20251030 SINGULAR MINDED IN OUR MISSION
30 October 2025, Thursday, 30th Week in Ordinary Time
First reading | Romans 8:31-39 |
God did not spare his own Son
With God on our side who can be against us? Since God did not spare his own Son, but gave him up to benefit us all, we may be certain, after such a gift, that he will not refuse anything he can give. Could anyone accuse those that God has chosen? When God acquits, could anyone condemn? Could Christ Jesus? No! He not only died for us – he rose from the dead, and there at God’s right hand he stands and pleads for us.
Nothing therefore can come between us and the love of Christ, even if we are troubled or worried, or being persecuted, or lacking food or clothes, or being threatened or even attacked. As scripture promised: For your sake we are being massacred daily, and reckoned as sheep for the slaughter. These are the trials through which we triumph, by the power of him who loved us.
For I am certain of this: neither death nor life, no angel, no prince, nothing that exists, nothing still to come, not any power, or height or depth, nor any created thing, can ever come between us and the love of God made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 108(109):21-22,26-27,30-31 |
Save me, O Lord, because of your love.
For your name’s sake act in my defence;
in the goodness of your love be my rescuer.
For I am poor and needy
and my heart is pierced within me.
Save me, O Lord, because of your love.
Help me, Lord my God;
save me because of your love.
Let them know that is your work,
That this is your doing, O Lord.
Save me, O Lord, because of your love.
Loud thanks to the Lord are on my lips.
I will praise him in the midst of the throng,
for he stands at the poor man’s side
to save him from those who condemn him.
Save me, O Lord, because of your love.
Gospel Acclamation | Ps147:12,15 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!
He sends out his word to the earth.
Alleluia!
Or: | cf.Lk19:38,2:14 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Blessings on the King who comes,
in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven
and glory in the highest heavens!
Alleluia!
Gospel | Luke 13:31-35 |
It would not be right for a prophet to die outside Jerusalem
Some Pharisees came up to Jesus. ‘Go away’ they said. ‘Leave this place, because Herod means to kill you.’ He replied, ‘You may go and give that fox this message: Learn that today and tomorrow I cast out devils and on the third day attain my end. But for today and tomorrow and the next day I must go on, since it would not be right for a prophet to die outside Jerusalem.
‘Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you that kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often have I longed to gather your children, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you refused! So be it! Your house will be left to you. Yes, I promise you, you shall not see me till the time comes when you say:
‘Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord!’
SINGULAR MINDED IN OUR MISSION
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Rom 8:31-39; Ps 109:21-22,26-27,30-31; Lk 13:31-35]
In today’s Scripture readings, both Jesus and St. Paul show us how to remain committed to our mission in the face of challenges and trials. In the Gospel, Jesus was becoming increasingly popular among the people, and more and more were following Him. This aroused the jealousy of both political and religious leaders, who felt threatened by His ministry, power, and influence. Some were suspicious of Jesus, thinking He was deviating from Jewish customs and beliefs and thus endangering the peace and unity of their society. Both the Pharisees and King Herod were wary of Him. In today’s Gospel, the Pharisees, using King Herod as their ploy to halt Jesus’ ministry, warned Him to leave the area because Herod intended to kill Him.
St. Paul too faced many trials in his ministry. He recounted, “Five times I have received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I received a stoning. Three times I was shipwrecked; for a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from bandits, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers and sisters; in toil and hardship, through many sleepless nights, hungry and thirsty, often without food, cold and naked. And, besides other things, I am under daily pressure because of my anxiety for all the churches.” (2 Cor 11:24-28)
We too, when we find success in our ministry, will encounter detractors. Some will envy our popularity. It may seem strange, but such envy and jealousy can also exist among priests and laity, for we are all sinners who seek attention and love. Sometimes, it is not only about attention but also about the loss of power or financial gain. As St. Paul warns Timothy, “From these come envy, dissension, slander, base suspicions, and wrangling among those who are depraved in mind and bereft of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.” (1 Tim 6:6-10) Indeed, jealousy often exists among different ministries in the Church, each fighting for greater glory–not so much for the glory of God or the love of His people–but to make a name for themselves and show they are better than others.
Yet Jesus was not intimidated by His enemies. He stood firm in His mission. Instead of withdrawing, He warned them about their spiritual blindness and the danger of destroying themselves. “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you that kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often have I longed to gather your children, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you refused! So be it! Your house will be left to you.” Jesus was more concerned about the salvation of His people than His own safety. Like a hen gathering her chicks under her wings, Jesus desired to protect His people from destruction–both as a nation under Roman rule and as individuals losing their souls through the continual rejection of God, as their forefathers had done.
Instead of fearing Herod, Jesus even called him a “fox.” By doing so, He revealed that His enemies were not only destructive toward God’s plan but also sly and cunning, constantly seeking to deceive and trap Him so that they could justify putting Him to death–just as their ancestors had done to the prophets. Jesus was courageous in speaking the truth about His enemies. He did not mince words or pretend they were acting in goodwill. Yet, even as He exposed their intentions, He also prayed for them. Jesus opened His heart even to His enemies because He truly loved them and desired their salvation.
Where did Jesus find the courage and strength to remain singular minded in His mission until the end? It was rooted in His love for the Father. He came to do the Father’s will, for He and the Father are one. Even as a child, He said to His parents, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Lk 2:49) At the end of His life, He prayed, “I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed. I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world.” (Jn 17:4, 6) Nothing could deter Him from fulfilling His Father’s will. We too have received a vocation and calling from our Father. Do we, like Jesus, give ourselves wholeheartedly to fulfil His divine plan for us and for humanity? Could we, at the end of our lives, say with the Lord that we have finished the work He entrusted to us?
Secondly, Jesus had no fear of external enemies because He knew that our ultimate destiny is with the Father. He knew that the cross and His death was not the last word, for He said, “You may go and give that fox this message: Learn that today and tomorrow I cast out devils, and on the third day attain my end.” Beyond His death lay the resurrection. “Yes, I promise you, you shall not see me till the time comes when you say: Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord!” Those who live with faith in their final destiny can rise above trials and troubles. We do not live only for today, but for the hope of tomorrow. Only believers can live beyond today, for we are certain of a greater future. Those without faith live merely for the present.
Thirdly, Jesus was assured of His Father’s faithful love. “The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one–I in them and you in me–that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.” (Jn 17:22-24) When we are confident in God’s love for us, we can do everything with faith, hope, and charity.
Indeed, St. Paul too was motivated by the love of God in Christ Jesus. He said, “With God on our side, who can be against us? Since God did not spare his own Son but gave him up to benefit us all, we may be certain, after such a gift, that he will not refuse anything he can give. Could anyone accuse those that God has chosen? Could Christ Jesus? No! He not only died for us–he rose from the dead, and there at God’s right hand he stands and pleads for us.” (Rom 8:31-34) The God we know and worship did not spare His own Son for us; therefore, we can be certain He will give us all we need to overcome trials and sufferings in this life. With God on our side, we can weather every storm.
Most of all, we draw strength from Christ’s faithful love for us. St. Paul urges us to remain in constant relationship with our Lord and to stay aware of His presence and love in our lives. “Nothing therefore can come between us and the love of Christ, even if we are troubled or worried, or being persecuted, or lacking food or clothes, or being threatened or even attacked. For I am certain of this: neither death nor life, no angel, no prince, nothing that exists, nothing still to come, not any power, or height or depth, nor any created thing, can ever come between us and the love of God made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 8:35, 38-39) This was Paul’s secret to perseverance in proclaiming the Gospel. As he also wrote, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Phil 4:13)
In the final analysis, giving ourselves to the mission requires constant dying to self and living for God, for Christ, and for others–just as Jesus did. As St. Paul wrote, “As Scripture promised: For your sake we are being massacred daily and reckoned as sheep for the slaughter. These are the trials through which we triumph, by the power of him who loved us.” (Rom 8:36-37) In giving ourselves to the Lord and His people in love, we triumph over our enemies. That is why we must never give up but, like Jesus, continue praying even for those who oppose us.
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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