Thursday, October 29, 2026

 

Thursday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

(Ephesians 6:10-20; Luke 13:31-35)

People today think of foxes as wily.  A foxy man does not reveal his intentions.  He takes advantage of another, then slips away.  In ancient Jewish culture, however, foxes were considered more destructive than clever.  They were not to be trifled with.  For this reason in today’s gospel the Pharisees warn Jesus to get out of Dodge.  He goes but not because he is afraid of death.  Indeed, he continues his march to Jerusalem where he knows he will be martyred.

Jerusalem is where God meets humans.  God speaks there through the prophets.  Also, Jerusalem is the home of the temple.  In it sacrifices are offered to God for the forgiveness of sins.  As multiple as sacrifices were and even as devout as those offering sacrifices may have been, they could not match Jesus’.  The New Testament testifies that only Jesus’ death on the cross achieved the forgiveness of all sins. 

Different words in today’s gospel conjure up thoughts of Halloween.  Foxes and chickens make interesting costumes.  Jesus speaks of demons, and the entire reading holds the specter of death.  Halloween means “All Hallows Eve,” the eve of All Saints.  The saints were made holy by the impulse of grace achieved by Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross.

Wednesday, October 28, 2026

 

Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles

(Ephesians 2:19-22; Luke 6:12-16)

“Simon” and “Jude” are the last names to appear on the register of apostles in Luke’s gospel except, of course, that of Judas, the betrayer.  It is said that St. Jude is called the “patron of hopeless causes” because his name appears so low on this list.  Whatever the reason, St. Jude has been elevated in the popular mind to a kind of preeminence.  There are probably more statues and medals of him than of any other apostle.

Although the elevation may be only an accident of history, it is not unlike the gospel to have the lowly lifted up.  Mary proclaims God’s action on her behalf in this way after Elizabeth greets her as “mother of my Lord.”  Jesus also praises the poor widow who puts two small coins into the Temple treasury as contributing more than anyone else.

The lifting up of the lowly is not to say that we should strive for popularity.  Craving “thumbs up” on social media is not what the gospel calls important.  What the gospel proclaims and what Saints Simon and Jude preached is that Jesus came to save everyone from sinful folly.  The rich no less than the poor, the wicked no less than the virtuous need his redemption.  All must accept Jesus’ help to reform their lives and live as God’s children.

Tuesday, October 27, 2026

 

Tuesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

(Ephesians 5:21-33; Luke 13:18-21)

“What is the Kingdom of God like?” Jesus asks in the gospel today.  It is like a mustard seed that grows into a large bush sheltering God’s creatures.  It is also like a bit of yeast that folded into a small amount of dough produces enough bread to feed a family.  We might also say that the kingdom of God is like the inclusiveness that St. Luke shows throughout his gospel. 

In today’s passage we find the inclusiveness in a parable involving a male planter followed by one with a female householder.  At the beginning of the gospel the angel Gabriel appears first to Zachariah and then to Mary.  After Jesus is born, his parents take him to the Temple where they meet the seer Simeon and then the prophetess Anna.  Luke reminds us throughout his work that women as well as men are direct participants in and beneficiaries of the Kingdom.  They are by no means second-class Christians.

The Catholic Church is often criticized as being sexist or, more simply put, of favoring men over women.  Regrettably there is evidence to support the assertion.  However, we should not accept the charge that because the Church insists on a male clergy, it is sexist.  After investigating the issue fully, Pope St. John Paul II concluded that the Church cannot ordain women at least as priests or bishops because Jesus did not do it.  It is still possible that the Church will decide to ordain women deacons.  Studies have shown that women served in analogous roles in its initial centuries. 

Monday, October 26, 2028

 

Monday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

(Ephesians 4:32-5:8; Luke 13:10-17)

To draw the attention of others some act obnoxiously and speak obscenities.  They bully the weak and provoke fights they know they can win.  This kind of behavior, of course, is contrary to what the author of the Letter to the Ephesians has in mind in today’s first reading.

Instead of being “Mr. Tough Guy” or “Ms. Tough Girl” the writer tells community members to be generous and caring.  Their speech should express gratitude -- a sign of dependence -- rather than aloofness from or dominance of others. 

Some may find it difficult to act with such humility.  For cultural or personal reasons, they may tell themselves never to be vulnerable to another’s criticism.  Such people call forth our patience and prayer.  It is not just a matter of tolerance or getting along, but of love.  We show ourselves to love like Christ when we bear with the difficult as well as when we celebrate with the good.  As he bore our sins, so must we cope with the shortcomings of one another.

 

Sunday, October 25, 2026

 THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, October 25, 2026

(Exodus 22:20-26; 1 Thessalonians 1:5-10; Matthew 22:34-40)

The young nun was proud of her achievement. Her students had earned high marks on their exams. When she told the Mother Superior of her success, the superior didn't seem particularly impressed. The young sister asked why. The veteran explained that she worked with the most gifted students in the school. She said that any teacher could succeed with them. To prove her teaching ability, she would have to produce such results with less intelligent students. I would like to use this story to reflect on today's Gospel.

When Jesus answers the question about “the greatest commandment” with “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart…,” he isn't saying anything particularly insightful. These words come from the famous Shema in the Book of Deuteronomy. It is one of the most frequently repeated verses in the Old Testament. In Jesus' time, the Jews recited the verse twice a day. They engraved it on their doorframes. They placed it in phylacteries so that it would be before their eyes all day long. Like the young religious woman teaching the gifted students, calling it the greatest commandment doesn't represent a great achievement on Jesus' part.

However, in the second part of his answer, Jesus reveals his brilliance and wisdom. Although "love your neighbor as yourself" is found in the Book of Leviticus, it isn't given much importance there. Nevertheless, Jesus treats it as one of the two super-keys upon which all Judeo-Christian morality hangs. Because he was asked for the one greatest commandment, his answer implies that it forms a single commandment with love of God. In effect, Jesus is saying that one cannot love God if one does not love the man or woman who bears God’s image. The First Letter of John makes almost the same assertion when it states, “for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God ⁵ whom he has not seen” (I John 4:20b).

In his commandment, Jesus uses the Greek word agape for “love.” Agape conveys the sense of self-sacrifice for the good of the beloved. It is not simply affection, which is charis in Greek, but the love that helps and supports the other with actions. It is the love of the Good Samaritan for the man left for dead. It is the love that moved a woman to donate one of her kidneys to a diocesan priest in Texas.

We are approaching year’s end. The harvest is over, and everyone is anticipating the end-of-year festivities. Before we celebrate Thanksgiving, the Immaculate Conception, and the birth of the Savior, Jesus’ commandments should move us to think of those in need. Whether they are as close as our neighbor who has been sent to live in a nursing home or as far away as the starving children in war-torn parts of Africa, we should plan now how to respond to their suffering. Our support will not only make Christmas more fulfilling for them but also for us.