OCTOBER 17 Mon St Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr

Memorial Eph 2:1-10/Lk 12:13-21 

18 Tue Saint Luke, Evangelist Feast 2 Tm 4:10-17b/Lk 10:1-9 (661) 

19 Wed USA: Saints John de Brébeuf and Isaac Jogues, Priests,

and Companions, Martyrs Memorial Eph 3:2-12/Lk 12:39-48 

20 Thu Weekday USA: Saint Paul of the Cross, Priest

Is 61:1-3/1 Cor 1:17-25/Mk 6: 7-13

21 Fri Weekday Eph 4:1-6/Lk 12:54-59 

22 Sat Weekday [Saint John Paul II, Pope; BVM] Eph 4:7-16/Lk 13:1-9 

23 SUN THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Sir 35:12-14, 16-18/2 Tm 4:6-8, 16-18/Lk 18:9-14 

October 20 the Passionists in the USA celebrate the Feast of their Founder, St. Paul of the Cross. The readings for his feast describe him as one who, was sent to “bring glad tidings to the lowly” and like Paul the Apostle, preached “the message of the cross”. Paul was a disciple of Jesus who went out taking “nothing for the journey.” He is one of the great missionaries of the 18th century.

This week we also celebrate the Feast of St. Luke, author of the gospel readings we are currently reading and also the Acts of the Apostles. 

The martyr,St. Ignatius of Antioch, whose letters inspired so many early Christians, and the North American martyrs, who inspired faith in the new world, are also remembered this week.

Pope St. John Paul II is remembered October 22nd.  

For this week’s homily please watch the video below.

Many people today say we’re going nowhere. It’s hard to see the world ahead. 

The Letter to the Ephesians, which we’re reading this week at Mass, sees things better. It describes God’s great plan at work from “the foundation of the world,” a plan for the “fulness of time,” a “mystery made known to us” in Christ Jesus, our Lord. We have this “word of truth” this gospel of our salvation, from Jesus himself. The Spirit he promised is the “first installment of our inheritance.”

“First installment,” That’s what we working with now. Still, it’s hard to see the Holy Spirit at work in times like ours. Yet, if we look at the bigger picture, today gets us where we are meant to go tomorrow. The Spirit is at work today. 

“May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation resulting in knowledge of him. May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones, and what is the surpassing greatness of his power for us who believe, in accord with the exercise of his great might,which he worked in Christ, raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens.” 

(Ephesians 1)

The letter was written, commentators say, not just to the church at Ephesus, but to the church worldwide. So It’s written for us.

Every Monday of the four week cycle of the Liturgy of the Hours we read Ephesians 1, 3-10 at evening prayer, a reminder to see the day, however small and confusing it may be, as part of the great unfolding plan of God in Christ, our Lord.

October 10 Mon Weekday Gal 4:22-24, 26-27, 31—5:1/Lk 11:29-32 

11 Tue Weekday [Saint John XXIII, Pope] Gal 5:1-6/Lk 11:37-41 

12 Wed Weekday Gal 5:18-25/Lk 11:42-46 

13 Thu Weekday Eph 1:1-10/Lk 11:47-54 

14 Fri Weekday [St Callistus I, Pope and Martyr]Eph 1:11-14/Lk 12:1-7 

15 Sat St Teresa of Jesus, Virgin Doctor Memorial

Eph 1:15-23/Lk 12:8-12 

16 SUN TWENTY-NINTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Ex 17:8-13/2 Tm 3:14—4:2/Lk 18:1-8 

We end our reading from the Letter to the Galatians on Wednesday, and begin reading for two weeks from Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians. The readings from Luke’s gospel this week, condemning the Pharisees, are closely connected to Paul’s Galatian letter. 

Paul opposes in his letter Jewish-Christian attempts to convert the Galatians to Jewish practices, particularly circumcision. Luke is not unaware of that situation writing his gospel. Jesus praises the people of Nineveh who, unlike the people “of this generation” accepted the teaching of Jonah, Luke notes. Does Paul share in the mission of Jonah?

Jesus ate with the Pharisees in their homes, Luke also notes, but he bluntly criticized them there.  Is this a subtle criticism of Jewish Christians imposing Jewish practices on gentile converts? By becoming more identified with Judaism, did they think Christians would more likely gain respect and exemptions from Roman law?

We may not be aware of the connection that exists in our weekday readings.

Saint John XXIII, the Father of the Second Vatican Council is remembered October 11. Callistus, a slave who became an early pope is October 14’s saint. St. Theresa of Avila, one of the women doctors of the church, is remembered October 15. 

For this week’s homily please watch the video below.

October 3 Mon Weekday Gal 1:6-12/Lk 10:25-37 

4 Tue Saint Francis of Assisi Memorial Gal 1:13-24/Lk 10:38-42 

5 Wed [Saint Faustina Kowalska, Virgin; USA: Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, Priest]

Gal 2:1-2, 7-14/Lk 11:1-4 

6 Thu Weekday [Blessed Isidore de Loor, Passionist, Saint Bruno, Priest; USA: Blessed Marie Rose Durocher, Virgin] Gal 3:1-5/Lk 11:5-13 

7 Fri Our Lady of the Rosary Memorial Gal 3:7-14/Lk 11:15-26 

8 Sat Weekday [BVM] Gal 3:22-29/Lk 11:27-28 

9 SUN TWENTY-EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

2 Kgs 5:14-17/2 Tm 2:8-13/Lk 17:11-19 

Luke’s Gospel, read this week, counts the journey of Jesus to Jerusalem not in miles, but in people. The earnest scribe on Monday, Martha and Mary, two women, on Tuesday, Mary his mother on Saturday. 

On Friday Jesus faces the charge of blasphemy on his journey to Jerusalem. The mystery of his Passion takes place too on the journey to Jerusalem.

Prayer is necessary on the journey to Jerusalem. Jesus teaches the Our Father and patient prayer on Wednesday and Thursday.

St. Francis of Assisi (Tuesday) and St. Faustina (Wednesday) are popular saints celebrated this week. 

Our Lady of the Rosary, (Friday) is time to renew devotion to Mary, the Mother of Jesus, who teaches us the promises of Christ. Weather permitting, we will have a procession to our Mary Garden in Jamaica, New York, after the 11 AM Mass. 

On Thursday, the Passionists celebrate Blessed Brother Isidore de Loor  who died during the Nazi occupation of Belgium. 

3 Mon Weekday Gal 1:6-12/Lk 10:25-37 

4 Tue Saint Francis of Assisi Memorial Gal 1:13-24/Lk 10:38-42 

5 Wed [Saint Faustina Kowalska, Virgin; USA: Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, Priest]

Gal 2:1-2, 7-14/Lk 11:1-4 

6 Thu Weekday [Blessed Isidore de Loor, Passionist, Saint Bruno, Priest; USA: Blessed Marie Rose Durocher, Virgin] Gal 3:1-5/Lk 11:5-13 

7 Fri Our Lady of the Rosary Memorial Gal 3:7-14/Lk 11:15-26 

8 Sat Weekday [BVM] Gal 3:22-29/Lk 11:27-28 

9 SUN TWENTY-EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

2 Kgs 5:14-17/2 Tm 2:8-13/Lk 17:11-19 

Luke’s Gospel,  read this week,  counts the journey of Jesus to Jerusalem not in miles, but in people. The earnest scribe on Monday, Martha and Mary, two women, on Tuesday, Mary his mother on Saturday. 

On Friday Jesus faces the charge of blasphemy on his journey to Jerusalem. The mystery of his Passion takes place too on the journey to Jerusalem.

Prayer is necessary on the journey to Jerusalem. Jesus teaches the Our Father and patient prayer on Wednesday and Thursday.

St. Francis of Assisi (Tuesday) and St. Faustina (Wednesday) are popular saints celebrated this week. 

Our Lady of the Rosary, (Friday) is time to renew devotion to Mary, the Mother of Jesus, who teaches us the promises of Christ. Weather permitting, we will have a procession to our Mary Garden in Jamaica, New York, after the 11 AM Mass. 

On Thursday, the Passionists celebrate Blessed Brother Isidore de Loor  who died during the German occupation of Belgium. 

For this week’s homily please watch the video below.

SEPTEMBER 26 Mon Weekday[StsCosmas and Damian, Martyrs] Jb 1:6-22/Lk9:46-50 

27 Tue Saint Vincent de Paul, Priest Memorial Jb 3:1-3, 11-17, 20-23/Lk 9:51-56 

28 Wed Weekday [Saint Wenceslaus, Martyr; Saint Lawrence Ruiz and Companions, Martyrs] Jb 9:1-12, 14-16/Lk 9:57-62 

29 Thu Sts Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels Feast

Dan 7:9-10, 13-14 or Rv 12:7-12a/Jn 1:47-51

30 Fri Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor Memorial Jb 38:1, 12-21; 40:3-5/Lk 10:13-16 (4

OCTOBER 1 Sat Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church

Memorial Jb 42:1-3, 5-6, 12-17/Lk 10:17-24 

2 SUN TWENTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Hb 1:2-3; 2:2-4/2 Tm 1:6-8, 13-14/Lk 17:5-10 

The first readings for most of this week are taken from the Book of Job, the dramatic story of a just man facing the problem of evil. Job is not an historical figure, but he represents all humanity in his questions. Why does God permit evil?

Luke’s gospel this week prepares for Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem which is described in Luke 9:51-18:14. The journey ends in his Resurrection.

A number of important saints are remembered this week in our church calendar. The memorial of St. Therese, the Little Flower, follows that of St.Jerome, the great scripture scholar. Both are doctors of the church, but so unlike as persons. One approached the scriptures mainly as a scholar,  through the mind. Therese approached them through the heart. 

The Vincent de Paul, the founder of the Vincentian tradition, is remembered on Monday.

The Philippines celebrates St. Lawrence Ruiz and his companions on Wednesday. In our neigborhood, they will be celebrating on Sunday.

For this week’s homily please watch the video below.