Mass Reflection: Sunday - 16th November 2025

 

MAL 3:19-20A; PS 98:5-9; 2 THES 3:7-12; LK 21:5-19

As we approach the end of the liturgical year, our readings offer a sober reminder that this life is not our aim and that God’s justice will triumph in the end. Now is the time to get our priorities in order, putting God above all else as his faithful stewards.

This theme of right priorities is rolled out in no uncertain terms from the first verse of our first reading from Malachi. “Lo, the day is coming, blazing like an oven, when all the proud and all evildoers will be stubble and the day that is coming will set them on fire.”

But there is good news for those who are faithful. “For you who fear my name, there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays.” All the trials, any sufferings, or injustices we endure for the sake of the Gospel, will be healed and we will be rewarded in the end by our loving God who cannot be outdone in generosity.

Our second reading, from St. Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians, reinforces the message that we must order our lives so that they direct the attainment of holiness and nothing else. We see in this passage that conducting ourselves as good stewards involves not only action in certain areas (intentional prioritizing of our time, talents, and treasure); it also means refraining from certain actions and areas that are none of our concern.

St. Paul puts it this way: “some are conducting themselves among you in a disorderly way, by not keeping busy but minding the business of others.” It can be tempting in family life, work life, and parish life, especially for those go-getters among us, to want to insert ourselves (to help, of course!) Into others’ way of doing things. But a good steward must have the humility to recognize that God has given gifts to everyone and that the way others use their gifts is between them and God. Besides, with a strong stewardship plan of life, we should have plenty to focus on without worrying about how those around us are operating.

Finally, our Lord brings home the urgency of right priorities in our Gospel passage from Luke, reminding the people around him who were looking at the temple nearby, “All that you see here — the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.” All in this world is passing, our Lord reminds us. We must keep our focus on eternity.

Yet before the eternal bliss of heaven, we should expect to be tried and tested. “Before all this happens, however, they will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name.”

Sounds scary. But if you are living a stewardship way of life, there is nothing to fear. You have a plan in place. All you need to do is stick with it. Put our Lord first in your time, with your talents, and through your use of treasure. This way of life is not meant to be easy. But Jesus promises it will lead to eternal salvation and the joy of union with Him. “You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance, you will secure your lives.”

Onward, Christian stewards, the struggle is worth the joy that awaits!

Mass Reading: Sunday - 16th November 2025

First reading
Malachi 3:19-20
For you the sun of righteousness will shine out

The day is coming now, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and the evil-doers will be like stubble. The day that is coming is going to burn them up, says the Lord of Hosts, leaving them neither root nor stalk. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will shine out with healing in its rays.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 97(98):5-9

The Lord comes to rule the peoples with fairness.

Sing psalms to the Lord with the harp
    with the sound of music.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
    acclaim the King, the Lord.

The Lord comes to rule the peoples with fairness.

Let the sea and all within it, thunder;
    the world, and all its peoples.
Let the rivers clap their hands
    and the hills ring out their joy
    at the presence of the Lord.

The Lord comes to rule the peoples with fairness.

For the Lord comes,
    he comes to rule the earth.
He will rule the world with justice
    and the peoples with fairness.

The Lord comes to rule the peoples with fairness.

________

Second reading
2 Thessalonians 3:7-12
Do not let anyone have food if he refuses to work

    You know how you are supposed to imitate us: now we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we ever have our meals at anyone’s table without paying for them; no, we worked night and day, slaving and straining, so as not to be a burden on any of you. This was not because we had no right to be, but in order to make ourselves an example for you to follow.

    We gave you a rule when we were with you: do not let anyone have any food if he refuses to do any work. Now we hear that there are some of you who are living in idleness, doing no work themselves but interfering with everyone else’s. In the Lord Jesus Christ, we order and call on people of this kind to go on quietly working and earning the food that they eat.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Lk21:36

Alleluia, alleluia!

Stay awake, praying at all times
for the strength to stand with confidence
before the Son of Man.

Alleluia!

Or:
Lk21:28

Alleluia, alleluia!

Stand erect, hold your heads high,
because your liberation is near at hand.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Luke 21:5-19
The destruction of the Temple foretold

    When some were talking about the Temple, remarking how it was adorned with fine stonework and votive offerings, Jesus said, ‘All these things you are staring at now – the time will come when not a single stone will be left on another: everything will be destroyed.’ And they put to him this question: ‘Master,’ they said ‘when will this happen, then, and what sign will there be that this is about to take place?’

    ‘Take care not to be deceived,’ he said ‘because many will come using my name and saying, “I am he” and, “The time is near at hand.” Refuse to join them. And when you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened, for this is something that must happen but the end is not so soon.’ Then he said to them, ‘Nation will fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes and plagues and famines here and there; there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.

    ‘But before all this happens, men will seize you and persecute you; they will hand you over to the synagogues and to imprisonment, and bring you before kings and governors because of my name – and that will be your opportunity to bear witness. Keep this carefully in mind: you are not to prepare your defence, because I myself shall give you an eloquence and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relations and friends; and some of you will be put to death. You will be hated by all men on account of my name, but not a hair of your head will be lost. Your endurance will win you your lives.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 9th November 2025

 

EZ 47:1-2, 8-9, 12; PS 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9; 1 COR 3:9c-11, 16-17; JN 2:13-22

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, the cathedral church of the Bishop of Rome — the Pope — and the mother church of all Christendom. While we honor a building, our readings invite us to look deeper: this feast is about the spiritual reality of God dwelling among His people. The readings remind us that the Church is not merely a structure of stone, but a living temple built of the faithful, with Christ Himself as the cornerstone.

In the first reading, Ezekiel envisions life-giving water flowing from the temple, bringing fruitfulness and healing wherever it goes. This water symbolizes God’s grace poured out upon His people. As stewards of that grace, we are called to let the living water of God’s Spirit flow through us — nurturing, healing, and renewing the world around us.

St. Paul builds on this theme, reminding us, “You are God’s building… Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Cor 3:9,16). The apostle urges us to recognize our sacred dignity as members of the Body of Christ. Stewardship begins with this awareness — that our lives, our time, and our talents are not our own, but gifts of God meant to be offered back to Him in service and love.

In the Gospel, Jesus cleanses the temple in Jerusalem, driving out those who had turned His Father’s house into a marketplace. His zeal reminds us that our worship and our lives must be pure and centered on God alone. When Jesus declares, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up,” He reveals that His own body is the true temple. In His death and resurrection, Christ becomes the new dwelling place of God, and we become His living stones, united in faith.

The Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica calls us to renew our dedication to the Church — not only to the physical building where we gather, but to the spiritual temple formed by the People of God. As Christian stewards, we are called to care for our parish communities as places where the presence of Christ is encountered and shared. We do this through generous participation in parish life, faithful support of our ministries, and lives that reflect the Gospel.

May today’s feast remind us that the Church is most fully alive when her members live as grateful stewards, allowing the living water of God’s grace to flow from our hearts into the world — building up the Body of Christ, the true temple of the Lord.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 9th November 2025

First reading
Ezekiel 47:1-2,8-9,12
Wherever the water flows, it will bring life and health

    The angel brought me to the entrance of the Temple, where a stream came out from under the Temple threshold and flowed eastwards, since the Temple faced east. The water flowed from under the right side of the Temple, south of the altar. He took me out by the north gate and led me right round outside as far as the outer east gate where the water flowed out on the right-hand side. He said, ‘This water flows east down to the Arabah and to the sea; and flowing into the sea it makes its waters wholesome. Wherever the river flows, all living creatures teeming in it will live. Fish will be very plentiful, for wherever the water goes it brings health, and life teems wherever the river flows. Along the river, on either bank, will grow every kind of fruit tree with leaves that never wither and fruit that never fails; they will bear new fruit every month, because this water comes from the sanctuary. And their fruit will be good to eat and the leaves medicinal.’

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 45(46):2-3,5-6,8-9

The waters of a river give joy to God’s city, the holy place where the Most High dwells.

God is for us a refuge and strength,
    a helper close at hand, in time of distress,
so we shall not fear though the earth should rock,
    though the mountains fall into the depths of the sea.

The waters of a river give joy to God’s city, the holy place where the Most High dwells.

The waters of a river give joy to God’s city,
    the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within, it cannot be shaken;
    God will help it at the dawning of the day.

The waters of a river give joy to God’s city, the holy place where the Most High dwells.

The Lord of hosts is with us:
    the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Come, consider the works of the Lord,
    the redoubtable deeds he has done on the earth.

The waters of a river give joy to God’s city, the holy place where the Most High dwells.

________

Second reading
1 Corinthians 3:9-11,16-17
The temple of God is sacred, and you are that temple

    You are God’s building. By the grace God gave me, I succeeded as an architect and laid the foundations, on which someone else is doing the building. Everyone doing the building must work carefully. For the foundation, nobody can lay any other than the one which has already been laid, that is Jesus Christ. 

    Didn’t you realise that you were God’s temple and that the Spirit of God was living among you? If anybody should destroy the temple of God, God will destroy him, because the temple of God is sacred; and you are that temple.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
2Ch7:16

Alleluia, alleluia!

I have chosen and consecrated this house, says the Lord,
for my name to be there forever.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
John 2:13-22
Destroy this sanctuary and in three days I will raise it up

    Just before the Jewish Passover Jesus went up to Jerusalem, and in the Temple he found people selling cattle and sheep and pigeons, and the money changers sitting at their counters there. Making a whip out of some cord, he drove them all out of the Temple, cattle and sheep as well, scattered the money changers’ coins, knocked their tables over and said to the pigeon-sellers, ‘Take all this out of here and stop turning my Father’s house into a market.’ Then his disciples remembered the words of scripture: Zeal for your house will devour me. The Jews intervened and said, ‘What sign can you show us to justify what you have done?’ Jesus answered, ‘Destroy this sanctuary, and in three days I will raise it up.’ The Jews replied, ‘It has taken forty-six years to build this sanctuary: are you going to raise it up in three days?’ But he was speaking of the sanctuary that was his body, and when Jesus rose from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the scripture and the words he had said.

The Gospel of the Lord.

 

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 02nd November 2025

 

WIS 3:1-9, PS 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6, ROM 5:5-11 or ROM 6:3-9, MT 25:34, JN 6:37-40

On this commemoration of All Souls Day, the Church turns her gaze toward all the faithful departed, entrusting them to God’s mercy and proclaiming once again our hope in the Resurrection. The readings selected for this day speak with one voice: death does not have the final word, for those who live and die in Christ will share in His victory over the grave.

The Book of Wisdom sets the tone with its consoling declaration: “The souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them” (Wis 3:1). Though the world may see death as destruction, we know that for the faithful, it is a passage into life with God. The Psalm echoes this confidence in the familiar words, “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want” (Ps 23:1). Just as a shepherd cares for his flock, so does God guide and protect His people, even through the valley of death.

St. Paul’s words from Romans remind us that our hope is not abstract but rooted in Baptism. “Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?” (Rom 6:3). To be joined to Christ in His death means that we will also share in His Resurrection. This is the central truth of Christian discipleship — we belong to Christ, in life and in death, and He will not abandon us.

In the Gospel, Jesus Himself assures us: “Everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day” (Jn 6:40). These words are not merely a distant promise, but an invitation to live differently now. Eternal life is God’s greatest gift to us, yet like all gifts, it comes with responsibility. To believe in Christ is to entrust ourselves fully to Him and to shape our lives according to His will.

This is where the message of stewardship comes into focus. All that we are and all that we have is entrusted to us by God, not for our possession but for our faithful use. On this All Souls Day, the Church not only calls us to pray for those who have gone before us, but also to reflect on how we are living our earthly days. How are we using the gift of time? How are we sharing our talents in service to others? How are we offering our treasure in gratitude to God?

Today, we are reminded that our time on earth is limited, and every moment is an opportunity to love God and neighbor. Just as we entrust the departed to God’s mercy, we are called to entrust ourselves daily to His grace, living as stewards who long for the fullness of life in Him. May this All Souls Day renew our faith in Christ’s promise and inspire us to live each day as disciples who await the day when He will fulfill His word: “I shall raise him on the last day.”

Mass Reading: Sunday - 02nd November 2025

First reading
Wisdom 3:1-9
The souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God

The souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God,
no torment shall ever touch them.
In the eyes of the unwise, they did appear to die,
their going looked like a disaster,
their leaving us, like annihilation;
but they are in peace.
If they experienced punishment as men see it,
their hope was rich with immortality;
slight was their affliction, great will their blessings be.
God has put them to the test
and proved them worthy to be with him;
he has tested them like gold in a furnace,
and accepted them as a holocaust.
When the time comes for his visitation they will shine out;
as sparks run through the stubble, so will they.
They shall judge nations, rule over peoples,
and the Lord will be their king for ever.
They who trust in him will understand the truth,
those who are faithful will live with him in love;
for grace and mercy await those he has chosen.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 22(23)

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

The Lord is my shepherd;
    there is nothing I shall want.
Fresh and green are the pastures
    where he gives me repose.
Near restful waters he leads me,
    to revive my drooping spirit.

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

He guides me along the right path;
    he is true to his name.
If I should walk in the valley of darkness
    no evil would I fear.
You are there with your crook and your staff;
    with these you give me comfort.

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

You have prepared a banquet for me
    in the sight of my foes.
My head you have anointed with oil;
    my cup is overflowing.

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me
    all the days of my life.
In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell
    for ever and ever.

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

________

Second reading
Romans 5:5-11
Now we have been reconciled by the death of his Son, surely we may count on being saved by the life of his Son

    Hope is not deceptive, because the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given us. We were still helpless when at his appointed moment Christ died for sinful men. It is not easy to die even for a good man – though of course for someone really worthy, a man might be prepared to die – but what proves that God loves us is that Christ died for us while we were still sinners. Having died to make us righteous, is it likely that he would now fail to save us from God’s anger? When we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, we were still enemies; now that we have been reconciled, surely we may count on being saved by the life of his Son? Not merely because we have been reconciled but because we are filled with joyful trust in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have already gained our reconciliation.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Jn6:39

Alleluia, alleluia!

It is my Father’s will, says the Lord,
that I should lose nothing of all he has given to me,
and that I should raise it up on the last day.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Luke 7:11-17
The only son of his mother, and she a widow

    Jesus went to a town called Nain, accompanied by his disciples and a great number of people. When he was near the gate of the town it happened that a dead man was being carried out for burial, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a considerable number of the townspeople were with her. When the Lord saw her he felt sorry for her. ‘Do not cry’ he said. Then he went up and put his hand on the bier and the bearers stood still, and he said, ‘Young man, I tell you to get up.’ And the dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Everyone was filled with awe and praised God saying, ‘A great prophet has appeared among us; God has visited his people.’ And this opinion of him spread throughout Judaea and all over the countryside.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 26th October 2025

 

SIR 35:12-14, 16-18; PS 34: 2-3, 17-19, 23; 2 TM 4:6-8,16-18; LK 18:9-14

One of the wonderful aspects of stewardship spirituality is its balanced approach to all areas of life. We see this balance in play as we continue to explore the Pillar of Prayer. As stewards, aware of our total dependence on God for everything, we come to Him in awe and gratitude. At the same time, we approach God with an awareness of the great dignity He has given us, creating us in His own image and likeness and calling us to join Him in the work of advancing His kingdom.

In last week’s readings, we were encouraged to remain persistent and constant in our prayer life. Today, we focus on the proper attitude of a steward at prayer.

The first reading, from the Book of Sirach, gives us the confidence to turn to God with all our needs, assuring us that “the Lord is a God of justice, who knows no favorites. Though not unduly partial toward the weak, yet he hears the cry of the oppressed.” Whether rich and powerful or poor and obscure, our loving Father delights in hearing from all His children. We are all His favorites!

But we learn that a particular attitude in our approach to prayer will make our prayer lives more effective: “the prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds; it does not rest till it reaches its goal.” When we pray with a humble attitude, God will respond.

In today’s Gospel from Luke, Jesus Himself gives further instruction on the humble attitude we must have as we approach God in prayer, as He tells a parable of two praying men. One is a Pharisee, a man with respected status, theological training, and all the right credentials. He marches right up to the front of the temple to speak a prayer “to himself,” thanking God for making him just a little bit superior to everyone else!

The other man is a tax collector, known by all those of his day to be a cheater and a sell-out to his fellow Jews. In contrast to the Pharisee, he stands near the back and cries out to God in a simple and honest way: “Be merciful to me a sinner.”

Jesus tells us that it is the tax collector and not the Pharisee who leaves the temple justified. Why?

The Pharisee was full of self as he approached God. He felt no real need for God as he rattled off his resume of good works and spiritual practices. He was simply going through the motions of prayer. His lack of humility prevented him from entering a real dialogue with the Father. He was not transformed by his time of prayer because he was so full of himself that He left God no space to enter in.

The tax collector, by contrast, emptied himself as he approached God. He recognized who he truly was (a sinner) and asked simply for mercy, leaving all the rest up to God. This is the kind of attitude that God can work with! This is how a good steward prays — with trust, with complete openness to God’s will, with a listening mind and heart, ready to serve as God leads.

The good steward knows he needs God, and that God has chosen to need him in advancing the Kingdom. His prayers pierce the clouds, and God is glorified!

Mass Readaing: Sunday - 26th October 2025

First reading

Ecclesiasticus 35:12-14, 16-19

The humble man's prayer pierces the clouds

The Lord is a judge

    who is no respecter of personages.

He shows no respect of personages to the detriment of a poor man,

    he listens to the plea of the injured party.

He does not ignore the orphan’s supplication,

    nor the widow’s as she pours out her story.

The man who with his whole heart serves God will be accepted,

    his petitions will carry to the clouds.

The humble man’s prayer pierces the clouds,

    until it arrives he is inconsolable,

And the Lord will not be slow,

    nor will he be dilatory on their behalf.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 33(34):2-3,17-19,23

This poor man called; the Lord has heard him.

I will bless the Lord at all times,

    his praise always on my lips;

in the Lord my soul shall make its boast.

    The humble shall hear and be glad.

This poor man called; the Lord has heard him.

The Lord turns his face against the wicked

    to destroy their remembrance from the earth.

The just call and the Lord hears

    and rescues them in all their distress.

This poor man called; the Lord has heard him.

The Lord is close to the broken-hearted;

    those whose spirit is crushed he will save.

The Lord ransoms the souls of his servants.

    Those who hide in him shall not be condemned.

This poor man called; the Lord has heard him.

________

Second reading

2 Timothy 4:6-8,16-18

All there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me

    My life is already being poured away as a libation, and the time has come for me to be gone. I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith; all there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that Day; and not only to me but to all those who have longed for his Appearing.

    The first time I had to present my defence, there was not a single witness to support me. Every one of them deserted me – may they not be held accountable for it. But the Lord stood by me and gave me power, so that through me the whole message might be proclaimed for all the pagans to hear; and so I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from all evil attempts on me, and bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation

Mt11:25

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessed are you, Father, 

Lord of heaven and earth,

for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom

to mere children.

Alleluia!

Or:

2Co5:19

Alleluia, alleluia!

God in Christ was reconciling the world to himself,

and he has entrusted to us the news that they are reconciled.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel

Luke 18:9-14

The tax collector, not the Pharisee, went home justified.

    Jesus spoke the following parable to some people who prided themselves on being virtuous and despised everyone else: ‘Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood there and said this prayer to himself, “I thank you, God, that I am not grasping, unjust, adulterous like the rest of mankind, and particularly that I am not like this tax collector here. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes on all I get.” The tax collector stood some distance away, not daring even to raise his eyes to heaven; but he beat his breast and said, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” This man, I tell you, went home again at rights with God; the other did not. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the man who humbles himself will be exalted.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 19th October 2025

 

EX 17:8-13; PS 121:1-8; 1-4;2 TM 3:14-4:2; LK 18:1-8

The four pillars of parish stewardship are hospitality, prayer, formation, and service. They are intentionally presented in this order with the idea that we cannot expect people to respond to calls to increase their prayer life, their formation, and their service within and outside the parish if they do not first feel welcomed and valued through the warmth of hospitality. It just makes good sense.

However, those who are already well-versed in the spirituality and practicalities of stewardship know well that stewardship cannot succeed unless it is steeped in prayer. Today’s readings show us the immense value of prayer and the privileged place it must have in our individual lives and in our parish community.

In our first reading, from Exodus, we find Moses interceding for the Israelites as they engage in a fierce battle against Amalek. As long as Moses keeps his hands raised, the Israelites succeed. But when his hands grow tired and droop, the Israelites begin to lose ground.

In his wisdom, Moses anticipated that he would need support from his community as he engaged in this spiritual battle. He brought Aaron and Hur along with him to support him (quite literally) as he began to grow weary. Moses relied on his friends to hold his hands up so that they remained steady until the battle was won. We modern-day stewards would do well to follow the example of Moses and gather together in our families and as a faith community to support each other in our own spiritual battles, great or small.

In our second reading, from St. Paul’s letter to Timothy, Paul gives wise counsel on a particularly efficacious source of prayer — the Holy Scriptures. He reminds us that “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction and for training in righteousness” so that when we truly study it and pray with it, we may be “competent, equipped for every good work” the Lord has for us to do. Paul says that it is not enough to simply study and pray over the Scripture, however. He exhorts us to proclaim it! And to be persistent in proclaiming it “whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.” Since we cannot give what we do not possess, it is vital that we develop a relationship with God, and in a special way through praying over His living Word to us.

Our Lord Himself continues this call to prayer and persistence in the Gospel passage from Luke. He tells the parable of the nagging widow who finally wears down the judge with her unrelenting persistence in her pursuit of a just ruling from him on her behalf. Jesus goes to great lengths to describe this judge, saying he “neither feared God nor respected any human.” Yet even this corrupt judge responds with a just judgment because of the widow’s persistence.

Jesus uses this outlandish example to draw a vivid contrast between a reluctant, dishonest judge and our loving, all-merciful Father. If even a bad judge will give a good result in response to a persistent request, how much more (infinitely more) eagerly and perfectly will our good Father respond to our persistent prayers to Him. If he delays in responding, if he provides a different response than the one we were expecting, we can remain confident and trusting in His goodness, knowing that His response, whenever it comes and in whatever form, will be the very best one for us.

Our job then, as Christian stewards, is simply to remain faithful to our relationship with God through prayer. We should prioritize the Scriptures as a source of prayer, and we must lean on each other in our communities — family and parish — as we support each other in prayer. A strong pillar of prayer will make all our other stewardship efforts fruitful.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 19th October 2025

First reading
Exodus 17:8-13
As long as Moses kept his arm raised, Israel had the advantage

    The Amalekites came and attacked Israel at Rephidim. Moses said to Joshua, ‘Pick out men for yourself, and tomorrow morning march out to engage Amalek. I, meanwhile, will stand on the hilltop, the staff of God in my hand.’ Joshua did as Moses told him and marched out to engage Amalek, while Moses and Aaron and Hur went up to the top of the hill. As long as Moses kept his arms raised, Israel had the advantage; when he let his arms fall, the advantage went to Amalek. But Moses’ arms grew heavy, so they took a stone and put it under him and on this he sat, Aaron and Hur supporting his arms, one on one side, one on the other; and his arms remained firm till sunset. With the edge of the sword Joshua cut down Amalek and his people.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 120(121)

Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains;
    from where shall come my help?
My help shall come from the Lord
    who made heaven and earth.

Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

May he never allow you to stumble!
    Let him sleep not, your guard.
No, he sleeps not nor slumbers,
    Israel’s guard.

Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

The Lord is your guard and your shade;
    at your right side he stands.
By day the sun shall not smite you
    nor the moon in the night.

Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

The Lord will guard you from evil,
    he will guard your soul.
The Lord will guard your going and coming
    both now and for ever.

Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

________

Second reading
2 Timothy 3:14-4:2
The man who is dedicated to God becomes fully equipped and ready for any good work

    You must keep to what you have been taught and know to be true; remember who your teachers were, and how, ever since you were a child, you have known the holy scriptures – from these you can learn the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and can profitably be used for teaching, for refuting error, for guiding people’s lives and teaching them to be holy. This is how the man who is dedicated to God becomes fully equipped and ready for any good work.

    Before God and before Christ Jesus who is to be judge of the living and the dead, I put this duty to you, in the name of his Appearing and of his kingdom: proclaim the message and, welcome or unwelcome, insist on it. Refute falsehood, correct error, call to obedience – but do all with patience and with the intention of teaching.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
cf.Ep1:17,18

Alleluia, alleluia!

May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
enlighten the eyes of our mind,
so that we can see what hope his call holds for us.

Alleluia!

Or:
Heb4:12

Alleluia, alleluia!

The word of God is something alive and active:
it can judge secret emotions and thoughts.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Luke 18:1-8
The parable of the unjust judge

    Jesus told his disciples a parable about the need to pray continually and never lose heart. ‘There was a judge in a certain town’ he said ‘who had neither fear of God nor respect for man. In the same town there was a widow who kept on coming to him and saying, “I want justice from you against my enemy!” For a long time he refused, but at last he said to himself, “Maybe I have neither fear of God nor respect for man, but since she keeps pestering me I must give this widow her just rights, or she will persist in coming and worry me to death.”’

    And the Lord said ‘You notice what the unjust judge has to say? Now will not God see justice done to his chosen who cry to him day and night even when he delays to help them? I promise you, he will see justice done to them, and done speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find any faith on earth?’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 12th October 2025

 

2 KGS 5:14-17; PS 98: 1-4;2 TM 2:8-13; LK 17:11-19

Gratitude is the key to a stewardship way of life. Today’s readings demonstrate the power and vital importance of gratitude in the life of the Christian disciple, for gratitude leads us to worship God who offers us salvation.

We see the power of gratitude at work in the response of two individuals in today’s readings who received the gift of physical healing, one in our First Reading, from the book of Second Kings, and the other in our Gospel Reading, from Luke.

In the First Reading, we hear the story of Namaan, a commander in the army of Syria, who presents himself to the prophet, Elisha, “the man of God,” to ask for healing from his leprosy. The prophet agrees to this request and intercedes on his behalf before God, telling Namaan to wash in the Jordan River. Namaan receives complete healing from the disease.

Overjoyed, Namaan returns to Elisha, filled with gratitude to God and wanting to offer a gift in thanksgiving for this healing. Though Elisha refuses to accept a gift, Naaman declares that for the rest of his life he “will no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice to any other god except to the Lord.” Namaan recognized the great blessing he had received from the Lord and, as a result of his gratitude to God, is led to worship Him for the rest of his life.

We find a similar instance of healing in the Gospel passage, this one involving 10 lepers seeking healing. They cry out to Jesus in their affliction and feeling pity for the 10, He tells them to go and show themselves to the priests. As they go on their way, all 10 are healed.

Yet, what we learn in the very next verse is surprising. “And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned.” Only one of the 10 recognized the tremendous blessing he had received from Jesus and returned to thank him. It’s easy to feel indignant at the failure of the nine others to return and thank Jesus. But how of10 do we fail to recognize blessings great and small, answered prayers, healings (both physical and spiritual), that the Lord showers upon us, day and night?

The truth is that our very lives and every breath we take are His gift to us. But we can get so caught up in the stresses and distractions of daily life that we lose touch with this truth.

Gratitude begins within our minds and hearts when we take the time to recognize how blessed we truly are and when we have the humility to recognize where these blessings come from — our merciful and loving God.

The Samaritan reacts to his gift of healing in much the same way that Namaan did and demonstrates the proper response to our loving God. Recognizing what he had just received from the Lord, he “returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked Him.” He was grateful for what God had done for him, and this gratitude led to worship.

And because of this response, Jesus offered him a far more precious gift than physical healing; He offered him the gift of salvation. “Where are the other nine? Has none but the foreigner returned to give thanks to God? … Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”

Too often, we hear the phrase, “Count your blessings,” and write it off as nothing more than a trite saying. Today’s readings show us otherwise. Gratitude is powerful. It deepens our faith in God and leads us to fitting worship of Him.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 12th October 2025

First reading
2 Kings 5:14-17
Naaman the leper returned to Elisha and acknowledged the Lord

 

Naaman the leper went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, as Elisha had told him to do. And his flesh became clean once more like the flesh of a little child.

Returning to Elisha with his whole escort, he went in and stood before him. ‘Now I know’ he said ‘that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel. Now, please, accept a present from your servant.’

But Elisha replied, ‘As the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will accept nothing.’ Naaman pressed him to accept, but he refused.

Then Naaman said, ‘Since your answer is “No,” allow your servant to be given as much earth as two mules may carry, because your servant will no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice to any god except the Lord.’

 

The word of the Lord.

 

_______________

 

 

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 97(98):1-4

The Lord has shown his salvation to the nations.

Sing a new song to the Lord

for he has worked wonders.

His right hand and his holy arm

have brought salvation.

The Lord has shown his salvation to the nations.

The Lord has made known his salvation;

has shown his justice to the nations.

He has remembered his truth and love

for the house of Israel.

The Lord has shown his salvation to the nations.

All the ends of the earth have seen

the salvation of our God.

Shout to the Lord, all the earth,

ring out your joy.

The Lord has shown his salvation to the nations.

_________________

Second reading
2 Timothy 2:8-13
If we hold firm then we shall reign with Christ
 

Remember the Good News that I carry, ‘Jesus Christ risen from the dead, sprung from the race of David’; it is on account of this that I have my own hardships to bear, even to being chained like a criminal – but they cannot chain up God’s news. So I bear it all for the sake of those who are chosen, so that in the end they may have the salvation that is in Christ Jesus and the eternal glory that comes with it.

 Here is a saying that you can rely on:

If we have died with him, then we shall live with him.

If we hold firm, then we shall reign with him.

If we disown him, then he will disown us.

We may be unfaithful, but he is always faithful,

for he cannot disown his own self.

 

The word of the Lord.

 

_______________

Gospel
Luke 17:11-19
No-one has come back to praise God, only this foreigner

 

    On the way to Jerusalem Jesus travelled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered one of the villages, ten lepers came to meet him. They stood some way off and called to him, ‘Jesus! Master! Take pity on us.’ When he saw them he said, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ Now as they were going away they were cleansed. Finding himself cured, one of them turned back praising God at the top of his voice and threw himself at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. The man was a Samaritan. This made Jesus say, ‘Were not all ten made clean? The other nine, where are they? It seems that no one has come back to give praise to God, except this foreigner.’ And he said to the man, ‘Stand up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.’

 

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 05th October 2025

First reading
Habakkuk 1:2-3,2:2-4
The upright man will live by his faithfulness

How long, O Lord, am I to cry for help

while you will not listen;

to cry ‘Oppression!’ in your ear

and you will not save?

Why do you set injustice before me,

why do you look on where there is tyranny?

Outrage and violence, this is all I see,

all is contention, and discord flourishes.

Then the Lord answered and said,

‘Write the vision down,

inscribe it on tablets

to be easily read,

since this vision is for its own time only:

eager for its own fulfilment, it does not deceive;

if it comes slowly, wait,

for come it will, without fail.

See how he flags, he whose soul is not at rights,

but the upright man will live by his faithfulness.’

The word of the Lord.

____________________

 

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 94(95):1-2,6-9

O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts.’

Come, ring out our joy to the Lord;

hail the rock who saves us.

Let us come before him, giving thanks,

with songs let us hail the Lord.

O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts.’

Come in; let us bow and bend low;

let us kneel before the God who made us:

for he is our God and we

the people who belong to his pasture,

the flock that is led by his hand.

O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts.’

O that today you would listen to his voice!

‘Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,

as on that day at Massah in the desert

when your fathers put me to the test;

when they tried me, though they saw my work.’

O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts.’

 

 ____________________

Second reading

2 Timothy 1:6-8,13-14

Never be ashamed of witnessing to our Lord


I am reminding you to fan into a flame the gift that God gave you when I laid my hands on you. God’s gift was not a spirit of timidity, but the Spirit of power, and love, and self-control. So you are never to be ashamed of witnessing to the Lord, or ashamed of me for being his prisoner; but with me, bear the hardships for the sake of the Good News, relying on the power of God.

Keep as your pattern the sound teaching you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. You have been trusted to look after something precious; guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.


The word of the Lord.



____________________



Gospel Acclamation
1S3:9,Jn6:68

Alleluia, alleluia!

Speak, Lord, your servant is listening:
you have the message of eternal life.

Alleluia!


Or:
1P1:25

Alleluia, alleluia!

The word of the Lord remains for ever.
What is this word?
It is the Good News that has been brought to you.

Alleluia!

 ____________________

Gospel
Luke 17:5-10
Say, 'We are merely servants'


The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith.’ The Lord replied, ‘Were your faith the size of a mustard seed you could say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea,” and it would obey you.

‘Which of you, with a servant ploughing or minding sheep, would say to him when he returned from the fields, “Come and have your meal immediately”? Would he not be more likely to say, “Get my supper laid; make yourself tidy and wait on me while I eat and drink. You can eat and drink yourself afterwards”? Must he be grateful to the servant for doing what he was told? So with you: when you have done all you have been told to do, say, “We are merely servants: we have done no more than our duty.”’


The Gospel of the Lord.