Msgr. Roger J. Landry
National Director, The Pontifical Mission Societies
Daily Reflection for November 8, 2025
Here is the video of today’s reflection.
The Youtube generated transcript for today’s reflection is:
I’m Monsignor Roger Landry, national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies. It’s Saturday, November 8th, the feast of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity, a great 20th century Carmelite from France. And I’m coming to you from the beautiful grounds of the shrine of Our Lady of Martyrs in Auriesville, New York. Behind me you see the sign Oernenon which was what Auriesville was called at the time of the Mohawks when in the 1640s Saints Isaac Jogues Rene Goupil and John Leland came here in St. Kateri Tekakwitha the 1650s was born here. In today’s Gospel, Jesus continues training us for the last things for death, judgment, and ultimately how to opt for heaven and avoid hell. He building upon yesterday’s parable of the dishonest steward says that we should use whatever we have in this world in order to be able to gain eternity. Everything. He says, “If we’re not trusted with dishonest wealth, and it’s dishonest not because the people who use it are dishonest, like the steward yesterday. It’s dishonest because it’s not real wealth. It’s actually a lie if people place their hope and their heart in this type of stuff which is eventually going to fade away and you can’t take through the eye of the needle.” He says that we should be using all that we have in this world, including whatever money we have, but other possessions and talents for the most important things of all for him, for his kingdom, for love. Because if we can’t be trusted to prioritize God with the things of this world, how can we be entrusted by him with the far more important things? And so, he wants us to use them a right. The Pharisees at the very end of this parable sneered at Jesus because St. Luke tells us they were lovers of money. Many in the world continue to sneer sneer at the Christian message when Jesus says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” When he says, “Today you can’t serve two masters, God and mammon or material possessions.” Many snare at this because the world makes a golden calf. As Pope Francis used to say, we often idolize money and the things of this world. And Jesus, as we ponder the last things, wants us to place our hearts in him, in what really matters, in heaven, in holiness, in eternal happiness. Someone who chose this way is St. Elizabeth of the Trinity. She loved the Lord and wanted to give her whole life to him. and she did until he called her home at 26 in order to be among the catalog of the saints. Her great teaching to the church was about the indwelling of the blessed trinity that God wants to come and share our life. God himself, father, son, and holy spirit wants to live within us. How could we prioritize anything or anyone else over that love? And it’s missionaries who take the blessed trinity to the ends of the earth. It’s those who announce him. It’s those who show by their own example that he is the great priority of their life and who call others to prioritize in the same way. That’s what saints Isaac, Renee, and Jean did here. That’s what St. Katy Takquita did in the 24 years that she was given through their intercession and the prayers of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity. May we choose as true children of light. God bless you.
The Gospel reading on which the reflection was based on:
Gospel
Jesus said to his disciples:
“I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth,
so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
The person who is trustworthy in very small matters
is also trustworthy in great ones;
and the person who is dishonest in very small matters
is also dishonest in great ones.
If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth,
who will trust you with true wealth?
If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another,
who will give you what is yours?
No servant can serve two masters.
He will either hate one and love the other,
or be devoted to one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and mammon.”
The Pharisees, who loved money,
heard all these things and sneered at him.
And he said to them,
“You justify yourselves in the sight of others,
but God knows your hearts;
for what is of human esteem is an abomination in the sight of God.”