RVA Daily Reflection

Author: Fr. Felmar Castrodes Fiel, SVD God's blessing is not a matter of having the right connections but of faithfully listening to His word and living it. The gospel story where the mother of Jesus was praised by a woman challenges us to look beyond status, influence, and appearances and ask whether our lives truly reflect what we hear from God.Reflection Date: October 10, 2026 | Saturday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary TimeDaily Readings: Galatians 3:22-29; Luke 11:27-28
Children of God:There is a Filipino term “backer” (B-A-C-K-E-R).
The term “backer” is commonly associated with the broader cultural idea known as the Padrino System, which developed from patronage relationships during the Spanish colonial period. 
In that system, personal connections with influential people could help individuals gain access to opportunities, protection, employment, or social advancement. 
Wealthy elites, colonial officials, and friars could exercise considerable influence within their communities. A person seeking a government position or another opportunity could therefore benefit from having a padrino, meaning a patron, sponsor, or influential person willing to support him. 
Over time, the idea of finding someone who could “pull strings” became embedded in everyday Filipino expressions about connections and favors. 
The modern slang “backer” came to describe someone who supported or promoted another person, especially when personal influence could open a door. 
The word became familiar because many Filipinos understood the importance of knowing someone who could recommend, endorse, or assist them.
 In ordinary conversation, asking “Do you have a backer?” could therefore become a humorous or serious way of asking whether someone had an influential person supporting them. 
Behind the expression was a deeper cultural reality about how relationships could affect access to opportunities. 
Yet it also raised an important question about merit, fairness, and whether a person's opportunities depended more on connections than on character or ability.
In the gospel story of Luke, a woman in the crowd praised the mother of Jesus because she believed that being the mother of such a remarkable teacher was a great blessing. 
Jesus responded by redirecting attention from biological connection toward something deeper. He said, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” (Luke 11:28) 
What are our inspirations for today?
First, being close to God is shown by how we live out what we hear.
The woman praised Jesus' mother because of her connection to Him. Jesus shifted the focus toward those who listened to God's word and acted upon it. 
He placed faithful living at the center of what it meant to be blessed.
We can sometimes place too much importance on our associations. We may feel important because we know someone influential, belong to a respected organization, have a particular position, or come from a prominent family. 
These connections can be valuable, but they do not automatically tell us what kind of person we are.
Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” (Luke 11:28) 
The challenge is therefore practical. What we hear in prayer, Scripture, preaching, and conscience becomes meaningful when it influences our decisions, relationships, priorities, and treatment of other people.
Being close to God is shown by how we live out what we hear.
Second, the best support we can receive is one that helps us become better people.
Connections can open doors, but character determines what we do after the door opens. 
Someone may recommend us for an opportunity, but we still have to carry the responsibility that comes with it.
The same principle applies to faith. We can receive encouragement from parents, teachers, priests, friends, mentors, and communities, yet nobody can live our faith in our place. 
Other people can guide us, but we personally decide whether we listen to God's word and put it into practice.
Jesus placed this responsibility before His listeners when He said that the blessed were those who heard God's word and observed it. (Luke 11:28) 
Faith therefore becomes visible through choices: how we speak, how we treat people, how we handle responsibility, how we forgive, and how we respond when nobody is watching.
The best support we can receive is one that helps us become better people.
As we reflect, we ask ourselves: Am I relying too much on my connections, status, or the approval of other people? 
How am I putting God's word into practice in my daily decisions? Who are the people who help me become a better and more faithful person?
Children of God: We all appreciate people who support us in life. 
Relationships are precious gifts when they help us grow in goodness and responsibility. 
Yet our deepest identity cannot depend entirely on who knows us or who can open a door for us. 
Jesus points us toward something deeper than influence and connections. 
He asks us to listen to God's word and allow it to shape the way we live.

Author: Fr. Felmar Castrodes Fiel, SVD Our lives can easily become divided when we allow destructive habits and attitudes to take control. The gospel today challenges us to recognize what weakens our inner freedom and to make room for a stronger commitment to what is good.Reflection Date: October 09, 2026 | Friday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary TimeMemorial on Saint John Henry Newman, Priest and Doctor of the ChurchMemorial of Saint Denis, Bishop and Martyr, and his Companions, MartyrsMemorial of Saint John Leonardi, PriestDaily Readings: Galatians 3:7-14; Luke 11:15-26
Children of God: Peter Binsfeld was a German Catholic bishop and theologian who lived in the sixteenth century and became known for his writings on witchcraft and the classification of demons. 
In 1589, he published a work that associated particular demons with the seven capital vices or deadly sins. His system connected Lucifer with pride, Mammon with greed, Asmodeus with lust, Leviathan with envy, Beelzebub with gluttony, Satan with wrath, and Belphegor with sloth. 
Earlier Christian sources already treated gluttony as one of the capital vices, while the name Beelzebub appeared in the New Testament as a designation associated with the prince of demons. 
The Catholic Encyclopedia explained that Beelzebub was used in the Gospel tradition as another name for Satan and that Jesus’ opponents accused Him of casting out demons by Beelzebub. 
Binsfeld’s classification therefore reflected a particular period in the development of Christian demonological literature. 
His work became part of the history of how Christians in the late Middle Ages and early modern period tried to describe the relationship between temptation, vice, and spiritual evil. 
The important question for us, however, is less about identifying a particular demon behind every weakness and more about recognizing what happens when destructive patterns begin to control a person's choices.
In the gospel of Luke, some people saw Jesus drive out a demon and accused Him of using the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons. 
Jesus answered their accusation by showing how unreasonable it was to imagine that Satan would fight against his own kingdom. 
He then gave a warning about what happens when a person experiences freedom from an evil influence but leaves the interior life unguarded. 
Jesus said, “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” (Luke 11:23) 
What are our inspirations for today?
First, freedom requires us to make clear choices about what we allow to control us.
Jesus presented the image of a kingdom divided against itself. He showed that division weakens a household, a community, and a person. A life without direction can gradually become controlled by habits that once seemed small.
We can experience this in ordinary ways. A person can become controlled by anger, the need for approval, excessive entertainment, resentment, unhealthy attachments, or the constant desire to be noticed. 
These things may begin as choices, but repeated choices can eventually become patterns that are difficult to break.
Jesus reminded His listeners, “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” (Luke 11:23) 
The invitation is to make intentional choices about what we value and what we allow to occupy our time, attention, and energy. Inner freedom grows when our decisions become consistent with the good we want to pursue.
Freedom requires us to make clear choices about what we allow to control us.
Second, removing one problem is not enough if we do not build something good in its place.
Jesus described a spirit leaving a person and later returning to find the house swept and put in order but empty. 
The spirit then brought other spirits with it, and the person's situation became worse. 
Jesus used this striking image to emphasize the danger of an empty interior life.
We sometimes try to change by simply removing something from our lives. We stop an unhealthy habit, leave a destructive relationship, reduce our screen time, or decide that we will no longer repeat an old mistake. 
These decisions can be important, but an empty space can easily become occupied again.
A lasting change requires something positive to take root. We can replace anger with patience, resentment with forgiveness, selfishness with generosity, and distraction with meaningful relationships. 
Jesus warned that the returning spirit “finds the house swept clean and put in order,” and then brings seven other spirits more wicked than itself. (Luke 11:25-26) 
The deeper invitation is to fill our lives with what gives direction, purpose, and goodness.
Removing one problem is not enough if we do not build something good in its place.
As we reflect, we ask ourselves: What habit, attitude, or attachment is currently taking too much control of my life? 
What am I doing to replace a destructive pattern with something genuinely good? What choices am I making today that strengthen my inner freedom and keep my heart focused on what matters?
Children of God: Every day we make choices about what receives our attention. 
Some choices strengthen our freedom, while others can gradually limit it. 
Jesus invites us to examine these patterns with honesty. 
He also reminds us that change requires more than removing what is harmful. 
May our choices lead us toward greater freedom, greater love, and greater peace.

Author: Fr. Felmar Castrodes Fiel, SVD Persistence can keep us moving when an answer seems delayed or a door appears closed. The gospel story of the friend who knocked at midnight invites us to bring our needs to God with confidence, patience, and trust.Reflection Date: October 08, 2026 | Thursday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary TimeDaily Readings: Galatians 3:1-5; Luke 11:5-13
Children of God: In the world of first-century Middle Eastern villages, hospitality was considered a serious social responsibility. 
A traveler who arrived unexpectedly was still expected to receive food, shelter, and protection from the household. 
Providing hospitality was closely connected with the honor of the family and the reputation of the entire community. Food was often prepared in ways that allowed a household to welcome unexpected visitors, yet an unexpected guest could still create a genuine problem when supplies were limited. 
A host who could not provide food for a traveler risked bringing shame upon the household. 
Because hospitality involved the honor of the community, a person could approach a neighbor for help when an unexpected visitor arrived. 
Knocking at midnight, however, was highly unusual because people normally slept together in simple homes and an interruption could disturb the entire household. 
The request in the parable therefore represented an extreme disruption rather than an ordinary social visit. 
Jesus used this unusual situation to present a person who kept asking because he urgently needed something for his guest. 
The persistence of the person at the door made the situation uncomfortable, yet it eventually produced a response.
In the gospel story of Luke, Jesus described a man who went to his friend's house at midnight because an unexpected visitor arrived and he had no food to offer. 
The man inside initially refused because everyone was already in bed, but the visitor continued knocking. 
Jesus then used the persistence of the man as an illustration for prayer: “Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Luke 11:9) 
What are our inspirations for today?
First, persistence keeps us connected to what matters.
The man in the story continued knocking because something important was at stake. He was not asking because he wanted something unnecessary; he needed to provide food for someone who arrived at his home. 
His persistence came from a responsibility he wanted to fulfill.
There are moments when we also face situations that require patience. We send another application after receiving a rejection, try another conversation after a misunderstanding, return to a difficult task after failing, or continue praying even when circumstances do not immediately change.
Jesus encouraged His disciples to keep asking, seeking, and knocking. “Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Luke 11:9) 
Persistence does not mean forcing an outcome. It means remaining faithful to what we believe is worth pursuing while accepting that answers may take time or come in ways we do not expect.
Persistence keeps us connected to what matters.
Second, prayer changes the way we wait for an answer.
Jesus continued His teaching by comparing human parents with God. 
He explained that even imperfect parents knew how to give good things to their children, and then He asked how much more the heavenly Father would give the Holy Spirit to those who asked Him. 
This changes the meaning of persistence in prayer. 
We do not keep praying because God is unwilling to listen. We keep praying because prayer keeps our relationship with God alive while we wait, discern, and respond to what happens around us.
Sometimes the answer to prayer comes through changed circumstances, and sometimes it comes through changed hearts. 
We may pray for a difficult situation to disappear, yet God may first give us patience, courage, wisdom, forgiveness, or strength to face it. 
Persistent prayer therefore keeps us open to what God is doing even while we wait.
Prayer changes the way we wait for an answer.
As we reflect, we ask ourselves: What concern am I continuing to bring to God in prayer? 
Where in my life am I being invited to practice greater patience instead of giving up too quickly? Am I allowing prayer to change my heart while I wait for an answer?
Children of God: Persistence keeps our hearts engaged with God instead of allowing disappointment to become discouragement. 
Prayer teaches us to listen while we wait. 
Sometimes we receive what we ask for, sometimes we discover another path, and sometimes we receive strength for the journey. 
What matters is that we continue placing our lives in God's hands. 
May our prayers give us patience, courage, and openness to the grace we receive each day.

Author: Fr. Felmar Castrodes Fiel, SVD  Jesus taught His disciples to pray with simplicity, trust, and a heart focused on what truly matters. The gospel story of the Lord’s Prayer reminds us that prayer is less about complicated words and more about entering into a relationship with the Father.Reflection Date: October 07, 2026 | Memorial of Our Lady of the RosaryDaily Readings: Galatians 2:1-2, 7-14; Luke 11:1-4
Children of God: October 7 is the feast day of Lady of the Rosary.
The devotion to Our Lady of the Rosary developed over centuries as Christians used repeated prayers and meditation on the mysteries of Christ's life as a way of deepening their faith. 
By the sixteenth century, the Rosary was already widely associated with the Dominican tradition and with prayer addressed to the Blessed Virgin Mary while contemplating the events of salvation. 
In 1571, Pope Pius V associated a celebration of Our Lady of Victory with the Christian victory at the Battle of Lepanto, which took place on October 7, and later Pope Gregory XIII established a feast under the title of the Holy Rosary. 
Pope Clement XI eventually extended the feast to the universal Church, while later popes continued to encourage the devotion. 
Pope Leo XIII gave particular importance to the Rosary, encouraging Catholics to pray it during October and promoting October as a month especially dedicated to the Rosary. 
The liturgical celebration continued to develop as the Church revised its calendar and liturgical books, while the Rosary remained a popular prayer in families, parishes, religious communities, and Catholic associations. 
Saint John Paul II later proclaimed a Year of the Rosary from October 2002 to October 2003 and introduced the Mysteries of Light, which highlighted important moments in the public ministry of Jesus. 
The Church therefore came to understand the Rosary as a profoundly Christ-centered prayer because its mysteries invited believers to contemplate the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus through the eyes of Mary. 
Every October, the celebration of Our Lady of the Rosary continues to connect personal prayer, family devotion, contemplation of Christ, and the mission of the Church.
In the gospel of Luke, the disciples approached Jesus after seeing Him pray and asked Him to teach them how to pray. 
Jesus responded by giving them a simple pattern of prayer that began with the Father, moved toward God's kingdom and daily needs, and included forgiveness and protection from temptation. “Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.” (Luke 11:2) 
What are our inspirations for today?
First, prayer is an expression of our relationship with God; it is not a performance.
Jesus taught His disciples to begin by addressing God as “Father.” (Luke 11:2) 
Before asking for anything, they were invited to recognize who God was in relation to them. Prayer therefore began with trust rather than fear.
Many people sometimes approach prayer as though they need perfect words before God will listen. We may become concerned about the length of our prayers, the beauty of our expressions, or whether we are saying everything correctly. 
Yet Jesus showed His disciples that prayer could begin with something as simple as calling God “Father.”
This also helps us understand why the Rosary can become such a meaningful prayer. 
Its repeated words can help quiet the mind and create space for contemplation. 
As Saint John Paul II described it, the Rosary leads people to meditate on the mysteries of Christ and contemplate His face. 
Prayer becomes an encounter in which we remain before God with trust.
Prayer is an expression of our relationship with God; it is not a performance.
Second, prayer teaches us to bring our ordinary needs into God's presence.
Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Give us each day our daily bread.” (Luke 11:3) 
The request was remarkably ordinary: food for today. Jesus showed that prayer could include the things people need for daily living.
Sometimes we think that only extraordinary concerns deserve prayer. We pray when there is a crisis, an illness, a major decision, or an important event. 
Yet Jesus included daily bread in His prayer, reminding us that God can be approached even in the ordinary concerns of everyday life.
The same prayer also included forgiveness and the strength to resist temptation: “forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us; and do not subject us to the final test.” (Luke 11:4) 
Prayer therefore shapes the way we live with other people. When we pray for forgiveness, we become more conscious of our need to forgive; when we ask for daily bread, we become more aware that others also need bread.
Prayer teaches us to bring our ordinary needs into God's presence.
As we reflect, we ask ourselves: How do I approach God when I pray, with trust or with fear and performance? 
What ordinary concern in my life am I bringing to God today? How is my prayer shaping the way I forgive, relate to others, and respond to the needs around me?
Children of God: Prayer does not require complicated words. 
Jesus teaches us to place God's name, God's kingdom, our daily needs, forgiveness, and our struggles before Him. 
We can pray while traveling, working, waiting, resting, or sitting quietly at home. 
We can pray with the Rosary, with Scripture, with silence, or with a simple conversation with God. 
And may the prayer Jesus taught His disciples continue to shape the way we live each day.

Author: Fr. Felmar Castrodes Fiel, SVD Today, we see how even good intentions can become overwhelming when activity takes the place of presence. The gospel story of Martha and Mary reminds us that sometimes the most important thing we can give another person is our undivided attention.Reflection Date: October 06, 2026 | Tuesday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary TimeMemorial of Saint Bruno, PriestMemorial of Blessed Marie-Rose Durocher, VirginDaily Readings: Galatians 1:13-24; Luke 10:38-42
Children of God: Across many communities in India, handfeeding is a deeply meaningful expression of hospitality, affection, and care. 
People traditionally eat with their right hand, while a host, elder, or close family member may shape a bite of rice and curry and gently feed it directly to a guest or loved one. 
This gesture carries a sense of intimacy because the person offering the food personally attends to another person's needs. Food itself has a special place in Indian culture, where the Sanskrit word annam refers to food as something precious and sacred. 
Sharing food therefore goes beyond satisfying hunger because it can communicate welcome, respect, affection, and belonging. 
When someone feeds another person by hand, the gesture can express a relationship that goes deeper than a simple transaction between host and guest. 
Parents feed children as an expression of care, elders may feed younger family members as a sign of affection, and hosts may offer food personally to make guests feel truly welcomed. 
Hospitality therefore involves more than preparing food because it requires giving a person attention and presence. 
This cultural gesture helps us appreciate the gospel story of Martha and Mary. 
Jesus entered their home, and Martha became busy with the many preparations required to welcome a guest. Mary, meanwhile, sat at Jesus' feet and listened to what He was saying. 
Martha eventually approached Jesus and asked Him to tell Mary to help her, but Jesus answered, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.” (Luke 10:41-42) 
What are our inspirations for today?
First, being present can be more important than being busy.
Martha was busy serving Jesus, and her intention was good. She wanted to welcome Him properly, prepare what was needed, and make sure everything was in order. 
Yet her many tasks eventually made her anxious and frustrated.
We can easily understand Martha because our own lives can become filled with things that need to be done. We answer messages while talking to someone, check our phones during meals, think about tomorrow while someone is sharing today's problem, and remain physically present while our minds are somewhere else.
Jesus reminded Martha that there was “need of only one thing.” (Luke 10:42) 
Sometimes that one thing is simply giving our full attention to the person before us. A few minutes of genuine listening can communicate more love than many activities done without presence.
Being present can be more important than being busy.
Second, good service needs a heart.
Martha served, while Mary listened. 
The tension came when Martha became so concerned about the work that she wanted Jesus to correct Mary. Her service had become a source of frustration because she felt that she was carrying the responsibility alone.
There are moments when we also need to pause and ask whether our service is still giving life to others or whether it is making us resentful. We can do many good things and still lose our peace when we measure everything by productivity, recognition, or the amount of work we accomplish.
Jesus said that Mary “has chosen the better part.” (Luke 10:42) 
This reminds us that listening, resting, praying, and being attentive to people are not wasted moments. They can restore our hearts so that when we serve again, we serve with greater freedom, patience, and love.
Good service needs a heart.
As we reflect, we ask ourselves: Am I giving enough attention to the people who are physically present with me? 
When does my desire to accomplish many things prevent me from listening to someone who needs me? What do I need to pause today so that I can become more present to God and to the people around me?
Children of God: We live in a world that often measures our value by how much we accomplish. 
We can become proud of full schedules while forgetting the people who are waiting for our attention. 
Service requires a heart that knows when to pause. 
Let us learn to recognize moments when the person before us deserves our undivided attention. 
May we become people whose presence makes others feel welcomed, valued, and heard.

Author: Fr. Felmar Castrodes Fiel, SVD Mercy is more than a feeling because it asks us to notice suffering and respond with compassion. The gospel story challenges us to move beyond asking who deserves our help and instead become neighbors to those who need us.Reflection Date: October 05, 2026 | Monday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary TimeMemorial of Saint Faustina Kowalska, VirginMemorial of Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, PriestDaily Readings: Galatians 1:6-12; Luke 10:25-37
Children of God: October 5 is the feast of Saint Faustina of Poland. She was born on August 25, 1905 into a poor farming family and was the third of ten children. 
She left home as a teenager to work as a housekeeper before entering the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in 1925. 
In religious life, she performed humble tasks such as cooking, gardening, and serving as a porter in different convents. Despite the simplicity of her daily work, she experienced a profound spiritual life centered on trust in God and mercy toward others. 
She then met Father Michael Sopocko, who became her confessor and spiritual director and helped her communicate the message she believed Jesus entrusted to her. At his encouragement, she kept a spiritual diary that eventually became known as Divine Mercy in My Soul. 
She recorded her mystical experiences and the message of Jesus calling people to trust in Divine Mercy and to practice mercy toward their neighbors. 
Through her spiritual experiences, the Divine Mercy devotion became associated with the image of Jesus with the words “Jesus, I trust in You,” the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, the Hour of Mercy, and the Feast of Divine Mercy. 
The first Divine Mercy image was painted in 1934 with the involvement of Faustina and Father Sopocko, and the devotion eventually spread far beyond Poland. 
Faustina died in Kraków on October 5, 1938, at the age of thirty-three, and Saint John Paul II canonized her on April 30, 2000, presenting her message of Divine Mercy to the universal Church.
The life of Saint Faustina gives us a helpful doorway into the gospel story of the Good Samaritan. The question presented to Jesus sounded simple: “Who is my neighbor?” 
But Jesus answered it with a story that shifted the focus from identifying who deserved love to becoming a person who showed mercy. 
A man was attacked, stripped, beaten, and left on the road. A priest saw him and passed by, and a Levite also saw him and continued on his way. A Samaritan then came upon him, was moved with compassion, treated his wounds, brought him to an inn, and paid for his care. 
Jesus ended by asking which person became a neighbor to the wounded man, and the answer was clear: the one who showed mercy. “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:37) 
What are our inspirations for today?
First, we are called to allow ourselves to notice someone else's pain.
The Samaritan did something very simple before he offered any help: he saw the wounded man. The others also saw him, but seeing did not automatically lead them to compassion. 
The difference was what happened inside the person who stopped.
There are people around us whose struggles can easily become invisible because everyone is busy with personal concerns. Someone may be carrying grief behind a smile, anxiety behind silence, financial difficulties behind a respectable appearance, or loneliness in the middle of a crowded room.
Mercy begins with attention. We can become more merciful when we slow down enough to notice the person who needs encouragement, the family member who needs listening, the colleague who needs understanding, or the stranger who needs assistance. 
Jesus said that the Samaritan “was moved with compassion” when he saw the wounded man. (Luke 10:33)
We are called to allow ourselves to notice someone else's pain.
Second, we are called to do something about another person's suffering.
The Samaritan did not stop with sympathy. He approached the wounded man, treated his injuries, placed him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and made arrangements for his continued care. 
His compassion became action.
Sometimes we feel compassion but remain at a safe distance. We may say, “I will pray for you,” when the person also needs someone to listen. We may notice a problem but wait for someone else to solve it. 
We may recognize injustice but remain silent because involvement requires effort.
Jesus placed action at the center of His answer. After hearing the response that identified the merciful person, He said, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:37)
Mercy therefore asks us to translate concern into something concrete: a visit, a conversation, forgiveness, assistance, protection, encouragement, or simply the decision to stay beside someone who is suffering.
We are called to do something about another person's suffering.
As we reflect, we ask ourselves: Who is the person whose suffering I am noticing right now? 
Where in my daily life am I being invited to slow down and pay attention to someone who needs compassion? What concrete act of mercy am I willing to do for another person today?
Children of God: We live in a world where people can easily become statistics, profiles, posts, or passing faces. 
Jesus reminds us that every person carries a story that deserves our attention and compassion. 
We are invited to become people who see beyond appearances and recognize the needs around us. 
We are invited to respond with practical kindness rather than stopping at good intentions. 
May the mercy we receive from God become mercy that other people experience through us.

Author: Fr. Felmar Castrodes Fiel, SVD Today, we look at how Christianity in Korea began with seemingly small seeds planted by laypeople who discovered the faith through books and shared what they learned with others. The gospel reminds us that what looks small at the beginning can grow deeply when it finds a heart willing to receive it and live it.Reflection Date: September 19, 2026 | Saturday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary TimeSaint Januarius, Bishop and MartyrDaily Readings: 1 Corinthians 15:35-37, 42-49; Luke 8:4-15
Children of God:One of the histories of Christianity that I admire in Asia is that of Korea.
Christianity in Korea began in a remarkably unusual way because the first seeds of the faith were planted not by foreign missionaries but by Korean lay intellectuals who encountered Christian writings. 
In the eighteenth century, Korean scholars who participated in diplomatic missions to China came across Catholic books and ideas and became curious about the Christian faith. 
Some of them studied these writings seriously, discussed them among themselves, and eventually began practicing what they learned. 
One of the important early figures was Yi Seung-hun, who traveled to Beijing, received baptism, and returned to Korea with Christian books and a new determination to share the faith. 
He and other lay believers began teaching their countrymen even before foreign priests could regularly enter Korea. 
Small Christian communities gradually formed in different places, sustained by ordinary people who prayed, learned, baptized when possible, and shared the teachings of Christianity with their families and friends. 
The movement eventually attracted the attention of the Joseon authorities, who viewed Catholicism as a threat to traditional social structures and religious practices. 
Persecutions followed, and many of the early Korean Christians were imprisoned, tortured, or executed, yet the faith continued to spread. 
Foreign missionaries eventually entered Korea secretly, and priests such as the French missionaries of the nineteenth century helped strengthen a Church that Korean laypeople had already begun to build. 
Saint Andrew Kim Taegon later became the first Korean-born Catholic priest and one of the most famous martyrs of the Korean Church. 
From those small beginnings, Christianity grew into a significant community in Korea, and the Korean Church eventually produced thousands of clergy, religious, missionaries, and lay leaders who continued to carry the faith far beyond its original beginnings.
What makes the Korean story remarkable is that the seed was already growing before the people who could formally cultivate it arrived. 
The first believers did not wait for perfect circumstances, impressive buildings, or a large organization before sharing what they discovered. 
They simply received the seed, allowed it to take root in their lives, and passed it on.
In the gospel story of Luke, Jesus described a farmer who scattered seed across different kinds of ground. 
Some seed was lost, some began growing but did not survive, and some fell on good soil and produced an abundant harvest. 
Jesus explained that the seed represented the word of God and that its fruitfulness depended on what happened after the seed was received.
So, what are our inspirations for today?
First, a small beginning can become something much bigger when people take it seriously.
We often underestimate small beginnings because we want immediate results. 
We want the first video to go viral, the first project to become successful, the first meeting to solve everything, or the first effort to produce a visible achievement. 
When nothing dramatic happens, we sometimes conclude that our effort is useless.
But many important things in life begin quietly. 
A child learns one word at a time, a friendship begins with one conversation, a community starts with a few committed people, and a mission grows because somebody takes the initiative. 
A small beginning can become something much bigger when people take it seriously.
Second, the seed grows when it is given a place to take root.
Jesus described different kinds of soil because receiving a message is not the same as allowing that message to transform our lives. 
Some seed disappeared quickly, some grew only briefly, and some produced a harvest because it found good soil.
We receive many seeds every day: advice from someone who loves us, a lesson from experience, an inspiring story, a word of encouragement, an uncomfortable truth, or an invitation to change. 
The question is not simply how much information enters our minds but what we allow to take root in our hearts. 
A good message can produce little fruit if we listen today and forget it tomorrow.
The seed grows when it is given a place to take root.
As we reflect, we ask ourselves: What good seed is already being planted in my life that I need to take more seriously? 
What prevents good ideas, lessons, or invitations from taking deeper root in me? What can I do today to allow something good that I have received to produce fruit in my life and in the lives of others?
Children of God: Jesus reminds us that the seed already carries the possibility of growth, but it needs good soil and patient care. 
Today, let us not underestimate the small things we are doing simply because we cannot yet see their results. 
Let us also ask whether the good seeds we receive are truly taking root in us. 
And like those early Korean Christians, may we become people who receive what is good, live it faithfully, and quietly pass it on to others.

Author: Fr. Felmar Castrodes Fiel, SVD Today, we look at Joanna, a woman who supported Jesus and his disciples even though she never became one of the famous voices of the early Christian movement. Her story reminds us that important work often depends on people who serve quietly, give generously, and make it possible for others to keep going.Reflection Date: September 18, 2026 | Friday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary TimeDaily Readings: 1 Corinthians 15:12-20; Luke 8:1-3
Children of God: Let’s zoom in on one of the women mentioned in the gospel today: Joanna.
Joanna was a woman connected to the household of Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee who played a role in the events surrounding the ministry of John the Baptist and the death of Jesus. 
Luke identified her as the wife of Chuza, a steward or administrator in Herod’s household, which placed her within a world of influence and privilege. 
Yet Joanna became associated not with Herod’s court but with Jesus and his traveling group of disciples. 
Luke presented her among the women who experienced healing from Jesus and then supported his ministry. 
Her support was not merely an emotional attachment because she and the other women provided for Jesus and his disciples from their own resources. 
Joanna therefore became one of the people who helped sustain the practical needs of a movement that traveled from town to town. 
Her position also makes her story fascinating because she appeared to have access to a social world very different from that of many of Jesus’ followers. 
She could have remained comfortably connected to the household of a powerful ruler, yet she chose to associate herself with a teacher who traveled without the security and status of a royal court. 
Joanna later appeared among the women who went to the tomb and discovered that Jesus was no longer there, making her part of the story of the Resurrection as well. 
Although the gospel gave us only a few details about her life, those details showed that she was not merely a spectator but a supporter who used what she had to participate in the mission. 
Her story reminds us that some of the most important people in the gospel narrative were not always the ones who stood at the center of the stage.
In the gospel of Luke, Joanna was mentioned alongside Mary Magdalene, Susanna, and other women who accompanied Jesus and the Twelve. 
These women supported the group with their resources, quietly making it possible for Jesus and his disciples to continue their ministry. 
Luke's brief description gives us a glimpse of something easily overlooked: the mission was not sustained only by preaching, miracles, and public appearances but also by people who provided practical support behind the scenes.
So, what are our inspirations for today?
First, you do not need to be in the spotlight to make a real difference.
Joanna did not become famous because she preached great sermons or performed dramatic miracles. 
Luke simply remembered her as one of the women who accompanied Jesus and supported the mission with what she possessed. 
Her contribution may have looked ordinary, but without ordinary contributions, extraordinary missions cannot continue.
This is true in almost every community. 
Behind a successful organization are people who prepare the documents, arrange the schedules, maintain the equipment, prepare the meals, answer the messages, clean the rooms, provide transportation, manage the finances, and solve problems that nobody notices. 
They may never receive applause, but their work allows everyone else to function.
Sometimes we become discouraged because we think our contribution is too small. 
We compare ourselves with people who stand on stage, speak publicly, receive recognition, or have thousands of followers. Joanna reminds us that visibility is not the same as importance. 
A contribution can be quiet and still be valuable.
You do not need to be in the spotlight to make a real difference.
Second, what we have can become meaningful when we use it for something bigger than ourselves.
Joanna had access to resources because of her connection with Chuza and Herod's household, yet she used what she possessed to support Jesus and his disciples. 
Luke did not focus on the amount she gave; he simply remembered that she used her resources to participate in the mission.
We can sometimes think that we need extraordinary talents or enormous resources before we can make a difference. 
We wait until we have more money, more time, more influence, or more confidence. 
But most meaningful contributions begin with something we already possess.
Perhaps what we have is a listening ear, a little money, professional expertise, a vehicle, a kitchen, a computer, an encouraging message, or simply an hour that we can give to someone who needs help. 
The question is not always, “What do I have compared with other people?” 
The better question is, “What can I do with what I already have?”
What we have can become meaningful when we use it for something bigger than ourselves.
As we reflect, we ask ourselves: What resources, talents, time, or opportunities do I already have that I can use to help other people? 
Do I sometimes undervalue my contribution because I compare it with what more visible people are doing? Who is quietly supporting me in my own journey, and how can I show that person my gratitude?
Children of God: Joanna reminds us that every mission needs people who are willing to support it quietly. 
She did not dominate the gospel story, but her presence helped make the journey of Jesus and his disciples possible. 
Her resources became a way of participating in something much bigger than herself. 
Sometimes the most generous people are the ones whose names are rarely mentioned. 
Today, let us recognize the Joannas in our own lives and let us also ask how we can become one for someone else. 

Author: Fr. Felmar Castrodes Fiel, SVD Today, we look at a woman who expressed her repentance through tears, kisses, and an extravagant act of love. Jesus showed that forgiveness can change the way a person sees God, others, and even oneself.Reflection Date: September 17, 2026 | Thursday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary TimeMemorial of Saint Hildegard of Bingen, Virgin and Doctor of the ChurchMemorial of Saint Robert Bellarmine, bishop and doctor of the ChurchDaily Readings: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11; Luke 7:36-50
Children of God: In biblical times, a kiss on the feet was not simply a romantic gesture or a humiliating act as it is sometimes portrayed in modern telenovelas. 
In the ancient Mediterranean world, kissing someone's feet could express deep respect, submission, gratitude, or recognition of a person's honor and authority. 
People could bow before important persons, touch or kiss their feet, or fall at their feet as a physical expression of humility. 
Such gestures were especially meaningful in a society where social rank, honor, hospitality, and personal relationships were taken very seriously. 
A person who kissed another's feet was not necessarily being humiliated because the gesture could communicate reverence or profound gratitude. 
This is quite different from the way telenovela dramas sometimes portray foot-kissing, where a character dramatically falls before another person as a public act of humiliation, surrender, revenge, or emotional manipulation. 
In those dramatic scenes, the gesture often becomes a powerful way of showing someone's defeat. 
In the biblical world, however, the meaning depended greatly on the relationship, the circumstances, and the intention behind the gesture. 
The woman who approached Jesus therefore did something socially striking, but her actions were not merely theatrical humiliation because she was expressing repentance, gratitude, and love through an unusually intimate act of devotion. 
Her tears, kisses, and perfume communicated something that words alone could not express.
So, what are our inspirations for today?
First, people who experience forgiveness deeply can love without holding back.
The woman in the gospel story did not simply walk into the house and offer Jesus a polite greeting. 
She expressed her gratitude with tears, with her hair, with kisses, and with expensive ointment. 
Her actions looked excessive to the people watching her, but Jesus saw something they failed to see: the depth of a heart that experienced mercy.
Simon the Pharisee looked at the woman and saw her reputation. Jesus looked at her and saw her capacity to love. 
That difference is important because we can easily reduce people to their worst mistakes. 
We remember what they did, what they said, where they failed, and what other people said about them, while forgetting that a person is always capable of becoming something more.
People who experience forgiveness deeply can love without holding back.
Second, we should become less judgmental when we remember how much we also need forgiveness.
Simon saw the woman as someone who did not belong at the table. 
Jesus saw her differently. 
He told Simon a short story about two people whose debts were forgiven, and when Simon identified the one who received the greater forgiveness, Jesus connected that answer with the woman's extraordinary love.
Jesus did not deny that the woman had a troubled past. 
Instead, he refused to allow her past to become the only thing people could see about her. 
This is an important distinction. 
Forgiveness does not require us to pretend that wrongdoing never happened, but it prevents wrongdoing from becoming the permanent definition of a person.
We can easily become like Simon when we look at another person's life from a safe distance. 
We may think, “I would never do that,” or “That person deserves what happened,” without remembering the times we ourselves made mistakes, hurt people, needed patience, or depended on somebody else's mercy. 
The gospel invites us to replace the question “What did that person do?” with another question: “What kind of person can this person still become?”
We should become less judgmental when we remember how much we also need forgiveness.
As we reflect, we ask ourselves: Do I sometimes define people by their past mistakes instead of recognizing their capacity to change? 
When I receive forgiveness, do I allow gratitude to change the way I treat other people? Whom do I need to look at with greater compassion because I am remembering only that person's past and forgetting my own need for mercy?
Children of God: The difference in perspective can also change the way we look at people around us. 
Sometimes we are quick to remember another person's worst moment while asking others to remember our best intentions. 
We want understanding for ourselves but sometimes demand perfection from everyone else. 
The gospel reminds us that forgiveness is not simply about wiping away a mistake but about giving a person room to become different. 
Today, let us remember that a person's past may explain where that person has been, but it does not always determine where that person can go.

Author: Fr. Felmar Castrodes Fiel, SVD Today, we are reminded that some of life's greatest opportunities begin precisely when our efforts seem to have produced nothing. The gospel challenges us to trust again, cast our nets again, and recognize that God can use ordinary situations to reach places we never imagined.Reflection Date:September 03, 2026 | Memorial of Saint Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor of the ChurchDaily Readings: 1 Corinthians 3:18-23; Luke 5:1-11
Children of God: One of the major motivating factors in the European Age of Exploration was the search for direct access to the highly lucrative Eastern spice trade.
When I think of spices, the first that comes to my mind is the Spice Islands.
Yes, Spice Islands (plural), referring to the historic Maluku Islands (the Moluccas) in Indonesia.
The Spice Islands is one of my bucket lists of places I would like to go and explore. 
The history of the Spice Islands shows how trade routes could become unexpected pathways for the spread of Christianity across Asia. 
The Moluccas, known as the Spice Islands, were famous for valuable spices such as cloves and nutmeg, drawing merchants and ships from distant lands. 
Portuguese trading networks connected places such as Goa, Malacca, and the Moluccas, creating maritime routes across the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia. 
Those same routes also carried missionaries who traveled with the ships and entered communities far from Europe. 
St. Francis Xavier used Malacca as a base before sailing toward the Moluccas, where he arrived in 1546 and visited Christian communities and preached in the islands. 
The Jesuits later continued missionary work in places such as Ambon, Ternate, and Halmahera, supported in part by existing Portuguese trading networks and responding to invitations from local rulers. 
In this way, a route that merchants followed in search of spices also became a route through which priests and missionaries carried the Christian message. 
The ships carried cargo, but they also carried people, languages, ideas, cultures, and eventually the Gospel into new communities. 
Naturalmente, this  search for valuable spices became part of a much larger and complicated story in which maritime networks also helped Christianity reach new shores.
In the gospel story, Jesus approached fishermen who were washing their nets after a night of unsuccessful work. 
He entered Simon's boat, taught the crowd from there, and then told Simon to put out into deeper water and lower the nets again. 
Simon explained that they worked throughout the night and caught nothing, but he followed Jesus' instruction. 
The fishermen then caught such a great number of fish that their nets began to tear. 
Simon was overwhelmed by what happened, but Jesus called him and the others to a greater mission. 
They brought their boats back to shore, left everything, and followed him.
What are our inspirations for today? 
First, the place where we think we are simply working can become the place where God begins a much bigger mission.
Simon and the other fishermen worked through the night and caught nothing. 
They were tired, disappointed, and probably ready to finish the day. 
Jesus nevertheless asked them to try again. 
Simon could have said, “We already tried,” but instead he trusted the instruction of Jesus and lowered the nets once more.
We know that feeling of having an empty net. 
We work hard but see little result. 
We apply for something and receive no answer. 
We start a project and nobody seems interested. 
We pray for a change and nothing seems to happen. 
We try to repair a relationship, but the other person does not respond. 
Sometimes the hardest part is not working; it is continuing to work when we cannot yet see the result.
The Gospel reminds us that results are not always immediate. 
Their experience became part of the story that prepared them for a deeper encounter with Jesus. 
Sometimes our failures, delays, and disappointments become the very experiences that teach us patience, humility, courage, and trust.
The place where we think we are simply working can become the place where God begins a much bigger mission.
Second, God can use ordinary routes and ordinary people for extraordinary missions.
Jesus did not begin by calling scholars, politicians, or famous leaders. 
He approached people who were working with nets, boats, and fish. 
Their ordinary occupation became the setting for an extraordinary calling. 
Their boats became places of preaching, and their experience as fishermen became part of the language Jesus used to describe their future mission.
Perhaps our own ordinary lives are already our mission field. 
Our office can become a place of Christian witness. 
Our family can become a place of patience and forgiveness. 
Our workplace can become a place where honesty matters. 
Our social media accounts can become spaces where kindness is practiced. 
Our daily travels can bring us into contact with people who need encouragement. 
We do not always need a spectacular opportunity to serve God; sometimes we simply need to recognize the mission hidden inside the ordinary routes we already travel.
God can use ordinary routes and ordinary people for extraordinary missions.
As we reflect, we ask ourselves: Where in my life am I experiencing an empty net and feeling tempted to give up? 
Am I willing to trust God enough to try again even when my previous efforts seem unsuccessful? What ordinary place, relationship, talent, or responsibility in my life can become a pathway for bringing God's love to others?
Children of God: The fishermen in the Gospel began the day with empty nets but ended it with a new mission. 
This reminds us that God can work through circumstances that we do not immediately recognize as sacred. 
We do not always know where our efforts will lead. 
What we can do is remain faithful, listen when God calls, and be willing to cast the net again. 
And perhaps one day we will look back and realize that even the routes we thought were ordinary were quietly leading us toward something much greater.