Thursday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Word of God unsettles us!
Liturgical Cycle: C | Lectionary Cycle: I
Introduction
The Edict of Darius let the Jewish exiles return to Jerusalem. Much reconstruction was waiting for them, but those who had remained in the land feared to be dispossessed of the land they had occupied in the meantime. The prophet Haggai reprimanded the returnees for building luxurious houses for themselves, while the temple still lay in ruins. Was this perhaps not the reason why there were many natural disasters?
Herod, too, was puzzled about this man Jesus. He wanted to see this strange prophet about whom there were so many rumours. Does Jesus, the gospel, life, and our faith puzzle us? Are we constantly searching for the deeper meaning of our Christian life?
Today’s readings remind us of the importance of prioritising God in our lives. Through the prophet Haggai, the Lord calls His people to rebuild His house and not be absorbed only in their own concerns. In the Gospel, we hear of Herod, troubled by the works of Jesus, searching for answers but not yet ready to recognize Him. As we begin our celebration, we are invited to open our hearts to God’s presence, to give Him the first place, and to seek Him with sincerity.
Opening Prayer
Lord our God,
you came to make all things new
through Jesus Christ, your Son.
Let him question us
and let us question ourselves
whether we give him in our lives
the place he deserves.
Make him the meaning
of all we are and do,
for he is our risen Lord for ever.
First Reading
In the second year of Darius’s reign, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord was given to the prophet Haggai for the benefit of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest.
“So says the Lord of hosts: This people claim that the time to rebuild the house of the Lord has not yet come.
Well now, listen to what I have to say through the prophet Haggai:
Is this the time for you to live in your well-built houses while this house remains a heap of ruins?
Think about your ways:
You have sown much
but harvested little;
you eat and drink,
yet are not satisfied;
you clothe yourselves,
but still feel cold;
and the laborer puts
the money he earned
into a tattered purse.
Now think about what you must do:
Go to the mountain and gather wood
to rebuild the house.
This will make me happy,
and I will feel deeply honored,
says the Lord.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
Sing to the LORD a new song
of praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel be glad in their maker,
let the children of Zion rejoice in their king.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
Let them praise his name in the festive dance,
let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.
For the LORD loves his people,
and he adorns the lowly with victory.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
Let the faithful exult in glory;
let them sing for joy upon their couches;
Let the high praises of God be in their throats.
This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
Alleluia Verse
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the way and the truth and the life, says the Lord;
no one comes to the Father except through me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
King Herod heard all that was happening and was confused, for people said:
“This is John, raised from the dead.”
As for Herod, he said:
“I had John beheaded. Who is this man, about whom I hear such wonders?”
And he was eager to see him.
Prayers of the Faithful
– Lord, keep us always searching to understand you and our gospel better, we pray:
– Lord, let our faith be a light that makes us see the meaning of our lives, we pray:
– Lord, make us patient with those who are lax in their faith, that we may not extinguish the smoldering wick, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God,
through these offerings of bread and wine
your Son will appear in our midst
as the Lord of life.
Let him touch our hearts,
that we may fully believe in him
and that we may be alive
with the life he brought us.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
God our Father,
we know Jesus, your Son:
he has spoken to us
and shared his table with us.
Make us anxious
to see and recognize him
in the events of life
and in the people around us,
that life may not be empty and vain
but ever beautiful and new
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Blessing
Is everything really in vain? Is there no meaning in life? In moments of doubt and questioning, we ask ourselves perhaps this question. But then we remember we are people of faith, and our faith and our life are very meaningful. Let God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
REFLECTIONS
25 September 2025
In today’s Gospel, Herod is perplexed by the news of Jesus and His disciples. Rumours spread—perhaps John the Baptist has risen, perhaps Elijah has returned, perhaps the great prophet foretold by Moses has appeared. Whatever the truth, one thing is clear: something powerful is happening. The mission of Jesus and His disciples is turning the world upside down.
At the heart of this mission is a union of preaching and healing. The disciples were sent not only to proclaim the Kingdom of God but also to heal the sick. This is essential: the Gospel is never just words—it is words that take flesh in concrete deeds. To preach the Good News while ignoring people’s hunger, pain, or wounds would be a contradiction.
We see in history how dangerous it is when Christians dismiss the material needs of others. To tell a hungry family that “things of this world don’t matter” is not only unhelpful—it is unfaithful to Christ. The Gospel must touch both heart and body. Discipleship is an adventure, and it requires trust. We are called to place our security not in things, but in God who provides.
Herod’s fear reveals another truth: the Word of God unsettles the conscience. The Gospel is not entertainment; it confronts, challenges, and calls us to conversion. Herod, haunted by the memory of John the Baptist, illustrates how sin fosters fear, while openness to God brings freedom.
Today, the Church must continue Jesus' mission: to proclaim the Kingdom in word and in deed, to care for both souls and bodies, and to live simply and serve generously. This is what makes the Gospel real, credible, and transformative.
Meaning(lessness) in Life
When life is seen as pure chance (as we saw yesterday), everything in life becomes meaningless and depressing. It is this sense of meaninglessness and depression that we find in the words of the author of Ecclesiastes (first reading). But if we dig deeper, we will truly find not only that life has meaning, but also that it is the very vocation of a human being to discover this meaning. Viktor Frankl, who survived the Nazi Auschwitz and saw in person how many victims in the concentration camps found meaning amidst their suffering, concludes thus: “Ultimately, man should not ask what the meaning of his life is, but rather must recognize that it is he who is asked. In a word, each man is questioned by life; and he can only answer to life by answering for his own life; to life he can only respond by being responsible.”
26 September 2024
Who is this Jesus?
In just three verses, Luke manages to bridge the gap while the apostles were on their missionary journey, preaching and healing. The reports about Jesus and His disciples spread even further. Herod the Tetrarch, who was the ruler of Galilee, heard all that was happening and was perplexed. He hadn't seen Jesus, didn't know Him, and only heard what people were saying: John has come back to life; Elijah has appeared; one of the old prophets has risen.
Herod was unable to comprehend. He was certain of one thing — it wasn't John, as he himself had beheaded John. However, he was curious about this Jesus and wanted to see what He was like. Throughout the Gospels, it is evident that Herod was a superficial individual lacking in strength and resolve. According to Luke, his desire to see Jesus stemmed from mere curiosity. In Chapter 19 of Luke, we are introduced to Zacchaeus, a tax collector who was curious to learn more about Jesus. Zacchaeus made extra efforts to see Jesus, resulting in conversion and salvation. But Herod had no genuine interest in knowing who Jesus was.
What kind of interest do we have in Jesus? Is it superficial, just a desire to learn about Him historically? Are we eager to understand Him as our Savior, as our Lord, as the Son of God? Is Jesus tangible to us in the Eucharist, in the Gospels, in the Church, and in people? What would be our response if Herod questioned us, "Who is this man about whom I have heard all these reports?”
Jesus, I desire to deepen my personal relationship with You as my Lord and Savior.