30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A (2026)
30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A
Exodus 22:20-26
Psalm 18:2-3, 3-4, 47, 51 (2)
1 Thessalonians 1:5c-10
Matthew 22:34-40
October 25, 2026
One does not have to look hard to find bad examples of how to live. It can start with what we see on television, both in fiction and in the news. What we need is good examples.
If one puts some effort into it, one can find good examples of how to live. The Apostle Paul wrote of how he sought to be a good example for the sake of the people.
One might ask what constitutes good and bad. We do not get to define the essence of good and/or bad for ourselves. People who say everyone must get to define their own truth are wrong. It isn’t truth if it isn’t the same for everyone.
What kind of example do you set? Should people follow you as a model?
We might think we are not worthy to be examples to others. Yet, it is exactly when we acknowledge our unworthiness and give it over to God that we can become good models.
In doing so, we set an example that we can turn from sin when we let go of our sins. We reveal God’s forgiveness to the world when we openly repent.
Hopefully, you know of our new evangelization efforts here at St. Louis. Pope St. John Paul II coined a term, the new evangelization. To share our faith with others, we must begin by making sure we are evangelized ourselves and that we have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
We might think we cannot change the world. We can only change ourselves. There is some truth in that. Yet, it is precisely in allowing ourselves to be evangelized that we can become “a model for all” to help lead them to what God offers.
I am repeatedly using the word “evangelization.” As I do so, I wonder how many of you know what evangelization is. If you don’t, we just put out a brochure, “What is Evangelization?” that we made here. If you are wondering what you can do to help, we have another new brochure, “How Can I Help Evangelize Others?”.
To evangelize, we must follow our Lord in our daily lives.
For example, there is political controversy over how immigrants are dealt with. It is not just political controversy. It is controversial in faith and morals because we must treat allpeople as children of God. We must heed the Lord’s words, “You shall not molest or oppress an alien.”
We also need to reflect on how we treat the poor for our Lord also says, “You shall not wrong any widow or orphan.” Here we think of orphans as children without parents. We need to love them.
We should also think of those who are spiritual orphans. They have never known our faith, or they have lost faith. We need to show them what faith is.
We must consider how all our actions affect other people. For instance, do we act “like an extortioner” in the way we conduct business? Do we value “profit” over “people”?
It is not easy to change. Where do we find help?
Here, I think of the words of today’s psalm, “I love you, O LORD, my strength. O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer.”
Do you make our Lord the rock upon which you build your life?
If we realize we need to make changes in our lives, we might wonder where to begin. We might want to ask our Lord, “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?”
We have Jesus’ answer to that question in today’s gospel. He says, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all soul, and with all your mind.”
Do you love the Lord with all you have and are?
I think the world has lost sense of what it means to love. Love is not simply a feeling. Love requires action.
I like to speak of our personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I have heard of Catholics who say that’s something Protestants do. They think it is something Catholics don’t do. I find this sad.
Why?
Because to have a personal relationship with Jesus is to love him. It is God’s very nature to love (see 1 John 4:16). When we see the love the Father shows for us in sending his Son Jesus to save us (see John 3:16-17), when we see the love that Jesus shows for us when He lays down his life for us on the Cross (see John 15:13), we begin to know what love really is.
Our response to God’s love should be to love him in return. We do so by following what He has taught us in obedience but not a legalistic obedience. Our obedience to God is an obedience of faith and trust based on His Love for us.
Jesus continues by revealing to us the second greatest commandment, “to love your neighbor as yourself.” We need to love immigrants. We need to love widows and orphans. We do so by not killing or hurting them. We do so by not seeing them as means to our own pleasures. We love them when we do not keep from them what they are due. We love them when we are truthful with them.
When we do our best, we serve as good models for others. When we are good models, we can help change the whole world. To be a good model is to witness to our faith, pointing others to God.
Do you love the Lord and your neighbor enough to let God change you and to work through you to change the world?