Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
6 September 2026
In many ways, we are keepers of our sisters and brothers. We have social responsibility in family and in neighbourhood. Jesus is saying something like that today. We have a responsibility for each other, for the common good. Parents may find this most difficult – to try to guide the family well and not lose them. We teach by example and by love. Even when children are young and making some mistakes, we hope they are not mistakes that last forever, like crime, alcoholism or an unplanned life-changing moment. We pray to God for help. This we do with others. We ask for guidance and find help in the community of the church and of others. That’s where God is – two or three gathered is the community of God. Church is the gathered people. God wants the best for each of us. We can help each other to goodness, we can support each other, correct each other, and help each other on our way to God.
Jesus promises guidance and his presence to his followers for all ages. If we gather in his name, he is with us. The ‘in his name’ is the relevant condition. That means openness to his word and the traditions faithfully handed on by his community of followers. It means openness to asking for wisdom and guidance and the humility to admit none of us has all the answers.
sacredspace.com
Irish Jesuits
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Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
13 September 2026
Readiness to forgive is taught by many of the great philosophies and religions of the world. Why? Because you can’t be happy, or have any sort of inner peace, far less inner joy, if you refuse to forgive. Dwelling on past hurts, nurturing resentment, indulging simmering anger: these things can blight or embitter a person’s whole life. Unfortunately though, as all of us know: sometimes forgiveness can seem very difficult indeed, even impossible. Perhaps this is so nowadays more than ever, because contemporary secular culture encourages us to think of ourselves as victims, who have a right to demand compensation and redress.
What though if we find it too hard? What if my brother really hurts or upsets me, and ever continues to do so? What if I have been so deeply wounded by someone that my life is effectively ruined? In that case, let us simply admit the impossibility of our task, and turn to God for help. O God come to my aid, we cry. ‘Lord, help me to let go of this. If I can’t forgive, then do you forgive in my place. Bless us both, Lord, so that each of us is able to receive the gift of your forgiveness.’
We pray, we go to confession, and we come to Mass. Here the love and mercy of Jesus that flows from his sacrificial death are made present, and received in sacramental form. Here supremely we find the grace and strength we need, in order to let go of the debt we are owed: we, who have been redeemed from our own incomparably greater debt, through the blood of Jesus Christ our Lord.
pluscardenabbey.org
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Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
20 September 2026
Today’s Gospel reflects the situation of the early Church. The first Christians were all Jews. Before their conversion they had been trying to live according to the requirements of their Jewish faith. They belonged to a people who had thousands of years of religious history; they were God’s own people. Then, Gentiles began to be admitted into the community. Some of these people probably came from totally pagan environments. They may have lived very immoral lives and yet, once accepted and baptised, they enjoyed all the privileges of the community. Somehow, it did not seem right.
But this is the justice of God which we need to learn. Without exception, he gives his love – all of his love – to all those who open their hearts to it. It does not matter whether that happens early or late. One reason for that is because God’s love can never be earned, only accepted. And, as the previous story indicated, the genuine needs of all should be met. The fact that the latecomers were only employed at the last hour does not make their needs any less than those who came earlier. God’s justice is measured by our needs, not by mathematical divisions.
What each of the workers received was a symbol of the love of God, who is the vineyard owner. All – early arrivals and latecomers – got exactly the same, the love of their Master and Lord. There are not various degrees of that love. It is always 100 percent. God is Love; he cannot not love and he cannot not love totally. He cannot and will not give more of that love to one than another.
livingspace.sacredspace.ie
Irish Jesuits
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Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
27 September 2026 • World Day of Migrants and Refugees
In today’s Gospel we find the two sons, each doing the opposite to what they declare; while Jesus tells us that tax collectors and prostitutes paid attention to John the Baptist and they changed too. There is plenty of common ground between those bible figures and our own fickle behaviour.
One day we can be full of fervour and keen to profess our Christian faith, come what may. The next we can’t pray. We ask where is the God of yesterday? Is all our time wasted? Those who reject belief, faith, Church, religion and moral responsibility continue life as contented, apparently, as everyone else. Many of them were our classmates with whom we received our First Holy Communion and Confirmation. They don’t darken the door of the Church anymore. They changed their minds!
Of all the gifts given to us by God, the freedom of choice is perhaps the greatest. We’re not pre-determined beings; our choices are sacred and are literally our making, our doing and undoing. When we respond positively to God’s grace as also reflected in the best and noblest inspirations and aspirations of our environment, we’re shaping ourselves more firmly in the image and likeness of God our Creator.
Part of the challenge of our day is to ignore the choices made by others and content ourselves with our own good choices which uplift, and determine a better tomorrow for ourselves and society.
Let us pray for those who have changed their minds or way of life and turned away from God. May they experience afresh the fervour of their early faith and experience anew God’s gifts of peace and joy.
Fr Maurice Henry SMA • sma.ie
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