We are glad that you found us, the DEACON-5! Here, we will be posting daily Gospel reflections, Mondays through Fridays, each day written by a different permanent deacon in our group. We pray that you find inspiration and a touch of God’s love for sharing some time with us. Please feel free to leave a comment or a prayer request for us!
Blessings to you all! Deacon Ray Gallego, Deacon Mike Hidalgo, Deacon Paul Machuca, Deacon George Mora, Deacon Carlos Porras, Deacon Ray Emnace and Deacon Chuck McDaniels
Jesus said to his disciples: “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man; they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage up to the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Similarly, as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building; on the day when Lot left Sodom, fire and brimstone rained from the sky to destroy them all. So it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, someone who is on the housetop and whose belongings are in the house must not go down to get them, and likewise one in the field must not return to what was left behind. Remember the wife of Lot. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it. I tell you, on that night there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken, the other left. And there will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken, the other left.” They said to him in reply, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the body is, there also the vultures will gather.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Reflection: As we get close to the end of the liturgical year, the Gospels speak of the “end times.” In today’s Gospel, Jesus is telling his disciples what it will be like when the Son of Man returns. Jesus tells them about two stories that they would be familiar with as both are in the Old Testament. The first is about Noah’s ark and the great flood. The second is when Sodom and Gomorrah are destroyed. In both of these events, people were going about their usual lives as if nothing was going to happen. Then on a particular day, destruction comes suddenly and without warning.
How does all this relate to us today? We know that there will be a second coming of Jesus. This is something we pray for at each mass. In the Nicene Creed, we say, “He will come again in glory…” After the consecration, the priest says, “The mystery of faith.” One of our responses is, “We proclaim your death, O Lord, and profess your resurrection until you come again.” Jesus himself tells us he will come again, but we do not know the day or hour. He tells us, “it is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority.”
Jesus tells us that the Kingdom of God is among us. We are to continue living our life in grace and to be spiritually prepared to build up the Kingdom of God here and now. We need to trust in God and not be preoccupied when the end of the world will be. If we trust in God, we should not be concerned with the “end Times.” I believe most of us will die a natural death before Jesus returns. In a way, that will be our “end time” and we will see the second coming, when we stand before the Lord after we die.
Today is also the Memorial of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin. She was born in Italy and started teaching in an orphanage at the age of 24. Six years later, she founded the Missionary Sisters of the Scared Heart. At the request of Pope Leo XIII, she was sent to the United States to minister to the Italian immigrants. The congregation grew and spread to Italy, South and Central America, England and other parts of the United States. St. Frances Cabrini established many schools, hospitals and orphanages. She is the first canonized U.S. citizen.
Action for the Day: Today, reflect on those things that keep us spiritually prepared. It could be a number of things, like prayer, praying the rosary, reading the Bible, going to mass during the week or other things. Whatever it is that you do, keep on doing it to build up the Kingdom of God here and now. Trust in the Lord, and be ready at all times, for we do not know when the Son of Man will return.
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke 17:20-25
(Glory to you, O Lord!)
Asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, Jesus said in reply, “The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed, and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’ For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you.”
Then he said to his disciples, “The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. There will be those who will say to you, ‘Look, there he is,’ or ‘Look, here he is.’ Do not go off, do not run in pursuit. For just as lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation.”
The Gospel of the Lord (Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ!).
Reflection: The Kingdom of God is among us
Dear friends, in the last few days and weeks we hear from Jesus sharing in the Gospel readings on how the kingdom of God will be like, how we can be faithful followers of Jesus, as well as how we are sent out to gather everyone to the great banquet with God. Today we hear the Pharisees questioned Jesus about when the Kingdom of God will come. Jesus answered them by saying that the kingdom of God cannot be observed, and that the kingdom is actually among us, that a day will come when they will long for His return, and Jesus prophesied that He must first suffer greatly and be rejected by that generation. To what? To suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation?
A little backstory. Beginning with defeat and fall of the Northern kingdom of Israel to the Assyrians, and the later fall of the Southern kingdom of Judah to the Babylonian empire, there has been a great longing for the return of a new king, a successor from the line of King David. The people of Israel were waiting for the rise of an earthly king to liberate and lead the people against the Romans, and against all their enemies. Little did they know that they were standing in the midst of their king, and not just any king to rule all nations, but the king and creator of the whole universe. How disappointing it must have been to the ears of the disciples, Pharisees, and to all those who were listening for Jesus to say that a time is coming that they long to be with Him but they will not see Him, and that He must suffer greatly and be rejected by that generation.
Most of us dislike disappointment, to receive unwelcome news, specially if we have high expectations for something or someone. We hate to admit and know that we were mistaken. To realize that our expectations were not met, or not what we thought because of, because of assumptions that we made based on either our misunderstanding, bias, lack of knowledge, or even by a decision to believe unfounded gossip or hearsay shared as fact by someone, a friend, or a group of people with an agenda, without doing the proper research and discern to verify the truth.
Overall, we are fortunate that we have a creator who is very aware of all our weaknesses and limitations. Regardless of all our failures, we have a God who allows us to learn from our mistakes and to learn how to discern, to help us get back on our feet, to help us gain wisdom and humility so that we can then use for accompanying one another. Remember, “The kingdom of God is among us “, our Lord Jesus suffered greatly, died and was risen from dead to be our King in Heaven, here on earth and of all creation. God is with us here and now. He will be there to guide us on how we can choose to follow Jesus. Brothers and sisters! Allow the Holy Spirit of Jesus to guide us on how we can gather everyone to His kingdom.
Action for the Day:
In silent prayer, ask our Lord how we can best serve him through the people around us. There are those among us who may be grieving, may be in need of prayer, may need comfort or encouragement, may need a helping hand, or may just need someone to listen to them. Lord Jesus, we are your humble servants. Guide us on how we can share Your love and accompany one another, to share about your kingdom.
As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee. As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him. They stood at a distance from him and raised their voice, saying, “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!” And when he saw them, he said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” As they were going they were cleansed. And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. He was a Samaritan. Jesus said in reply, “Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” Then he said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”
REFLECTION: My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, how often do we find ourselves in that same posture as the ten lepers in today’s Gospel? Paralyzed by our own shortcomings, weighed down by habits of sin, or feeling spiritually isolated, we cry out for God’s mercy. And Jesus, rich in kindness, answers us.
We hear that Jesus tells the lepers, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” As they go, the miracle happens: they are made clean. The deepest tragedy of this dynamic is, how easily a discovery becomes a distraction. When a profound transformation, or long-awaited relief finally arrives, the sudden restoration of health, security, or a future, can completely consume a person’s attention. It is a recurring human flaw, to become so totally fascinated, by a hard-won gift that the source of the blessing, is instantly forgotten. Once the immediate crisis is resolved and the desire is granted, the natural impulse for most, is simply to move on.
True awareness, however, requires stopping in one’s tracks. It demands looking past the physical benefit, to recognize the greater reality it signifies: a moment of divine grace and presence. While the majority rush forward, to enjoy their new lives, the rare individual recognizes the deeper meaning behind the favor, turns back, and responds with profound, humble gratitude.
Brothers and sisters, it is easy to pray when we are desperate. It is natural to beg God for help when we are sick, brokenhearted, financially strained, or when the cross is too heavy to carry. But do we return to Him, when the storm passes? Or do we simply take our blessings and run, slipping back into the routine, and shadow of our lives? Jesus wants to give us more than just physical relief, or quick fixes to our daily problems. He wants to give us, Himself!
Today the Church honors Saint Martin of Tours. As a young Roman soldier, he cut his woolen cloak in half, to clothe a freezing beggar at the city gates of Amiens. That night, Jesus appeared to Martin in a vision, wearing the half-cloak, saying to the angels; “Martin, who is still but a catechumen, clothed me with this robe.”
Saint Martin recognized Christ in the marginalized, just as Jesus recognized the dignity of the isolated Samaritan leper in today’s Gospel. Martin’s entire life became a returned gift, of thanksgiving. Like the grateful leper, Martin didn’t just receive God’s grace passively; he allowed it to transform him, into an instrument of God’s love for others.
Saint Martin of Tours, pray for us!
ACTION FOR THE DAY: Take time from the business of your day today, to return to the feet of Jesus, preferably in the Holy Mass, or in front of the Blessed Sacrament, to offer your loud praise and deep gratitude to Him, for the blessings in your life. While there, pray for the intercession of Saint Martin of Tours, to help you look around, and share the warmth of Christ’s love, with those who are still waiting at a distance.
who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field,
‘Come here immediately and take your place at table’?
Would he not rather say to him,
‘Prepare something for me to eat.
Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink.
You may eat and drink when I am finished’?
Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded?
So should it be with you.
When you have done all you have been commanded, say,
‘We are unprofitable servants;
we have done what we were obliged to do.’”
Reflection:
Today’s Gospel is one that seems very harsh on Jesus’ part. It sounds like He is saying that doing what our Master asks of us is not enough and that we are “unprofitable servants”. Is that really true? Now, if our God were truly the ultimate detailed “scorekeeper”, then the answer is yes. How can we ever do enough to be “profitable”? It would be so easy to sink into despair that we can never do enough to “earn” being called “profitable”, right?
Here’s the thing. Who were the “scorekeepers” of Jesus’ own day? The Pharisees, right? They watched all of their fellow Jews, seeking to catch them in not fulfilling one of the more than 600 Jewish laws, as the master in Jesus’ parable did. Our God is not like that. Jesus’ own mission and ministry show that. Jesus showed that the Father is the one who wants all to be redeemed, all to be forgiven, and all to be reunited with Him in His heavenly kingdom.
Does that mean we can just skate by and not pay attention to what we are asked to do? No, of course not. We should do our best to live a life that shines forth the love of God in *all* we do. We do that by living by the precepts of our faith – you know.. going to Mass every Sunday, trying to keep the Commandments, seeking the Sacraments as often as we can, being loving and forgiving to all (yes, even to that person who bugs us the most). God doesn’t want us *not* to do all of those things. They do help orient our priorities toward being the best child of His that we can be.
Where we get lost is if we think that doing those things somehow “earns” us God’s favor. That’s not how it works. If we think that, we are no better than the Pharisees that Jesus regularly scolded throughout the Gospels. We *should* do those things I mentioned, not because God is keeping score, but because we want do act in a way pleasing to Him.
And why should we do that? Because when we do, we are “profitable servants” in that we embody Jesus’ own example. What better performance appraisal can we ever hope for?
Action for the Day:
In these last three weeks of this liturgical year, let us take a moment today and see how we are in our motivation to live as good followers of Jesus. Are we trying to avoid punishment for *not* doing what our faith requires, or are we trying to live out our faith because it extends God’s kingdom when we act out of love? I know which of those I want to do, and on the best days, I do live out Jesus’ example. If today’s not like that for you or me, let’s ask Him to help us to just love and leave the results up to Him.
Let us also remember St Leo the Great, who turned away Attila the Hun from destroying Rome, just by his abilities of persuasion, and also his promulgating the teaching that Jesus truly has two natures: fully human and fully divine, settling hundreds of years of debate. That’s the power he wielded as Bishop of Rome. May we be thankful for his leadership of the Church and his teachings that we still hold to, that our Lord truly took on our humanity. What a gift that is!
Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money-changers seated there. He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables, and to those who sold doves he said, “Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.” His disciples recalled the words of Scripture, Zeal for your house will consume me. At this the Jews answered and said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his Body. Therefore, when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they came to believe the Scripture and the word Jesus had spoken.
Reflection: A sanctuary is more than a place—it is where we find peace, seek refuge, and feel at home. Whether we picture our home or another cherished space, its meaning runs deep, and we naturally want to protect it. Our churches invite that same reverence. They are sacred places of worship, shaped by generations of faithful people who have gathered to pray, find comfort, and draw closer to God.
This reverence for sacred places gives deeper meaning to our lives and our history. For example, today is the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome. The Lateran Palace was the papal home from 324 to 1305. When Pope Clement V was elected in 1305, he did not want to move to Rome. In 1309, he moved the papal court to Avignon, France. It stayed there until Pope Gregory XI returned to Rome in 1377. By then, two fires had badly damaged the Lateran Palace. The pope later built a new palace beside Saint Peter’s Basilica on Vatican Hill as we know it today.
Saint John Lateran Basilica is the oldest and highest-ranking church in the West. As the cathedral of Rome, it is the seat of the pope as Bishop of Rome. The basilica was first dedicated to Christ the Savior. Later, Saint John the Baptist and Saint John the Evangelist were also named as its patrons.
Beyond its history, this feast reminds us that the Church is more than a building to all of us. It is a living community of believers, with Christ as its foundation. The readings about God’s Temple and Jesus cleansing the temple invite us to reflect on this deeper meaning and what that means to you. As I had mentioned before, we all have our places of solitude, so how would you commemorate them.
Remember that a church or even a Basilica isn’t a place of worship if there is nobody there. As it is stated in Cursillo, “WE ARE THE CHURCH”.
As we honor the Mother Church of the whole world, think about why our church buildings matter. They are sacred places set apart for worship and for meeting God. Saint John Lateran has a special role as the pope’s cathedral and a sign of unity for the whole Church.
Action of the Day: Let Us Pray: Loving God, as we remember the dedication of Saint John Lateran, we pray for your Church throughout the world. Bless our parish, religious communities, dioceses, and national bishops’ conferences. May our churches be sacred places where all people encounter you and grow closer to you. Guide and strengthen our pope and all future popes. May they find you in a special way at Saint John Lateran and lead your Church with faith and love. Amen.
