The Joy of Reconciliation

September 6, 2026 Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) Readings for Today

Image via Adobe Stock Video Jesus said to his disciples: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.” Matthew 18:15 When someone sins against us, especially in a grievous way, anger and condemnation can quickly arise as strong temptations. Our natural sense of justice often takes over, and we may find ourselves rationalizing a response rooted in judgment rather than compassion. In today’s Gospel, however, Jesus offers the much better path—to seek reconciliation, not division. The ultimate goal is to win the sinner back to God and restore the bond of communion. Sin touches every human relationship, with the sole exception of the one shared between Jesus and His Blessed Mother. Their mutual and perfect charity rendered sin and division entirely absent from their union. What a sublime and singular gift they shared! But we are not perfect. Even the most loving and holy relationships are affected by human weakness, and sin inevitably creeps in. We sin against others, and others sin against us. Sometimes the sin is deliberate and deeply wounding. Other times, it stems from weakness or the absence of fully formed virtue. Regardless of its source, every sin inflicts harm and weakens the communion we are called to share and deeply desire. In today’s Gospel, while Jesus appears to be addressing serious sin that severs a person from sanctifying grace—mortal sin—the same principles apply to all offenses, even venial sins and spiritual imperfections. The Christian response to sin must always be grounded in mercy. Whether we are correcting or being corrected, the goal must always be to heal, to restore, and to deepen our unity in Christ. To begin applying these spiritual principles, call to mind those toward whom you may harbor resentment. Start with your family, since familial bonds—due to their natural closeness—are especially vulnerable to sin. Resentment born of sin is often present in close relationships. While some wounds may have caused deep fractures, even the most loving bonds can suffer subtle injuries. Prayerfully examine these relationships in your life. If the wounds are deep and hostilities strong, the path forward is usually clear: Seek to win over your brother, sister, parent, or spouse. And if you are the one who has caused the wound, then humbly acknowledge your sin without excuses. This is always the better path. Always. To aid this process, it is helpful to recognize a hidden dynamic: Holding onto resentment or anger can bring a certain emotional satisfaction. Though it may seem surprising, this is often the case. Anger energizes the emotions and creates a charged feeling that, while disordered, can feel gratifying—like a drug that fuels addiction. The first step is to recognize this disordered emotional pattern for what it is. The next step is to realize that a healed and reconciled relationship offers a deeper and more lasting fulfillment that is far superior to the fleeting satisfaction of resentment or hostility. Winning over another—or being won over by one we have wronged—is profoundly rewarding. It transcends emotion and enters the realm of grace, producing true peace and spiritual joy. Reflect today on the first step of reconciliation outlined by Jesus in the Gospel: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.” Take sin seriously. Acknowledge its presence in your relationships, especially the close ones. See yourself both as one who is sinned against and as one who sins. Identify the offenses that diminish love. Confront those sins with courage and humility. Reject the false comfort of resentment, and seek instead the true consolation that comes from unity and charity. This is the path that leads to a share in the holy love between Jesus and His Blessed Mother—a love they desire us to know and live. Lord of perfect mercy, Your Sacred Heart burns with a deep desire to win us back to Yourself—fully reconciled and united in love. I repent of my sins before You, and I pray that Your love, living within me, may become a wellspring of mercy for others. I forgive all who have sinned against me, and I repent of the sins I have inflicted upon others. Restore every relationship in my life, Lord, and endow them with the same pure and holy love You shared with Your Blessed Mother. Jesus, I trust in You.

How I met my wife?

When I was growing up I was too young to know what love meant between adults that would culminate in a marriage. I was 10 years old when I became very fond and attracted to watch white people whom I saw frequently on foreign-produced films. That was the time when I ever dreamed of meeting a white girl to marry and to have children. 

However, taking into account my poor and unstable state of financial situation in my early 20s, such a wish of meeting white girls locally was highly impossible because all of them or even the half-breeds were either promised or reserved to the rich or good-looking men who had power and influence. Therefore, it's highly likely that such a girl, if ever there was one available who would ever take fancy on me at all, would unlikely concede to go with me out on a date either to a movie house or to the park alone in a local transport.

After high school, I studied in a vocational school to learn a trade that would help find an office job to enable me to earn a living and experience. After a couple of years of working hard on a very low salary, I decided to enroll at the university so that I could get a degree that would qualify me to obtain an all-expense-paid scholarship grant abroad. During that time, I had a choice between the U.S. and Europe. However, the U.S. offered only the scholarship grant but the plane ticket was at your own expense. On the contrary, France, which was the only available country, offered all benefits that I won, fortunately.

On my first days in France regardless of fatigue and jet lag from a long flight, I immediately spent all my time visiting and admiring all the iconic spots that I saw and read on the travel magazines and brochures I collected when I was young, like the Eiffel tower, the Seine river, the Notre Dame, the Louvre museum, and Montmartre. 

I was too happy and thrilled to be enrolled officially at the University of Lille in the first week of November 1967 and to be able to meet and talk to my classmates who came from different countries of Europe, North and South America for the first time. 

The first person I talked to in Italian was a girl from San Marino. However, she introduced me to someone from Italy. To be continued.

Confronting Opposition

September 5, 2026 Saturday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Virgin—Optional Memorial

The Disciples Plucking Corn on the Sabbath, by Gustave Doré Christ in the Field of Grain or Christ in the Wheatfield, by Josef Untersberger Video While Jesus was going through a field of grain on a sabbath, his disciples were picking the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating them. Some Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?” Luke 6:1–2 Though Jesus’ public ministry was still in its early stages, confrontations with the religious leaders had already become frequent. This episode marks the fourth recorded instance of such tension. In the previous days, the Pharisees had accused Jesus of blasphemy for forgiving the paralytic before healing him, of scandal for eating with tax collectors and sinners after calling Levi, and of impiety for neglecting the traditional practice of fasting. Now, He and His disciples are accused of violating the Sabbath law by picking heads of grain, rubbing them, and eating them. Slowly, the Pharisees are emerging as hardened opponents of Jesus, increasingly focused not on the divine power and mercy He reveals, but on preserving their own rigid interpretations of the Law. These confrontations reveal both their growing hostility and Jesus’ authority as the true interpreter and fulfillment of the Law. Though the Pharisees began going out of their way to confront Jesus, He was not intimidated and confronted their opposition directly. Today, as we read the Scriptures, we know well that many of the religious leaders at that time were deeply misguided in their understanding of the Law and its purpose. Such confrontations were shocking in a culture where ordinary Jews rarely challenged religious leaders. While the leaders themselves often debated among one another, it was almost unheard of for ordinary Jews to challenge them openly. For that reason, many of Jesus’ disciples likely felt a sense of surprise and tension as these encounters unfolded. At the same time, they may also have experienced a sense of relief as they witnessed Jesus expose the rigidity and oppressive practices that had long left many Jews feeling burdened, discouraged, and spiritually exhausted. Though Jesus’ confrontation was necessary, we too must learn from their negative example. While we no longer encounter scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians, or elders in the same form as in first-century Israel, the underlying sins that afflicted them remain just as present in our world today. Those underlying sins could be summed up as a misuse of authority for its own sake, a tendency toward outward religious observance without inward transformation, and a preference for human traditions over divine revelation. These tendencies manifest themselves in every generation. They are found not only within the Church but also in homes, businesses, governments, and every human institution. Wherever pride overshadows humility or control stifles compassion, the spirit of the Pharisees lives on. Therefore, as disciples of Christ, we must be vigilant in our own lives—first examining our hearts for these tendencies, and then responding with the same holy courage and divine clarity that our Lord Himself displayed. Do you experience oppression from others? Are you the cause of that oppression? Misused authority, whether by individuals or institutions, wounds hearts, stifles freedom, and obscures the gentle call of grace. Before condemning such behavior in others, we must honestly examine whether we, too, have clung to positions of control or influence in ways that burden rather than bless. Reflect today on the fallen human tendency to love authority for its own sake. Do you struggle with this? Power that is exercised without humility and without charity that seeks only the good of others is dangerous and often abusive. Look for such structures in your life—whether external or internal—and prayerfully surrender them to Christ. Allow Him, the true Lord of the Sabbath, to reorder your heart according to truth, love, and mercy, so that every exercise of authority in your life becomes an act of service, modeled after His own. My all-powerful Lord, Your divine authority is absolute. You are the Source of all that is, the Sustainer of creation, and the Holder of dominion over all things. Every exercise of Your authority flows from perfect charity and infinite wisdom. Please reign in my life with that same loving authority, and help me to exercise any authority entrusted to me with humility, mercy, and the charity that flows from Your Sacred Heart. Jesus, I trust in You.

HONG KONG - HOMEWARD BOUND

Personally, I found that two weeks in Manila were already too much to stay for me while for my wife, she was not only too happy but also delighted to meet my family and friends and to enjoy the places where she went to that I was very familiar with.

The following day after Easter Sunday, we flew back to Hong Kong for another stopover for a few days before we returned to Paris. This time, we spent most of the time going around shopping and to buy the things fthat my friends had ordered and interesting souvenirs and trinkets for our family.  

We did most of the shoppings along Nathan Road in the Mong Kok area, particularly for souvenirs and photography items. Incidentally, I was able to buy a sapphire ring and a Chinese kimono dress for my office colleagues. On one occasion, after a long process of haggling over the tagged price with a photo shop dealer, I finally bought a large format Mamiya camera, which I believed was cheaper than in France or in Belgium.

When my wife remembered that she was out of her hygienic pads, we went to a drugstore to inquire from a lady staff if they had Tampax. To my surprise, she was too confused for a woman to easily know what on earth I was talking about. After my simple explanation, she gave up and asked her male colleague to listen to me. Like a magician, he immediately opened a drawer behind the counter and produced a box of Tampax. Nevertheless, judging from her complete ignorance on the existence of Tampax or other disposable brands, she could could be considered an unsung hero for having been raised by a traditional family who had been resorting to non-disposable and reusable absorbent cloth to use for their monthly cycle, which would eventually diminish gradually the continuous proliferation of disposable wastes in the environment worldwide.

A couple of days before our flight home, we spent it leisurely with my sister to eat in the local restaurants in the Mong Kok area and to go to the other tourist spots that we missed during our first stopover. From the top of the double decker we saw the floating restaurant and the junks along the way. Then we proceeded to Victoria Peak, where we made a brief stop to see the place where the beautiful and romantic scene between Jennifer Jones and William Holden in the film "Love is a many splendored things" was shot. And last but not the least, we visited and sauntered around the famous Tiger Balm gardens.

Read STOPOVER HONG KONG : https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/19133557/6532675344181816361

Spouse of My Soul

September 4, 2026 Friday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today

Jesus Reproves the Scribes and Pharisees, by Iulian Rosu Video The scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus, “The disciples of John the Baptist fast often and offer prayers, and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same; but yours eat and drink.” Jesus answered them, “Can you make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.” Luke 5:33–35 Though most of the scribes and Pharisees rejected the ministry of John the Baptist, here they attempt to use his discipline of fasting as a weapon to criticize Jesus. But our Lord, perceiving the hollowness of their accusation, turns it into an opportunity for divine revelation. He discloses to them, and to us, a profound truth about His identity: He is the Bridegroom. By doing so, Jesus draws from the rich prophetic imagery of Isaiah and Hosea, which portrays God as the divine Spouse of Israel. Isaiah declared, “As a bridegroom rejoices in his bride so shall your God rejoice in you” (Isaiah 62:5). Hosea, speaking the word of the Lord, proclaimed, “You shall call me ‘My husband’… I will betroth you to me forever” (cf. Hosea 2:18–22). Jesus is not merely using a poetic image. By calling Himself the Bridegroom, He reveals a nuptial mystery: Christ comes in the flesh to unite Himself to His Bride, the Church. The proper response to His presence is not fasting in sorrow but rejoicing in the wedding feast. Fasting will have its place, but only once the Bridegroom is taken away, which is a prophetic reference to His Passion. This exchange exposes not only the Pharisees’ superficial religiosity but also unveils a central mystery of salvation: In Christ, God draws near in spousal love. To follow Him is to enter into a covenant of joy and grace. Though nuptial imagery might seem more naturally relatable to women, it expresses a truth that transcends gender. Just as “a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body” (Genesis 2:24), so each soul is called to a transforming union with Christ. This is not merely symbolic; it is a real and spiritual union. We are called to become His Mystical Body. Saint Paul captures this mystery when he writes, “I have been crucified with Christ; yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:19–20). Traditionally, this union has been described as Mystical Marriage or Divine Union. Saint Teresa of Ávila favored the image of Mystical Marriage, emphasizing the soul’s intimate, spousal love for Christ. Saint John of the Cross more often spoke of Divine Union, highlighting the complete transformation of the soul in God. Though they use different terms, both describe the soul’s ultimate vocation: perfect union with Christ. In Heaven, when this Divine Union is fully realized, fasting and other penitential acts will be unnecessary. During Jesus’ earthly ministry, the disciples did not fast because the Bridegroom was with them—an extraordinary grace unique to those three years. But after He was “taken away,” fasting took on a new importance, becoming a participation in His Passion and a preparation for the Wedding Feast to come. Reflect today on the glorious end to which you are called: union with Christ, your Bridegroom. This journey requires sacrifice, so fasting and penance remain essential. Yet when we keep our eyes fixed on the joy of Divine Union, every sacrifice becomes lighter and a joyful embrace of love. The difficulty of fasting and penance is overshadowed by the union they help bring about. Resolve to fast, to pray, and to stay close to Christ, the Bridegroom of your soul. He is the faithful Spouse who will never abandon you. Bridegroom of Your Church, You came to enter into union with us, Your sons and daughters by grace. By Your Incarnation, You wedded Yourself to humanity, and through Your Passion, You purified Your Bride, the Church. As I journey toward the Wedding Feast of Heaven, purify me now through acts of penance and prayer, so that my soul may be ready for the Divine Union to come. Jesus, I trust in You.

Do Not Be Afraid: A Call to Evangelize

September 3, 2026 Memorial of Saint Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church Readings for Today Readings for Thursday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time

Image via Adobe Stock Video While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Luke 5:1–4 At that moment, Simon could not have grasped the full significance of Jesus’ actions. Our Lord chose to preach to the crowds from the boat “belonging to Simon.” When He had finished speaking, He turned to Simon and said, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Traditionally, the boat has been understood as a symbol of the Church. It is particularly meaningful that this first use of a boat in Jesus’ public ministry involved Simon’s vessel. Later in Luke’s Gospel, Jesus says: “Simon, Simon, behold Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed that your own faith may not fail; and once you have turned back, you must strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:31–32). In this powerful passage, Jesus entrusts Simon with the unique mission of leadership and fraternal support. Though Simon would stumble during the Passion, his faith would be restored, and his role confirmed, not merely as a disciple, but as one called to fortify the faith of others. This divine commission echoes the symbolic act at the Lake of Gennesaret, where Simon’s boat becomes the pulpit from which the Word is proclaimed. And, as is recorded in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus later changed Simon’s name to Peter, making him the rock foundation upon which He would build His Church, promising the gates of hell would not prevail against it (cf. Matthew 16:17–19). By choosing Simon’s boat, Jesus foreshadowed that the Gospel would go forth from the Church, built upon Simon Peter’s faith and leadership. Christ remains the cornerstone, yet Simon would serve as the rock: a foundational witness whose confession and fidelity would uphold the apostolic Church. This moment by the lake is far more than a simple teaching setting. It is a prophetic image of the Church: anchored by Peter, guided by Christ, and commissioned to cast its nets into the deep waters of the world, drawing souls into the Kingdom of God. Christ alone has the power to draw all people to Himself, yet He chooses to do so through Peter, his successors, and all faithful collaborators who serve as fishers of men. As the passage continues, Simon obeys Jesus’ command and puts out into deep water. The result is an astonishing catch that is so abundant that the nets begin to tear. Others must come to help, a clear symbol of the necessary collaboration among all members of the Church, working together in Christ’s divinely guided mission. We, too, are called to share in that same mission and to imitate Simon’s humility upon witnessing the miraculous catch. He fell at Jesus’ feet and cried out, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man” (Luke 5:8). He was deeply humbled and recognized his unworthiness before the divine presence. Jesus, however, looked upon Simon and those with him, including Andrew, James, and John, and said, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men” (Luke 5:10). These words are meant for each of us. Fear is often the greatest obstacle to fully embracing God’s call. But when we respond with humility and courage, trusting in His grace, we will find ourselves part of the great mission to draw others into the safety of the Church. Reflect today on the sacred image of Simon’s boat. See in it a foreshadowing of the Church, and consider how you are called to serve within her. Christ continues to preach from this vessel, to call others into its safety, and to call you to cast your net into the deep where many souls await the Gospel and God’s mercy. All-powerful Lord, You first preached from a humble fishing boat owned by Simon. Today, You continue to preach and reach out to those caught in the deep and turbulent waters of this world. Please send me, as You later sent Simon Peter, to bring Your Gospel to those who need it most. Purify me of every fear, so that I may answer Your call with courage and zeal. Jesus, I trust in You.

The Power of His Word

September 2, 2026 Wednesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today

Christ Healing the Mother of Simon Peter’s Wife, by John Bridges Video After Jesus left the synagogue, he entered the house of Simon. Simon’s mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever, and they interceded with him about her. He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately and waited on them. Luke 4:38–39 In today’s Gospel, we encounter the first mention of Simon—whose name Jesus would later change to Peter—in Luke’s account. Simon was likely present in the synagogue and witnessed Jesus cast out a demon from a possessed man. With a simple command, “Be quiet! Come out of him!”, Jesus revealed His divine authority. The people were astonished and exclaimed, “What is there about his word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out” (Luke 4:35–36). Having seen His authority firsthand, Simon presumably spoke to Jesus about his mother-in-law, who was suffering from a severe fever. It is striking to imagine the moment of Simon’s first personal encounter with the Lord. Though Jesus, in His divine foresight, knew what Simon would one day become—the first pope entrusted with the spiritual authority of Heaven—Simon himself could not have foreseen how radically his life was about to change. Upon entering Simon’s home, Jesus rebuked the fever. The Greek word used here, epitimaō, is the same word used in the previous passage when Jesus rebuked the demon. This deliberate parallel reveals that both the spiritual and physical realms are subject to Jesus’ command. What He rebuked were real evils and disorders: demonic possession as a violation of the soul and the fever as a natural affliction of the body. Later in this Gospel passage, Jesus continues healing many who are sick and casting out demons. Once again, He rebukes the demons, silencing them and forbidding them to speak. Though they cry out, “You are the Son of God,” Jesus does not permit them to bear witness to Him. He has no need of demons to proclaim His identity. His revelation will come in His time, by His own design, especially through the Cross and Resurrection. Jesus’ rebukes, whether uttered by a word, expressed through a gesture, or conveyed by His mere presence, are divine actions against evil. They are not expressions of wishful hope, but authoritative, efficacious commands. What He speaks comes to be. His word is not just powerful; it accomplishes what it declares. Understanding this is foundational to our life of faith and our spiritual journey. When we turn to Christ with trust, we must believe that His word has the power to heal, to free, and to transform. He does not speak in vain. His authority extends to every dimension of our lives, body, soul, and spirit, and He desires to restore all that has been wounded by sin, suffering, or disorder. One of the most tangible and powerful ways this takes place today is through the words of absolution spoken by the priest in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, a spiritual authority first given to Simon Peter and passed down through apostolic succession. The words of absolution are Christ’s words, words that rebuke sin and its effects, restoring the soul to grace and peace. They are divine actions that accomplish what they signify. Though the words of absolution may be the clearest example, every Sacrament—Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony—conveys God’s grace and power through the efficacious word and action of Christ. Reflect today on your own trust in the power of Jesus’ word. Do you believe He can rebuke the disorders in your life with divine authority? Do you turn to Him with confidence in the Sacraments, knowing that what He speaks, He accomplishes? Surrender all that afflicts you to the power of His Word, and allow Him to restore you to grace, relying especially on the sacramental authority given to Simon Peter and exercised by the priests who have followed after. My authoritative Lord, when You speak, what You speak comes to be. Speak to me, Lord. Rebuke my sin and weakness, so that Your holy will may be accomplished in my life. Let me hear Your voice, especially in the Sacraments through which Your mercy is poured forth and Your power is made manifest. Jesus, I trust in You.

The Holy One of God

September 1, 2026 Tuesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today

Jesus Casts Out the Evil Spirit, by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld Video In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out in a loud voice, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be quiet! Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down in front of them and came out of him without doing him any harm. Luke 4:33–35 Yesterday, we began reading from the Gospel of Luke in our weekday liturgies, and we will continue to do so until the season of Advent. Luke’s Gospel was written especially for Gentile converts—those unfamiliar with Jewish customs—presenting Jesus not only as the fulfillment of Israel’s hopes but also as the Savior of all humanity. Unlike Matthew, who highlights Christ’s fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, Luke reveals a broader vision: a universal Savior who brings healing, mercy, and salvation to the poor, the outcast, and the sinner. In today’s passage, that universal mission is subtly foreshadowed through Jesus’ divine authority. Though the setting is a Jewish synagogue in Capernaum, His actions speak to a power not confined to time, place, or people. With a simple word, Jesus rebukes the demon, silences its protest, and frees the afflicted man. The astonishment of the crowd—“What is there about his word?”—captures the essence of the moment: Here is One whose authority reaches even into the unseen spiritual world and commands it. Though He ministers among His own people, Jesus is not merely a teacher of the Law or a local prophet. His authority is absolute, His identity divine. The demon’s cry—“I know who you are, the Holy One of God!”—offers a strange testimony: Even the spiritual forces of darkness recognize and submit to Him. This is not just a healing; it is a confrontation between the kingdom of God and the powers of evil. And it is only the beginning. Luke includes this scene early in his Gospel to show that Jesus’ mission is one of liberation—liberation from sin, bondage, and every form of darkness. The fact that this miracle occurs in a synagogue reminds us that no place, however sacred, is immune to the presence of evil. But more importantly, it reminds us that no evil is immune to the authority of Christ. It is also helpful to recall the broader context. This event comes shortly after Jesus’ baptism, His forty days in the desert, and His rejection in Nazareth. That rejection led Him to Capernaum, a humble fishing village that would become the center of His Galilean ministry. It is here that He will call Peter, Andrew, James, John, and Matthew—men who will carry His Gospel to the ends of the earth. Thus, what begins in a small synagogue soon echoes to the nations. Reflect today on the universal scope of Luke’s Gospel, which we will hear over the coming months. Though Jesus begins within Israel, His mission reaches every soul. By beginning His ministry with a confrontation against evil, Jesus reveals that He has come not only to teach but to conquer—to break the chains of darkness and bring divine healing to the world. His Word still speaks with authority. May we listen, believe, and be set free from the evil one and all his demonic powers, so that we may help proclaim Christ’s Kingdom to the ends of the earth in our own unique ways. My Lord and Holy One of God, from the very beginning of Your public ministry, You established Your divine authority over evil, revealing that You came to destroy the kingdom of darkness and to build Your Eternal Kingdom of truth and grace. Please cast out all evil and sin from my heart, so that Your reign may take full possession of my soul. Use me as You will to further Your Kingdom on earth, bringing Your light and truth to the ends of the earth, one soul at a time. Jesus, I trust in You.

A Holy Provocation

August 31, 2026 Monday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today

The Brow of the Hill Near Nazareth, by James Tissot Video When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But he passed through the midst of them and went away. Luke 4:28–30 What a sobering beginning to our Lord’s public ministry. Shortly after His baptism in the Jordan River and the establishment of Capernaum as the center of His ministry, Jesus began calling His disciples and performing powerful miracles. News of His preaching and healing spread rapidly, reaching His hometown of Nazareth. When Jesus returned to Nazareth, those who had known Him from His youth were not prepared for what they witnessed. In the synagogue, He stood and read from the scroll of the Prophet Isaiah. It was a messianic passage foretelling the One anointed by the Spirit to bring glad tidings to the poor, liberty to captives, sight to the blind, and freedom to the oppressed. After reading, Jesus sat down and solemnly proclaimed, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” With these words, He revealed Himself to be the long-awaited Messiah. At first, the people were amazed at the gracious words He spoke. But their awe quickly turned to confusion, then to hostility. “Is this not the son of Joseph?” they asked, unable to reconcile the divine authority they had just encountered with the humble figure they remembered from years past. Their familiarity bred contempt. Their hearts, bound by human reasoning and pride, could not accept the divine mystery standing before them. Perceiving their thoughts, Jesus addressed the unspoken demand in their hearts—the desire to see in Nazareth the same wonders He had performed elsewhere. But He offered them no signs. Instead, He offered truth, recalling that in the days of Elijah and Elisha, God’s blessings were extended not to Israelites, but to Gentiles—a widow in Zarephath and a leper from Syria. This comparison deeply offended their national pride and shattered their assumptions about divine favor. Rather than receiving His rebuke with humility, they were filled with fury. The crowd attempted to kill the very One they had once known as neighbor and craftsman. Yet Jesus, untouched, “passed through the midst of them and went away.” Jesus certainly knew this would happen. In His divine wisdom, He foresaw the reaction He would receive. And in a mysterious way, He even appears to draw it out. Why? Because this holy provocation was an act of mercy. In exposing the hardness of their hearts, Jesus gave them an opportunity to confront their pride, repent, and receive the Kingdom in truth. In the months and years ahead, many of the people of Nazareth likely benefited from this initial encounter. There is little doubt that after Jesus left Nazareth, He remained the talk of the town. There is no record of Him returning. However, as He continued His public ministry, the people who had rejected Him would have continued to hear reports of His authoritative preaching and miraculous works. Some may have even traveled to nearby towns, such as Capernaum, to witness Him for themselves. In doing so, their initial rejection would have confronted them anew—forcing a choice: Either repent and believe, or grow in bitterness and confusion. Either Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah or He was a false prophet. There could be no middle ground. Reflect today on the mysterious ways Jesus continues to provoke hearts—including your own. Sometimes His Word unsettles us not because it is harsh, but because it is true, and we are unprepared to accept it and change. The people of Nazareth teach us that we—like them—sometimes need our pride stirred up so we can see it and reject it. As you consider the people of Nazareth from that moment forward, see yourself in them. Recognize any ways that you respond with hostility to humbling truths that are hard to accept, and allow time and grace to heal you—helping you to repent and grow in gratitude for Jesus’ humbling and holy provocation. My challenging Lord, You see into the depths of my heart. When I resist Your Word, provoke me in mercy. Confront my pride, reveal my blindness, and call me to repentance. May I never reject You, but always surrender with trust to the truth You offer. Jesus, I trust in You.