November 10, 2026 Tuesday of the Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time — Memorial of Pope Saint Leo the Great Gospel: Lk 17:7–10
Today is Tuesday of the Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time. The Church today celebrates the Memorial of Pope Saint Leo the Great. As we read in the recently published Roman Missal: Pope Saint Leo the Great (who died in 461), a native of Tuscany, became Pope in 440. Although he was unable to attend the Council of Chalcedon in 451 in person, his letter (or Tome) defining Christ’s twofold nature was recognized as the teaching of the Church, and the assembly acclaimed: “Peter has spoken through Leo.” The following year, he met with Attila the Hun outside the city of Rome, saving Rome from destruction; yet despite his efforts, Rome was still sacked by the Vandals in 455. Leo’s theological writings earned him the title of Doctor of the Church.
Today, the passage from the Gospel of Saint Luke presents to us another teaching of Jesus to his disciples. Let’s try to understand.
First, Luke tells us: Jesus said to his Apostles: “Which of you would say to your servant who has just finished plowing or tending the sheep: ‘Come here immediately and sit down at table’? Would you not rather say to him: ‘Prepare something for me to eat, fasten your apron, and serve me while I eat and drink; then afterward you may eat and drink’?” (cf. Lk 17:7–9) Do you feel grateful to the servant because he did what he was commanded?
From what Jesus said to the Apostles, we see a phenomenon in our lives that we often take for granted. Shouldn’t a servant serve his master? When we go to a restaurant, shouldn’t the waiter serve us? How could it be that we serve those who serve us?
Pope Benedict XVI, during his pastoral visit to Palermo on October 3, 2010, taught us: Jesus makes us realize that before God, we are His servants; He does not owe us anything, but rather we owe Him, and everything we have is His grace. Therefore, we must fulfill His holy will every day. (cf. Pope Benedict XVI, Homily during Pastoral Visit to Palermo, October 3, 2010)
So, what is God’s holy will? It is that we go and love, love as Jesus loved, loving everyone we meet in life, especially those who serve us. This is the attitude that Christians should have. For Jesus Himself did this: at the Last Supper, He rose from the table, took off His outer garment, put on an apron, tied a towel around His waist, poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel tied around His waist. (cf. Jn 13:1–5) As Christians, we too must, like our Savior, actively serve those around us, rather than waiting for others to serve us.
Today, let us imitate the gentleness of Pope Saint Leo, and learn from his character of always fulfilling God’s will in all things, becoming a vessel pleasing to God. When we achieve success in various areas and receive praise, let us humbly say according to the Savior’s instruction: “We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.” (cf. Lk 17:10)
On this Memorial of Pope Saint Leo, let us, together with this good Pope, offer our prayer to God:
O God, who never allow the gates of hell to prevail against your Church, firmly founded on the apostolic rock, grant her, we pray, that through the intercession of Pope Saint Leo, she may stand firm in your truth and know the protection of lasting peace. 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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