Labouring for Eternity

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time: November 16, 2025

Readings: Malachi 3:19–20; Psalm 98:5–9; 2 Thessalonians 3:7–12; Luke 21:5–19

We love to see and admire great and grand things. Our fascination with such things is natural and real as we are blessed with a capacity to enjoy such beautiful things. Unfortunately, the so-called great and beautiful things are also time-bound. They do not last for eternity. Unfortunately, there is nothing in this world that we can claim will last forever. They are short-lived, just like our lives. They are created by someone. Therefore, having an awareness of uncertainty and limitedness is good for us so that we do not land in a world of despair and unhappiness when the end comes unexpectedly. We must be ready for anything and everything that would occur in our lives. Only then will we be content to know that there is also life beyond the earthly things. As we inch closer to Advent, the liturgical readings are becoming poignantly clear that we must rely on God and God alone.

1. Built by human hands has an end!

In today’s Gospel Luke 21:5–19, Jesus stands before the grandeur of the Temple in Jerusalem — its stones gleaming in the sunlight, its beauty admired by all. It is the second temple built by the decree of King Cyrus, the king of Syria, a non-Jew, around 546 BC (cf. Ezra 1:1–4). However, construction began later and was completed under Darius I in 515 BC (cf. Ezra 6:15).  The First Temple, built by King Solomon, had been destroyed by the King of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar II, in 587/586 BC during the Babylonian captivity. This Second Temple became the center of Jewish faith and identity — a visible sign that they were once again the people of Yahweh, the chosen race. Later, it was magnificently expanded and renovated by King Herod the Great beginning around 20 BC, and this is the temple Jesus refers to in today’s Gospel.

This temple of Jerusalem gave an identity to Jews. It built them as a community and a nation. Now Jesus shocks them about the future of that temple, saying: “The days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.” For the Jews, this Temple was the heart of faith, the dwelling place of God Himself. It reminded them of the unity and strength. To hear its fall and destruction means taking their heart away. It was like someone trying to shock them and bring disunity by saying something bad about their symbol of identity. But Jesus is not simply predicting a historical event — though the destruction of the Temple did come true in A.D. 70 — He is revealing something deeper about the human heart and the nature of discipleship.

2. Uncertainty of Earthly Glory

We, too, are often impressed by the “temples” of our time — the monuments of human achievement: wealth, success, comfort, reputation, positions and power. Yet, Jesus reminds us that everything built on human pride and power will eventually crumble. The end is imminent. It's a hard and bitter truth: even the most beautiful structures — our careers, our possessions, even our bodies — will one day pass. What endures is not the stone, but the soul; not what we build, but what we become.

The Lord invites us to build not on sand, but on the rock of faith. When we root our lives in Him, even when everything else collapses, we will stand firm. Jesus goes on to speak of wars, earthquakes, famines, and persecution — a frightening list. But His purpose is not to scare us; it is to awaken us. He says, “Do not be terrified.” The Christian is not called to panic when the world seems to fall apart, but to trust more deeply in God’s providence. The shaking of the world reveals the fragility of all that is temporary, and at the same time, it invites us to place our hope in what is eternal.

3. The Sacredness of Work

St. Paul, the great missionary and apostle, was no stranger to hard work. He was a tentmaker by trade and chose to labour with his own hands so as not to burden anyone. Paul wants the Thessalonians to understand that the Gospel is not a shortcut to comfort. Grace does not replace effort; it sanctifies it. Thus, when Paul commands, “Work quietly and earn your own living,” he dignifies the ordinary. Every act of honest work — whether teaching, cooking, farming, or cleaning — becomes a space where grace can dwell.

There is a temptation, even today, to live a faith of convenience — to expect blessings without responsibility, to pray without acting, to wait for miracles without lifting a finger. But Paul reminds us that authentic Christian life is participation in God’s creative work. Work, done in love, becomes prayer. In the Christian vision, work is not merely a means of earning a living — it is a participation in God’s ongoing creation. From the beginning, God entrusted humanity with the care of the world. Jesus Himself worked with His hands as a carpenter before preaching the Kingdom. For the Christian, the workplace is an altar. The desk, the workshop, the classroom — these can become sacred spaces when our labour is joined with love and offered to God.

Self-Reflection Questions

1. Where is my security truly placed?
2. When plans collapse or familiar structures crumble, do I react with fear and complaint, or with trust that God is still at work?
3. Am I faithful in the small, ordinary tasks of life?
4. Do I treat my daily work — whether at home, in ministry, or at the workplace — as a participation in God’s ongoing creation?

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, You are the Rock that never crumbles and the Worker who sanctified every labour. In You, all things hold together — even when the world around me falls apart. Teach me to find You not only in the sacred spaces of worship, but also in the simple duties of each day. Make my work an offering of love, my perseverance a testimony of faith, and my endurance a sharing in Your cross. Free me from fear when the stones of life fall, from laziness when the task seems dull, and from pride when success comes easily. Give me the strength to labor quietly, the grace to trust deeply, and the courage to endure patiently — until, by Your mercy, I gain my soul. I make this prayer in Jesus' Holy Name, Amen.

- Fr Olvin Veigas, SJ

E-mail: olvinveigas@jesuits.net

Blog: Celebrate Faith

Video: YouTube

You are God’s building - Preserving Our Sacred Spaces

32nd Ordinary Sunday - The Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome: November 09, 2025

Readings: Ezekiel 47:1–2, 8–9, 12; Psalms  46:2–3, 5–6, 8–9; 1 Corinthians 3:9–11, 16–17; John 2:13–22

To listen to my audio-video reflections via YouTube, please click here: https://youtu.be/2Kt-T5qpUBM

How wonderful it is to know that we are all God's beautiful mansions! As God's magnificent creations, we have a place for God in our lives. It is God who makes us dwell in Him. There is nothing that can separate the creator from its creation. Just like an artist makes a beautiful painting, even if someone buys that artwork, it still is the creation of the artist, and every detail in it is the imagination of that artist and not of that buyer. On this day, the Church celebrates the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome, a mother Church for all the other Churches. It invites us to look beyond the stones and grandeur of any Church building to what it truly represents — the living, breathing presence of God among His people. The Lateran Basilica, the cathedral of the Pope as Bishop of Rome, stands as a symbol of unity, the mother and head of all churches in the world. Yet, in celebrating its dedication, we are called not only to honour a structure but to renew our awareness that we ourselves are temples of the living God. The liturgical readings on this day invite us to do just that. 

1. A Stronger Zeal for God's Work

In the Gospel John 2:13–22, Jesus enters the temple in Jerusalem and finds it turned into a market. His reaction is bewildering: He drives out the merchants, overturns tables, and commands, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” (v.16). This dramatic moment is not about anger alone — it is about zeal. Zeal for God’s house, zeal for the purity of worship, zeal for restoring what has become corrupted.

Jesus’ cleansing of the temple reveals His deep desire that the place of prayer remain holy, not polluted by greed or selfish ambition. But even more profoundly, His words point to a new reality: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The temple He speaks of is His own body. With these words, Jesus shifts our understanding from stone to flesh, from building to person, from ritual to relationship.

2. We are the temples of the Holy Spirit

In Christ, the true temple, God dwells fully among us. And through baptism, we become part of that living temple. St. Paul would later write, “You are God’s temple, and God’s Spirit dwells in you.” (1 Cor 3:16). This is the heart of today’s celebration — not merely the consecration of a church, but the dedication of ourselves as sacred spaces where God desires to dwell.

Yet we must ask: what fills our inner temple today? Are there tables of pride, resentment, or indifference that Jesus longs to overturn? Are there noisy distractions that drown out the quiet voice of prayer within? The Feast of the Lateran Basilica calls each of us to a kind of spiritual renovation — to let Christ enter the inner temple of our hearts and cleanse it with His presence.

3. Building our lives centred on Christ

St. Paul’s words to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 3:9–11, 16–17) invite us to look at the mystery of the Church not as something external, but as something profoundly personal and interior: “You are God’s building… Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” When Paul calls us “God’s building,” he invites us to see ourselves as part of this living structure — each one a stone placed with purpose in God’s divine architecture. When our lives are rooted in Christ, when we guard the holiness within ourselves and others — we become the Church itself: strong, alive, and radiant with God’s presence.

St Paul reminds us that the entire structure of our faith — the Church, our personal spiritual lives, our moral choices, and our community — rests securely only when it is built on Christ. Any attempt to build on pride, success, or worldly values will eventually crumble. Christ alone is the firm foundation that endures through time, trial, and change. To be God’s temple means that each of us is a place of divine presence. Wherever we are — at home, at work, in moments of joy or struggle — God’s Spirit dwells in us. Every word, every choice, every act of love or forgiveness becomes an act of worship offered in the sanctuary of our hearts. 

Questions for Personal Reflection

1. How do I honour the sacredness of the places where I pray — and of the people around me who are temples of God?
2. What am I building my life upon?
3. Is Christ truly my foundation?
4. Do I recognize the holiness of the people around me — the living temples of God’s Spirit?

Prayer

Lord Jesus, You make Your home within us and call us to be living temples of Your presence. As we remember the dedication of the Lateran Basilica, cleanse our hearts from all that distracts us from You. Fill us with a deep love for Your Church and for one another. Strengthen the foundation of our faith so that we may stand firm in Your truth and radiate Your light in the world. May Your Spirit dwell richly within us, uniting us as one body and one heart in Your love. We make this prayer in Jesus' Holy Name, Amen.

- Fr Olvin Veigas, SJ

E-mail: olvinveigas@jesuits.net

Blog: Celebrate Faith

Video: YouTube

All Souls Day - In the Embrace of God in Eternity

Sunday - All Souls:  The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed - November 02, 2025

Readings: Wisdom 3:1–9; Psalms 23:1–3A, 3B–4, 5, 6; Romans 5:5–11; John 6:37–40

To listen to my audio-video reflections via YouTube, please click here: https://youtu.be/eLVtYlZq_r8

There is a pretty casual saying in Kannada: "ಇಲ್ಲಿರುವುದು ಸುಮ್ಮನೆ, ಮೇಲೇರುದು ನಮ್ಮ ಮನೆ." "We are here for nothing, but our real home is above." Even though it is a simple way of making ourselves lighter, the words are profound. No one is permanent on this earth. Our fragility, vulnerability and the sense of non-existence are felt at death. However, we cannot take our lives lightly. We have to learn to live our lives to the fullest. Only those lives which lived to the full have meaning. Today, on All Souls Day, the Church pauses in prayerful remembrance of all our departed brothers and sisters. We remember our loved ones who have gone before us. It is a day when love looks beyond the veil of death, when memory is touched by hope, and when faith assures us that our loved ones are not lost, but live in God. The liturgical readings of today help us to understand the significance of this day.

1. Everything has a Purpose

The Book of Wisdom 3:1–9 opens our hearts with its consoling truth: “The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them.” To human eyes, death appears as an end, nothingness, empty, meaninglessness, silence, absence, loss and so forth. Yet, in God’s eyes, it is a beginning. It has a meaning. It has a purpose. God never leaves his best creation purposeless. The faithful are at peace, embraced by the One who created them in love. What may look like suffering or destruction is, in fact, purification — the soul being refined like gold in fire, made radiant in God’s presence.

Mercy of God in the Face of Human Weakness

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time: October 26, 2025

Readings: Sirach 35:12–14, 16–18; Psalm 34:2–3, 17–19, 23; 2 Timothy 4:6–8, 16–18; Luke 18:9–14

To listen to my audio-video reflections via YouTube, please click here: https://youtu.be/ktim7wP-aew

What makes a person great? Is it pride or humility? Wealth, honour, and pride seem to be what determine a person's position in this world. However, when we delve deeper into the mystery of the human person, what really matters to persons is that they are loved, respected, and accepted. The so-called values of the world, which seem to reward conceit, success and self-promotion, have a limited existence. But the values of the Reign of God, such as peace, justice, humility, generosity and respect, have eternal value. They determine the future of the world and not the values of the world. We are equal before God. Yet, everyone runs after having more than being more. St Ignatius of Loyola speaks about the necessity of being humble before God, to be ready for honour or dishonour, poverty or wealth, or anything else for God and finally to desire poverty, dishonour, and even be a fool for God, since Christ was. As we delve deeper into the liturgical readings on this Sunday, they invite us to follow the same Christ in humility, service and in the well-being of the greater good. 

1. Finding the mercy of God in being humble

In this Sunday’s Gospel Luke 18:9–14, Jesus tells the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector—two men who go up to the temple to pray. Their actions during the prayer reveal the state of their hearts more than their words. The Pharisee, confident in his own righteousness, stands tall and lists his religious achievements. The tax collector, aware of his sinfulness, stands at a distance, unable even to lift his eyes to heaven, and simply pleads, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” He prays with a humble and contrite heart (Ps 51:19). What a contrast we notice here? 

Persistence in Prayer: A Way to Win

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time: October 19, 2025

Readings: Exodus 17:8-13; Psalm 121:1-8; 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2; Luke 18:1-8

To listen to my audio-video reflections via YouTube, please click here: https://youtu.be/5WtZYZDe7Vc

To win a game, we must know our competence. Our courage and dedication will enable the competitive spirit to win a game. Persistence, consistency and resilience are three essential mantras for any victory. Our efforts bear fruit depending on when we adhere to the rules of the game and make use of our every talent diligently. We can win the battle if we are ready to fight with determination and dedication. The liturgical readings on this Sunday invite us to embrace the spirit of Moses, the eloquence of St Paul and the wisdom of Jesus. Moses, along with his people, the Israelites, had to fight for their survival with no weapons in hand. The only weapon they had was the great courage of Moses and his intimate relationship with Yahweh through prayer. As we delve deeper into the Word of God, we are truly inspired to follow the path that was tread by Moses, Jesus and St Paul.

1. Persistence in the absence of God's Presence

In this Gospel passage, Luke 18:1-8, Jesus tells the story of a widow who keeps coming to an unjust judge, pleading for justice. Though the judge has no fear of God and no respect for people, he eventually grants her request—not because he has become righteous, but because she refuses to give up. Jesus then contrasts this unjust judge with God, who is just and compassionate. Unlike the unjust judge, God always listens to us; moreover, if we pray persistently, then He will grant us everything. 

Your Faith has Saved You

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time: October 12, 2025

Readings: 2 Kings 5:14–17; Psalm 98:1–4; 2 Timothy 2:8–13; Luke 17:11–19

To listen to my audio-video reflections via YouTube, please click here: https://youtu.be/7_Rqj2U_U4U

Gratitude is the attitude of the heart. Gratitude swells out of the abundance of thankfulness. A grateful heart is joyful, blissful and faithful. Thanksgiving is a beautiful expression of our joy in having received some help or service. That's why everyone loves to hear the word "thanks." Unfortunately, it often remains just lip service. We must be thankful for what we have received. If we received some benefit or help, or assistance from someone, then we must return it more than what we have received. Only a grateful heart is a happy heart. Cultivating such a heart takes energy and effort. The liturgical readings on this 28th Sunday in Ordinary time invite us to be like that Namaan, a Syrian, a non-Jew, a Commander of the Army or that Samaritan leper who thanked God for all the healing they received. They made not only an extra effort to thank the person who healed them, but also continued to proclaim the mighty works of a God whom they did not believe earlier. 

1. Faith demands active listening

In this Sunday’s Gospel Luke 17:11–19, we meet ten lepers standing at a distance, crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” Their disease had separated them from their families, their communities, and even their places of worship. Yet, their cry of faith reaches Jesus — and He hears them. Jesus does not touch them or perform a dramatic miracle. He simply tells them to go and show themselves to the priests. As they obey, they are healed on the way. Moreover, all ten lepers were healed. God's love and mercy are for all people who are open and willing to receive it, regardless of their background or where they come from.

Lord, Increase our Faith

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time: October 05, 2025

Readings: Habakkuk 1:2–3; 2:2–4; Psalm 95:1–2, 6–9; 2 Timothy 1:6–8, 13–14; Luke 17:5–10

To listen to my audio-video reflections via YouTube, please click here: https://youtu.be/o1AZFhQ3lgM

Faith is the greatest force in the world. Even that which looks completely impossible becomes possible if it is approached with faith. Often, we are worried for no reason! A senior person may worry because his or her children are away for the moment, and the person feels lonely. Or the worry about one's senior years may trouble him or her. A young person may worry about one's grades in studies, finding the right job and getting settled down, even though the person may be on the way to completing studies, has applied for a job or has plans to settle down in life. Things are going to happen, and they are on the way for the best of our abilities and time, yet we worry about those things which have not left us in delusion. Getting worried about things, even though they might not have any consequences immediately, seems to be a natural phenomenon that all of us go through. In this context, we have powerful readings on this Sunday's liturgy. Jesus says have faith and that will settle you.

Robin1. Faith is cultivated and not bought

The Gospel this Sunday, Luke 17:5–10 opens with the heartfelt plea of the apostles: “Lord, increase our faith!” It is a prayer of everyone. All of us look for a strong sense of faith. Faith is not something we can manufacture or produce in a factory by our own strength; it cannot be bought; it is a gift that grows when we remain close to the Lord. Jesus reminds us that even faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains, uproot trees, and do what seems impossible to our eyes. The point is not the size of our faith, but the presence of genuine trust in God. A small but living faith, surrendered to God, can unleash His power in ways far beyond our imagination.

God, who Gives life to all Things

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time: 28 September 2025

Readings: Amos 6:1, 4–7; Psalm 146:7–10; 1 Timothy 6:11–16; Luke 16:19–31

 To listen to my audio-video reflections via YouTube, please click here: https://youtu.be/GrbVYZhl710

We live in a world of contrasts, those who have and have-nots. The rich man and Lazarus are found everywhere. The world of today needs more listening and acting, opening one's eyes and reacting. In recent months, we have been hearing that a new world order is being put in place. Instead of working with great world institutions like the United Nations, individual countries are determining the fate of the smaller and economically weaker countries. The strongest, the bulliest, and the proudest are the ones who seem to be winning the race for power, supremacy and influence. The smaller, weaker and silent countries seem to be just watching the game. In this context, we have this wonderful parable of the rich man and Lazarus. 

1. Visibility of contrast between the rich man and Lazarus

In the Gospel of Luke 16:19–31, the parable of the rich man and Lazarus is one of Jesus’ most unsettling stories, not because it is mysterious or difficult to understand, but because it is painfully clear. We encounter two characters: one who “dressed in purple and fine linen and feasted magnificently every day,” and another, Lazarus, who lay at his gate, covered with sores, longing for scraps. The scandal here is not merely the contrast in wealth, but the extent of indifference between them. Their differences are stark and strangely disgusting as well. 

Impossibility of Serving both God and Mammon!

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time: September 21, 2025

Readings: Amos 8:4–7; Psalm 113:1–2, 4–6, 7–8; 1 Timothy 2:1–8; Luke 16:1–13

 To listen to my audio-video reflections via YouTube, please click here: https://youtu.be/l_ZJC5FUmNo

Having seen many frauds, bankruptcies, financial irregularities, illegal activities, and dishonest managers in the business world, often, business ethics emphasizes that it is better to have people of integrity and sincerity as CEO's and CFO's than brilliant, well-educated individuals in top-most business schools of the world, but who are dishonest and people of duplicity. The world needs people of integrity and honesty. Businesses are built on trust and loyalty. Relationships are established and furthered through sincerity and honesty. The liturgical readings of this Sunday, especially the Gospel reading, speaks about trust, honesty and loyalty. Jesus gives a parable to his disciples and invites them to be trustworthy and ethical in whatever they do.

1. Living with Purpose and Clarity

This Sunday’s Gospel from Luke 16:1–13 unsettles us, leaves us wondering what exactly Jesus is hinting at or what is bothering Jesus with regard to his relationship with the disciples. Jesus is straightforward in communicating to his disciples what he thinks about certain values and convictions that the disciples must embody. Perhaps Jesus must have witnessed something that was not to his taste among his disciples, especially with regard to their loyalty towards him.  Jesus tells the story of a dishonest steward who, when faced with losing his job, cleverly reduces the debts of his master’s clients in order to secure his future. At first glance, it seems like Jesus is praising dishonesty. But he isn’t commending the steward’s corruption—He is praising his shrewdness, his ability to act decisively in a moment of crisis.