Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament

October 21, 2026

An Ursuline Sister, ministering to the poor in El Salvador during the height of that country’s civil war, was home in Cleveland on a visit. She knew that returning to El Salvador could mean her death. She would not abandon God’s people and, shortly after returning, was murdered by the military, along with three other women missionaries.

A priest from Oklahoma, serving as a missionary during a bloody civil war in Guatemala, was warned that he was on a death squad list and needed to leave the country. While back in Oklahoma, he knew his place was with his people, so he returned. Shortly thereafter, he was murdered.

A young widow with three young children puts her children’s welfare first and finds a job she can do from home so she can earn a salary and attend to their needs.

A man who had lost his job, his health, and his family through the disease of alcoholism finds strength from “a greater power.” He faithfully followed the “steps” to recovery.

Very different stories, but each of these individuals found the strength to follow what they needed to be: true and faithful. In today’s Gospel, we hear Jesus admonishing that those to whom much has been given, much will be expected. The “much” that is given is grace. Grace is that inward strength which invites, encourages, and demands that we become what we were called to be at Baptism.

We experience and grow in that grace each time we hear the Word and eat the Body of the Lord. Prayer and quiet attentiveness will help us to know what the Lord is “gracing us to be and do.” What will that be for each of us in our little corner of God’s world?

Let Us Pray:

God of all creation, as we were baptized, we were commissioned to carry on the mission of the Christ, to be his eyes, ears, hands, feet, and especially his heart in our own time and place. Give us an abundance of your grace that we might be faithful in being who you call us to be. Amen.