October 04, 2025 Saturday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time
Memorial of Saint Francis of Assisi
Daily Readings: Baruch 4:5-12, 27-29; Luke 10:17-24
The messages “Take courage, my people” and “Take courage, my children” sound like icing on the cake for the Jewish people returning from Babylonian exile. The city of Jerusalem is portrayed and personified as a grieving widow and mother mourning the loss of her children, the people of Israel. Yet today’s text offers consolation with a twist. Baruch first points out the failures of the returnees: they angered God, provoked Him through idolatry, and allowed bad memory to make them forget all that God had done for them. We see that God’s actions are often consequences of the people’s sins. But the goodness of our God is that He relents and remembers His mercy. Baruch exhorted the people: “Return with tenfold zeal to see Him” (Baruch 4:28). And the beauty of God’s promise is this: “The one who brought these calamities upon you will bring you everlasting joy with your salvation” (Baruch 4:29).
In the Gospel, the seventy disciples return from their missionary tour filled with joy, reporting all they were able to accomplish in Jesus’ name. Their joy stems from their achievements, but Jesus reminds them that their true cause for joy is that their names are written in heaven. Their joy also comes from being called and chosen by God for a particular mission, and from the privilege of witnessing Jesus’ ministry first-hand. Jesus Himself rejoices in the Holy Spirit, offering a prayer of thanksgiving. God, He declares, reveals the mysteries of the kingdom not to the wise and learned but to the lowly, the infants, and the humble. The disciples belong to a uniquely privileged group: they can see Jesus and hear Him. Many prophets and kings longed for such a blessing but did not receive it. We too, are privileged to encounter Jesus each day, in His Word and in the Eucharist.
Call to Action: St. Francis of Assisi, the saint of the day, was a mystic, poet, and friar who redefined the concept of religious poverty. Each of us has a mission to live as he lived. What is my mission?
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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