Msgr. Roger J. Landry
National Director, The Pontifical Mission Societies
Daily Reflection for October 4, 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 coming to you from our chapel in St. Petersburg, Florida. It’s October 4th, the feast of St. Francis and behind me up top, you’ve got the image of the San Damiano crucifix. That crucifix which in 1207 spoke to Francis and said, Francis, rebuild my church, which you can see is falling into ruins. Francis took that command as a summons to rebuild the dilapidated chapel of St. Damian on the outskirts of the town of Assisi. But the Lord’s building project for Frances was much bigger than that. It was the church as a whole, which is made out of not marble, wood, bricks, and glass, but men, women, boys, and girls, literally living stones built on Christ, the cornerstone. That’s what St. Francis did in his own lifetime. That’s what the Franciscans do today. We pray for them in a special way.
Today in the gospel, we have the return of the apostles after their first missionary journey. and they were blown away by what happened. They said,” Lord, even the demons were subject to us in your name.” We don’t know if Jesus was telling the truth or whether he was ribbon a little bit. He said, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from the sky.” But he said, “Don’t rejoice because the demons are subject to you. Rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” The real goal of life is to be eternally described in the book of life. That book which is really God’s own heart. And then he said something powerful. He praised the Father for what was going on not only in the apostles but those who had received them so well in their first journey. He said, “I give you praise Lord Father heaven of Lord of heaven and earth for what You have hidden from the wise and the clever the intelligent of the world. You’ve revealed to the childlike to the minors of children. Yes, Father such was your Gracious Will. All things have been given to me by my Father,” He says. And Jesus was rejoicing at those who are receiving the gospel. He always rejoices in every age by those who receive it with the simplicity of children. And then finally, he said to them words that should never be forgotten. He said, “Blessed are your eyes. So many kings and prophets long to see what you see but didn’t see it. And to hear what you hear, but didn’t hear it. How blessed are our eyes that we’re able to look at Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. How honored are our ears that we’re able to hear the words of life all of the Old Testament perfected in what Jesus has said directly and through the church.
We can never take that for granted and with the same zeal with with St. Francis of Assisi tried to evangelize all those around him in the early 13th century. So the missionaries continue to go out to do so and so we are invited to do so. Unless we and the missionaries work together, there will be many who never see what their eyes have been made for, which is to behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Will never hear his words of eternal life. Together in this World Mission month of October, let us pray for all missionaries and for us to become true missionaries so that we might fulfill this mission with the same fidelity that St. Francis did after his conversion. It’s only 15 days to World Mission Sunday. Are you ready?
At the end of today’s reflection, brothers and sisters, I just want to make a special invitation to you. We’re getting closer to the month of October, which is two things. First, it’s World Mission Month, which we pray for and sacrifice for missionaries, which has its culmination on World Mission Sunday, which this year is October 19th. And secondly, October is the month of the Holy Rosary. In honor of both of these month-long celebrations, the Pontifical Mission Societies USA are going to be getting together with anybody who wants to join us from all over the country and world to pray the World Mission Rosary. This was put together by my predecessor, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, when he was director of the Pontifical Mission Societies to pray through our Lady’s intercession, the Holy Rosary, for missionaries and those they’re serving in each of the continents of the world. Below on this email, you’ll be able to click on a box which will allow you to sign up to join us. I hope you will pray the World Mission Rosary with us throughout the month of October.
The Gospel reading on which the reflection was based on:
Gospel
The seventy-two disciples returned rejoicing and said to Jesus,
“Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.”
Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.
Behold, I have given you the power
‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions
and upon the full force of the enemy
and nothing will harm you.
Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you,
but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”
At that very moment he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,
“I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows who the Son is except the Father,
and who the Father is except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”
Turning to the disciples in private he said,
“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.
For I say to you,
many prophets and kings desired to see what you see,
but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”