Daily Catholic Lectio
Tue, 30 Sep ‘25
Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday
Memorial of Saint Jerome
Zechariah 8:20–23; Luke 9:51–56
Getting Rid of the Reactive Mindset
The Gospel today shows us how easily the disciples slip into a reactive spirit. When they see someone casting out demons without belonging to their group, they want to stop him. When a Samaritan village refuses to welcome Jesus, they want fire to fall from heaven. Twice, Jesus corrects them.
Luke tells us that “when the days drew near for him to be taken up, Jesus set his face toward Jerusalem.” From this moment, the Gospel becomes a “journey narrative.” Jesus is moving steadily toward His destiny. But on the way, He faces rejection. The Samaritans refuse Him—not because they hated Him personally, but because He chose to pass through their land rather than stay with them.
The disciples’ reaction is predictable: anger, retaliation, destruction. But Jesus refuses to waste His energy in reactive violence. He does not let rejection control Him. Instead, He simply moves forward, choosing another way. His focus is not on punishing enemies but on fulfilling His mission.
Lessons for us
(a) Go beyond our boundaries. The Samaritan story reminds us that categories like “clean/unclean,” “higher/lower,” or “us/them” are human inventions. Jesus breaks through these divisions. God’s love crosses every border.
(b) Life is a journey. On the journey there will be obstacles, even rejection. Sometimes companions may become stumbling blocks. But the journey must continue. If one road is closed, we must find another, always keeping the goal in sight.
(c) Reactive energy is wasted energy. The Samaritans react against Jesus; the disciples react against the Samaritans. Only Jesus keeps His energy in balance. Often, we too exhaust ourselves reacting to criticism, offense, or provocation. But energy is too precious to waste—it must be channelled into life-giving action, not consumed in anger.
God’s Promise of Presence
In the first reading, the prophet Zechariah proclaims God’s promise: “I am coming to dwell in your midst.” God is close to His people—not to destroy but to bring peace. Even when we push Him away, He seeks to stay near. Our part is not to react with fear or anger but to welcome His presence with trust.
A Word on Saint Jerome
Today we also remember Saint Jerome, the great priest and Doctor of the Church. He spent much of his life in Bethlehem, devoting himself to study, prayer, and the Scriptures. His most famous work is the Latin translation of the Bible, the Vulgate. He once said: “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.”
Pope Francis praised Jerome’s love and skill for the Sacred Scripture – noting how he united love for the Word of God with mastery of languages. His life invites us to cultivate the same hunger—for reading, understanding, and living the Scriptures.
Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi
Archdiocese of Madurai
Missionary of Mercy
Yesu Karunanidhi 
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