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33rd Week of Ordinary Time - Week Day Readings

November 17, 2025

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Monday, November 17, 2025

Memorial of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/111725.cfm

215. THINGS ARE NOT AS THEY SEEM (LK 18:31-43)

“Everyone – whether kings, nobles, tradesmen or peasants – must do all things for the glory of God and under the inspiration of Christ’s example.”

- St Francis Borgia

Luke 18:31-43

Then taking the Twelve aside he said to them, ‘Now we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man is to come true. For he will be handed over to the pagans and will be mocked, maltreated and spat on, and when they have scourged him they will put him to death; and on the third day he will rise again.’ Butthey could make nothing of this; what he said was quite obscure to them, they had no idea what it meant. Now as he drew near to Jericho there was a blind man sitting at the side of the road begging. When he heard the crowd going past he asked what it was all about, and they told him that Jesus the Nazarene was passing by. So he called out, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me’. The people in front scolded him and told him to keep quiet, but he shouted all the louder, ‘Son of David, have pity on me.’ Jesus stopped and ordered them to bring the man to him, and when he came up, asked him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ ‘Sir,’ he replied ‘let me see again.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Receive your sight. Your faith has saved you.’ And instantly his sight returned and he followed him praising God, and all the people who saw it gave praise to God for what had happened.

CHRIST THE LORD Jesus predicts his passion yet again, instructing his apostles in even more detail than before, mentioning the Roman (“pagan”) involvement this time. St Luke makes it painfully clear, however, that the apostles still understood absolutely nothing of this. Why does Jesus keep repeating it when it’s clear they simply can’t grasp what he’stelling them?

He was arming them for the crisis they would face in the aftermath of the event. At that moment (which is just around the corner), in the midst of their fear and confusion, they would remember that Jesus went to Jerusalem with full knowledge of what was going to befall him. Reflecting on Jesus’ prior knowledge and his willingness to suffer will prepare them to accept the Resurrection and to understand the sacrificial meaning of his death. It will also help them appreciate more fully the great truth that will make such an impact on St Paul – that Jesus took the punishment for our sins upon himself while we were still sinners, before we had asked for forgiveness or repented. This is the mightiest proof that the Lord’s love and saving mercy are entirely dependable and always accessible, because they are entirely independent of our worthiness. The Lord loves us madly simply because we are.

CHRIST THE TEACHER This last miracle before his passion is particularly eloquent. St Luke has just emphatically explained that Jesus’ predictions were “quite obscure” to the apostles – they couldn’t see what he meant; they were blind to the coming storm. And upon Christ’s entry into Jerusalem, St Luke will go on to describe a series of encounters with the leaders of the city in which they continually refuse to see the glaring credentials of the Messiah – they too are blind, unable to recognize Jesus for who he is. And in the middle of

all this spiritual darkness, we find a man who is physically blind but spiritually brilliant. He believes in Jesus whom he has never seen. He has never seen any of his miracles and has probably never heard him preach before – if he had, he would have asked for his cure then.

How is it that the blind man of Jericho can see so clearly? What illuminates for him the priceless lamp of faith? He alone recognizes his need for Christ’s grace. The leaders of Jerusalem don’t recognize their need for anything – the status quo is profitable and under their complete control. Even the apostles don’t recognize their real need for Christ’s grace, because they don’t yet recognize the true, supernatural essence of their mission. They will soon profess their undying loyalty, basing it on their natural strength, only to fall away and abandon him when things get uncomfortable. The Gospels never tire of telling us that humility alone frees God to do miracles in our lives. And maybe that’s because God knows we are ceaselessly tempted to think we know better than him.

CHRIST THE FRIEND Jesus: My child, the hour of my passion is drawing near. I am eager for it to come. Too many hearts will never trust me unless I show them that nothing they can do can diminish even a nanometer of my love for them. But we will talk more of that later.

Look at this blind man who moved my heart. He had once been able to see, but now all was dark to him. He is like the whole human race, which had seen my goodness and wisdom in all its beauty at the dawn of creation but had fallen into darkness at the rebellion of original sin. Every heart still harbors a memory of that intimacy we enjoyed before the Fall, because I made every heart for that intimacy. Why do so many hearts seek the light they long for in the shadows? Why don’t they come to me, who came to bring it to them? I will open their eyes, as I opened this man’s eyes. Ask me to give you back more and more of that original light. I will fulfill your deepest desires, because you believe in me.

CHRIST IN MY LIFE I am sometimes afraid that I am just like the apostles, Lord. You told them the same thing over and over again – about your passion and resurrection – and they were still shocked when it happened. You keep telling me the same things over and over again too, and I think I am just as slow a learner. But you didn’t give up on them, and I know you will never give up on me...

Why is humility so hard, Lord? I want to depend on you, to be like a little child in his mother’s arms. I know that your grace can give me that trust, confidence, and littleness. How full of peace and joy is the humble heart! That’s what you want for me. Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart more like yours...

Send me to bring your torch into the darkness, Lord. I don’t have to be the light; I just have to carry it. You are the light. I want to spread your light to the farthest corners of the world – geographically and spiritually. Fill me with your light, and then send me to those of your children who are in darkness. Make me generous and docile, and I will go wherever youwant me to go...

QUESTIONS FOR SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION

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

2. What does popular culture think about the virtue of humility, and how does it compare to Christ’s view? How can we make sure to keep Christ’s vision fresh in our minds?

3. Do you think Christ’s foreknowledge of his passion diminished or increased his suffering when it actually began? Why and in what way?

4. Why do you think the crowd tried to keep the blind man away from Jesus? Is there a lesson here for us?

Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 27-30 on man’s desire for God; 153-165 on the nature of faith

Tuesday, November 18, 2025

Tuesday of the 33rd Week in Ordinary Time

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/111825.cfm

216. SEEK AND YOU WILL FIND (LK 19:1-10)

“Help me, O Lord, that my eyes may be merciful, so that I may never suspect or judge from appearances, but look for what is beautiful in my neighbors’ souls and come to their rescue.”

- St Faustina Kowalska

Luke 19:1-10

He entered Jericho and was going through the town when a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance; he was one of the senior tax collectors and a wealthy man. He was anxious to see what kind of man Jesus was, but he was too short and could not see

him for the crowd; so he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way. When Jesus reached the spot he looked up and spoke to him: ‘Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I must stay at your house today.’ And he hurried down and welcomed him joyfully. They all complained when they saw what was happening. ‘He has gone to stay at a sinner’s house’ they said. But Zacchaeus stood his ground and said to the Lord, ‘Look, sir, I am going to give half my property to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody I will pay him back four times the amount.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek out and save what was lost.’

CHRIST THE LORD Leaders, to be effective, need to base their leadership on something deeper than opinion polls and popularity ratings. Jesus had attracted a crowd as he made his way to Jerusalem (previous passages call it a “great crowd”). Perhaps it was a member of this crowd who pointed Zacchaeus out to Jesus and mentioned what an evil man he was. (Tax collectors made their handsome livings by requiring the people to pay more taxes than Rome demanded and then skimming off the excess for themselves – that’s how the Roman authorities kept the tax collectors in tow.) In any case, when Jesus decided to go over to Zacchaeus’ house, the crowd was appalled. They all “began to grumble, saying, ‘He has gone to stay at a sinner’s house.’” If Jesus had cared more for what people said about him than for what God was asking of him, Zacchaeus would have continued in his sin, and the countryside would have continued to suffer from his injustice. But Jesus knew his mission, and he didn’t let vain gossip and opposition deter him from it. He is the Lord, andhe will rule his Kingdom according to his own standards, whether or not everyone else is comfortable with it. True Christians will do likewise.

But truly effective leadership, from Christ’s perspective, also requires truly caring for others, a trait Jesus exemplifies here yet again. Zacchaeus didn’t know that he was in dire need of a spiritual renewal (or perhaps he did know, deep down), but Christ recognized it immediately. And even though he had intended to pass through the town, Christ changes his plans and invites himself over for dinner at the unpopular tax collector’s house. “...Come down. Hurry...” he told Zacchaeus, expressing his eager desire to bring “salvation” to this man’s house.

And Zacchaeus “hurried down and welcomed him joyfully.” Jesus continues to do the same thing with us, going out of his way to bring us the light and strength we need to live in accordance with God’s hopes for us – and if we, like Zacchaeus, come quickly and receive God’s advances with joy, salvation will come to our house too.

CHRIST THE TEACHER In this passage Jesus teaches us about himself. He provides a living parable that illustrates the entire meaning of the Incarnation, and then, just in case we didn’t get the message, he summarizes it for us: “The Son of Man has come to seek out and save what was lost.”

Christ’s whole life while he was on earth was dedicated to bringing people back into friendship with God, and to establishing his Church to continue that mission throughout history. If that is the mission of Christ, and if that is the mission of the Church, than it ought

also to be the mission of every Christian, of every member of the Church. And when we make it the mission of our lives, we, like Christ, will become messengers of deep and lasting peace, both for the hearts of troubled souls and for the hearts of troubled societies. Zacchaeus’s conversion affected not only himself, but also the entire region – all the poor and all those who “grumbled” when Jesus went to stay at his house. The path to social justice follows the path of one-on-one reconciliation with God.

CHRIST THE FRIEND Zacchaeus: I wanted to see this man that everyone was talking about. At first, it felt like normal curiosity. But then, when I went out into the streets and saw the crowds, when I felt the intensity of emotion and expectation, it became more than curiosity. Something inside of me pushed me, drove me, propelled me to find a way to see this rabbi from Nazareth. One of the soldiers helped me climb up into the crook of that tree – and it was just in time, too. As soon as Jesus came into sight, I couldn’t take my eyes off him. It was as if the rest of the world receded and only he existed. I watched him make his way slowly through the throngs. He was coming closer. I could feel my heart beating. Suddenly a voice seemed to tell me to get down from the tree, to hide before he saw me. I don’t know why I didn’t do that. Ionly know that something even deeper in my heart kept me riveted to him. Then he stopped, right beside the tree. He looked up. Even before he said my name, I could sense his goodness rising up to me. I know it sounds strange.... It was – the whole encounter was strange. But it was real; it was true. I spent the day with him. He brought my soul back to life. He freed my heart from chains that I didn’t even know were there. That’s how he was.

Jesus: My child, do you see what happens whenever you make even a little effort to find me, to see me more clearly, like Zacchaeus? He was joyful because salvation came to his heart, but I think I was even more joyful, because the shepherd loves the sheep more than the sheep can ever love the shepherd. You bring joy to my heart whenever you welcome me into your home, your soul, and your mind. When you receive me in Holy Communion, I bring all my grace to strengthen your soul for doing good and living in the light, just as when Zacchaeus took me into his household. How I long for more souls who would receive me in Holy Communion! So many don’t even know I’m there, and many who do know don’t take full advantage of this gift. I am glad that you do. Now, speak to me of your plans, your hopes, and your struggles.

CHRIST IN MY LIFE I am vulnerable to other people’s opinions – a bit too vulnerable. If I loved you more and if my faith were stronger, I would care less about what they think and more about what you think. That’s what I want, Lord. Increase my faith! Increase my love! Make me passionate about the mission you have given me, as you were passionate about the mission the Father gave you...

You know I want to bring many souls into your friendship; I want to go out and find the Zacchaeuses, the ones everyone else has given up on. I want to speak to them about your goodness and your love, your forgiveness, and the meaning you give to life. But I am clumsy and inconsistent – you knew that when you made me your disciple. You can be my strength,Lord...

What did you create me for? You made me to live in communion with you. You want me to get to know you, more and more, for all eternity, as best friends keep getting to know each

other better – and the more they do, the more enjoyable the friendship becomes. I want that too. I want to share in your work. Whatever you want me to do, I want to do, because I want to follow you...

QUESTIONS FOR SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION

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

2. Why do you think Christ was able to resist popular trends and “peer pressure”? Why do we often find it difficult to do so?

3. If Christ were with us now, how would he be fulfilling his mission to “seek and save what was lost”? In other words, how does that essential mission translate into the “here and now” for us? Who are the Zacchaeuses in our lives?

4. Christ went out of his way – changed his plans even – to take advantage of an opportunity to bring Zacchaeus back to God. How can we become more sensitive to such opportunities and take better advantage of them?

Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 456-460 on Christ’s mission; 976-983 on Christ and the forgiveness of sins; 1886-1889 on conversion and society

Wednesday, November 19, 2025

Wednesday of the 33rd Week in Ordinary Time

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/111925.cfm

217. LORD OF HISTORY, LORD OF HEARTS (LK 19:11-27)

“That man is your best servant who is not so much concerned to hear from you what he wills as to will what he hears from you.”

- St Augustine

Luke 19:11-27

While the people were listening to this he went on to tell a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and they imagined that the kingdom of God was going to show itself then and there. Accordingly he said, ‘A man of noble birth went to a distant country to be appointed king and afterwards return. He summoned ten of his servants and gave them ten pounds. Do business with these he told them until I get back. But his compatriots detested him and sent a delegation to follow him with this message, We do not want this man to be our king. Now on his return, having received his appointment as king, he sent for those servants to whom he had given the money, to find out what profit each had made. The first came in and said, Sir, your one pound has brought in ten. Well done, my good servant! he replied Since you have proved yourself faithful in a very small thing, you shall have the government of ten cities. Then came the second and said, Sir, your one pound has made five. To this one also he said, And you shall be in charge of five cities. Next came the other and said, Sir, here is your pound. I put it away safely in a piece of linen because I was afraid of you; for you are an exacting man: you pick up what you have not put down and reap what you have not sown. You wicked servant! he said Out of your own mouth I condemn you. So you knew I

was an exacting man, picking up what I have not put down and reaping what I have not sown? Then why did you not put my money in the bank? On my return I could have drawn it out with interest. And he said to those standing by, Take the pound from him and give it to the man who has ten pounds. And they said to him, But, sir, he has ten pounds...I tell you,to everyone who has will be given more; but from the man who has not, even what he has will be taken away. But as for my enemies who did not want me for their king, bring them here and execute them in my presence.’

CHRIST THE LORD Up to the very end, St Luke tells us, Jesus’ followers still mistakenly thought that Jesus was going to take possession of Israel like the return of an Old Testament political leader. You can’t blame them. Even though Jesus had been predicting his fate – betrayal, passion, and death in Jerusalem – for a while now, the immense crowds, the festive atmosphere (it is estimated that several million pilgrims were in and around Jerusalem for the Passover festival), and the crescendo of miracles and verbal defeats of the Pharisees all seemed to indicate an impending, dramatic, glorious emergence of Jesus as the new David. But Christ has his sights set on something even greater.

His Kingdom, of which David’s was but a shadowy forerunner, will include all people, and it will last forever. It won’t be a Kingdom of military might and political prudence, but one of deep, definitive renewal of the human spirit by plugging it back into communion with God. It is the Kingdom of grace, the New Covenant community, the Church, which will spread through every land for all of history until Jesus comes again to inaugurate its fullness. Its foundation, therefore, must go deeper than merely political maneuverings. Jesus is going up to Jerusalem to lay that foundation by performing his own redemptive sacrifice on Calvary. By suffering, dying, and rising from the dead in perfect love and obedience to the Father, Jesus – the second Adam – will conquer not merely political enemies, but the archenemy of the human race, Satan himself, who instituted the reign of death by instigating the first Adam to mistrust and disobey the Father.

Christ is Lord of life and history because he makes himself Lord of human hearts, which, by their choices, lead lives and history either to their fulfilment or to their frustration. As we walk with Jesus from Jericho to Jerusalem, up the dusty roads of Judea, we should thank him for setting his sights so high, renew our allegiance to his Kingdom, and ask for the grace to have the same priorities in our lives that he had in his.

CHRIST THE TEACHER Jesus, always patient and understanding, explains to his misconstruing followers yet again the Kingdom that they continue to confuse. Since it is a Kingdom of hearts, they themselves will be primary players in it. Jesus will give them the three tools they will need to perform their role in the Kingdom.

First, Jesus will give them the grace of redemption, an interior renewal of their souls, a fresh start in their relationship with God and their fellow men – this is the sanctifying grace that comes to us from his passion, death, and resurrection through the sacraments of his Church. The “pound” that the king in the parable gives his servants represents this grace,the same gift received by all. Second, Jesus gives them an unspecified period of time in which to make this grace grow by living out his teachings and his commandments – most

especially the commandments of love and evangelization. This corresponds to the time in the parable during which the new king is traveling to be invested with his kingship, the period after Christ’s ascension. Third, Jesus gives his disciples the knowledge that he will come again at the end of history in order to reward his faithful followers, but those who have been selfish and wicked, sticking to their old way of life in spite of the gift of grace, will have forfeited their membership in his Kingdom.

This parable should be one of the most highly prized treasures of every Christian. It brings all of the human condition into sharp, refreshing, unmistakable focus. We are here to receive God’s gifts and make them bear fruit for his Kingdom, to invest our lives in giving witness to Christ in our thoughts, words, deeds, and manner. This life is brief and only has meaning in relation to the life to come. How clear our Lord makes it for us! How eager he is for us to use our freedom wisely, so that he can reward us richly when the time comes!

CHRIST THE FRIEND Jesus: My child, many people, like the third servant in the parable, think I am angry, irrational, unpredictable, selfish, and irascible. But what evidence have I given for such a characterization? Is my creation not a beautiful abode? Do I not maintain the laws of physics and chemistry and biology, so that humanity can continue to live without descending into chaos? And when my children rebelled against me and lost the harmony I had given them at first, did I not continue to care for them and then come and teach them with my gospel the meaning of life, suffering, and death? Am I not willing to forgive them at any moment, no matter how horrendous their offenses? Did I myself, all-powerful and all-knowing, not suffer humiliation, rejection, betrayal, scourging, beating, and crucifixion just to prove to them that I am not an evil, selfish King, but their brother as well as their Lord?

When they accuse me of being harsh and unyielding, they accuse themselves; they continue living in the self-destruction of self-centeredness and self-indulgence. I will wait as long as possible for them to become disenchanted with that life and turn again to the light. I will send my messengers to them over and over, in myriad ways. But I will not force them to trust me. No, I gave them freedom, the capacity to love, and I will never take it away.

CHRIST IN MY LIFE Lord Jesus, I have placed all my hopes in you. I have confessed my faith in you and I have committed myself to doing your will and living as you would have me live. And I am glad I have! You are a generous Lord – you are generosity itself! Whatever you ask of me, I will give you, because all I have, you have given to me...

I have precious few things, but they are all I need. I have the grace you have given me, my faith, my friendship with you, the pearl of great price. I have my life, however long or short it may be – only you know, Lord. And I have the knowledge that you have given me a mission to accomplish. I need nothing more, except the strength to say each day, “Thy will be done...”

I will go to those who are hiding their pound because they are lazy and self-absorbed. I will be your goodness to them. I will be your voice to them. Teach me what to say, what to do, what to write, how to act – so that your Kingdom will triumph in the hardest of hearts...

QUESTIONS FOR SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION

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

2. Why do you think his followers still misunderstood the nature of his Kingdom? Do you think we are really as free from this error as we think we are?

3. Jesus is basically instructing his followers to live diligently and responsibly in this earthly life, but to focus on the life that is to come. Why do you think so many contemporaries make fun of this view of reality? How can we respond to their objections?

4. If an agnostic friend came up to you and asked how to get to heaven, what would you tell them?

Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 678-679 on Jesus’ judgment at the end of history; 668-677 on Christ’s second coming in glory

Thursday, November 20, 2025

Thursday of the 33rd Week in Ordinary Time

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/112025.cfm

219. THE SACRED HEART UNFURLED (LK 19:41-48)

“Do not be afraid of Christ! He takes nothing away, and he gives you everything. When we give ourselves to him, we receive a hundredfold in return. Yes, open, open wide the doors to Christ – and you will find true life.”

- Pope Benedict XVI

Luke 19:41-48

As he drew near and came in sight of the city he shed tears over it and said, ‘If you in your turn had only understood on this day the message of peace! But, alas, it is hidden from your eyes! Yes, a time is coming when your enemies will raise fortifications all round you, when they will encircle you and hem you in on every side; they will dash you and the children inside your walls to the ground; they will leave not one stone standing on another within you – and all because you did not recognise your opportunity when God offered it!’ Then he

went into the Temple and began driving out those who were selling. ‘According to scripture,’ he said, ‘my house will be a house of prayer. But you have turned it into a robbers’ den.’ He taught in the Temple every day. The chief priests and the scribes, with the support of the leading citizens, tried to do away with him, but they did not see how they could carry this out because the people as a whole hung on his words.

CHRIST THE LORD Some kings wish destruction on their enemies; the Lord desires his enemies’ salvation. Few passages of the Gospels reveal so emphatically the love Christ bore the people he came to save: “As he drew near...he shed tears...” Amidst the jubilation of the crowds, Jesus weeps. He looks down upon this city, chosen by God to be a lantern for the world, whose vocation is to be frustrated by the stubborn refusal of its leaders to admit God’s sovereignty. Jesus weeps not because his pride is wounded, but because he knows that those who reject God’s rule and the peace it brings simultaneously submit themselves to Satan’s (we only have two options), and that means destruction. The devastation he describes here will eventually take place just as he predicted it, in 70 AD under the merciless siege engines of the Roman army.

The all-powerful King weeps over his rebellious subjects because he is unwilling to force them into subjection and freely accepts their rejection of him, drinking it to the bitterest dregs, just to show forth the extent of his love. If we truly contemplated this portrait of our Lord, it would change our hearts forever.

As his followers, our hearts too should resonate with the needs of the world. If Jesus wept over ancient Jerusalem, how would he react upon coming to modern New York, or Paris, or Tokyo? We should know, because our hearts are one with his, and the concerns and desires of our Lord should be reflected in those who love him.

CHRIST THE TEACHER Shrewd businessmen bent the rules of Temple purity during Passover time, and the Temple officials let them. To take advantage of the huge amount of pilgrims coming from all over the Mediterranean world, all of who had to change money so they could buy sacrificial animals for the worship ceremonies, they set up commerce booths inside the outermost courtyard of the sacred precincts – the only place where Gentile pilgrims were allowed to pray. Jesus scatters them. His action prefigures the approaching scattering of the Temple itself that will happen at the end of the siege of Jerusalem – that too will be the result of the leaders of Jerusalem preferring worldly desires to God’s plans.

But the action has a deeper lesson as well. Every Christian soul is a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19). We too can defile ourselves by letting habits of self-indulgence and self- centeredness disrupt the communion with God we are called to enjoy. We can even transform our religious actions into subtle tactics for self-aggrandizement, seeking profit in the eyes of others instead of the eyes of God. When our friendship with Christ becomes one more item on our to-do list instead of the motivation behind all we do, it’s a sign that we have set up money changer booths in our hearts. When we ignore the voice of our conscience, treat the apostolate as a favor we do for Jesus, and start blaming the faults of

others for our own shortcomings, we can be sure that the temple of our soul is being defiled.

Few times in the Gospels does Jesus act so forcefully and angrily as in this scene. We should take the lesson to heart now and do regular spring-cleaning willingly, lest we suffer worse consequences unwillingly later on.

CHRIST THE FRIEND Jesus: When I saw the city of Jerusalem, gleaming in the sunlight as I descended Mount Olivet, I saw all its history and all its future. How could I not weep? Certainly it pained my heart to be rejected by so many of my Chosen People, but many of them also recognized their Messiah and welcomed me – Mary did, and Peter, James, the other apostles, Nicodemus, and many others. But this city meant so much more. It was the symbol of my Father’s fidelity and love for all mankind, the symbol of his untiring effort to lead the stray sheep back home to the sheepfold, of his eternal plan of salvation. And just as so many in Jerusalem turned a deaf or fearful ear to my words that week, spurning my Father’s generosity, just so many others would do the same all along the centuries in many other cities throughout the world.

That is why you should never doubt my commitment to you, my joy at your “Yes” to my invitations. If I wept so openly at others’ rejections, do you not think I rejoice even more at your trusting acceptance? Follow me, and I will show you the way to the life you long to live.

CHRIST IN MY LIFE Lord Jesus, why do I not weep for those souls who reject you? Why do I not burn with a desire to bring them closer to you? You know why. My heart is still stained and tainted with too much selfishness. But you knew that when you called me to follow you. You can work with that. You are all powerful. I put my heart in your hands. Teach me to love as you love...

It is hard to keep first things first in this world, Lord. I think a few money changers have sneaked their way into the Temple of my heart. But you know that I want to follow you. You know I want to be the saint you created me to be. So let’s get to work, Lord. Show me what has to change, and give me the strength to change it...

Thank you, Lord, for your persistent love. Thank you, Father, for sending your Son to walk with me. Look me in the eye and teach me about your greatness and your mercy. Thank you for giving me the Church through which I can still see Christ’s eyes and hear his voice. How you must love me to give me so much! Blessed be your name forever...

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 do you think the apostles reacted when Jesus was cleansing the Temple?

3. What are some of the common “money changers” that we let set up shop in our hearts these days?

4. Jesus’ cleansing of the Temple is an image of what happens in the individual soul during confession. Does it help explain in any way why going to confession is always difficult? How can we make the most of this sacrament?

Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 583-586 on Jesus and the Temple; 2083-2094 on keeping the First Commandment in the Era of the Church; 1763-1770 on passions (like anger and sadness) and the moral life; 2302 on the sin of anger

Friday, November 21, 2025

Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/112125.cfm

219. THE SACRED HEART UNFURLED (LK 19:41-48)

- Pope Benedict XVI

Luke 19:41-48

others for our own shortcomings, we can be sure that the temple of our soul is being defiled.

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 do you think the apostles reacted when Jesus was cleansing the Temple?

3. What are some of the common “money changers” that we let set up shop in our hearts these days?

Saturday, November 22, 2025

Memorial of Saint Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/112225.cfm

222. SAVING THE SADDUCEES (LK 20:27-47)

“Living faith working through love – this is what leads mean to put aside the goods of the present in the hope of those of the future, and to look to the future rather than to the present.”

- Pope Benedict XIV

Luke 20:27-47

Some Sadducees – those who say that there is no resurrection – approached him and they put this question to him, ‘Master, we have it from Moses in writing, that if a man’s married brother dies childless, the man must marry the widow to raise up children for his brother. Well then, there were seven brothers. The first, having married a wife, died childless. The second and then the third married the widow. And the same with all seven, they died

leaving no children. Finally the woman herself died Now, at the resurrection, to which of them will she be wife since she had been married to all seven?’ Jesus replied, ‘The children of this world take wives and husbands, but those who are judged worthy of a place in the other world and of the resurrection from the dead do not marry because they can no longer die, for they are the same as the angels, and being children of the resurrection they are sons of God. And Moses himself implies that the dead rise again, in the passage about the bush where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Now he is God, not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all men are in fact alive.’ Some scribes then spoke up. ‘Well put, Master,’ they said because they would not dare to ask him any more questions.

He then said to them, ‘How can people maintain that the Christ is son of David? Why, David himself says in the Book of Psalms: The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand and I will make your enemies a footstool for you. David here calls him Lord; how then can he be his son?’ While all the people were listening he said to the disciples, ‘Beware of the scribes who like to walk about in long robes and love to be greeted obsequiously in the market squares, to take the front seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at banquets, who swallow the property of widows, while making a show of lengthy prayers. The more severe will be the sentence they receive.

CHRIST THE LORD Imagine the scene. We are in the Temple courtyards, where rabbis continuously discuss, instruct, and debate with peers and public alike. Jesus has been spending the last few days there, teaching the people and gallantly repelling crafty attacks from envious Pharisees, the religious leaders of contemporary Jewry. Worn out and exasperated, the Pharisees bring in reinforcements, the Sadducees, to continue trying to discredit this incorrigible young Galilean rabbi. (Usually the Sadducees and Pharisees were rivals, but the common threat posed by Christ’s new teaching brings them together.) The Sadducees slip into the circle of disciples gathered around Jesus. They are Israel’s political leaders, eager collaborators with their Roman overlords; they are in love with the pleasures of this present world and disdain many of the common Jewish beliefs and practices, like the resurrection of the dead. At just the right moment, one of them steps forward to issue the challenge, posing a previously unanswerable theological conundrum. With a rhetorical flourish he finishes stating his case, certain that everyone there now clearly perceives how ridiculous the resurrection doctrine really is. A hush ensues as the crowd now turns to Jesus. Will he be able to respond? He is gazing steadily at the self- satisfied Sadducee, but he offers no reprimand, as he did to the Pharisees. Rather, he takes up the challenge directly and points out their mistake.

St Luke’s concise description of this dramatic encounter brings to light the weight of Christ’s authority, the incomparable power of Christ’s presence and words, which in this case silences Israel’s most accomplished sophists. Why else would St Luke include a discussion about Jewish doctrinal nitpickings when his primary readership was non- Jewish? Once again, the Gospel gives us a glimpse of the magnificent but munificent Lordship of Christ.

CHRIST THE TEACHER The lesson Jesus teaches his attackers strikes home as much for us as for them. They were conceiving of heaven in earthly terms and applying human restrictions to God. The doctrine of eternal life and the resurrection of the dead threatened the worldly lifestyle of the Sadducees; if there really is life after death, then they would have to adjust their pattern of life on earth to be ready for it – something they were reluctant to do. Christ’s answer points out both their theological and their moral blunders.

God has revealed himself as the living God, powerful enough to give eternal life and raise us from the dead, just as Christ’s own Resurrection would prove definitively. Furthermore, the pleasures and obligations of this life will be transformed in the life to come. Even marriage, one of the most sacred of human institutions, will fall away in the newness of heaven, where the love we practiced on earth will be caught up into a higher love, bringing our longing for union with God and one another to its utter fulfillment.

Christianity is not a mass of restrictions and rules, but the true path to peace, joy, life, and fulfillment. If only we had more strength to trust in the God who shaped the mountains and carved out the seas instead of trying all the time to avoid his wise law, we would find the peace we long for but vainly search for everywhere else.

CHRIST THE FRIEND Jesus: My child, if I didn’t love you with all the strength of my heart, I wouldn’t challenge you. I wouldn’t push you to grow, expand your views, and go beyond your limited understanding and assumptions. Some think of me as a weakling, a starry-eyed dreamer - I know. It is because my mercy is boundless, and they mistake mercy for weakness. But my mercy is the elemental building block of the universe. Look into my eyes. You will see my love – I will show it to you. And you will see that it is burning and determined. Listen to my voice. Is it wavering and noncommittal and superficial? It is compassionate, but my compassion grips your heart and demands that you change. You know this, because you have had the courage to listen. You know that when you follow my footsteps, you feel hope and joy, but the kind that flourishes in the shadow of the cross. I am the Lamb of God, but I am also the Lion of Judah. And the only reason you should let me into your life more deeply each day is because I love you even more than you love yourself.

CHRIST IN MY LIFE I am bewildered and frustrated by the resistance the leaders of Jerusalem showed you, Lord, but even more than that, I am mesmerized by your wisdom and your majesty. Lord, teach me to be wise. Attract me to your heart. I want my words to reflect your goodness. I know I will not be able to open every heart to your gospel, becauseeven you didn’t open every heart, but I want to give you my mouth to speak your words...

I know you want me to be faithful to my daily responsibilities. You are not some strange guru with weird, otherworldly practices – you are Jesus of Nazareth, and you know what it means to work and sweat. But you also want me to think of the Resurrection. This life has a purpose. I believe it, Lord. Increase my faith...

Challenge me, Lord. Lead me forward. Why do I want to stay comfortable when there is so much for me to do for you, so many ways for me to give myself to you by giving myself to those around me? Challenge me, Lord, and never let me forget that you are with me, that you are the very strength you demand of me...

QUESTIONS FOR SMALL GROUP REFLECTION

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

2. What factors in popular culture tend to reduce Jesus Christ to an abstract concept or historical artifact instead of a living person? How can we minimize their influence in our lives?

3. How should our reverence for Christ’s authority as exercised through the Church’s teaching manifest itself? What are some telltale signs that we might be falling into subjectivism, preferring our own version of the gospel (maybe one that fits well with our personal likes and dislikes, our personal “comfort zones”)?

4. How should the doctrine of the resurrection from the dead, which we profess to believe every Sunday when we recite the Creed at Mass, impact our lives, our decisions, and our perception of what is important?

Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 638-658 on Christ’s Resurrection; on 988-1004 Christians’ resurrection; 577-582 on Jesus and the Law

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