I thought that St Paul was very harsh in the way our passage from his letter started out today, calling the Galatians “stupid.” St Paul was obviously was very angry at the way the Galatians were forsaking their faith, trying to rely on human works and human effort in order to try to achieve salvation. We Catholics here in the South often are accused by our Protestant brothers and sisters of trying to rely on our good works and our own human efforts in order to achieve our salvation. It is one of the questions I often get asked as a priest by non-Catholics, about how good works fit into God’s plan of salvation for us. Our good works are to be a fruit of our faith and salvation, the way that we live out our faith, not a means of achieving salvation. We are to see salvation not as something we earn, but as a freely given gift from God. St Paul himself is a good example of this, of how he went into action after his conversion, of how he felt a call from God to bring the Gospel message to the Gentiles. Sometimes we need a reality check in our lives of faith, which is why St Paul uses these harsh words with the Galatians. St Paul always seems to give us a lot to think about, doesn’t he?
Monday, September 28, 2026
8 October 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Thursday of the 26th week of Ordinary time
Lord Jesus - you have come to save your people.
Christ Jesus - you have raised up by God the Father as our savior.
Lord Jesus - you bring us hope.
Priest: We now present our prayers to our heavenly Father:
1. That our Church leaders and government leaders will lead us in justice and wisdom.
2. That we may hear the voice of Christ calling us to “not be afraid”
3. That we may learn to turn to God in every circumstance that is beyond our control.
4. For our Jewish brothers and sisters and for peace in the Middle East.
5. For all who struggle with doubt and uncertainty.
6. For all families facing crisis or financial difficulty. That they may find the help they need and may they find hope in their faith.
7. For the month of world missions. May the Lord bless all missionaries serving here in the United States and throughout the world.
8. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts today.
Priest: With joy and hope, we present these prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN.
7 October 2026 - prayers of the faithful for memorial mass of Our Lady of the Rosary
Lord Jesus, you the Prince of Peace: Lord, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you are the Son of God and Son of Mary: Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you are Word of God made flesh: Lord, have mercy.
Prayers of the faithful:
PRIEST: God graciously blesses us in his love and mercy. As we celebrate Our Lady of the Rosary, we now bring forward our needs to God with confidence:
1. That those who follow Christ may remain faithful throughout the challenges and difficult circumstances of their lives.
2. That God may grant wisdom to our governmental leaders in the difficult and challenging decisions they have to make.
3. For peace in our communities that are torn apart by violence, terrorism, anger, or conflict.
4. That we may all be peacemakers who work for reconciliation, peace, and justice in our relationships.
5. That our Mother Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary, may be an example to all of us in her patience, compassion, and love.
6. For all who have been affected by recent bad weather and natural disasters. For those who are recovering from the hurricane.
7. We pray for the sick and the shut-in. We pray that perpetual light may shine on all our dearly departed.
8. For those prayers we hold in our hearts.
PRIEST: Gracious God, you bless your people with peace and justice: accept our prayers and give us your help, through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. Amen.
7 October 2026 - homily for Wednesday of the 27th week in ordinary time - Our Lady of the rosary - Luke 11:1-4
In the 12th and 13th centuries there was a heresy that was popular in France that saw the material world as being inferior to the spiritual world, that rejected many of the sacraments of the Church and that promoted an austere practice of the faith as a way of rejecting the material world. St Dominic encounter this heresy and tried to battle it through preaching and debates. Tradition passes down that in a period of fasting and prayer, he sought the Blessed Mother for guidance. She revealed to him the rosary prayer, asking him him to preach the mysteries of the rosary and to pray the decades of the rosary as a spiritual weapon. The word rosary comes from a Latin word that means rose garden. When we lift up each hail Mary as we pray the rosary, we are planting a garden of roses. St Dominic converted many souls with the rosary prayer. The devotion to the rosary spread throughout the Catholic world.
Starting in the 8th century, Muslims from Northern Africa had expanded into the Mediterranean region. In 1571, Pope Pius V, who was a member of the Dominicans, formed an alliance between the Papal States, Spain, Venice, and other smaller Christian states to work together to stop Ottoman aggression. On October 7 of 1571, this alliance battled the Muslim navy in the Mediterranean Sea. The pope asked Catholics around the world to pray the Rosary for victory. Victory was achieved. In gratitude, he instituted the Feast of Our Lady of Victory. Two years later, Pope Gregory XIII changed the name to the Feast of the Holy Rosary. In 1716, after another important victory against the Muslims, the feast was extended to the entire Church. Since 1913, we have been celebrating this feast each year on October 7 as a memorial mass.
Pope Leo XIII called the rosary “the most excellent form of prayer and the most efficacious means of attaining eternal life. It is the remedy for all our evils, the root of all our blessings. There is no more excellent way of praying.
In the Gospel today, Jesus’ disciples each him to teach them how to pray. The rosary prayer is a great way for us to pray, based on mysteries of the faith found in Sacred Scripture related to the life of Jesus and the life of Mary.
Because of today’s memorial mass honoring Our Lady of the Rosary, the month of October is known in the Catholic faith as a month dedicated to Mary and a month dedicated to the rosary. We unite our prayers with the prayers of the Blessed Mother today.
Sunday, September 27, 2026
Quotes from St John of the Cross: Endeavor to be inclined always: Not to the easiest, but to the most difficult...
In my studies with the secular Carmelite order of which I am a member, I heard this wonderful quote from John of the Cross. A lot of Catholics see his spirituality as very difficult and austere and off-putting. But delving into his spirituality can reveal a lot of complexity and nuance. He is not always the easiest to understand, but pondering his quotes can reveal a lot of insight:
Endeavor to be inclined always:
Not to the easiest, but to the most difficult;
Not to the most delightful, but to the most distasteful;
Not to the most gratifying, but to the less pleasant;
Not to what means rest for you, but to hard work;
Not to the consoling, but to the unconsoling;
Not to the most, but to the least;
Not to the highest and most precious, but to the lowest and most despised;
Not to wanting something, but to wanting nothing;
Do not go about looking for the best of temporal things, but for the worst, and, for Christ, desire to enter into complete nakedness, emptiness, and poverty in everything in the world.”
Saturday, September 26, 2026
From psalm 35
Your ways, O Lord, make known to me. Teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are my God and my savior.
Remember that your compassion, O Lord, and your love are from of old. The sins of my youth and my frailties remember not. In your kindness, remember me, because of your goodness, O Lord.
Good and upright is the Lord. Thus he shows sinners the way. He guides the humble to justice. He teaches the humble his way.
6 October 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Tuesday of the 26th week in Ordinary time
Lord Jesus - you came as a servant.
Christ Jesus - you bring us hope.
Lord Jesus - you are seated at the right hand of the Father.
Priest: With faith and hope, we now present our prayers to our heavenly Father:
1. That we may keep Christ as the center of our attention and never tire of calling out for God’s help in the challenges of life.
2. That we not be confused nor distracted by the different voices that cry out to us in the world.
3. For an openness to God’s call and our vocation as Christians.
4. As we celebrate respect life month, may we live out the spirit of the Gospel of life in our words and our actions each day.
5. For all missionaries and evangelizers. May their zeal for sharing their faith with others bring Christ’s light to the world.
6. For our children, youth, and college students. That the Lord continue to accompany them on their journey.
7. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts today.
Priest: We present our prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN.
Catholic Dismissal Blessing for blessing of couple for anniversary of marriage
Bow down for the blessing:
Then the Priest, with hands extended over the couple, says:
May God the all-powerful Father
grant you his joy. ± Amen.
May the Only Begotten Son of God
stand by you with compassion in good times and in bad.
± Amen.
May the Holy Spirit
always pour forth his love into your hearts.
± Amen.
And may almighty God bless all of you, who are gathered here,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
± Amen.
Prayers of the faithful: Catholic Marriage Anniversary and Renewal of Vows of Holy Matrimony
Friday, September 25, 2026
6 October 2026 - St Mary Frances of the five wounds of Jesus - Tuesday of the 27th week in ordinary time - Galatians 1:13-24
God calls different people to different missions and ministries. God gives us different gifts to use on our journey of faith. Throughout the Old Testament, the Lord called different prophets to bring particular messages to his people. As we hear from St Paul’s letter to the Galatians in our readings this week, we think of the particular calling that Paul received from God. Paul recounts how although he once very zealously persecuted the followers of the way of Jesus, he was converted and traveled long distance as a missionary to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles in far off lands.
We see particular callings in the lives of the saints. The saint we celebrate today followed God in a very particular unique path, uniting with Christ in the wounds he suffered. St. Mary Frances of the Five Wounds, born Anna Maria Gallo in 1715, was a deeply spiritual lay woman who lived according to the rule of the third order Franciscans. She was born in the Spanish quarter, a rough neighborhood in the city of Naples, Italy. She lived a life dedicated to prayer and to service to the poor. The "five wounds" refer to the stigmata of Jesus During her lifetime, Mary Frances exhibited external marks of the five wounds inflicted on Jesus during his crucifixion. She would wear gloves to cover the marks on her hands while she did her work. She chose her name to express her devotion to St. Francis of Assisi and to the Blessed Mother. She died in 1791. When St. Mary Frances was canonized in 1843, Pope Pius IX declared her to be a patroness of expectant mothers, women having difficulty conceiving, and those with chronic pain.
2 October 2026 - prayers of the faithful - FRIDAY of the 26th week in Ordinary time - prayers of the faithful for the mass of the holy guardian angels
Lord Jesus - you are the beloved son of the Father.
Christ Jesus - you are the living word of God.
Lord Jesus - you give us hope.
Priest - As we celebrate the feast day of the guardian angels today, we present our our prayers to our heavenly Father -
1. That we may be good stewards of our gifts, our talents, and all of God’s creation.
2. That we respect human life from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death.
3. That we may grow in our love and devotion to Mary.
4. That our Church leaders may lead us to be missionary in spirit.
5. For the sick and the afflicted. For healing in body, mind, and spirit.
6. For the prayers we hold in our hearts today. We unite our prayers with the prayers of the angels and the saints. We pray with our guardian angels.
Priest - With faith and hope, we present our prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN.
1 October 2026 - prayers of the faithful for the memorial mass of St Therese - prayers of the faithful for Thursday of the 26th week of Ordinary Time
Lord Jesus - you call us to faith.
Christ Jesus - you forgive the sins of the contrite.
Lord Jesus - you are our Lord and our savior.
Priest - As we unite our prayers with the prayers of St Therese, we present our prayers to our heavenly Father:
1. That our Church leaders lead us in promoting the Gospel of life, especially during the month of October, Respect Life Month.
2. That during World Missions month, we may all grow in being missionary in spirit.
3. For members of the Carmelite order throughout the world. For our Carmelite sisters in our diocese and for members of the secular Carmelite order in our diocese.
4. That we may grow in our love of Mary and in our devotion to her during the month of October.
5. For the sick and afflicted. For those struggling with addictions, anxiety, depression, and mental health issues.
6. For our children, youth, and college students. May the Lord bless them on their journey of faith.
7. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts today.
Priest - With joyful hearts, we present these prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN.
2 October 2026 - Homily for Friday of the 26th week in ordinary time - the feast of the guardian angels - Job 38:1, 12-21; 40:3-5
On October 2 of each year, we celebrate the feast of the guardian angels. God created the guardian as spiritual beings, different from human beings. The guardian angels are assigned to guard and guide God’s human disciples as their special divine mission. The Catechism teaches that human life is surrounded by the watchful care of the guardian angels from the beginning of our lives until our death. Already here on earth, the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God. (CCC 336).
The role of the guardian angels is mentioned in psalm 91: “For he will give his angels charge of you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.”
Just as we do not worship Mary, we do not worship guardian angels. We only worship God alone. In praying with our guardian angel, it is appropriate to ask for his intercession, and as we would ask a saint or a friend to pray for us.
We hear from the book of Job today God’s response to the conversation between Job and his three friends. God answers Job out of a whirlwind. God doe not giving Job a direct explanation for his suffering, but he presents Job with a series of unanswerable about the creation and the governance of the cosmos. By asking Job if he has commanded the morning, walked the depths of the abyss, or understood the bounds of light and darkness, God highlights the vast gap between creator and the creatures he has created. In response in awe of the majesty of God, Job confesses that he is of little account, that he will speak no more. There is always going to be a part of God that will be a mystery for us. We are approach God in awe and humility and to recognize God’s power over us.
As we reflect on the guardian angels on their feast day today, we may reflect upon the way we can be guardian angels to others. Whenever Jesus encountered someone experiencing physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual pain, he offered them help and comfort. Often it was a miraculous cure or healing. Other times is was a recognition of their dignity and self-worth. We can witness difference types of violence or anger or hardship in our world today. We can be guardian angels for each other, especially for those in need of love, protection, or healing.
1 October 2026 - Psalm 27 - homily for Thursday of the 26th week of Ordinary Time
Today is the feast day of St Therese of the Child Jesus. We celebrate her feast day today, and then the feast day of St Teresa of Avila two weeks later. Two Carmelite nuns who are also Doctors of the Church. Both of them are still immensely popular saints today in the modern world.
Pope Francis wrote an apostolic exhortation on St Therese in 2023, the 150th anniversary of her birth and the 100th anniversary of her beatification. Pope Francis starts his document with the following quote from St Therese: “It is confidence and nothing but confidence that must lead us to Love.” Pope Francis states that these words of St Therese sum up the genius of her spirituality. Pope Francis states that “with confidence, the wellspring of grace overflows into our lives, the Gospel takes flesh within us and makes us channels of mercy for our brothers and sisters.”
Pope Francis states that: “St Therese is one of the best known and most beloved saints in our world. Like Saint Francis of Assisi, she is loved by non-Christians and nonbelievers as well. In addition, she has been recognized by UNESCO as one of the most significant figures for contemporary humanity.”
Marie Françoise-Thérèse Martin was born in 1873 as the youngest daughter of a devout Catholic family in the Normandy region of France. He parents, Louis and Zélie Martin, who have also been canonized saints. In fact, Therese’s four older sisters also entered the convent to become nuns. Therese felt the call to religious life at an early life. After overcoming different obstacles that kept her from entering earlier, she became a nun at the age of 15 with two of her older sisters in the Carmelite community of Lisieux in Normandy. She died at the young age of 24 in the year 1897.
Here are some key points we can make about St Therese and her spirituality. She calls us to the little way, emphasizing a child-like approach to God through humility and relying entirely on God’s grace rather than our own achievements. Therese also emphasized the importance of God’s love, seeing that as the center of the Christian life.
How did a young nun who was unknown during her lifetime become one of the most popular saints? Unlike the complex writings of other saints, including St Teresa of Avila, St Therese has a spirituality that is very easily understood and that resonates with the Catholic faithful. Her autobiography, The Story of a Soul, has been a best seller since the time it was published soon after her death. Also, in a world that mostly values power and status and material possessions, St Therese offers us a counter-cultural message of God’s mercy and tenderness and charity toward others, as well as taking responsibility for forging a path of faith here on earth.
One of her famous quotes, which is echoed in the spirituality of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, states: "Our Lord does not so much look at the greatness of our actions, or even at their difficulty, as at the love with which we do them.”
Our psalm refrain today is traditionally attributed to King David: “I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.” We are not to wait to see the goodness of the Lord only after we are dead in our eternal life with him. We are to cling to the faith and the hope that God shows us his kindness during our days here on earth. We experience God in the reality of our lives and we can see his goodness all around us if we open our hearts to him. That is certainly something St Therese would agree with.
4 October 2026 - prayers of the faithful for the 26th Sunday of Ordinary Time CYCLE A PRISON MINISTRY
Lord Jesus - you seek a harvest of justice.
Christ Jesus - you lead us to everlasting peace.
Lord Jesus - you are a humble servant.
Priest: With faith and humility, let us bring our needs and the needs of our world before our merciful God: 1. That all members of God's family in the Church may journey together in faith, unity, and humility. We pray to the Lord.
2. That God may touch their hearts and minds of our world leaders, guiding them to address poverty, oppression, and global concerns. We pray to the Lord.
3. For those struggling with addictions and mental health issues. For the lost and the abandoned. For those burdened by anxiety or chronic pain. For strength and love. We pray to the Lord.
4. As we celebrate the feast of St Francis of Assisi this weekend, we pray for a greater care and concern for the earth and all living creatures. We pray to the Lord.
5. For a greater love and respect for Christ’s true presence in the Eucharist. We pray to the Lord.
6. That members of our parish community may follow Christ's example of selfless love in our words and actions. We pray to the Lord.
7. May our deceased loved one and family members be welcomed into the eternal peace and mercy of God's heavenly kingdom. We pray to the Lord.
8. For Pope Leo’s October prayer intention. For the establishment and strengthening of mental health ministries throughout the Church. May we work together to overcome the stigma and discrimination faced by individuals with mental illnesses. We pray to the Lord.
9. As we honor Respect Life Sunday today, we pray that all of us may respect human life in our words and actions from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death. We pray to the Lord.
10. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts today. We pray to the Lord.
Priest: Loving God, you hear the cries of your people. Receive these prayers we offer in trust. Grant us what we truly need. We make our prayers through Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN.
4 October 2026 - prayers of the faithful for the 26th Sunday of Ordinary Time CYCLE A
Introduction: We are reminded today in our readings that Jesus is the cornerstone of our Catholic faith and of our life of discipleship. In the month of October, we recognize Respect life month. We pray for the most vulnerable who are often rejected by society and by our leaders. We pray today for the unborn, the terminally ill, and inmates on death row. May we never forget that we are all made in the likeness and image of God.
Lord Jesus - you seek a harvest of justice.
Christ Jesus - you lead us to everlasting peace.
Lord Jesus - you are a humble servant.
Priest: With faith and humility, let us bring our needs and the needs of our world before our merciful God.
1. That all members of God's family in the Church may journey together in faith, unity, and humility. We pray to the Lord.
2. That God may touch their hearts and minds of our world leaders, guiding them to justly address poverty, oppression, and global concerns. We pray to the Lord.
3. For those struggling with addictions and mental health issues. For the lost and the abandoned. For those burdened by anxiety or chronic pain. For strength and love. We pray to the Lord.
4. As we celebrate the feast of St Francis of Assisi this weekend, we pray for a greater care and concern for the earth and all living creatures. We pray to the Lord.
5. For a greater love and respect for Christ’s true presence in the Eucharist. We pray to the Lord.
6. That members of our parish community may follow Christ's example of selfless love in our words and our actions. We pray to the Lord.
7. For the faithful departed. May our deceased loved one and family members be welcomed into the eternal peace and mercy of God's heavenly kingdom. We pray to the Lord.
8. For Pope Leo’s October prayer intention. For the establishment and strengthening of mental health ministries throughout the Church. May we work together to overcome the stigma and discrimination faced by individuals with mental illnesses. We pray to the Lord.
9. As we honor Respect Life Sunday today, we pray that all of us may respect human life in our words and our actions from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death. We pray to the Lord.
10. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts today. We pray to the Lord. Priest: Loving God, you hear the cries of your people. Receive these prayers we offer in trust. Grant us what we truly need. We make our prayers through Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN.
4 October 2026 - bulletin reflection for the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
This weekend, we celebrate the first weekend of October. October is a busy month for us in the Catholic faith. This Sunday is the feast day of St Francis of Assisi, who saw God in nature and in animals and in all of creation. This year marks the 800th year anniversary of this death. The legacy of St Francis endures to this day in the way our Church promotes a greater sense of stewardship of the earth and its resources and in the tradition of Franciscan spirituality that is very popular in our modern world. October is also the month in which we honor the respect of human life. This weekend, we celebrate Respect Life Sunday. Also, October is the month of World Missions. October is a wonderful month in which we celebrate different aspects of our Catholic faith with great joy. We hope to celebrate these different aspects of our faith throughout the month of October. Have a blessed week everyone. Father Lincoln.
4 October 2026 - Homily for Respect Life Sunday - Homily for the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle A - Matthew 21:33-43
The respect for human life is an important part of the values and ethics of the Catholic faith. Every year, on the first Sunday of October, the Church commemorates Respect Life Sunday to kick off the month of October as Respect Life Month. This month’s theme is Mary, Mother of Life, which is wonderful since October is also a month dedicated to Mary and dedicated to praying the rosary.
When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to tell her that she would conceive and bear a son, Mary responded with her fiat, “May it be done to me according to your word” (Lk 1:38). Mary conceives Christ in her womb, becoming the mother of God, the mother of Jesus. Jesus himself tells us that he is “the way and the truth and the life” (Jn 14:6). In becoming the mother of Jesus, Mary becomes the mother of life. Mary’s acceptance in this unforeseen moment demonstrates how each of us must welcome the gift of new human life, even when that gift is unexpected or calls us to make sacrifices.
We can contrast our Mother Mary to Eve, who was called “mother of all the living” in the book of Genesis. Eve brought sin into the world through her disobedience. Mary, however, through her obedience to God, brought salvation into the world through the birth of her son, our savior. Mary is seen as the new Eve, the new mother of all the living.
After the annunciation, Mary travels to the hill country to visit her cousin Elizabeth. She spends the next several months with her cousin, both of the women expecting children. In her selfless service to Elizabeth, Mary give us a model of how we are called to accompany expectant mothers as they prepare to welcome new life into the world.
Then we have Mary standing by her son as he carries the cross and is crucified. On Calvary, Mary stands at the foot of the Cross with the beloved disciple St John. With his final breaths on the Cross, Jesus entrusts Mary and the beloved Disciple to each other. This action also symbolizes the maternal relationship that will always exist between Mary and the Church, as Jesus’ words are addressed not only to St John, but to each one of us. Mary, the physical mother of Jesus, becomes the spiritual mother of the Church and the mother of all the faithful. St John takes Mary into his home and cares for her as she advances in age; this demonstrates our responsibility to care for all human life from the moment of conception to the monument of natural death. Mary taught all of us how to nature human life in the way she cared for her son. Mary in turn, receives this same honor and care.
Today, on respect life Sunday, we hear the parable of the wicked tenants from Matthew. The owner of the vineyard is met with violence and anger when he sends his servants and his son to collect the harvest from the tenants. We can see this Gospel message as a reflection of human life that is given to us as a sacred gift from God. The landowner lovingly cared for this land by planting a vineyard, putting a hedge around it, digging a wine press in it, and building a tower. This is a symbol of how God is the creator of our world and our lives, how we should see ourselves as the caretakers of this sacred gift he gives us. The tenants had their hearts hardened and became self-centered, which produced destruction, a disrespect for God, for their neighbor, and for God’s creation. The tenants rejected the beloved son of the landowner. So many in society reject God’s son, Jesus, and the gifts he offers us. We fail to protect God’s creation and the most vulnerable in society.
As we recognize Respect Life Sunday today, may we think of ways we are honoring God and his creation and the most vulnerable in society.
Sunday, September 20, 2026
30 September 2026 - St Jerome - homily for Wednesday of the 26th week in Ordinary Time - Luke 9:57-62
Today, we commemorate Early Church Father and Doctor of the Church St Jerome, who was born in the middle of the 4th century. He was born in the Roman province of Dalmatia in the region of the Balkans. He was a student of philosophy and ancient languages, studying in Rome. He made a decision to convert to Christianity and spent time living as hermit in the desert. He is well-known for his translation of the Bible into Latin, known as the Vulgate, commissioned by Pope Damasus I. He also wrote extensive commentaries on Scripture. His famous quote is: "ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ," emphasizing the importance of knowing the Bible for understanding the Christian faith. This assertion highlights the necessity for Christians to engage deeply with Scripture to truly know Christ and His teachings. In addition to his commentaries on the Bible and his writings on theology, the letters he left are important too, comprising a variety of topics, such as the problem of scholarship, comforting the afflicted, exhorting the ascetic life and the renunciation of the things this world, and debating his theological opponents. The Catholic Church recognizes St Jerome as the patron saint of translators, librarians, and encyclopedists. He ended his life living five years in the silence of the desert for five years and then living for 34 years near Bethlehem, spending that time studying, praying, and translating the Bible. What can we learn from the life of St Jerome. First and foremost, the importance of Scripture in our life of faith. He taught that believers should read and meditate on the Bible every single day to stay close to God. Also, his life story shows us the importance of personal conversion in our life of faith. As a young man, he sought worldly pleasures, but after his conversion, lived as a hermit in the desert and used prayer and fasting to fight temptation and grow closer to God.His journey teaches us to recognize our faults and accept God's mercy in our lives.
When one of the disciples calls out to Jesus in the Gospel today, “I will follow you wherever you go,” I wonder if he realized the implications of such a statement. All of us may feel something like that in our hearts, following Jesus wherever he goes and wherever he calls us, but it could lead us to some very difficult and challenging places. In the lives of the saints such as St Jerome, we see where Jesus can call on our journey of faith. May we be open to God and his will and the places where he calls us.
30 September 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Wednesday of the 25th week in Ordinary Time - St Jerome
Lord Jesus - you are the living word of God.
Christ Jesus - you are the beloved son of the Father.
Lord Jesus - you are our savior and our redeemer.
Priest: As we celebrate the Early Church Father St Jerome today at Mass, we united our prayers with Mary and the community of Saints and we present them to our heavenly Father.
1. That our Church leaders and government leaders will lead us in justice and wisdom.
2. That we may hear the voice of Christ calling us to “not be afraid”
3. That we may learn to turn to God in every circumstance that is beyond our control.
4. For our Jewish brothers and sisters and for peace in the Middle East.
5. For all who struggle with doubt and uncertainty.
6. For all families facing crisis or financial difficulty. That they may find the help they need and may they find hope in their faith.
7. As we celebrate St Jerome today, we pray for a greater love and understanding of Sacred Scripture.
8. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts today.
Priest: With faith and hope, we present these prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN.