Saturday, October 24, 2026
Saturday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary 478
Optional Memorial of Saint Anthony Mary Claret, Bishop
First Reading — Ephesians 4:7–16
Ephesians 4:7 — God has given each believer grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
Ephesians 4:8–10 — Christ descended and then ascended above the heavens, demonstrating His authority and giving gifts to His people.
Ephesians 4:11–12 — Christ appointed apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to prepare believers for serving God and building up the body of Christ.
Ephesians 4:13 — God’s people are called to grow together in unity, faith, and knowledge of Jesus Christ, reaching spiritual maturity.
Ephesians 4:14 — Believers should no longer be spiritually immature or carried away by every changing doctrine and deceptive teaching.
Ephesians 4:15–16 — By speaking the truth in love, believers grow together under Christ, who is the head of His body. Each member contributes to the growth and unity of the Church.
Paul teaches that the risen and ascended Christ equipped His first-century Church with spiritual gifts and leadership so believers could grow in truth, love, and unity.
Responsorial Psalm — Psalm 122:1–2, 3–4ab, 4cd–5
Response: Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Psalm 122:1–2 — God’s people rejoice at the invitation to enter His house. They celebrate standing within the gates of Jerusalem.
Psalm 122:3–4 — Jerusalem is described as a city united together, where the tribes of Israel gather to worship and give thanks to the Lord.
Psalm 122:4–5 — God’s people assemble in obedience to His commandments. Jerusalem is also where the throne of David’s house was established for judgment.
The psalm celebrates Jerusalem as the gathering place of God’s people, where worship, unity, and righteous judgment were central.
Alleluia — Ezekiel 33:11
God declares that He does not delight in the death of the wicked. Rather, He desires that sinners turn away from their evil ways, repent, and live.
Gospel — Luke 13:1–9
Luke 13:1–2 — Some people tell Jesus about Galileans whom Pilate had killed while they were offering sacrifices. Jesus asks whether their suffering meant they were greater sinners than other Galileans.
Luke 13:3 — Jesus rejects that assumption and warns His listeners that unless they repent, they will also perish.
Luke 13:4–5 — Jesus recalls eighteen people who died when the tower of Siloam collapsed. He explains that they were not more guilty than everyone else living in Jerusalem. Again, He warns His audience to repent.
Luke 13:6–7 — Jesus tells a parable about a fig tree that has produced no fruit for three years. Its owner wants it removed because it is taking up valuable ground without producing anything.
Luke 13:8 — The gardener asks the owner to allow the tree one more year. He promises to cultivate and fertilize the soil around it.
Luke 13:9 — If the tree produces fruit, it may remain. But if it continues to be unfruitful, it will be cut down.
Jesus warns His first-century audience that repentance cannot be continually postponed. The parable demonstrates both God’s patience and the seriousness of approaching judgment.
Kingdom Connection
Today’s readings reveal the importance of spiritual maturity, repentance, and recognizing God’s appointed time.
Paul explains that the resurrected and ascended Christ had already begun building His Church into one united spiritual body.
Jesus warns His first-century audience that repentance was urgently needed. His parable of the unfruitful fig tree illustrates a period of patience before judgment.
Within the broader warnings Jesus gave concerning Jerusalem, this message takes on particular significance when considering the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple in AD 70.
God’s Kingdom calls His people to bear spiritual fruit, grow in truth, and recognize the authority of Jesus Christ, the head of His everlasting Church.
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