral self-determination.
 
CCC: Rom 4:3 146
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 32:1b-2, 5, 11
 
R. (see 7) I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.
 
Blessed is he whose fault is taken away,
whose sin is covered.
Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt,
in whose spirit there is no guile.
R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.
 
Then I acknowledged my sin to you,
my guilt I covered not.
I said, “I confess my faults to the LORD,”
and you took away the guilt of my sin.
R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.
 
Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you just;
exult, all you upright of heart.
R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.
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Commentary on Ps 32:1b-2, 5, 11
 
Psalm 32 is an individual song of thanksgiving, rejoicing for the one whose sins are forgiven. The psalmist gives thanks for God’s saving work, emphasizing that only he can deliver man from sin. Placed here following the Mosaic instruction to cast out the unclean, and the understanding that this condition was caused by falling into sin, the song takes on a deeper meaning for those who were healed through God’s mercy.
 
CCC: Ps 32 304; Ps 32:5 1502
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Gospel: Luke 12:1-7
 
At that time:
So many people were crowding together
that they were trampling one another underfoot.
Jesus began to speak, first to his disciples,
“Beware of the leaven–that is, the hypocrisy–of the Pharisees.
 
“There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed,
nor secret that will not be known.
Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness
will be heard in the light,
and what you have whispered behind closed doors
will be proclaimed on the housetops.
I tell you, my friends,
do not be afraid of those who kill the body
but after that can do no more.
I shall show you whom to fear.
Be afraid of the one who after killing
has the power to cast into Gehenna;
yes, I tell you, be afraid of that one.
Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins?
Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God.
Even the hairs of your head have all been counted.
Do not be afraid.
You are worth more than many sparrows.”
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Commentary on Lk 12:1-7
 
St. Luke continues to present us with a collection of sayings of Jesus passed on to his disciples. In this passage, he first warns them about adopting the style and attitude of the Pharisees, whose “holier than thou” attitude was a veneer for their internal sin. The Lord tells them that there is nothing that can be hidden from God, and that all will be made clear in the final judgment.
 
The Lord goes on to encourage his friends, telling them that God will watch over them. He uses the analogy of the sacrificial animals (“five sparrows sold for two small coins”) as a metaphor for the attacks they will encounter from the Jewish leadership, and how God will uphold them.
 
CCC: Lk 12:1-3 678; Lk 12:6-7 342
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Reflection:
 
Eddie Haskell was a character on the 1950’s TV Series “Leave it to Beaver.”  Eddie was the kid everyone knew.  He was the model of propriety when adults were present, but as soon as those in authority left, he became the devil’s advocate, encouraging “the Beaver” and his brother Wally to ignore common sense, parental authority, and even the law in some cases.  Eddie is the archetype of what Jesus lays at the feet of the Pharisees in St. Luke’s Gospel.
 
Jesus sees clearly into the hearts of these supposedly pious men.  He sees their condescending attitudes and twisted values laid bare and he mourns them for they have fallen.  They have fallen and the perch they have placed themselves upon is high up in the moral air.  It is the same claim about which St. Paul speaks as he addresses the Romans.  He explains that the Jews claim a place in God’s kingdom based merely upon their ancestry. Their relation to Abraham and David give them no rights whatsoever if not supported by faith.
 
The message passed on to us today is cautionary.  Just because we call ourselves Christian or Catholic does not secure God’s grace for us.  The Lord sees clearly into our hearts, just as he saw the sin in the Pharisees.  The greater our authority, the higher our perceived rank among the faithful, the higher the bar is set for our interior spirit and the actions that flow from it.
 
We see this evidence so clearly in the saints; the humility and holiness they possess that quite literally overflows the bounds of flesh and cascades as light into the world around them.  We contrast this bounty of grace with our own station in life and see the paradox to which we aspire.  If we wish to lead, we must serve; if we would pour out the riches of faith upon others, we must empty ourselves.
 
Today our prayer must be simple: let Eddie Haskell be no part of us.  Today we ask the Lord to give us a heart that is so pure and simple that we might offer that purity to others and bring them to his Most Sacred Heart.
 
Pax

[1] The picture is “Martyrdom of St. Ignatius of Antioch” by Cesare Fracanzano (1605-1651).
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.

Wednesday, October 15, 2025

Thursday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time

“Christ Wearing the Crown of Thorns, Supported by Angels”
by Annibale Carracci, 1585-87.
 
Readings for Thursday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary:[3]
 
Reading 1: Romans 3:21-30
 
Brothers and sisters:
Now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law,
though testified to by the law and the prophets,
the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ
for all who believe.
For there is no distinction;
all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God.
They are justified freely by his grace
through the redemption in Christ Jesus,
whom God set forth as an expiation,
through faith, by his Blood, to prove his righteousness
because of the forgiveness of sins previously committed,
through the forbearance of God–
to prove his righteousness in the present time,
that he might be righteous
and justify the one who has faith in Jesus.
 
What occasion is there then for boasting?  It is ruled out.
On what principle, that of works?
No, rather on the principle of faith.
For we consider that a person is justified by faith
apart from works of the law.
Does God belong to Jews alone?
Does he not belong to Gentiles, too?
Yes, also to Gentiles, for God is one
and will justify the circumcised on the basis of faith
and the uncircumcised through faith.
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Commentary on Rom 3:21-30
 
St. Paul begins this section with a statement that indicates Jesus is the “new covenant.” As Moses laid his covenant embodied in the law at the feet of the people, now Jesus comes to fulfill the Law and the Prophets (“Now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, though testified to by the law and the prophets”).
 
The passage continues with a statement that appears to be at odds with St. James' letter as St. Paul seems to indicate that we are justified (that is made just, without sin) by faith alone (see also James 2:14-24, 26). These two statements are reconciled in v. 28, as St. Paul points out that his reference is to popular piety (“we consider that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the law”) as proposed by Pharisaic traditions that have no bearing on the love of God and others which constitute actions of faith.
 
The passage concludes with a statement of universality. The Lord is God of all peoples and the Jews (who are now seeing the Law and Prophets fulfilled in Jesus) are justified based upon their claim as the chosen people, while the Gentiles are justified by their faith in Jesus the Christ.
 
CCC: Rom 3:21-26 1992; Rom 3:21-22 2543; Rom 3:22 1987; Rom 3:23 399, 705, 2809; Rom 3:25 433, 1460
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 130:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6ab
 
R. (7) With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.
 
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD;
LORD, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to my voice in supplication.
R. With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.
 
If you, O LORD, mark iniquities,
Lord, who can stand?
But with you is forgiveness,
that you may be revered.
R. With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.
 
I trust in the LORD;
my soul trusts in his word.
My soul waits for the LORD
more than sentinels wait for the dawn.
R. With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.
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Commentary on Ps 130:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6ab
 
Psalm 130 is an individual lament.  The singer acknowledges sins and expresses faith in God’s mercy and forgiveness (“But with you is forgiveness”), and in that mercy his people praise God.  The selection concludes with the ultimate expression of trust in God whose salvation is to come.
 
CCC: Ps 130:3 370
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Gospel: Luke 11:47-54
 
The Lord said:
“Woe to you who build the memorials of the prophets
whom your fathers killed.
Consequently, you bear witness and give consent
to the deeds of your ancestors,
for they killed them and you do the building.
Therefore, the wisdom of God said,
‘I will send to them prophets and Apostles;
some of them they will kill and persecute’
in order that this generation might be charged
with the blood of all the prophets
shed since the foundation of the world,
from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah
who died between the altar and the temple building.
Yes, I tell you, this generation will be charged with their blood!
Woe to you, scholars of the law!
You have taken away the key of knowledge.
You yourselves did not enter and you stopped those trying to enter.”
When Jesus left, the scribes and Pharisees
began to act with hostility toward him
and to interrogate him about many things,
for they were plotting to catch him at something he might say.
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Commentary on Lk 11:47-54
 
Jesus continues his attack on the Pharisees. In this passage he begins by criticizing them for giving prophets respect (“build the memorials”) only after they have been killed. He recounts explicitly the deaths of Abel (see Genesis 4:8) and Zechariah (2 Chronicles 24:20-22). This emphasis provides an explanation of the Lord’s own later persecution.
 
The final “Woe,” “You have taken away the key of knowledge,” is a reference to the Pharisees' rejection of Christ (who is the key of divine revelation). In rejecting Jesus, they exhort the people who look up to them as teachers to also reject Christ (“stopped those trying to enter”).
 
CCC: Lk 11:39-54 579
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Reflection:
 
We look today at the warning Jesus gives the Pharisees. There are two parts of his criticism. First, he blasts them for seeing God’s attempt to lead them through the prophets only after the prophets had already been mistreated and killed. We can see this as prophetic at the time it was spoken. Jesus was later treated the same way, rejected by those most responsible for providing a vision of God’s will for the people and killed by the civil leadership.
 
Was he saying this in an attempt to help them see what their forefathers had not? Was he really saying: “Stop what you are doing to me? Don’t you see it is the same trap your ancestors fell into?” In the back of his mind, he must surely have hoped they would not be like those forebears, although he could see history repeating itself disastrously.
 
He continued with his second point. He attacks their attitudes most severely because the Pharisees have positions of responsibility and trust. What they say to the people matters. When the spiritual leadership missed something so fundamentally important to their own salvation, they also hid the door so others who were seeking God’s kingdom could not find it. Once more we speculate on the Lord’s thoughts behind the words. “Can’t you see?” he must have thought: “You condemn yourselves further because you are held to a higher standard.”
 
There is a great lesson for us highlighted by the Lord’s critical words to the Pharisees. We focus our worship and adoration upon Jesus who died and was raised. In him, the revelation of God was complete. But God’s plan continues. The Lord sends his faithful to accomplish his will in the world and we cannot close our eyes and reject out-of-hand messages that are not popular with our own world view. It is critical we do not fall into the closed-minded trap that so bound the Pharisees. As an apostolic community, we must prayerfully listen for the messages God sends. We must be hypervigilant, seeking God’s fingerprints in our lives.
 
This is so critical to us, in part, because we are witnesses in the world. What we say is important to our friends and families. We do not want to compound our lack of vision by blinding others to God's actions.
 
The Lord makes it tough on us today. We are called to be open to God’s actions but discerning as well – we must be prepared to accept God’s will but be sure it is his will and not someone else’s we follow. Our prayer today, therefore, must be one of discernment. May God give us the wisdom to see the things that come from him and the strength to reject those things that come from the Evil One.
 
Pax

[1] The picture is “Christ Wearing the Crown of Thorns, Supported by Angels” by Annibale Carracci, 1585-87.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.