Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection October 04, 2025
Saturday – 26th Week in Ordinary Time
04th October 2025 (Saturday)
Psalter: Week 2
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Baruch 4:5-12, 27-29
Take courage, my people, O memorial of Israel! It was not for destruction that you were sold to the nations, but you were handed over to your enemies because you angered God. For you provoked him who made you, by sacrificing to demons and not to God. You forgot the everlasting God, who brought you up, and you grieved Jerusalem, who reared you. For she saw the wrath that came upon you from God, and she said: “Listen, you neighbours of Sion, God has brought great sorrow upon me; for I have seen the captivity of my sons and daughters, which the Everlasting brought upon them. With joy I nurtured them, but I sent them away with weeping and sorrow. Let no one rejoice over me, a widow and bereaved of many; I was left desolate because of the sins of my children, because they turned away from the law of God. Take courage, my children, and cry to God, for you will be remembered by him who brought this upon you. For just as you purposed to go astray from God, return with tenfold zeal to seek him. For he who brought these calamities upon you will bring you everlasting joy with your salvation.”
Psalm 69:33-35, 36-37 (R. 34a)
R/. The Lord listens to the needy.
Gospel Acclamation
V/. Alleluia
R/. Alleluia
V/. Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have revealed to little children the mysteries of the kingdom.
R/. Alleluia
Gospel: Luke 10:17-24
At that time: The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”
Daily Gospel Reflection
Saturday – 26th Week in Ordinary Time
Main Point: True joy consists only in accomplishing something for God. Such a true and profound joy cannot be matched by any other enjoyment, gratification or accomplishment
1. Everyone wants and seeks happiness. But the difference is in regard to where they seek it and how they seek to obtain it. The happiness that is sought in worldly things is superficial, shallow, short-lived, delusive, deviating and even harmful. At times, even the happiness that is found in spiritual successes can be misleading because it is a short-sighted motive and benefit.
2. This was the joy of the disciples on their return after a successful mission of preaching and healing. They were excited at the grand success of stirring many hearts and expelling many evil spirits. This was a legitimate and reasonable joy. It is nothing wrong.
3. But Jesus invites them to a higher realm of joy by a higher realm of motive and success, and that is “being registered in the Book of Life”, “being counted by God”, and not so much “being reckoned in the sight of the world”.
4. Rejoice, not so much for defeating evil, but rather for standing for God and good! Rejoice, not so much for being recognised and appreciated for the success, but rather for pleasing God and for collaborating to spread His reign! Rejoice, not so much for being acclaimed as great and powerful in the sight of the world, but rather for being “blessed” in the sight of the world.
5. St Francis of Assisi, whom we commemorate today was also such a soul who totally surrendered to God in all humility and committed to God’s work in all fervour. His humility was such that he called the followers of his new Order Friars Minor because they were to regard themselves as the least religious. Out of humility, Francis declined the priesthood and continued as a deacon all his life.
My Practice: What is the motive of our satisfaction and happiness in our mission – is it because of the worth-admirable works or the sole motive of heavenly glory?
