23rd Week of Ordinary Time - Week Day Readings

Monday, September 8, 2025

Feast of The Nativity of The Blessed Virgin Mary

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/090825.cfm

168. THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD (LK 6:1-16)

“For we can have no life apart from Jesus Christ; and as he represents the mind of the Father, so our bishops, even those who are stationed in the remotest parts of the world, represent the mind of Jesus Christ.”

- St Ignatius of Antioch

Luke 6:1-16

Now one sabbath he happened to be taking a walk through the cornfields, and his disciples were picking ears of corn, rubbing them in their hands and eating them. Some of the Pharisees said, ‘Why are you doing something that is forbidden on the sabbath day?’ Jesus answered them, ‘So you have not read what David did when he and his followers were hungry – how he went into the house of God, took the loaves of offering and ate them and gave them to his followers, loaves which only the priests are allowed to eat?’ And he said to them, ‘The Son of Man is master of the sabbath’. Now on another sabbath he went into the synagogue and began to teach, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees were watching him to see if he would cure a man on the sabbath, hoping to find something to use against him. But he knew their thoughts; and he said to the man with the withered hand, ‘Stand up! Come out into the middle.’ And he came out and stood there. Then Jesus said to them, ‘I put it to you: is it against the law on the sabbath to do good, or to do evil; to save life, or to destroy it?’ Then he looked round at them all and said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand’. He did so, and his hand was better. But they were furious, and began to discuss the best way of dealing with Jesus. Now it was about this time that he went out into the hills to pray; and he spent the whole night in prayer to God. When day came he summoned his disciples and picked out twelve of them; he called them ‘apostles’: Simon whom he called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot who became a traitor.

CHRIST THE LORD Jesus is Lord, but he exercises his Lordship through normal human channels. For the duration of the Old Covenant, he governed his Chosen People through prophets, judges, and kings – through flesh and blood human beings. He established his Covenant with Israel through Abraham; he sent them the Law through Moses; he led them into the Promised Land through Joshua; he made them into a Kingdom through Samuel, Saul, and David. God most often sends his grace into human lives through human instruments.

At this point in his ministry, however, Jesus is seeing that the current religious leaders of Israel, who were supposed to be acting as those instruments for that generation, were closing themselves off to his teaching. He answers their objection to the disciples’ picking and eating corn on the Sabbath; he explains why their conception of Sabbath regulations is wrong (they have forgotten the reason behind it) and proves the validity of his explanation and his claim to be Lord of the Sabbath by a dramatic miracle. But in spite of these and other proofs and arguments, the Pharisees and Scribes become outraged and harden their minds and hearts even more to the Messiah.

So Jesus goes off to pray. And in his prayer he sees that the time has come to prepare a new generation of leaders who will be his instruments of grace for the New Covenant. The leaders of the Old Covenant have relinquished their roles by rejecting Jesus, who will now name a new generation of shepherds. When his night vigil comes to a close, he chooses twelve of his disciples to be his special envoys, and the Apostolic College, the first bishops of the Church, is established. The Lord changes the Covenant, but he doesn’t change his methodology: in the New People of God, just as in the Old People of God, he will administer his grace and his salvation through human instruments. He likes to treat us like the people we are.

CHRIST THE TEACHER The Pharisees had become obsessed with their appearance of holiness. They were convinced that external formalities sufficed; if they followed all the rules, that was all that mattered. But in truth they were missing the very point of the rules. The Law of the Old Covenant was a gift of God to his Chosen People. It was aimed at helping them learn to love God and their neighbors better. At the time of Christ, the Pharisees, the experts in interpreting this Law and in carrying it out to the minutest external detail, had forgotten this essential purpose. And so, when Jesus performs a work of mercy (a miraculous work that could only have been performed with God’s direct intervention) that contradicts the Sabbath rules (you could heal mortal wounds on the Sabbath, but not illnesses or wounds that weren’t putting one’s life in immediate danger), the Pharisees become violently indignant, “furious” St Luke tells us. Their self-righteousness had blinded them completely to God’s action, God’s presence, and the real needs of their neighbors.

It is easy to point fingers at these Pharisees. It is easy to see how foolish and hard-hearted they were. But the Gospels don’t remind us of them just so we can shake our heads in disdain. We too can fall into the exact same trap. How many divisions in the Church happen because we are so attached to appearances (to our appearance) that we neglect the substance! How many times arguments drive divisions deeper just because we are concerned about keeping up vain appearances!

The human heart easily gets too attached to its own practices and preferences, so that other practices and preferences are looked upon not simply as different, but as inferior. Does it please Christ when we break into cliques and quarreling camps? Didn’t he give us the papacy to guarantee unity by identifying and protecting what must be maintained and held by all his followers and to determine where variety is allowed? The ancient Pharisees destroyed Christ; modern Pharisees continue, tragically, to wound his Body.

CHRIST THE FRIEND Jesus spends the whole night in prayer. It’s clear that he is praying about his next day’s choice of the Twelve Apostles. He chooses carefully, purposely – not randomly. He chooses each one by name.

Christianity is the most personal of religions. True, Christians become members of Christ’s Body, of the family of the Church, but their individuality is not destroyed – it is liberated. Jesus knows each of his followers by name. That list of names that St Luke records assures us that in God’s eyes none of us is a mere statistic. None of us is overlooked or chosen by mistake. God is the God of the entire universe, but he knows each of us through and

through, and he calls each one of us to follow him individually. We are not generic soldiers in a zombie army. Christ’s followers are, first and foremost, his personal friends.

CHRIST IN MY LIFE Sometimes I think that it would be more convenient if I could follow you without the Church, in a purely one-on-one religion. I wouldn’t have to bother with other people, many who rub me the wrong way. But you want to send your grace through human instruments. Teach me why, Lord, so that I can love as you love...

The law of your Kingdom is self-giving, not self-assertion. The Pharisees didn’t understand that. Lord, I am afraid of becoming like those Pharisees. I see that I too have a tendency toward self-righteousness, a tendency to think I am always right, a tendency to get stuck in my opinions. Keep me humble, Lord. Teach me to love my neighbor as you have loved me. Never let me be separated from you...

You know my name, and you have told me yours. How much peace this should give me! You call me by name! You have gone to heaven to prepare a place there just for me, with my name on it. No one else can love you or know you in quite the same way as I can. Thank you, Lord. Teach me to live in the peace of your love and leave behind the pressure of merely keeping up appearances...

QUESTIONS FOR SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION

1. What struck you most in this passage? What did you notice that you hadn’t noticed before?

2. In all the lists of Apostles that appear in the New Testament, Peter is always put first and Judas last. Do you think that arrangement is significant?

3. Once again we see Jesus going off to pray, all by himself. What is the biggest obstacle in your prayer life? What has been the biggest help?

4. If a non-Catholic Christian friend asked you why you don’t just “go right to God” instead of “going through a priest or the pope,” how would you respond?

Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 857-865 on the Apostolicity of the Church; 758- 769 on the Church’s origin and mission; 587-591 on the conflict between Jesus and the Pharisees

Tuesday, September 9, 2025

Memorial of St Peter Claver, Priest

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/0909-memorial-peter-claver.cfm

168. THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD (LK 6:1-16)

“For we can have no life apart from Jesus Christ; and as he represents the mind of the Father, so our bishops, even those who are stationed in the remotest parts of the world, represent the mind of Jesus Christ.”

- St Ignatius of Antioch

Luke 6:1-16

Now one sabbath he happened to be taking a walk through the cornfields, and his disciples were picking ears of corn, rubbing them in their hands and eating them. Some of the Pharisees said, ‘Why are you doing something that is forbidden on the sabbath day?’ Jesus answered them, ‘So you have not read what David did when he and his followers were hungry – how he went into the house of God, took the loaves of offering and ate them and gave them to his followers, loaves which only the priests are allowed to eat?’ And he said to them, ‘The Son of Man is master of the sabbath’. Now on another sabbath he went into the synagogue and began to teach, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees were watching him to see if he would cure a man on the sabbath, hoping to find something to use against him. But he knew their thoughts; and he said to the man with the withered hand, ‘Stand up! Come out into the middle.’ And he came out and stood there. Then Jesus said to them, ‘I put it to you: is it against the law on the sabbath to do good, or to do evil; to save life, or to destroy it?’ Then he looked round at them all and said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand’. He did so, and his hand was better. But they were furious, and began to discuss the best way of dealing with Jesus. Now it was about this time that he went out into the hills to pray; and he spent the whole night in prayer to God. When day came he summoned his disciples and picked out twelve of them; he called them ‘apostles’: Simon whom he called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot who became a traitor.

CHRIST THE LORD Jesus is Lord, but he exercises his Lordship through normal human channels. For the duration of the Old Covenant, he governed his Chosen People through prophets, judges, and kings – through flesh and blood human beings. He established his Covenant with Israel through Abraham; he sent them the Law through Moses; he led them into the Promised Land through Joshua; he made them into a Kingdom through Samuel, Saul, and David. God most often sends his grace into human lives through human instruments.

At this point in his ministry, however, Jesus is seeing that the current religious leaders of Israel, who were supposed to be acting as those instruments for that generation, were closing themselves off to his teaching. He answers their objection to the disciples’ picking and eating corn on the Sabbath; he explains why their conception of Sabbath regulations is wrong (they have forgotten the reason behind it) and proves the validity of his explanation and his claim to be Lord of the Sabbath by a dramatic miracle. But in spite of these and other proofs and arguments, the Pharisees and Scribes become outraged and harden their minds and hearts even more to the Messiah.

So Jesus goes off to pray. And in his prayer he sees that the time has come to prepare a new generation of leaders who will be his instruments of grace for the New Covenant. The leaders of the Old Covenant have relinquished their roles by rejecting Jesus, who will now name a new generation of shepherds. When his night vigil comes to a close, he chooses twelve of his disciples to be his special envoys, and the Apostolic College, the first bishops of the Church, is established. The Lord changes the Covenant, but he doesn’t change his methodology: in the New People of God, just as in the Old People of God, he will administer his grace and his salvation through human instruments. He likes to treat us like the people we are.

CHRIST THE TEACHER The Pharisees had become obsessed with their appearance of holiness. They were convinced that external formalities sufficed; if they followed all the rules, that was all that mattered. But in truth they were missing the very point of the rules. The Law of the Old Covenant was a gift of God to his Chosen People. It was aimed at helping them learn to love God and their neighbors better. At the time of Christ, the Pharisees, the experts in interpreting this Law and in carrying it out to the minutest external detail, had forgotten this essential purpose. And so, when Jesus performs a work of mercy (a miraculous work that could only have been performed with God’s direct intervention) that contradicts the Sabbath rules (you could heal mortal wounds on the Sabbath, but not illnesses or wounds that weren’t putting one’s life in immediate danger), the Pharisees become violently indignant, “furious” St Luke tells us. Their self-righteousness had blinded them completely to God’s action, God’s presence, and the real needs of their neighbors.

It is easy to point fingers at these Pharisees. It is easy to see how foolish and hard-hearted they were. But the Gospels don’t remind us of them just so we can shake our heads in disdain. We too can fall into the exact same trap. How many divisions in the Church happen because we are so attached to appearances (to our appearance) that we neglect the substance! How many times arguments drive divisions deeper just because we are concerned about keeping up vain appearances!

The human heart easily gets too attached to its own practices and preferences, so that other practices and preferences are looked upon not simply as different, but as inferior. Does it please Christ when we break into cliques and quarreling camps? Didn’t he give us the papacy to guarantee unity by identifying and protecting what must be maintained and held by all his followers and to determine where variety is allowed? The ancient Pharisees destroyed Christ; modern Pharisees continue, tragically, to wound his Body.

CHRIST THE FRIEND Jesus spends the whole night in prayer. It’s clear that he is praying about his next day’s choice of the Twelve Apostles. He chooses carefully, purposely – not randomly. He chooses each one by name.

Christianity is the most personal of religions. True, Christians become members of Christ’s Body, of the family of the Church, but their individuality is not destroyed – it is liberated. Jesus knows each of his followers by name. That list of names that St Luke records assures us that in God’s eyes none of us is a mere statistic. None of us is overlooked or chosen by mistake. God is the God of the entire universe, but he knows each of us through and

through, and he calls each one of us to follow him individually. We are not generic soldiers in a zombie army. Christ’s followers are, first and foremost, his personal friends.

CHRIST IN MY LIFE Sometimes I think that it would be more convenient if I could follow you without the Church, in a purely one-on-one religion. I wouldn’t have to bother with other people, many who rub me the wrong way. But you want to send your grace through human instruments. Teach me why, Lord, so that I can love as you love...

The law of your Kingdom is self-giving, not self-assertion. The Pharisees didn’t understand that. Lord, I am afraid of becoming like those Pharisees. I see that I too have a tendency toward self-righteousness, a tendency to think I am always right, a tendency to get stuck in my opinions. Keep me humble, Lord. Teach me to love my neighbor as you have loved me. Never let me be separated from you...

You know my name, and you have told me yours. How much peace this should give me! You call me by name! You have gone to heaven to prepare a place there just for me, with my name on it. No one else can love you or know you in quite the same way as I can. Thank you, Lord. Teach me to live in the peace of your love and leave behind the pressure ofmerely keeping up appearances...

QUESTIONS FOR SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION

1. What struck you most in this passage? What did you notice that you hadn’t noticed before?

2. In all the lists of Apostles that appear in the New Testament, Peter is always put first and Judas last. Do you think that arrangement is significant?

3. Once again we see Jesus going off to pray, all by himself. What is the biggest obstacle in your prayer life? What has been the biggest help?

4. If a non-Catholic Christian friend asked you why you don’t just “go right to God” instead of “going through a priest or the pope,” how would you respond?

Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 857-865 on the Apostolicity of the Church; 758- 769 on the Church’s origin and mission; 587-591 on the conflict between Jesus and the Pharisees

Wednesday, September 10, 2025

Wednesday in the 23rd week of Ordinary Time

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/091025.cfm

169. THE WAY TO GO (LK 6:17-26)

“The more one contemplates him with sincere and unprejudiced mind, the clearer does it become that there can be nothing more salutary than his law, more divine than his teaching.”

Luke 6:17-26

- Pope Leo XIII

He then came down with them and stopped at a piece of level ground where there was a large gathering of his disciples with a great crowd of people from all parts of Judaea and from Jerusalem and from the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon who had come to hear him and to be cured of their diseases. People tormented by unclean spirits were also cured, and everyone in the crowd was trying to touch him because power came out of him that cured them all. Then fixing his eyes on his disciples he said: ‘How happy are you who are poor: yours is the kingdom of God. Happy you who are hungry now: you shall be satisfied. Happy you who weep now: you shall laugh. Happy are you when people hate you, drive you out, abuse you, denounce your name as criminal, on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice when that day comes and dance for joy, for then your reward will be great in heaven. This was the way their ancestors treated the prophets. ‘But alas for you who are rich: you are having your consolation now. Alas for you who have your fill now: you shall go hungry. Alas for you who laugh now: you shall mourn and weep. Alas for you when the world speaks well of you! This was the way their ancestors treated the false prophets.’

CHRIST THE LORD We have reached a turning point in the Lord’s career. He has just been up on the mountaintop, where he spent the whole night in prayer. When morning dawned, he gathered his disciples and chose twelve of them to be his intimate coworkers, his apostles. Now, with them, he descends to the crowds below and takes his place on a wide plain, where St Luke locates his first open air sermon, a summary of his new and spiritually revolutionary doctrine.

The picture Luke paints reminds us of Moses, who went up to the top of Mt Sinai to be with God and to receive the divine law, which he then taught to the people of Israel in the plain below; it is a picture of God-given authority, of someone who teaches with power. Luke also gives inklings of the universality, the definitiveness of Christ’s authority: the crowds hail not only from Judea and Jerusalem (the territory of the Jews), but also from Tyre and Sidon (pagan lands and Gentile territories). Christ’s law, unlike Moses’ law, will extend God’s covenant to all people. Finally, Luke provides a detail that turns these “statements” of Jesus into challenges, into commands: “And raising his eyes toward his disciples....” Christpresents his doctrine while looking us right in the eye – this is no mere professor, no theoretician; this is One who comes to conquer, this is the Lord. When we read these familiar words with that in mind, it makes all the difference.

CHRIST THE TEACHER In this context “blessed” means truly happy, filled with lasting joy. In a shocking reversal of ordinary standards, Jesus links true happiness with struggle and hardship, suffering and opposition. Those who set their sights merely on what this world has to offer and pursue it with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength will attain it, but that is all they will attain – and it won’t be enough to satisfy them. Those who are full now will be hungry later; those who make merry now will be sad later; those who are popular now will experience rejection later. In other words, the human spirit was made to find its fulfillment by living in communion with God, and that can only happen if we use created realities in order to bring us closer to God. If, on the other hand, we set our hearts on the gifts of God in and of themselves (all the pleasures of the created world), we will certainly find enjoyment in them, but we will miss the point; our reservoir of happiness will eventually run dry, because we will have cut ourselves off from their source.

This lesson has to be relearned continually. Because of our fallen nature, we always tend to think we can find heaven on earth by putting together just the right combination of possessions, esteem, and power. But since we can’t, as our Lord makes perfectly clear, the mature Christian will always need to avoid the temptation to put his faith and his virtue on cruise control. There is no such amenity in the spiritual life. We are members of the Church militant for as long as we journey here on earth, and that means we need to keep our armor on and our supply lines protected, lest we fall into the enemy’s traps.

CHRIST THE FRIEND In Christ’s coming down from the mountain, looking his disciples in the eye, and telling them the secret to a meaningful and fulfilling life, we are presented with the entire pattern of salvation history in miniature. In becoming man, God descended from heaven to enter into the realities of our daily life. He did this in order to bring the light and grace of heaven into the darkness of a fallen earth. Why did he do it? Only out of love. He longs to look into our eyes, to catch our attention, and to convince us to join him in the adventure of eternal life. Is it not possible that when Jesus “lifted his eyes to his disciples” there was more than fire burning in them, more than determination and authority? Is it not possible that his power and certainty were softened with a rush of tenderness, with the hint of a knowing smile? If so, it was the smile of one who would be our friend – if we’ll accept him.

CHRIST IN MY LIFE I believe in you, Lord, and I believe in all that you teach through your Scriptures and your Church. I have to admit that sometimes your teaching makes me uncomfortable, but because I know that your wisdom is always one and the same as your love, I gladly welcome it. I want to follow your path, and I want to help everyone I can to follow it too. Jesus, I trust in you...

Teach me to put all of the good things of this world in their proper place. Teach me to avoid making any created thing – money, pleasure, praise, success, influence, feelings – into an idol. You alone are the Lord, and you created this world to teach me about you and to give me an arena to exercise love. Thank you, Lord! Blessed be your name throughout the world...

Come again down into my life. Come again into my heart with your grace and into my mind with your truth. Never fail to come to me, never abandon me, Lord; never leave me to walk alone. I have put all my trust in you. I need you to teach me how to love, how to endure, how to understand. Thank you for coming to save me and befriend me; make my heart likeyours...

QUESTIONS FOR SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION

1. What struck you most in this passage? What did you notice that you hadn’t noticed before?

2. How could we translate these lessons of Christ (the Beatitudes) into language that would apply to our specific situation? In other words, if he were to explain the Beatitudes to us right here and now, applying their principles to our lives, what would he say?

3. Where does popular culture encourage us to look for happiness? How does that compare with where Christ tells us to look for it?

4. If someone in your life-situation were 100 percent committed to Christ’s plan of life, how would their weekly schedule differ from the average, non-believer’s weekly schedule in the same life-situation?

Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1716-1729 on the Beatitudes and the secret to Christian happiness

Thursday, September 11, 2025

Thursday in the 23rd week of Ordinary Time

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/091125.cfm

171. SURVIVING LIFE’S STORM (LK 6:39-49)

“To build on the rock means to build on Christ and with Christ, who is the rock.”
- Pope Benedict XVI

Luke 6:39-49

He also told a parable to them, ‘Can one blind man guide another? Surely both will fall into a pit? The disciple is not superior to his teacher; the fully trained disciple will always be like his teacher. Why do you observe the splinter in your brother’s eye and never notice the plank in your own? How can you say to your brother, Brother, let me take out the splinter that is in your eye, when you cannot see the plank in your own? Hypocrite! Take the plank out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take out the splinter that is in your brother’s eye. There is no sound tree that produces rotten fruit, nor again a rotten tree that produces sound fruit. For every tree can be told by its own fruit: people do not

pick figs from thorns, nor gather grapes from brambles. A good man draws what is good from the store of goodness in his heart; a bad man draws what is bad from the store of badness. For a man’s words flow out of what fills his heart. Why do you call me, Lord, Lord and not do what I say? Everyone who comes to me and listens to my words and acts on them – I will show you what he is like. He is like the man who when he built his house dug, and dug deep, and laid the foundations on rock; when the river was in flood it bore down on that house but could not shake it, it was so well built. But the one who listens and does nothing is like the man who built his house on soil, with no foundations: as soon as the river bore down on it, it collapsed; and what a ruin that house became!’

CHRIST THE LORD By applying Jesus’ parable to himself, we can better understand the nature of his Kingdom. What kind of fruit has his tree produced? Saints. Those who have followed Christ and his teaching are the saints, the men and women who have given a moral compass to the world, who have filled the world with hope, light, and enthusiasm. And the culture that was nourished on the love and sacrifice of the saints has given the world much of what it treasures most: hospitals (even the initial idea of hospitals), public education, equal rights, freedom from slavery, universities, technological progress.... These and many other institutions and values have flourished only in the wake of the gospel. To judge our Lord by his fruits, we would have to conclude that his Lordship is incomparable. And if we come to that conclusion, we will want to do all we can to live under his Lordship ourselves and extend it to as many others as possible.

Some critics often point to the sins of Christians as a way to discredit Christianity. Some Christians have sinned and caused as much destruction in the world as some non- Christians, they claim, which shows that Christianity is a pleasant but unsubstantial myth, like every other religion. This argument is shockingly illogical (revealing that those who purport it are being irrational – some other motive really lies behind their vehement opposition to God). Jesus warned his followers that if they heard his teaching and didn’t put it into practice, their lives would collapse like a house built on sand collapses in a flood, damaging itself and ruining everyone in it. On the other hand, those disciples who hear and heed his teaching will stand solidly when the storm comes, providing shelter and stability. Discarding his doctrine because some hypocritical disciples proved that sand-grounded houses will indeed collapse in a flood is simply foolish and nonsensical. In the same way, accepting his doctrine because of the fruitfulness and happiness exemplified in the lives of thousands of saints is wise and commonsensical.

CHRIST THE TEACHER St Luke links four different lessons together in this brief speech. First, Jesus points out that disciples become like their teachers. Consequently, we need to choose our teachers well. (Of course, the obvious conclusion is to become a disciple of Christ – the greatest teacher of all). Second, he warns us about the inanity of useless criticism. We are all flawed and ignorant, so we have no prerogative to go around passing judgment on others for their flaws and ignorance. When we do, we make ourselves out to be fools. (Picture in your mind how foolish a man with a plank in his eye would look trying to remove a speck from his friend’s eye – that’s what we are like when we take on a “holier- than-thou” type of attitude, which we so easily tend to do.)

Third, we must be careful to be Christians who not only talk the talk, but also walk the walk. The world has plenty of preachers, but precious few saints. If we really want to bring others into the Kingdom, to lead others to Christ, words will not be enough; our lives have to bear the irresistible fruit of real virtue. Finally, Jesus points out that we give ourselves away by what we say. If we really want to know the state of our souls, all we have to do is pay attention to the words that come out of our mouths – especially when we are speaking spontaneously; what we say reveals what we care about. If we really want to improve the state of our souls, we should start by practicing self-control in our speech. In fact, merely starting to pay attention to the loose comments that stream out of our mouths will mark a big step in the right direction.

Any one of these lessons is enough to build a life around; unfortunately, few of us really bear down and study any of them well. We hear them, approve of them, and complain when the people around us don’t follow them, but is our effort to learn and implement them as concerted as our effort to learn the ins and outs of our favorite hobby? It’s so easy to look atother people and conclude that they are shamefully building on sand. But judging by these standards, wouldn’t they be tempted to say the same thing about us?

CHRIST THE FRIEND Try to imagine the tone of Christ’s voice as he spoke to the gathering on the plain. Was it like a professor expostulating in a classroom, enamored of his own voice? Was it brittle and fierce, like a harsh taskmaster? Or was it perhaps warm, eager, and exuberant? Most likely the latter – Jesus did not come to earth to flatter himself or to flexhis divine muscles; he came to win our hearts back to God, and that’s still the one item on his to-do list.

Jesus: You need a solid foundation, a firm anchor, a dependable, unchanging reference point. You need a rock on which to build your life. I have given you your life, along with the desires for meaning, fruitfulness, and adventure that go with it. And I have come to be your rock. The world is full of shifting sands. Opinions change, friends are unfaithful, circumstances take you where you would never have chosen to go – but through it all, I never leave you. My words, my example, my presence, my Church.... You can count on them all. Listen to me, walk with me, confide in me, and follow me. How could I ever lead you astray, when I gave my life for you?

CHRIST IN MY LIFE The fruits you are looking for in my life are the fruits of virtue. It is the heart that interests you most: what I desire in my heart and what I seek with my actions based on those desires. You know that in the very core of my being I want your friendship to be my highest priority. I want to reflect your goodness, your saving goodness, in everything I think, say, and do...

I think it’s odd that you didn’t teach us about political and economic systems. That’s all we think about these days. But you brought us salvation and the secret to happiness, and you never talked about either one of them. Instead, you talked about how to love God and neighbor. That’s the rock-solid foundation of a meaningful life, and of any political or economic system. I believe in you, Jesus, and I trust in you...

Jesus, I need you so much. When I am honest with myself, I see that in my heart and in my words I am still very far from following your teaching. I criticize, I judge, I look down on

others, I am closed to their points of view. You know this. You can change me. You already have. Stay with me, Jesus. Keep teaching me to do your will...

QUESTIONS FOR SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION

1. What struck you most in this passage? What did you notice that you hadn’t noticed before?

2. In what ways do Christ’s four lessons in this passage apply to us? Which lesson is particularly applicable to you?

3. When Jesus first began to preach in public, he drew huge crowds. Do his words still attract? Why or why not?

4. Everyone chooses to follow someone, some teacher, in life. Who are some of the most revered “teachers” according to popular culture? How can a person know if he has really chosen Christ to be his teacher?

Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1691-1698 on Life in Christ; 1701-1724 on human nature and our vocation to happiness; 2464-2503 on the proper use of words and communication

Friday, September 12, 2025

Friday in the 23rd week of Ordinary Time

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/091225.cfm

171. SURVIVING LIFE’S STORM (LK 6:39-49)

“To build on the rock means to build on Christ and with Christ, who is the rock.”
- Pope Benedict XVI

Luke 6:39-49

He also told a parable to them, ‘Can one blind man guide another? Surely both will fall into a pit? The disciple is not superior to his teacher; the fully trained disciple will always be like his teacher. Why do you observe the splinter in your brother’s eye and never notice the plank in your own? How can you say to your brother, Brother, let me take out the splinter that is in your eye, when you cannot see the plank in your own? Hypocrite! Take the plank out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take out the splinter that is in your brother’s eye. There is no sound tree that produces rotten fruit, nor again a rotten tree that produces sound fruit. For every tree can be told by its own fruit: people do not

pick figs from thorns, nor gather grapes from brambles. A good man draws what is good from the store of goodness in his heart; a bad man draws what is bad from the store of badness. For a man’s words flow out of what fills his heart. Why do you call me, Lord, Lord and not do what I say? Everyone who comes to me and listens to my words and acts on them – I will show you what he is like. He is like the man who when he built his house dug, and dug deep, and laid the foundations on rock; when the river was in flood it bore down on that house but could not shake it, it was so well built. But the one who listens and does nothing is like the man who built his house on soil, with no foundations: as soon as the river bore down on it, it collapsed; and what a ruin that house became!’

CHRIST THE LORD By applying Jesus’ parable to himself, we can better understand the nature of his Kingdom. What kind of fruit has his tree produced? Saints. Those who have followed Christ and his teaching are the saints, the men and women who have given a moral compass to the world, who have filled the world with hope, light, and enthusiasm. And the culture that was nourished on the love and sacrifice of the saints has given the world much of what it treasures most: hospitals (even the initial idea of hospitals), public education, equal rights, freedom from slavery, universities, technological progress.... These and many other institutions and values have flourished only in the wake of the gospel. To judge our Lord by his fruits, we would have to conclude that his Lordship is incomparable. And if we come to that conclusion, we will want to do all we can to live under his Lordship ourselves and extend it to as many others as possible.

Some critics often point to the sins of Christians as a way to discredit Christianity. Some Christians have sinned and caused as much destruction in the world as some non- Christians, they claim, which shows that Christianity is a pleasant but unsubstantial myth, like every other religion. This argument is shockingly illogical (revealing that those who purport it are being irrational – some other motive really lies behind their vehement opposition to God). Jesus warned his followers that if they heard his teaching and didn’t put it into practice, their lives would collapse like a house built on sand collapses in a flood, damaging itself and ruining everyone in it. On the other hand, those disciples who hear and heed his teaching will stand solidly when the storm comes, providing shelter and stability. Discarding his doctrine because some hypocritical disciples proved that sand-grounded houses will indeed collapse in a flood is simply foolish and nonsensical. In the same way, accepting his doctrine because of the fruitfulness and happiness exemplified in the lives of thousands of saints is wise and commonsensical.

CHRIST THE TEACHER St Luke links four different lessons together in this brief speech. First, Jesus points out that disciples become like their teachers. Consequently, we need to choose our teachers well. (Of course, the obvious conclusion is to become a disciple of Christ – the greatest teacher of all). Second, he warns us about the inanity of useless criticism. We are all flawed and ignorant, so we have no prerogative to go around passing judgment on others for their flaws and ignorance. When we do, we make ourselves out to be fools. (Picture in your mind how foolish a man with a plank in his eye would look trying to remove a speck from his friend’s eye – that’s what we are like when we take on a “holier- than-thou” type of attitude, which we so easily tend to do.)

Third, we must be careful to be Christians who not only talk the talk, but also walk the walk. The world has plenty of preachers, but precious few saints. If we really want to bring others into the Kingdom, to lead others to Christ, words will not be enough; our lives have to bear the irresistible fruit of real virtue. Finally, Jesus points out that we give ourselves away by what we say. If we really want to know the state of our souls, all we have to do is pay attention to the words that come out of our mouths – especially when we are speaking spontaneously; what we say reveals what we care about. If we really want to improve the state of our souls, we should start by practicing self-control in our speech. In fact, merely starting to pay attention to the loose comments that stream out of our mouths will mark a big step in the right direction.

Any one of these lessons is enough to build a life around; unfortunately, few of us really bear down and study any of them well. We hear them, approve of them, and complain when the people around us don’t follow them, but is our effort to learn and implement them as concerted as our effort to learn the ins and outs of our favorite hobby? It’s so easy to look atother people and conclude that they are shamefully building on sand. But judging by these standards, wouldn’t they be tempted to say the same thing about us?

CHRIST THE FRIEND Try to imagine the tone of Christ’s voice as he spoke to the gathering on the plain. Was it like a professor expostulating in a classroom, enamored of his own voice? Was it brittle and fierce, like a harsh taskmaster? Or was it perhaps warm, eager, and exuberant? Most likely the latter – Jesus did not come to earth to flatter himself or to flex his divine muscles; he came to win our hearts back to God, and that’s still the one item on his to-do list.

Jesus: You need a solid foundation, a firm anchor, a dependable, unchanging reference point. You need a rock on which to build your life. I have given you your life, along with the desires for meaning, fruitfulness, and adventure that go with it. And I have come to be your rock. The world is full of shifting sands. Opinions change, friends are unfaithful, circumstances take you where you would never have chosen to go – but through it all, I never leave you. My words, my example, my presence, my Church.... You can count on them all. Listen to me, walk with me, confide in me, and follow me. How could I ever lead you astray, when I gave my life for you?

CHRIST IN MY LIFE The fruits you are looking for in my life are the fruits of virtue. It is the heart that interests you most: what I desire in my heart and what I seek with my actions based on those desires. You know that in the very core of my being I want your friendship to be my highest priority. I want to reflect your goodness, your saving goodness, in everything I think, say, and do...

I think it’s odd that you didn’t teach us about political and economic systems. That’s all we think about these days. But you brought us salvation and the secret to happiness, and you never talked about either one of them. Instead, you talked about how to love God and neighbor. That’s the rock-solid foundation of a meaningful life, and of any political or economic system. I believe in you, Jesus, and I trust in you...

Jesus, I need you so much. When I am honest with myself, I see that in my heart and in my words I am still very far from following your teaching. I criticize, I judge, I look down on

others, I am closed to their points of view. You know this. You can change me. You already have. Stay with me, Jesus. Keep teaching me to do your will...

QUESTIONS FOR SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION

1. What struck you most in this passage? What did you notice that you hadn’t noticed before?

2. In what ways do Christ’s four lessons in this passage apply to us? Which lesson is particularly applicable to you?

3. When Jesus first began to preach in public, he drew huge crowds. Do his words still attract? Why or why not?

4. Everyone chooses to follow someone, some teacher, in life. Who are some of the most revered “teachers” according to popular culture? How can a person know if he has really chosen Christ to be his teacher?

Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1691-1698 on Life in Christ; 1701-1724 on human nature and our vocation to happiness; 2464-2503 on the proper use of words and communication

Saturday, September 13, 2025

Memorial of St John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of The Church

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/0913-memorial-john-chrysostom.cfm

171. SURVIVING LIFE’S STORM (LK 6:39-49)

“To build on the rock means to build on Christ and with Christ, who is the rock.”
- Pope Benedict XVI

Luke 6:39-49

He also told a parable to them, ‘Can one blind man guide another? Surely both will fall into a pit? The disciple is not superior to his teacher; the fully trained disciple will always be like his teacher. Why do you observe the splinter in your brother’s eye and never notice the plank in your own? How can you say to your brother, Brother, let me take out the splinter that is in your eye, when you cannot see the plank in your own? Hypocrite! Take the plank out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take out the splinter that is in your brother’s eye. There is no sound tree that produces rotten fruit, nor again a rotten tree that produces sound fruit. For every tree can be told by its own fruit: people do not

pick figs from thorns, nor gather grapes from brambles. A good man draws what is good from the store of goodness in his heart; a bad man draws what is bad from the store of badness. For a man’s words flow out of what fills his heart. Why do you call me, Lord, Lord and not do what I say? Everyone who comes to me and listens to my words and acts on them – I will show you what he is like. He is like the man who when he built his house dug, and dug deep, and laid the foundations on rock; when the river was in flood it bore down on that house but could not shake it, it was so well built. But the one who listens and does nothing is like the man who built his house on soil, with no foundations: as soon as the river bore down on it, it collapsed; and what a ruin that house became!’

CHRIST THE LORD By applying Jesus’ parable to himself, we can better understand the nature of his Kingdom. What kind of fruit has his tree produced? Saints. Those who have followed Christ and his teaching are the saints, the men and women who have given a moral compass to the world, who have filled the world with hope, light, and enthusiasm. And the culture that was nourished on the love and sacrifice of the saints has given the world much of what it treasures most: hospitals (even the initial idea of hospitals), public education, equal rights, freedom from slavery, universities, technological progress.... These and many other institutions and values have flourished only in the wake of the gospel. To judge our Lord by his fruits, we would have to conclude that his Lordship is incomparable. And if we come to that conclusion, we will want to do all we can to live under his Lordship ourselves and extend it to as many others as possible.

Some critics often point to the sins of Christians as a way to discredit Christianity. Some Christians have sinned and caused as much destruction in the world as some non- Christians, they claim, which shows that Christianity is a pleasant but unsubstantial myth, like every other religion. This argument is shockingly illogical (revealing that those who purport it are being irrational – some other motive really lies behind their vehement opposition to God). Jesus warned his followers that if they heard his teaching and didn’t put it into practice, their lives would collapse like a house built on sand collapses in a flood, damaging itself and ruining everyone in it. On the other hand, those disciples who hear and heed his teaching will stand solidly when the storm comes, providing shelter and stability. Discarding his doctrine because some hypocritical disciples proved that sand-grounded houses will indeed collapse in a flood is simply foolish and nonsensical. In the same way, accepting his doctrine because of the fruitfulness and happiness exemplified in the lives of thousands of saints is wise and commonsensical.

CHRIST THE TEACHER St Luke links four different lessons together in this brief speech. First, Jesus points out that disciples become like their teachers. Consequently, we need to choose our teachers well. (Of course, the obvious conclusion is to become a disciple of Christ – the greatest teacher of all). Second, he warns us about the inanity of useless criticism. We are all flawed and ignorant, so we have no prerogative to go around passing judgment on others for their flaws and ignorance. When we do, we make ourselves out to be fools. (Picture in your mind how foolish a man with a plank in his eye would look trying to remove a speck from his friend’s eye – that’s what we are like when we take on a “holier- than-thou” type of attitude, which we so easily tend to do.)

Third, we must be careful to be Christians who not only talk the talk, but also walk the walk. The world has plenty of preachers, but precious few saints. If we really want to bring others into the Kingdom, to lead others to Christ, words will not be enough; our lives have to bear the irresistible fruit of real virtue. Finally, Jesus points out that we give ourselves away by what we say. If we really want to know the state of our souls, all we have to do is pay attention to the words that come out of our mouths – especially when we are speaking spontaneously; what we say reveals what we care about. If we really want to improve the state of our souls, we should start by practicing self-control in our speech. In fact, merely starting to pay attention to the loose comments that stream out of our mouths will mark a big step in the right direction.

Any one of these lessons is enough to build a life around; unfortunately, few of us really bear down and study any of them well. We hear them, approve of them, and complain when the people around us don’t follow them, but is our effort to learn and implement them as concerted as our effort to learn the ins and outs of our favorite hobby? It’s so easy to look atother people and conclude that they are shamefully building on sand. But judging by these standards, wouldn’t they be tempted to say the same thing about us?

CHRIST THE FRIEND Try to imagine the tone of Christ’s voice as he spoke to the gathering on the plain. Was it like a professor expostulating in a classroom, enamored of his own voice? Was it brittle and fierce, like a harsh taskmaster? Or was it perhaps warm, eager, and exuberant? Most likely the latter – Jesus did not come to earth to flatter himself or to flex his divine muscles; he came to win our hearts back to God, and that’s still the one item on his to-do list.

Jesus: You need a solid foundation, a firm anchor, a dependable, unchanging reference point. You need a rock on which to build your life. I have given you your life, along with the desires for meaning, fruitfulness, and adventure that go with it. And I have come to be your rock. The world is full of shifting sands. Opinions change, friends are unfaithful, circumstances take you where you would never have chosen to go – but through it all, I never leave you. My words, my example, my presence, my Church.... You can count on them all. Listen to me, walk with me, confide in me, and follow me. How could I ever lead you astray, when I gave my life for you?

CHRIST IN MY LIFE The fruits you are looking for in my life are the fruits of virtue. It is the heart that interests you most: what I desire in my heart and what I seek with my actions based on those desires. You know that in the very core of my being I want your friendship to be my highest priority. I want to reflect your goodness, your saving goodness, in everything I think, say, and do...

I think it’s odd that you didn’t teach us about political and economic systems. That’s all we think about these days. But you brought us salvation and the secret to happiness, and you never talked about either one of them. Instead, you talked about how to love God and neighbor. That’s the rock-solid foundation of a meaningful life, and of any political or economic system. I believe in you, Jesus, and I trust in you...

Jesus, I need you so much. When I am honest with myself, I see that in my heart and in my words I am still very far from following your teaching. I criticize, I judge, I look down on

others, I am closed to their points of view. You know this. You can change me. You already have. Stay with me, Jesus. Keep teaching me to do your will...

QUESTIONS FOR SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION

1. What struck you most in this passage? What did you notice that you hadn’t noticed before?

2. In what ways do Christ’s four lessons in this passage apply to us? Which lesson is particularly applicable to you?

3. When Jesus first began to preach in public, he drew huge crowds. Do his words still attract? Why or why not?

4. Everyone chooses to follow someone, some teacher, in life. Who are some of the most revered “teachers” according to popular culture? How can a person know if he has really chosen Christ to be his teacher?

Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1691-1698 on Life in Christ; 1701-1724 on human nature and our vocation to happiness; 2464-2503 on the proper use of words and communication