September 28, 2026 Monday of the 26th Week in Ordinary Time or Optional Memorial of Saint Lawrence Ruiz or Optional Memorial of Saint Wenceslaus Gospel: Luke 9:46–50
Today is Monday of the 26th Week in Ordinary Time. The Church today celebrates the Optional Memorial of the martyrdom of Saint Lawrence Ruiz and his Companions, and also the Optional Memorial of the martyrdom of Saint Wenceslaus.
As we read in recently published Missals:
Saint Wenceslaus was born in Stoichkov Castle near Prague and became Duke of Bohemia in 921. The popular carol “Good King Wenceslas” speaks of his strong faith in God and his care for the poor. However, as a Christian monarch, he faced many trials during his reign and was finally murdered at the instigation of his brother, Boleslav, on September 28, 929. According to legend, his last words were, “Brother, may God forgive you.”
Saint Lawrence Ruiz and his companions were sixteen Dominican martyrs who suffered at Nishizawa Hill near Nagasaki, Japan, in September 1637, during the persecution of the Tokugawa shogunate. Many of them were bound and hanged upside down, causing a slow death. They included Saint Lawrence (Lorenzo) Ruiz (c. 1600–1637), a lay member of the Dominican Confraternity of the Holy Rosary and a father of three, who is the first Filipino saint.
Today, the passage from the Gospel of Luke tells of a dispute that arose among the disciples who were following Jesus. I would like to offer some reflections on this.
The world we live in today is filled with evil thoughts arising from the pursuit of material desires, so that our souls and bodies, given to us by God, are bound by sin and death because of human weakness. Because we refuse to live according to the Holy Spirit and set our hearts on the things of the Spirit but instead follow the desires of the flesh and crave the things of this world, choosing to be enemies of God and refusing to submit to His law, our souls and bodies will perish because of the desires of the flesh when that day comes. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ! If we argue with one another like those disciples who argue about who was the greatest (Cf. Luke 9:46), we destroy the harmony of our relationships by our actions, causing those with whom we argue to perish together with us. Saint Paul teaches: “Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun set on your anger, and do not leave room for the devil.” (Cf. Ephesians 4:26–27) Saint Peter the Apostle also teaches: “Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent, the devil, is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in faith, realizing that your fellow believers throughout the world undergo the same sufferings.” (Cf. 1 Peter 5:8–9) Arguing with one another is a sign of lacking both faith and charity.
Today, let us imitate the sixteen Dominican martyrs who suffered at Nishizawa Hill near Nagasaki in September 1637, and follow the example of the martyr Saint Wenceslaus. Let us no longer pursue the gains and losses of this world but seek the Kingdom of God and the righteousness of that eternal realm, as Jesus taught. Let us practice His teachings in our daily lives: welcoming our brothers and sisters who hold different opinions on certain matters, praying for them, and taking the initiative to be reconciled with them. Through penance and prayer, let us seek God’s forgiveness for all the evil we have done, and thus restore our relationship with God and with the world that He created according to His holy will.
O God, who manifest your almighty power above all by pardoning and showing mercy, bestow, we pray, your grace abundantly upon us and make those hastening to attain your promises heirs to the treasures of heaven. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,God, for ever and ever
September 27, 2026 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time Gospel: Matthew 21:28–32
Today is the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time. The passage from the Gospel of Matthew tells us a parable that Jesus spoke. In this parable, Jesus describes the different responses of two sons to their father’s request. Let us try to understand it.
Jesus said, “A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ The son replied, ‘I will not.’ But afterwards, he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second son and gave the same order. He replied, ‘Yes, sir,’ but did not go.” (Cf. Matthew 21:28–30)
As I write this reflection, I think of the many insincere situations in our lives: we often, not wanting to disappoint others, agree to their requests, but afterwards fail to keep our promises. This is exactly what the second son did—saying “yes” with his mouth but not moving his feet.
What impressed me even more was a scene I witnessed in parish ministry: Once, a pastor asked a server to prepare the liturgical items and the Missal for the patronal feast. At first, because he was busy and in a bad mood, the server directly said to the pastor, “I don’t have time, ask someone else.” He refused to his face. But later, he reflected in prayer and realized that this was an opportunity to serve the Church. So he prepared the Missal a week in advance, and on the day before the feast, he took the initiative to coordinate with the pastor, properly arranging the seating for the servers and the concelebrating priests on the altar that day. This is exactly what the first son in today’s Gospel did—he said “no” to his face but later changed his mind and made up for it with action.
So, what exactly does Jesus want to tell us by telling this parable? Jesus is not simply asking us to be “consistent in word and deed.” He immediately applies this parable to the religious leaders and ordinary sinners of His time. Those religious leaders, who said “yes” to God in the temple every day, full of piety, yet rejected the baptism of John and did not believe in Jesus—they are the second son. And those despised tax collectors and prostitutes, who initially said “no” to God and lived lives violating the law, yet when John came, they repented and believed—they are the first son. Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.” (Matthew 21:31)
This is where the Gospel is most disturbing, yet also most comforting: God does not look at how many times we have said “yes” with our mouths, but whether our hearts are honest and willing to change our minds. Perhaps each of us has been like the second son—saying “yes” to God in church but doing nothing once we step outside; saying forgiveness with our mouths but holding grudges in our hearts. But the Gospel tells us that even if we have been like the first son, saying “no” to God’s invitation, as long as we change our minds in the silence, the Heavenly Father still welcomes us into His vineyard with open arms.
The vineyard is not a place for perfect people, but for those willing to change their minds. The question has never been how many times we have said “no,” but whether, at this moment, we are willing to get up and go.
O God, who manifest your almighty power above all by pardoning and showing mercy, bestow, we pray, your grace abundantly upon us and make those hastening to attain your promises heirs to the treasures of heaven. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,God, for ever and ever
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