20261012 Monday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time

(Gal 4:22–24, 26–27, 31—5:1; Lk 11:29–32): Keep Your Eyes on the Lord and Take Steps in Freedom Dear brothers and sisters, as time deepens and our lives grow richer and more mature, my prayer is that each of us may live authentically as the unique person God created us to be. May we live with a clear sense of identity and self-worth, knowing that nothing in this world can ever chain the freedom given to us by the Lord. Grounded in the Spirit bestowed by God and in the life and free will He has granted us, we ought to nurture our lives to bear the goodness and love that He desires. How wonderful it would be if, on this journey of answering the longing of the Spirit, we were to seek the Lord’s presence and the path He shows us, immersing ourselves in the holy and joyful Good News He Himself reveals! Jesus Christ is “something greater than Solomon” and “something greater than Jonah”—the very Source of wisdom beyond all worldly wisdom, the living Word that far surpasses every sign the world demands, the primordial sacrament who makes God’s presence real, and the fullness of divine revelation. May we recognize Him in the midst of our daily lives, savor His presence, and be transformed by His fragrance and grace. We long for this because He invites us, through His real and ultimate love, to experience the mystery of the Resurrection—a wisdom that awakens hope for eternal life and a freedom beyond death, lived out in our present reality. In Galatians 5:1, Saint Paul exhorts us: “For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.” Indeed, from our very first breath until our last, may we come to know the Lord and His truth through a wisdom that grows ever broader and deeper. Therefore, let us remain watchful in every moment, moving forward as we ask ourselves: Who is the eternal Master who leads, fills, and embraces our soul? I pray that our souls may not conform out of a desire for comfort before the customs, worldly honors, or prevailing orders of this world. Instead, may we have the strength to resist through conscientious discernment and a deep, faithful loyalty against anything that harms our spiritual life. True renewal and reform can never be gained by avoiding anguish through human fear. Rather, it is a true right and duty claimed only by those who hold fast to a just and precious love to the very end. Furthermore, our calling is not to add negative criticism to the contradictions and injustices of this world, but to take positive steps toward the greater love of God and a universal love, cultivating a life that radiates the sweet fragrance of the Gospel. When we abide in this truth, our lives—like our Lord, who preserved the loving freedom of forgiveness even upon the Cross—will gain a movement of true freedom, bound by nothing in this world. Amen.