September 27, 2026: 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Once Jesus Christ began His ministry, He called people to repentance.

As the first reading from Ezekiel indicates, lack of repentance leads to death, whereas repentance, turning away from sins, leads to life.

Even when we stumble in sin, we still have the opportunity to embrace God's mercy and grace that lead us into the abundant Life.  While they were seemingly cast out of society, the tax collectors and prostitutes recognized their sins and how God could restore them, and they embraced His mercy and grace.  The religious authorities thought they had it right, and weren't open to the mercy and grace of God.

These are great gifts of God, made available to us because Christ emptied Himself and humbled Himself in obedience, even to death on the Cross. We now honor Him for what He has done, and we seek to abide by the model He gave us, following His way of humility and serving others.

Christ indeed emptied Himself so we could be raised up to newness of Life in which we reflect God's presence at work in this world.

On September 27, 2015, Pope Francis celebrated Mass at the Conclusion of the World Meeting of Families.  It was an extraordinary time to behold how God is at work in our lives through the ways we share and experience love in our families.