Gospel: September 24, 2025
September 24, 2025 (Wednesday)
25th Week in Ordinary Time
Psalter: Week 1 / (Green)
Tobit 13:2, 3-4a, 4befghn, 7-8
Blessed be God, who lives forever.
1st Reading: Ezra 9:5-9
Gospel: Luke 9:1-6
Then Jesus called his Twelve disciples and gave them power and authority to drive out all evil spirits and to heal diseases. And he sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He instructed them, “Don’t take anything for the journey, neither staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and don’t even take a spare tunic. Whatever house you enter, remain there until you leave that place. And wherever they don’t welcome you, leave the town and shake the dust from your feet: it will be as a testimony against them.” So they set out, and went through the villages, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.
Reflection:
“God has not abandoned us.”
“In the midst of our slavery, God has not abandoned us.” The Easter Exsultet contrasts the slavery in Egypt to the slavery to sin, showing how God did not abandon his people in their plight, but brought them to freedom. The Hebrews were led to freedom by passing through the Red Sea dry shod. Christ leads us to the freedom of the children of God by passing through the waters of baptism, which is a sharing in his death and resurrection. However, even after our baptism, we can still be held captive by the sorrowful experiences of life. Our sense of new freedom n Christ can be constrained by injustice, pain or sin. Yet, “in the midst of our slavery, God has not abandoned us.” Just as God was with his people in the desert and later in their years of captivity in Babylon, so God is with us in our experiences of trial. He never leaves us. That’s what the disciples were charged to tell the people: that God’s rule, his kingdom, touches every moment of our lives. Lord, when we are facing serious difficulties in life, help us to know that you are supporting us in your love.
