Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings 25-September-2025

Universalis/Jerusalem Bible ^

[annalex]

25 September 2025

Thursday of week 25 in Ordinary Time



Interior of the Church of San Fermín de los Navarros, Madrid

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Green. Year: C(I).

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First reading	Haggai 1:1-8

'Rebuild the House'

In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord was addressed through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, high commissioner of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, as follows, ‘The Lord of Hosts says this, “This people says: The time has not yet come to rebuild the Temple of the Lord. (And the word of the Lord was addressed through the prophet Haggai, as follows:) Is this a time for you to live in your panelled houses, when this House lies in ruins? So now, the Lord of Hosts says this: Reflect carefully how things have gone for you. You have sown much and harvested little; you eat but never have enough, drink but never have your fill, put on clothes but do not feel warm. The wage earner gets his wages only to put them in a purse riddled with holes. So go to the hill country, fetch wood, and rebuild the House: I shall then take pleasure in it, and be glorified there, says the Lord.”’

How to listen

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Responsorial Psalm	Psalm 149:1-6,9

The Lord takes delight in his people.

or

Alleluia!

Sing a new song to the Lord,

  his praise in the assembly of the faithful.

Let Israel rejoice in its Maker,

  let Zion’s sons exult in their king.

The Lord takes delight in his people.

or

Alleluia!

Let them praise his name with dancing

  and make music with timbrel and harp.

For the Lord takes delight in his people.

  He crowns the poor with salvation.

The Lord takes delight in his people.

or

Alleluia!

Let the faithful rejoice in their glory,

  shout for joy and take their rest.

Let the praise of God be on their lips:

  this honour is for all his faithful.

The Lord takes delight in his people.

or

Alleluia!

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Gospel Acclamation	Ps118:18

Alleluia, alleluia!

Open my eyes, O Lord, that I may consider

the wonders of your law.

Alleluia!

Or:	Jn14:6

Alleluia, alleluia!

I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, says the Lord;

No one can come to the Father except through me.

Alleluia!

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Gospel	Luke 9:7-9

'John? I beheaded him; so who is this?'

Herod the tetrarch had heard about all that was being done by Jesus; and he was puzzled, because some people were saying that John had risen from the dead, others that Elijah had reappeared, still others that one of the ancient prophets had come back to life. But Herod said, ‘John? I beheaded him. So who is this I hear such reports about?’ And he was anxious to see Jesus.

You can also view this page with the New Testament in Greek and English.

Christian Art

Each day, The Christian Art website gives a picture and reflection on the Gospel of the day.

The readings on this page are from the Jerusalem Bible, which is used at Mass in most of the English-speaking world. The New American Bible readings, which are used at Mass in the United States, are available in the Universalis apps, programs and downloads.

You can also view this page with the Gospel in Greek and English.

[annalex]

For your reading, reflection, faith-sharing, comments, questions, discussion.

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KEYWORDS: catholic; lk9; ordinarytime; prayer;

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My dad is back in the hospital. [JimRob update at 242]
Jim still needs our prayers. Thread 2
Prayer thread for Salvation's recovery
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Update on Jim Robinson's health issues

[annalex]

Luke
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Luke 9
7.	Now Herod, the tetrarch, heard of all things that were done by him; and he was in a doubt, because it was said	Audivit autem Herodes tetrarcha omnia quæ fiebant ab eo, et hæsitabat eo quod diceretur	ηκουσεν δε ηρωδης ο τετραρχης τα γινομενα υπ αυτου παντα και διηπορει δια το λεγεσθαι υπο τινων οτι ιωαννης εγηγερται εκ νεκρων
8.	By some, that John was risen from the dead: but by other some, that Elias had appeared; and by others, that one of the old prophets was risen again.	a quibusdam : Quia Joannes surrexit a mortuis : a quibusdam vero : Quia Elias apparuit : ab aliis autem : Quia propheta unus de antiquis surrexit.	υπο τινων δε οτι ηλιας εφανη αλλων δε οτι προφητης εις των αρχαιων ανεστη
9.	And Herod said: John I have beheaded; but who is this of whom I hear such things? And he sought to see him.	Et ait Herodes : Joannem ego decollavit : quis est autem iste, de quo ego talia audio ? Et quærebat videre eum.	και ειπεν ηρωδης ιωαννην εγω απεκεφαλισα τις δε εστιν ουτος περι ου εγω ακουω τοιαυτα και εζητει ιδειν αυτον

(*) "υπο τινων οτι ιωαννης εγηγερται εκ νεκρων" begins verse 8 in the translations.

[annalex]

Catena Aurea by St. Thomas Aguinas

9:7–9

7. Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him: and he was perplexed, because that it was said of some, that John was risen from the dead;

8. And of some, that Elias had appeared; and of others, that one of the old prophets was risen again.

9. And Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this, of whom I hear such things? And he desired to see him.

CHRYSOSTOM. (Hom. 48. in Matt.) It was not till a long time had passed that Herod took notice of the things that were done by Jesus, (to shew you the pride of a tyrant,) for he did not acknowledge them at first, as it is said, Now Herod heard, &c.

THEOPHYLACT. Herod was the son of Herod the Great who slew the children, who was king, but this Herod was tetrarch. He inquired about Christ, who He was. Hence it follows, And he was perplexed.

CHRYSOSTOM. For sinners fear both when they know, and when they are ignorant; they are afraid of shadows, are suspicious about every thing, and are alarmed at the slightest noise. Such in truth is sin; when no one blames or finds fault, it betrays a man, when no one accuses it condemns, and makes the offender timid and backward. But the cause of fear is stated afterwards, in the words, Because that it was said of some.

THEOPHYLACT. For the Jews expected a resurrection of the dead to a fleshly life, eating and drinking, but those that rise again will not be concerned with the deeds of the flesh.

CHRYSOSTOM. (ubi sup.) When Herod then heard of the miracles which Jesus was performing, he says, John have I beheaded, which was not an expression of boasting, but by way of allaying his fears, and bringing his distracted soul to recollect that he had killed. And because he had beheaded John, he adds, but who is this.

THEOPHYLACT. If John is alive and has risen from the dead, I shall know him when I see him; as it follows, And he sought to see him.

AUGUSTINE. (de Con. Ev. l. 2. c. 45.) Now Luke, though he keeps the same order in his narrative with Mark, docs not oblige us to believe that the course of events was the same. In these words too, Mark testifies only to the fact that others (not Herod) said that John had risen from the dead, but since Luke has mentioned Herod’s perplexity, we must suppose either that after that perplexity, he confirmed in his own mind what was said by others, since he says to his servants, (as Matthew relates,) This is John the Baptist, he is risen from the dead, or these words of Matthew must have been uttered so as to signify that he was still doubting.

Catena Aurea Luke 9

[annalex]

Christ Before Herod

Duccio di Buoninsegna

1308-11
Tempera on wood, 50 x 57 cm
Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, Siena

[annalex]

September 25: Saint Firmin, Bishop and Martyr

In the context of the early centuries of Christianity, in an era dominated by the Roman Empire and marked by severe persecutions against the disciples of Christ, the figure of Saint Firmin emerges, venerated as both Bishop and martyr. His memory is particularly rooted in Spain and France where his example has nourished the faith of entire generations. The account of his life lies between tradition and historical reality, sketching the portrait of a steadfast man, animated by unshakable faith and a profound missionary spirit.

According to tradition, Firmin was born in the city of Pamplona around the 3rd century, into a noble pagan family. It was through the influence of Saint Saturninus, the first Bishop of Toulouse and a prominent figure in the evangelization of the Pyrenean region, that Firmin came to embrace the Christian faith. The charisma of Saturninus deeply moved the young man, who decided to receive baptism and embark on a path of total dedication to the Church.

After completing his formation, Firmin was ordained a priest and departed for Gaul, a region still largely attached to pagan beliefs. In this hostile territory, he devoted himself with great fervor to proclaiming the Gospel. His ministry led him to Amiens, in northern France, where he founded a Christian community and became its first Bishop. His life was marked by prayer, charity, and tireless preaching. Tradition holds that he performed miracles and healings, inspiring conversions and strengthening the Christian presence in the region.

The growing number of Christians drew the attention of the imperial authorities, who regarded Christianity as a threat to public order. Firmin was arrested and, for refusing to renounce his faith, subjected to violence and eventually condemned to death. It is said that he was beheaded in Amiens, probably in the year 303, during the persecutions ordered by the emperor Diocletian. His sacrifice was perceived by the faithful as a sign of spiritual heroism and devotion to him quickly spread.

Amiens recognized him as its patron saint and preserved his relics in its Cathedral. Pamplona, the city of his origins, also keeps his memory alive with the famous Feast of San Fermín, which, although today is best known for the running of the bulls, has deep religious roots linked to the veneration of the saint.

The figure of Saint Firmin stands as an ideal of integrity and love for the faith, lived out in a time of great danger. His life, marked by determination and courage, continues to be a source of inspiration for all who recognize themselves in the Christian message.

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vaticanstate.va

[annalex]

[Wpin]

Thank you for posting these!

[fidelis]

NAVARRE BIBLE COMMENTARY(RSV)

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (To the Greater Glory of God)

First Reading:

From: Haggai 1:1-8

Rebuilding of the temple
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[1] In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of She-alti-el, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, [2] “Thus says the Lord of hosts: This people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.” [3] Then the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, [4] “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? [5] Now therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider how you have fared. [6] You have sown much, and harvested little; you eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages earns wages to put them into a bag with holes.

[7] “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider how you have fared. [8] Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may appear in my glory, says the Lord.

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Commentary:

1:1. The text appears to be following the Persian calendar, which was based on the lunar month, with regular adjustments to keep it in line with the solar year. The date mentioned here would be 29 April 520 BC. References to dates in Haggai can be checked against dates found in Chronicles, Ezra and Zechariah.

The prophecy is addressed to Zerubbabel and Joshua, the two senior administrators, civil and religious (cf. Ezra 3:2, 8; 4:2, 3). Zerubbabel was a grandson of Jehoiachin, the king exiled to Babylon (cf. 1 Chron 3:16-19). St Matthew (cf. Mt 1:12-13) includes him among the ancestors of Jesus.

1:2-15. The first oracle includes the message communicated by Haggai (vv. 2-11) and the positive response of his audience (vv. 12-15). The words of the prophet are addressed to the leaders of the people mentioned in 1:1 and also to the “remnant” of the people (v. 14). In his oracle, the prophet plays with three ideas “the time”, the “house” and an invitation to “consider”. The whole line of argument is based on what the people are saying: “the time has not come to rebuild the house of the Lord” (v. 2). The prophet pokes fun at their saying this, given that the time has come for them to build comfortable houses for themselves and leave the temple rebuilding for later (the “House” of the Lord: vv. 2, 4, 8, 9). Therefore, he twice (vv. 5, 9) invites them to consider the matter; they will find that they have worked a lot but nothing has come of it (vv. 6, 9). This leads to the conclusion of the message: the earth withholds its produce because the people have shown such distrust in God; he is the Lord of nature; he can make the land fruitful – or barren.

This rallying of the people to get them to rebuild the temple may seem a minor matter compared with the high moral tone found in the prophetical books generally. However, it derives from a profound faith: the people, whom God “created”, will never have a proper sense of their identity unless they can see God in their midst. This idea comes across clearly in the middle of the oracle: “build the house . . . that I may take pleasure in it and that I may appear in my glory” (v. 8). This should be read in the context of other biblical passages that assert how good God is to reach down to his people: “For the Lord has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his habitation: ‘This is my resting place for ever’” (Ps 132:13-14). A logical consequence of this is that God should be offered the best that we can give him, and that offering should also be seen in the beauty of church decoration, for the arts, “by their very nature, are oriented towards the infinite beauty of God which they attempt in some way to portray by the work of human hands; they achieve their purpose of redounding to God’s praise and glory in proportion as they are directed the more exclusively to the single aim of turning men’s minds devoutly toward God” (Vatican II, “Sacrosanctum Concilium”, 122).

Verses 12-15 report the people’s response. The text describes an interesting chain of events: Haggai’s listeners “obeyed” the oracle and were filled with fear of the Lord (v. 12); God then hastens to comfort them, assuring them, as he always did the leaders of Israel, “I am with you” (v. 13; Gen 26:3; 31:3; Ex 4:12; Josh 1:5; etc.); and he encourages them to set out to work with a will (v. 14). Twenty-four days have passed (v. 15; cf. v 1) since Haggai first addressed them, but the Lord has achieved his objective. Drawing on her great experience of friendship with God, St Teresa of Avila said something that would fit in here: “Since he does not want to force our will, he takes whatever he is given; but he does not give everything of himself until he sees that we have given everything of ourselves to him” (“Way of Perfection”, 48, 4).

[fidelis]

Gospel Reading:

From: Luke 9:7-9

Herod's Opinion of Jesus
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[7] Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done, and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead, [8] by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen. [9] Herod said, "John I beheaded; but who is this about whom I hear such things?" And he sought to see Him.

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Commentary:

7-9. Except for the Sadducees, all Jews believed in the resurrection of the dead, as revealed by God in Sacred Scripture (cf. Ezekiel 37:10; Daniel 12:2 and 2 Maccabees 7:9). It was also commonly believed by Jews at the time that Elijah or some other prophet had to appear again (Deuteronomy 19:15). This may have been why Herod began to think that perhaps John had come back to life (Matthew 14:1-2 and Mark 6:14-16), particularly since Jesus worked miracles and people thought this power was the prerogative of those who had risen from the dead. And yet he was aware that Christ was working miracles even before John died (cf. John 2:23); therefore, at first, he was disconcerted. Later, as the fame of Christ's miracles spread, to have some sort of adequate explanation he decided, as the other Gospels tell us, that John must indeed have risen.

[fidelis]

Click here to go to the My Catholic Life! Devotional thread for a meditation on today’s Gospel Reading.

[af_vet_1981]

Beautiful readings from Haggai, today's included; in today's while I reflected on the optional Matthew 10:28-33 portion,

Jesus said to his Apostles:
"Do not be afraid of those who kill the body
but cannot kill the soul;
rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy
both soul and body in Gehenna.
Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin?
Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father's knowledge.
Even all the hairs of your head are counted.
So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Everyone who acknowledges me before others
I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father.
But whoever denies me before others,
I will deny before my heavenly Father."

What did He mean with the last portion ? This came to me ... it is His very nature and mission to be the witness to the Father for every soul.

Revelation 3:14

And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

[af_vet_1981]

And again Revelation 19:11
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

[annalex]

Thank you.