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Thursday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 : Galatians 3:1-5

O stupid Galatians!
Who has bewitched you,
before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?
I want to learn only this from you:
did you receive the Spirit from works of the law,
or from faith in what you heard?
Are you so stupid?
After beginning with the Spirit,
are you now ending with the flesh?
Did you experience so many things in vain?–
if indeed it was in vain.
Does, then, the one who supplies the Spirit to you
and works mighty deeds among you
do so from works of the law
or from faith in what you heard?

Responsorial Psalm : Luke 1:69-70, 71-72, 73-75

R. (68) Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
R. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
R. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
R. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
R. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; He has come to his people.

Alleluia : Acts 16:14b

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Open our hearts, O Lord,
to listen to the words of your Son.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel : Luke 11:5-13

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Suppose one of you has a friend
to whom he goes at midnight and says,
‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,
for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey
and I have nothing to offer him,’
and he says in reply from within,
‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked
and my children and I are already in bed.
I cannot get up to give you anything.’
I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves
because of their friendship,
he will get up to give him whatever he needs
because of his persistence.

“And I tell you, ask and you will receive;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives;
and the one who seeks, finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
What father among you would hand his son a snake
when he asks for a fish?
Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit
to those who ask him?”

 Message from the Readings

Today’s readings proclaim a powerful truth:
Faith unites us to God’s promise, and spiritual vigilance keeps us rooted in His strength.
• Paul reminds us that faith — not law — makes us heirs of God’s blessing.
• The psalm celebrates God’s faithful works and His enduring covenant.
• Jesus warns that division and spiritual emptiness weaken the soul.
The message is clear: Live by faith. Stay spiritually awake. Let God’s Spirit fill your life.

Reflection for the Day

Paul’s words in Galatians are liberating:
“Those who have faith are children of Abraham.”
Faith is not merely belief — it is trust, surrender, and openness to God’s work.
Christ redeems us from the curse of relying on our own strength. He frees us from spiritual striving and invites us into grace.
The psalm echoes this freedom:
• God’s works are majestic.
• His justice is trustworthy.
• His covenant is eternal.
• His faithfulness is constant.
This is the God who blesses those who walk in faith.
In the Gospel, Jesus confronts accusations that twist His miracles into evil. He responds with clarity:
A divided heart cannot stand.
Spiritual division — half‑faith, half‑fear — weakens us. Spiritual emptiness — a life swept clean but not filled with God — leaves us vulnerable.
Jesus teaches that deliverance is not enough. We must be filled with the Holy Spirit, anchored in faith, and rooted in God’s truth.
Today’s readings invite us to three movements:

1. Live by faith, not self‑reliance.
   Let grace be your foundation.
2. Celebrate God’s faithfulness.
   His covenant and His works are trustworthy.
3. Guard your heart with spiritual vigilance.
   Stay filled with God’s Spirit — not empty, divided, or distracted.
   Let today be a day of faith, fullness, and spiritual clarity.

Prayer for Today

Lord Jesus, teach me to live by faith and trust in Your redeeming grace.
Fill my heart with Your Spirit so I may stand strong against division, fear, and distraction.
Help me celebrate Your faithful works and walk in the freedom You offer.
Make my life whole, my heart undivided, and my spirit anchored in You.
Amen