Msgr. Roger J. Landry
National Director, The Pontifical Mission Societies
Daily Reflection for March 18, 2026
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 in the United States. Here at the Basilica Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity in Onicha, Nigeria, where Blessed Cyprian Tansi is buried. It’s March 18th, Wednesday, and in today’s gospel, we start tightening some of the screws about why the Pharisees and the scribes were coming after Jesus. because of Jesus’ relationship with the father. He talks very explicitly about his relationship with God the father because he was the son of God. And many of those listening thought that that was blasphemous because to be God’s son in some real sense was to imply one was God. And they just didn’t want to allow Jesus to have that truthful honor. So Jesus said, “Just as the father’s working, so I’m always working.” For us as Christians, we’re always called to be working, allowing God to do his work in us to cooperate. He said, just as the father gives life, so he’s going to give the power of resurrection to Jesus. Do we allow Jesus to do that work in us? Not just later when we die, but even right now, do we live his risen life? He says the father has handed over all judgment to the son. Jesus is our judge. But he says elsewhere that he doesn’t so much want to be our judge. He’s come to save us, not judge us. But our actions will be the criterion on the basis of which we judge ourselves. He says Jesus is giving us so much there. But the main lesson is that Jesus has come not just to announce his relationship with God the father, but how we’re supposed to live as sons in the sun. that we’re supposed to enter into Jesus’ own what we call divine affiliation. Just as God the Father said at Jesus’ baptism, “This is my son, my beloved, in whom I’m well pleased.” He wishes to say the exact same thing about us, that by baptism, we have become as adopted children. Lent is an opportunity for us to grow in that sacred awareness. You remember on Ash Wednesday, Jesus said, “When you pray, when you fast, when you give all, do so for your father.” Because everything we do is supposed to be in relationship to God the father. The missionaries are the ones who like the spirit and Irish missionaries go throughout the world in order to help people become sons and daughters of God through the waters of baptism and also through a life by which they live as chips of the own off the old off the old divine block. At this church of the most holy trinity here in Onicha, let’s live that trinitarian reality. The Holy Spirit wants us to cry out, “Aba, Father,” and incorporate us through the sacraments as God’s beloved children. This is the mission we’re called to bring to the world. This is the reality you and I are called to live every day. God bless
The Gospel reading on which the reflection was based on:
Gospel
Jesus answered the Jews:
“My Father is at work until now, so I am at work.”
For this reason they tried all the more to kill him,
because he not only broke the sabbath
but he also called God his own father, making himself equal to God.
Jesus answered and said to them,
“Amen, amen, I say to you, the Son cannot do anything on his own,
but only what he sees the Father doing;
for what he does, the Son will do also.
For the Father loves the Son
and shows him everything that he himself does,
and he will show him greater works than these,
so that you may be amazed.
For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life,
so also does the Son give life to whomever he wishes.
Nor does the Father judge anyone,
but he has given all judgment to the Son,
so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father.
Whoever does not honor the Son
does not honor the Father who sent him.
Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears my word
and believes in the one who sent me
has eternal life and will not come to condemnation,
but has passed from death to life.
Amen, amen, I say to you, the hour is coming and is now here
when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God,
and those who hear will live.
For just as the Father has life in himself,
so also he gave to the Son the possession of life in himself.
And he gave him power to exercise judgment,
because he is the Son of Man.
Do not be amazed at this,
because the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs
will hear his voice and will come out,
those who have done good deeds
to the resurrection of life,
but those who have done wicked deeds
to the resurrection of condemnation.
“I cannot do anything on my own;
I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just,
because I do not seek my own will
but the will of the one who sent me.”