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N.B. The Lectio Divina for Week 27 in Ordinary Time is ready. You can access it by going to ARCHIVES "Year C - Series 23" (cf. above).

Please go to our website www.pddm.us and click on "PDDM Internet Library". It contains the Lectio Divina of all the readings for the Sunday Cycle (A, B & C) and the Weekday Cycle (I & II). The fruit of 12 years apostolic work, this pastoral tool is most useful for liturgy and homiletic

Please go to our website www.pddm.us and click on "Blossoms of a Dream" for a glimpse into the life of the PDDM Sisters.

(The pastoral tool BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD: A LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY & WEEKDAY LITURGY includes a prayerful study of the Sunday liturgy from various perspectives. For the Lectio Divina on the liturgy of the past week: September 21-27, 2025, 2025 please go to ARCHIVES Series 23 and click on “Ordinary Week 25”.

Below is a LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY - WEEKDAY LITURGY: September 28 – October 4, 2025.)

A. Gospel Reading (Lk 16:19-31): “You received what was good, Lazarus what was bad; now he is comforted, whereas you are tormented.”

I love to read the “Missioner Tales” in Maryknoll, the magazine of the Mayknoll missionaries. The July-August 2004 issue contains an experience shared by Catherine Erisman, a Maryknoll sister. Her story, which illustrates the compassionate attitude totally lacking in the Rich Man mentioned in this Sunday’s Gospel parable, contains the hope that the pathetic Joseph, too poor to buy toothpaste, will have a better lot in heaven.

I was making pastoral rounds at Bugando Hospital in Mwanza, Tanzania, when a patient held my hand and made a request. Joseph, emaciated by AIDS, asked: “Could you please bring me some toothpaste?” Supplies like that are not available in the hospital, so I brought him a tube I bought at the local store. When I stopped in to visit him the following day, I was told that Joseph had died. I picture him standing before God with a stunning smile.

The parable of “The Rich Man and Lazarus” is to be seen against the backdrop of Jesus’ desire to teach his disciples the right use of money. The Pharisees, however, react negatively to his teaching on material wealth: “The Pharisees, who loved money, heard of all this and laughed at him” (Lk 16:9). Through this parable of the reversal of fortune of the rich man and Lazarus, the Divine Master reinforces his teaching that wealth must be rightly used to give solace to the poor.

The biblical scholar, Jerome Kodell remarks: “The rich man was oblivious to the needs of the beggar at his gate. He did not realize the seriousness of the present opportunity in preparing for the eternal future. It was not his wealth that kept him from Abraham’s bosom, but his untrustworthy stewardship.” Carroll Stuhlmueller concurs: “Because every Jewish landowner was Yahweh’s tenant (Lv 25:23), he owed taxes to Yahweh’s representatives, the poor, and was thus expected to share the land with them in the form of alms … The rich man’s sin consisted in his blind indifference to the agony of the poor.”

This Sunday’s proclamation of the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus is an indictment against the rich of today who do not care for the poor and whose callousness to the world’s afflictions is such that it cannot be penetrated even “if someone should rise from the dead” (Lk 16:31). Although this parable is a call to conversion, it also underlines the definitive character of divine judgment. The final destiny of the saved and the lost in the afterlife is unalterable. In the afterlife a reversal of fortune will take place. Those who were poor and destitute will be comforted. The chilling words of condemnation, however, will haunt the selfish and callous of heart – they who have been blind and deaf to the needs and agonizing cries of the poor: “My child, remember that you have received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here; whereas you are tormented” (Lk 16:31).

The parable of the rich man and Lazarus is an urgent invitation to conversion now … lest it be too late! It is an appeal to relieve the plight of the poor now … lest we be condemned eternally for our apathy and indifference to their agony.

B. First Reading (Am 6:1a, 4-7): “Their wanton revelry shall be done away with.”

This happened in September 2007 at our convent in Los Angeles. I was paged and requested to go down to our Liturgical Apostolic Center and meet a visitor. He happened to be Msgr. Romy Ranada, a colleague and faculty member at the Maryhill School of Theology in the Philippines where I used to teach. He made a stopover in Los Angeles on his way to Mexico, Washington D.C. and Rome, promoting the cause of beatification of the Servant of God, Msgr. Aloysius Schwartz (1930-1992), an American missionary who dedicated his life to relieve the sufferings of the orphans, the abandoned, the sick and the poor in Korea, Mexico and the Philippines. I had heard of the Boys’ Town and the Girls’ Town in the Philippines as places of refuge for orphans and troubled youth, but I had never heard anything about its founder. I was fascinated to know that the founder of these two charitable institutes was Msgr. Aloysius Schwartz, a native of Washington D.C. Msgr. Al was indeed a very humble and self-effacing man. He spent his life on this earth loving God and serving the poor. His holy life of dedication to the poor is a counterpoint to the pathetic image of the complacent and uncaring rich portrayed in today’s Old Testament reading (Am 6:1a, 4-7) and the Gospel reading (Lk 16:19-31). Pope Francis promulgated the heroic virtues of the Servant of God Aloysius Schwartz on January 22, 2015.

Prophet Amos in today’s First Reading laments the self-indulgence and fraternal indifference of “the complacent in Zion” while their hapless brothers and sisters in the Northern Kingdom are about to be destroyed by their enemies, the Assyrians. The rich elite in Judah do not commiserate with the plight of their kinsmen. They are insensitive to the imminent collapse of the tribes of “Joseph” in the Northern Kingdom who also belong to the Chosen People of Yahweh. In an effort to shake them up, Amos - the “angry prophet” - lambastes the effete rich who luxuriate while remaining blind to the misery of their poor and ill-fated kinsmen and neighbors. Their uncaring and nauseating behavior would result in alienation and destruction. The tribe of Judah, of the Southern Kingdom, would likewise suffer from Assyrian encroachment in the latter part of the eighth century B.C. Judah would be annihilated, though not by the Assyrians, but by the Babylonian invaders. The city of Jerusalem, the pride of the tribe of Judah, would be razed to the ground in 587 B.C. by the army of King Nebuchadnezzar and its elite rich led to a humiliating and punishing exile in Babylon.

James Weaver comments: “What the prophet fiercely denounces in particular is that these complacent of Zion insulate themselves from the disintegration of the north. So many luxuries they enjoy, yet they are not made ill by the collapse of Joseph. (…) What kind of brother satisfies expensive tastes while his younger brother suffers? The solidarity one expects of a brother, Amos is saying, cannot be found among Judah’s elite, people who prefer good food and drink to coming to the aid of family.”

C. Second Reading (1 Tm 6:11-16): “Keep the commandment until the appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Today’s Second Reading (1 Tm 6:11-16) provides better insight if we consider the two verses preceding it. Saint Paul reminds Timothy about the danger of wealth and money: “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and are caught in the trap of many foolish and harmful desires, which pull them down to ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a source of all kinds of evil. Some have been so eager to have it that they have wandered away from the faith and have broken their hearts with many sorrows” (cf. verses 9-10).

Timothy, a leader of a Christian community, must not succumb to seductions of worldly riches, but rather pursue the virtues and qualities of true discipleship. He must “compete well for the faith” in order to reach the goal of eternal life. Paul reminds Timothy of the “noble confession” he made at his baptismal consecration and ordination, as well as the faith confession Jesus himself made before Pontius Pilate, which climaxed in Christ’s passion and death on the cross. With this powerful reminder, Paul admonishes Timothy to fulfill God’s command faithfully until the Lord’s coming. Timothy’s task is to bear faithful witness to Christ and the Gospel, just as Jesus bore faithful witness before Pilate. His duty as bishop includes the pursuit of justice and righteousness - of love, patience and gentleness - on behalf of the people he serves. Indeed, Timothy’s pastoral commission involves striving for justice and care for the poor.

Aelred Rosser concludes: “The letter to Timothy advises the young bishop about his new role as a leader of the community. It also reveals the kind of persons we ought to be. We are to have integrity, which means putting everything together for God and fellow human beings.”

Mother Teresa of Calcutta exemplifies the power of love that ministers to the needy and the pursuit of gentleness that benefits the world’s poor. A person of profound integrity and tremendous dedication, she became God’s instrument to alleviate the pain and hunger, the fear and despair, of the “Lazarus” in our world today. As we celebrate the centenary of the birth of Mother Teresa, it is our joy to present the following excerpt that depicts her boundless love for the poor and destitute (cf. Paul Cheruthottuputam, SDB, “The Power of a Smile” in L’Osservatore Romano, September 10, 2010, p. 6-7).

Mother Teresa’s Contribution to Church and Society: It is difficult to judge the impact Mother Teresa had on the Church and society. It would be true to say that her dedication to helping those who couldn’t help themselves has been an inspiration to the world. I know of a young man who volunteered in her Kalighat home for the dying. Inspired by her philosophy of service, he made a film entitled “My Karma” which won several international awards. Not only did this Hindu Bengali youth quit his job as an officer in the Indian navy and now works in a Muslim slum in Narekeldanga area of Calcutta, calling Mother Teresa his mother and Mahatman Gandhi his father. Mother Teresa did more than inspire. She taught that the greatest way to show God’s love is to meet the needs of others, one person at a time, here and now. She offered no magical solution to the problems and injustices in the world. But, she showed how we can make a difference in the life of one person at a time!

The Nirmal Hriday (home for the dying), her first institution started in 1952 in the temple precincts of Calcutta’s presiding deity, Kali, is still the hallowed place which makes her friends and foes stand in awe. It was the place where Mother Teresa met every journalist who interviewed her for the first time. Since its creation, some 50,000 men, women and children taken from the streets have been transported to this home. Of these, one half died surrounded by love and kindness. For those who survived, the Sisters helped to find a job or they were sent to homes where they could live happily,

Her Shishu Bavan (home for babies) as well as other orphanages have offered shelter and hope to countless children around the world. Many of the children that were raised in them went on to become productive citizens and some even joined her mission. The leper colony which Mother Teresa founded with monies from her 1971 Pope John XXIII Peace Prize has offered a place where the outcasts can find acceptance. When she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, she convinced the committee to cancel the official banquet and use the money to buy meals for 15,000 poor. She opened houses for alcoholics, drug addicts, AIDS patients, and the homeless and destitute in Rome. Mother Teresa also supported the rehabilitation of women prisoners with the help of late West Bengal Marxist Chief Minister, Jyoti Basu.

Mother Teresa and Her Critics: She has been praised by many individuals, governments and organizations; however, she has also faced a diverse range of criticisms. (…) Attacking the wrinkled, hunched-over Sister of Calcutta, accusing her of being a goggle-eyed fanatic and a mad and disgusting celebrator of poverty, is the aetheistic equivalent of mugging an old woman

To take us into Mother Teresa’s word, celebrated British journalist Malcom Muggeridge sets up a contrast between his commonplace perception of the world and those of Mother Teresa. Early in his book Something Beautiful for God (Harper & Row, 1971) Muggeridge mentions a brief stay (as the assistant editor of The Statesman newspaper) in Calcutta in the 1930s during which he became disgusted by the slums and wretched social conditions. He remembers self-righteously asking people, “Why don’t the authorities do something?” And he quickly left. Mother Teresa, by contrast, saw the same squalor and stayed – armed, as Muggeridge puts it, only with “this Christian love shining about her”. Muggeridge remarks, “As for my expatiations on Bengal’s wretched social conditions – I regret to say that I doubt whether in any divine accounting, they will equal one single quizzical half smile bestowed by Mother Teresa on a street urchin who happened to catch her eye” (p. 220).

Mother Teresa had a short response to her critics: “No matter who says what, you should accept it with a smile and do your own work.”

Mother Teresa’s Spirituality: (…) As much as she believed in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, she believed that in the bodies of the poorest of the poor, she touched the body of Jesus. (…) Maintaining constant union with God was the hallmark of her spirit of prayer. Have you seen any of her photos without those gnarled hands clutching her Rosary beads? For she knew there was no other way to know what God wanted every moment of the day except by asking Him for the grace to know His divine will and then to do it with all her heart! (…) The striking aspect of Mother Teresa’s spirituality is that she never did anything more than what she insisted with every Missionary of Charity Sister – the spirituality of the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience, and the fourth vow, to give “wholehearted and free service to the poorest of the poor”.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

What is our attitude to the poor man – Lazarus, who lies at our doorstep? Do we care at all; or are we indifferent to his needs and agony? How do we incarnate in our daily life the Father’s loving compassion for them? If we are playing today the part of the callous and selfish rich man, are we willing to receive the grace of conversion and be transformed into the image of God’s compassion for the poor and destitute?

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the week. Please memorize it.

Pray for the conversion of heart of all those who are callous to the plight of the poor. Share your time, talents, material resources, and spiritual riches with the poor and needy in today’s society.

September 29, 2025: MONDAY – SAINTS MICHAEL, GABRIEL AND RAPHAEL, ARCHANGELS

A. Gospel Reading (Jn 1:47-51): “Above the Son of Man you will see the angels of God ascending and descending.”

In today’s Gospel reading (Jn 1:47-51), Jesus promises Nathanael a vision of angels: “You will see the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” The angelic revelation that Jesus proposes to his would-be disciple Nathanael evokes the vision of Jacob in the Book of Genesis. In a dream, the patriarch Jacob sees a stairway to heaven and God’s messengers going up and down. There is an interchange between heaven and earth. Like the angels on Jacob’s ladder, Jesus will join the above and the below, the heavenly and the earthly. Since Jesus Christ is supreme over all the angels, his unifying function surpasses that of the angels. The Son of Man is the shekinah, the dwelling place of God and the locus of divine glory. Jesus is thus the connecting point of heaven and earth. In his very person, God is revealed and in Jesus we have access to God.

The angels are at the service of God and his saving plan. Today’s feast of the archangels helps us to contemplate their role in salvation history. The homily of Saint Gregory the Great that is read at the Office of the Readings gives interesting insight into the ministry of the archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael.

The word angel denotes a function … They can only be called angels when they deliver some message … Those who proclaim messages of supreme importance are called archangels. And so it was that not merely an angel but the archangel Gabriel was sent to the Virgin Mary. It was only fitting that the highest angel should come to announce the greatest of all messages.

Some angels are given proper names to denote the service they are empowered to perform … Thus Michael means “Who is like God?”; Gabriel is “The Strength of God”, and Raphael is “God’s Remedy”.

Whenever some act of wondrous power must be performed, Michael is sent, so that his action and his name make it clear that no one can do what God does by his superior power. So also our ancient foe desired in his pride to be like God, saying: “I will ascend into heaven; I will exalt my throne above the stars of heaven; I will be like the Most High.” He will be allowed to remain in power until the end of the world when he will be destroyed in the final punishment. Then, he will fight with the archangel Michael, as we are told by John: “A battle was fought with Michael the archangel.”

So too Gabriel, who is called God’s strength, was sent to Mary. He came to announce the One who appeared as a humble man to quell the cosmic powers. Thus God’s strength announced the coming of the Lord of the heavenly powers, mighty in battle.

Raphael means, as I have said, God’s remedy, for when he touched Tobit’s eyes in order to cure him, he banished the darkness of his blindness. Thus, since he is to heal, he is rightly called God’s remedy.

B. First Reading (Dn 7:9-10, 13-14): “Countless thousands ministered to him.”

In the Old Testament reading (Dn 7:9-10, 13-14), Daniel’s vision of the “son of man” coming on the clouds of heaven and receiving dominion, glory and kingship originally represented the vindication of the persecuted people of Israel. The image of the human figure enthroned in glory, however, later came to be applied to the expected Messiah. Christians see the fulfillment of this apocalyptic vision in the person of Jesus Christ.

The prophet’s vision of the “son of man” is preceded by that of the “Ancient One” or “the One who has been living forever”. His clothes are white as snow and his hair like pure wool. He sits on a throne that blazes with fire. Thousands and thousands are ministering to him. As we celebrate the feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, we imagine these archangels as leading the throng of those who lovingly serve God, the “Ancient One”. The archangels and the other ministering angels in heaven, by God’s compassionate plan, bless us with their “presence” and assistance.

The following personal account gives insight into the reality of angelic protection (cf. Joan Wester Anderson, “Invisible Guardians” in Chicken Soup for Christian Soul, ed. Jack Canfield, et. al., Deerfield: Health Communications, Inc., 1997, p. 168-171).

In 1980, 25-year old Dave Carr of Bangor, Maine, started to feel one of those inner urges that defy logic and reason. He had a strong impulse to open a gathering place for the homeless or people down on their luck. (…) Finally Dave drove to downtown Bangor about 10:00 one September evening. It wouldn’t hurt to at least look at possible sites … He parked and walked through the neighborhoods, looking at abandoned buildings. Some possibilities, but nothing definite.

At 1:00 A.M. Dave was ready to call it quits. But he hadn’t investigated Brewer yet, the city that lies across the Penobscot River from Bangor. He would look at a few sites there, then head home. The street was deserted as Dave started walking up the bridge. Then a car approached from Brewer. As its headlights caught him, the car slowed. Uneasily Dave realized that there were three men inside. Despite the cool night air, their windows were rolled down. “Let’s throw him over!” Dave heard one of them say. The car stopped, its doors opened, and all three jumped out and came toward him.’

Horrified, Dave suddenly recalled the murder of the street person. It had been on this bridge! Had these men done it? He would be no match for them; he knew his only option was to pray that he survived the icy water. But as he looked down, he realized that the tide had gone out, and only rocks and dirt were directly below him. “God, help me”, Dave murmured.

Immediately he felt a presence near him, something unseen but definitely there. A warm safe feeling flooded him, His fear vanished, and he knew, without knowing how he knew, that he was not alone.

Now the men were almost upon Dave. All three were large, muscular – and leering. “Get him!” one shouted.

Suddenly they stopped. “They all stared at me, then looked to the right and left of me”, Dave says. “They seemed terrified. One said, ‘Oh, my God!’ They turned and began shoving one another to get back to the car. And when they sped away – it sounded like they tore the transmission right out – I could still hear them cursing and yelling, ‘Run, run!’”

Dave stood for a moment on the deserted bridge, basking in the warmth that still surrounded him. What was it? What had the men seen? Whatever it was, it had shielded him from certain death. “Thank you, God”, he whispered.

He felt exalted, so buoyant that he decided to go on to Brewer and finish his search. As he crossed the rest of the bridge, Danny, a friend of his, drove by, honked at him, and kept going, unmindful of Dave’s narrow escape. Dave waved, still surrounded by peace. (…)

The next day he ran into Danny again. “Sorry I didn’t stop for you last night on the bridge”, Danny said. “But I had passengers and I never could have fit all of you in my car, too.” “All of us?” Dave asked, puzzled. “Those three huge guys walking with you”, Danny explained. “They were the biggest people I had ever seen. One must have been at least seven feet tall!”

Dave never resisted a heavenly nudge again. He opened and founded a Bangor coffeehouse in 1986, which is still running today under a friend’s management. At least 100 people are fed every night, with coffee, hugs – and the word of the Lord.

C. Alternative First Reading (Rv 12:7-12ab): “Michael and his angels battled with the dragon.”

The alternative First Reading (Rv 12:7-12ab) underlines the role of the archangel Michael in the victorious battle in heaven against Satan and his followers. Michael’s heavenly victory symbolizes his permanent dominion over satanic forces. The hymn of victory that follows celebrates Michael’s victory over Satan. The same primordial victory won by the archangel Michael will be won by God’s people on earth against the “huge dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan”. The Church faces a “vanquished enemy” and the Christian life, although a trial, is a radical victory by God’s faithful people, washed in the Blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ.

The following anecdotes circulated on the Internet concerning two Popes’ experience of the Archangel Michael’s assistance are very interesting.

Rome, 600 A.D.: During a plague which greatly depopulated the city of Rome, Pope Gregory I (Gregory the Great) ordered a penitential procession in which he himself carried a statue of the Blessed Virgin. As the procession reached the bridge across the Tiber, the singing of angels was heard. Suddenly Gregory saw an apparition of a gigantic archangel, Michael, descending upon the mausoleum of Emperor Hadrian. In his right hand, Michael held a sword, which he thrust into its scabbard. Gregory took the vision as an omen that the plague would stop, which it did, and so he renamed the mausoleum the Castel Sant' Angelo (Castle of the Holy Angel) in Michael's honor.

The Vatican, 1902: One day, after celebrating Mass, the aged Pope Leo XIII was in conference with the Cardinals when suddenly he sank to the floor in a deep swoon. Physicians who hastened to his side could find no trace of his pulse and feared that he had expired. However, after a short interval the Holy Father regained consciousness and exclaimed with great emotion: "Oh, what a horrible picture I have been permitted to see!" He had been shown a vision of the activities of evil spirits and their efforts against the Church. But in the midst of the horror the archangel Michael appeared and cast Satan and his legions into the abyss of hell. Soon afterwards the pope composed the following prayer to Saint Michael:

Holy Michael, the archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray: and do you, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the divine power, thrust into hell Satan and all the other evil spirits who wander through the world seeking the ruin of souls.

The Pope ordered this prayer to be recited daily after Low Mass in all the churches throughout the Christian world. And so it was. However this practice was swept away in the 1960s by liturgical changes made in the wake of the Second Vatican Council, except in a few churches (for example in the Archdiocese of Boston the traditional Low Mass in Latin, followed by the prayer to Saint Michael in English, is still said in the Holy Trinity Church at 140 Shawmut Ave., Boston, on Sundays starting at 12:00 noon).

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

Do we thank God for the ministry of the archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, and do we invoke their protection and assistance in our needs? Do we imitate the goodness of the angels and their function to connect the earthly and the heavenly?

(cf. Concluding Prayer – Liturgy of the Hours, September 29: Feast of the Archangels)

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“You will see the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” (Jn 1:51)

Imitate Saint Michael in his ministry to manifest the supreme power of God. Imitate Saint Gabriel in his ministry to proclaim the good news about Christ. Imitate Saint Raphael in his ministry of healing and providing remedy to the afflicted.

“JESUS SAVIOR: He Journeys to Jerusalem and He Endures Our Affliction … Peoples and Nations Seek Him”

A. Gospel Reading (Lk 9:51-56): “He resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem.”

Today’s Gospel reading (Lk 9:51-56) is about Jesus’ departure for Jerusalem. The evangelist Luke presents the call to radical discipleship within the context of Jesus’ decisive journey to his paschal destiny. The Gospel passage begins with 9:51, the turning point in Luke’s narrative: “When the days for Jesus to be taken up were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem.” Jesus’ decision to go to Jerusalem is not a casual decision, but a deliberate one. He is resolved to do the Father’s will. Christian discipleship demands total participation in his Easter itinerary of dying on the cross and life-giving glory. To journey with Jesus to Jerusalem is to walk along the road of faith – the old rugged road that leads to Calvary.

The following modern day account gives insight how in daily life we “walk along the road of faith” (cf. Jon Sweeney in Guideposts 2014, p. 206).

I have long been drawn to old roads. I look at well-worn tracks to the forest or up the mountain and wonder who walked them for the first time and what the land looked like then. Sometimes I imagine deer or moose trekking along a ridge down from the mountain to a stream, and eventually men following, until a path is formed and then a road is built in its place.

Walking these roads every day, I am sometimes reminded of other important “roads” in my life.

Traveling along the road of faith, I am never alone. My great-grandmother used to challenge me as a boy. She told me to learn the Bible, inspiring me to follow her example by reading it every day and memorizing many verses. Then my grandparents asked me to love the Lord and, more importantly, showed me how to do it in the hands-on ways that their compassion went out to the elderly, whom they served every week in nursing homes.

My parents, too, shined a light down that path of faith that can sometimes be dark and tough to follow. Also, aunts and uncles, friends and mentors have walked the path before me. I am able to follow their well-worn treads. Because of them all, I know which way to go.

B. First Reading (Zec 8:20-23): “Many people shall come to seek the Lord in Jerusalem.”

Today’s First Reading (Zec 8:20-23) depicts a vision of hope and grandeur. Many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to worship the Lord and to pray for his blessing. They will seek the Lord Almighty for they recognize that peace and salvation are in him alone. God is always ready and anxious to receive his people. There will be no more disdain or mockery. Strangers will want to integrate with God’s chosen people and Israel will be a means of salvation. The foreigners will say to the Jew: “We want to share in your destiny because we have heard that God is with you.” This phenomenon of universal integration will reverse the process of dispersion brought about by the ambitious builders of the tower of Babel (cf. Gen 11:1-9). In Jesus Savior, the restoration of all things, all peoples and nations, is brought about.

The process of universal restoration in Christ goes on. The World Youth Day events, organized by the Church, promote the unification of peoples from every nation and culture. The following article gives insight into this (cf. Eddie O’Neill, “Mile-High Memories” in Our Sunday Visitor, August 25, 2013, p. 9-10).

In August 1993, David Letterman moved from his TV home on NBC to CBS, pitcher Nolan Ryan got his 324^th and final win, and in Denver, Colorado, hundreds of thousands of Catholic pilgrims from around the globe converged for World Youth Day.

As the first World Youth Day in North America and the first in an English-speaking nation, the Aug.11-15 event is regarded as ground-breaking. From the heights of the Mile-High City, the world witnessed Blessed John Paul II’s endearing love for the young people of the Church and, in turn, their love for him. It would be a model for future World Youth Days, including last month’s event in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Before 1993, World Youth Day largely consisted of two days – a Saturday night vigil and a Sunday Mass with the pope. Now, the event is a weeklong opportunity for prayer, celebration, fellowship, catechesis, with the pope present for several days. Those involved in youth ministry in the United States point to Denver as a watershed event in the way the Church now approaches its work with young people. (…)

That week in August certainly had an effect on Leslie Elliott, the director of music and liturgy at Holy Innocents Church in Victorville, California. Then 15, Elliott traveled to Denver with her home parish, Our Lady of the Desert in Apple Valley, California. “The preparation for World Youth Day and the experience of the week really changed me, my worldview and my experience of Catholicism”, she told Our Sunday Visitor.

She remembers the thousands of fellow pilgrims from around the world whom she met with big hugs and even bigger smiles. She recalls the thunderous roar of “Pope John Paul II, we love you!” as the pope arrived at Mile High Stadium. While Denver was Elliott’s first World Youth Day, it wasn’t her last. She attended Toronto in 2002 and Madrid in 2011, this time leading a group of young pilgrims.

Elliott, who has served as a World Youth Day coordinator for a neighboring parish, said that each World Youth Day has helped her better understand her vocation. “They have helped me to have a deeper sense of hope and trust in God’s plan for me”, she said.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

2. Are we concerned and involved in promoting God’s plan of universal salvation? How do we contribute to the realization of this saving plan?

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“Jesus resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem...” (Lk 9:51) //“Many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord.” (Zec 8:22)

Pray that you may have the grace to understand and experience the meaning of Christian discipleship. Pray in thanksgiving for all those who are able to follow Christ resolutely on the road to Jerusalem // Be aware of important events in the Church, such as World Youth Day, International Eucharistic Congress, World Mission Sunday, etc. and resolve to broaden your vision and deepen your concern for the spread of the Catholic faith.

October 1, 2025: WEDNESDAY – SAINT THERESE OF THE CHILD JESUS, Virgin, Doctor of the Church

“JESUS SAVIOR: He Lays Down the Demands of Discipleship … He Is the Fortified City”

Before sending out seventy-two disciples ahead of him, Jesus clarifies the meaning of discipleship. In today’s Gospel (Lk 9:57-62), he meets three candidates and utilizes this occasion to underline the exigent character of Christian discipleship. To the first, who makes an enthusiastic offer of allegiance: “I will follow you wherever you go”, Jesus presents the challenge of sacrifice: “The Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” The second asks permission to go first and bury his father, that is, he wants to attend to his family before he follows Christ. Jesus asserts that all filial obligations are subordinate to his urgent call to proclaim the kingdom of God, which demands an immediate response. The third is willing to follow but asks to say farewell to his family at home. Jesus challenges him to a total renunciation and wholehearted dedication. The call of Christian discipleship demands an irrevocable response and entails wholehearted dedication.

In light of today’s Gospel I re-read my vocation story as a Pious Disciple of the Divine Master. Christ has showered me with overwhelming mercy and love. I heard his urgent call to follow him and I responded readily to his gift of vocation. I was a B.S. Premed student at the University of the Philippines when I got to know about the PDDM Congregation. I entered the convent after my third year of college. One month after my entrance, the major Superior asked me to go back to school and finish my B.S. degree. My name was among the list of 80 students that would be interviewed in 1971 for admission at the U.P. College of Medicine. But my dream to become a doctor was subordinate to my religious vocation. I left school altogether after Premed and underwent intense preparation for my religious consecration. I made my first religious profession in 1974 and was deeply happy with my life as a consecrated person. However, I continued to nurture my dream to become a medical doctor, which I presented several times to our major Superior. Before my finals vows in 1980 I requested again to be given a chance to become a medical doctor. But I was told in serious terms to make a decision: to follow Christ or to pursue my “career” outside the convent. My tears flowed when I pronounced my decision to follow Christ and to let go of my dream. In 1989 I became a “doctor” – not a “Doctor of Medicine” – but a “Doctor in Sacred Liturgy”.

B. First Reading (Neh 2:1-8): “If it please the king, send me to the city of my ancestors and I will rebuild it.”

In the First Reading (Neh 2:1-8) we begin to hear from the Book of Nehemiah whose mission includes the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem. Today’s account is situated in 445 B.C. in the 20^th year of the reign of King Artaxerxes I (465-425 B.C.). Having heard of the distressing situation of the city of Jerusalem, Nehemiah – a pious believer – prays to God to help him in his mission to restore the walls of Jerusalem. He pleads that the king, whom he serves as wine steward, may be merciful to him. Four months later, as he serves the king, Artaxerxes takes notice that the dear servant looks sad. Nehemiah answers that he is indeed sad because the city where his ancestors are buried is in ruins and its gates destroyed by fire. Having prayed to God, he then presents to King Artaxerxes his request to go to Judah to rebuild the city of his ancestors. He also asks official letters for the governors of West-of-Euphrates instructing them to let him travel to Judah as well as a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal forests, to supply him with the timber needed for the construction of the ruined city. Amazingly, King Artaxerxes grants him all he asks for, because God’s favor is upon Nehemiah. He also receives a military escort for the journey as well as a political post as governor of Judah. Nehemiah, who will serve for twelve years, will truly be a compassionate and unselfish governor who honors God. The kind-hearted and devout Nehemiah will put all his energy into the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem and for the good of God’s people.

Nehemiah’s concern for the restoration and viability of the holy city Jerusalem can shed light on today’s issue of closing parish doors (cf. Charles Pope in “Pastoral Answers” in Our Sunday Visitor, August 25, 2013, p. 15).

From a pastoral point of view, it seems evident that bishops do not close parishes, people close parishes. The fact remains that many parishes filled to overflowing back in the 1950s now sit increasingly empty. This is a teachable moment, and we must accept some very painful facts. When only 25 percent of Catholics go to Mass nationwide, and when Catholics stop having many children or effectively handing on the Faith to their children, this is what happens.

The Church simply cannot maintain parishes and other institutions such as schools and hospitals, when Catholics are largely absent. Pastorally speaking, people – not bishops alone – close parishes. Many parishes, schools, seminaries, and convents now sit largely empty. And as they become empty, bills are unpaid, maintenance is deferred, and the situation eventually becomes critical. Decisions have to be made.

Pastorally, one would hope that long before things go utterly critical, that bishops, working together with communities that are going into crisis, can speak honestly and work for solutions. But this is not simply the responsibility of the bishop; it is the responsibility of all the people of God to have such honest discussions. Thus, we are left with difficult but teachable moments about what happens when the Faith handed down to us is largely set aside by the vast majority of Catholics.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Do we realize the cost of Christian discipleship, and are we ready to pay the price of commitment?

2. How does the figure of Nehemiah inspire us? What are the virtues of his character that we can emulate? Like him, do we show great zeal for the city of God?

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“I will follow you wherever you go.” (Lk 9:57) //“The favoring hand of my God was upon me.” (Neh 2:8)

Pray in thanksgiving for the gift of Christian vocation and the call to holiness. Do what you can to promote priestly and religious vocations in the Church. // Be deeply concerned and involved in the Faith transmission and formation of the children and the youth. This is a way to build God’s house.

“JESUS SAVIOR: He Entrusts Us to Guardian Angels” … He Is the Living Word that Strikes to the Heart”

A. Gospel Reading (Mt 18:1-5, 10): “Their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.”

Jesus continues to teach his disciples not to despise the little ones. They are so important to God that he has given his angels charge over them. If children need angelic guardians, we can safely assume that adults need them. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, number 336, asserts about angels: “From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession. Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life.” Angels, who are pure spiritual creatures, live constantly in the presence of God and convey God’s will to us and his protection. Like the angels, we are intelligent beings created by God to glorify him and be happy with him in heaven.

The famed Mother Angelica of EWTN has this to say about angels (cf. Mother Angelica’s Answers, Not Promises, Mother Angelica with Christine Allison, New York: Pocket Books, 1987, p. 197-199).

I will never forget an incident that happened when I was ten or eleven years old. I was still living in Canton, Ohio, and had gone to the town square in the early evening to run some errands for my mother. There was a parking lot in the middle of the square, and for some reason it was blocked off by a big chain that day so cars could not enter. I blithely strolled across the street when I suddenly heard someone screaming, and I looked around only to see a pair of headlights coming at me. I was temporarily blinded, and then felt two hands pick me up and swing me over the chain barricade.

The car had run a red light and sped on. Slowly I realized what had happened. Dozens of people ran up to ask how I had leaped over the chain. I had no idea how I had gotten there.

I ran home and burst into the house looking for my mother. I was pale and trembling and started crying. “Mother, I almost got killed tonight.” Then she, too, started crying and said, “I know, Rita, I know.”

Later, I learned that my mother had sensed somehow that I was in danger earlier that afternoon and had knelt down to pray, asking God to save my life. Clearly, God had sent my angel to do just that. I will never forget that odd sensation of being lifted up, literally lifted, by two hands over a chain that separated me from death.

You and I, and everyone who ever lived, all have guardian angels. They are powerful friends, probably the most powerful friends you will ever have. I don’t know about you, but I’ve always needed all the friends I could get, and therefore have been on very close terms with my angel since the day of near-tragedy. I call my angel Fidelis, which is Latin for faithful, and faithful he has been, for I know I’ve been on tough assignments. (…)

God loves you so much that he gave you a guardian angel, a friend who prays for you, cheering you on, concerned for your salvation. If you’ve been overcome by loneliness, you should remember the friend God has given you as part of your birthright. He is with you every moment of the day.

B. First Reading (Neh 8:1-4a, 5-6, 7b-12): “Ezra opened the book of the law, blessed the Lord, and all the people answered, Amen! Amen!”

Two of our postulants who were teaching catechism at the San Jose Elementary School in Antipolo (Philippines) prepared their class to celebrate the Rite of Penance. They engaged the children actively and creatively. One little girl brought her family’s tablecloth to cover the teacher’s desk that would serve as a makeshift altar. Some brought flowers and candles. Others were trained to proclaim the bible readings and to offer the prayer intentions. The whole class learned some easy and delightful sung responses. The priest proclaimed the Parable of the Prodigal Son in the vernacular and, in simple terms, explained to the children the meaning of the Gospel reading. During the celebration of the Word, the class was unusually attentive and focused. Some were shedding tears. When the catechists asked why they were weeping, they replied: “It is because we are sorry for our sins!”

Today’s Old Testament passage (Neh 8:1-4a, 5-6, 7b-12) describes a liturgy of the Word where the Law “which the Lord had given to Israel” is proclaimed and explained to the people, enabling them to understand what is read. When Ezra, the priest-scribe, reads from the book of the Law, the people weep from the sheer emotion of hearing God’s Word. They have recognized the special character of the word proclaimed, producing a remarkable effect in their lives. Indeed, the community that actively seeks the Law, not only hears it, but also understands its vital significance. The reading from the Law, constituted by the Pentateuch or the first five books of the Bible, has shed light on their fragile and feckless inner core and they respond with tears. The liturgical reading from the Law is not meant, however, to condemn, but to be a font of joy and strength for that assembly who hungers for the life-giving Word of God. Moreover, the divine Word moves them to vital social action and impels them to share compassionately their resources with the needy.

Aelred Rosser comments: “Notice the basic liturgical structure in this first reading. The people assemble, hear the Word of God, receive explanatory instruction and encouragement and then respond in worship and prayer. The framework of our own liturgy is not very different. Ezra reads the law to people who are very much in need of hearing it. Their highly emotional and heartrending response indicates that they need both the encouraging words of the law’s promise as well as, perhaps, the discipline which the law requires of them. The combination of sorrow for sin and the joy of being forgiven always produces healing tears. The occasion presented here is certainly a high holy day, perhaps Yom Kippur, the New Year. Notice that the long and arduous ceremony (from daybreak till midday) is followed by a feast celebrated in the classic way: rich food, good drink and special provisions for the poor. It is a tradition that we would do well to follow.”

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Do I believe in the presence of an angel who is ever at my side to light and guard, to protect and guide me?

2. Do we experience the importance of the proclamation of the Word of God in the liturgy? Like the liturgical assembly in Ezra’s time, do we endeavor to listen to the Word with receptive hearts, willful attention and self-sacrifice? Do we invest time, effort, love and creativity in order to glean the meaning and challenge of God’s Word for us? Do we try to hear and understand the Word, both personally and as members of the faith community? Do we respond to the social challenge of God’s living Word?

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“Their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.” (Mt 18:10) //“They understood the words that had been expounded to them.” (Neh 8:12)

Pray the beautiful prayer “Angel of God, my guardian dear …” and if you have not done it yet, give a name to your guardian angel. By your kind deeds and compassionate acts, be an “angel” to the people around you. // To help us contemplate more deeply the breadth, depth and height of the challenge of the living Word, Jesus Christ, make an effort to spend an hour in Eucharistic Adoration.

A. Gospel Reading (Lk 10:13-16): “Whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”

In today’s Gospel reading (Lk 10:13-16), Jesus warns the recipients of his public ministry in Galilee of the dire consequences of their impenitence. The lakeside towns of Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum have received so much in terms of divine grace, but fail to bear fruits of conversion. They do not surrender themselves to Jesus and are deaf to his word. Jesus works miracles in their midst and proclaims the Good News to them, but they refuse to accept him as the Messiah. Because of their resistance to grace, they merit judgment more severe than the people of Tyre and Sidon, ancient cities notorious for wickedness and impiety. The life-giving Gospel that Jesus preaches cannot be ignored. There are unfortunate and death-dealing consequences in rejecting his divine offer of salvation. To reject Jesus is thus to opt for self-destruction.

Like Jesus, his disciples of today will meet hostility and rejection as the following article shows (cf. “Hands off the Cross” in L’Osservatore Romano, July 25, 2012, p. 9).

The Russian Orthodox Church cannot stand by and watch while Christianity is persecuted in Europe, according to Fr. Philip Ryabykh, a representative of the Patriarchate of Moscow to the Council of Europe, in an interview with the Voice of Russia. He was referring to the two British citizens fired for their refusal to remove the crosses around their necks in the workplace. The cases of Nadia Eweida, an employee of British Airways at Heathrow Airport, and Shirley Chaplin, a nurse, will soon be examined by the European Court of Human Rights and Orthodox representatives, together with Russian lawyers, have already guaranteed their support. Fr. Philip called this an “unprecedented situation”.

The two women have appealed to the Court to recognize that the freedom of religion has been violated and that they have been discriminated against because of their religious ties. British authorities – the Voice of Russia says – did not expect the case to be brought before the Strasbourg Court and has proposed a law that allows employers to dismiss employees who refuse to hide their religious confession.

“The decision of the Strasbourg Court will apply to all countries that are members of the Council of Europe, including Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova – that is, countries where Orthodox Christianity is the most common denomination”, Fr. Philip says. It is a tradition among Orthodox Christians to wear a crucifix and, he warned, “if the Strasbourg Court’s decision turns out not in favor of these women, this would create a dangerous precedent which, I believe, would be very dangerous. This may become a start of persecution against Christianity in Europe”.

B. First Reading (Bar 1:15-22): “We have sinned in the Lord’s sight and disobeyed him.”

Today and tomorrow we shall hear from the prophet Baruch. Today’s Old Testament reading (Bar 1:15-22) is a moving penitential prayer in which the people acknowledge their responsibility for the catastrophe and deportation they have experienced and continue to experience. The exiles avow: “We have sinned in the Lord’s sight and disobeyed him.” The painful thoughts and the raw feelings of the Jewish people at the destruction of Jerusalem and their captivity are crystallized in this prayer. They humbly recognize that they have been rebellious throughout Israel’s history and have refused to obey the word of the Lord. When the people abandon the Lord God to serve kings and foreign gods, they lose God’s blessings and suffer the curse of the land of the exile. The chastised people thus confess their sins and declare: “The Lord God is righteous, but we are still covered with shame.”

The spirit of penitence that characterizes the exiles’ prayer is likewise present in a modern-day penitent who narrates the following story (cf. Anonymous, “The Long List of Sin” in 101 Inspirational Stories of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Sr. Patricia Proctor, Spokane: Franciscan Monastery of Saint Clare, 2006, p. 138).

In the summer of 2005, a retired priest filled in for a month at the northern Arizona parish where I was living. That same week I received an e-mail from someone in my Medjugorje prayer group which spoke about confession and gave a very long list of common (and often) grave sins.

Reading that list, I recognized a large number that I had committed as a teen or young adult. Some, while knowing they weren’t the best things to do, I hadn’t really thought of as sins, such as partying or drinking to excess, but others were just plain embarrassing to admit to. I knew that it was unlikely that I’d confessed them before. It nagged at me that there were so many un-confessed big sins in my life. The problem, however, was recognizing what had or had not been confessed.

So, just to be on the safe side, I brought the whole list with me, unaware that the new priest had already arrived and was handling confession that night. I was dismayed, how does one explain such things to someone who has no past experience or connection with me?

The desire to chicken out was strong. It would have been very easy to make a simple confession of the usual sins, yet something held me to my resolve. I chose to be honest and explain my intention, and why this was important to me. I asked if he had the time that night to hear this confession as it was a long list. He looked a little nervous, but agreed to hear the whole thing.

While difficult and embarrassing, I was surprised to discover in this priest a wonderful spiritual advisor. During the time he was there, my spiritual life blossomed. Thinking about the change, I believe it was due to Father hearing my complete confession.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Do we suffer rejection and hostility for our Christian faith? What is our response to such a situation?

2. Do we thank the Lord for calling us to the grace of repentance and for giving us the opportunity to confess our sins in the sacrament of reconciliation?

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the day. Please memorize it.

“And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.” (Lk 10:16) //“We did evil in the sight of the Lord, our God.” (Bar 1:22)

Through prayer, word and action, seek to overcome the hostility and “persecution” against the Church in the modern world. // Be reconciled with a person whom you have hurt and share God’s forgiveness with someone who has hurt you.

“JESUS SAVIOR: He Rejoices at the Return of the Disciples in Mission … He Calls Us Back”

A. Gospel Reading (Lk 10:17-24): “Rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

The Divine Master experiences misunderstanding and rejection from the towns along Lake Galilee where he has performed many miracles. Many have painfully disappointed him. But in today’s Gospel episode (Lk 10:17-24), the seventy-two disciples who returned rejoicing from their mission have filled Jesus with joy. They have subjected demons through the power of his name. Rejoicing with them, Jesus makes them understand that the source of their joy should not be in having subjected the demons, but in having their names written in heaven. His disciples, in welcoming him as their true Master and Lord, have proven themselves “childlike” in character. They have opened themselves up to the spiritual revelation that Jesus gives, but which “the wise and the learned” of this world refuse to perceive. Through Jesus, God the Father is revealed. God is no longer an enigma, for through Jesus we can “see” God as the fullness of love. No wonder Jesus turns to his disciples and exclaims: “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see!”

As Christian disciples in today’s world, we too must be “childlike” in our stance. We are able to rejoice because we are assured of the divine presence wherever we are and in whatever “storms” we encounter. The following story, circulated on the Internet, will give insight into this and will make us smile.

A little girl walked to and from school daily. Though the weather that morning was questionable and clouds were forming, she made her daily trek to school. As the afternoon progressed, the winds whipped up, along with lightning.

The mother of the little girl felt concerned that her daughter would be frightened as she walked home from school. She also feared the electric storm might harm the child. Full of concern, the mother got into her car and quickly drove along the route to her child’s school. As she did, she saw her little girl walking along. At each flash of lightning, the child would stop, look up and smile. More lightning followed quickly and with each, the little girl would look at the streak of light and smile.

When the mother drew up beside the child, she lowered the window and called, “What are you doing?” The child answered, “I am trying to look pretty because God keeps taking my picture.”

B. First Reading (Bar 4:5-12, 27-29): “He who brought disaster upon you will bring you back enduring joy.”

In the reading (Bar 4:5-12, 27-29) we hear that through the prophet Baruch, God addresses a message of consolation to Israel in exile. Their present situation is not final. It is true that Jerusalem is like a widow bereft of her children, who have been sent into exile because of their sins. But God tells his people not to fear, assuring them that he who brought these calamities upon them will rescue them and bring them everlasting love. The confession of sins pronounced earlier by a deeply chastised people (which we heard yesterday in the First Reading) simply underlines the compassionate character of a loving God who is ever mindful and forgiving. Hence, the Lord’s invitation for the sinful people is to turn back and serve him with greater determination and thus experience everlasting joy.

The following story of mercy and forgiveness in today’s here and now is very consoling (cf. Dale Recinella, “It Is Never Too Late” in 101 Inspirational Stories of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Sr. Patricia Proctor, Spokane: Franciscan Monastery of Saint Clare, 2006, p. 187-189).

After many years of general prison ministry, in 1998 I was asked to begin ministry cell-to-cell in Florida’s death row and solitary confinement. Florida has the third largest death row in the U.S., with over 370 men, and has over 2,000 men in long-term solitary confinement in the two prisons at which I serve as a Catholic lay chaplain. On behalf of the Catholic Church, the bishop of Florida, and under the pastoral supervision of my priest and bishop, I go cell-to-cell in ministry to the men inside. (…)

I can testify to you that the power of the sacrament of confession and of the Holy Spirit is greater than the darkness of death row, even of the death house.

There was a man who desired to become a Catholic because of the influence of Pope John Paul II. After a year of preparation for entry into the Catholic Church, he was suddenly scheduled for execution. His execution date turned out to be just days after the death of John Paul II. Our Catholic governor even considered delaying the execution out of respect for the pontiff.

The morning before his execution, the bishop came to the death house to administer his first confession, his first Communion and his confirmation. This was done with him standing in a narrow cage called a holding cell, with shackles upon his ankles and chains on his wrists.

When the bishop pronounced the words of absolution and then of confirmation, his whole body jerked as though he had been jolted by electricity. He even began to fall back against the rear of the cage, in a manner called the resting in the spirit. The guards who were watching were astonished. They said for a moment that he became luminous.

The next day, during his last hours in the death house, he told me that John Paul II had visited him during that moment and told him that Jesus would come for him at the moment of his death. Nothing anyone could say could dissuade him from this belief.

A few hours before the execution, the warden came down to his cell with a message from the mother of the victim of the crime. She had asked the warden to inform the condemned man that she forgave him and bore him no ill will. The reconciliation offered by the sacrament of confession had been actualized on this side of the great divide between the temporal and the eternal.

My testimony is this. Nothing – absolutely nothing that any man can say, build or do as an obstacle or a barrier – not even the mountain of concrete, steel and despair that is death row – is able to prevent the power of the sacrament and the Holy Spirit from entering and remaining in the willing human heart.

II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART: A Pastoral Tool for the MEDITATIO

1. Do we trust in Jesus as the true revelation of the Father? Are we the “little ones” who are willing to savor the rich and life-giving revelation of Jesus?

2. How do we respond to God’s call to turn back to him and serve with greater determination? Do we trust that the redeeming God will bring us everlasting joy?

The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the week. Please memorize it.

“He rejoiced in the Holy Spirit.” (Lk 10:21) //“He will, in saving you, bring you back enduring joy.” (Bar 4:29)

Pray that Christian disciples may always be “childlike” and receptive to the divine revelation given to us in Jesus Christ each day. Endeavor to be the “childlike” disciples envisioned by the Gospel. // Pray for those on death row and the most hardened criminals in our society today. Unite your sacrifice and suffering with Jesus for the conversion of souls.

Prepared by Sr. Mary Margaret Tapang PDDM

PIAE DISCIPULAE DIVINI MAGISTRI

SISTER DISCIPLES OF THE DIVINE MASTER

3700 North Cornelia Avenue, Fresno, CA 93722 (USA)

Tel. (559) 275-1656

Website: WWW.PDDM.US