October 8, 2026
Thursday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Gospel: Lk 11:5-13

Today is Thursday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time. The passage from the Holy Gospel of Luke presents us with a parable that Jesus told his disciples. Let us try to understand it.

First, Saint Luke tells us that Jesus said to his disciples: “Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him.’ And he replies from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because of their friendship, yet because of his persistence, he will get up and give him whatever he needs.” (cf. Lk 11:5-8)

In our daily lives, we often encounter people who, compelled by necessity, seek various forms of help from us. When we meet them, we often arbitrarily assume they are frauds, that they seek help merely to satisfy their own needs, and we even fear that once we give them what they need, they will demand even more. Thus, we become like the master of the house in Jesus’ parable today, who refused to lend the three loaves, and are unwilling to provide for their needs according to our ability. (cf. Lk 11:5-7) For it seems to us that whenever we offer what help we can to those who seek it, we will suffer loss.

What lesson can we learn from Jesus’ words? The answer is obvious. God created us in His own image and entrusted all of His creation to us, so that we might have dominion over the world He created. (cf. Gen 1:26-31) Therefore, everything we currently possess does not belong to us; we are merely its stewards. If someone comes to us at midnight seeking help, even if we are already resting, we must still provide them with whatever they need according to our circumstances and to the best of our ability. In doing so, we are helping Jesus.

Today, let us imitate the Good Jesus and the Merciful Heavenly Father, spreading love through concrete actions—a love that is voluntary, spontaneous, and unforced. May those who urgently need help, through all that we do, see the gracious face of God revealed to them, and thus choose to be like us: through receiving the one Baptism of Christ and the anointing of the one Holy Spirit, becoming children of God; and through receiving the one Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, being united together in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Almighty ever-living God,
who in the abundance of your kindness
surpass the merits and the desires of those who entreat you,
pour out your mercy upon us
to pardon what conscience dreads
and to give what prayer does not dare to ask.
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

©Totus Tuus 2026
Cum Approbatione Ecclesiastica