Eve of the Feast of All Hallows, that is, All Saints Day. Because of the tradition of costuming and community gatherings, it has become popular in many locations that have little tradition of Christian holy days.
Source: https://catholicsaints.info/halloween/
On a sabbath Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there were observing him carefully.
Reflection:
Jesus accepted an invitation from this prominent Pharisee to dine at his house. The people at the dinner were “observing him carefully.” It’s somewhat easy to picture the scene. For most people, being invited to a dinner with many strangers who are observing them carefully may leave them feeling quite uncomfortable and self-conscious. But Jesus showed up with perfect confidence and an unwavering commitment to share the Gospel. One thing we can learn from this dinner and Jesus’ disposition at it is that uncomfortable situations are actually great opportunities to share your faith.
We will all have times when we are put in an uncomfortable situation. Imagine, for example, being invited to a party for a distant relative or a new neighbor. You decided to attend and knew that you would know very few people there. The tendency for those who are shy would be to show up, find someone they know, and then spend the rest of the time with that person. But consider what Jesus did. He probably knew very few people at this dinner. Jesus’ primary purpose in attending was not to just relax and have a fun time while He met new friends. Instead, His primary purpose was to preach His saving message to those in need. Thus, He went to those in need and did so with confidence.
Whether you are one who likes to socialize and meet new people, or are one who dreads such settings, consider the simple fact that these settings are wonderful opportunities to share your faith. Like our Lord, if you are willing to put yourself out there, entering situations that are new and unfamiliar, then you may start to discover that the opportunities abound. New settings and new people are new opportunities to evangelize. True, they are also opportunities to make new friends and enjoy yourself. But if you have a heart set on the desire to share the Gospel, then you will regularly look for new opportunities in which you can somehow share your faith with others.
Reflect, today, upon this simple Gospel scene of Jesus attending a dinner, with many people He did not know, for the purpose of sharing the faith with them. Imagine yourself joining our Lord at this meal. How would you have felt? Would you have been self-conscious and uncomfortable? Or would you have seen it as an opportunity to share the Gospel? Reflect upon how zealous you are in your efforts to evangelize others and recommit yourself to this holy endeavor. Tell our Lord you are ready and willing to be used by Him wherever He sends you and then try to see every new adventure and experience in life as a new opportunity to share Christ’s saving message with others.
Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2025/10/30/uncomfortable-situations-3/
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Marcellus was a Roman centurion at Tangiers (in modern Morocco). During a celebration of the emperor’s birthday, Marcellus refused to participate in the pagan offering ceremony. He threw away his arms and armor, openly declared himself a Christian, and was condemned to death. His condemnation led to the death of Saint Cassian.
Died
Canonized
Patronage
Source: https://catholicsaints.info/saint-marcellus-the-centurion/
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“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how many times I yearned to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were unwilling!”
Reflection:
It’s helpful to ponder the Sacred Heart of Jesus. His heart is one that is strong and gentle, compassionate and just, merciful and truthful. In this Gospel passage, we are given a glimpse of Jesus’ love for the people of Jerusalem. He was not expressing His love for the city, but for the people in the city. It is clear that His deepest desire, His strong yearning, was that they allow Him to draw them close to Him so that He can protect them from all evil.
Jesus begins by speaking the word “Jerusalem” twice. This expresses deep compassion for the people of that city. It also expresses a lament that they have not turned to Him, remaining unwilling to change. Their refusal began long before Jesus walked the earth when their forefathers rejected the call of the prophets to repent and turn back to God. The stubbornness of their fathers continued with the people of Jesus’ day, and He experienced their rejection. This rejection did not lead Jesus to anger or condemnation as much as it led Him to holy sorrow.
The image of a hen gathering her brood under her wings is a lovely image to meditate upon. A mother hen protects her chicks with great courage and without concern for her own safety. When danger approaches, she extends her wings and covers the vulnerable chicks to protect them. Jesus uses this motherly image to express His desire to protect not only the people of Jerusalem, but all of us.
If Jesus yearned to gather the people together under his “wings” to protect them, then we should know, with certainty, that we need our Lord’s protection. He would not desire something that was unnecessary. He is not an overly protective God Who irrationally worries about His children. His concern is real and necessary, and we must know that we need His protection.
As you go about your daily life, do you feel as though you can handle life on your own? Do you act as an independent child who wants to separate yourself from the safety of your parents? Though we must all work to become responsible in life, we will never arrive at a point where we no longer need the protection of our loving God. The world in which we live is filled with dangers from which only God can protect us.
At the beginning of today’s Gospel, Jesus referred to Herod as a “fox.” That image must be seen in the context of Jesus desiring to act as a mother hen, protecting her brood. Jesus was told that Herod was trying to kill Him, but He clearly was not afraid of Herod. Of Herod’s desire to kill Jesus, Jesus said, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and I perform healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I accomplish my purpose.’” As a protector, Jesus took authority over demons, performed healings and opened the gates of Heaven by rising from the dead on the third day. As we go through life, there will be many demons who seek to attack us. We will need many forms of healing, and without the gift of Jesus’ triumph over death itself, we will not be led to the glories of Heaven. Demons are real. Wounds are real. And the need for a Savior is real.
Reflect, today, upon the image of Jesus acting as a mother hen, extending His wings over you to protect you from the many temptations and diabolical attacks you will encounter in this world. Ponder the fact that you need His daily protection. The demons will never stop their attacks. Mental, emotional and spiritual wounds need His healing. Jesus is the only one Who can protect you and heal you so that He can then pour forth the gift of eternal life. Remain under His protective care, and allow Him to fulfill the yearnings of His Sacred Heart.
Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2025/10/29/protection-healing-and-salvation-2/
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Narcissus was a Bishop of Jerusalem, consecrated in c.180 when he was already an old man. Late in life, he was accused of a crime. None of the Christians in his diocese believed it, but Narcissus did not believe he should serve after being under such a cloud, and he became a desert hermit. After a complete acquittal, Narcissus returned to his see, older, weathered, but stronger and more zealous than ever, and served several more years. One Holy Saturday, he turned water into lamp oil so the Easter vigil services could be conducted. When his age began to wear on him, Narcissus begged God to send a bishop to help him. Saint Alexander of Cappadocia responded, and the two ruled the diocese together, Narcissus living to age 116.
Born
Died
Canonized
Patronage
Representation
Source: https://catholicsaints.info/saint-narcissus-of-jerusalem/
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Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” He answered them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.”
Reflection:
We should definitely take our Lord’s words spoken above to heart. It’s easy to presume we will be saved. It’s easy to simply presume that God is kind and that we are good people at heart and, therefore, salvation is assured. But that’s not what Jesus says.
So who will be saved? When we get to Heaven, God willing, we may be surprised at who is saved and who is not. This is clearly one of the messages of today’s Gospel. Jesus even goes so far to say that some, when they die, will assume they are going to enter into Heaven but will hear our Lord say to them, “I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!” Again, we should take these words to heart.
One of the most dangerous sins we can fall into is presumption. Presumption is deadly because it has a double effect upon us. First, the person caught in presumption is one who has committed mortal sin but has not repented of it. But the presumptuous person also remains incapable of repentance because they refuse to acknowledge their sin. Their conscience is not working. They have blinders on and expect God to wear those same blinders. But God sees all things and judges accordingly.
The “narrow gate” of which Jesus speaks is a simile used by Jesus to tell us that it is not easy to obtain Heaven. It requires a concerted effort on our part as well as the infinite mercy of God. But regarding our part, the attainment of Heaven is only possible if we intentionally seek out the will of God and respond generously to Him. First, that means we confess and turn away from our sins. But from there, it means that we make every effort to fulfill God’s will in our lives.
If this is hard to accept, simply remind yourself that this teaching came directly from Jesus Himself. He is absolutely clear and means what He says. If that fills you with a sort of holy fear, then that is a good thing. “Holy fear” is a gift by which we have a well-ordered conscience that is able to identify those things in our lives that have become immovable obstacles to eternal salvation. The same well-ordered conscience will lead us to that narrow gate which is the only path to eternal life.
Reflect, today, upon the fact that we must all take eternal salvation seriously. If you find that you have become lax in your spiritual life, then use this Gospel as a motivation to change. Do not allow yourself to be one of those knocking at the gates of Heaven, only to realize that our Lord does not know you. Do all you can to eradicate the sin of presumption from your life, and your reward will be truly great in Heaven.
Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2025/10/28/entering-the-narrow-gate-3/
Today, the Church honors Saints Simon and Jude, two of the Twelve Apostles chosen by our Lord. They were two of the first bishops through whom our Lord established His Church and from whom every bishop, priest, and deacon is a spiritual descendant.
Very little is known about these two Apostles, other than what is briefly mentioned about them in the New Testament, and even that is a little confusing. They are both listed among the Twelve whom Jesus names Apostles: Matthew 10:2–4; Mark 3:16–19; Luke 6:13–16; Acts 1:13.
Today’s Simon is not Simon Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, but rather “Simon the Cananean” (Matthew and Mark) and “Simon the Zealot” (Luke and Acts). Both names mean the same thing. “Cananean” does not refer to the Land of Canaan but is a translation of an Aramaic word meaning “zealous.”
It’s interesting to note that Jesus chose a variety of different people as His Apostles. Perhaps the most stark contrast is found between Simon the Zealot and Matthew the tax collector. As a zealot, Simon would have been very committed to his Jewish identity and would have been firmly opposed to Roman oppression and taxation. He would have had an immediate aversion to Matthew, who previously served the Romans by collecting taxes for them from the Jews. The fact that Jesus did not choose like-minded Apostles shows His inclusion of all people. Jesus did not have a favorite type of person. He was not bound by cultural ties, ideologies, or social classes. He was not nationalistic in the sense of being a separatist or isolationist. He was interested in all people, those of every background and experience, and His Apostles reveal that fact. Jesus might have chosen Simon because He wanted to reach out to those who were firmly committed to their Jewish heritage, traditions, and beliefs, and Simon was able to reach those people.
Jude is referred to as “Judas son of James” (Luke and Acts) and “Thaddeus” (Matthew and Mark). The only other reference that is certain about Jude comes from John’s Gospel during the Last Supper in which Jude is referred to as “Judas, not the Iscariot…” (John 14:22). During the Last Supper, Jesus compassionately instructed His Apostles that He would soon be leaving them, but they should have courage and wait for His Advocate, the Holy Spirit. Jude, expressing a bit of confusion, asked Jesus, “Master, [then] what happened that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?” In other words, Jude was asking Jesus why He doesn’t just manifest His divinity to everyone, in a clear and convincing way, so that they will all believe in Him. Jesus’ answer is mysterious, but He essentially points out that belief in Him must come by the inspired gift of faith, and that obedience to that faith, and to the will of God, will result in divine union.
There is also a reference in two of the Gospels identifying Simon and Jude as Jesus’ brothers: “Is he not the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother named Mary and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?” (Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3). However, most scholars today believe these two are not the same as the Apostles but are cousins of Jesus. It was custom at that time to refer to one’s cousin as brother or sister. It is possible that the Judas identified as Jesus’ brother is the author of the Epistle of Jude in the New Testament, rather than the Apostle. However, that point is debated, and even Pope Benedict XVI at a General Audience in 2006 pointed to the tradition that the Epistle of Jude was, indeed, written by the Apostle. If that’s the case, then it might be that these two Judes are one and the same.
Regarding their deaths, nothing is known other than unreliable apocryphal sources, such as the Passion of Simon and Jude, and other fourth-century and later sources. One of the most common traditions is that Simon and Jude traveled to Persia to preach the Gospel and were both killed there in the year 65. Simon is traditionally believed to have been sawed in half, and Jude is traditionally believed to have been beaten with a club. They often appear in sacred art holding the instruments of their deaths. Other traditions state they ministered in Armenia, Beirut, Lebanon, Roman Britain, Egypt, and/or Samaria and died by arrows, crucifixion, and even a peaceful death.
The Epistle that has been traditionally attributed to Saint Jude the Apostle is a short but passionate letter in which he warns all Christians against immorality and heresy trying to enter the early Church. Some suggest it is for this reason that he is named Patron Saint of Hopeless Causes, because of his passionate plea. Another tradition states that because Jude shared a name with Judas Iscariot, the betrayer, Saint Jude’s intercession was rarely sought. However, after the intercession of every other Apostle and saint was sought, people in the early Church would turn to Saint Jude as their last hope. There are many ancient traditions holding that Saint Jude has provided many miracles throughout the centuries.
As we honor these Apostles, what we know for certain is that they were instrumental in the early Church. Being among the first bishops, they bore the sacred responsibility of transmitting the Sacraments and the teachings of Jesus to a nascent Church. One day in Heaven, we will see clearly the effects of their pastoral ministry. Today, we rejoice in what we do not fully know, trusting that their lives gave great glory to God and won the salvation of many souls.
Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/october-28–sts-simon-and-jude/
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Jesus went up to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles…
Reflection:
Simon and Jude were among those very select few who were chosen by Jesus Himself to be His Apostles. Today’s Simon is not the same person as Simon Peter, and today’s Jude is not the same person as Judas Iscariot. Little is known about these two Apostles. Simon is referred to as a zealot in the Gospels, which could have meant he was a member of a more radical sect within Judaism. Jude is popularly known as the Patron Saint of Hopeless Causes. Some suggest this is because he was often the last Apostle to be prayed to by the early Christian faithful on account of the fact that he shared a name with Judas Iscariot, and praying to Jude reminded people of that betrayer. If that was the case, then in God’s providence, since Jude became the last Apostle to be prayed to, he also became the last hope for many and, thus, the patron saint for those with truly hopeless causes.
One tradition states that Saints Simon and Jude are linked together in the Roman Canon and also share the same feast day because they were both martyred together on the same day, possibly in Syria, Lebanon, or Persia. However, the true details of their missionary journeys and martyrdom is unclear. The one thing that is certain about these Apostles, however, is that they were Apostles. They were chosen by our Lord and appointed by Him as two of the first bishops of our Church and were given a mandate to share the Gospel to the ends of the earth.
From our perspective today, being one of those chosen Twelve is an incredible privilege. The effect of their ministry in establishing the first Christian communities has resulted in our worldwide universal Catholic Church. These men most likely did not realize the impact that their faithful service would have upon the world.
As we honor these two Apostles, we are also reminded that each one of us is called to go forth to proclaim the Gospel to the ends of the earth. We each do so in a way specific to the calling and mission that Christ has entrusted to us. We are each called to make an eternal difference in the lives of those whom we serve. And if we are faithful to our mission, we can be certain that the effects of our apostolic service will be felt in the lives of countless others until the end of the world.
Reflect, today, upon Jesus choosing these two men and appointing them as Apostles. As you do, listen to God’s voice as He also speaks to you. Do not underestimate the importance of accepting the mission that Jesus gives to you. Say “Yes” to Him in imitation of these two Apostles and know that your choice to serve our Lord in this way will not only have a great effect in your life, it will also have an effect in the lives of many others for all eternity.
Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2025/10/27/sent-forth-by-christ-4/
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Emilina joined the Cistercian Abbey of Boulancourt at Longeville, France when still very young. She was noted for her deep prayer life, fasts, and austere, sometimes severe self-imposed penances such as wearing a pointed chain under her habit, walking barefooted throughout the year and fasting from food and liquids three days a week. Word of her devotion soon spread, and pilgrims came to consult her about holiness and prayer. She had the gift of prophesy, and sometimes prophesied about visitors before they arrived. She never sought honor or glory for herself from her gifts, but dealt with visitors humbly and patiently, always concerned with their conversion and relationship with God.
Born
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Source: https://catholicsaints.info/saint-emilina-of-boulancourt/
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But the leader of the synagogue, indignant that Jesus had cured on the sabbath, said to the crowd in reply, “There are six days when work should be done. Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath day.” The Lord said to him in reply, “Hypocrites! Does not each one of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger and lead it out for watering?”
Reflection:
Why would the leader of the synagogue be “indignant” that Jesus cured a woman on the sabbath? She was crippled for eighteen years! Imagine, especially, her family. They would have seen her many years of suffering and shared them with her through years of compassion. If they were present when Jesus healed her on the sabbath, would they have immediately thought, “How dare Jesus do this healing of our mother, wife or sister on the sabbath?” Of course not! They would have rejoiced and been filled with awe, gratitude, and even tears. This normal reaction that her family would have had upon witnessing this miracle is the right response. And, of course, the reaction of the leader of the synagogue was deeply disordered.
Why would this leader of the synagogue do such a thing? Though he and many other scribes, Sadducess, Pharisees and scholars of the law struggled with envy and hypocrisy, others may sometimes react similarly to this leader of the synagogue for other reasons. One such reason is scrupulosity.
Scrupulosity is the tendency to see God and His holy will through the lens of legalism. “Legalism” is not just being faithful to the Law of God, because that is a good thing. Legalism is a misinterpretation of God’s Law by which one tends to put more emphasis upon themselves than upon God. A scrupulous person is preoccupied with themself. They tend to be far more concerned with sin than with God Himself. And though it’s vital to be concerned with sin, when fear of sinning becomes a form of obsession, then that obsession has the effect of clouding the pure will of God and leaves a person heavily burdened and unable to joyfully live out the authentic will of God.
Saint Thérèse of Lisieux was one saint who openly shared her struggles with scrupulosity in her autobiography. Of this struggle, which she referred to as “oversensitivity,” she said, “One would have to pass through this martyrdom to understand it well, and for me to express what I experienced for a year and a half would be impossible.” However, she eventually experienced what she called a “complete conversion” by which the heavy burden of oversensitivity was lifted. Though this oversensitivity oppressed her in various ways, one way it affected her was that she feared that even some of her random thoughts were mortal sins and that she would be condemned for them.
Though the leader of the synagogue was most likely not struggling with “oversensitivity” in the same way as Saint Thérèse, he was acting with an extreme scrupulosity which led him to be harshly judgmental and condemning of our Lord for His good deed done to this crippled woman.
Reflect, today, upon any tendency you may have with these heavy burdens. Do you worry in an irrational way about sin? Do you ever find yourself obsessing over decisions, worrying that you may make the wrong one? Do you think about yourself far more than you think about God and others? If so, you may also be carrying a similar heavy burden that our Lord wants to lift. Serving God and His holy will must become the deepest joy of our lives, not a heavy burden. If you find your Christian walk more of a burden, then turn your eyes away from yourself and look to the merciful God. Run to Him with the utmost confidence of a child, as Saint Thérèse eventually did, and allow yourself to love Him more authentically, freed of scrupulous and self-imposed burdens.
Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2025/10/26/the-burden-of-scrupulosity-3/
