Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church Luke 9:57-62 Now is the time to follow the Lord
In today’s Gospel, Jesus challenges three would-be followers with words that cut to the heart of discipleship. To the first, He makes clear that following Him means embracing insecurity: “The Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” To the second, He urges immediacy: “Let the dead bury their dead,” reminding us that God’s call cannot be postponed. To the third, He warns against looking back, for the Kingdom demands a heart set firmly on the road ahead.
“Let the dead bury their dead.” This was not a rejection of family duty but a challenge against procrastination. The man was likely saying, “I will follow you later—after my father has died.” But discipleship cannot be postponed indefinitely. When the heart is stirred by grace, that moment must be seized.
These words might seem severe, but they speak of a love that calls for total trust. Few saints embody this better than St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, the “Little Flower.” She lived the Gospel by giving herself completely to Christ through her “little way” of love, not by heroic feats, but by embracing small sacrifices with great love—smiles when she was tired, patience when she was irritated, prayers when she felt dry.
Like the man in the Gospel tempted to delay, Thérèse did not wait for a “better time” to follow Christ. In her illness and weakness, she responded daily to the grace of the present moment. And kept her gaze forward, fixed on Jesus who awaited her.
Her life teaches us that discipleship is not about dramatic gestures, but about fidelity in the ordinary. The Kingdom of God advances not only by great preachers and missionaries, but also by hidden souls who give everything in love. Today, may St. Thérèse inspire us to follow Jesus here and now, with undivided hearts, walking forward in trust and simplicity.
Memorial of Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church Luke 9: 51-56 The Lesson of Tolerance
Today’s Gospel gives us two powerful lessons in tolerance. First, the disciples wanted to silence someone casting out demons in Jesus’ name because he was “not one of them.” But Jesus would not allow it. God’s work is not limited to one circle, one group, or one method. Wherever goodness is done in His name, His Spirit is at work.
Second, when a Samaritan village refused hospitality, James and John wanted to call down fire from heaven. Once again, Jesus rebuked them. He would not allow zeal for His mission to become violence against others. Instead, He chose the harder path of patience, respect, and love, even in rejection.
True tolerance is not indifference but love. It is seeing in others—even those who disagree with us—not enemies to destroy, but brothers and sisters to win over with patience and kindness. This is the way of Christ.
On this memorial of St. Jerome, we see how this Gospel speaks to us. Jerome was fiery by temperament, often sharp in debate, and sometimes intolerant in words. Yet, he spent his life in the tireless service of God’s Word, translating the Scriptures into Latin so that countless generations could draw close to Christ.
His sharpness was ultimately rooted in love for truth and zeal for souls. He teaches us that true tolerance is not indifference but love—love that seeks truth, love that corrects error with charity, and love that welcomes every sincere effort to serve God.
Like Jerome, we are called to be passionate about the Gospel, but always with the heart of Christ: firm in truth, yet patient and merciful with others.
Feast of Michael, Raphael and Gabriel – Archangels John 1: 47-51 Companions on Our Journey
Today the Church celebrates the feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, the heavenly messengers whose names resound throughout salvation history. Each of them embodies a particular way in which God reaches into our lives: Michael, the protector who defends us against evil; Gabriel, the herald of God’s Word, who announces the Good News; and Raphael, the companion and healer, who walks with us in our journeys of suffering. They remind us that God’s love is not distant, but close—active, attentive, and guiding.
In the Gospel we meet Philip, newly called by Jesus, who immediately seeks out his friend Nathanael. Like Gabriel bringing a message of hope, Philip cannot keep silent about the One he has found. Nathanael responds with doubt: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” His scepticism mirrors our own struggles to believe that God can act in ordinary, even unlikely, places. Yet Philip does not argue. With the wisdom of a true evangelist, he simply says: “Come and see.”
This same invitation runs through the mission of the Archangels. Michael’s defense urges us: Come and see the strength of God, who conquers evil. Gabriel’s announcement whispers: Come and see the Word made flesh, who dwells among us. Raphael’s companionship consoles us: Come and see the healing mercy of God, who walks by our side.
It is not arguments that convert hearts, but encounter. Nathanael was not convinced by debate, but by an encounter with Jesus, who read the depths of his heart beneath the fig tree, and revealed Himself as the One who fulfils our deepest longings.
Jesus is the true ladder of Jacob, the bridge between heaven and earth. The Archangels, each in their unique role, guide us along this ladder: Michael strengthens us against the downward pull of sin, Gabriel points us to the Word who lifts us upward, and Raphael steadies us when we stumble on the way. Together, they remind us that we are never alone in the journey of faith.
Pope Francis once prayed: “Michael, help us in our battles; Gabriel, bring us the good news of salvation; Raphael, take us by the hand and guide us on the right path.” This is also our prayer today. May we, like Philip, invite others to come and see. May we, like Nathanael, allow Christ to look into our hearts and fulfil our secret longings. And may the Archangels accompany us always on the ladder that leads to heaven.
全属于祢 
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