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Monday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 : Galatians 4:22-24, 26-27, 31–5:1

Brothers and sisters:
It is written that Abraham had two sons,
one by the slave woman and the other by the freeborn woman.
The son of the slave woman was born naturally,
the son of the freeborn through a promise.
Now this is an allegory.
These women represent two covenants.
One was from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery;
this is Hagar.
But the Jerusalem above is freeborn, and she is our mother.
For it is written:
Rejoice, you barren one who bore no children;
break forth and shout, you who were not in labor;
for more numerous are the children of the deserted one
than of her who has a husband.
Therefore, brothers and sisters,
we are children not of the slave woman
but of the freeborn woman.

For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm
and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.

Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 113:1b-2, 3-4, 5a, 6-7

R. (see 2) Blessed be the name of the Lord forever.
or:
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Praise, you servants of the LORD,
praise the name of the LORD.
Blessed be the name of the LORD
both now and forever.
R. Blessed be the name of the Lord forever.
or:
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
From the rising to the setting of the sun
is the name of the LORD to be praised.
High above all nations is the LORD;
above the heavens is his glory.
R. Blessed be the name of the Lord forever.
or:
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Who is like the LORD, our God,
who looks upon the heavens and the earth below?
He raises up the lowly from the dust;
from the dunghill he lifts up the poor.
R. Blessed be the name of the Lord forever.
or:
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Alleluia : Psalm 95:8

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
If today you hear his voice,
harden not your hearts.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel : Luke 11:29-32

While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them,
“This generation is an evil generation;
it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it,
except the sign of Jonah.
Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites,
so will the Son of Man be to this generation.
At the judgment
the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation
and she will condemn them,
because she came from the ends of the earth
to hear the wisdom of Solomon,
and there is something greater than Solomon here.
At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation
and condemn it,
because at the preaching of Jonah they repented,
and there is something greater than Jonah here.”

 Message from the Readings

Today’s readings proclaim a clear and challenging truth:
Christ sets us free — but freedom requires a heart that listens, repents, and refuses to return to old chains.
• Paul urges us to reject spiritual slavery and embrace the freedom of God’s promise.
• The psalm reminds us that God lifts the lowly and deserves praise from sunrise to sunset.
• Jesus warns that seeking signs without conversion leads to spiritual blindness.
The message is simple: Stand firm in Christ’s freedom. Listen to God’s voice. Respond with repentance and faith.

 Reflection for the Day

Paul’s allegory is bold and deeply symbolic.
Hagar represents slavery — a life driven by fear, guilt, and self‑reliance.
Sarah represents freedom — a life rooted in promise, grace, and divine identity.
“For freedom Christ set us free.”
Freedom in Christ is not merely the absence of sin; it is the presence of grace. It is living as God’s beloved, not as someone trying to earn His approval.
Psalm 113 lifts our eyes to God’s majesty:
• His name is praised from rising to setting of the sun.
• His glory is above the heavens.
• Yet He stoops down to raise the poor from the dust.
This is the God who frees us — not to leave us wandering, but to lift us, restore us, and call us His own.
In the Gospel, Jesus confronts a crowd hungry for signs.
They want proof. They want spectacle. They want reassurance.
But Jesus offers something deeper:
The sign of Jonah — a call to repentance.
Nineveh repented at Jonah’s preaching. The Queen of the South traveled far to seek wisdom. Both recognized God’s movement.
But Jesus warns:
“Something greater than Jonah is here.”
“Something greater than Solomon is here.”
The question is not whether God is speaking — but whether we are listening.
Today’s readings invite us to three movements:

1. Stand firm in Christ’s freedom.
   Do not return to spiritual slavery — fear, guilt, or old habits.
2. Praise God from morning to night.
   Let worship anchor your day and lift your spirit.
3. Listen and respond.
   Do not wait for signs — let your heart be open now.
   Let today be a day of freedom, clarity, and renewed faith.

 Reflection for the Day

Paul’s allegory is bold and deeply symbolic.
Hagar represents slavery — a life driven by fear, guilt, and self‑reliance.
Sarah represents freedom — a life rooted in promise, grace, and divine identity.
“For freedom Christ set us free.”
Freedom in Christ is not merely the absence of sin; it is the presence of grace. It is living as God’s beloved, not as someone trying to earn His approval.
Psalm 113 lifts our eyes to God’s majesty:
• His name is praised from rising to setting of the sun.
• His glory is above the heavens.
• Yet He stoops down to raise the poor from the dust.
This is the God who frees us — not to leave us wandering, but to lift us, restore us, and call us His own.
In the Gospel, Jesus confronts a crowd hungry for signs.
They want proof. They want spectacle. They want reassurance.
But Jesus offers something deeper:
The sign of Jonah — a call to repentance.
Nineveh repented at Jonah’s preaching. The Queen of the South traveled far to seek wisdom. Both recognized God’s movement.
But Jesus warns:
“Something greater than Jonah is here.”
“Something greater than Solomon is here.”
The question is not whether God is speaking — but whether we are listening.
Today’s readings invite us to three movements:

1. Stand firm in Christ’s freedom.
   Do not return to spiritual slavery — fear, guilt, or old habits.
2. Praise God from morning to night.
   Let worship anchor your day and lift your spirit.
3. Listen and respond.
   Do not wait for signs — let your heart be open now.
   Let today be a day of freedom, clarity, and renewed faith.

Prayer for Today

Lord Jesus, thank You for setting me free from fear, guilt, and spiritual slavery.
Teach me to stand firm in Your grace and to live as a child of promise.
Open my ears to Your voice, my eyes to Your presence, and my heart to repentance.
May I recognize what is greater, what is holy, what is calling me today.
Lift me from the dust, and lead me into the freedom You have won for me.
Amen.