31ST FRIDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Luke 16:1-8) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

“For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.” (Lk 16:8)

FIRST READING - Rom 15:14-21

"The grace given me by God to be a minister of Christ Jesus, so that the offering up of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the holy Spirit."

A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans

^14 [a]I myself am convinced about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness,^[b] filled with all knowledge, and able to admonish one another. ¹⁵ But I have written to you rather boldly in some respects to remind you, because of the grace given me by God ¹⁶ to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in performing the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering up of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the holy Spirit. ¹⁷ In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to boast in what pertains to God. ¹⁸ For I will not dare to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to lead the Gentiles to obedience by word and deed, ¹⁹ by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit [of God], so that from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum^[c] I have finished preaching the gospel of Christ. ²⁰ Thus I aspire^[d] to proclaim the gospel not where Christ has already been named, so that I do not build on another’s foundation, ²¹ but as it is written:

“Those who have never been told of him shall see,    and those who have never heard of him shall understand.”^[e]

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Lk 16:1-8

"The children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.^"

✠From the Gospel according to Luke

¹ Then he also said to his disciples, “A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property. ² He summoned him and said, ‘What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.’ ³ The steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do, now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me? I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg. ⁴ I know what I shall do so that, when I am removed from the stewardship, they may welcome me into their homes.’ ⁵ He called in his master’s debtors one by one. To the first he said, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ ^6 [b]He replied, ‘One hundred measures of olive oil.’ He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note. Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.’ ⁷ Then to another he said, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’ He replied, ‘One hundred kors^[c] of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note; write one for eighty.’ ⁸ And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.

^[d] “For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.^[e]

31ST FRIDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Luke 16:1-8)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

The Word of God in today’s Gospel speaks of God’s love and mercy towards all humanity — especially toward sinners, the poor, and those most in need of His mercy.

Through the parable of the shepherd who goes in search of the lost sheep and the woman who searches for the lost coin, God reveals to us how deep and wide His kindness and mercy for humankind is.

He came into the world to save sinners and the sick, not the righteous. 

God has made it known that in this world there is no one righteous before God the Father, except the Blessed Virgin Mary.

During His public ministry, Jesus Christ travelled throughout the world proclaiming to all peoples the love of God — a love that has been imprinted upon the human heart from the moment of birth, so that each person may share it with others.

Today’s Word of God reminds us never to judge, criticize, or condemn our brothers and sisters, for such actions displease God.

Let us, instead, contemplate the love and mercy of God bestowed on humanity, which are manifested in the two parables: the shepherd who leaves ninety-nine sheep in the wilderness to seek out the one that was lost, and who rejoices greatly when he finds it.

That shepherd is the very image of God! When a sinner strays far from the loving embrace of God, He patiently and resolutely seeks that lost soul. And when He finds it, He tenderly places it upon His shoulders and holds it close to His heart, bringing it home again. 

Then all the heavenly hosts — the angels and saints — rejoice and sing praises to God, because the lost sheep, the sinner, has returned to Him.

Through this parable of the lost sheep, we come to see how boundless God’s love and mercy truly is.

God patiently waits for every sinner to repent and return to Him. He never abandons a single soul but continually offers opportunities for conversion, return, and reconciliation with Him.

Through that, He wants to teach His disciples in the past and all of us in the present a lesson: to wait patiently for those who have sinfully gone astray to repent and return to God, but do not shun or condemn them.

Look and recognize the love and mercy God shows to all humanity.  In the same way, mankind should show the same love, tolerance, and forgiveness to sinners.

Help sinners to return to God. For When we help a sinner return to God, we are also helping our own souls to live in a way that pleases Him. 

And when that happens, all the Courts of heaven will rejoice and sing praises to God for the salvation of sinful souls that have returned to Him.

Likewise, in the parable of the woman who lost a coin.

Although the single coin may seem insignificant compared with the riches of the world, God's love and mercy are shown through the image of the woman looking for the coin. 

Through that it is shown that God loves each soul He has created and does not wish even one to fall into the captivity of Satan — for He knows how much suffering such a soul will endure and will be deprived of the happiness of being with Him.

Therefore, today’s Word of God calls each of us:

 • To remain patient, steadfast, and faithful in the love and mercy of God.

 • To live in love and tolerance toward all, especially toward sinful souls.

 • To help bring sinful souls back to God; for we must share the same love and mercy that God bestowed upon each of us with our neighbors.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

19:00 Nov 7, 2025 - Prayer of Divine Mercy - The Way to Heaven