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Wednesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time II October 21, 2026 Hello, and welcome to the Word, bringing you the Good News of Jesus Christ every day from the Redemptorists of the Baltimore Province. I am Fr. Karl Esker from the Basilica of our Lady of Perpetual Help in Brooklyn, NY. Today is Wednesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time. Our reading today is taken from the holy gospel according to Luke. Jesus said to his disciples: “Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” Then Peter said, “Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?” And the Lord replied, “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute the food allowance at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so. Truly, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property. But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk, then that servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish the servant severely and assign him a place with the unfaithful. That servant who knew his master’s will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely; and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be beaten only lightly. Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.” The gospel of the Lord. Homily Today’s readings ask us to look gratefully at the gifts and graces we have received from God. In the letter to the Ephesians, Paul gives thanks for the gift of faith and the mission to spread that faith to all peoples and nations. All are called to be “members of the same Body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel.” The good news is that the love and mercy of God has been poured out through the Holy Spirit on all who accept Jesus Christ and live in union with him. In the gospel, Jesus tell us that being prepared for his coming is not a question of waiting, but of doing. Yes, Jesus will come at the end of time, and we will know neither the day nor the hour, but Jesus also comes to us in the moments and actions of our daily lives. There are many moments of grace and blessing that we do not even recognize. Some may be happy moments where we actually feel blessed, but others will be difficult moments where we will wonder what the Lord is trying to do with us, but if we persevere in seeking and doing his will, we will discover that we were equally blessed. The important thing is to recognize Jesus’ coming to us in these moments. The key to the second parable is in the question: “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute the food allowance at the proper time?” This translates into: how do I treat the people God places in my life, whether at home, at school or work, walking around the block or going shopping? There are faces I know well, other not so well, and some I do not know at all, but hidden in each face is the face of Christ. At times, it will be very difficult to see the face of Jesus in the other person, but I need to ask myself, what is God asking of me in this situation? It could be just a “Hello”, a smile, a kind word, an attentive ear, or even an unspoken act of forgiveness. The need could be greater, requiring a gift of time, or the use of my talents and means in a concrete act of assistance. Every encounter with another person can be an encounter with Christ. Jesus does not ask that we be conscious of attending him, but that we cultivate within ourselves a spirit of charity that makes us act Christlike. To act otherwise in a self-serving way will bring serious consequences for ourselves and for others; and the harm will be proportional to our responsibility and intention. We may escape for a time, but the day of reckoning will surely come. We who believe in Jesus Christ and seek to imitate him do not fear the day of reckoning. Our human weakness does not allow us to always live up to our calling, but God’s love and mercy is greater than our weakness. In faith and hope, we keep trying, because we know that by the grace of God we always receive more than we give. May God bless you. Fr. Karl E. Esker CSsR Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Brooklyn, NY