SPRINGS OF LIVING WATER

November 9, 2026November 9, 2026

10 NOVEMBER 2026

Antique brass wash basin and folded linen towel beneath the words “Following Christ in Humble Service: The Way of the Servant King” on a deep charcoal background.

TUESDAY, THIRTY SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Memorial of St Leo the Great

Tit 2: 1-8, 11-14; Ps 37: 3-4, 18, 23, 27, 29; Lk 17: 7-10

FAITH IN THROUGH HUMBLE SERVICE

Today, we celebrate the memorial of St. Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church. His life reminds us that true greatness does not come from power or position but from humble service, faithfulness and love for God’s people. In the first reading, St. Paul instructs us on how Christians ought to live. They are called to be self-controlled, loving, patient and to be good examples to others. Our faith should not remain only in words; it must rather be visible in our daily actions. God’s grace has appeared to bring salvation, teaching us to reject sin and live upright and faithful lives.

This teaching becomes meaningful when we look at the life of St. Leo the Great. As the Pope, he guided the Church with wisdom, courage and responsibility. He understood his leadership not as a privilege for personal glory, but instead as a service entrusted to him by Christ. His life shows us how God’s grace can work through a person who sincerely serves the Church. He stood firm in difficult moments, defended the faith courageously, and remained committed to the people entrusted to his care. His example reminds us that authentic leadership is measured not by how many people serve us, but by how generously we are willing to serve others. This call to faithful living and humble service reaches its fullness in today’s Gospel. Jesus reminds us that after fulfilling our duties, we should not seek praise or consider ourselves greater than others. We are servants who are called to do what is expected of us. Our service is not a reason for pride, because everything we accomplish is possible through God’s grace.

Therefore, today’s liturgy invites us to correlate faithful living with humble service. The first reading teaches us how to live as Christians, while the Gospel teaches us the attitude with which we should serve. As we celebrate the memory of this great saint today, let us ask God for the grace to live our faith sincerely, serve others humbly, and remain faithful to our Christian responsibilities without seeking recognition.

Response: The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.

November 8, 2026November 8, 2026

9 NOVEMBER 2026

Today's the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, the cathedral of Rome. Built around 324 by Emperor Constantine the Great it is the where the throne of the Pope is --

MONDAY, THIRTY SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

DEDICATION OF THE LATERAN BASILICA IN ROME

Ez 47:1-2,8-9,12 / 1 Cor 3:9-11,16-17; Ps 46:2-3,5-6,8-9; Jn 2:13-22

MAKE MY HEART YOUR DWELLING PLACE

Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, the cathedral church of Rome and the mother church of the churches of the world. The Gospel takes us to the Gospel account where Jesus cleanses the Temple. At first, his action may seem like an expression of anger. But it reveals something deeper: Jesus’ great love for his Father and his desire to restore the true meaning of worship. The Temple was meant to be a holy place where people could pray and encounter God. People came from distant places to offer sacrifices, so buying animals and exchanging money were necessary services. But gradually, what had begun as a service became a business. The problem was even greater because the buying and selling took place in the Court of the Gentiles. This was the place where people from other nations could come and seek the true God. Instead of finding a peaceful place for prayer, they found a marketplace. Jesus reminds them of Isaiah’s words: “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations” (Is 56:7). By driving away the merchants from the temple Jesus reminds the people that God must always remain at the centre of their lives.

The Gospel also invites us to look into our own hearts. St Paul says, “You are God’s temple” (1 Cor 3:16). Our hearts can also become crowded with worries, ambition, money, anger, pride, distractions and the desire for recognition. Sometimes God has not left us; rather, we have filled his space with too many other things. Jesus wants to cleanse our hearts, not to condemn us, but to renew us. His zeal comes from love. He wants our hearts to become places of prayer, peace and communion with God.

On this feast, let us not only admire the beauty of our churches. Let us also ask: What needs to be removed from my heart so that God can have the first place? May Christ cleanse and renew us, so that our lives truly become a dwelling place for God.

Response: The waters of a river give joy to God’s city,
the holy place, the dwelling of the Most High.

November 6, 2026November 6, 2026

8 NOVEMBER 2026

Illustration of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13) | Life of Jesus

SUNDAY, THIRTY SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Wis 6: 12-16; Ps 63: 2-8; 1 Thes 4: 13-18; Mt 25: 1-13

WISDOM, READINESS AND FAITHFUL LOVE

Wisdom does not usually force itself upon us. It is discovered by those who genuinely seek it, by those who are willing to pause, listen and recognize the presence of God amid ordinary life. The first reading reminds us that wisdom is not something distant or inaccessible. She makes herself known to those who love her and allows them to be guided by her. The real question, therefore, is not whether God gives us wisdom, but whether we are attentive enough to recognize and receive it. This is beautifully seen in the prayer of Solomon. When entrusted with the responsibility of leading God’s people, he does not ask for wealth, power or a life free from difficulties. He asks for an understanding heart, so that he may discern what is right and govern wisely. His prayer reveals something important about genuine wisdom: it is not merely knowledge or intelligence. It is the grace to see life from God’s perspective and to use what has been entrusted to us for the good of others. Each of us has been entrusted with something. We have received time, abilities, relationships, opportunities, responsibilities and, above all, the gift of faith. None of these gifts is given merely for ourselves. God’s grace always carries a mission within it. The question is whether we are allowing these gifts to bear fruit.

This is where the Gospel’s image of the lamps becomes deeply meaningful. The ten young women are all waiting for the bridegroom. All have lamps. All have received the same invitation. From the outside, there appears to be little difference between them. Yet the difference becomes visible when the waiting is prolonged. Some have prepared themselves for the unexpected delay; others have assumed that what they have will be enough. The Gospel invites us to look honestly at our own lives. Faith cannot simply be something we possess; it must be something we nurture. Our relationship with God cannot survive merely on yesterday’s prayer, yesterday’s generosity or yesterday’s encounter with grace. Love needs to be renewed. Faith needs to be nourished. The inner lamp needs oil.

This oil can be understood as the life of grace expressed through prayer, love, fidelity and good works. Spiritual readiness is not anxiety about the future. It is living the present faithfully. It means cultivating an intimate relationship with God, allowing our conscience to be formed by truth, and becoming available to the needs of others. It means being prepared not simply to meet Christ at the end of our journey, but to recognize Him whenever He comes to us: in the people entrusted to our care, in unexpected demands, in moments of suffering, and in opportunities to love.

There is also something sobering in the Gospel. The foolishness of the unprepared is not necessarily found in some great act of rebellion. Sometimes it is simply neglect. A small failure to pay attention, a little postponement, a habit of taking grace for granted, an opportunity to love that we repeatedly ignore, such things can slowly make the heart inattentive to God. What we repeatedly postpone today may eventually become a way of life, and what we fail to nurture can quietly lose its place within our hearts. This is why St Paul’s words to the Thessalonians are so consoling. Christian hope is not founded on the denial of death or suffering, but on the conviction that our lives are held within God’s promise of communion with Him. Because our destiny is ultimately union with Christ, the way we live now matters. Our present choices are not disconnected from our eternal hope.

We are therefore called to live awake: not frightened, but attentive; not anxious, but faithful. God has entrusted each of us with gifts that can create, heal, encourage and give life. Love that is never offered gradually becomes stagnant, whereas love expressed in service grows stronger. The more generously we give ourselves, the more capable we become of loving. Perhaps, then, the prayer we need today is not simply, “Lord, give me more,” but “Lord, teach me to recognize what You have already given me, and give me the wisdom to use it faithfully.” The bridegroom comes. The invitation has already been given. The lamp is in our hands. What remains is to keep the flame alive.

Response: For you my soul is thirsting, O Lord, my God.

November 6, 2026November 6, 2026

7 NOVEMBER 2026

Luke 16 9 You Will Be Welcomed Into Eternal Powerpoint Church Sermon | PowerPoint Presentation Designs | Slide PPT Graphics | Presentation Template Designs

SATURDAY, THIRTY FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Phil 4: 10-19; Ps 112: 1-2, 5-6, 8-9; Lk 16: 9-15

THE JOY OF GIVING

Phil. 4:10–19 is a canticle of a person fully satisfied. This passage of Paul resonates with the truth that one lacks nothing when we have Christ and when we experience the joy that comes from sharing what we possess. St. Thérèse writes in her autobiography: “From the day I forgot myself, I lived the happiest life on earth” — referring to the profound experience of her Christmas night. Another quote might help us from another author, “I make myself rich by making my needs less. We too could embrace this view towards life.

Perhaps true contentment does not come from possessing more, but from learning to desire less and to give more. The moment we begin to look beyond ourselves, our hearts become freer and our lives become richer. We discover that there is a deep joy in making another person happy, in sharing what we have, and in being available to those who are in need. Thus, whenever we interact with someone, may we view ourselves as the least among all and, from the very depths of our hearts, respectfully hold others as superior to ourselves. Such an attitude of humility does not diminish us; rather, it opens our hearts to recognise the goodness of God present in others. Then we will embark on a beautiful journey of self-discovery and discover that the less we cling to ourselves, the more room we create for God and for others.

The Gospel passage from Luke today speaks directly to the interior life, and God, who sees the heart, knows our intentions. When we truly love Jesus, little things matter very much to us. “Whoever can be trusted in little things can also be trusted in great,” teaches Jesus. It is indeed something to ponder and introspect. Faithfulness is not demonstrated only through great deeds or extraordinary sacrifices; it is revealed in the small choices we make each day — in our words, our relationships, our responsibilities and our willingness to serve. God looks not merely at what we do, but at the love and sincerity with which we do it.

Response: Blessed the man who fears the Lord.

November 5, 2026November 5, 2026

6 NOVEMBER 2026

Reflection on Luke 16:1-8, being good stewards of God's gifts

FRIDAY, THIRTY FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Phil 3:17–4:1; Ps 122: 1-5; Lk 16: 1-8, 54

GIFTS FOR GOD’S GLORY

Today’s readings invite us to reflect on how wisely and faithfully we need to use the gifts and talents that God has entrusted to us. Each of us has received different abilities and opportunities. These are not given merely for our personal success, but so that we may use them for the good of others and for the greater glory of God.

The Gospel presents us with the unusual example of the dishonest steward who, when faced with losing his position, acts with foresight and prudence. Jesus is not praising his dishonesty, but draws attention to his ability to act decisively. This challenges us to ask ourselves: Are we equally wise and responsible in using the gifts God has placed in our hands? Do we make the best use of our time and talents, to serve God and others?

St. Teresa of Avila offers us an important insight into humility. Sometimes, when people appreciate our talents, we are quick to dismiss their praise by saying, “I am not really talented,” thinking that this is humility. But true humility is not denying what God has given us. Rather, it is honestly acknowledging our gifts while remembering that they come from Him. We can accept appreciation with gratitude, without allowing praise to make us proud or self-centred. The right response is to say, “Thank you, Lord, for this gift; help me to use it well.”

The first reading also reminds us to keep our eyes fixed on Christ. We are citizens of heaven, and therefore our talents and achievements should never become the centre of our lives. Whatever gifts we possess should lead us closer to God and help us become instruments of His love. When we recognize our gifts with gratitude and place them at God’s service, we become more useful in building His Kingdom. Our abilities may be great or small, but when offered sincerely to God, they can touch lives and bring hope to others. May we therefore have the wisdom to recognize our God-given talents, the humility to acknowledge them, and the generosity to use them for His glory.

Response: Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

November 4, 2026November 4, 2026

5 NOVEMBER 2026

Hope for the Lost – Upside-Down Savior

THURSDAY, THIRTY FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Phil 3: 3-8; Ps 105: 2-7; Lk 15: 1-10

COUNTING ALL AS LOSS

“I consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” This is the cry of someone who has discovered a treasure so valuable that everything else has lost its meaning. And, consider what Paul lists as ‘loss’: not just sinful things, but his very credentials as a faithful Jew – his achievements, his identity, his sources of pride and security.

This is the doctrine of radical detachment that St John of the Cross teaches throughout his writings. In the Ascent of Mount Carmel, he insists that we must let go not only of sinful attachments but even of good things, including spiritual gifts, religious accomplishments, and consolations in prayer. The summit of the ‘mountain of God’ is reached not by adding more possessions (even spiritual ones) but by emptying ourselves of everything that is not God. St Teresa of Avila shares that for years she tried to build a spiritual life on her own efforts, her religious practices, her good reputation. But she discovered that all of this had to be surrendered before she could enter into genuine prayer. In the Interior Castle, she describes how the journey within consists of passing through ‘mansions’ where we let go of everything – attachments to comfort, to the approval of others, to spiritual consolations, even to our own ideas about who God is – until finally we stand empty-handed before the Beloved, Christ, who has already let go of everything to gain us; who even counted heaven itself as loss for us.

Today, Paul challenges us to examine what we are still clinging to. What credentials do we parade before God? What achievements do we think make us worthy? What spiritual accomplishments do we keep desiring for and hold on to? We are invited today to empty our hands of everything – not because these things are evil, but because they keep us from receiving the one treasure that truly satisfies: the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord.

Response: Let hearts rejoice who search for the Lord.

November 3, 2026November 3, 2026

4 NOVEMBER 2026

September 7, 2025 Gospel: Luke 14: 25-33 Reflection: The Cost of Discipleship

WEDNESDAY, THIRTY FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Memorial of Saint Charles Borromeo

Phil 2: 12-18; Ps 27: 1, 4, 13-14; Lk 14: 25-33

COST OF TRUE DISCIPLESHIP

Every disciple or every apprentice should be dedicated and committed in the new direction one has taken or new life one has chosen if one wants to be successful or reach one’s goal. Otherwise, that person will be a failure. This implies having total focus on the direction or choice one has made. In today’s reading we have the same thought running through. St Paul in the first reading firmly warns the Philippians that they need to work out their salvation with fear and trembling. This does not mean physical fear and trembling but spiritual fear of being separated from God. He means to say that they need total dedication and maximum commitment and never be negligent.

In the Gospel passage we hear Jesus’ demand to his followers that they must be ready to detach themselves from all affections of this world and only be attached to His love. Besides one must be ready to accept daily crosses in order to express our dedication and commitment to Jesus. There is no more turning back. The two examples which Jesus gives explains what exactly He means. Before building a tower and before going to fight with the enemy, one is required to know one’s ability and capabilities. Otherwise, the whole enterprise will be a failure. So, Jesus wants every one of us be His genuine disciple who is ready to renounce everything in order to possess Him. Saints did the same and they invite us to follow them. St Teresa of Avila says: “God alone suffices”. It is not that Jesus tells us not to love anyone in this world, but that love should not be a hindrance to possess the love of God. Both love cannot go hand in hand or equally. So, we are able to recognize that it costs to be a dedicated disciple of Jesus or to possess God, and God alone, and this means that we give up or renounce all that is not God. Are we ready for this level of commitment? There cannot be a compromise in loving God with an undivided heart!

Response: The Lord is my light and my salvation.

November 2, 2026November 2, 2026

3 NOVEMBER 2026

Today's Reflection: Luke 14:15–24 In this passage, Jesus tells the story of a man who prepared a great feast and invited many guests. When the time came, those invited began to make

TUESDAY, THIRTY FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Phil 2: 5-11; Ps 22: 26-32; Lk 14: 15-24

THE INVITATION WE MUST NOT MISS

St. Paul presents before us today, the astonishing humility of Christ: though he was in the form of God, he emptied himself and took the form of a servant. The Gospel reveals to us a banquet to which many are invited, yet some find reasons to remain away. At first, these two readings may seem unrelated, but together they ask us a deeply personal question: Am I willing to empty myself enough to accept God’s invitation? The banquet in the Gospel is ready. Everything has been prepared. The invitation is generous and freely given. Yet the invited guests begin to make excuses. One has bought a field, another has purchased oxen, and another has married. None of these things is necessarily wrong. What becomes tragic is that good things become excuses for refusing something greater. Perhaps this is also our struggle. We can become so occupied with our plans, responsibilities, possessions and relationships that we leave little room for God. We may not consciously reject Him; we simply become too busy to respond. The danger is not always saying “no” to God. Sometimes it is continually saying, “Not now.”

Christ shows us another way. He did not cling to his privileges but emptied himself in love. The Christian life is therefore not merely about receiving an invitation but about becoming humble enough to accept it. To enter God’s banquet, we must sometimes let go of our own agenda, our need for recognition, our attachments and our excuses. The surprising part of the Gospel is that when some refuse the invitation, the master sends his servants to the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame. God’s table has room for those whom the world overlooks. His invitation is wider than our calculations and more generous than our expectations. Today, let us ask ourselves: What is keeping me from the banquet? The banquet is ready. The invitation has been given. The question is whether our hearts are ready to say, “Yes, Lord, I will come.” May we learn from Christ to empty ourselves, so that God may fill us with his grace.

Response: I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.

November 1, 2026November 1, 2026

2 NOVEMBER 2026

All Souls Day - Newsletter #14 - 15 October

MONDAY, THIRTY FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

THE COMMEMORATION OF ALL THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED

(ALL SOULS)

Wis 3:1-9; Ps 23:1-6; Rom 5:5-11; Jn 6:37-40

HOPE BEYOND DEATH

All Souls’ Day, invites us to contemplate the Christian mystery that death is not the end of communion with God, but a passage into the fullness of life. Today, the Church remembers those who have died in the hope of the resurrection and entrusts them to God’s merciful love. While the world may see death as defeat and separation, Christian faith looks beyond death with hope. Pope Benedict XVI, in Spe Salvi, reminds us that Christian hope is not mere optimism but confidence that God’s love is stronger than death. St Paul reveals the foundation of this hope in his letter to Romans. Our hope rests not on human goodness but on Christ’s merciful initiative. Through His Cross and Resurrection, Jesus has confronted and overcome death. As Gaudium et Spes teaches, Christ illuminates the mystery of suffering and death by entering into it and transforming it. The Gospel gives us Jesus’ consoling promise: “I should lose nothing of all that he has given me but raise it up on the last day” implying that the deceased are not forgotten by God; they remain within Christ’s redeeming love.

The Church prays for the dead because the bond of charity is stronger than physical separation. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that from earliest times the Church has honoured the dead and offered prayers, especially the Eucharistic sacrifice, for them. We belong to one Body of Christ in life and death. This hope has a deep Carmelite dimension. St John of the Cross teaches that the soul’s ultimate end is perfect union with God. St Teresa of Avila understood life as a journey toward eternal communion: “It is time to walk, Lord, for my time is come.” All Souls’ Day therefore invites us to examine our own lives: Am I living in friendship with Christ? Am I forgiving, detached, and allowing God to purify my heart? Today let us entrust our departed to the Divine Mercy. May Mary, Mother of Mercy and Queen of Carmel, accompany us until we behold God face to face.

Response: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

October 31, 2026November 9, 2026

11 NOVEMBER 2026

🌿 SUNDAY REFLECTION: THE CLEANSING OF THE TEN LEPERS (LUKE 17:11–19) 🌿 As Jesus traveled toward Jerusalem, ten lepers called out from a distance, pleading for mercy. Jesus told them to go

WEDNESDAY, THIRTY SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Memorial of St Martin of Tours

Tit 3: 1-7; Ps 23: 1-6; Lk 17: 11-19

FROM DISTANCE TO CLOSENESS

Our whole spiritual life is a journey towards union with God. The Gospel of today, in a nutshell captures this journey. We have the ten lepers who meet Jesus, but stand at a distance, away from Him. They are aware of their sickness, the social stigma and the feeling of being outcasts. But they are even more aware that Jesus has the power to heal them. And so, they cry out to Him for mercy. We may not be physically infected by leprosy, but each of us has some spiritual leprous wound which disfigures the image and likeness of God in us, makes us spiritually numb and gradually disintegrate. The Old Testament is replete with examples of such lepers whose physical condition was but an expression of spiritual malaise. We have Miriam (Num 12:1-10) who developed a certain subtle envy, resentment and rebellion against her brother Moses’ spiritual leadership. Namaan (2 Kgs 5: 1-15) was guilty of pride, while Gehazi the servant of Prophet Elisha (2 Kgs 5: 20-27) was an avaricious man. King Uzziah was arrogant and defiant to the Lord (2 Chron: 16-19).

Like the ten lepers, sin distances us from God. But there is an opportunity to grow closer. God’s mercy is always available and we do desire it. However, the motivation for seeking this mercy varies. Nine of the lepers who received healing went their own way. They are like the older brother in the parable of the Prodigal son who seek gifts to enjoy with their friends (Lk 15: 29b) and do not care for a relationship with the giver of the gift. The Samaritan however, returned to thank Jesus thereby receiving not just physical healing but spiritual wholeness and closeness with Jesus. Both these tendencies are present within us. We plead for some blessings and favours and do indeed receive them. We thank God sometimes but also often take God for granted. The gifts do not lead us to deeper intimacy with God. Gratitude opens our hearts to wholeness and intimacy. May we deepen this attitude of wholehearted gratitude.

Response: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.