Sunday
October 6th

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time
St. Bruno
Bl. Marie-Rose Durocher

1st Reading: Gn 2:18-24:
The Lord God said: “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him.” So the Lord God formed out of the ground various wild animals and various birds of the air, and he brought them to the man to see what he would call them; whatever the man called each of them would be its name. The man gave names to all the cattle, all the birds of the air, and all wild animals; but none proved to be the suitable partner for the man.

So the Lord God cast a deep sleep on the man, and while he was asleep, he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. The Lord God then built up into a woman the rib that he had taken from the man. When he brought her to the man, the man said: “This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called ‘woman, ‘ for out of ‘her man’ this one has been taken.” That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one flesh.

2nd Reading: Heb 2:9-11:
Brothers and sisters: He “for a little while” was made “lower than the angels,” that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting that he, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the leader to their salvation perfect through suffering. He who consecrates and those who are being consecrated all have one origin. Therefore, he is not ashamed to call them “brothers.”

Gospel: Mk 10:2-16:
The Pharisees approached Jesus and asked, “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?” They were testing him. He said to them in reply, “What did Moses command you?” They replied, “Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her.” But Jesus told them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.”

In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this. He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.” And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.” Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.

Reflection:
The norms of heaven are sometimes difficult to follow in the light of human weakness but nevertheless they remain as the norm. Earth may compromise and for a time the compromise may seem to be the new normal, but that which was ordained in heaven must remain in place. This is necessary so that the compromise will not lead to other compromises which would eventually water down the original intention of the norm. Thus there is a need to guard against relaxation. There are many things about the Church that I may not necessarily agree.

What are these? Perhaps an inventory of my honest disagreements with the teachings of the Church is necessary for me to see where my disagreements come from, whether they are valid or where I need to deepen further my reflection and understanding towards these subjects. Today is a good day to wrestle with what I believe. Lord, make me an ardent searcher of the truth. Cleanse my hearts and minds so that my own personal beliefs and inclinations do not cloud my mind and heart when truth presents itself to me and it is not according to my expectations. May I be humble enough to accept the illumination of Your Truth, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Monday
October 7th

Our Lady of the Rosary

1st Reading: Gal 1:6-12:
Brothers and sisters: I am amazed that you are so quickly forsaking the one who called you by the grace of Christ for a different gospel (not that there is another). But there are some who are disturbing you and wish to pervert the Gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel other than the one that we preached to you, let that one be accursed!

As we have said before, and now I say again, if anyone preaches to you a gospel other than the one that you received, let that one be accursed! Am I now currying favor with human beings or God? Or am I seeking to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ. Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the Gospel preached by me is not of human origin. For I did not receive it from a human being, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

Gospel: Lk 10:25-37:
There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” He said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” He replied to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho.

They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them.

Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn, and cared for him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, ‘Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.’ Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?” He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

Reflection:
Any time I see a poor person lying down in distress and misery on the streets, I instinctively think of the parable of the Good Samaritan. As usual, Jesus chooses the precise details to strike at the heart of the audience, and especially the teacher of the Law who asked him about the neighbor. Everybody knew the road from Jerusalem to Jericho with its curbs and the dangers of bandits. The wounded man is an absolutely innocent victim. He is alone and abandoned, unable to help himself. He is “half-dead.” In this story, Jesus places a Priest and a Levite, both from the special tribe at the service of the worship.

Both pass on the other side. They avoid being contaminated by the poor man. Instead, a Samaritan who belongs to the despised neighbors and are considered heretics by Jews, is moved with compassion. The Lord describes all the possible details: the Samaritan treated the poor man’s wounds with oil and wine, wrapped those with bandages, put him on his own mount, brought him to an inn, paid for him to the innkeeper and promised to repay upon coming back. Who of us has done something similar even just once? Do we love our neighbor? Jesus, Good Samaritan of the humankind, be our strength and our model.

Tuesday
October 8th

1st Reading: Gal 1:13-24:
Brothers and sisters: You heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how I persecuted the Church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it, and progressed in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my race, since I was even more a zealot for my ancestral traditions. But when he, who from my mother’s womb had set me apart and called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him to the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were Apostles before me; rather, I went into Arabia and then returned to Damascus.

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to confer with Cephas and remained with him for fifteen days. But I did not see any other of the Apostles, only James the brother of the Lord. (As to what I am writing to you, behold, before God, I am not lying.) Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. And I was unknown personally to the churches of Judea that are in Christ; they only kept hearing that “the one who once was persecuting us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” So they glorified God because of me.

Gospel: Lk 10:38-42:
Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”

Reflection:
What do we think: are we Martha? Are we Mary? The correct answer should be: Neither. We are we, but the examples from the Bible and the words of Jesus are written for our spiritual reflection and edification. In some sense we are Martha; many times we have been angry with our brothers and sisters for not helping us in our stressful work. The words of Martha have been our own expressions before our superiors.

Today we receive Jesus’ lesson: let us put order and peace in our work. In some sense, we are Mary; every day we have moments of sitting at the feet of the Lord, just listening to his voice and praying. Jesus reinforces the contemplative aspect of our Christian vocation and encourages us to remain faithful. Prayer puts us in contact with eternal life. Hence, we perceive better both the active aspect – service – and the contemplative aspect – prayer of our life. Let us deepen it according to the personal name we received from the Lord.

Wednesday
October 9th

St. Denis and Companions
St. John Leonardi

1st Reading: Gal 2:1-2, 7-14:
Brothers and sisters: After fourteen years I again went up to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also. I went up in accord with a revelation, and I presented to them the Gospel that I preach to the Gentiles– but privately to those of repute– so that I might not be running, or have run, in vain. On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the Gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter to the circumcised, for the one who worked in Peter for an apostolate to the circumcised worked also in me for the Gentiles, and when they recognized the grace bestowed upon me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas their right hands in partnership, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.

Only, we were to be mindful of the poor, which is the very thing I was eager to do. And when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he clearly was wrong. For, until some people came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to draw back and separated himself, because he was afraid of the circumcised. And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not on the right road in line with the truth of the Gospel, I said to Cephas in front of all, “If you, though a Jew, are living like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

Gospel: Lk 11:1-4:
Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your Kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test.”

Reflection:
In the gospels we get some hints about the time and the place of when the Lord prayed: night, mountain, loneliness…We don’t know the prayer of John the Baptist, but are grateful to the suggestion of this disciple of Jesus. We hear today the short tradition about the prayer of the Lord. Let us underline the keywords: “Father.” Jesus shares with us his personal experience of God as Father. “May your name be held holy.”

The name of God is his real being, and we asked for his acknowledgment in our minds and deeds. “May your kingdom come”: we ask for the fullness of the grace of God among us in glory. “Give us each day the kind of bread we need”: this is a nuanced expression for our sustenance, invoking the Providence. “Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive all who do us wrong”: this is a constant teaching of Jesus in words and parables: to get God’s pardon we have always to forgive. “And do not bring us to the test”: may the Lord protect us from all kinds of spiritual danger. This prayer will shape the heart of Christians into Jesus’ heart.

Thursday
October 10th

1st Reading: Gal 3:1-5:
O stupid Galatians! Who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? I want to learn only this from you: did you receive the Spirit from works of the law, or from faith in what you heard? Are you so stupid? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? Did you experience so many things in vain? – If indeed it was in vain. Does, then, the one who supplies the Spirit to you and works mighty deeds among you do so from works of the law or from faith in what you heard?

Gospel: Lk 11:5-13:
Jesus said to his disciples: “Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him,’ and he says in reply from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.’ I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence.

“And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”

Reflection:
Once more Jesus paints for us a common scene of our life to understand the conditions of prayer. In our life today, while we are resting, hearing a call at the gates or from the phone or mobile is always very annoying. We get up with difficulty and answer. The call may be urgent, as in the parable. We don’t know. Jesus encourages us to be persevering in our supplication and promises a good outcome. The comparison with family relations is very pedagogical yet striking: a father never would give a snake or a scorpion to his child. So, in the furrow of the Lord’s Prayer we are reassured: our Father will give us the supreme gift which is the Holy Spirit, if we ask perseveringly for it. Let us wholeheartedly trust in the promise of Jesus.

Friday
October 11th

St. John XXIII

1st Reading: Gal 3:7-14:
Brothers and sisters: Realize that it is those who have faith who are children of Abraham. Scripture, which saw in advance that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, foretold the good news to Abraham, saying, Through you shall all the nations be blessed. Consequently, those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham who had faith. For all who depend on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, Cursed be everyone who does not persevere in doing all the things written in the book of the law.

And that no one is justified before God by the law is clear, for the one who is righteous by faith will live. But the law does not depend on faith; rather, the one who does these things will live by them. Christ ransomed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written, Cursed be everyone who hangs on a tree, that the blessing of Abraham might be extended to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Gospel: Lk 11:15-26:
When Jesus had driven out a demon, some of the crowd said: “By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons.” Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven. But he knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons. If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.

When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe. But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. “When an unclean spirit goes out of someone, it roams through arid regions searching for rest but, finding none, it says, ‘I shall return to my home from which I came.’ But upon returning, it finds it swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits more wicked than itself who move in and dwell there, and the last condition of that man is worse than the first.”

Reflection:
Jesus drove out a demon of a dumb person. Then the mute person spoke and the people were amazed. At this moment the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law accused Jesus of involvement with Satan. The Lord then delivered this deep teaching about demons. First, he gives a logic argument: the devil cannot struggle against the devil. A civil war is the beginning of a total decay. All the more, some Jews are doing exorcisms in the name of Jesus, but above all, Jesus himself is the “stronger” warrior that overcomes evil spirit, takes away his weapons and disposes of his spoils.

His death and resurrection have this very meaning. He is “the finger of God,” his powerful arm, that shows the presence of the Kingdom. All our confidence is there. Since our baptism, we have been gathered with Jesus. Nevertheless, we must be faithful. Otherwise, the jealousy of the demon will try to assail anew his old possession. Insofar as our faith in Jesus is steadfast, our victory is assured: “You will have trouble in the world; but, courage! I have overcome the world” (Jn 16: 33).

Saturday
October 12th

1st Reading: Gal 3:22-29:
Brothers and sisters: Scripture confined all things under the power of sin, that through faith in Jesus Christ the promise might be given to those who believe. Before faith came, we were held in custody under law, confined for the faith that was to be revealed. Consequently, the law was our disciplinarian for Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a disciplinarian. For through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to the promise.

Gospel: Lk 11:27-28:
While Jesus was speaking, a woman from the crowd called out and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.” He replied, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”

Reflection:
The Gospel is a very popular praise of Mary, given by an anonymous woman in the midst of the crowd. These kinds of spontaneous exclamations are frequent in the south of Spain. As an insult to the mother is a terrible offence, a praise of the mother provokes wonderful satisfaction and is a motive of joy. Once I remember an old lady telling my mother that according to her, she was a suitable mother of a priest. Both my mother and I who were present, were very happy. Are we grateful and proud of our mother? It is well to have a good attitude to foster our integration and generosity.

As usual, Jesus transforms the human praise and gives new depth. True happiness is in the accomplishment of the word of God. Let us do an application. As Christians, on the one hand our spiritual Mother in Christ is Mary who we recognize with gratitude. On the other hand, our Mother is also the Church: she begets us in Baptism, instructs us in Catechesis and Homilies, nourishes us in the Eucharist and supports us through the other Sacraments. Let us be grateful and proud of our Mother, the Holy Catholic Church, and let us contribute to her spiritual maternity through our apostolate and mission.