Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection October 15, 2026
Thursday – 28th Week of Ordinary Time
15th October 2026 (Thursday)
Psalter: Week 4
Here are the Catholic Mass readings and a daily Gospel reflection for Thursday, October 15, 2026, the Memorial of Saint Teresa of Avila. Paul says God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, and Jesus warns against shutting the door to knowledge of God.
Catholic Mass Readings
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Ephesians 1:1-10
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
Psalm 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4, 5-6 (R. 2a)
R/. The Lord has made known his salvation.
Gospel Acclamation
V/. Alleluia
R/. Alleluia
V/. I am the way, and the truth, and the life, says the Lord; no one comes to the Father except through me.
R/. Alleluia
Gospel: Luke 11:47-54
At that time: Jesus said, “Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed. So you are witnesses and you consent to the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their tombs. Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’ so that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation. Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.” As he went away from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard and to provoke him to speak about many things, lying in wait for him, to catch him in something he might say.
Thursday – 28th Week in Ordinary Time
Daily Gospel Reflection
Main Point: Paul says God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world. Before the stars, before time, before you did one thing right or wrong, you were already chosen and loved. Slow down and let that be true.
1. Read Paul’s words slowly, because we rush past them too easily. He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless before Him. In love He destined us to be His children. Before the world existed, before you existed, you were already in the heart of God.
2. Sit with the order of that. Not: God noticed you once you became good. Not: He chose you after you earned it. Before the foundation of the world, before you had done anything at all, you were chosen, wanted, loved. Your existence is not an accident God is tolerating. It is a choice He made in love.
3. We spend so much of our lives trying to earn a place we were given before time began. We perform, we achieve, we prove, hoping to be found worthy of love. Paul quietly undoes all of it. The love came first. It was there before we drew a breath. We are not auditioning for it. We are already held in it.
4. This is the deep ground Saint Teresa of Avila built her whole life of prayer upon. She taught that prayer is nothing other than spending time alone with the God we know loves us. Not performing for Him. Not impressing Him. Simply being with the One who chose us before the world was made, and letting ourselves be loved.
5. Teresa knew this was not always easy or sweet. She lived through long dryness, distraction, years when prayer felt like nothing. And still she stayed, because she had grasped that the relationship did not rest on her feelings or her success at it. It rested on His choice, made before the foundation of the world, and that does not change.
6. In the Gospel, Jesus grieves over those who took away the key of knowledge, who neither entered themselves nor let others enter. They had the door to this very love and they shut it. It is possible to be religious and never walk through the door into the love that was there before time. Teresa spent her life flinging that door open.
7. So this feast is an invitation back through the door. Not to work harder, not to pray more impressively, but to go and sit with the God who chose you before the world began, and let that ancient love be the thing your whole life rests on.
My Practice: Take five quiet minutes today, as Teresa taught, simply to sit with the God who chose you before the world was made, and to let yourself be loved rather than to perform. Stay, even if it feels like nothing.
Prayer
Lord God, before the foundation of the world, before the stars, before we had done anything right or wrong, You chose us in Christ and destined us in love to be Your children. We are amazed, and we are quieted. We spend our days trying to earn a love that was already ours before we existed. Teach us, with Saint Teresa, that prayer is simply being with You who love us, not performing for You. When prayer feels dry and empty, help us to stay anyway, resting not on our feelings but on Your choice, which does not change. Draw us through the door into Your ancient love. Amen.
Question to Reflect Today
- Do you live as though you must earn God’s love, or as one already chosen before the world began? What would change if you sat with Him today simply to be loved?
Thank You 🙏🙏🙏
Tags: Daily Mass Reflection, Memorial, Saint Teresa of Avila, Gospel of Luke, Catholic Mass Readings, October 2026
