Msgr. Roger J. Landry
National Director, The Pontifical Mission Societies
Daily Reflection for October 14, 2025
The Youtube generated transcript for today’s reflection is:
I’m Monsignor Roger Landry, national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies, coming to you from our Manhattan Chapel. It’s Tuesday, October 14th. In today’s gospel, Jesus goes to one of the homes of the leading Pharisees. And rather than listening to him, they wanted to watch to see how he washed his hands, whether he went through all of the complicated ritual washings, which you took a one and a half eggshells of water and poured it down on your hands this way and rubbed it dry with your fists. and then took another one and a half eggshells and poured it the other way and then tried to dry it as if that was the way that we were going to become close to God. And so when Jesus was criticized by that leading Pharisee for not observing the prescribed washings, he said, “What are you Pharisees? You care so much about the outside of things but not the inside.” Jesus had come to change us from the inside, to bring us to deep conversion, not just to go through the motions, not to fake it, but to a new life, a new tree that bears great fruit. And so many of the Pharisees who were opposing Jesus were just interested in actions in deeds where their heart was far from the Lord. And so then Jesus after that point you said as to what’s on the inside give alms and all will be made clean for you. When Jesus says this he doesn’t mean just give a quarter to a beggar. He means that our whole life has got to become one of charity. He wants us truly to love others as he has loved us first. And once we’re really striving to love others we’re going to be loving them from the heart, not just in the outside deeds. And that’s the path of purification. That’s one of the reasons why serious almsgiving is essential for us as Catholics. How are you going to contribute to World Mission Sunday? Is it just going to be something in the second collection at church? Or is it going to represent a real sacrifice for the spread of the faith? When people ask us for help, especially those on the streets, do we just give them what’s left over, or are we willing to really give them something that’s going to cost us? That’s what Jesus is saying. That’s the way we’re transformed. Today in Manhattan, I have the great privilege of participating in the Napa Institute Eucharistic Procession. It’s going to be a mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral celebrated by Cardinal Sean O’ Malley, who’s on our Pontifical Mission Societies board in the States. And then we’re going to take Jesus out into the world. We’re going to be missionaries with him. Four or 5,000 of us accompany him down to Broadway and back to St. Patrick’s or another member of our board, Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, is going to give us the benediction. He’s going to give us Christ’s blessing to strengthen us to take Christ out into the world. The Eucharistic mystery we celebrate is about this types type of almsgiving. Jesus says to us, “This is my body. This is my blood given for you.” And we’re called in his image and likeness to say to others, “This is my body. This is my blood. This is my wallet. This is my intelligence. This is all I am and have given to strengthen you. Given to love you. This is what missionaries do. We’re five days from World Mission Sunday. Please think about how you can give alms generously so that the Lord can continue that purifying work. God bless you.
Gospel
After Jesus had spoken,
a Pharisee invited him to dine at his home.
He entered and reclined at table to eat.
The Pharisee was amazed to see
that he did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal.
The Lord said to him, “Oh you Pharisees!
Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish,
inside you are filled with plunder and evil.
You fools!
Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside?
But as to what is within, give alms,
and behold, everything will be clean for you.”