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Memorial of Saints John de Brébeuf and Isaac Jogues, Priests, and Companions, Martyrs

Reading 1 : Ephesians 2:1-10

Brothers and sisters:
You were dead in your transgressions and sins
in which you once lived following the age of this world,
following the ruler of the power of the air,
the spirit that is now at work in the disobedient.
All of us once lived among them in the desires of our flesh,
following the wishes of the flesh and the impulses,
and we were by nature children of wrath, like the rest.
But God, who is rich in mercy,
because of the great love he had for us,
even when we were dead in our transgressions,
brought us to life with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
raised us up with him,
and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus,
that in the ages to come
he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace
in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
For by grace you have been saved through faith,
and this is not from you; it is the gift of God;
it is not from works, so no one may boast.
For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for good works
that God has prepared in advance,
that we should live in them.

Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 100:1b-2, 3, 4ab, 4c-5

R. (3b) The Lord made us, we belong to him.
Sing joyfully to the LORD all you lands;
serve the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful song.
R. The Lord made us, we belong to him.
Know that the LORD is God;
he made us, his we are;
his people, the flock he tends.
R. The Lord made us, we belong to him.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
his courts with praise.
R. The Lord made us, we belong to him.
Give thanks to him; bless his name, for he is good:
the LORD, whose kindness endures forever,
and his faithfulness, to all generations.
R. The Lord made us, we belong to him.

Alleluia : Matthew 5:3

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are the poor in spirit;
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel : Luke 12:13-21

Someone in the crowd said to Jesus,
“Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.”
He replied to him,
“Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?”
Then he said to the crowd,
“Take care to guard against all greed,
for though one may be rich,
one’s life does not consist of possessions.”

Then he told them a parable.
“There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest.
He asked himself, ‘What shall I do,
for I do not have space to store my harvest?’
And he said, ‘This is what I shall do:
I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones.
There I shall store all my grain and other goods
and I shall say to myself, “Now as for you,
you have so many good things stored up for many years,
rest, eat, drink, be merry!”’
But God said to him,
‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you;
and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’
Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself
but is not rich in what matters to God.”

Message from the Readings

Today’s readings proclaim a liberating truth:
We are saved by grace, created for purpose, and called to invest our lives in what truly matters to God — not in earthly accumulation.
• Paul reveals the miracle of salvation: God brings us from death to life.
• The psalm invites us to joyful worship rooted in identity — we belong to God.
• Jesus warns that earthly wealth is fragile, temporary, and spiritually dangerous when it becomes our focus.
The message is clear: Life is God’s gift. Salvation is God’s grace. Purpose is God’s design. Greed steals joy — but grace restores life.

Reflection for the Day

1. “You were dead… but God brought you to life.” (Ephesians 2)
   Paul does not sugarcoat our past:
   • We were spiritually dead.
   • We followed the wrong desires.
   • We lived without direction.
   But then comes the most beautiful phrase in Scripture:
   “But God…”
   But God, rich in mercy, But God, great in love, But God, who saves by grace, raised us with Christ and made us new.
   Your salvation is not your achievement. It is God’s gift.
   Your purpose is not self‑made. It is God‑prepared.
   You are God’s masterpiece — created for good works He designed specifically for you.
2. “We are His people, the sheep of His flock.” (Psalm 100)
   The psalm reminds us of our identity:
   • We belong to God.
   • He made us.
   • His love is faithful.
   • His mercy is everlasting.
   This is why we worship — not out of obligation, but out of joyful belonging.
3. “You fool… this night your life will be demanded of you.” (Luke 12)
   Jesus’ parable is not about wealth — it is about misplaced trust.
   The rich man:
   • planned well,
   • saved well,
   • built bigger barns,
   • secured his future…
   but forgot his soul.
   He invested in earth but ignored eternity.
   Jesus warns us:
   “Be rich in what matters to God.”
   Not possessions, but generosity. Not accumulation, but compassion. Not comfort, but purpose. Not self‑security, but surrender.

Living This Word Today

Today’s readings invite us to three movements:

1. Remember your salvation is pure grace.
   Let gratitude shape your day.
2. Live your identity as God’s beloved creation.
   Worship with joy, not duty.
3. Invest in what matters to God.
   Choose generosity, compassion, and purpose over accumulation.
   Let today be a day of clarity, gratitude, and spiritual realignment.

Prayer for Today

Heavenly Father, thank You for bringing me from death to life through Your mercy and grace.
Help me remember that I belong to You, that I am Your creation, Your masterpiece, made for good works prepared by Your hand.
Free my heart from greed, from fear, and from the illusion of self‑security.
Teach me to be rich in what matters to You — love, generosity, compassion, and faith.
May my life today reflect Your grace and bring glory to Your name.
Amen.