Christ vs. The World (Continued)
26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
“Praise the Lord, my soul!”Ps. 146
We are called to embrace Christ as our teacher of life and our guide through the desert, for He alone is the Way, the Truth, and the Life who leads us to the Father. That is why we must remain vigilant, guarding ourselves against the subtle indoctrination and deceit of this world, which, under the influence of the devil, seeks to enslave us with the chains of sin. Take time to meditate on the profound and unbridgeable difference between the path of Christ-which gives life-and the path of the world-which leads only to ruin.
- About the body and purity
The World says: “Sex is just fun, pornography is normal.”
Christ teaches: “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.” (Mt 5:8)
Catechesis: The body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (cf. 1 Cor 6:19). It is not for using, but for loving. - About human life
The World says: “Abortion and euthanasia are a right.”
Christ teaches: “You shall not kill.” (Mt 19:18)
Catechesis: Life is sacred from conception until natural death. - About money and possessions
The World says: “The more you have, the more you are worth.”
Christ teaches: “You cannot serve God and money.” (Mt 6:24)
Catechesis: Wealth without God enslaves; what is eternal is storing up treasures in heaven. - About the family
The World says: “Marriage is relative; each one defines it as they wish.”
Christ teaches: “What God has joined together, let no one separate.” (Mt 19:6)
Catechesis: Marriage and family are a divine institution, not a cultural construct. - About the world and its ideologies
The World says: “Adapt to trends; what everyone does is fine.”
Christ teaches: “Do not love the world or the things in the world… the one who does the will of God remains forever.” (1 Jn 2:15,17)
Catechesis: The Christian lives in the world but is not shaped by it.
“Do not be mismatched with unbelievers… What accord has Christ with Belial? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God.”2 Cor 6:14-16
St. Francis of Assisi | Feast Day October 4
St. Francis of Assisi (1181 – 1226) left a life of luxury for a life devoted to Christianity after reportedly hearing the voice of God, who commanded him to rebuild the Christian church and live in poverty. He founded the men’s Order of Friars Minor, the women’s Order of St. Clare, the Third Order of St. Francis and the Custody of the Holy Land.
Born in 1181 in Italy, St. Francis of Assisi was renowned for drinking and partying as a youth. During a military expedition/battle between Assisi and Perugia, he was captured and imprisoned for ransom. He spent nearly a year in prison and began receiving visions from God. After his release from prison, St. Francis of Assisi claimed to have heard the voice of Christ, who told him to restore the Christian Church and live a life of poverty. As a result, St. Francis of Assisi abandoned his life of luxury and became a devotee of the Catholic faith.
Today, St. Francis of Assisi, known for his deep love of nature and animals, is the patron saint of the environment and animals. Each October, many animals are blessed on his feast day.
Readings of the Week
Sunday: Am 6:1a, 4-7/Ps 146:7, 8-9, 9-10 (1b)/1 Tm 6:11-16/Lk 16:19-31
Monday: Dn 7:9-10, 13-14 or Rv 12:7-12ab/Ps 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 4-5/Jn 1:47-51
Tuesday: Zec 8:20-23/Ps 87:1b-3, 4-5, 6-7/Lk 9:51-56
Wednesday: Neh 2:1-8/Ps 137:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6/Lk 9:57-62
Thursday: Neh 8:1-4a, 5-6, 7b-12 (458)/Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11/Mt 18:1-5, 10
Friday: Bar 1:15-22/Ps 79:1b-2, 3-5, 8, 9/Lk 10:13-16
Saturday: Bar 4:5-12, 27-29/Ps 69:33-35, 36-37/Lk 10:17-24
Next Sunday: Hb 1:2-3; 2:2-4/Ps 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9 (8)/2 Tm 1:6-8, 13-14/Lk 17:5-10
Observances for the Week
Sunday: 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Monday: Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Archangels
Tuesday: Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church
Wednesday: Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church
Thursday: Holy Guardian Angels
Saturday: Saint Francis of Assisi
Next Sunday: 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time
