Why Grumble?

Tuesday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Philippians 2:5-11

Brothers and sisters:
Have among yourselves the same attitude 
that is also yours in Christ Jesus,
Who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
something to be grasped.
Rather, he emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
coming in human likeness;
and, found human in appearance,
he humbled himself,
becoming obedient to death,
even death on a cross.
Because of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 22:26b-27, 28-30ab, 30e, 31-32

R. (26a) I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
I will fulfill my vows before those who fear him.
The lowly shall eat their fill;    
they who seek the LORD shall praise him:
“May your hearts be ever merry!”
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
All the ends of the earth
shall remember and turn to the LORD;
All the families of the nations
shall bow down before him.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people. 
For dominion is the LORD’s,
 and he rules the nations.
To him alone shall bow down
all who sleep in the earth.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
To him my soul shall live;
my descendants shall serve him.
Let the coming generation be told of the LORD
that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born
the justice he has shown.
R.  I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
 

 

 

Alleluia Matthew 11:28

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Luke 14:15-24

One of those at table with Jesus said to him,
“Blessed is the one who will dine in the Kingdom of God.”
He replied to him,
“A man gave a great dinner to which he invited many.
When the time for the dinner came,
he dispatched his servant to say to those invited,
‘Come, everything is now ready.’
But one by one, they all began to excuse themselves.
The first said to him,
‘I have purchased a field and must go to examine it;
I ask you, consider me excused.’
And another said, ‘I have purchased five yoke of oxen
and am on my way to evaluate them;
I ask you, consider me excused.’
And another said, ‘I have just married a woman,
and therefore I cannot come.’
The servant went and reported this to his master.
Then the master of the house in a rage commanded his servant,
‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town
and bring in here the poor and the crippled, the blind and the lame.’
The servant reported, ‘Sir, your orders have been carried out
and still there is room.’
The master then ordered the servant,
‘Go out to the highways and hedgerows
and make people come in that my home may be filled.
For, I tell you, none of those men who were invited will taste my dinner.’”

- - -

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.

Why Grumble?

November 4, 2026 // Memorial of Saint Charles Borromeo, Bisho

Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s First Reading: Philippians 2:12-18 

Reflect on the Word // 

Meal planning, cleaning toilets, scrubbing the shower. Among all my homemaking duties, those three usually elicit a grumble from me. It’s not a matter of having the right tools for the tasks; it’s more like needing to apply a “just do it” attitude to my chores. 

But I don’t often do them without a fuss. I’m annoyed that chores interrupt what I’d prefer to be doing, or what seems more worthwhile. This morning, for example, I wanted to pray quietly, but my son broke the silence telling me we’re almost out of milk, reminding me that I have a grocery list to write.

Being at peace with tedious tasks and interruptions is not easy, so I’m grateful for the reminder from today’s First Reading to do everything without grumbling (see Philippians 2:14). Whether it’s my meal planning, an unexpected call, or something more serious like an ill family member, the work to be done is an occasion to cooperate with God’s will. The interruptions are the work to which He calls me. As C.S. Lewis wrote to a friend: “The truth is of course that what one calls the interruptions are precisely one’s real life—the life God is sending one day by day” (The Collected Letters of CS Lewis, p 595). 

My grocery list shouldn’t be treated like an interruption. Feeding my family well is part of my vocation. All my chores are the work God asks me to do; if I believe that, there should be no reason to grumble.

Perhaps I should be more grateful to know His will so clearly! 

As Saint Paul wrote, God is at work in us (see Philippians 2:13). Each chore, appointment, and unexpected situation which we consider an interruption offers us a chance to cooperate with His will. The less we grumble, the more we can lean into His grace and shine His light around us in all we do.

Relate to the Lord // Read about the life of Saint Charles Borromeo. Pray for the grace to work without tiring or grumbling, as he did.

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