My Catholic Sunday Notebook

Credit: https://www.istockphoto.com/portfolio/artisticco?mediatype=illustration The common themes of the three readings for the Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C , on September 28, 2025, according to Catholic teachings, revolve around wealth and poverty, the condemnation of selfish indifference, and the call to social justice and moral responsibility. The readings are: First Reading: Amos 6:1a, 4–7 Second Reading: 1 Timothy 6:11–16 Gospel: Luke 16:19–31 (The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus) Condemnation of Selfish Indifference and Complacency All three readings harshly critique those who are preoccupied with their own comfort and luxury while remaining uncaring and indifferent to the suffering of the poor. In the first reading , Amos proclaims his third "Woe". This time against the complacent wealthy in Zion who indulge in extravagant living ("beds of ivory," "eat the lambs," "drink win...

Faith and Action In today's liturgy, the common themes in the following first, second and Gospel readings--1 Timothy 2:1-8, Amos 8:4-7, and Luke 16:1-13--address the core Christian responsibility of how one's relationship with God and one's attitude towards wealth and justice are intertwined. While each passage approaches this theme from a different angle, they all converge on the same fundamental principles of Catholic social teaching. Prayer & Worship In the book of Amos, the people are condemned for being impatient with the Sabbath and religious festivals, seeing them as an inconvenience that delays their return to unjust business practices. Their worship is shown to be hypocritical and empty. In Timothy, St. Paul urges universal prayer for all, especially for those in authority, so that all may be saved and come to a full knowledge of the truth. This prayer must be offered with "holy hands, without anger or argument." While in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus s...

Credits:  https://www.vaticannews.va/en/liturgical-holidays/feast-of-the-exaltation-of-the-holy-cross.html In light of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, our readings for today connect Numbers 21:4b-9, Philippians 2:6-11, and John 3:13-17 through the central theme of the exaltation of the cross , which transforms a symbol of humiliation into a sign of victory and salvation. Humiliation and Exaltation In the first reading, the Israelites' rebellion leads to a deadly plague of venomous snakes. God's remedy is to have Moses mount a bronze serpent on a pole, which becomes a sign of healing. The low point of suffering and death is linked to a remedy that brings life. In the second reading, St. Paul teaches that Jesus, who is God, "empties himself" (a concept known as kenosis ). He takes on the form of a servant and becomes obedient to the point of a shameful death on a cross. Because of this self-humiliation, God "greatly exalted him" and gave him a n...

1 Timothy 1:15-17 and Luke 6:43-49 share several core themes. Both readings address the essential nature of a Christian's faith, emphasizing that true belief isn't just a matter of words or intellectual assent, but is shown through one's actions and the foundation of one's life. Foundation of Faith The passage from Timothy is grounded in the "trustworthy saying" that Christ Jesus came to save sinners. The foundation of faith is the mercy and grace of God shown through Jesus, which is powerful enough to transform even the "foremost of sinners," like St. Paul. While Jesus's parable of the wise and foolish builders teaches us that the foundation of one's life must be hearing and acting upon Jesus' words . The wise builder's house (our life) is built on solid rock (our obedience to Christ's teachings), while the foolish builder's house is built on sand. (Jesus') "mercy knows no bounds, and that were their sins without nu...

  "Be convinced that justice alone is never enough to solve the great problems of mankind. When justice alone is done, do not be surprised if people are hurt: the dignity of man, who is a son of God, requires much more. Charity must penetrate and accompany justice because it sweetens and deifies everything: 'God is love' (1 Jn 4:16). Our motive in everything we do should be the Love of God, which makes it easier for us to love our neighbor and which purifies all earthly love and raises it on to a higher level" (St. J. Escriva, "Friends of God", 172). This passage argues that justice alone is insufficient to solve humanity's major problems and uphold human dignity. It asserts that while justice is essential, it must be accompanied by charity , which is defined here as love . The Problem with Justice Alone St. Escriva suggests that a strict, rule-based application of justice can be hurtful and dehumanizing. The "dignity of man, who is a son of God,...

"In this world let us love everyone even though he be our enemy; but let us hate him who opposes us on our way to God, though he be our relative [...]. We should then love our neighbor; we should have charity towards all -- towards relative and towards strangers -- but without separating ourselves from the love of God out of love for them" (St. Gregory the Great, "In Evangelia Homiliae", 37, 3). St. Gregory the Great is clarifying the distinction between love for people and hatred for evil . He argues that our ultimate allegiance and love must be for God, and this love must not be compromised by human relationships, even with family. The Command to Love All St. Gregory emphasizes the Christian duty to love everyone , including one's enemies. This is a direct reflection of Christ's teaching to love one's neighbor. It means we should have a disposition of charity and good will towards all people, regardless of their actions towards us. The Exception: When...

  We shall highlight three major themes from the three readings of the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time: Wisdom 9:13-18b, Philemon 9-10, 12-17, and Luke 14:25-33. These are the: “need for divine wisdom”, the “radical cost of  discipleship”, and the “transformative power of Christian love”. I.      The Need for Divine Wisdom All three passages underscore the limitations of human reason and the necessity of God's wisdom. A.     The book of Wisdom explicitly states that no one can know God's counsel or understand His will unless God grants them wisdom and sends His Holy Spirit. Human deliberation is described as "timid" and "unsure" because the "corruptible body burdens the soul." This passage shows that true wisdom isn't acquired through human effort alone but is a divine gift. The Catechism teaches that the gifts of the Holy Spirit, including wisdom, are essential for a morally good life and for understanding God's will ( CCC 1831 ). B. ...