A Never Ending Call to Live our Responsibility

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time: October 18, 2026

Readings: Isaiah 45:1,4–6; Psalm 96:1,3–5, 7–10; 1 Thessalonians 1:1–5; Matthew 22:15–21 

Peter Paul Rubens on Render unto Caesar

There are certain boundaries in our lives. We are free to do certain things, but others are not. The constitution of a country gives rights and duties to its citizens. We are bound by rules, laws, morality, values, norms, etc. Some are written, and others are not. Some are enforceable by law, and others are not. All these elements have come into being in our society through past experiences. It could be one way of maturing in our society. The liturgical readings on this 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time give us very fascinating episodes of how, even in the past, people struggled with questions of following something. Even though we might not like to follow something, that is the way it is.

1. Called to live our responsibility

In the Gospel of Matthew 22:15–21, the Pharisees try to trap Jesus with a politically sensitive question: “Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?” The question came not with sincerity, but with malice. Based on the answer, the Pharisees wanted to trap Jesus. However, Jesus knew their thoughts, their hypocrisy, their malicious intent. With a simple coin that was found in the mouth of a fish, Jesus makes a straight but profound statement: “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God."

All of us have our responsibilities as good citizens, our relationship with God, and the values that must guide our lives. Jesus invites us to live responsibly in society while remaining faithful to God, who is the source and foundation of our existence.

2. Called to be honest in our intentions

The world that we live in is full of malice, and wickedness is everywhere. All evil thoughts begin in the mind of the human person. The evil intentions come before the evil action. Jesus sees the evil intentions of the people who asked him ill-intentioned questions. Asking questions with ill intentions is not good at all. The people around Jesus are not there for clarification or to know something new or to clear the doubts. Their intention was simple: to find fault in him. 

How often do we behave in a similar way? We may speak words of appreciation while secretly harbouring jealousy. We may pretend to be sincere while pursuing our own interests. Perhaps this might happen in our prayers to God, seeking something bad for others instead of transformation for someone. 

3. Called to integrate faith in daily life

As good citizens of this world, we have legitimate obligations as members of a community. Whether it is paying taxes, respecting just laws, contributing to the common good, working for the welfare of others, joining hands with others for the betterment of all are part and parcel of our lives. 

Faith is not confined to places of worship or religious celebrations. It must be integrated into active life. It means living with integrity and honesty, being respectful and kind, being joyful and helping others in need, and being compassionate and nice to others; this must be part of one's life. In other words, living lives pleasing to God with sincerity, justice and peace. 

Questions for Personal Reflections

1. Is there a difference between the faith I profess and the way I live each day?
2. How responsibly do I fulfil my duties as a citizen, professional, family member, parishioner, and member of society?
3. What occupies the most important place in my life: God, money, power, success, or public recognition?

Concluding Prayer

Loving and gracious God, you have created me in your image and called me to live in truth, justice, and love. Give me the wisdom to fulfil my responsibilities towards society and the courage to remain faithful to your will. Keep me from hypocrisy, selfish ambition, and the temptation to compromise my conscience. May my life reflect your goodness, my actions promote justice, and my heart remain centred on you. Teach me to offer you not merely in my words and prayers, but my whole self in loving service to others. I make this prayer in Jesus' Holy Name. Amen.

- Fr. Olvin Veigas, SJ

E-mail: olvinveigas@jesuits.net

Blog: Celebrate Faith

Video: YouTube

15 October 2026

A Generous God Who Strengthens Us

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time:  October 11, 2026

Readings: Isaiah 25:6–10; Psalm 23:1–6; Philippians 4:12–14, 19–20; Matthew 22:1–14

Paolo Veronese, The Wedding at Cana
To listen to my audio-video reflections via YouTube, please click here: https://youtu.be/sfS_l9a2RSk

Our experience shows us that our God is a God of abundance. Perhaps there might be some not-so-happy experiences in our lives where we must have lacked something, the thing that we desired; even through prayer, we did not receive it. It might be some things, some wishes. It might be good health, or a right partner or a right job, or a right place to stay or right people as our good friends. We might have lost hope in believing in fact, in the person whom we believed and prayed for so long. However, ultimately, we have realized in our lives that God does take care of us through various people or some incidents where we felt that God is near and has cared for us. The liturgical readings on this 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time give us wonderful insights which emphasize that God is good and caring. Therefore, we must cultivate a desire to have such a God in our lives.

1. God's Generous and Universal Invitation

The Gospel of Matthew 22:1–14, the Parable of the Wedding Feast, speaks powerfully about God’s invitation, human freedom, and the kind of life that should follow from accepting God’s grace. The king prepares a magnificent wedding feast for his son. The feast represents the abundance of God’s Kingdom. God does not invite us because we have earned it; He invites us because He loves us.

Bearing Fruits Worthy of God's Reign

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time: October 04, 2025

Readings: Isaiah 5:1–7; Psalm 80:9, 12–16, 19–20; Philippians 4:6–9;  Matthew 21:33–43

Speculum Darmstadt
To listen to my audio-video reflections via YouTube, please click here: https://youtu.be/sLTdaxpq6_A

All of us desire to follow the right path. We strive to achieve what is true, noble, honourable, just, pure, lovely, gracious and excellent. We find meaning in doing such things. It also puts us into what we are called to be. Human behaviour is mysterious and sometimes mischievous. However, deviation is part of our lives. We stumble, fall and make no headway in our effort to make things beautiful and trustworthy. We lose ourselves on the way. Returning becomes difficult. Only with divine providence and assistance, we can make our way back to our original home. The liturgical readings on this 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time are teaching us nothing but life lessons. If the Prophet Isaiah speaks about his unhappiness over the Israelites and their deviant behaviour, Jesus gives a parable of a Vineyard with wicked and crooked tenants. St Paul gives us a hymn of joy and invites us to live in peace and be true to our calling.

1. A life filled with hope and assurance 

St Paul, writing to the Philippians 4:6–9, invites us to reflect on two important dimensions of our Christian life: Trusting God in every circumstance and bearing fruit through a life of faithfulness. He writes so beautifully that the following words must be on our lips every day: "Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God." In other words, we must place everything in God's hands through prayer. In fact, prayer must lead to action, and faith must produce good fruits.

Saying “Yes” to God with Our Lives

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time: September 27, 2026

Readings: Ezekiel 18:25–28; Psalm 25:4–9; Philippians 2:1–11; Matthew 21:28–32

Vineyard Workers

Change is possible in our lives. We may turn away from good things, but there is always a chance to get back. Our human spirit is mysterious. Often we find it difficult to understand ourselves. That's why regrets are part of our lives. We feel sorry for the things that have occurred in our lives. We try to mend our lives as well. As we read the Word of God on the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, it encourages us to realize that we are two parts of the same coin. God always gives us another chance. It is up to us to take it forward.  

1. Right action follows from the right intention. 

Jesus tells us in  Matthew 21:28–32 about a father who asks his two sons to go and work in the vineyard. The first son initially says, “I will not,” but later changes his mind and goes. The second says, “Yes, sir,” but does not go. Jesus then asks, “Which of the two did his father’s will?” Certainly the first one. 

Being Attuned to the Thoughts of God

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time: September 20, 2026

Readings: Isaiah 55:6–9; Psalm 145:2–3, 8–9, 17–18; Philippians 1:20–24, 27; Matthew 20:1–16

Parable of Workers in the Vineyard 
To listen to my audio-video reflections via YouTube, please click here: https://youtu.be/C3rpiyRPl6Q

It is pretty normal for us to think that what we wish must happen to us. Therefore, we might get involved actively in the process of getting those things. However, things might not happen to us as we wish. In fact, there are other factors or elements attached to that which might not allow it to happen. As a result, we might begin to question or have suspicions about those things. This might cause us a lot of disappointment and helplessness. Even though we might decide on many things, there are things which may not be in our control. In this context, we have the beautiful Word of God on this 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, inviting us to delve deeper into the mind of God. As the prophet Isaiah says, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts," so too are the ways of God. And still, we can connect with God by realizing the deeper mystery of our own lives. Jesus proposes a parable which completely shatters human logic. Hence, as we reflect over these uneasy facts of life, let's put ourselves into the logic of God. 

1. The Generous God Who Calls Everyone

The Gospel of Matthew 20:1–16 presents us with the beautiful and challenging parable of the workers in the vineyard. Jesus tells us about a landowner who goes out at different times of the day to hire workers. Some begin early in the morning, others at midday, and still others just an hour before the working day ends. At the end of the day, surprisingly, all receive the same wage.

Let us be Gentle and Nice Always

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time: September 13, 2026

Readings: Sirach 27:30–28:7; Psalm 103:1–4, 9–12; Romans 14:7–9; Matthew 18:21–35

Jan van Hemessen, The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant

Sometimes, you feel that the wickedness in the human person is so powerful that there is little chance for kindness, mercy and compassion in one's heart. The man-made tragedies and heinous crimes committed by fellow human beings are so many; it seems there is no end to it. The cycle of wickedness continues to thrive and emerge in different forms. The lessons are learnt, the experiences have strengthened, and yet nothing seems to be moving us. As we delve deeper into the liturgical readings on this 24th Sunday, we are moved with compassion and pity by the Scripture. They poignantly bring out the human tragedies, and yet God is there to encourage us to follow the right path.

1. Forgiveness starts with small acts

The Gospel today Matthew 18:21–35 takes us into the very heart of Christian discipleship: forgiveness. Jesus is not simply asking us to forgive occasionally. He is inviting us to become people whose lives are shaped by mercy. Jesus gives a beautiful parable in order to make his disciples understand the magnanimity of the sense of forgiveness.  A servant who owed an enormous debt was forgiven by the master because he pleaded for mercy. 

Called to Love and Forgive

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time: September 06, 2026

Readings: Ezekiel 33:7–9; Psalm 95:1–2, 6–9; Romans 13:8–10; Matthew 18:15–20

Prophet Ezekiel by Michelangelo
To listen to my audio-video reflections via YouTube, please click here: 
https://youtu.be/V6VVwjID8wI

What often seems to be simple and easy becomes difficult and complicated. Our mind then takes a 360-degree turn to come back to our senses. We must simply do what we can without hurting others. There are no principles or particular mantras to put things in order. The only guiding principle is just do what you are supposed to do. There is no point in brooding over things and making unnecessary calculations and living in an imaginative world. The liturgical readings on this 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time are simple, straight, radical and clear. Moreover, they give us a responsibility to shoulder in the everyday of our lives: to love and forgive. Jesus invites us to become bridge-builders rather than wall-builders, healers rather than judges, and instruments of reconciliation rather than agents of division.

1. Correct with Love and the Courage to Reconcile

Today’s Gospel, Matthew 18:15–20 speaks about a difficult but essential aspect of Christian life: how to deal with sin, conflict, and broken relationships within the community. Jesus does not ask us to ignore wrongdoing, gossip about others, or immediately condemn them. Instead, he gives us a path towards truth, reconciliation, and restored communion. Jesus says: “If your brother or sister sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone.” 

Discerning the Will of God in Our Lives

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time: August 30, 2026

Readings: Jeremiah 20:7–9; Psalm 63:2–6, 8–9; Romans 12:1–2; Matthew 16:21–27

The question that always remains with us is whom to follow, which ideology to imbibe, who the trustworthy people are in our circles, and how we can navigate the complexities of the world and still fix our gaze on our God. There are many pulls from every side. Every ideology and direction that we take seems to be right. In this context, we have the awesome readings on this 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time. Each one is inviting us to look into the deeper reality of life and look at God, who gives us that direction and roadmap.

1. We can believe in Jesus and still misunderstand Him

Last week's Gospel gave us an astonishing answer from Peter to Jesus' question: "Who do people say I am? "The answer was straightforward: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." With this, Jesus bestowed upon Peter the role of leader of the Church. The very next scene follows this week. Unfortunately, not the nicest one, as Peter tells Jesus that all the suffering and death that he might be going through should be stopped at any cost. Peter believes that he must protect Jesus and is ready to thwart any attempt on Jesus. However, in the mind of Jesus, Peter goes wrong here. 

Growing in Knowledge and Wisdom of God

 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time: August 23, 2026

Readings: Isaiah 22:15, 19–23; Psalm 138:1–3, 6, 8; Romans 11:33–36; Matthew 16:13–20

The Giving of the Keys to Saint Peter by Pietro Perugino

“Know thyself” is a common expression that is often used today and was first inscribed at the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, in ancient Delphi, Greece. We can know about ourselves in various ways. When you know yourself, you can achieve many things in the best possible way. Self-ignorance might leave a person in distress or frustration. Knowledge of oneself is a must to win, conquer, or at least navigate tough situations. Jesus knew about himself. However, he wanted to know what others think about him. The liturgical readings on the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time give us a beautiful account of Jesus' popularity among the masses. In other words, the readings invite us to grow in knowledge and wisdom of God in every day of our lives. 

1. The person of Jesus to oneself and others

The Gospel of Matthew 16:13–20 presents a decisive moment in the relationship between Jesus and his disciples. Jesus asks two questions: “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” and, more importantly, “But who do you say that I am?” The first question concerns public opinion; the second demands personal faith. Christianity ultimately is not merely about knowing what others say about Jesus. It is about discovering and proclaiming who Jesus is for me.