Delighting in the Kingdom

Monday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Ephesians 4:32–5:8

Brothers and sisters:
Be kind to one another, compassionate,
forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.

Be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love,
as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us
as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma.
Immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you,
as is fitting among holy ones,
no obscenity or silly or suggestive talk, which is out of place,
but instead, thanksgiving.
Be sure of this, that no immoral or impure or greedy person,
that is, an idolater,
has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God.

Let no one deceive you with empty arguments,
for because of these things
the wrath of God is coming upon the disobedient.
So do not be associated with them.
For you were once darkness,
but now you are light in the Lord.
Live as children of light. 

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4, 6

R. (see Eph. 5:1) Behave like God as his very dear children.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Behave like God as his very dear children.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Behave like God as his very dear children.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Behave like God as his very dear children.

Alleluia John 17:17b, 17a

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Your word, O Lord, is truth;
consecrate us in the truth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel  Luke 13:10-17

Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath.
And a woman was there who for eighteen years
had been crippled by a spirit;
she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect.
When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said,
“Woman, you are set free of your infirmity.”
He laid his hands on her,
and she at once stood up straight and glorified God.
But the leader of the synagogue,
indignant that Jesus had cured on the sabbath,
said to the crowd in reply,
“There are six days when work should be done.
Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath day.”
The Lord said to him in reply, “Hypocrites!
Does not each one of you on the sabbath
untie his ox or his ass from the manger
and lead it out for watering?
This daughter of Abraham,
whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now,
ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath day
from this bondage?”
When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated;
and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him.

- - -

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.

Delighting in the Kingdom

October 27, 2026  // Tuesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: Luke 13:18-21

Reflect on the Word //

The earliest memory I have of experiencing delight was when my father crafted a koi pond in our backyard. Though I was only five years old, I still remember the day he built it. It started small. One shovel full of dirt became twenty, then one hundred, until a giant hole formed where there used to be level ground. With intentionality, I watched my father carefully place the rock and foliage, and with great joy, the new thriving ecosystem was complete. 

I would sit beside that pond for hours. Merrily humming a song, I would let myself be mesmerized by the rings in the water, as the fish danced underneath the surface. I fondly remember the feeling of koi nibbling my fingers and begging my father to feed them just one more time. I hoped I could catch a glimpse to see how many speckles were on each fish. I delighted in what my father had made. 

In today’s Gospel, Jesus offers a child-like parable to describe the Kingdom of God. “It is like a mustard seed,” He says (Luke 13:19). When sown in the ground, the little mustard seed will grow. It will become a tree and even be able to offer the birds of the air a place to nest (see Luke 13:19). Like a seed, by God’s very own design, His Kingdom is meant to grow. 

In God’s perfect plan, every living thing within His boundaries would not only find refuge, but be the recipients of abundant life. And suddenly, my childhood backyard would serve as a beautiful image of the Lord’s intentions for those who delight in Him—to wondrously enjoy the work of His hands. 

It is a privilege to be in the Kingdom of God—to live and move and have our being (see Acts 17:28) within the borders of His love. It is also a great blessing to watch as the Father builds His Kingdom. Every detail, for our good and for His glory. We have permission to delight in Jesus as we behold Him renewing the face of the earth and His Kingdom becoming “fully grown” (Luke 13:19). 

Relate to the Lord // Think of a moment recently when you experienced delight in something you made. Now think about how the Lord delights in His handiwork–including you!

Share:

Go Deeper

Products to help your prayer life & relationship with Jesus 🙏🏽

Fully Alive Advent Bundle
-20%
Bundle
5.0
Fully Alive Advent Bundle
Sale price $ 1,583.00
Regular price $ 1,979.00
Dark brown wall crucifix with a white corpus of Christ mounted on a textured wall, softly lit above blurred flowers in a peaceful Catholic setting
-18%
4.6
Wall Crucifix // 12 inch
Sale price $ 848.00
Regular price $ 1,037.00
Catholic Compact Journaling Bible in a bright orange cover held by hand among lush green leaves for prayer and journaling on the go
Hand holding the Blessed Mother Rosary
Do Whatever He Tells You (John 2:5 Poster) - Blessed Is She Posters & Prints
-50%
4.5
Do Whatever He Tells You — John 2:5 (24x36)
Sale price $ 330.00
Regular price $ 660.00

Before You Go…

Here are a few more posts you might love:

Living in the Light
He Knows
Seek His Face
Rooted and Grounded in Love
The Worthwhile Price of Wisdom
He Is Our Peace
You are God’s Masterpiece