October 3, 2025 // Friday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: Luke 10:13-16

Reflect on the Word // 

“If you don’t stop eating those chocolates, I’ll break your other arm!” At age twelve, I was not alarmed by my mom’s unconventional, overly-dramatic “threats.” I was used to it. But as she left my hospital bedside, nurses whispered, casting disapproving looks toward her back.  Later, one returned to interrogate me as to how I’d really broken my wrist. I answered truthfully with the same explanation my mom had already given. Because of the love relationship between us, their judgment toward my mother felt like personal judgment of me. When they rejected her, they rejected me.

This childhood experience comes to mind when I ponder the love relationship between Jesus and His disciples. He says, “Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me” (Luke 10:16). Because He loves them deeply and has conformed His disciples so closely to Himself, Jesus takes rejection of them personally. He identifies so closely with His disciples that when they are rejected, He considers Himself rejected too. His unity with God the Father (the One Who sent Him) in relation to us is an added source of strength and consolation for us. And from the Father and the Son, we are sent the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus draws us into His identity in the Sacraments. The Trinity comes to dwell in us at Baptism. We consume the very Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus in the Eucharist. We are strengthened by the Holy Spirit at Confirmation and are then sent out to bear witness to Christ. Our one task is to remain faithful. When we’re listened to, we know they’ve listened to Him, and we can bear any rejection because we’re united with Him in the Holy Trinity. 

Relate to the Lord // How can you remain faithful today?