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RC DAILY MEDITATIONS
RC DAILY MEDITATIONS

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DAILY MEDITATIONS

Week September 27 - October 4, 2026

Sunday, September 27, 2026 – Saying Yes with Conviction

Monday, September 28, 2026 – Who Is the Greatest?

Tuesday, September 29, 2026 – Angels, Be Our Strength

Wednesday, September 30, 2026 – Persevering to the End

Thursday, October 1, 2026 – No Ordinary Mission

Friday, October 2, 2026 – My Own Angel

Saturday, October 3, 2026 – A Place to Call Home

Sunday, October 4, 2026 – They Will Respect My Son

September 27, 2026 – Saying Yes with Conviction

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Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Matthew 21:28-32

Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people: “What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ He said in reply, ‘I will not,’ but afterwards changed his mind and went. The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did his father’s will?” They answered, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you. When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believe him.”

Opening Prayer: Lord, I want to hear and absorb your words today and be so attentive and docile as to act on them when I hear your voice. Bless me in these moments of prayer and give me the grace to know your will and the strength to do it.

Encountering Christ:

  1. Worldly Authority: When Our Lord asked an opinion of the chief priests and elders, was he really interested in their answer? Or was he teaching us an important lesson about earthly authority? Earthly authority exercises its full power only when aligned with God’s will. Can you imagine a world where all men and women in authority listened and corresponded to God’s will perfectly? That dream begins with us. How do we listen, hear, and act on what Our Lord asks of us? Each time we choose self-sacrifice over selfishness, we bring the whole world one step closer to God.

     

  2. No, Then Yes: In today’s parable, the first son said “No” then “Yes,” which the priests and elders agreed is better than saying “Yes” then “No.” Ideally, as Christians, we would have the internal fortitude and integrity to answer “Yes” and then promptly do what Our Lord asks of us. We want to be like Matthew, the tax collector, who left his custom’s post immediately when Jesus invited him to “follow me.” When we fail, however, we have recourse to the sacrament of reconciliation, where our hope is restored as we receive the strength to answer “Yes” once more.

     

  3. John’s Message: Our Lord chastised the chief priests and elders for ignoring the preaching of John the Baptist. He had given them multiple opportunities to hear and internalize John’s message. In their unbelief, they were unprepared for the most important moment in their lives—their encounter with Christ. Our Lord is knocking on the door of our hearts every day as we reflect on his word. He wants to give us the grace we need for the day, maybe some instruction, a new insight, or simply the sense that we are not alone. When we miss this sacred time of prayer, we are undoubtedly less prepared for the day, less likely to encounter Christ in the details, and less likely to want to pray on subsequent days. Let’s recommit ourselves to our daily encounter with Christ in prayer, and plan ahead, if necessary, to keep it up even when we’re busy or on vacation.

Conversing with Christ: Lord, this Scripture talks to me about our moments of encounter. Do I approach my time of prayer praying Psalm 57:8, “My heart is ready”? I want to be like St. Matthew and John the Baptist, who fulfilled your will without hesitation. Help me, Lord, to say “Yes” and follow it up with action, according to your most holy will.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will reflect upon the things I tend to say “No” to and give a cheerful “Yes” instead.

For Further Reflection: Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1808

Fortitude is the moral virtue that ensures firmness in difficulties and constancy in the pursuit of the good. It strengthens the resolve to resist temptations and to overcome obstacles in the moral life. The virtue of fortitude enables one to conquer fear, even fear of death, and to face trials and persecutions. It disposes one even to renounce and sacrifice his life in defense of a just cause. “The Lord is my strength and my song.” “In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Maribeth Harper celebrated paying the last tuition bill for her kids’ college by writing a book for parents who have college-aged young adults: A Spiritual Toolbox: Tips for Parenting through the First Year of College. She is a wife of over thirty-five years, mother of four, and grandmother of twelve and counting.

September 28, 2026 – Who Is the Greatest?

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Monday of the Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Luke 9:46-50

An argument arose among the disciples about which of them was the greatest. Jesus realized the intention of their hearts and took a child and placed it by his side and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. For the one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest.” Then John said in reply, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow in our company.” Jesus said to him, “Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.”

Opening Prayer: Lord, I come before you today as a child of God. I want to have the simple trusting disposition you hold up as an example. Bless me, Lord.

Encountering Christ:

  1. He Knows Us: It’s almost comical that the disciples argued within earshot of Jesus, the Son of God, about who was the greatest. Jesus didn’t laugh at them, however. Nor did he rebuke or punish them. Instead, with gentleness and compassion, he taught them a lesson about humility. We need never fear that Jesus will laugh at our ideas or punish us for grumbling. He knows our thoughts before we think them. Nothing keeps him from loving us completely! “We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us. God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him” (1 Jn 4:16).

     

  2. The Greatest: Who is the greatest in our day? The all-star athlete? The billionaire CEO? The Hollywood beauty? Our culture adulates lots of people Jesus would not necessarily call “great.” Jesus tells us we are truly great when we do good in his name. He appreciates the hidden, humble, willing to serve—not a king or a president—but a child. Jesus asks us to put aside any desire we have for the spotlight and, as St. Teresa of Calcutta said, “Do ordinary things with extraordinary love.”

     

  3. On the Team: Apparently, the Apostles had preconceived notions about who could participate in Jesus’ ministry. On the south side of Chicago a few years back, I spent an afternoon learning that Jesus’ followers come in many shapes and sizes. A burly moving man blessed me, an African Uber driver shared his love of Jesus with me, and a bartender later at the hotel sent me off to my room with a kind smile and a complimentary glass of chardonnay. Exhausted after a long day and far from home, I thanked God for accompanying me in so many unexpected ways. These strangers had been part of God’s ministry to me. “Whoever is not against you is for you,” Jesus said.

Conversing with Christ: Lord, it’s natural to want to be good at something, to want to excel to greatness, to leave a legacy. But you measure success differently than I tend to. Great accomplishments are to be done for your glory. Filling day-to-day moments with love for another also glorifies you. I want to embrace your criteria for greatness so that I may one day be with you for all eternity.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will do a hidden act of kindness for your glory.

For Further Reflection: Read more about St. Teresa of Calcutta in Come Be My Light.

Maribeth Harper celebrated paying the last tuition bill for her kids’ college by writing a book for parents who have college-aged young adults: A Spiritual Toolbox: Tips for Parenting through the First Year of College. She is a wife of over thirty-five years, mother of four, and grandmother of twelve and counting.

September 29, 2026 – Angels, Be Our Strength

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Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Archangels

John 1:47-51

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him.” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” And he said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see heaven opened

and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Opening Prayer: Lord, I admire all of your creation, but the most amazing creatures you’ve made are angels. Thank you for revealing them to us and for giving them power to protect us.

Encountering Christ:

  1. Servants of Jesus: The Church wisely sets aside this feast day to thank God for angels. They are impressive spirits. “Angels have been present since creation and throughout the history of salvation, announcing this salvation from afar or near and serving the accomplishment of the divine plan: they closed the earthly paradise; protected Lot; saved Hagar and her child; stayed Abraham’s hand; communicated the law by their ministry; led the People of God; announced births and callings; and assisted the prophets, just to cite a few examples. Finally, the angel Gabriel announced the birth of the Precursor and that of Jesus himself” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 332). We actually pray with these amazing creatures every time we attend Mass. The priest invites us… “And so, with Angels and Archangels, with Thrones and Dominions, and with all the hosts and Powers of heaven, we sing the hymn of your glory, as without end we acclaim: Holy Holy Holy…” (Eucharistic Prayer II).

     

  2. Archangels: According to St. Gregory the Great, spirits who deliver messages of lesser importance are called angels, and those who proclaim messages of supreme importance are called archangels. We know the names of only three archangels: Michael means “Who is like God?”; Gabriel is “The Strength of God”; Raphael is “God’s Remedy.” Raphael healed Tobit of his blindness. Gabriel was sent to Zachariah to announce the birth of John the Baptist, and then to Mary to invite her to be the Mother of God. Michael is the defender of the Church on earth. Many parishes have the holy habit of ending Mass with the prayer to St. Michael the Archangel, begging for his continued protection of Holy Mother Church.

     

  3. Gabriel: Theologians speculate that Gabriel not only visited the Blessed Mother, but was given the role of protecting the Holy Family. He would have been the angel likely to have made the joyous announcement to the shepherds, and to have visited Joseph with the news of Herod. As “The Strength of God,” he may have assisted Jesus in the desert during his forty-day vigil and in the Garden of Gethsemane. Finally, he may have been privileged to give the news of the Resurrection to Mary Magdalene. It’s remarkable to reflect on the intertwining of heaven’s angels with Our Lord’s passion, death, and resurrection. By his presence, Gabriel consoled and strengthened Jesus. We join the angels consoling Jesus when we accompany him mystically through his passion, death, and resurrection.

Conversing with Christ: Thank you, Lord, for the archangels. What amazing powers they have to act on our behalf! Their participation in salvation history reminds me that your creative powers are well beyond my imagination. Praise be to you, Lord.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will thank you for the angels as I say a decade (or more) of the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary.

Maribeth Harper celebrated paying the last tuition bill for her kids’ college by writing a book for parents who have college-aged young adults: A Spiritual Toolbox: Tips for Parenting through the First Year of College. She is a wife of over thirty-five years, mother of four, and grandmother of twelve and counting.

September 30, 2026 – Persevering to the End

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Memorial of St. Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church

Luke 9:57-62

As Jesus and his disciples were proceeding on their journey, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” And to another he said, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” But he answered him, “Let the dead bury their dead. But you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God.” And another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home.” Jesus answered him, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God.”

Opening Prayer: Lord, as I begin my reflection on your words, I thank you for the roof over my head and the ability I have to sit comfortably and quietly for a few minutes in your presence. Open my mind to hear the message you have for me today.

Encountering Christ:

  1. The Anonymous Someone: Someone pledged to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.” We know the names of key characters in Scripture, but this eager disciple was not identified. Their enthusiasm for discipleship was challenged by Jesus, who seemed to say, “Really? Even if there’s nowhere to rest our heads?” Perhaps this individual was the personification of the seed that fell on rocky soil. Jesus knew that their promise to “follow wherever you go” was shallow and lacked roots. Devotion must be proven through discipline. “Those whom I love, I reprove and chastise. Be earnest, therefore, and repent” (Rev 3:19). Our desire to follow Jesus must be more than lip service. We need enthusiasm and perseverance. Bless us, Lord!

     

  2. Excuses, Excuses: When Jesus asked the two disciples to follow him, both gave seemingly good reasons for delaying. Jesus’ answers seemed harsh. In truth, there are no good excuses for ignoring, procrastinating, or rejecting the will of God. As St. Paul warns in 1 Corinthians 10:21, “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?” We are invited to discern God’s will, but once he’s made it clear, we are to follow. Fortunately, as Jesus’ disciples, we follow his will confident that our wise and generous God gives us every grace we need.

     

  3. Final Perseverance: To the man who wanted to say goodbye to his family, Jesus said, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God.” When we follow Christ during difficult situations, emotional upheaval can make us feel like a failure. “I can’t” overwhelms our mind, as we struggle to put one faithful foot in front of the next. Our Lord asks us not to dwell on the difficult work at hand, or on our missteps, but to look ahead and have an eternal perspective, trusting in the grace of final perseverance. As St. Jerome says, “Begin now what you will be hereafter.”

Conversing with Christ: Lord, you know me better than I know myself. I do not fear my weaknesses because of your strength and grace. I want to follow you wholeheartedly, but I fail often. Help me to rely on your mercy, on the sacramental grace of reconciliation, and on the grace of final perseverance so that I can remain peaceful in the midst of trials.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will reflect on all of the moments I “succeeded” in loving others and thank you for allowing me to follow you.

For Further Reflection: Final perseverance consists in “an ever watchful superintendence of us on the part of our All-Merciful Lord, removing temptations which he sees will be fatal to us, succouring us at those times when we are in particular peril, whether from our negligence or other cause, and ordering the course of our life so that we may die at a time when he sees that we are in the state of grace” (St. John Henry Newman).

Maribeth Harper celebrated paying the last tuition bill for her kids’ college by writing a book for parents who have college-aged young adults: A Spiritual Toolbox: Tips for Parenting through the First Year of College. She is a wife of over thirty-five years, mother of four, and grandmother of twelve and counting.

October 1, 2026 – No Ordinary Mission

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Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church

Luke 10:1-12

Jesus appointed seventy-two other disciples whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another. Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.’ Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say, ‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.’ Yet know this: the Kingdom of God is at hand. I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town.”

Opening Prayer: Lord, here I am. Show me your face; show me your love for me. I know that without you I am nothing, and yet you want to give me everything. I want to love you; teach me how. Lord, increase my faith to see the world the way you see it.

Encountering Christ:

  1. Christ Sent Them Ahead: Christ was God and needed no one to help him in his mission. Yet, he sent those seventy-two disciples to prepare the towns for his coming, even though they were not particularly well-formed or charismatic. Here Christ was acting like a father who, building furniture or fixing something around the house, invites his young son to help. The son cannot yet do much; in fact, the father could probably do it more quickly on his own. Still, the father’s love for his child makes him want his child to share in the work he loves doing. We are privileged to take part in Christ’s mission to advance the Kingdom of God.

     

  2. Sent among Wolves: Christ was honest with his disciples; their mission was not going to be easy. Christ had been teaching them how difficult was the path he followed—“Take up your cross and follow me,” “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men,” and “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God”—but up to now the disciples had not really experienced difficulty in the mission. Instead, they had been awed by the string of miracles Christ performed in their presence. As they got ready to go out, he reminded them that, while there would be success, many times they would feel like helpless lambs in the midst of wolves. So it can be with us—the culture he calls us to change will not convert without a fight. We experience the struggle, but armed with the power of God, we engage with people, full of hope that our effort to spread Christ’s love will conquer all.

     

  3. Take Nothing: No one goes on a journey without money and some spare clothes, yet Christ asked his disciples to leave these things behind and go “like lambs among wolves.” How often do we think we know what we need to evangelize? How often do we try to do God’s work as we would do an ordinary job? Christ is reminding his Apostles and us that the work of bringing souls back to him is not like any other mission. The tools of evangelization are faith, hope, and love, not money and clothes. Sometimes Christ will ask us to use those material things, but sometimes he will not. When he sends us to help bring others to him without the instruments, programs, and materials we think we need, how do we respond?

Conversing with Christ: Jesus, thank you for taking the time to be with me, speak with me, and pour your grace into my heart. Thank you for the mission you have given me, even though sometimes it is difficult. I want to serve you ever more faithfully. Lead me today; I’m ready to follow.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will make an act of faith when I feel the mission is difficult.

For Further Reflection: It may be dense, but the Vatican II document Apostolicam Actuositatem has some beautiful reflections on the apostolate of the laity.

Riley Connors was born in Dayton, Ohio. He studied classical humanities and philosophy with the Legionaries of Christ. He enjoys running, thinking, praying, and, on occasion, all three.

October 2, 2026 – My Own Angel

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Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels

Matthew 18:1-5, 10

The disciples approached Jesus and said, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me. See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.”

Opening Prayer: Lord, here I am with my guardian angel; teach me to pray. I love you and long to be loved by you. I know you have a message for me today, a message of hope and love. Give me the grace to recognize your gifts in my life, respond to your call, and spread your Kingdom.

Encountering Christ:

  1. Greatest in the Kingdom: It’s very human to want to rank or categorize—to try to put some order to our surroundings. The disciples’ question, “Who is the greatest in heaven?” could be understood, therefore, as an innocent attempt to find out from Jesus a little more about who is there, what they do, and who’s in charge. They knew, for example, that Jesus’ Father reigned in heaven, but they knew little else from the obscure references Jesus made about heaven up to that point. They learned by asking Jesus that the greatest are the most childlike. Jesus would return to this theme repeatedly because he wanted them (and us) to embrace and live out the childlike virtues of simplicity, purity, and trust.

     

  2. Being Children: Jesus asks us to humble ourselves like children do. Very young children have almost no control over their environment. Without the consent of their children, parents feed them, change their diapers, carry them, put them to bed at the proper time, etc. The most a child can do to protest is cry. As they grow more aware, young children look to their parents to fulfill their needs with an adoring trust. They prefer the safety of their parents’ arms to other family or friends. Deeply reflecting and meditating on the relationship between young children and their parents teaches us volumes about how Christ wants us to behave toward him. Jesus wants to be our shelter and our security.

     

  3. We Have Angels: How often do you think about your guardian angel? Every human being has been given a heavenly helper at birth, even unbelievers (Angelus, October 2, 2011). According to the Catechism, “From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession. Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life. Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God.” (CCC 336) How grateful we can be for these heavenly intercessors, given to us by God to help us and those we love make it to our heavenly homeland!

Conversing with Christ: Lord, you have given me life, marked me through Baptism to become a child of God, showered me with graces through the sacraments, and bestowed on me a guardian angel. May I be ever more mindful of my angel, who stands nearby to guide me.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will reverently pray the Guardian Angel Prayer: “Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.”

Maribeth Harper celebrated paying the last tuition bill for her kids’ college by writing a book for parents who have college-aged young adults: A Spiritual Toolbox: Tips for Parenting through the First Year of College. She is a wife of over thirty-five years, mother of four, and grandmother of twelve and counting.

October 3, 2026 – A Place to Call Home

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Saturday of the Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Luke 10:17-24

The seventy-two disciples returned rejoicing and said to Jesus, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.” Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky. Behold, I have given you the power ‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” At that very moment he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.” Turning to the disciples in private he said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”

Opening Prayer: Lord, here I am; teach me to pray. You bless those who believe without seeing; help my unbelief! I want to love and be loved by you, so I humbly ask you to show me your love in this time of prayer.

Encountering Christ:

  1. Christ Gives Everything: Just a few days ago in the Scriptures, Christ sent his disciples out to prepare the way for him “like lambs among wolves.” They must have been scared, but their experience of Christ’s love for them had driven them to go out anyway. Now, as they came back full of amazement at all they were able to accomplish, they realized that their faith in Christ was well-founded. Christ will always ask us for everything (he is God, after all), but the more we give the more we realize that he takes nothing away, but transforms whatever we give into a greater blessing for us and the world. The Apostles did not know what to expect as they set off down the dusty roads of Galilee. All they knew was that they had never met anyone like Christ. He had filled them with a love and confidence they had never experienced, and he wanted them to give that same experience to their countrymen. He told them they were to cure illnesses, but imagine their wonder the first time they extended their hands over a sick man and raised him in the name of Christ! If they hadn’t obeyed, hadn’t trusted, hadn’t set out, hadn’t met the sick, hadn’t raised their hands in healing, they might have missed the ecstasy of giving glory to God by bringing his love and grace to others. We never know what Christ is going to do with us. All he asks is that we trust and obey.

     

  2. Rejoice: Although Christ did not hide from his disciples that they were going to do great things, he wanted them to realize that their greatest gift was not what they accomplished (healing lepers), but who they were (children of God). What an immense gift it is that we have been created, and what an even greater gift that there is a place prepared for us in heaven! We all long for a place to call home, for a place of safety where we are unconditionally loved. Christ has already prepared this place for us, and it is waiting for us after our little pilgrimage here on earth ends. Christ is asking his disciples, and asking us, to keep our faith and confidence in his promise of eternal life, not in worldly success. When that time comes, we draw consolation from Christ’s promise: “Your names are written in heaven.”

     

  3. “I Praise You, Father”: There are few times in the Gospels when it explicitly says that Christ rejoiced, and this is one of them. What could Christ have seen in these moments on Earth, so imperfect compared to Heaven, to make him rejoice? The disciples did not let the miracles Christ did through them go to their heads, and their humility filled Christ with joy! Christ loves a humble, childlike heart. When we strive to do the Lord’s will and ask him to bless our successes, along with our weakness, failures, and imperfections, he rejoices.

Conversing with Christ: Lord, thank you for revealing your love to me. I want to make you smile, so help me to be more humble, more childlike, more simple. I know you have a place for me in heaven; help me to keep my eyes on that prize, and never let that star be covered by the clouds of the world or my own selfishness.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will give some witness to my faith, be it in word, deed, or example.

For Further Reflection: There is no writer more knowledgeable about simplicity and humility than of St. Thérèse of Lisieux. Look for her autobiography Story of a Soul, or a collection of her quotes and prayers.

Riley Connors was born in Dayton, Ohio. He studied classical humanities and philosophy with the Legionaries of Christ. He enjoys running, thinking, praying, and, on occasion, all three.

October 4, 2026 – They Will Respect My Son

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Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Matthew 21:33-43

Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people: “Hear another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey. When vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce. But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat, another they killed, and a third they stoned. Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones, but they treated them in the same way. Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.’ They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?” They answered him, “He will put those wretched men to a wretched death and lease his vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the proper times.” Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes? Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit.”

Opening Prayer: Lord, here I am; teach me to pray. I know that you are here with me and listening; thank you. Help me to be open to hear your voice speaking in my heart.

Encountering Christ:

  1. Leasing This Vineyard: The tenants in this parable were a little too attached to the vineyard they were cultivating. They had forgotten that the land was not theirs—it belonged to someone else who was going to demand a return on his investment. It is so easy for us to get comfortable with our lives and start to think that we have everything under control. Christ is asking us to remember that following him demands radical faith. As Charles de Foucauld said, “The moment I realized that God existed, I knew that I could not do otherwise than to live for him alone… Faith strips the mask from the world and reveals God in everything. It makes nothing impossible and renders meaningless such words as anxiety, danger, and fear, so that the believer goes through life calmly and peacefully, with profound joy—like a child, hand in hand with his mother.”

     

  2. “Surely They Will Respect My Son”: It is impossible not to be touched by these words of Christ: “… Surely they will respect my son…” When he tells this parable he has only a week to live, and he knows it. He has always known it. But still, he chooses to come to Jerusalem to die. “Surely they will respect my son…” Almost as if he chooses to turn a blind eye to reality. But no, this is not Christ being naive; this is Christ being human. He grieves with his very human heart at the Pharisees’ hardheartedness, the world’s hardheartedness, our hardheartedness. Let’s take a moment, before thinking about how to change our lives or what we can do better to serve Christ, simply to try to experience the sorrow Christ must be feeling. He loves us and, though we do not deserve it, he comes to save us. Let us ask Christ to show us all he has done for us, and to grant us the grace to grieve for not having respected his Son.

     

  3. Not a Gospel of Fear: Hearing about the “wretched death” the unfaithful will face might cause us to feel anxiety or fear as we reflect on our own inevitable judgment. We can wonder, “Am I bearing fruit? Am I rejecting Christ also?” A moment of self-examination before the Lord is always appropriate, but only when we remember who the landowner is. He built a vineyard for us, he allows us to live here, and he sent his Son to redeem us. Our good God is not a boss or a slave master. He is not going to judge us based on the external things we have done for him, but on the fruits of love that we have borne. Am I bearing fruits of love? Am I trying to love Christ and others more each day?

Conversing with Christ: Lord, I see all around me how you are scorned, mocked, and ignored by the world. I want to make up for all the pain you receive from the world; accept my little love as some consolation.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will try to alleviate someone’s suffering with a smile, a touch, or an assist, as a small remedy for the countless times you are disrespected.

For Further Reflection: Christ has something similar to say in Luke 13:34—it is so painful for him to experience rejection, not for his sake, but for ours.

Riley Connors was born in Dayton, Ohio. He studied classical humanities and philosophy with the Legionaries of Christ. He enjoys running, thinking, praying, and, on occasion, all three.

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Alex Kucera

Atlanta

Alex Kucera has lived in Atlanta, GA, for the last 46 years. He is one of 9 children, married to his wife Karmen, and has 3 girls, one grandson, and a granddaughter on the way. Alex joined Regnum Christi in 2007. Out of the gate, he joined the Helping Hands Medical Missions apostolate and is still participating today with the Ghana Friendship Mission.

In 2009, Alex was asked to be the Atlanta RC Renewal Coordinator for the Atlanta Locality to help the RC members with the RC renewal process. Alex became a Group Leader in 2012 for four of the Atlanta Men’s Section Teams and continues today. Running in parallel, in 2013, Alex became a Team Leader and shepherded a large team of good men.

Alex was honored to be the Atlanta Mission Coordinator between 2010 to 2022 (12 years), coordinating 5-8 Holy Week Mission teams across Georgia. He also created and coordinated missions at a parish in Athens, GA, for 9 years. Alex continues to coordinate Holy Week Missions, Advent Missions, and Monthly missions at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Cumming, GA.

From 2016 to 2022, Alex also served as the Men’s Section Assistant in Atlanta. He loved working with the Men’s Section Director, the Legionaries, Consecrated, and Women’s Section leadership teams.

Alex is exceptionally grateful to the Legionaries, Consecrated, and many RC members who he’s journeyed shoulder to shoulder, growing his relationship with Christ and others along the way. He knows that there is only one way, that’s Christ’s Way, with others!