Peace to the Household

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today, Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church, offer a glimpse at the Way of Life that siblings of Jesus are called to embrace.

The Way to Peace

The Reading from the Book of Job proclaims the background to Job seeking a future vindicator.

* [19:23–24] What Job is about to say is so important that he wants it recorded in a permanent manner.

* [19:25–27] The meaning of this passage is obscure because the original text has been poorly preserved and the ancient versions do not agree among themselves. Job asserts three times that he shall see a future vindicator (Hebrew goel), but he leaves the time and manner of this vindication undefined. The Vulgate translation has Job indicating a belief in resurrection after death, but the Hebrew and the other ancient versions are less specific. (Job, BOOK of JOB | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 27 proclaims “I believe” echoing “I trust” .

* [Psalm 27] Tradition has handed down the two sections of the Psalm (Ps 27:1–6; 7–14) as one Psalm, though each part could be understood as complete in itself… In part B there is a clear shift in tone (Ps 27:7–12); the climax of the poem comes with “I believe” (Ps 27:13), echoing “I trust” (Ps 27:3).

* [27:13] In the land of the living: or “in the land of life,” an epithet of the Jerusalem Temple (Ps 52:7; 116:9; Is 38:11), where the faithful had access to the life-giving presence of God. (Psalms, PSALM 27 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus prepares the Mission of the Seventy-two.

* [10:1–12] Only the Gospel of Luke contains two episodes in which Jesus sends out his followers on a mission: the first (Lk 9:1–6) is based on the mission in Mk 6:6b–13 and recounts the sending out of the Twelve; here in Lk 10:1–12 a similar report based on Q becomes the sending out of seventy-two in this gospel. The episode continues the theme of Jesus preparing witnesses to himself and his ministry. These witnesses include not only the Twelve but also the seventy-two who may represent the Christian mission in Luke’s own day. Note that the instructions given to the Twelve and to the seventy-two are similar and that what is said to the seventy-two in Lk 10:4 is directed to the Twelve in Lk 22:35.

* [10:1] Seventy[-two]: important representatives of the Alexandrian and Caesarean text types read “seventy,” while other important Alexandrian texts and Western readings have “seventy-two.”

* [10:4] Carry no money bag…greet no one along the way: because of the urgency of the mission and the singlemindedness required of missionaries, attachment to material possessions should be avoided and even customary greetings should not distract from the fulfillment of the task.

* [10:5] First say, ‘Peace to this household’: see notes on Lk 2:14 and Mt 10:13.

* [10:6] A peaceful person: literally, “a son of peace.” (Luke, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB, n.d.)

Edward Morse comments that great and weighty trials may not be a regular feature of our daily sphere of action. But consider today’s memorial saint – Therese of the Child Jesus – whose embrace of the “little way” shows how devotion in the seemingly mundane is of great importance to the kingdom of God. Mothers (like my dear wife) who must deal with daily household chores, the needs of small children (and grandchildren), and the supportive care of others show stoutheartedness in their tender care.

Stoutheartedness grows through challenges that stretch us beyond our comfort zones. As we ponder the stouthearted way, let us consider how to move beyond our trust in the familiar (our resources, proven skills, and talents) toward greater reliance on the Lord’s goodness and character. He is sending us to bring the love and power of Christ into a world full of naysayers and doubters – just as someone else did for us. That could be a missionary journey, or it could be right in your workplace or even your family home. Remember that our Vindicator is always nearby, ready to raise us up to stand together with Him, even in the midst of the dust. Thanks be to God. (Morse, 2026)

Don Schwager quotes “Jesus the Good Shepherd changes wolves into sheep”, by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD)

"How then does [Jesus] command the holy apostles, who are innocent men and 'sheep,' to seek the company of wolves, and go to them of their own will? Is not the danger apparent? Are they not set up as ready prey for their attacks? How can a sheep prevail over a wolf? How can one so peaceful conquer the savageness of beasts of prey? 'Yes,' he says, 'for they all have me as their Shepherd: small and great, people and princes, teachers and students. I will be with you, help you, and deliver you from all evil. I will tame the savage beasts. I will change wolves into sheep, and I will make the persecutors become the helpers of the persecuted. I will make those who wrong my ministers to be sharers in their pious designs. I make and unmake all things, and nothing can resist my will.'" (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 61) (Schwager, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winker comments on the texts for today. Job cries out for pity declaring the hand of God has struck him. But friends connect his misfortune to sin and they become his tormentors. Job wants to indicate he is unfairly injured. He seeks a vindicator (Hebrew goel) who is a person to help in your distress and need. Job is seeking God in the flesh, unlike the idea of Sheol. Job declares a resurrection of the dead. That is an idea initially expressed after the Exile. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus appoints 72 as disciples based on the 72 elders in the Hebrew Testament chosen to assist Moses Jesus exhorts them to Trust in Providence. God will take care of them. They are instructed to depend on the hospitality of those who welcome them, people who are doing good things. Friar Jude notes that Rejection of the Kingdom is a decision to exist outside the Kingdom. We get what we ask for when we sin: loneliness, alienation, this is the worst consequence.

The Word Among Us Meditation on Psalm 27:7-9, 13-14 comments that when we go through trials and sufferings, it’s often wise to ask what we could do differently. For example, a health crisis might prompt us to take better care of our bodies, or a strained relationship might lead us to be more patient with our loved ones. But there are some trials that can’t be resolved by new resolutions. In a special way, these challenges invite us to lean on the Lord more fully.

Just as Job and the psalmist believed that their trials would come to an end, you can be certain that yours will, too, whether in this life or in the next. As you walk through them now, you can also be sure that God is walking with you. He is faithful in every season of your life. So even today, you can see his “good things”—in the peace that he gives you, in his mercy, and in his promise to remain with you.

So join the psalmist in proclaiming, “I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord. I believe that I can experience his presence and his peace. I believe that I can draw from the abundant provision that he provides—right here and right now.”

“Lord, I trust in your goodness and mercy.” (Meditation on Psalm 27:7-9, 13-14, 2026)

Dorothy Day, cofounder of the Catholic Worker, had a deep attachment to Thérèse of Lisieux for her “little way” to God, which was open to all, including people living in poverty. Day writes of Thérèse’s widespread appeal.

What stands out in her life? Her holiness of course, and the holiness of her entire family. That is not an ordinary thing in this day of post-war materialism [and] delinquency….

With governments becoming stronger and more centralized, the common [person] feels [their] ineffectiveness. When the whole world seems given over to preparedness for war and the show of force, the message of Therese is quite a different one.

She speaks to our condition. Is the atom a small thing? And yet what havoc it has wrought. Is her little way a small contribution to the life of the spirit? It has all the power of the spirit of Christianity behind it. It is an explosive force that can transform our lives and the life of the world, once put into effect….

One can state that this saint, of this day, is releasing a force, a spiritual force, upon the world to counteract that fear and that disaster. We know that one impulse of grace is of infinitely more power than a cobalt bomb. Therese has said, “All is grace.”

She declared, “I will spend my heaven doing good upon earth.” “I will raise up a mighty host of little saints.” “My mission is to make God loved, to make Love loved.” (Day, n.d.)

We contemplate the image and vision of our mission in the texts today and seek the fortitude of the Spirit to inspire our persistence as disciples on the Way.

References

Day, D. (n.d.). A Saint for the Masses. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved October 1, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/a-saint-for-the-masses/ 

Job, BOOK of JOB | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved October 1, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/job/19?21 

Luke, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved October 1, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/10?1 

Meditation on Psalm 27:7-9, 13-14. (2026, October 1). The Word Among Us. Retrieved October 1, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/10/01/1685601/ 

Morse, E. (2026, October 1). Daily Reflection October 1, 2026 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved October 1, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-october-1-2026 

Psalms, PSALM 27 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved October 1, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/27? 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). The Kingdom of God Has Come near to You. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved October 1, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Sufficiency and Sacrifice

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to evaluate how we determine the level of sufficiency we maintain and our trust in Providence to supply what we need.

Memorial of Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest

The Book of Proverbs offers a prayer against lying words and for sufficiency of goods.

* [30:5–6] Verse 5, like the confession of the king in Ps 18:31 (and its parallel, 2 Sm 22:31), expresses total confidence in the one who rescues from death. Agur has refused a word from any other except God and makes an act of trust in God.

* [30:7–9] A prayer against lying words and for sufficiency of goods, lest reaction to riches or destitution lead to offenses against God. (Proverbs, CHAPTER 30 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 119 delights in the law’s consolations, begs for wisdom to understand the precepts.

* [Psalm 119] This Psalm, the longest by far in the Psalter, praises God for giving such splendid laws and instruction for people to live by. The author glorifies and thanks God for the Torah, prays for protection from sinners enraged by others’ fidelity to the law, laments the cost of obedience, delights in the law’s consolations, begs for wisdom to understand the precepts, and asks for the rewards of keeping them. (Psalms, PSALM 119 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Luke advocates relying on Providence in The Mission of the Twelve

* [9:1–6] Armed with the power and authority that Jesus himself has been displaying in the previous episodes, the Twelve are now sent out to continue the work that Jesus has been performing throughout his Galilean ministry: (1) proclaiming the kingdom (Lk 4:43; 8:1); (2) exorcising demons (Lk 4:33–37, 41; 8:26–39) and (3) healing the sick (Lk 4:38–40; 5:12–16, 17–26; 6:6–10; 7:1–10, 17, 22; Lk 8:40–56).

* [9:3] Take nothing for the journey: the absolute detachment required of the disciple (Lk 14:33) leads to complete reliance on God (Lk 12:22–31).

* [9:5] Shake the dust from your feet: see note on Mt 10:14. (Luke, CHAPTER 9 | USCCB, n.d.)

Nancy Shirley explains that we can forgive yet still expect accountability for the transgression.

As we say the Our Father at every mass, the idea of asking for forgiveness of our trespasses is contingent upon us forgiving those who have trespassed against us. Thus, we must forgive to be forgiven. It is a challenge for me at times to know if I have actually forgiven as I still remember very well the “trespass.” Yet, I do not seek retribution for the act, rather just a feeling of wanting to shake the dust from my feet and move on and no longer include this person as part of my life. The struggle is real and the solution allusive to me still. I want to be loving and forgiving but my humanness does not want to expose myself again to the hurt or damages caused by the person. The question remains to me: can I forgive seventy-seven times and still shake the dust and walk away?

As I was thinking about a song to connect to this reflection, I thought of the song about being a nobody trying to tell everybody about somebody. I got into the car and the first song on K-Love was the very song I was considering. Another God-wink!! Here it is …

Nobody by Casting Crowns (Shirley, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Jesus gave power and authority to his apostles,” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).

"The grace bestowed upon the holy apostles is worthy of all admiration. But the bountifulness of the Giver surpasses all praise and admiration. He gives them, as I said, his own glory. They receive authority over the evil spirits. They reduce to nothing the pride of the devil that was so highly exalted and arrogant. They render ineffectual the demon's wickedness. By the might and efficacy of the Holy Spirit, burning them as if they were on fire, they make the devil come forth with groans and weeping from those whom he had possessed... He glorified his disciples, therefore, by giving them authority and power over the evil spirits and over sicknesses. Did he honor them without reason and make them famous without any logical cause? How can this be true? It was necessary, most necessary, that they should be able to work miracles, having been publicly appointed ministers of sacred proclamations. By means of their works, they then could convince men that they were the ministers of God and mediators of all beneath the heaven. The apostles then could invite them all to reconciliation and justification by faith and point out the way of salvation and of life that is this justification." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 47) (Schwager, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments in the passage from Proverbs today the first grouping of the text are the words of God and the direction to hold to them. The author offers a prayer not to have too much, not too little but only what he needs. The Gospel presents the mandate to the Apostles to take nothing and God will provide. In Luke, trust in Providence is part of reaching out to the anawim, those excluded from the society. Friar Jude notes that Apostles should become anawim to trust in God and know you will not make it without Him.

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 9:1-6 comments that the message of Jesus, of the apostles, and of the Church is twofold. First, “The kingdom of God is at hand!” Everyone welcomes that exciting news. But then comes the call: “Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15). Change your heart. Turn away from sin. Humble yourself before the Lord.

This is where we get caught. We forget that we are sinners. We forget that Jesus came to take away our sins—and to do it not by himself but very much with our cooperation. Or we forget that repentance is a lifelong pursuit as we continue to learn more about ourselves and the areas of our lives that we might try to shield from the Lord.

But God is persistent. And he is patient. The key is to not close the door on him abruptly when you feel resistance in your heart. Instead, let him in and just listen. Give him the chance to show you the freedom that comes when you repent and believe!

“Lord, help me to welcome you into all aspects of my life.” (Meditation on Luke 9:1-6, n.d.)

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, reminds us that embodying nonviolence requires facing the structures of violence in our culture, church, and world. We seem to have assumed that the individual must live the gospel but that the corporate church doesn’t have to. We Christians expected individuals to be poor while the institution remained rich. This cannot be right. We have to live the gospel not just individually but institutionally, socially, and corporately.

Having traveled and taught in many countries, I have learned to recognize many of the beautiful aspects of the United States. We have historically enjoyed many privileges in terms of freedom, education, and resources. Yet I have also seen America’s shadow side, particularly our insistence on individuality. If our prayer journey does not lead us to a collective sense of servanthood and responsibility for the world, I think we will have failed in our willingness to deal with the violence of the world. I think the violence will continue as long as much of the world views us as a part of an oppressive system. In many respects, they’re not wrong! Only one thing is more difficult to deal with than the individual ego, and that’s the corporate ego, which is usually more disguised, protected, and denied. Unless we’re willing to face it, we will continue to participate in cycles of anger, hatred, and violence rather than healing and justice. [1] (Rohr, n.d.)

Richard ties our acceptance of violence to the belief that Jesus’s violent death was necessary for God to forgive us:

Our commonly accepted atonement theory—especially as accomplished through the life, suffering, and death of Jesus—reaffirmed our narrow notion of retributive justice and legitimated a notion of “good and necessary violence” all the way down. As long as we employ any retributive notion of God’s justice, we trade our distinctive Christian message for the cold, hard justice that has prevailed in most cultures throughout history. We offer no redemptive alternative to history but actually sanctify the very “powers and principalities” that Paul says unduly control the world (Ephesians 3:9–10, 6:12). We stay inside of what some call the “myth of redemptive violence,” which might just be the dominant story line of history. [2] (Rohr, n.d.)

We seek the consolation of the Spirit as we work through our motivation to work with Christ in the environment of our community to be apostles of faith, hope, and love.

References

Luke, CHAPTER 9 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved September 23, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/9?1 

Meditation on Luke 9:1-6. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved September 23, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/09/23/1674954/ 

Proverbs, CHAPTER 30 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 23, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/proverbs/30? 

Psalms, PSALM 119 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 23, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/119? 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Corporate Violence Met by Corporate Good. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 23, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/corporate-violence-met-by-corporate-good/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Jesus Gave Them Authority over All Demons and Diseases. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 23, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/? 

Shirley, N. (n.d.). Daily Reflection September 23, 2026 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved September 23, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-september-23-2026 

Faith and Fasting

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today encourage us to practice fasting as a spiritual aid to clarify our mission and position as disciples of Christ.

Fasting from Distraction

 The Reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians presents Paul as trustworthy steward of the Word.

a. [4:1] Ti 1:7; 1 Pt 4:10.

b. [4:4] 2 Cor 1:12; Rom 2:16; 2 Cor 5:10. (1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 37 responds to the problem of evil.

* [Psalm 37] The Psalm responds to the problem of evil, which the Old Testament often expresses as a question: why do the wicked prosper and the good suffer? The Psalm answers that the situation is only temporary. God will reverse things, rewarding the good and punishing the wicked here on earth. The perspective is concrete and earthbound: people’s very actions place them among the ranks of the good or wicked. Each group or “way” has its own inherent dynamism—eventual frustration for the wicked, eventual reward for the just. The Psalm is an acrostic, i.e., each section begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Each section has its own imagery and logic. (Psalms, PSALM 37 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus addresses Questions About Fasting.

* [5:34–35] See notes on Mt 9:15 and Mk 2:19.

* [5:34] Wedding guests: literally, “sons of the bridal chamber.”

* [5:36–39] See notes on Mt 9:16–17 and Mk 2:19.

* [5:39] The old is good: this saying is meant to be ironic and offers an explanation for the rejection by some of the new wine that Jesus offers: satisfaction with old forms will prevent one from sampling the new. (Luke, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB, n.d.)

Rev. John Shea, SJ, asks “so, when do we fast and when do we feast?” Jesus answers by teaching the importance of flexibility.

Sometimes fasting is appropriate. Sometimes feasting is appropriate. We need to discern when to be flexible and when we need to stay the course. When we feel close to God, when we feel peace, joy and consolation, then we recognize the right thing to do and we want to do it. When we feel distant from God, when we feel desolation, then we may need to fast and pray. During these moments of confusion, we turn to God. We ask God to break open our hearts, stretching and expanding our hearts so we can better love God and others. (Shea, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Christ will send you wise men and scribes,” by Clement of Alexandria, 150-215 A.D.

"A scribe is one who, through continual reading of the Old and New Testaments, has laid up for himself a storehouse of knowledge. Thus Christ blesses those who have gathered in themselves the education both of the law and of the gospel, so as to 'bring forth from their treasure things both new and old.' And Christ compares such people with a scribe, just as in another place he says, 'I will send you wise men and scribes' (Matthew 23:34)"(excerpt from FRAGMENT 172) (Schwager, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that Paul speaks of missionaries as stewards of the message of God who are entrusted with a vocation. Paul rejects judgement by others for doing the works of God. A lot of time can be spent with difficulty because of our ego and we need to ask If our activity is for me or for the Kingdom. The scribes and Pharisees question Jesus about fasting. The guests do not fast while the bridegroom is with them. We fast for reasons like to exercise discipline, using food in perspective, solidarity with others, in sharing and making Christ the centre, to mourn the death of the beloved, and on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday we fast from things that are too significant in our lives. New patches and new wine skins remind us to separate the new from the old. Friar Jude wonders if the exhortation that “the old is good” is to keep in mind that Judaism is important to Luke in his instruction to the Gentiles. 

The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 comments that we are all “stewards” of the mysteries of God since we are all called to share the treasure of the gospel with the people around us (1 Corinthians 4:1).

There’s always the risk of “breaking a plate,” but don’t let that keep you from trying. Maybe you won’t do everything just right. That’s okay, because nobody’s perfect. And it doesn’t change the fact that God has entrusted you with a great and precious treasure that he wants you to share. He knows you’re an earthen vessel of his grace (2 Corinthians 4:7). But he also knows that his grace is strong and resilient—and you can rely on him!

“Jesus, thank you for entrusting me with the treasures of your gospel!” (Meditation on 1 Corinthians 4:1-5, n.d.)

Father Richard Rohr introduces Theologian M. Shawn Copeland who laments the many people and places that suffer ongoing crucifixion. Copeland points to the compassion that grows in disciples who follow Christ into the world’s suffering.

The crucified Jesus enfleshes for all and for us the very meaning of being human, of being a person who embraces and lives out God’s gracious gift of love and freedom.

“If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34–36)…. We who would be his disciples discover our humanity, our personhood in imitation of him—in taking up our cross in order to transform evil into good, for the cross belongs not only to Christ but to all humanity. “He chose it because of us, and we choose it because of him.” [2] We who would be his disciples incarnate the meaning in our own lives by following the moans and tears … into a crucified world, taking up an active, compassionate, solidaristic mission. [3] (Rohr, n.d.)

We seek the guidance of the Spirit as we take time to reduce the distractions in our day that tend to divert our attention away from the Way of Full Life.

References

Luke, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 4, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/5?33 

Meditation on 1 Corinthians 4:1-5. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved September 4, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/09/04/1662309/ 

1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved September 4, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/4?1 

Psalms, PSALM 37 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 4, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/37? 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Following Christ Crucified. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 4, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/following-christ-crucified/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). The Unity of the New and the Old. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 4, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Shea, J. (n.d.). Daily Reflection September 4, 2026 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved September 4, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-september-4-2026