Thursday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time
All Are Saved By Faith
Liturgical Cycle: C | Lectionary Cycle: I
Introduction
We cannot save ourselves by observing laws and relying on our religious practices. We are saved simply by the goodness of God who revealed himself to us in Christ. Even our faith is a gift from God and this faith will set us free from sin and make us share in God’s goodness and love. This is difficult to understand for the scribes, the legalists of Christ’s day, and also for the legalists of our time. They cannot understand that everything is grace…
Opening Prayer
Lord God of the covenant,
we thank you for the gift of faith
in your Son Jesus Christ,
in the forgiveness and love
which he brought us from you.
All you let us touch and feel
is pure grace and a free gift.
Give us grateful hearts, Lord,
that recognize your goodness
in nature, in people around us,
and above all in your Son Jesus Christ,
who lives with you and with us now and for ever.
Responsorial Psalm
R. With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD;
LORD, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to my voice in supplication.
R. With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.
If you, O LORD, mark iniquities,
Lord, who can stand?
But with you is forgiveness,
that you may be revered.
R. With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.
I trust in the LORD;
my soul trusts in his word.
My soul waits for the LORD
more than sentinels wait for the dawn.
R. With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.
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
Woe to you, for you build monuments to the prophets your ancestors killed.
So you approve and agree with what your ancestors did. Is it not so? They got rid of the prophets, and you build monuments to them!
For that reason, the wisdom of God also said: I will send prophets and apostles, and these people will kill and persecute some of them.
But the present generation will have to answer for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the foundation of the world,
from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was murdered between the altar and the Sanctuary.
Yes, I tell you, the people of this time will have to answer for them all.
A curse is on you, teachers of the law, for you have taken the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you prevented others from entering.”
As Jesus left that place, the teachers of the law and the Pharisees began to harass him,
asking him endless questions, setting traps to catch him in something he might say.
Prayers of the Faithful
– For all who witness to the truth, that the Spirit may put the right words in their mouths, we pray:
– For all of us, that we may do our tasks in life honestly and with zeal, we pray:
– For all who celebrate the eucharist, that the Lord Jesus may make us trustworthy and authentic persons, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
God, loving Father,
what is there that we can give to you
which you have not given us first?
Accept these gifts
which you let our hands transform
into tokens of our gratitude.
And let us join in the thanks and praise
of your greatest gift to us,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Thankful for all you have given us,
we ask of you today
God, our loving Father:
make us, in turn, generous and liberal
to all whom we encounter in life.
As we have received freely from you,
may we learn to give with open hands and hearts,
without asking or waiting for a word of thanks,
and giving ourselves with our gifts,
as Jesus did, your Son,
who is our Lord for ever and ever.
Blessing
Let us thank God for all the graces he has given us, especially our faith and our Lord Jesus Christ among us. Let us also be grace and blessing to one another, with the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
REFLECTIONS
16 October 2025
Luke 11:47-54
Becoming a prophet or apostle is ‘dangerous’
Today, Jesus speaks strongly against those who build memorials for the prophets while at the same time rejecting their message. It is easier to honour a prophet of the past than to listen to a prophet in the present. Why? Because real prophets unsettle us; they reveal our arrogance and call us to change.
We often use three weapons against prophets. The first is ridicule: we mock or belittle the person who challenges us. The second is disregard: we simply ignore them, close our ears, and dismiss the message. The third is superiority: we shield ourselves with pride, saying, “Who are you to correct me?” But when we act like this, we close ourselves in a bubble and miss God’s invitation to conversion.
Jesus reminds us that every generation will be held accountable. Our words and actions matter; we cannot just wash our hands like Pilate. We are responsible before God and before our brothers and sisters. It is good to ask: what mistakes have I ignored or refused to own? Today the Lord calls us to put aside ego and arrogance, and to rediscover his merciful heart, which makes us new.
Finally, Jesus warns against blocking the way for others. Sometimes, without realizing it, we put ourselves at the center and draw people to ourselves rather than to Christ. We must remember that Christianity is not about following personalities, but about following Jesus. Our task is simple: live with humility, pray with sincerity, and keep pointing others to Him.
Let us then ask for the grace of simplicity, courage, and accountability. May we honor the prophets not only with words or memorials, but by welcoming their call to live in truth, justice, and love.
The danger of preaching the wrong Gospel
Today’s Gospel shows the rising tension between Jesus and the religious leaders. Jesus boldly calls out their hypocrisy—accusing them of honouring the prophets in word but rejecting God’s messengers in action. Just as their ancestors persecuted the prophets, they now seek to kill Jesus, showing their hearts remain unchanged.
This conflict highlights a deeper reality that would soon unfold: Jesus’ suffering and crucifixion. As Christians, we know the way of Christ involves walking the path of sacrifice, just as the prophets did. Luke reminds us that the mission of the Church is inseparable from the mission of Christ—a mission that inevitably leads to hardship and persecution.
The Pharisees, with their proficiency in the Torah, the “key of knowledge” – the Pentateuch - saw themselves as guardians of truth. Yet, they distorted God’s message, making faith a burden for others. Jesus’ critique is not just for them—it echoes for us today. Are we, as leaders, teachers, or even parents, making the Gospel more about rules than love? Are we living the Gospel we preach, or have we made it inaccessible to those we are called to serve?
The persecution of Christ didn’t end with His crucifixion. It continued with the apostles and the early Church, and it persists even now. We must ask ourselves: are we helping to reveal God’s merciful, loving face to the world, especially to the younger generation? Or have we, like the Pharisees, failed to communicate God’s true message of love and forgiveness? Let us reflect deeply on this call to authentic discipleship.