The Word today, 29C
- Admin
- Oct 18
- 3 min read
October 20 - October 25, 2025
Romans 4:20-25 What do we mean by the word faith? Often we mean believing “things.” Paul has a different way of looking at it.
Luke 12:13-21 A simple and practical question elicits an unexpected response from Jesus. As usual, he goes to the heart of the matter and challenges us all to think again about our real priorities.
Romans 5:12, 15, 17-21 In trying to reconcile Gentiles and Jews in the Roman churches, Paul wants to show that every human being, no matter what background etc., stands in need of God’s grace in Christ. Symbolically, Adam’s story is our story.
Luke 12:36-38 Parables of watchfulness are not uncommon but this one contains a major role reversal: the master will put on an apron, sit them down at table and wait on his own slaves. The story of the washing of the feet in John’s Gospel comes to mind as does another sentence from Jesus: “For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45).
St John Paul II, bishop of Rome
Romans 6:12-18 As always, Paul’s message is one of freedom. Being set free in Christ, he insists that we continue to be free from whatever keeps us from God.
Luke 12:39-48 The gentle Luke is not always as gentle as we fondly imagine. Today’s reading moves smoothly from night-time burglary to keeping watch. The violent and brutal imagery (cut off, strokes of the lash) is indeed arresting: Luke wants to wake up us to action.
St John of Capistrano, priest
Romans 6:19-23 Paul often bring up the contrast between how we used to be and how we are now in Christ. What is the point of persistence? God’s gift of eternal life in Christ.
Luke 12:49-53 Fire is a cultural image for judgement. By contrast, baptism can be a metaphor for destiny only in light of Christian tradition. With these contrasting images of judgement and death, Jesus links his own fate with his mission from God. The second paragraph reflects what happened to people who made (and make) a radical choice for Jesus. The social and familial cost was and still can be considerable.
St Anthony Mary Claret, bishop
Romans 7:18-25 We know a lot about Paul because he himself tells us a great deal. In today’s reading, we get really under his skin in some very honest reflections. Our experience is in there somewhere too!
Luke 12:54-59 What has the weather to do with going to court? The two sets of parabolic sayings may seem disparate but in reality are related. The link is time and the good use of time in the now. Interpreting the times is the duty of us all; acting on that interpretation is the call of us all.
St Thaddeus MacCarthy, bishop
Romans 8:1-11 How can we ever come to true inner peace? How can we become our true selves as God intended? Paul describes the path, using a language which is his, but based on an experience which is ours.
Luke 13:1-9 Bad things happen to good people, then and now. Coping with the unpredictable invites repentance, but not in the sense of sorrow for sin. Rather, metanoia is better rendered “conversion”, i.e., a fundamental change of attitude to life, to God and to others, a real turn around. The fig tree is rich in metaphorical resonance from the book of Genesis onwards. In the Gospels, it often bears the message of judgement, as in the cursing of the fig tree. That prophetic action is not recounted in Luke and instead we have a very different story of yet another chance. Luke is telling us to dig around, get manure, create the conditions for bearing fruit…otherwise!
References
-United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (2025cl, October 19). Twenty-ninth Sunday in ordinary time. USCCB. https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101925.cfm
-Sunday readings. (n.d.-s). Hearers of the Word. https://www.tarsus.ie/SundayReadings
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