Thursday, October 15, 2026

 

Memorial of Saint Teresa of Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church

(Ephesians 1:1-10; Luke 11:47-54)

St. Paul certainly knew Ephesus.  He founded the Christian community there and returned to serve it for almost three years.  But did Paul write the Letter to the Ephesians?  Most scholars today say “no.”  The letter indicates a milieu of twenty years or so after the apostle’s martyrdom.  Its references to the Church speak of a universal ministry, not a local community.  Nevertheless, the letter touches on a few themes like Christian ministry that Paul treated in his undisputed letters.

Today’s passage opens the letter.  The writer blesses God for having sent the world Jesus Christ.  He gives special thanks for Jesus’ sacrifice bringing redemption to those who believe.  He further claims that Christ revealed God’s mysterious plan to save the world through the Church. Toward its end the letter advises Christians on how to live as God’s adopted children. 

The letter’s origin as an epistle from Paul of Tarsus may be spurious, but not its value or truth.  Contemplating its contents and living its instructions, we will reach the salvation it heralds.

Wednesday, October 14, 2026

 

Wednesday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time

(Galatians 5:18-25; Luke 11:42-46)

Children used to be told not to walk over graves in cemeteries.  It was considered an insult to the dead person. Those who violated the custom were taken to be careless and disrespectful.  Evidently the prohibition went back thousands of years.  It is understood in Jesus’ calling the Pharisees “unseen graves” in today’s gospel.  The Lord is telling the Pharisees that they unwittingly make anyone who comes close to them seem crass and uncaring.

Jesus’ basic criticism of the Pharisees and the legal scholars is that they are blind to what is truly important.  He is trying to open their eyes to see how their concern over the niceties of customs offends not only innocent people but also God.  His remarks are strong but necessary.  As Flannery O’Connor wrote, “… to the hard of hearing you shout, and for the almost blind you draw large and startling figures".

Religiously inclined persons should check themselves regularly to see if they are like the Pharisees.  We may like to be seen as sinless and much better than average human beings.  It would be wrong, of course, to heedlessly violate manners and customs.  But we should openly recognize that we too struggle at times to do what is right.

Tuesday, October 20, 2026

 

Tuesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time

(Ephesians 2:12-22; Luke 12:35-38)

An article in the newspaper caught Sr. Gerard Fernandes’ eye.  The report told of a criminal court assigning the death penalty to three Satanists who kidnapped and killed two children.  Sr. Gerard recognized one of the three as a former student, Tan Mooy Choo.  She went to the prison to meet with Mooy Choo, but the criminal refused to meet with her, not just once but many times.  Finally, after six months the prisoner consented to a meeting.  The first question Mooy Choo asked her visitor was, “How can you still love me after I have done such a cruel thing?” Sr. Gerard responded by saying how Jesus has mercy toward all sinners.  Gradually Mooy Choo repented and received the sacraments.  The night before her execution, she told Sr. Gerard: “Tomorrow morning I will see the face of my God.  When I get there, the first thing I will talk about will be you, Sister.”

As the Letter to the Ephesians tells us today, Christ is our peace.  He brings together those who are far off and those who are near.  As we face those who are distant from us through an offense or through prejudice, we can turn to him for help.  He is the olive branch, the white flag of truce, and the sacrament of reconciliation who brings us peace with the Father and with one another. 

 

Tuesday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time

(Galatians 5:1-6; Luke 11:37-41)

In the homes of pious Mexican families, an altar is often present.  It will typically have images of Jesus and Mary along with pictures of deceased loved ones.  The altar is a way of extending the life of prayer in church to the home.  In Jesus’ time Pharisees would wash before meals for a similar reason.  Washing oneself before eating imitates the ablutions of animals before being sacrificed in the Temple.  It reminds house members and guests of their offering of self to God.  For good reason, then, the Pharisee in today’s gospel is surprised when Jesus does not wash as he goes to eat.

Because the washing is not required in the Law, Jesus is not bound to do it.  However, he uses the look of surprise on the Pharisee’s face to give a lesson on spiritual cleanliness.  He says that inner purification through almsgiving forgives more sin than washing of hands and feet.  He wants his disciples to practice charity, not to worry about popular ritualistic practices.

This doesn’t mean that we should go to church with dirty hands unless, perhaps, it was in helping a homeless person that we dirtied them.  In any case, we should try to keep in mind the needs of others and much as our own needs.

Monday, October 12, 2026

 

Monday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time

(Galatians 4:22-24.26-27.32-5:1; Luke 11:29-32)

What is the freedom that St. Paul writes of in today’s first reading?  Is it merely the absence of shackles?  Paul has something greater in mind than that since he says that Christ has freed us.  The freedom here is to be the ability to fulfill the Christian destiny of eternal life.  Christ won the possibility of achieving it by his incarnation and paschal experience.  Nevertheless, humans must choose to run the course of freedom -- which is to say living justly -- every day. 

Some say that Christians are not free if out of necessity they live justly.  These people, however, miss the point.  When Christians live justly, they know that they will achieve what is most valuable in life.  They are at least as free as the super gymnast who willingly trains six hours a day so that she can win a medal at the Olympics.

Paul mentions the possibility of slipping back into slavery.  We could do this by abandoning the challenge of righteous living.  If we slack off on our efforts to follow Christ, we will not fulfill our destiny.  We will lose the possibility of eternal life like the athlete who suspends training forfeits her chance for a medal.  But the task is not as hard as it sometimes feels.  Christ remains with us to help.