12 November 2025 (Wednesday) / Saint Josaphat, Bishop, Religious, Martyr Obligatory Memorial / Memorial of Saint Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr

12 November 2025 (Wednesday)

Saint Josaphat, Bishop, Religious, Martyr Obligatory Memorial.

Memorial of Saint Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr.

Readings from the Bible of the Roman Catholic Church:

First Reading: Wisdom 6: 1-11
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 82: 3-4, 6-7
Alleluia: 1 Thessalonians 5: 18
Gospel: Luke 17: 11-19

First Reading: Wisdom 6: 1-11

Wisdom is better than strength, and a wise man is better than a strong man. Hear therefore, ye kings, and understand: learn, ye that are judges of the ends of the earth. Give ear, you that rule the people, and that please yourselves in multitudes of nations:vFor power is given you by the Lord, and strength by the most High, who will examine your works, and search out your thoughts: Because being ministers of his kingdom, you have not judged rightly, nor kept the law of justice, nor walked according to the will of God. Horribly and speedily will he appear to you: for a most severe judgment shall be for them that bear rule. For to him that is little, mercy is granted: but the mighty shall be mightily tormented. For God will not except any man’s person, neither will he stand in awe of any man’s greatness: for he made the little and the great, and he hath equally care of all. But a greater punishment is ready for the more mighty. To you, therefore, O kings, are these my words, that you may learn wisdom, and not fall from it. For they that have kept just things justly, shall be justified: and they that have learned these things, shall find what to answer. Covet ye therefore my words, and love them, and you shall have instruction.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 82: 3-4, 6-7

R. (8) Rise up, O God, bring judgment to the earth.

Judge for the needy and fatherless: do justice to the humble and the poor. Rescue the poor; and deliver the needy out of the hand of the sinner.

R. Rise up, O God, bring judgment to the earth.

I have said: You are gods and all of you the sons of the most High. But you like men shall die: and shall fall like one of the princes.

R. Rise up, O God, bring judgment to the earth.

Alleluia: 1 Thessalonians 5: 18
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
18 In all circumstances, give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
(14. We urge you, brothers, to admonish those who are undisciplined, encourage the apprehensive, support the weak and be patient with everyone.
15. Make sure that people do not try to repay evil for evil; always aim at what is best for each other and for everyone.
16. Always be joyful;
17. pray constantly;
18. and for all things give thanks; this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
19. Do not stifle the Spirit
20. or despise the gift of prophecy with contempt;
21. test everything and hold on to what is good
22. and shun every form of evil.
23. May the God of peace make you perfect and holy; and may your spirit, life and body be kept blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ).
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel: Luke 17: 11-19

And it came to pass, as he was going to Jerusalem, he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered into a certain town, there met him ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off;vAnd lifted up their voice, saying: Jesus, master, have mercy on us. Whom when he saw, he said: Go, shew yourselves to the priests. And it came to pass, as they went, they were made clean. And one of them, when he saw that he was made clean, went back, with a loud voice glorifying God. And he fell on his face before his feet, giving thanks: and this was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering, said, Were not ten made clean? and where are the nine? There is no one found to return and give glory to God, but this stranger. And he said to him: Arise, go thy way; for thy faith hath made thee whole.

For our reflection today:

This Sunday’s Gospel (cf. Lk 17:11-19) invites us to acknowledge God’s gifts with wonder and gratitude.  On the way to his death and resurrection, Jesus meets ten lepers, who approach him, keep their distance and tell their troubles to the one whom their faith perceived as a possible saviour: “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” (v. 13).  They are sick and they are looking someone to heal them. Jesus responds by telling them to go and present themselves to the priests, who according to the Law were charged with certifying presumed healings. In this way, Jesus does not simply make them a promise; he tests their faith. At that moment, in fact, the ten were not yet healed. They were restored to health after they set out in obedience to Jesus’ command.  Then, rejoicing, they showed themselves to the priests and continued on their way. They forgot the Giver, the Father, who cured them through Jesus, his Son made man. All but one: a Samaritan, a foreigner living on the fringes of the chosen people, practically a pagan!  This man was not content with being healed by his faith, but brought that healing to completion by returning to express his gratitude for the gift received. He recognized in Jesus the true Priest, who raised him up and saved him, who can now set him on his way and accept him as one of his disciples.

To be able to offer thanks, to be able to praise the Lord for what he has done for us: this is important!  So we can ask ourselves: Are we capable of saying “Thank you”?  How many times do we say “Thank you” in our family, our community, and in the Church?  How many times do we say “Thank you” to those who help us, to those close to us, to those who accompany us through life?  Often we take everything for granted!  This also happens with God.  It is easy to approach the Lord to ask for something, but to return and give thanks. That is why Jesus so emphasizes the failure of the nine ungrateful lepers: “Were not ten made clean?  But the other nine, where are they?  Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” (Lk 17:17-18). On this Jubilee day, we are given a model, indeed the model, to whom we can look: Mary, our Mother.  After hearing the message of the Angel, she lifted up her heart in a song of praise and thanksgiving to God: “My soul magnifies the Lord…”  Let us ask our Lady to help us recognize that everything is God’s gift, and to be able to say “Thank you”.  Then, I assure you, our joy will be complete.  Only those who know how to say “Thank you”, will experience the fullness of joy.

It also takes humility to be able to give thanks. In the first reading we heard the singular story of Naaman, the commander of the army of the King of Aram (cf. 2 Kg 5:14-17).  In order to be cured of his leprosy, he accepts the suggestion of a poor slave and entrusts himself to the prophet Elisha, whom he considered an enemy.  Naaman was nonetheless ready to humble himself.  Elisha asks nothing of him, but simply orders him to bathe in the waters of the River Jordan. This request leaves Naaman perplexed, even annoyed.  Can a God who demands such banal things truly be God?  He would like to turn back, but then he agrees to be immersed in the Jordan and immediately he is cured.
The heart of Mary, more than any other, is a humble heart, capable of accepting God’s gifts.  In order to become man, God chose precisely her, a simple young woman of Nazareth, who did not dwell in the palaces of power and wealth, who did not do extraordinary things.  Let us ask ourselves – it will do us good – if we are prepared to accept God’s gifts, or prefer instead to shut ourselves up within our forms of material security, intellectual security, the security of our plans.

Significantly, Naaman and the Samaritans were two foreigners. How many foreigners, including persons of other religions, give us an example of values that we sometimes forget or set aside!  Those living beside us, who may be scorned and sidelined because they are foreigners, can instead teach us how to walk on the path that the Lord wishes.  The Mother of God, together with Joseph her spouse, knew what it was to live far from home.  She too was long a foreigner in Egypt, far from her relatives and friends.  Yet her faith was able to overcome the difficulties.  Let us cling to this simple faith of the Holy Mother of God; let us ask her that we may always come back to Jesus and express our thanks for the many benefits we have received from his mercy. (EXTRAORDINARY JUBILEE OF MERCY MARIAN JUBILEE HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS St Peter's Square Sunday, 9 October 2016).

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,
Most High Servant,
Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love (Blessed  and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)