The Holy Gospel according to Luke (16:1-8).

Jesus said to his disciples, “A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property.  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.’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.  I know what I shall do so that,when I am removed from the stewardship, they may welcome me into their homes.’

He called in his master’s debtors one by one.  To the first he said, ‘How much do you owe my master?’  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.’Then to another he said, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’  He replied, ‘One hundred measures of wheat.’  He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note; write one for eighty.’And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generationthan the children of light.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Reflection:  This Gospel, the Parable of the dishonest steward, is a puzzling parable. The steward squandered the rich master’s property.  When the steward was discovered, he acted shrewdly to secure his future but reducing the debts of those who owed his master.  The steward used his cleverness, his foresight and his ability to act decisively in a crisis situation.  It appears that Jesus is commending the dishonest steward for acting this way, but is not condemning him for his dishonesty.  The master’s commendation may seem strange until we realize that the master values the steward’s imagination, energy and commitment that he displayed.

This parable challenges us to reflect on how we use our time, treasure, talent, resources and imagination in the service of others.  Are we as diligent in seeking the kingdom of God as the steward is in securing his future?  Are we investing our time, treasure, talent, resources to serve God’s purposes, not just our own?  Jesus calls us to use what we have wisely.

I think the lesson we can take from this is about intentionality and purpose.  Just as the steward planned for his future, we are also invited to plan for our spiritual future, using our gifts to bring love, mercy and justice to others.  May we be as clever in pursuing holiness as the the steward was in securing his well being.

Action for the Day:  Pray for the grace on how we can use our heads, our hearts and our imaginations in the service of others, especially those less fortunate than us, in the name of the Gospel.

Audio Reflection:

Hello everyone!  Welcome to Deacon 5.  This is Deacon Gregg and today is November 5, 2026, Thursday of the 31st Week in Ordinary Time.

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke 15:1-10

(Glory to you, O Lord!)

The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,
but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,
“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
So Jesus addressed this parable to them.
“What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them
would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert
and go after the lost one until he finds it?
And when he does find it,
he sets it on his shoulders with great joy
and, upon his arrival home,
he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them,
‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’
I tell you, in just the same way
there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents
than over ninety-nine righteous people
who have no need of repentance.

“Or what woman having ten coins and losing one
would not light a lamp and sweep the house,
searching carefully until she finds it?
And when she does find it,
she calls together her friends and neighbors
and says to them,
‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’
In just the same way, I tell you,
there will be rejoicing among the angels of God
over one sinner who repents.”

The Gospel of the Lord (Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ!).

Reflection: Our God is love and mercy.

In today’s Gospel reading we read of how the Pharisees and Scribes complained to Jesus as to why he welcomes sinners and eats with them. This is one of the great dangers of temptation that we all face daily in this life. A trap that that leads to the deadly sin of self-righteousness, to an inflated pride and ego. The tendency to look down on others because of their shortcomings, their sins or misgivings that they may have committed. The tendency to elevate oneself and judge others, … like how the Pharisees and Scribes judged the tax collectors and sinners as not worthy to be associated with.

We all unfortunately have the same tendency to judge others.  We can be so quick to judge and condemn, and put our foot in our mouth with what we may think, gossip or say. 

Some of us may have heard the story of how a person while driving notices a car being pulled over by a police officer.  They kept watching as they judged the situation, gloat, laugh and say, “Haha, they must have gotten a ticket!”  Little did the person notice that the traffic light had already turned red. Unable to stop in time, they end up colliding with the vehicle in front of them. How unfortunate. 

Brothers and sisters.  Jesus would rather that we become contemplative in minds and see the possibility of the other side of the coin first…before we judge too easily, …to learn to forgive from the heart, pray and accompany one another,… to have hearts of mercy as we follow Him.

We are all sinners.  Remember that we have a God who loves us so very much. A loving God who wants to restore us to Himself. who desires that we change for the better.

God desires for all of us sinners to change our ways, to receive His forgiveness, to receive His love, to live within His love, and to share the peace and joy we receive of God’s love to one another. This is the way we can return to His warm embrace and be citizens of His Heavenly kingdom.

Let’s not forget what our Lord taught the disciples about the fifth beatitude, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy”.  And also, from the prayer our Lord Jesus taught us, the Our Father, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”. God is with us always to be our guide, and He offers the grace of His forgiveness and peace for our hearts. Let’s make the choice to receive God’s gift of peace and forgiveness to be able to share the same joy of God’s forgiveness, peace and His love to all who may have offended us.  Our God is love and mercy.

Action for the Day: 

Take time to reflect on our shortcomings and how we can do better. Ask God to give us the wisdom and strength to recognize our shortcomings, and the will to ask for forgiveness from those we have offended, and to forgive from the heart those who have offended us. Ask for forgiveness from God through the sacrament of reconciliation.  Recognize what needs to change in our life, acknowledge our mistakes, state that we will work on doing better, then proceed with the plan and do better. 

May almighty God bless you, the Father, the son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.  To learn more about us, to submit prayer requests or to engage in ministry, visit our website at deacon5.com

DEACON5 website link: https://deacon5.com/

Click link below to listen to today’s reflection.

The Holy Gospel according to Luke (14:25-33)

Great crowds were traveling with Jesus,
and he turned and addressed them,
“If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother,
wife and children, brothers and sisters,
and even his own life,
he cannot be my disciple.
Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me
cannot be my disciple.
Which of you wishing to construct a tower
does not first sit down and calculate the cost
to see if there is enough for its completion?
Otherwise, after laying the foundation
and finding himself unable to finish the work
the onlookers should laugh at him and say,
‘This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.’
Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down
and decide whether with ten thousand troops
he can successfully oppose another king
advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops?
But if not, while he is still far away,
he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms.
In the same way,
everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions
cannot be my disciple.”

REFLECTION: My brothers and sisters, in today’s Gospel Jesus turns to the crowds following Him, and uses shocking language. He tells them, that to be His disciple, they must “hate” their families and even their own lives. Yikes!

But Jesus does not mean, we should harbor malice or anger. He is using a powerful ancient expression, to make an uncompromising point: our love for Him must be so complete, so total, that every other love, looks small by comparison. Following Jesus is not a casual cruise down the boulevard. It is a radical realignment of our entire existence.

Jesus invites us to count the cost, to access our commitment. Jesus uses the examples of a builder planning a tower, and a king preparing for battle. Both must stop, sit down, evaluate, and consider if they have what it takes to finish the job. Jesus is telling us that, a half-hearted faith will not survive the weight of the cross. He clearly demands that we carry our cross, and renounce all our possessions.

Today, the Church celebrates the memorial of Saint Charles Borromeo, a man who counted the cost and gave everything. Charles was born into a life of enormous wealth, luxury, and political power. His uncle was the Pope. He could have easily cruised through life, in comfortable prestige.

Instead, he heard today’s Gospel and took it literally. When he became the Archbishop of Milan, he stripped away the luxury. He sold his fine goods to care for the poor. When a devastating plague and famine struck his city, while other leaders fled, Saint Charles stayed. He walked the disease-ridden streets, feeding seventy thousand starving people a day, emptying his own pockets, and exhausting his health, until he died, at the young age of forty-six. He did not let his wealth possess him. He renounced it all, to carry his cross, and follow Christ. Saint Charles Borromeo, pray that we may courageously put Christ first, carry our daily crosses, and give our all to God. Amen.

ACTION FOR THE DAY: Today, Jesus looks at each of us and asks us, to count the cost. What are the “possessions” or attachments you refuse to let go of; is it your need for control, your comfort, your grudges, your desire for worldly approval, or some other? Then, through the intercession of Saint Charles Borromeo, pray for the courage to put Christ first, to pick up your daily crosses, and to hold nothing back, from the God who gave everything for you!

AUDIO REFLECTION:

The Gospel according to Luke (14:15-24)

One of those at table with Jesus said to him,

“Blessed is the one who will dine in the Kingdom of God.”

He replied to him,

“A man gave a great dinner to which he invited many.

When the time for the dinner came,

he dispatched his servant to say to those invited,

‘Come, everything is now ready.’

But one by one, they all began to excuse themselves.

The first said to him,

‘I have purchased a field and must go to examine it;

I ask you, consider me excused.’

And another said, ‘I have purchased five yoke of oxen

and am on my way to evaluate them;

I ask you, consider me excused.’

And another said, ‘I have just married a woman,

and therefore I cannot come.’

The servant went and reported this to his master.

Then the master of the house in a rage commanded his servant,

‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town

and bring in here the poor and the crippled, the blind and the lame.’

The servant reported, ‘Sir, your orders have been carried out

and still there is room.’

The master then ordered the servant,

‘Go out to the highways and hedgerows

and make people come in that my home may be filled.

For, I tell you, none of those men who were invited will taste my dinner.’”

Reflection:

Today’s Gospel, where many of the invited guests to a grand party make very poor excuses for why they can’t attend, is a telling parable to those whom Jesus originally directed it to, as well as to you and me.  Would we *really* turn down a wonderful dinner party for what amounts to the lamest of excuses in real life?  I suppose it depends on how much we value our relationship with the one who is doing the inviting.

I think that’s the key here today.  In the parable, God Himself is the Inviter.  All of humanity are the ones being invited.  All we ever have to do is to say “yes” to the invitation, and enter the celebration.  In God’s view, that’s all.  But, entering the celebration means giving up some of our own desire, perhaps.  It also means that we choose to try to live after the example of the Son of the One who invited us – living a self-sacrificing love to others, not because they deserve our kindness, but because they are a child of God, even as we are.  It means not turning a blind eye to someone in need right in our midst, when the more comfortable thing would be to keep walking.

The parable further highlights that no one is outside of the “invitee list”.  Jesus says that the master of the house said to go “to the highways and hedgerows”, so that his home would be filled.  Even those who once turned away from God, or who are actively trying to run away from Him (like that is even possible).  I think all of us have been in that latter category at one time or another in our lives.

The good news is that God never stops calling us to the party.  The invitation is always open, provided we know what it truly means to join in.  Can we be as loving as God’s own Son – loving those who are hard to love, not looking for our own interests all the time, but being aware of those who suffer, and doing what we can to help?  Maybe not on our own, but God gives us the ability through His Holy Spirit, and just asks us to love like His Son does.  It’s a tall order, and if we fail today, let us know that we are always invited to try again tomorrow, and to try to draw everyone into that same party of joy that leads us to eternal happiness and joy in heaven.  Now, that’s an invitation I never want to decline!

Action for the Day:

Today, look for an opportunity to help one of your brothers or sisters who is in need.  Maybe it will just require a kind word from you, a word of recognition that you see that other person, or maybe buying a stranger something to eat or drink, so they know that they aren’t on this journey of life alone.  And, no matter what, pray for all who may feel alone and abandoned, that they may know that God will never abandon or forsake them.

Link to the DEACON5 website: https://deacon5.com/

If you would like to hear this reflection, click the link below! 

The Holy Gospel according to John 6:37-40

Jesus said to the crowds:
“Everything that the Father gives me will come to me,
and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,
because I came down from heaven not to do my own will
but the will of the one who sent me.
And this is the will of the one who sent me,
that I should not lose anything of what he gave me,
but that I should raise it on the last day.
For this is the will of my Father,
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him
may have eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day.”

Reflection: Sometimes we worry that someone will forget us or leave us behind. Jesus tells us that we can come to him because he will always welcome us. We can talk to him when we feel afraid, sad, or alone. He loves us and wants us to be close to him.

Imagine a child having a hard day at school. At recess, no one asks her to play, and she feels forgotten. Then a friend comes over and says, “Come sit with me. I’m glad you’re here.” Her troubles do not all disappear, but she knows she is not alone. That small act of kindness helps us understand Jesus’ welcome. When we feel left out, we can tell him how we feel. And when we notice someone sitting alone, we can share his love by inviting that person to join us.

When I go to dinner with my wife Connie and I see an elderly person sitting alone, I so much want to invite them to eat with us. Jesus came to do what God the Father asked him to do: care for the people the Father gives him. Think of a loving shepherd who watches over every sheep. Each one matters to him. We matter to Jesus, too. We can trust his love, even when things are hard.

Jesus promises eternal life to those who believe in him. Eternal life means life with God that never ends. This promise fills us with hope and reminds us that we can grow closer to him each day. We can share his love by welcoming a new classmate, helping a neighbor, or thanking someone who cares for us. Imagine how a simple smile or a kind word can brighten someone’s day. Each act of kindness is a chance to share the joy of God’s love. With Jesus, we can look forward with confidence, knowing that he welcomes us and helps us live with love today.

Action of the Day: Seek out someone that you can reach out to and embrace them with a smile. The say, “Come sit with me. I’m glad you’re here.”

Audio Reflection: