Nov 24 Monday: Saint Andrew Dũng Lạc, priest and martyr, and companions, martyrs. Luke 21:1-4
In the Court of Women stood thirteen trumpet-shaped containers where people placed their offerings for the Temple treasury. Jesus and his disciples sat nearby, quietly watching the steady stream of worshipers who came to give their support. Many wealthy visitors contributed impressive amounts. Yet it was only when a poor widow stepped forward and dropped in two small lepta, worth almost nothing, that Jesus spoke. Her tiny gift moved him more deeply than the large donations of the rich.
From Luke chapter 11 onward, Jesus had been challenging the religious leadership, exposing the hypocrisy that had grown within the Temple system. In this setting, his praise of the widow becomes a deliberate contrast. He points out that some scribes loved public honor, long robes, and the admiration of crowds, but their hearts were far from God. The widow, unnoticed by everyone else, offered the little she had with sincerity and trust. Jesus declared that she gave more than all the others because, unlike them, she offered her entire livelihood to God. Her sacrifice foreshadows the gift Jesus himself would make when he surrendered his life for the salvation of others (Luke 21.1 to 4).
This theme runs throughout Scripture. Elijah witnessed the generosity of the widow at Zarephath who gave the last of her flour and oil to the prophet even when she feared she and her son would starve (1 Kings 17.8 to 16). Saint Paul praised the churches of Macedonia, who gave generously out of their poverty because their hearts belonged to the Lord first (2 Corinthians 8.1 to 5). Jesus also told the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector to remind us that God honors humility more than outward show (Luke 18.9 to 14). Over and over, the Bible highlights the same truth, that God sees the heart and values sacrifice born of love.
Life messages
We need to accept the way Christ judges. We tend to judge others by what they own or how visible their contributions appear. Jesus does not. He looks at the intention of the heart. He values the sacrifices we make for others, especially the ones that cost us something. The hardest offering is the gift of ourselves, our time, patience, compassion, and love. This is the measure Jesus uses, and it is the kind of offering that builds the Kingdom of God.
We should value the widows among us. Many widows carry a quiet loneliness that brings them closer to God. In most parishes, they are the steady presence at Mass, praying for their families and for the Church. They volunteer, visit the sick, support parish groups, and give their time with remarkable devotion. We should honor them, encourage them, and pray for them, because their faith often strengthens the whole community. God bless you
Nov 25 Tuesday. Saint Catherine of Alexandria, virgin and martyr. Luke 21:5-11
The Gospel opens with Jesus responding to the amazement his disciples expressed as they admired the greatness of the Jerusalem Temple. The building was known for its beauty. Its entrance porch rested on marble pillars nearly forty feet high. Much of the ornamentation, including the huge golden vine with clusters the size of a person’s arm, was covered with gold, and the roof itself gleamed with gold plates. Yet Jesus foretold that this magnificent building would fall. His prophecy came true in AD 70 when Roman forces overran the city, looted its treasures, burned the Temple, tore down the walls, and left a trail of destruction that included the deaths of many and the captivity of thousands.
Jesus then warned his disciples about people who would arise claiming to be military saviors, offering false hopes of liberation. He reminded them not to be misled by such voices. After this, he described signs that would shake the world, such as conflicts among nations, earthquakes, hunger, disease, and strange disturbances in the skies. These echoes appear elsewhere in Scripture, for example in the visions of Daniel (Daniel 7 and 12) and in Paul’s reminders that creation itself groans as it awaits redemption (Romans 8.22).
Life message
We need to pay attention to the signs of the times. The world continues to face troubling patterns: moral confusion, disregard for human life, rising violence, attacks on the dignity of the family, and a growing acceptance of lifestyles that do not reflect the Gospel. These realities remind us that disciples must remain watchful. Preparing for the Lord’s return means living faithfully, caring for those in need, forgiving those who hurt us, and staying reconciled with God and others. Jesus assures us that he remains with his Church, so our hope is not in fear but in his faithful presence and the strength he gives to those who trust him. God bless you.
Nov 26 Wednesday; Luke 21:12-19
Today’s Gospel gives a sober warning from Jesus to his disciples. He tells them that following him will bring real hardship until he returns in glory. They would be arrested, questioned by rulers, and even driven from their homes. Yet Jesus also turns this warning into a mission. These trials would push the disciples into new places where they would preach the Good News to both Jews and Gentiles. He promises that when they stand before authorities, the Holy Spirit will give them the wisdom and courage to speak. We see this fulfilled in the early Church, for example when Stephen spoke with boldness before the Sanhedrin before his martyrdom, a moment described with great clarity in Acts 6.10 and Acts 7.
Jesus also speaks honestly about divisions within families. Some relatives would reject the new believers and even hand them over to persecution. In spite of all this, Jesus assures his followers that their endurance will not be forgotten and that God will honor every sacrifice made for his name. This is consistent with his teaching in Matthew 10.22 and with the encouragement offered to suffering Christians in the early Church, such as in 1 Peter 4.12-14.
Life messages
- Most of us will not face physical martyrdom, but we are invited into a “daily” or “white” martyrdom. This means choosing Christ even when it costs us acceptance, comfort, popularity, or ease in a society that often prefers materialism, self-interest, or unbelief. It is a quiet form of dying to ourselves for the sake of the Gospel, and it is just as valuable in God’s eyes.
- We are called to witness to Christ in the way we treat others. Jesus asks us to return love for hatred, mercy for cruelty, forgiveness for injury, and patience in times of hardship. This is the witness described in Romans 12.17-21. When we choose compassion instead of bitterness and faithfulness instead of resentment, we become living signs of Christ’s presence. This is the kind of endurance Jesus praises when he says that by perseverance, his followers will gain their souls. God bless you.
Nov 27 Thursday. Luke 21:20-28
In today’s passage, Jesus uses strong prophetic and apocalyptic images to warn his listeners about the coming destruction of Jerusalem. He speaks of a brutal assault by Roman forces, a tragedy that would take place about forty years later and leave countless people dead while the Temple lay in ruins. Many Jews believed that the fall of the Temple would signal the end of their world, so Jesus links the two events to show that a spiritual crisis often mirrors a physical one. He points to the loss of faith and the moral decay of the people as the deeper causes of the catastrophe, calling it a time of punishment and days of repayment. The prophets had spoken of this long before. Isaiah warned of a day of vengeance in Isaiah 63.4. Jeremiah described the consequences of persistent injustice in Jeremiah 5.29. Hosea echoed the same theme in Hosea 9.7, and Daniel offered an apocalyptic vision of desolation in Daniel 9.27.
History had seen the Temple violated before. During the rule of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, from 167 to 165 BC, the sanctuary was desecrated and its altars corrupted. The phrase “abomination of desolation,” drawn from Daniel, likely refers to such acts, including pagan inscriptions and offerings placed within the holy precincts. Jesus warns that similar horrors would come again under the Romans. Many would be killed, and others taken captive into foreign lands. The holy city would be trampled underfoot by Gentiles, an image echoed in Revelation 11.2.
Jesus then shifts to cosmic language, speaking of signs in the heavens and disturbances on earth. This style comes from the prophetic tradition, where upheavals in creation reflect God’s judgment and the birth of something new. These images culminate in Daniel’s vision of the Son of Man arriving with power and glory, which Jesus applies to his own return. Yet he also gives a word of hope. For those who remain faithful, these trials are not a reason to fear but an invitation to stand tall and lift their heads, because their redemption is drawing near. This promise echoes through the Scriptures, especially in passages like Luke 21.28 and 1 Thessalonians 5.8, where believers are urged to live with confidence in God’s saving work.
Life message
- Suffering and trials are woven into the Christian journey. They remind us that life in this world is fragile and that we are moving toward a final fulfillment in God. Rather than discouraging us, difficulties should lead us to examine our lives, renew our commitment to the Gospel, and practice generous love. When we offer humble and sacrificial service, we take our place among those who wait for Christ not with fear, but with steady hope. God bless you.
Nov 28 Friday: Luke 21:29-33
In today’s Gospel, Jesus looks ahead to two horizons, the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70 and the final events of the world at a time known only to God. He tells the disciples that trials and upheavals are unavoidable before the Last Judgment and the full coming of his Kingdom. To make his point simple and familiar, Jesus turns to the small parable of the fig tree. In Israel, fig trees bear fruit twice a year, around Passover and again in the autumn. New leaves signal that fruit is near, so people knew how to read the seasons. Since many Jews believed the Messiah would reveal himself during Passover, the sprouting fig tree naturally became a symbol of expectation and preparation. For the people living in the first century, the destruction of Jerusalem would feel like the end of their world, so that generation experienced a symbolic fulfillment of Jesus’ warning.
Jesus teaches that, just as leaves tell you fruit is coming, certain signs will alert believers that God’s Kingdom is drawing near. He speaks of wars, disasters, plagues, and disturbances in creation, echoes of prophetic imagery found in places like Isaiah 13.10 and Joel 2.30–31. Most of these events happen in every age, which means the point is not to predict dates but to stay awake spiritually. Scripture repeatedly stresses this theme. Paul urges believers to live alert and sober in 1 Thessalonians 5.6, and Jesus himself reminds his followers to stay watchful in Matthew 24.42.
Life messages
- We need to read the signs of the times with spiritual clarity. This does not mean predicting the end, but living each day in God’s will, trusting Christ’s words, and keeping our hearts turned toward his Kingdom.
- We are called to serve others with humility and love, bearing witness through a life of integrity. Our consistency, charity, and transparency become the fruits that show we belong to Christ, no matter what trials or uncertainties surround us. God bless you.
Nov 29 Saturday: Luke 21:34-36
In Luke’s account of Jesus’ final teaching before his passion, Jesus urges the disciples to stay awake spiritually, because none of us knows the hour of our own death, when we will stand before God and answer for the way we lived. This vigilance is not simply fear or watchfulness, it is the daily choice to draw strength from God through prayer. By praying regularly, we allow the Lord to free our hearts from destructive habits, unhealthy attachments, and the distractions that keep us tied to passing pleasures. Jesus also reminds his followers to stay alert because the timing of both our death and his Second Coming remains hidden. Paul echoes this same warning when he writes, “You are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to overtake you like a thief” (1 Thessalonians 5.4). Scripture often returns to this theme. In Proverbs 4.23 we are told to guard the heart, and in Matthew 26.41 Jesus tells Peter to watch and pray so that he will not fall into temptation.
Life messages
- We need to resist spiritual laziness and indifference. A lukewarm heart grows dull to God’s voice, so we must keep our faith active and responsive.
- We need to let God free us from needless fears, worries, and harmful patterns of behavior. Trust in God brings clarity and peace.
- We need to draw our strength from prayer, which is listening to God, speaking to Him honestly, and responding to His guidance. This steady rhythm of prayer keeps us ready for Christ whenever he comes. God bless you.
