19th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

 Wis. 18:6-9; Heb. 11:1-2, 8-19; Lk. 12:32-48

In the old city of Prague, there’s a tale told of a master watchmaker who once gifted the town with a magnificent clock. It was intricate and grand, unlike any other, and it chimed every hour with a melody that could be heard for miles. But he left behind a single instruction: “You must wind it faithfully, each morning before the sun rises. If not, the music will stop—and with it, something greater will be lost.” For years, the townspeople took turns winding the clock—until one day, they forgot. Life became noisy, chaotic, and rushed. They stopped hearing the silence. And only when the silence stretched too long did they realize something precious had been lost.

Jesus, in Luke 12, is speaking to hearts like those townspeople. “Be dressed for action,” He says, “and keep your lamps lit.” Our faith and patience are like the daily winding of that town clock—small, faithful acts that preserve something greater: the readiness of the soul.

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

Ecc. 1:2; 2:21-23; Col. 3:1-5, 9-11; Lk. 12:13-21

Some years ago, in a bustling European city, there lived a wealthy banker known for his enormous success and lavish lifestyle. His house was filled with rare paintings, his cars were custom-built, and he wore the finest suits. When asked how he managed such prosperity, he would smile and say, “I worked hard. I planned well. I invested wisely.” He was admired—and envied. But the day he died, something curious happened. Among all the estate papers, lawyers couldn’t find a single note about donations, family plans, or even a will. One of his distant relatives finally asked, “All this wealth, whose will it be now?”

This haunting question echoes the voice of Jesus in today’s Gospel: “And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” (Luke 12:20).

In today’s Gospel the story begins innocently enough. A man approaches Jesus with what seems like a fair request: “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” (v.13). It’s not unreasonable. Many of us, too, have been entangled in

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

 Gen. 18:20-32; Psalms 138:1-2, 2-3, 6-7, 7-8; Colo. 2:12-14; Gospel: Luke 11:1-13.

In Luke 11:1–13, we find one of the most formative teachings on prayer in all of Scripture. The passage opens with a remarkable moment: “One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’” This request is unique. Nowhere else in the Gospels do the disciples ask Jesus to teach them how to do something—not how to preach, not how to perform miracles, but how to pray. Because they saw something in Jesus’ prayer life that was different—deep, powerful, intimate.

The prayer that Jesus taught was filled with meaning.

1. “Father, hallowed be your name”

To begin the prayer with “Father” is to claim intimacy with God, not as a distant God, but as a loving parent. This invocation was revolutionary for Jesus’ time. The Jews knew God as Yahweh—holy, unapproachable—but Jesus taught His disciples to