The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to contemplate our role as “apostles” of inclusion in the Body of Christ and how our actions can support our mission.
The Reading from the Letter to the Ephesians declares we are One in Christ.
The Gentiles are now included in God’s household (Eph 2:19) as it arises upon the foundation of apostles assisted by those endowed with the prophetic gift (Eph 3:5), the preachers of Christ (Eph 2:20; cf. 1 Cor 12:28). With Christ as the capstone (Eph 2:20; cf. Is 28:16; Mt 21:42), they are being built into the holy temple of God’s people where the divine presence dwells (Eph 2:21–22) (Ephesians, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB, n.d.)
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Psalm 19 proclaims how the heavenly elements of the world bespeak the power and wisdom of their creator.
* [Psalm 19] The heavenly elements of the world, now beautifully arranged, bespeak the power and wisdom of their creator (Ps 19:2–7). The creator’s wisdom is available to human beings in the law (Ps 19:8–11), toward which the psalmist prays to be open (Ps 19:12–14). The themes of light and speech unify the poem.
* [19:4] No speech, no words: the regular functioning of the heavens and the alternation of day and night inform human beings without words of the creator’s power and wisdom.
* [19:5] The sun: in other religious literature the sun is a judge and lawgiver since it sees all in its daily course; Ps 19:5b–7 form a transition to the law in Ps 19:8–11. The six synonyms for God’s revelation (Ps 19:8–11) are applied to the sun in comparable literature. (Psalms, PSALM 19 | USCCB, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus identifies apostles for The Mission.
* [6:13] He chose Twelve: the identification of this group as the Twelve is a part of early Christian tradition (see 1 Cor 15:5), and in Matthew and Luke, the Twelve are associated with the twelve tribes of Israel (Lk 22:29–30; Mt 19:28). After the fall of Judas from his position among the Twelve, the need is felt on the part of the early community to reconstitute this group before the Christian mission begins at Pentecost (Acts 1:15–26). From Luke’s perspective, they are an important group who because of their association with Jesus from the time of his baptism to his ascension (Acts 1:21–22) provide the continuity between the historical Jesus and the church of Luke’s day and who as the original eyewitnesses guarantee the fidelity of the church’s beliefs and practices to the teachings of Jesus (Lk 1:1–4). Whom he also named apostles: only Luke among the gospel writers attributes to Jesus the bestowal of the name apostles upon the Twelve. See note on Mt 10:2–4. “Apostle” becomes a technical term in early Christianity for a missionary sent out to preach the word of God. Although Luke seems to want to restrict the title to the Twelve (only in Acts 4:4, 14 are Paul and Barnabas termed apostles), other places in the New Testament show an awareness that the term was more widely applied (1 Cor 15:5–7; Gal 1:19; 1 Cor 1:1; 9:1; Rom 16:7). (Luke, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB, n.d.)
Rev. Jim Caime, SJ, comments that sometimes, even the Church, which should be home, can feel unfamiliar. At times, it even feels hostile — not a refuge, but a place where silence or judgment stings.
That’s why today’s reading from Ephesians doesn’t comfort me. It strikes a painful spot I’ve tried to numb: “You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but members of the household of God.” I want those words to be true. I want to feel at home in that household again. But lately, they touch a wound.
Maybe that’s what faith looks like when we’re honest — not the absence of doubt or hurt, but the willingness to stay open, even while wounded. Simon and Jude, quiet apostles whose names we barely remember, seemed to know that belonging isn’t something we earn or always feel. They belonged because they were called — because Jesus wanted them close. And maybe that’s where my hope rests, too: that even when I don’t feel at home, even in the Church, even in my country, I still belong to the One who calls me by name. (Caime, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “Jesus chose fishermen and tax collectors to be apostles,” by Ambrose of Milan, 339-397 A.D.
"It says, 'He called his disciples, and he chose twelve of them,' whom he appointed sowers of the faith, to spread the help of human salvation throughout the world. At the same time, observe the heavenly counsel. He chose not wise men, nor rich men, nor nobles, but fishermen and tax collectors, whom he would direct, lest they seem to have seduced some by wisdom, or bought them with riches, or attracted them to their own grace with the authority of power and nobility. He did this so that the reasoning of truth, not the grace of disputation, should prevail."(excerpt from EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 5.44) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 6:12-16 comments that Simon and Jude tell us that the Church is made up of many different individuals and ministries. We don’t always agree on everything. And sometimes we hardly agree on anything other than the fact that we love the Lord and his Church! But something amazing and beautiful happens when we come together as believers, whether to serve the needy, to witness to our faith, or to worship at Mass. We experience a unity that can only come from Jesus, the “capstone” of our faith (Ephesians 2:20).
Today, reflect on your view of believers who are different from you. How can you better respect their convictions and their love for Jesus? Maybe try to reach out to someone new after Mass this Sunday and strike up a conversation. Get to know them a bit. Ask the Spirit to help you see Christ in that person.
“Thank you, Lord, for the unity in diversity that is the hallmark of your Church!” (Meditation on Luke 6:12-16, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments that in Ephesians the author uses the example of being built into a structure. We together have become the dwelling place of the Spirit. Gentiles are told they are as sacred as the Jews. The call of the Twelve in Luke is preceded by Jesus praying (11 times in Luke’s Gospel ) to discern the Will of the Father and observe it. Friar Jude reminds us of apostles who turned from a political solution to Jesus, according to Father’s will following the Way we will be saved.
Fr. Mike Schmitz reflects on our reading from Sirach and what we have already learned on this journey through the Bible. He emphasizes that Scripture encourages us to rise again from our sin and return to God, because our God always picks us up again with his mercy. Today’s readings are 2 Maccabees 4, Sirach 47-49, and Proverbs 24:13-16.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces priest and poet Ernesto Cardenal shares the insights of a small Christian community in Nicaragua, where everyday people reflect on the meaning of Jesus’ transfiguration, especially his conversation with Moses and Elijah.
They asked me [the priest] why Moses and Elijah appeared, and I said that Moses was the great liberator of the people, that he brought them out of Egyptian slavery, and Elijah was a great prophet, a defender of the poor and the oppressed, when Israel again fell into slavery, with social classes. Both of them were closely identified with the Messiah, for it had been said that the Messiah would be a second Moses and that Elijah would come back to earth to denounce injustices as a precursor of the Messiah (and Jesus said that Elijah had already arrived in the person of John the Baptist).
We acknowledge the Mission of Jesus to bring life to all people and implore the inspiration of the Spirit to fulfill our Baptismal Anointing as priest, prophet, and leader.
References
Caime, J. (n.d.). Daily Reflections. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved October 28, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-october-28-2025
Ephesians, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved October 28, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/ephesians/2?19
Luke, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved October 28, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/6?12
Meditation on Luke 6:12-16. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved October 28, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/10/28/1416017/
Psalms, PSALM 19 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved October 28, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/19?2
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved October 28, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/jesus-ancestors/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Jesus Chose Twelve Apostles. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved October 28, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=oct28a
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