HOMILIES FOR Oct. 27 to Nov. 1, 2025(weekdays). By: Rev. Fr. Clifford Atta Anim.

Oct 27 Monday: Lk 13:10-17

Reflection on the Healing of the Bent Woman (Luke 13:10–17)

Today’s Gospel recounts the compassionate act of Jesus as He heals a woman who had been crippled for eighteen long years, bent over and unable to stand upright. Her condition, which may have been physical like scoliosis, was believed in those days to be caused by an evil spirit that drained her strength and dignity. Moved with compassion, Jesus called her forward in the synagogue, touched her gently, and declared, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” Instantly she stood straight and glorified God with joy and gratitude.

Instead of rejoicing in this divine mercy, the synagogue leader reacted with anger and legalism. He scolded the crowd, arguing that healing on the Sabbath violated the law (see Exodus 20:8–10; Leviticus 19:3, 30). But Jesus, reading his heart, called out his hypocrisy. He reminded him that even on the Sabbath, people untie their oxen or donkeys to give them water. If compassion for animals is permitted, how much more should mercy be shown to a suffering daughter of Abraham, bound by Satan for so many years? Jesus thus revealed the true spirit of the Sabbath: not rigid legalism, but love and liberation. His response echoes God’s desire expressed through the prophets “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” (Hosea 6:6), and points to the truth that doing good can never contradict divine law.

Life Lessons

1. Many of us today walk through life “bent over” in spirit. We may not be physically crippled, but the weight of fear, guilt, resentment, or hidden sin bends our souls and keeps us from standing tall in faith. Like the woman in the Gospel, we need Christ to touch and straighten us.
2. Some of us suffer from spiritual deafness, unable to hear God’s gentle voice calling us to conversion, while others struggle with spiritual muteness, afraid to confess our faith or bear witness to Christ in public. Jesus healed both the deaf man (Mark 7:31–37) and the mute demoniac (Matthew 9:32–33), showing that He also desires to open our ears and loosen our tongues for praise and testimony.
3. There are those weighed down by the “spiritual leprosy” of sin or imprisoned by addictions and destructive habits. Like the ten lepers who cried out, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” (Luke 17:13), we too must call upon His mercy.
4. The Lord still touches and frees us today through the Sacraments, especially Reconciliation and the Holy Eucharist. In Confession, He speaks the same words of liberation, “You are freed,” and in the Mass, His healing grace renews our strength and restores our communion with God.

Let us, therefore, approach Jesus with faith and humility, trusting that no matter how long we have been bent under the burdens of life, His mercy can straighten us again, lift our heads, and teach our hearts to glorify God. God bless you.

Oct 28 Tuesday: Saints Simon and Jude, apostles: Lk 6:12-16

Reflection on the Call of the Apostles (Matthew 10:1–7; Luke 6:12–19)

Today’s Gospel presents a brief but powerful account of how Jesus called His apostles and began His ministry of preaching and healing. Jesus Himself is the first and greatest Missionary, sent by the Father to bring the Good News that God is not distant or vengeful, but a loving, merciful, and forgiving Father who desires the salvation of all through His Son (cf. John 3:16–17). In this passage, we see how Jesus, in obedience to His Father’s will, chooses twelve men to share in His mission and carry that message to the ends of the earth.

Special Features

What stands out most is that Jesus did not choose scholars, religious elites, or political leaders. Instead, He called ordinary men, mostly fishermen, simple workers who knew the value of perseverance, teamwork, and patience. He saw not their weaknesses, but their potential. Peter, impulsive yet sincere; John, gentle yet ambitious; Matthew, a tax collector despised for serving Rome; and Simon the Zealot, a revolutionary ready to overthrow that same empire. Together, they formed a group that seemed humanly incompatible, yet Jesus united them by love, not ideology. Their diversity became their strength, showing that in God’s plan, unity is not sameness but communion in purpose.

Before choosing them, Jesus spent the entire night in prayer (Luke 6:12), teaching us that every true vocation begins in divine communion. He then gave them a share in His own authority, the power to heal the sick, cast out demons, and proclaim that “the Kingdom of God is near” (Matthew 10:7–8). In them, the Church’s missionary foundation was laid. Like Moses choosing elders to share his burden (Numbers 11:16–17), Jesus invited the apostles to share His mission and heart for the world.

Life Message

1. Every Christian vocation begins with God’s initiative, not our merit. Just as Jesus called fishermen and tax collectors, God still calls ordinary people today to do extraordinary things. Our task is to respond with humility and faith.
2. Each of us shares in Christ’s missionary mandate. We preach not only with words but with lives that reflect His compassion, integrity, and forgiveness. When we live according to the Gospel, we become “living sermons” that attract others to Christ (cf. Matthew 5:14–16).
3. We are also invited to support the Church’s mission through prayer, moral encouragement, and material help. Saint Paul reminds us, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved,” but “how can they believe if they have not heard?” (Romans 10:13–15). Our prayers and generosity make us partners in spreading the Gospel beyond our reach.

Let us, then, renew our sense of mission, remembering that Jesus still calls and sends each of us to be His witnesses in our families, workplaces, and communities, so that the world may come to know the Father’s love revealed in Christ. God bless you.

Oct 29 Wednesday: Lk 13:22-30

Reflection on the Narrow Gate (Luke 13:22–30)

As Jesus continued His solemn journey toward Jerusalem, someone asked Him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?” His answer went far beyond mere numbers. Instead of giving statistics, Jesus spoke to the heart of the matter, revealing who will be saved, how they will be saved, why some will not, and when the opportunity ends. In short, He taught that salvation comes through the “narrow gate” of love, sacrifice, and faithful service, and that every disciple must focus on his or her own conversion before worrying about others.

The person who asked the question assumed, as many Jews did, that salvation was almost guaranteed for the chosen people as long as they observed the Law. Gentiles, they thought, would be left outside God’s mercy. But Jesus shattered that illusion. He made it clear that belonging to Israel, or today belonging to a church, is not enough. Entry into God’s Kingdom is not automatic, nor is it inherited. It requires a personal response, a daily commitment to live in love, humility, and communion with God and neighbor.

Jesus’ teaching echoes His words in the Sermon on the Mount: “Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life” (Matthew 7:13–14). The “narrow gate” is not meant to discourage but to challenge us to love more deeply and serve more selflessly. It represents the path of sacrifice, discipline, forgiveness, and charity.

Jesus also warned that salvation involves effort: “Strive to enter” (Luke 13:24). The Greek word agonizesthe means “to struggle” or “to fight earnestly.” Like athletes in Saint Paul’s analogy (1 Corinthians 9:24–27), Christians must persevere, not growing weary in doing good (Galatians 6:9). Faith is not a passive belief but an active, lifelong journey of grace and cooperation with God’s will.

Our understanding of salvation, then, is dynamic:

• “I have been saved” through Christ’s death and resurrection, which freed me from the penalty of sin (Romans 5:8–9).
• “I am being saved” through the transforming work of the Holy Spirit, who gives strength to resist sin (Philippians 2:12–13).
• “I will be saved” when, by God’s mercy, I am finally united with Him in heaven, free from sin forever (Romans 13:11).

Life Messages

1. Choose the narrow gate daily. God gives us freedom to choose, and every day presents two paths: one of selfish comfort, and one of self-giving love. Choosing the narrow gate means denying ourselves, letting go of sinful attachments, and following Christ even when it costs us (Luke 9:23).
2. Examine your path regularly. The parable of the locked door reminds us that opportunities do not last forever. Each day, ask: Did I strive today to walk through the narrow gate of sacrificial love? Jesus’ words call us to urgency and vigilance, for “we know neither the day nor the hour” (Matthew 25:13).

Salvation, then, is not a privilege to be presumed but a relationship to be lived. It is the daily “yes” to God’s grace that transforms the heart and prepares it to enter through the gate that leads to life. God bless you.

Oct 30 Thursday: Lk 13:31-35

Reflection on Jesus’ Lament over Jerusalem (Luke 13:31–35)

In today’s Gospel, some Pharisees came to warn Jesus that King Herod wanted to arrest and kill Him. Their motives are uncertain, some may have genuinely admired Jesus and wished to protect Him, while others likely wanted to drive Him away from their region. Yet Jesus remained calm and fearless. He referred to Herod as “that fox,” a symbol of cunning, cowardice, and destruction. Jesus’ words revealed not contempt but clarity: He knew the evil plots against Him but would not allow fear to derail His mission. With prophetic courage, He declared that He would continue to heal, teach, and proclaim the Kingdom until His work was complete.

Jesus’ response showed His unshakable obedience to the Father’s will. He knew that His journey would end in Jerusalem, where prophets before Him had been rejected and slain. Still, His heart overflowed with love for the city and its people. Using a tender image, He said, “How often have I longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling” (Luke 13:34). This image, drawn from the Old Testament, evokes the gentle and protective love of God who shelters His people “under the shadow of His wings” (Psalm 17:8; 36:7; 57:1; Deuteronomy 32:11).

Across the Kidron Valley, overlooking the city of Jerusalem, stands the Church of Dominus Flevit, Latin for “The Lord Wept.” On its altar is a small mosaic of a mother hen gathering her chicks, a visual echo of Jesus’ lament. The image reminds us that God’s love is not distant or indifferent, but maternal and protective. Like a mother who shields her young, God constantly calls His children to safety beneath His mercy. Yet, as Jerusalem resisted Jesus’ invitation, so too we often resist the shelter of His grace.

In sorrow, Jesus foretold the city’s downfall: “Behold, your house is left to you desolate. You will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord’” (Luke 13:35). This prophecy points both to His triumphal entry on Palm Sunday and to His final return as Judge and Lord of all. Despite rejection, His heart remained open, His invitation enduring.

Life Messages

1. Live with courage and conviction. Jesus faced opposition and threats but stayed faithful to His mission. As Christians, we too must have the courage to live our faith openly and to act according to our convictions, even when misunderstood or opposed.
2. Respond to God’s grace while there is time. Jesus wept over Jerusalem because it refused the peace He offered. Every day, God extends to us new opportunities for repentance and renewal. Let us not ignore His voice or delay our conversion. The tragedy of Jerusalem reminds us that rejecting grace leads to spiritual emptiness, while accepting it brings life and peace. God bless you.

Oct 31 Friday:Lk 14:1-6

Reflection on Jesus Healing the Man with Dropsy (Luke 14:1–6)

In today’s Gospel, Jesus is invited to dine at the house of a leading Pharisee. Since it was the Sabbath, all the food had been prepared the previous day, as cooking was considered work and thus forbidden. During the meal, Jesus noticed a man suffering from dropsy, a painful swelling of the body, often caused by liver or kidney disease, and not uncommon in Palestine at the time. Moved by compassion, Jesus asked the scholars of the Law and the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?” (Luke 14:3). When they refused to answer, He touched the man, healed him, and sent him on his way.

To the Pharisees, this act was another scandalous violation of Sabbath law. Jesus had already healed several people on the Sabbath, seven miracles in all, and each one provoked outrage among the religious leaders. Yet, Jesus was not breaking the Law; He was restoring its true spirit. To expose their hypocrisy, He asked a piercing question: “If your son or your ox falls into a pit on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull him out?” (Luke 14:5). The answer was obvious. Compassion cannot wait for a more convenient time. Faced with this truth, His critics had no reply.

Jesus’ action reveals that the Sabbath was never meant to be a burden, but a gift, a day that restores both body and soul. The Pharisees had turned it into a system of rigid rules, while Jesus reminded them that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27). It is a day for love, mercy, and renewal in God’s presence.

The True Purposes of the Sabbath

God intended the Sabbath to be:

1. A day of worship to praise and thank God for His goodness, providence, and mercy (Exodus 20:8–11).
2. A day of instruction to teach God’s Word to one’s children and strengthen faith within the family (Deuteronomy 6:6–7).
3. A day of rest to pause from ordinary labor and restore our bodies and minds (Genesis 2:2–3).
4. A day of communion to strengthen bonds with family, friends, and neighbors through fellowship.
5. A day of charity to reach out to the poor, the sick, and the lonely in acts of compassion (Isaiah 58:6–7).

Life Messages

1. Sanctify Sunday, the Lord’s Day. As Christians, we fulfill the spirit of the Sabbath by participating in the Eucharist, the new covenant meal of thanksgiving and healing. Sunday should be a day centered on God: in prayer, worship, and time spent with family. Parents are called to send their children to catechism classes and to nurture faith at home throughout the week.
2. Practice mercy as the highest form of worship. Jesus teaches that doing good on the Lord’s Day is not only lawful but essential. Visiting the sick, comforting the troubled, supporting the poor, and praying for those in need are powerful ways to honor God’s command. Every act of charity transforms Sunday from mere rest into true holiness.

In short, Jesus reminds us that holiness is not measured by rule-keeping alone but by love in action. When our worship overflows into compassion, the Lord’s Day becomes not just a duty, but a delight. God bless you.

Nov 1 Saturday: All Saints Day: Mt 5:1-12

The Feast of All Saints and Its Meaning

All Saints’ Day is the Church’s joyful celebration of all the baptized who have entered into the fullness of God’s glory. It is not limited to the canonized saints whose names we know, but embraces the countless ordinary men and women who, though unknown to history, are known to God. The feast reminds us that holiness is not a privilege of the few but the destiny of all who live faithfully in Christ.

This solemnity is an expression of gratitude to God for sharing His divine holiness with humanity. Through His grace, ordinary people have become extraordinary witnesses of faith, love, and perseverance. As St. John writes, “We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2). All Saints’ Day teaches us to honor these holy men and women both by imitating their virtues and by asking for their prayers before Christ, “the one mediator between God and man” (1 Timothy 2:5).

The Church also reminds us that holiness means wholeness. To be holy is to live in integrity, truth, and compassion. It is to love God above all and to make His love visible through works of mercy, justice, and kindness. Jesus calls everyone to this path when He says, “Be perfect, therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).

Why We Honor the Saints

1. The saints trusted completely in Christ.
   Their faith was not abstract but lived in courage and fidelity. St. Paul urged believers to “show respect to such people” (1 Corinthians 16:18) and to “honor those who have served well” (Philippians 2:29). The saints are living witnesses that faith can be heroic in every generation.
2. The saints share in eternal joy.
   Having persevered in faith, they now behold the glory of God (Revelation 7:9–17). Their victory is a sign of hope for us who still struggle on earth.
3. The saints are role models of Christian living.
   Their lives prove that the Gospel can be lived by ordinary people, in families, workplaces, and even in suffering. From St. Joseph’s quiet faithfulness to Mary’s total surrender, from the Apostles’ zeal to modern witnesses like St. Maximilian Kolbe, the saints show what holiness looks like in daily life.
4. The saints intercede for us.
   Scripture records many instances of intercession by holy people (Exodus 32:13; Jeremiah 15:1; James 5:16–18). Their prayers rise like incense before God (Revelation 8:3–4). When we ask their intercession, we are united with the “great cloud of witnesses” who encourage us to persevere (Hebrews 12:1).
5. The saints are instruments of God’s power.
   God has often worked miracles through His chosen ones, just as He did through Moses’ staff (Exodus 14:16), the bones of Elisha (2 Kings 13:21), the handkerchiefs of St. Paul (Acts 19:12), and even the shadow of St. Peter (Acts 5:15). These wonders remind us that holiness continues to transform the world through faith.

Life Messages

1. We are called to become saints ourselves.
   Sanctity is not an impossible ideal but the Christian’s true vocation. St. Augustine once asked himself, “If they could become saints, why not I?” (Si iste et ista, cur non ego?). Each of us is called to holiness in our own state of life.
2. We can follow the “three Teresas” as guides on the path to holiness:
   
   • St. Teresa of Ávila teaches us to “recharge the soul daily” through prayer and deep friendship with God.
   • St. Thérèse of Lisieux shows that small acts, done with love, become powerful prayers that save souls.
   • St. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa) reminds us to “do ordinary things with extraordinary love.”

By imitating the saints and relying on their prayers, we take our place in the great communion of believers, united in Christ who is the source and summit of all holiness. God bless you.