20251029 SALVATION IS BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
29 October 2025, Wednesday, 30th Week in Ordinary Time
First reading | Romans 8:26-30 |
The Spirit himself expresses our plea in a way that could never be put into words
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.
Responsorial 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.
Gospel Acclamation | Jn14:6 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, says the Lord;
No one can come to the Father except through me.
Alleluia!
Or: | cf.2Th2:14 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Through the Good News God called us
to share the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Luke 13:22-30 |
The last shall be first and the first last
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.’
SALVATION IS BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ROM 8:26-30; LK 13:22-30]
Some people like to speculate about God and the future. They enjoy engaging in theological discussions about God, how we are saved, and what heaven might be like. They try to imagine how heaven would be and what we will be like in the next life. One question that intrigues many is the one people asked our Lord: “Sir, will there be only a few saved?” When we ask such a question, are we doing so out of curiosity or genuine concern for our own salvation? The truth is, Jesus is not interested in speculative questions–just as He was not concerned with predictions about the end times. As He said, “But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time will come.” (Mk 13:32f)
Indeed, rather than speculating about when God’s kingdom will come or how many will be saved, it is far more important for us to ensure that we ourselves are saved. The best way is to remain prepared and ready at all times. Instead of wondering whether others will reach heaven, we should focus our energy on living rightly. We must discipline ourselves and carry our cross after our Lord if we are to enter into the fullness of life. For the Lord said, “Try your best to enter by the narrow door, because, I tell you, many will try to enter and will not succeed.” Entering the Kingdom of God is indeed a grace from God, but it requires our active cooperation.
Entry into the Kingdom of God is not attained merely through membership in the Church by baptism. We must go beyond mere association with Christ to living the life of Christ. As the Lord said, “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 say, ‘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!'” Membership and mere association–by race or baptism–cannot save us unless we share in His life and love. Exposure to and knowledge about Jesus are not enough to qualify us to enter the Kingdom of God. What we need is a personal relationship with the Lord and a genuine commitment to His message and person. Heaven is not simply another place; it is allowing the reign of God to rule our hearts, minds, and wills. Heaven is ultimately about our relationship with God, others, and ourselves.
This is why we cannot take baptism for granted, as if it were a guaranteed passport to heaven. As the Lord warned the Jews against complacency: “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.” We must avoid a false sense of security simply because we are Catholics. God’s blessing is given to all who embrace Him and His Gospel. In fact, those who have been given more opportunities and graces will be judged even more strictly. As the Lord said, “That slave who knew what his master wanted but did not prepare himself or do what was wanted will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know and did what deserved a beating will receive a light beating. From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.” (Lk 12:47f)
This does not mean, however, that salvation depends solely on our efforts. Salvation is not about the number of good deeds we have done. Rather, it is about being transformed in Christ through His love for us. Salvation is a free gift from God, and we must allow His grace to work in us through the Holy Spirit. St. Paul says, “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.” (Rom 8:26-27) At the end of the day, we must remain humble before the majesty of God. As St. Paul reminds us, we cannot foresee the future and often pray for the wrong things that may ultimately harm rather than help us. Many of us seek what we think is good, but only God knows what is truly best for each of us. What is good for one person may not be good for another, and God knows our weaknesses better than we do.
True prayer is a relationship that ultimately comes from God praying in and through us. God, our loving Father, knows us better than we know ourselves and chooses what is best for us. Our groaning becomes one with God’s because the Holy Spirit identifies with the groans of the Church and the world in their longing for true freedom amid imperfection and suffering. Instead of comparing ourselves with others or wondering whether others are saved, we should turn to Him in faith and humility, saying, “Give light to my eyes lest I fall asleep in death, lest my enemy say: ‘I have overcome him.’ 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.” What truly matters for our salvation is knowing that God is with us and that we walk in His truth and love.
We can have confidence that our prayer will be answered because of the steadfastness of God’s love, which presupposes that we love Him. “We know that by turning everything to their good, God co-operates with all those who love him, with all those whom he has called according to his purpose.” (Rom 8:28) We must trust in God’s plan and choices for us, for He is always at work in our lives. He works for the good of His people and in all things for those who love Him. Hence, if we truly love God, we will cooperate with His will and willingly accept His plan for our lives. If we humbly believe that God is our wise and loving Father, then we will accept whatever treatment He gives us for our healing. We do not struggle alone, for His grace is sufficient for us. His grace leads us to Him through both the joys and the sufferings of life.
Through our trials and tribulations, the Lord purifies us further. We may not always make the right choices, but if we are sincere, He will guide and strengthen us along the way. Through both our successes and failures, God grants us the grace to attain eternal life in Him. Everything will ultimately work for our good because God does all things well. As the author of Hebrews says, “For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share his holiness. Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore, lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.” (Heb 12:11-13)
In the final analysis, for those who love God, St. Paul says we will become like Christ–and that is heaven. “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.” (Rom 8:29-30) Sharing in Christ’s life and glory is what salvation is all about. We become sons and daughters of God in the Son. Through God’s graciousness and our cooperation with His will, we reach our ultimate goal–to become the glory of God. As St. Paul says, “Since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” (Rom 3:23f) In this way, God’s plan of salvation is fulfilled, for He created us out of His goodness so that we might share in His life, love, and joy. This is what predestination truly means: that He destined all of us for a deep relationship with Him, so that we might live in communion with one another. St. Paul wants us to turn away from mere theological speculation and instead embrace a renewed sense of assurance in faith. Indeed, he affirms this confidence, saying, “I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ.” (Phil 1:6)
Best Practices for Using the Daily Scripture Reflections
- Encounter God through the spirit of prayer and the scripture by reflecting and praying the Word of God daily. The purpose is to bring you to prayer and to a deeper union with the Lord on the level of the heart.
- Daily reflections when archived will lead many to accumulate all the reflections of the week and pray in one sitting. This will compromise your capacity to enter deeply into the Word of God, as the tendency is to read for knowledge rather than a prayerful reading of the Word for the purpose of developing a personal and affective relationship with the Lord.
- It is more important to pray deeply, not read widely. The current reflections of the day would be more than sufficient for anyone who wants to pray deeply and be led into an intimacy with the Lord.
Note: You may share this reflection with someone. However, please note that reflections are not archived online nor will they be available via email request.
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved
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