Franciscan Sisters of Oldenburg

11/09/2026

11/08/2026

SUNDAY REFLECTION for November 8, 2026
First Reading: Wisdom 6: 12-16
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 63: 3-8
Second Reading: Thessalonians 4: 13-18
Gospel: Matthew 25: 1-13

This reflection for the Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time comes from Sister Mary McGlone via the Spirituality and Life column found in National Catholic Reporter (ncronline.org). Mary is a Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet, gives retreats and days of reflection and is a writer and interpreter/translator.

“As Matthew nears the climax of his Gospel, he depicts Jesus almost begging people to prepare for the coming tests of their commitment and his own final trial. Matthew describes how the humble Jesus led a procession that mimicked and made fun of the way a triumphal dictator would enter a conquered Jerusalem. He retold Jesus' parables to awaken his people's lethargic expectations, his critique of religious leaders for being more hypocritical than helpful, and his announcement about the dire events to come.

The enigmatic parable of the wise and foolish bridesmaids fits perfectly with the warnings and promises Jesus preached about in his final days.

What were those 10 virgin bridesmaids thinking and talking about as they waited for the groom to arrive with his procession of friends? Surely there was some talk of the fellow himself: rating him on his good looks, kindness, future prospects, piety and faithfulness. They were probably laughing, speculating who would be next and wondering why it was taking so long. Were the groom and the bride's father arguing about details of the marriage arrangement? Surely, he hadn't gotten cold feet! Their hours of waiting finally gave way to sleep.

Then the cry, "Behold the bridegroom! Come forth to meet him!" With that, they scrambled, pinching their cheeks, arranging their veils and robes, and grabbing the lamps that would light their way in the wedding procession.

None of them had expected such a long wait. Five of them had gambled everything on their participation in the feast. Extravagant as it seemed, they went overboard in every aspect of their preparation: dress, hairdos, the adornment of their veils, and their supplies of lamp oil.

They believed that this celebration was worth all they could give. The others teased them about that, commenting that wise people don't put all their eggs in one basket.
Those who thought themselves wise had held back, including on the amount of oil they purchased. They were too smart to count so heavily on this one marriage feast. What if it wasn't as good as they hoped? They prepared what they thought was just enough. All alike, they were awakened by the call, "Come forth!"

The ones who had prepared with carefully measured moderation discovered that their oil had run out. They turned to the ones they had seen as foolishly overdoing it and asked for help.

The problem was that their real shortage had little to do with oil. The oil was merely a symbol representing long-haul dedication. They lacked the wholeheartedness of the others. They were cautious with their commitment, much like a person who wouldn't bother to wear a wedding gown to a feast. They invested for less than what a wedding between heaven and Earth demands.

The truly wise, the extravagant and unstintingly committed ones, were not being selfish or smug when they refused to help. They had absolutely nothing they could give to the others when their time ran out. Commitment like theirs is built on accepting grace and practicing generous love; nobody can lend or buy it.

The tragedy in the parable came from a serious lack of understanding on the part of the restrained and self-protective ones. They kept themselves carefully in a transactional world. From their point of view, the other five appeared excessive, imprudent, even reckless.

Somehow, the reckless ones had comprehended and embraced the cost of participation in the feast of heavenly generosity. They could have summed up their lives with Psalm 62: "My soul thirsts for you, I seek you, I pine for you. Through the night I meditate on you. Thus, I will bless you all the while I live. You will satisfy me with a banquet and in the shadow of your wings I will rejoice."

As Paul would say, the wise bridesmaids held nothing back because they believed that they could "always be with the Lord."

With the backdrop of the story of these two groups, Jesus' parable directs the same call to us. "Come forth!" The initiative is not ours. As with the 10 virgins, everything begins with God's invitation to enjoy the banquet of true life. Every day, we are invited to perceive God's presence through the Spirit who "hastens to make herself known in anticipation of our desire."

What does this mean for us on this Sunday? In the U.S., we've just had elections that some see as a sign of God's working and others not so. No matter our thoughts about the outcome, today's liturgy urges us to heed the advice of Ignatius of Loyola to "find God in all things."

The Lord is at the gates, calling for all who are willing to ready themselves for the bountiful feast of life that never ends. COME FORTH!”

11/05/2026

📖 A Chapter in American History: Reconstruction After the Civil War

When the Civil War ended in 1865, the United States faced an enormous challenge: rebuilding a divided nation and figuring out what freedom would truly mean for millions of formerly enslaved African Americans.

The Reconstruction Era (1865–1877) brought significant changes and new opportunities. Three important constitutional amendments were passed:

🇺🇸 13th Amendment: Abolished slavery.

🇺🇸 14th Amendment: Established citizenship and equal protection under the law.

🇺🇸 15th Amendment: Protected Black men's right to vote.

Organizations such as the Freedmen's Bureau helped reunite families separated by slavery, establish schools, and assist newly freed people as they worked to build new lives. African Americans also began voting and serving in public office.

However, these advances were met with tremendous resistance. Discrimination, racial violence, and groups such as the Ku Klux Klan worked to undermine the progress that had been made. When federal troops withdrew from the South in 1877, much of the protection afforded to newly freed African Americans disappeared.

One of the most powerful lessons from this history is that Reconstruction did not simply fail—it was actively undermined by those who wanted to preserve racial inequality.

This period reminds us that freedom, equality, and justice require more than laws written on paper. They require commitment, protection, and the willingness of a nation to uphold the rights of all its people.

History helps us understand where we have been, recognize the struggles that shaped our nation, and reflect on the work that remains.

🎥 Take a few minutes to watch this informative video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGPAnLDzQYY

At the end of the Civil War, the United States was still a very div...

11/03/2026

https://vimeo.com/1242278329?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

This is "Tuesday, November 3: Final Election Novena Prayer" by LCWR on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

11/03/2026

Sisters and friends gathered outside for Day of the Dead, a national protest of at least 60 who have died in ICE custody. They had crosses with names of children who have died AND a Michael McGrath painting of an immigrant family with the holy family.

11/02/2026

https://vimeo.com/1242015921?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

This is "Monday, November 2: LCWR Prayer before Election" by LCWR on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

11/01/2026

SUNDAY REFLECTION for November 1, 2026
First Reading: Revelation 7: 2-4, 9-14
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 24: 1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6
Second Reading: I John 3: 1-3
Gospel: Matthew 5: 1-12a

Today’s reflection for the Solemnity of All Saints comes from Fr. Daniel S. Kim, M.M. via the Maryknoll Office of Global Concerns (maryknollogc.org) Father Daniel was born and raised in Southern California and was brought up in a Korean Catholic household. He was ordained a Maryknoll priest in May 2017 and has served in Hong Kong.

“Today is a very auspicious and solemn day in the Church’s liturgical calendar because we are honoring the saints who were so influential in witnessing to God’s love, hope and charity through their lives.

Nevertheless, upon reading the lives of the saints we are often a bit surprised to see that many were not the “perfect angels” which they are often described as in popular imagery. In other words, many, if not all of the saints, led lives that exhibited controversy, shortcomings and doubt. This was true in the case of Saint Peter, who not only betrayed Jesus three times, but prior boasted how unrelenting his faith and courage was — yet he was the one whom Christ entrusted the keys to God’s Kingdom. Also Saint Mary Magdalene, for whom Jesus casted out seven demons, yet she was the first disciple to see the Risen Christ and first missioner of the Good News. And, of course, our colorful and checkered Saint Paul, who hunted down and killed Christians before his conversion on the way to Damascus — yet without him, Christianity might not have proliferated to such a scale where we now have over 2 billion faithful around the world.

Apart from a few notable exceptions, such as, Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, Saint John Vianney and several others, many of the saints were not so different than you or I; that is, they exhibited all the flaws and weaknesses associated with being human. So why do we hold this day as a solemnity and as a high honor for those who were seemingly subject to fragility, misjudgment and unsavory exploits? I believe the simple yet profound answer to this question lies in their ability to recognize that God’s mercy and love transcended whatever shortcomings and mistakes they were responsible for; namely, the truth that God’s grace is greater than any sin capable of being committed.

The only way that we are rendered unredeemable is when, through our free will, we decide to reject the unwavering and magnanimous mercy and compassion of God. Granted, this does not excuse us of being accountable for our actions, something which St. Paul explicitly mentions in his epistles.

We know that the Beatitudes we hear to today from the Evangelist Matthew are tall orders to follow. On the surface they come across as ideals that perhaps only saintly people can adhere to. However, if we hold true and live by the faith of God’s unwavering love for us, despite whatever misdeeds we have committed, the Beatitudes become a source of guidance and hope rather than stumbling blocks.

The fundamental teaching of our faith is that God is the ultimate source of greatness and goodness and if we allow this to work in our lives, wonderful and even saintly deeds can be made manifest through broken vessels such as ourselves. This is critical now more than ever, especially during a time of pandemic, political and social unrest, and rampant hopelessness and despair that we as human beings feel we are incapable of redeeming. However, if we open ourselves to the Spirit, just as the saints in our canon have done, miraculous and life-giving energy will flow through our lives and deeds and the world will see the justice, equity and love that govern the Kingdom of God. This is God’s mission for all of us. So let us look to the saints for hope and strength — that even as flawed and damaged as they were, they were able to give witness to God’s love, hope and charity in a way that redeemed the world.”

10/31/2026

https://vimeo.com/1241495583?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci