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

©Totus Tuus 2026
Cum Approbatione Ecclesiastica