The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to understand more deeply our role as siblings of Jesus in living with love and compassion in all the times of our life.
The Reading from the Book of Ecclesiastes suggests No One Can Determine the Right Time to Act.
* [3:1–8] The fourteen pairs of opposites describe various human activities. The poem affirms that God has determined the appropriate moment or “time” for each. Human beings cannot know that moment; further, the wider course of events and purposes fixed by God are beyond them as well.
* [3:11] The timeless: others translate “eternity,” “the world,” or “darkness.” The author credits God with keeping human beings ignorant about God’s “work”—present and future. (Ecclesiastes, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 144 reflects a ceremony to ask for God’s help.
* [Psalm 144] The Psalm may reflect a ceremony in which the king, as leader of the army, asked God’s help (Ps 144:1–8). In Ps 144:9 the poem shifts abruptly from pleading to thanksgiving, and (except for Ps 144:11) shifts again to prayer for the people. The first section (Ps 144:1–2) is a prayer of thanks for victory; the second (Ps 144:3–7a), a humble acknowledgment of human nothingness and a supplication that God show forth saving power; the third (Ps 144:9–11), a promise of future thanksgiving; the fourth (Ps 144:12–15), a wish for prosperity and peace. A prayer for deliverance from treacherous foes serves as a refrain after the second and third sections (Ps 144:7b–8, 11). Except for its final section, the Psalm is made up almost entirely of verses from other Psalms. (Psalms, PSALM 144 | USCCB, n.d.)
The Gospel of Luke presents Peter’s Confession About Jesus.
* [9:18–22] This incident is based on Mk 8:27–33, but Luke has eliminated Peter’s refusal to accept Jesus as suffering Son of Man (Mk 8:32) and the rebuke of Peter by Jesus (Mk 8:33). Elsewhere in the gospel, Luke softens the harsh portrait of Peter and the other apostles found in his Marcan source (cf. Lk 22:39–46, which similarly lacks a rebuke of Peter that occurs in the source, Mk 14:37–38).
* [9:18] When Jesus was praying in solitude: see note on Lk 3:21.
* [9:20] The Messiah of God: on the meaning of this title in first-century Palestinian Judaism, see notes on Lk 2:11 and on Mt 16:13–20 and Mk 8:27–30. (Luke, CHAPTER 9 | USCCB, n.d.)
Carol Zuegner comments that the passage from Ecclesiastes in today's first reading became a folk-rock musical hit in the 1960’s. (“Turn, Turn, Turn” by the Byrds).
From the time the words were first written in the Old Testament, to the turbulent 1960s to today, the words remind us of the cyclical nature of life, and how we can hold out hope for what’s to come. Life has times that we mourn and times that we dance. What is constant is God and God’s love for us through all of these times. The words also remind me of what precious gifts we have in time and life, how blessed we are to feel sadness and joy.
In the Gospel reading from Luke, Jesus is praying in solitude with the apostles. A time to pray. Jesus is thinking of what’s to come with his crucifixion and resurrection. His time was short, but he knew what was to come. We don’t know what will come, but we can trust in God that there will be times of sowing and reaping, of laughter and of tears. We can make the most of the time we have to be good stewards of the lives we have. We can have faith in God and hope for peace in our own lives, the lives of others and the world. (Zuegner, 2026)
Don Schwager quotes “Peter confesses that Jesus is God's Anointed Son and Savior of all,” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).
"You see the skillfulness of the question. He [Jesus] did not at once say, 'Who do you say that I am?' He refers to the rumor of those that were outside their company. Then, having rejected it and shown it unsound, he might bring them back to the true opinion. It happened that way. When the disciples had said, 'Some, John the Baptist, and others, Elijah, and others, that some prophet of those in old time has risen up,' he said to them, 'But you, who do you say that I am?' Oh! how full of meaning is that word you! He separates them from all others, that they may also avoid the opinions of others. In this way, they will not conceive an unworthy idea about him or entertain confused and wavering thoughts. Then they will not also imagine that John had risen again, or one of the prophets. 'You,' he says, 'who have been chosen,' who by my decree have been called to the apostleship, who are the witnesses of my miracles. Who do you say that I am?'"(excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 49) (Schwager, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winker comments that we remember Qoheleth or the Preacher in Ecclesiastes is trying to attack the idea that God has it a determined role for us but rather we should follow the rhythm of life and as we age we do see some of that as our forms of prayer change quite a bit and we understand better and follow the rhythm of what we can do. In the Gospel Jesus asks the disciples “Who do people say He is ?” Peter responds that Jesus is The Christ (Messiah) of the Lord. But Jesus is connecting himself to the Suffering Servant and vocabulary from the Songs of the Suffering Servant. Friar Jude notes that this means Jesus is not the conquering hero to rescue Israel but the one who suffers on the Cross.
The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 9:18-22 comments that over time, as Peter and the others matured in their faith, they understood more clearly who Jesus is and exactly what kind of Messiah and Savior he would become.
Today, let Jesus ask you, “Who do you say that I am?” Take the time to sit in his presence, maybe with your Bible, and let him help you answer that question. As your knowledge of Jesus deepens, your foundation will be connected ever deeper, right down to the bedrock!
“Jesus, you are my firm foundation. Help me root myself deeply in you.” (Meditation on Luke 9:18-22, n.d.)
Father Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces activists Ken Butigan and Patricia Bruno who understand faith to be the center of all healing works of nonviolence. Nonviolence is a vocation to which Christians are called.
Our vocation as Christians is to respond to God’s call to join in the divine dance of compassionate and nonviolent love, collaborating with God’s healing power to fashion the conditions for true peace. In this spirit, we are called to a ministry of active nonviolence in our homes, in our work-places, in our churches, in the streets, in the larger world, and in our own selves. This means that nonviolence is not simply a tool or a tactic. It is a spiritual journey that, with God’s love, overturns the violence system in our own lives and in the life of the world….
To engage in active nonviolence is both an act of faith in the God of Love and a way of experiencing the God of Love. (Rohr, n.d.)
We petition the Holy Spirit to enlighten our understanding of the “seasons” of our life and support our mission as examples of Jesus' Way in challenging times.
References
Ecclesiastes, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 25, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/ecclesiastes/3?
Luke, CHAPTER 9 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved September 25, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/9?18
Meditation on Luke 9:18-22. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved September 25, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/09/25/1677241/
Psalms, PSALM 144 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 25, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/144?1
Rohr, R. (n.d.). God of Love, Act of Faith. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 25, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/god-of-love-act-of-faith/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Who Do You Say That Jesus Is? Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 25, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?
Zuegner, C. (2026, September 25). Daily Reflection September 25, 2026 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved September 25, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-september-25-2026
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