今天是常年期第十九周星期三。教会在今天庆祝圣若翰纳·方济加·尚达尔的自由纪念日。最近出版的罗马弥撒经书告诉我们：圣妇方济加·尚达尔（1572–1641）生于法国第戎。婚后生活美满，育有四子。其夫因狩猎意外身亡后，她在神师圣方济各·沙雷氏的引导下辨识圣召。居孀九载，二人共同创立了圣母访亲女修会（The Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary，简称 V.H.M.），专务服务病患与贫苦大众之爱德事业。
August 12, 2026 Wednesday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time or Optional Memorial of Saint Joan Frances de Chantal Gospel: Matthew 18:15–20
Today is Wednesday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time. The Church celebrates the Optional Memorial of Saint Joan Frances de Chantal. According to the recently published Roman Missal, Saint Joan Frances de Chantal (1572–1641) was born in Dijon, France. Happily married, she bore four children. After her husband was killed in a hunting accident, she discerned her vocation under the guidance of her spiritual director, Saint Francis de Sales. Nine years after her widowhood, they co-founded the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary (V.H.M.), dedicated to works of charity among the sick and the poor.
The Gospel passage from Saint Matthew presents Jesus’ teaching on fraternal correction. I would like to offer some reflections on this text.
In our daily lives, we often find ourselves at odds with others over various matters, sometimes even breaking fellowship over trivial disputes. This is because we follow the logic of this world logic centered on self-interest, prioritizing personal gain, and seeking to triumph over others by any means. Hatred and unrest are the permanent logic of this world. The root cause of such hatred and anxiety is sin. Sin enslaves us and leaves the heart feeling empty; consequently, we seek to possess everything to secure a sense of safety by dominating others.
Today, Jesus instructs us: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him about his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that ‘every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If he refuses to listen to them, tell the Church. And if he refuses to listen even to the Church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector. Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you lose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (cf. Mt 18:15–18).
In these words, we perceive the logic of God’s kingdom. The world Jesus proposes is one filled with mercy and love. It is the world of a God who loves not only the faithful but also those who sin against Him. In his homily for the Jubilee of Families, Children, Grandparents, and the Elderly, Pope Leo XIV stated: “God loves us just as He loves Himself. The Father’s love for us is no less than His love for His Only Begotten Son. In other words, God’s love is infinite. It knows no discount, for He loved us first and loved us from the very beginning!” This perfectly aligns with Jesus’ teaching today. He calls us to propagate a love that is voluntary, spontaneous, and non-coercive. He urges us to take the initiative in reconciling with those with whom we disagree.
We might be tempted to interpret Jesus’ words— “If he refuses to listen even to the Church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector”—to mean that once all means of reconciliation have been exhausted, and even the Church, following the Savior’s teaching and the promptings of the Holy Spirit, has striven to restore communion with those who cause division or opposition, she must then sever ties with them. However, this is not Christ’s intent. Rather than demanding a clean break, Jesus commands the Church to spend more time in prayer for those wayward children. Through the Church’s penitential prayer, they may come to see God’s mercy and love and thus be moved to initiate reconciliation with the Church and the world.
On this Optional Memorial of Saint Joan Frances de Chantal, let us pray:
O God, who made Saint Jane Frances de Chantel radiant with outstanding merits in different walks of life, grant us, through her intercession, that, walking faithfully in our vocation, we may constantly be examples of shining light. 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.
今天是常年期第十九周星期二。教會在今天慶祝聖加辣貞女的紀念日。最近出版的羅馬彌撒經書告訴我們：聖加辣（約1193–1253年）生於義大利亞西西，追隨聖方濟各，創立貧窮修女會（the Order of Poor Clares）。她于聖達米盎修道院度徹底的神貧生活，以智慧領導團體四十年，常為諸多高階教長提供睿智指引。因其聖德卓著，於逝世兩年後榮列聖品。
今天是常年期第十九周星期二。教会在今天庆祝圣加辣贞女的纪念日。最近出版的罗马弥撒经书告诉我们：圣加辣（约1193–1253年）生于意大利亚西西，追随圣方济各，创立贫穷修女会（the Order of Poor Clares）。她于圣达米盎修道院度彻底的神贫生活，以智慧领导团体四十年，常为诸多高阶教长提供睿智指引。因其圣德卓著，于逝世两年后荣列圣品。
August 11, 2026 Memorial of Saint Clare, Virgin Gospel: Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14
Today is Tuesday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time. The Church celebrates today the Memorial of Saint Clare, Virgin. The recently published Roman Missal tells us that Saint Clare (c. 1193–1253) was born in Assisi, Italy. Following Saint Francis of Assisi, she founded the Order of Poor Clares. She lived a life of complete poverty at the Monastery of San Damiano, and for forty years she wisely guided her community, often offering prudent and insightful counsel to many prelates of the Church. Because of the excellence of her holiness, she was canonized two years after her death.
The passage from the Gospel according to Saint Matthew proclaimed today continues to present the discussion between Jesus and His disciples concerning the Kingdom of Heaven. I would like to take this opportunity to continue offering some reflections.
When I reflect upon today’s Gospel, I often recall an event I witnessed several years ago when I was serving in a parish. At that time, Mass had just begun. A brother who regularly served at the altar had just arrived. The other altar servers had already prepared themselves and were about to leave the sacristy. That brother who regularly served at the altar came directly into the middle of the procession and demanded that they wait until he had put on his vestments before the priest could celebrate Mass. The priest who was presiding gently advised him to serve at the altar another time and asked him to return to the church to participate in the Mass. The late-arriving altar server became angry with the priest and left the parish. After that, he never returned.
I mention this not to criticize that altar server who arrived late, nor to criticize the priest who advised him to serve another time and asked him to return to the church to participate in the Mass. Rather, I mention it because I am reminded of the question raised by the disciples at the beginning of today’s Gospel: “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” (cf. Mt 18:1)
The Kingdom of Heaven imagined by the disciples was a kingdom that continued the social structures of the present world, rather than the Kingdom of Heaven proclaimed by Jesus. The Kingdom of Heaven proclaimed by Jesus is the Kingdom formed by the God who loves, and by those who are loved by God.
Today, Jesus says to His disciples: “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” (cf. Mt 18:3) He further teaches His disciples: “Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.” (cf. Mt 18:4-5)
He asks us to let go of the attachments and stubborn thoughts within our hearts, to cling firmly to the Holy Spirit, so that the Holy Spirit may, according to His divine will, dispel the pride within us, guide us to free ourselves from the bonds of the world, and transform us to become as simple and pure as children, prepared for the Kingdom of Heaven proclaimed by Jesus.
In today’s Gospel passage, we also encounter a parable. The Chinese Studium Biblicum Bible gives this parable the title “The Parable of the Lost Sheep” (cf. Mt 18:12-14). Through this parable, Jesus wishes to use the image of the gentle sheep to tell us that the Kingdom of God which He proclaims belongs to those who are meek and humble: those who sincerely seek Him, submit themselves to His will, and live according to His teachings.
All of us are called to become the People of God. Through receiving Baptism into Christ and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, we have become children of God. Yet among us there are some brothers and sisters in the Lord who, in their faith and in every aspect of their lives, remain in communion with the Successor of Saint Peter. They receive the sacraments from pastors who are in communion with the Successor of Saint Peter. There are also some brothers and sisters in the Lord who once lived in communion with the Successor of Saint Peter, but later, for various reasons, departed from the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church, which is in communion with the Successor of Saint Peter.
Perhaps we may think that God no longer loves them and has abandoned them. But God has not abandoned them. He continues to call them and loves them without counting the cost.
I would like to take this opportunity to offer a word of encouragement to that altar server who left the parish and has not returned to the Church: God is love, and He always loves us. Through receiving Baptism into Christ, we belong to Christ; and through receiving the anointing with the oil of joy bestowed upon us by the Holy Spirit, we have received the mark of the People of God.
Therefore, our thoughts, words, and actions should become like those of Christ. We are called to become gentle and humble, and even more, to follow Christ the Good Shepherd. With a generous heart, we should welcome everyone, especially those who suffer in life and those who are marginalized by society, receiving them in the name of Christ, so that through our service they may experience and behold the mercy that God reveals to them. In this way, we will become like the shepherd in the parable spoken by Jesus at the conclusion of today’s Gospel. We will do all that we can to fulfill the mission entrusted to us by our Savior. He calls us to love, and through love, to draw all those who are lost back to Him.
On this Memorial of Saint Clare, Virgin, let us now offer our prayer to God:
O God, who in your mercy led Saint Clare to a love of poverty, grant, through her intercession, that, following Christ in poverty of spirit, we may merit to contemplate you one day in the heavenly Kingdom. 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.
今天是常年期第十九周星期一。教會在今天慶祝聖老楞佐執事殉道的慶日。最近出版的羅馬彌撒經書告訴我們：聖老楞佐（+ 258年）是聖西斯篤二世（St Sixtus II）的七位執事之一，于瓦勒良（Valerian）迫害期間殉道。在他被捕後，當局命令他交出教會的財富，但他指向一群窮人，說道：“這些就是教會真正的寶藏。”據傳統記載，他被置於鐵柵架上烤死。
今天是常年期第十九周星期一。教会在今天庆祝圣老楞佐执事殉道的庆日。最近出版的罗马弥撒经书告诉我们：圣老楞佐（+ 258年）是圣西斯笃二世（St Sixtus II）的七位执事之一，于瓦勒良（Valerian）迫害期间殉道。在他被捕后，当局命令他交出教会的财富，但他指向一群穷人，说道：“这些就是教会真正的宝藏。”据传统记载，他被置于铁栅架上烤死。
August 10, 2026 Feast of Saint Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr Gospel: John 12:24–26
Today is Monday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time. Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the martyrdom of Saint Lawrence, Deacon. The recently published Roman Missal tells us: St. Lawrence († 258) was one of the seven deacons of Pope St. Sixtus II who were killed during the persecution of the Emperor Valerian. On his arrest, he was ordered to hand over the riches of the Church, but he pointed to a crowd of poor people, saying, “These are the true treasures of the Church.” According to tradition, he was roasted to death on a gridiron.
The Scripture passage from the Gospel of John today tells us about the relationship between Christians and the world. I would like to take this opportunity to offer some reflections. In fact, this is Jesus’ final address to the crowds before His Passion.
In this discourse, we see Jesus using an example from nature to illustrate the relationship between Christians and the world. (Cf. John 12:24) We know that in many countries, the number of believers in Christianity accounts for only a small portion of the total population. Even Catholics make up only a small part of all Christian believers. Thus, we can understand the relationship between the grain of wheat and the world that Jesus spoke of.
The grain of wheat that Jesus speaks of refers to Himself. He was to sacrifice Himself, be crucified, and destroy death through His holy death on the Cross. When He died on the Cross, He was like a grain of wheat dying to this passing world. After His Resurrection, He conquered death and restored vitality to a world that had lost its life due to the disobedience of our first parents, Adam and Eve.
Today, a fracture has appeared within our Church. Some brothers and sisters in the Lord, in matters of faith and in every aspect of their lives, are in communion with the Successor of the Apostle St. Peter. They receive the sacraments from pastors who are in communion with the Successor of the Apostle St. Peter, and they live according to their teachings. Like Saint Lawrence the Deacon, they often proclaim the Word of God to the world with the fervor of martyrdom, and bear witness to the Word of God through concrete actions. Other brothers and sisters in the Lord, although they, like us, have received the Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, are not in communion with the Successor of the Apostle St. Peter. They choose to follow and be in communion with those pastors who are not in communion with the Successor of the Apostle St. Peter, and they receive illicit sacraments from them.
I would like to take this feast day to exhort those brothers and sisters in the Lord who follow pastors not in communion with the Successor of the Apostle St. Peter: be guided by the Holy Spirit. Do not follow those shepherds who cannot lead you into the Kingdom of Heaven that Jesus spoke of. The kingdom they preach to you is entirely a kingdom understood according to the logic of this world. You should follow those pastors who are in communion with the Successor of the Apostle St. Peter. They are faithful to the Word of God and preach to you the Kingdom of Jesus—that realm composed of a God who loves man and men who are loved by God. If you follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit and live according to His inspirations, you will surely be able, just as we are, to be filled with trust in God and longing for the Kingdom that Jesus spoke of. Then, at the end of this life, you will desire to join with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Lawrence the Deacon, all the saints in Heaven, and all the holy angels to praise God, proclaim His mercy, and serve Him forever.
On this feast of the martyrdom of Saint Lawrence the Deacon, let us join with Saint Lawrence the Deacon in offering this prayer to God:
O God, giver of that ardour of love for you by which Saint Lawrence was outstandingly faithful in service and glorious in martyrdom, grant that we may love what he loved and put into practice what he taught. 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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