Saturday of the Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
The Joy Of Liberation
Other Celebrations for this Day:
Liturgical Cycle: C | Lectionary Cycle: I
Introduction
In the 2nd century BCE, a prophet borrowing the name of Baruch speaks a message of hope and joy to Jerusalem’s scattered children in the Diaspora. God will liberate them from their infidelities.
In the gospel the disciples, and Jesus with them, rejoice that people have been liberated from the power of evil in the name of Jesus.
Opening Prayer
Lord, our God and Father,
your Son sent out his disciples
to set people free from the demons
that held them captive.
We pray that we too
may become liberated,
free from the blindness and determinism and fears
that obscure our minds and hearts,
free from our infidelities
and our lack of courage to commit ourselves,
free to love and to serve
with him who set us free from sin,
Jesus Christ, our Lord for ever.
First Reading
Error: Book or format not recognized for passage: Baruch 4:5-12, 27-29
Responsorial Psalm
R. The Lord listens to the poor.
"See, you lowly ones, and be glad;
you who seek God, may your hearts revive!
For the LORD hears the poor,
and his own who are in bonds he spurns not.
Let the heavens and the earth praise him,
the seas and whatever moves in them!"
R. The Lord listens to the poor.
For God will save Zion
and rebuild the cities of Judah.
They shall dwell in the land and own it,
and the descendants of his servants shall inherit it,
and those who love his name shall inhabit it.
R. The Lord listens to the poor.
Alleluia Verse
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
The seventy-two disciples returned joyfully. They said:
“Lord, even the demons obey us when we call on your name.”
Then Jesus responded:
However, don’t rejoice because the evil spirits submit to you; rejoice instead that your names are written in heaven.”
At that time, Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit and said:
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. I have been given all things by my Father so that no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and he to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said to them privately:
for I tell you that many prophets and kings would have liked to see what you see, but did not see it; and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”
Prayers of the Faithful
– For the Church, that it may not be imprisoned in structures of power and wealth but become more and more a humble and serving Church, we pray:
– For doctors, nurses, healers and scientists who help in bringing the freedom from illness to the sick, we pray:
– For all the good and loving people who bring more joy into the lives of others, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord, our God and Father,
you invite us to share the table of your Son
and to become free with him
in these signs of bread and wine.
Bless us in our joys and pains,
in our limitations and assets,
and turn these gifts into sources
of the joy and freedom of your kingdom
that lasts for ever and ever.
Prayer after Communion
Lord, our God and Father,
through the liberating power
of your Son Jesus Christ
make us capable of bringing
your freedom and dignity
to even the least of our brothers and sisters.
Make us aware that we cannot be fully free
as long as anyone of those you love
is not free to be your daughter or son
through our brother, Jesus Christ,
your Son and our Lord for ever.
Blessing
The disciples sent out by Jesus returned full of joy because they had helped people to become freer persons, liberated from evils. May we ourselves become freer too, with the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
REFLECTIONS
4 October 2025
St Francis of Assisi – Conclusion of the Season of Creation
The cry of the poor is the cry of the Earth
Today we celebrate the Memorial of St. Francis of Assisi, the poor man of God who saw all of creation as his brothers and sisters, and we also conclude the Season of Creation. The Word of God today reminds us of joy, humility, and the gift of seeing with childlike hearts.
In the Gospel, the seventy disciples return filled with joy because they have seen the power of Jesus at work. Yet Jesus reminds them: the true source of joy is not in their achievements, but in knowing that their names are written in heaven. Pride can make us blind, but humility opens our eyes to God’s grace. St. Francis lived this truth. He renounced the comforts of this world in order to embrace his greatest treasure - the love of Christ. His simplicity allowed him to see God’s presence not only in the poor and in lepers, but also in the birds of the air, the sun, the wind, and even “Sister Death.”
Baruch reminds us that even when we have turned away from God, He calls us back with compassion: “Turn again with tenfold zeal to seek Him.” This is a message for us today. We live in a world wounded by pride, greed, and environmental destruction. The cry of the earth and the cry of the poor are deeply connected. To follow Francis is to return with humility, to rediscover the joy of living as children of God who care for creation as a gift, not as something to exploit.
As we close this Season of Creation, let us carry forward its spirit: rejoicing not in what we possess, but in God’s mercy; not in what we control, but in the wonder of being His children. With St. Francis, may we praise God in all things, living with humble joy and radiant simplicity.
Fortunate are we!
The Seventy returned from their initial preaching and healing ministry brimming with joy and excitement over the victories they had accomplished in Jesus' name. However, Jesus then warns them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from Heaven." This statement holds deep significance and can be interpreted in various meaningful ways.
It might signify the defeat of the forces of darkness and evil, the overthrow of Satan's stronghold, and the establishment of God's kingdom. It could also serve as a caution against pride. According to legend, Satan was expelled from heaven due to pride, and Jesus may have been warning the Seventy to guard against becoming prideful despite their successes. Jesus advised his disciples to avoid pride and overconfidence, reminding them that their true glory lay in having their names inscribed in heaven. It will always be true that a person's greatest glory is not in their own accomplishments but in what God has done for them.
Christianity does not mean knowing all the theories about the New Testament, nor does it mean knowing all the theologies and Christology. It does not mean knowing about Christ; instead, it means knowing Christ, which requires not only earthly wisdom but heavenly grace.Jesus gives a simple formula to know God: "If you want to know what God is like, look at me." Jesus didn't just speak about God; he embodied God's character and nature, revealing God through his words and actions.
The concept of evolution in science suggests that human beings have gradually evolved from lower forms of life. From a faith perspective, we can take this a step further and view Jesus as the culmination of this evolutionary process. In him,humanity meets God, and he is at once the perfection of humanity and the fulness of Godhead.
“Fortunate are we to experience what we experience in the Church, in the Word of God and in the Sacraments!”