29 October 2025 (Wednesday)
Ordinary Weekday.
Wednesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time.
Readings from the Bible of the Roman Catholic Church:
First Reading: Romans 8: 26-30
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 13: 4-6
Alleluia: Second Thessalonians 2: 14
Gospel: Luke 13: 22-30
First Reading : Romans 8:26‐30
The Spirit comes to help us in our weakness. For when we cannot choose words in order to pray properly, the Spirit himself expresses our plea in a way that could never be put into words, and God who knows everything in our hearts knows perfectly well what he means, and that the pleas of the saints expressed by the Spirit are according to the mind of God. We know that by turning everything to their good God co‐operates with all those who love him, with all those that he has called according to his purpose. They are the ones he chose specially long ago and intended to become true images of his Son, so that his Son might be the eldest of many brothers. He called those he intended for this; those he called he justified, and with those he justified he shared his glory.
Responsive Psalm : Psalm 12(13):4‐6
Lord, I trust in your mercy.
Look at me, answer me, Lord my God! Give light to my eyes lest I fall asleep in death, lest my enemy say: ‘I have overcome him’; lest my foes rejoice to see my fall.
Lord, I trust in your mercy.
As for me, I trust in your merciful love. Let my heart rejoice in your saving help. Let me sing to the Lord for his goodness to me, singing psalms to the name of the Lord, the Most High.
Lord, I trust in your mercy.
Alleluia: Second Thessalonians 2: 14
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
14 Through the Good News God called us to share the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(9. But the coming of the wicked One will be marked by Satan being at work in all kinds of counterfeit miracles and signs and wonders,
10. and every wicked deception aimed at those who are on the way to destruction because they would not accept the love of the truth and so be saved.
11. And therefore God sends on them a power that deludes people so that they believe what is false,
12. and so that those who do not believe the truth and take their pleasure in wickedness may all be condemned.
13. But we must always thank God for you, brothers whom the Lord loves, because God chose you from the beginning to be saved by the Spirit who makes us holy and by faith in the truth.
14. Through our gospel he called you to this so that you should claim as your own the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
15. Stand firm, then, brothers, and keep the traditions that we taught you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
16. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father who has given us his love and, through his grace, such ceaseless encouragement and such sure hope,
17. encourage you and strengthen you in every good word and deed).
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel : Luke 13:22‐30
Through towns and villages Jesus went teaching, making his way to Jerusalem. Someone said to him, ‘Sir, will there be only a few saved?’ He said to them, ‘Try your best to enter by the narrow door, because, I tell you, many will try to enter and will not succeed. ‘Once the master of the house has got up and locked the door, you may find yourself knocking on the door, saying, “Lord, open to us” but he will answer, “I do not know where you come from.” Then you will find yourself saying, “We once ate and drank in your company; you taught in our streets” but he will reply, “I do not know where you come from. Away from me, all you wicked men!” ‘Then there will be weeping and grinding of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves turned outside. And men from east and west, from north and south, will come to take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. ‘Yes, there are those now last who will be first, and those now first who will be last.’
For our reflection today:
What does this "narrow door" mean? Why do many not succeed in entering through it? Is it a way reserved for only a few of the chosen? Indeed, at close examination this way of reasoning by those who were conversing with Jesus is always timely: the temptation to interpret religious practice as a source of privileges or security is always lying in wait. Actually, Christ's message goes in exactly the opposite direction: everyone may enter life, but the door is "narrow" for all. We are not privileged. The passage to eternal life is open to all, but it is "narrow" because it is demanding: it requires commitment, self-denial and the mortification of one's selfishness. Salvation, which Jesus brought with his death and Resurrection, is universal. He is the One Redeemer and invites everyone to the banquet of immortal life; but on one and the same condition: that of striving to follow and imitate him, taking up one's cross as he did, and devoting one's life to serving the brethren. This condition for entering heavenly life is consequently one and universal. True friendship with Jesus is expressed in the way of life: it is expressed with goodness of heart, with humility, meekness and mercy, love for justice and truth, a sincere and honest commitment to peace and reconciliation. We might say that this is the "identity card" that qualifies us as his real "friends"; this is the "passport" that will give us access to eternal life. (Pope Benedict XVI, Angelus, 26 August 2007)
Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,
Most High Servant,
Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love (Blessed and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)
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