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Brothers and sisters, today’s Gospel is like something from today’s newspaper. It talks about the unfaithful management of property. And today it is quite strongly pronounced in society. This applies to both the private sector and, even more so, the public sector. Unfaithful managers. The Gospel talks about tenants in the vineyard and the management of property. The owner hired workers who were to act, work, and manage the property according to his will. They were only tenants. But they did not act as tenants. They thought that what they only managed belonged to them. And they were rejected. The Gospel states “…and lease the vineyard to other vinedressers.”

This parable also teaches us that we, too, should be responsible in managing our goods. Both earthly goods and material possessions, as well as spiritual talents, are included. It is true that although we have our property on the title deed, we are always only managers. Values and goods existed before we were born and will remain when we are gone. We have them only for a while, to provide us with life through work. This is the intention of the owner and master, and therefore we must act accordingly.

According to God’s plan. In what way? We must take into account three important phenomena. First of all: the development of the world itself, which was entrusted to man for use. This is what we already read in the Bible, in the account of the creation of the world in the Book of Genesis. “…Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air…” (Cf. Gen 1:28), and so man’s mission is the development of the earth itself and its goods. The development of property, the development of the gifts, or, in the words of the Gospel, the talents entrusted to man. We must develop them. That is why we were given them.

The second dimension is to use the entrusted gifts to build your livelihood for yourself and your family, and to build common goods for all. That is, for society as a whole, which is, in other words, every neighbor. “Love your neighbour as yourself.” And so we have the right to personal and social development and to benefit from the gifts and goods of this earth.

And the third dimension of the correct form of wealth management is to create spiritual values ​​from wealth, from material goods or from the gifts and values ​​that we have. And these are generosity, kindness, solidarity, love, service, vocation, help and finally merit that God will reward with eternity … “For whatever you did to another, you did to me.” These are the gifts God desires. This should be the result of the work and management of the goods and gifts entrusted to us.

Therefore, let us note that this is precisely the correct dimension of managing the things, property, values, and gifts God has entrusted to us. We are only stewards. Let us realise this so that we are not condemned as unjust stewards. But we will become stewards who fulfill our master’s will for our own benefit.

Today we celebrate the saint (1873-1897) known as St. Theresa of the Child Jesus. She stood out for her smallness, humility, profound trust, and love for God. It was not for nothing that she was declared a teacher of the Church – St Theresa can be a great encouragement on the path of faith for each of us.

Today, Jesus told us, “Unless you turn and become like little children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 18:3). Jesus invites us to turn to God. It leads us to embrace our identity as God’s children. He invites us to become children of God, totally dependent on God’s love and care. Occasionally we pretend to be self-sufficient adults. But even as professionals, we are totally dependent on God in life. Whether we admit it or not, we depend on God in life. Unfortunately, we sometimes only recognise our dependence on God in difficult life situations. When we are pressed by illness, when someone close to us dies, only then do we realize that our life and the lives of our loved ones do not depend on us, but on God. Then we can either close ourselves to God or adopt complete trust and surrender, believing we are in the arms of the loving Trinity.

Theresa teaches us to adopt the attitude of a child of God amid the mundaneness of our lives. She walked the path of childhood and herself admits, “I am a very small soul who can offer very little to the Lord.” Because she was so “small,” she was open to meeting God in the ordinary. She did not wait for significant opportunities to love. But she did all the deeds with great love. She used to say: “Yes, it is prayer; it is sacrifice that provides me all my strength; these are the invincible weapons that Jesus gave me.” When she had to take care of an obnoxious elderly and sick co-sister, she found it an opportunity to show her love for Jesus. When something cost her a lot of struggle and sacrifice, she did not complain but found in it an opportunity to trust Jesus and grow in love. Her humility was manifested in her openness to spiritual guidance and her love of obedience to her superiors.

In today’s world, in the pursuit of career, power, success, or enjoyment, man experiences emptiness. This moment invites us to convert and adopt the attitude of a child of God. We pray: St. Theresa, help us discover and entrust ourselves completely to God’s loving care. Teach us to see by faith that God is close to us not only in joyful situations but also in everyday life or carrying our cross. Help us to become little children and let God embrace us.

Lorenzo Ruiz, also known as St. Laurentius Ruiz, was the first canonised saint from the Philippines. He and his companions were martyred in Japan in the 17th century. The Church celebrates St Lorenzo Ruiz and Companions on September 28.

His early life

Lorenzo Ruiz was born around 1594 in Binondo, Manila, in the Philippines. His father was Chinese and his mother Filipino. He was raised as a Catholic and served the Church from an early age. He became an altar server and later worked as a calligrapher and clerk for the Dominican friars.

Lorenzo married and had three children. This is an important aspect of his holiness: he was not a priest or religious, but a husband, father, and lay Christian.

In 1636, Lorenzo was accused of involvement in a killing. Fearing for his life, he left the Philippines aboard a ship with Dominican missionaries. He apparently thought they were going to another safe place, but the group eventually reached Japan, where Christians were being severely persecuted.

Martyrdom in Japan

The missionaries and Lorenzo were arrested. Japanese authorities attempted to force them to renounce Christianity. They were subjected to extremely severe torture.

Lorenzo experienced moments of fear and weakness, which makes his story especially human. Yet when confronted with the choice between abandoning Christ and dying, he remained faithful.

A statement traditionally attributed to him expresses his decision:

“I am a Christian, and wholeheartedly do accept death for God.”

He is also remembered for declaring that, if he had a thousand lives, he would offer them all to God.

Lorenzo and his companions were tortured and killed in Nagasaki in 1637. Among the group were Dominican priests, religious brothers, lay people, and missionaries of different nationalities. Their martyrdom therefore shows the universality of the Church: people of different countries and ways of life were united by the same faith in Christ.

Lorenzo Ruiz and his companions

The group commemorated by the Church consists of 16 martyrs who died in Japan between 1633 and 1637. They included Lorenzo Ruiz, missionaries from Spain and other countries, Japanese Christians, and other lay collaborators. Their mission took place during a period when the Japanese authorities were attempting to eradicate Christianity.

Pope John Paul II beatified them in Manila on February 18, 1981. This was historically significant because it was the first beatification ceremony held outside Rome. He later canonized them in Rome on October 18, 1987.

What St. Lorenzo Ruiz teaches us

Lorenzo’s life reminds us that holiness is not reserved for priests, monks, or religious sisters. He was an ordinary layman with a wife, children, work, responsibilities, and fears. Yet when the decisive moment came, he placed his trust in Christ.

His courage does not mean he felt fearless. Christian courage means remaining faithful despite fear. Lorenzo did not originally set out intending to become a martyr. Providence brought him into circumstances he had never expected. In those circumstances, his faith was tested to the extreme.

His witness therefore asks each Christian a simple but demanding question: How much does my faith mean to me when following Christ becomes difficult?

St. Lorenzo Ruiz and his companions remind us of Christ’s words:

“Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
— Matthew 10:39

Their example encourages us to remain faithful not only in extraordinary moments of persecution but also in the small trials of everyday Christian life—with courage, prayer, fidelity, and trust in God.

 

Love is one of the most frequently used words in our lives. We speak about love between husband and wife, parents and children, friends, or love for one’s country. Christianity, however, gives the word love an even deeper meaning. For a Christian, love is not merely a feeling. It is a way of life that has its origin in God. Saint John writes, “God is love” (1 John 4:8). Therefore, anyone who wants to live in communion with God must learn to love.

Jesus showed us that true love is expressed above all through actions. It is not enough to say, “I love you.” Love becomes real when we are willing to do something for another person, to make a sacrifice, to give our time, to listen, to help, or to forgive.

1. Christian love notices the person who needs help.

In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus tells us about a man who was left wounded by the roadside. People passed by and saw him, but they did not stop. The Samaritan not only saw him; he noticed his suffering and helped him.

This is where Christian love begins: noticing another person.

We often do not need to do extraordinary things. Sometimes it is enough to visit a lonely person, call someone who is going through a difficult time, help an elderly person, encourage someone who is sad, or simply listen patiently to someone who needs to talk.

We can therefore ask ourselves: Do I really see the people around me? Or am I so occupied with my own problems that I no longer notice the problems of others?

2. Love means knowing how to listen.

One of the greatest gifts we can give another person is our time and attention. We live in a world in which people speak a great deal but often listen very little.

Christian love is also expressed by allowing another person to speak. We do not immediately judge, criticise, or give advice. Sometimes a person does not need a solution. They simply need someone who will remain inside them and listen.

Jesus encountered people in precisely this way. He stopped for them. He saw their worries, listened to them, and made them feel that their lives had value.

3. Love is expressed through forgiveness.

One of the most difficult forms of Christian love is forgiveness. Loving someone who is good to us is not very difficult. It is much harder to love someone who has hurt us.

Yet Jesus says, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).

To forgive does not mean saying that the wrong that was done was acceptable. Nor does it mean forgetting everything that happened. Forgiveness means refusing hatred and revenge. It means entrusting our pain to God and asking Him to heal our hearts.

Without forgiveness, love quickly ends when someone disappoints us. Christian love, however, is able to go further.

4. Love is patient.

Saint Paul writes, “Love is patient, love is kind” (1 Corinthians 13:4).

Patience is one of the most practical expressions of love. We need it in marriage, in family life, at work, in the parish, and among friends.

Every person has weaknesses. If we want to live with others, we must learn to accept their imperfections as well. Of course, love does not mean approving everything another person does. True love is also able to speak the truth. But it speaks the truth with respect and with the desire to help rather than to humiliate.

5. Love does not calculate what it will receive in return.

The world often asks, ‘What will I get out of this?’ Christian love asks a different question: What can I give?

Jesus showed us a love that gives without calculating the reward. He helped the sick, welcomed sinners, defended the weak, and finally gave His life on the cross.

The cross is the greatest sign of Christian love. Jesus does not merely speak about love. He lives it to the very end: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13).

Our love, too, must be capable of sacrifice. Parents make sacrifices for their children. Husbands and wives make sacrifices for each other. Someone cares for a sick member of the family. Another gives time to a lonely person. It is often in such quiet and unnoticed sacrifices that the greatness of love is revealed.

6. Christian love excludes no one.

The love of Jesus crossed boundaries. He spoke with people whom society rejected. He welcomed sinners, touched the sick, and gave His attention to the poor and those who were pushed aside.

Therefore, a Christian cannot ask only, ‘Whom do I love?’ We must also ask: Whom do I find difficult to love?

Perhaps it is someone with a very different personality. Perhaps it is someone who has disappointed us. Perhaps it is someone with whom we strongly disagree. It is precisely there that Christian love is put to the test.

Love does not mean that we have to agree with everyone. It does mean, however, that we recognise the human dignity of every person and see each person as someone created by God.

7. Love begins in everyday life.

Sometimes we dream about great acts of love but forget the small opportunities God gives us every day.

Christian love is expressed in simple things: a kind word, a smile, patience, a willingness to help, visiting the sick, calling someone who is lonely, making peace after an argument, or praying for someone who is going through a difficult time.

We do not need to wait for extraordinary circumstances. A person can grow in holiness precisely through the way he or she treats the people encountered every day.

Conclusion

Jesus said to His disciples, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).

He did not say that people would recognise us by great words or extraordinary abilities. The most convincing sign of Christian life should be love.

Therefore, every evening we can ask ourselves a simple question: To whom did I show love today?

Perhaps we helped someone. Perhaps we listened to someone. Perhaps we forgave. Perhaps we prayed for someone. And perhaps we failed to notice someone who needed us.

But God gives us another opportunity with every new day.

Christian love does not begin with great words. It begins with open eyes, a willing heart, and hands ready to help. And the more we learn to love in this way, the more our lives become an image of God, because God is love.

 

 

 

 

Saints Cosmas and Damian are one of the most beloved pairs in Christian history—twin brothers, doctors, and martyrs.

Who were they?
They were twins born in Arabia in the 3rd century to Christian parents. They studied medicine and practiced in the seaport of Aegea, in Cilicia—today southern Turkey.

What made them famous was not just their skill, but their ethic. They refused to charge for their services. In Greek they are called the Anargyroi—the “sleeveless” or “moneyless ones,” physicians who went about curing people gratis. In the West they are described as the brothers “who brought people to Christ by caring for their health.”

Because of that, along with St. Luke, they are the patrons of physicians, surgeons, pharmacists, dentists and midwives, and are often represented with medical emblems — a medicine jar, a surgical box, or a palm of martyrdom.

Martyrdom
During the Great Persecution under Emperor Diocletian around 303 AD, they were arrested by order of Lysias, the Prefect of Cilicia, and tortured into recanting their Christian faith. According to tradition, they remained steadfast and were beheaded with three other brothers — Leontius, Anthimus, and Eutropius.

Like many early saints, their story is wrapped in legend. One of the most famous medieval miracles attributed to them is the “Miracle of the Black Leg” — where the saints, appearing in a dream, transplanted the leg of a recently deceased Ethiopian Moor to replace a white patient’s cancerous leg.

More than one pair
The Church actually remembers three different pairs with the same names, and people often.

They have churches dedicated to them from Rome—where the Basilica of Santi Cosma e Damiano in the Roman Forum has beautiful 6th-century mosaics—to all over Central Europe, including Austria and the Czech lands. Their cult was especially strong because in the pagan world, healing gods like Asclepius fulfilled a similar role, and Cosmas and Damian took that place in a Christian context.

 

I often wonder what faith really is. For example, I am at the airport, and I see important-looking people in suits carrying briefcases. They stop at the snack bar and then hurry on. Do any of them consider God? I wonder. We know that there are two parallel worlds. 

One world consists of glass, steel, woolen clothes, leather bags, and the smell of freshly ground coffee. The other world consists of angels, spiritual beings, forces, and unknown, distant places called heaven and hell. We know we all inhabit this material world. To consider ourselves citizens of this other, beautiful, and invisible world, we must have faith. Christmas brings a complete turnaround: the Lord of these worlds comes down to Earth and begins to live among us. In Bethlehem, the two worlds merge. What Jesus came to do on Earth made room for God to one day resolve all the disharmony between the two worlds. The key word is Emmanuel, God with us.

Who do people say I am? And who do you say I am? We too must answer this question. The answer Peter gives is a formula, but faith is more than that. It is not a verbal confession but a following of Christ.

I think that God’s hand is best seen in the rearview mirror. Looking back, it is easier to understand why He put us in our families, why He puts certain people and certain circumstances into our lives and then takes them away, why He allows hardship and pain, and why He leads us to certain places and gives us different jobs and occupations. In my own life, God’s wise and loving ways are much clearer to me, even though they are never completely clear. This joy awaits me in heaven! 

When I reflect on how God has “through the works of His hands” guided my life’s journey, I understand everything better. Like the psalmist, I’m cheered, and my heart is filled with joy to see how often God has helped me, guided me, and directed everything that happened around me. But the view ahead is not always so clear. When the road is winding, foggy, and seems threatening, and I feel lost, it is also true for us: “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Therefore, we can boldly say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5-6).

1. Prayer Begins in the Secret Place

Jesus said:

“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret…”
— Matthew 6:6

The foundation of prayer is not public recognition. It is a private relationship with God.

Before we pray publicly, we should learn to pray privately.

Before others hear our prayers, God should hear our hearts.

The secret place is where our relationship with God becomes strong. It is where we cry, seek, confess, listen, worship, and receive strength.

Nobody may see us praying in our room.

Nobody may know how many tears we have shed before God.

Nobody may know how many times we have called upon His name.

But God sees.

The secret place produces the strength that becomes visible in the public place.

2. We Should Not Be Ashamed to Pray

Occasionally, we should openly show that prayer matters to us.

When food is placed before us, we can bow our heads and thank God.

When someone tells us about a problem, we can say, “Let me pray for you,” and then actually pray.

When our family is facing difficulty, we can gather together and pray.

When we receive a blessing, we can publicly thank God.

When we face a crisis, we can call upon the Lord rather than pretending we have everything under control.

Prayer should not be something we hide because we are afraid of what people might think.

Jesus said:

“Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.”
— Matthew 10:32

Our faith is personal, but it was never intended to be invisible.

There should be moments when people can look at our lives and say:

“That person believes in God. That person trusts God. That person prays.”

3. Our Outward Actions Should Match Our Inward Faith

James teaches us that faith is demonstrated by our actions.

In the same way, prayer should not merely be something we say with our lips. It should affect how we live.

If I pray for patience, I should allow God to work patience into my behavior.

If I pray for forgiveness, I should be willing to forgive.

If I pray for wisdom, I should be willing to listen to God’s Word and make wise decisions.

If I pray for someone’s salvation, I should also be willing to show that person the love of Christ.

If I pray for the poor, I should be willing to help those in need.

Prayer should move from our knees into our daily lives.

The world does not only need to hear that we pray.

The world should see the fruit of the prayers we pray.

4. There Is a Difference Between Witnessing and Showing Off

This is where Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6 becomes especially important.

Jesus condemned the religious leaders who prayed in public “that they may be seen of men.”

The problem was not that they were praying publicly.

The problem was their motive.

We must examine our hearts.

Am I praying because I want God to hear me?

Or am I praying because I want people to notice me?

Am I lifting my hands because I am worshiping God?

Or because I want people to think I am spiritual?

Am I telling people that I am praying for them because I genuinely care?

Or because I want to appear religious?

There is a big difference between being seen while praying and praying to be seen.

One can express genuine faith.

The other can lead to pride.

Our goal should never be to impress people with our prayer.

Our goal should be to glorify God.

5. Let People See That We Depend on God

One of the strongest outward testimonies we can give is to demonstrate that we depend upon God.

The world teaches people to depend upon money, power, connections, intelligence, and human strength.

But the believer says:

“My help comes from the Lord.”

When trouble comes, we pray.

When we don’t know what to do, we pray.

When we have received a blessing, we pray.

When we are afraid, we pray.

When we are thankful, we pray.

When we are weak, we pray.

Prayer demonstrates that we recognize our dependence upon God.

The Bible says:

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”
— Proverbs 3:5

A praying Christian is saying through his or her actions:

“I cannot do this by myself. I need God.”

And there is no shame in admitting that.

6. We Should Teach the Next Generation to Pray

Our children and young people are watching us.

They learn not only from what we tell them, but from what they see us doing.

If children see their parents praying when there is a problem, they learn where to turn when problems come.

If they see their parents thanking God, they learn gratitude.

If they see their parents praying for others, they learn compassion.

If they see their parents seeking God before making important decisions, they learn dependence upon God.

We should therefore create an atmosphere where prayer is normal.

Let our children hear us pray.

Let our families pray together.

Let them see that Christianity is not merely something we do at church on Sunday.

Prayer is a way of life.

7. Let Our Lives Become a Living Testimony

The greatest outward evidence of prayer is not necessarily the volume of our voice or the position of our body.

It is the transformation that prayer produces.

Can people see more love in us?

More patience?

More forgiveness?

More humility?

More compassion?

More self-control?

More faith?

More peace?

More dependence upon God?

When we spend time with God, something should change in us.

Moses went into the presence of God, and when he came down from the mountain, his face reflected that encounter.

Our time with God should also leave an impression upon our lives.

People may not know how long we prayed.

They may never know what we said in our secret place.

But they should be able to see something different in the way we live.

Conclusion

Church, let us become people who pray.

Let us pray in our homes.

Let us pray with our families.

Let us pray for one another.

Let us pray for our communities.

Let us pray for those who are hurting.

Let us pray when we are joyful.

Let us pray when we are broken.

Let us pray when we understand.

Let us pray when we don’t understand.

But let our prayer never become a performance.

Jesus calls us to sincerity.

Pray privately, but do not be ashamed of prayer publicly.

Seek God in secret, and let the fruit of that relationship be visible in your life.

We do not pray so that people will think we are holy.

We pray because God is holy.

We do not pray to impress people.

We pray because we need God.

We do not pray to receive applause.

We pray because God deserves our worship and our trust.

So let the church be known as a praying people.

Let our families be praying families.

Let our homes be houses of prayer.

And let the world see, not merely that we talk about prayer, but that we truly live a life of prayer.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Teach us to become people of prayer.

Help us to seek You not for the attention of people, but because we love You and depend upon You.

Give us courage to pray openly when the opportunity comes, but give us humility so that our prayers never become a performance.

Let our private prayer life produce public fruit.

Let people see Your love in us, Your peace in us, Your patience in us, and Your grace working through us.

Teach our families and our children to pray.

Make our homes places where Your name is honored.

Help us remember that our strength does not come from ourselves, but from You.

May our lives become a testimony that points people toward Christ.