You Belong in the Household of God

Tuesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Ephesians 5:21-33

Brothers and sisters:
Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord.
For the husband is head of his wife
just as Christ is head of the Church,
he himself the savior of the Body.
As the Church is subordinate to Christ,
so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives,
even as Christ loved the Church
and handed himself over for her to sanctify her,
cleansing her by the bath of water with the word,
that he might present to himself the Church in splendor,
without spot or wrinkle or any such thing,
that she might be holy and without blemish.
So also husbands should love their wives as their own bodies.
He who loves his wife loves himself.
For no one hates his own flesh
but rather nourishes and cherishes it,
even as Christ does the Church,
because we are members of his Body.

For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother
and be joined to his wife,
and the two shall become one flesh.

This is a great mystery,
but I speak in reference to Christ and the Church.
In any case, each one of you should love his wife as himself,
and the wife should respect her husband.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5

R. (1a) Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Blessed are you who fear the LORD,
who walk in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
Your children like olive plants
around your table.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Alleluia See Matthew 11:25

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 Luke 13:18-21

Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like?
To what can I compare it?
It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden.
When it was fully grown, it became a large bush
and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.”

Again he said, “To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God?
It is like yeast that a woman took
and mixed in with three measures of wheat flour
until the whole batch of dough was leavened.”

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Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

October 28, 2026 // Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles

Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s First Reading: Ephesians 2:19-22

Reflect on the Word //

When my kids were small, we lived in an amazing neighborhood on the north side of Chicago. There were many young families in our parish, and we all lived within walking distance. These were truly beautiful, special years in our life—strollers parked in the back of church every Sunday, walking to the park to chat while the kids played, meeting up to discuss books and life, celebrating liturgical seasons together and learning how to cultivate rich faith traditions in our homes.

In today’s First Reading, Saint Paul says, “You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone” (Ephesians 2:19-20). The community we built in our parish, because it was rooted in Christ, became our spiritual home. We belonged. And because of that, even as people moved away, our friendships remained strong. We continue, even years later, to turn to each other in joy and sorrow, for support and encouragement, because we know the Spirit dwells among us.

This remains in my mind and heart as my children grow older. I pray all the time that Jesus will be present in our home and in our relationships with each other. My prayer is that our home will be such a powerful “dwelling place of God in the Spirit” (see Ephesians 2:22) that even when my kids have grown up and moved out, they will know their identity in Christ and in our family.

What if we made it our business to make sure everyone in our parish had the opportunity to feel that same sense of safety and belonging? I can imagine what the world would look like if each follower of Christ knew their membership in the household of the Lord, not just theoretically, but through the radical love of intentional, in-person love and community. It would look a lot like holding one another up and growing together into “a temple sacred in the Lord” (Ephesians 2:21).

Relate to the Lord // Think of one concrete way you can help someone feel welcomed at your parish this Sunday. Pray for the Holy Spirit to guide you.

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About Elizabeth Blanke Show

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Elizabeth Blanke Show is a remarried widow and mama to seven beautiful kiddos. She is passionate about creating community, and loves gathering people to share meals and music in her home. She also loves spending time in nature and exploring new places. You can find her on Instagram @elizaraxi.