25TH SATURDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Luke 9:43b-45) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

“Pay attention to what I am telling you. The Son of Man is to be handed over to men.” (Lk 9:44)

FIRST READING - Zech 2:5-9, 14-15a

"I am coming to dwell in your midst."

A reading from the Book of Zechariah

⁵ I raised my eyes and looked, and there was a man with a measuring cord^[a] in his hand. ⁶ I asked, “Where are you going?” And he said, “To measure Jerusalem—to see how great its width is and how great its length.”

⁷ Then the angel who spoke with me advanced as another angel came out to meet him ⁸ and he said to the latter, “Run, speak to that official: ^[b] Jerusalem will be unwalled, because of the abundance of people and beasts in its midst. ⁹ I will be an encircling wall of fire^[c] for it—oracle of the Lord—and I will be the glory in its midst.” ¹⁴ Sing and rejoice, daughter Zion! Now, I am coming to dwell in your midst—oracle of the Lord. ¹⁵ Many nations will bind themselves to the Lord on that day. They will be my people,^[a] and I will dwell in your midst. Then you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Lk 9:43b-45

"The Son of Man is to be handed over to men, and they were afraid to ask him about this saying."

✠From the Gospel according to Luke

While they were all amazed at his every deed, he said to his disciples, ⁴⁴ “Pay attention to what I am telling you. The Son of Man is to be handed over to men.” ⁴⁵ But they did not understand this saying; its meaning was hidden from them so that they should not understand it, and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

25TH SATURDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Luke 9:43b-45)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

The Word of God in today’s Gospel foretells the mystery of Jesus Christ to suffer death and resurrection after three days.

God wants to affirm to everyone that the Son of God, coming to earth as a human, will have to suffer greatly and die on the cross to attain glory and bring eternal life to humanity. That is a mystery.

The Son of God came to earth as a human not only to seek physical benefits for humans but also to direct humans toward eternal life in the future. God fully knows that human hearts only want happiness and peace right before their eyes without turning toward the future, which is eternal life.

For this reason, God came into the world to accompany humanity. He invites everyone to enter into the mystery of suffering with Jesus Christ, to carry the cross with Him to Calvary, and to die with Him, so that together we may inherit the glorious life in His Father’s Kingdom.

When Jesus foretold of His suffering, the disciples' minds and hearts were still captivated by the great miracles He had performed. However, God does not want people to remain satisfied with the miracles of this world. Instead, He always guides humankind toward living and practicing the Word of God according to God’s commands, which are: to love God above all things and to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Today, God calls everyone to look upon the model of self-giving love of Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for humanity, and to live according to His example. Only God is the shining example of love that humanity needs to look up to as a model for living and carrying out His holy will and attaining the happiness of His Father's Kingdom.

Let us follow the Most Holy Master, Jesus—to share in His suffering, carrying the cross with Him to Calvary, and dying with Him—to have eternal life.

God invites everyone to look to the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary. She followed Jesus Christ to Calvary to suffer and die with Him.

God also calls each person to renounce all things that belong to this world and to turn our hearts toward the eternal life to come. That is a life walked in the mystery of the Cross and the suffering, through which the Son of God Himself has passed.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

19:00 September 27, 2025 - Prayer of Divine Mercy - The Way to Heaven