Sunday
October 13th

1st Reading: 2 K 5:14-17:
So Naaman went down to the Jordan where he washed himself seven times as Elisha had ordered. His skin became soft like that of a child and he was cleansed. Then Naaman returned to the man of God with all his men. He entered and said to him, “Now I know that there is no other God anywhere in the world but in Israel. I ask you to accept these gifts from your servant.”

But Elisha answered, “I swear by Yahweh whom I serve, I will accept nothing.” And however much Naaman insisted, Elisha would not accept his gifts. So Naaman told him, “Since you refuse, let me get some sacks of soil from your land— the amount that two mules can carry. I shall use it to build an altar to Yahweh, for I shall not offer sacrifices to any other god but him.

2nd Reading: 2 Tim 2:8-13:
Remember Christ Jesus, risen from the dead, Jesus, son of David, as preached in my gospel. For this gospel I labor, and even wear chains like an evildoer, but the word of God is not chained. And, so, I bear everything, for the sake of the chosen people, that they, too, may obtain the salvation given to us, in Christ Jesus, and share eternal glory. This statement is true: If we have died with him, we shall also live with him; If we endure with him, we shall reign with him; If we deny him, he will also deny us; If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful for he cannot deny himself.

Gospel: Lk 17:11-19:
On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus passed through Samaria and Galilee, and as he entered a village, ten lepers came to meet him. Keeping their distance, they called to him, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” Jesus said to them, “Go, and show yourselves to the priests.” Then, as they went on their way, they found they were cured.

One of them, as soon as he saw that he was cleansed, turned back, praising God in a loud voice; and throwing himself on his face before Jesus, he gave him thanks. This man was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked him, “Were not all ten healed? Where are the other nine? Did none of them decide to return and give praise to God, but this foreigner?” And Jesus said to him, “Stand up and go your way; your faith has saved you.”

Reflection:
We are familiar with the term persona non grata, which refers to ungrateful people. We can be hospitable and generous, but somehow we can also be sensitive and allergic to people who show no gratitude to the things that we do. Hence, it’s quite easy for us to look at these people as persona non grata. But while we feel slighted by thankless people, have we not missed thanking God who has given us everything? Lord, may I always realize that everything I have is yours and that the reason I am enjoying comfort and convenience in life is because you have never failed to bless me.

Monday
October 14th

St. Callistus I

1st Reading: Rom 1:1-7:
Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an Apostle and set apart for the Gospel of God, which he promised previously through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, the Gospel about his Son, descended from David according to the flesh, but established as Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness through resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord. Through him we have received the grace of apostleship, to bring about the obedience of faith, for the sake of his name, among all the Gentiles, among whom are you also, who are called to belong to Jesus Christ; to all the beloved of God in Rome, called to be holy. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Gospel: Lk 11:29-32:
As the crowd increased, Jesus spoke the following words: “People of the present time are troubled people. They ask for a sign, but no sign will be given to them except the sign of Jonah. As Jonah became a sign for the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be a sign for this generation. The Queen of the South will rise up on Judgment Day with the people of these times and accuse them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and here, there is greater than Solomon. The people of Nineveh will rise up on Judgment Day with the people of these times and accuse them, for Jonah’s preaching made them turn from their sins, and here, there is greater than Jonah.

Reflection:
One inspiring testimony I heard about a miraculous healing involved a sign. One early morning, an elderly couple was on their way to further hospital tests because a tumor was discovered in the husband. Along the way, they passed by the Church of St. Therese of the Child Jesus and fervently prayed for healing. Incidentally it was October 1 and the parish has a tradition of distributing roses on the feast day of its patron. At the end of that morning’s mass, the priest requested the husbands to get a piece of rose for their wives. The wife knew that her husband was not the type who would stand up to get the rose. So she prayed for a miracle.

She prayed that the husband would stand, get the rose, and give the flower to her; that would be a sign that God hears her prayer of healing for him. But the husband did not move. With tears in her eyes they left the Church to proceed to the hospital. But a surprise waited for her on their way out. A lady she did not know gave her a rose! And guess what, the doctor said the tumor was gone. She was sure the lady was St. Therese. It is not wrong to ask for signs. At times, God uses signs too as his instruments either to relay his message or manifest his presence. But the life of a believer should not totally rely on signs but on solid faith. The power of God works in our life in many ways. But even in the absence of signs, faith should be sufficient for those who truly believe.

Tuesday
October 15th

St. Teresa of Avila

1st Reading: Rom 1:16-25:
Brothers and sisters:
I am not ashamed of the Gospel. It is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: for Jew first, and then Greek. For in it is revealed the righteousness of God from faith to faith; as it is written, “The one who is righteous by faith will live.”

The wrath of God is indeed being revealed from heaven against every impiety and wickedness of those who suppress the truth by their wickedness. For what can be known about God is evident to them, because God made it evident to them. Ever since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made.

As a result, they have no excuse; for although they knew God they did not accord him glory as God or give him thanks. Instead, they became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless minds were darkened. While claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for the likeness of an image of mortal man or of birds or of four-legged animals or of snakes.

Therefore, God handed them over to impurity through the lusts of their hearts for the mutual degradation of their bodies. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and revered and worshiped the creature rather than the creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

Gospel: Lk 11:37-41:
As Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to have a meal with him. So he went and sat at table. The Pharisee then wondered why Jesus did not first wash his hands before dinner. But the Lord said to him, “So then, you Pharisees, you clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside yourselves you are full of greed and evil. Fools! He who made the outside, also made the inside. But according to you, by the mere giving of alms everything is made clean

Reflection:
Especially during my high school years, I used to scold my younger siblings. And I must admit that there were times that I hit them too. I was the eldest and thought it was my responsibility to discipline them. I was not brutal though and I am sure my disciplinary measures were not excessive. But I cannot forget one occasion when after scolding one of my sisters she said, “You don’t love me.” Love is a heavy word. Many people would imagine that what constitutes it are all positive attributes and good vibes; anything negative or adverse cannot be love.

Well, this is not love. While love appreciates, it does not tolerate. Love desires the best and will therefore correct and admonish when needed. Reprimands and punishments can also be expressions of love. Every act aimed at making people realize the bad and the wrong are expressions of love. So, did I not love my sister? I did, and I still do. But my love for her cannot allow that she grows without discipline. The love of God for us is pretty much the same. It demands perfection (cf. Mt. 5:48) so that when we wander from time to time, we need scolding and discipline.

Wednesday
October 16th

St. Hedwig
St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

1st Reading: Rom 2:1-11:
You, O man, are without excuse, every one of you who passes judgment. For by the standard by which you judge another you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the very same things. We know that the judgment of God on those who do such things is true. Do you suppose, then, you who judge those who engage in such things and yet do them yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you hold his priceless kindness, forbearance, and patience in low esteem, unaware that the kindness of God would lead you to repentance?

By your stubbornness and impenitent heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself for the day of wrath and revelation of the just judgment of God, who will repay everyone according to his works, eternal life to those who seek glory, honor, and immortality through perseverance in good works, but wrath and fury to those who selfishly disobey the truth and obey wickedness. Yes, affliction and distress will come upon everyone who does evil, Jew first and then Greek. But there will be glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does good, Jew first and then Greek. There is no partiality with God.

Gospel: Lk 11:42-46:
A curse is on you, Pharisees! To the temple you give a tenth of all, including mint and rue and other herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. These ought to be practiced, without neglecting the other obligations. A curse is on you, Pharisees, for you love the best seats in the synagogues and to be greeted in the marketplace. A curse is on you, for you are like tombstones of the dead which can hardly be seen; people don’t notice them, and make themselves unclean by stepping on them.”

Then a teacher of the law spoke up and said, “Master, when you speak like this, you insult us, too.” And Jesus answered, “A curse is on you also, teachers of the law. For you prepare unbearable burdens and load them on the people, while you yourselves do not move a finger to help them.

Reflection:
You know what I fear most as a priest? That I will fail to hear the Word of God correctly and miss to lead the people to God well! Despite some bits of controversies, we priests still enjoy a lot of attention and care. There are “privileges” reserved only to us priests that even well-known political figures do not enjoy. We are more than celebrities.

Even in small and far-flung communities it is not difficult to see the prominence that people assign to our stature: they greet us, they kiss our hands with reverence, some even make the sign of the cross when they see us, some bow before us, they make us occupy the head of the table, they make us eat first, they serve us food instead of us lining up waiting for our turn, they set aside particular dishes meant only for us, and there are others who would not mind sacrificing their convenience for our sake.

I find it alarming and dangerous when the time will come that I will forget why I am a priest. I find it even more frightening leaving this world and facing Christ not having lived as a priest. And so I am grateful that in spite of the prestige I enjoy as a priest, there have been a number of lay people who served the role of Christ in my life reminding me of who I am and what I must do.

Thursday
October 17th

St. Ignatius of Antioch

1st Reading: Rom 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.

Gospel: Lk 11:47-54:
A curse is on you, for you build monuments to the prophets your ancestors killed. So you approve and agree with what your ancestors did. Is it not so? They got rid of the prophets, and you build monuments to them! For that reason the wisdom of God also said: I will send prophets and apostles and these people will kill and persecute some of them. But the present generation will have to answer for the blood of all the prophets 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, the people of this time will have to answer for them all. A curse is on you, teachers of the law, for you have taken the key of knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you prevented others from entering.” As Jesus left that place, the teachers of the law and the Pharisees began to harass him, asking him endless questions, setting traps to catch him in something he might say.

Reflection:
It is unnerving picturing Christ addressing the words, “A curse is on you…” to me. I felt that the words were humiliating rather than humbling. And so I also imagine how unsettling must have been for the teachers of the law and the Pharisees. They must have felt defamed and disgraced in public. The words appear so harsh and blatant. But surely these words bring to light how profoundly critical it is to mend our ways and what a great challenge it is to follow Christ.

We are not teachers of the law and Pharisees but we have a share in the blunder they have committed: they do the total opposite of what their life is supposed to exhibit. We are Christians and we live un-Christian lives. Time and again we remember that it is easy to become a Christian but difficult to live as one. It is therefore imperative for us to look at ourselves and examine our lives constantly. As Christians we must live the values and the options of Christ, we must be obedient to his Words, and we must always walk along his path.

Friday
October 18th

St. Luke

1st Reading: 2 Tm 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.

Gospel: Lk 10:1-9:
After this, the Lord appointed seventy-two other disciples, and sent them, two by two, ahead of him, to every town and place, where he himself was to go. And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. So you must ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers to his harvest. Courage! I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Set off without purse or bag or sandals; and do not stop at the homes of those you know. Whatever house you enter, first bless them, saying, ‘Peace to this house!’

If a friend of peace lives there, the peace shall rest upon that person. But if not, the blessing will return to you. Stay in that house, eating and drinking at their table, for the worker deserves to be paid. Do not move from house to house. When they welcome you to any town, eat what they offer you. Heal the sick who are there, and say to them: ‘The kingdom of God has drawn near to you.’

Reflection:
The gospel today describes the sending out of the 72 disciples in pairs, two by two. Perhaps, Jesus wants the disciples to understand the importance of mutual help in the mission. They have to see their mission in the context of community. A priest once shared that as Christ’s disciples, our mission is not individual, but rather communitarian. And we could learn something from St. Luke, the Evangelist, whose feast we celebrate today. Luke is Paul’s faithful companion in the ministry.

He is believed to have accompanied St. Paul in his journey, acting either as his personal physician or his secretary (amanuensis) particularly when he was in prison. He is identified as the author of the third “Synoptic Gospel”, which reminds us of the great sacrifice Jesus made through his death on the cross and his Resurrection. Moreover, he is also believed to have written the Acts of the Apostles, which covers the earliest history of the Church after Jesus’ earthly ministry. As we celebrate his feast, let us ask the Lord to help us fulfill our mission in the Church by deepening our understanding of God’s word.

Saturday
October 19th

Sts. Isaac Jogues, John de Brebeuf, and Companions

1st Reading: Rom 4:13, 16-18:
Brothers and sisters:
It was not through the law that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness that comes from faith. For this reason, it depends on faith, so that it may be a gift, and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not to those who only adhere to the law but to those who follow the faith of Abraham, who is the father of all of us, as it is written, I have made you father of many nations. He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not exist. He believed, hoping against hope, that he would become the father of many nations, according to what was said, thus shall your descendants be.

Gospel: Lk 12:8-12:
I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before people, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. But the one who denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God. There will be pardon for the one who criticizes the Son of Man, but there will be no pardon for the one who slanders the Holy Spirit. When you are brought before the synagogues, and before governors and rulers, don’t worry about how you will defend yourself, or what to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you have to say.”

Reflection:
In the film “Francesco,” an episode showed the Holy Father Francis, then Archbishop of Argentina fondly called Padre Jorge, eating a meal with a family after celebrating mass in a slum area. In the course of the meal, he commented, “You’re sharing your food with us. That means you’re sharing your heart as well.” After he said this, the lady of the house started crying and left the table. The husband said she had been crying every night for two weeks already. Padre Jorge followed her, talked to her, and discovered that she aborted her baby. The words of Padre Jorge to her were heartwarming: “God is mercy. He knows you regret it from the bottom of your heart. I’m sure he’s forgiving you right now.”

God is mercy. God forgives. But why are sins against the Holy Spirit cannot be forgiven? Remember that the work of the Holy Spirit is to inspire, to open up the heart, and to dispose the person to God and to the values of God. It is possible for a person to refuse the Holy Spirit and his work. When this happens grace and enlightenment cannot penetrate. Unlike the lady in the story, this person will have no sense of regret, no sense of morals, and no sense of sin. It is not that God will not forgive; people like this will feel no need for it and thus, by their own will, they have brought condemnation upon themselves.