Resurrection hope and hidden generosity in service of the Kingdom

Friday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

On Friday, September 18, 2026, the Church observes Friday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time. The daily Mass readings are 1 Corinthians 15:12-20, Psalm 17:1bcd, 6-7, 8b, 15, Matthew 11:25 as the Alleluia verse, and Luke 8:1-3 as the Gospel. The complete readings are available through the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The date falls within Ordinary Time, while this reflection belongs to an ongoing Advent series. The Advent spirit of watchfulness remains relevant throughout the year. Christian discipleship requires attentiveness to God’s promises, readiness to recognize the work of grace, and faithful preparation for the fulfillment of the Kingdom.

The Gospel: “Who Provided for Them Out of Their Resources”

The Gospel according to Luke describes Jesus traveling from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God. The Twelve accompany Him, together with several women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities.

Luke names three of them: Mary Magdalene, Joanna the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, and Susanna. The passage also refers to “many others” who accompanied Jesus and supported His ministry. These women did not remain merely as recipients of healing. Their restored lives became a source of concrete service.

Luke states that they “provided for them out of their resources.” The phrase identifies a practical form of discipleship. The proclamation of the Kingdom required travel, food, lodging, and material assistance. Behind the visible preaching of Jesus stood people whose personal resources made that ministry possible.

The Gospel gives particular importance to women whose names and circumstances were known within the early Christian community. Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna are remembered as active participants in the mission of Jesus. Their service was not presented as an incidental detail. It formed part of the setting in which the Kingdom was proclaimed.

The Alleluia verse from Matthew 11:25 adds another dimension: “Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.” The Kingdom is received by those who approach God with humility and openness. The women in Luke’s account demonstrate that receptivity through gratitude expressed in action.

The First Reading: Christ, the Firstfruits

In 1 Corinthians 15:12-20, Saint Paul addresses a fundamental question concerning the resurrection of the dead. Some members of the Corinthian community had accepted the resurrection of Christ while denying the future resurrection of believers. Paul shows that such a position cannot be reconciled with the Christian proclamation.

If the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. If Christ has not been raised, Christian preaching is empty, faith is futile, and those who have died in Christ have perished. The entire structure of Christian hope depends upon the reality of the Resurrection.

Saint Paul then announces the decisive truth: “But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.”

The image of the firstfruits comes from the agricultural life of the ancient world. The first portion of a harvest was offered to God as a sign that the larger harvest would follow. By calling Christ the firstfruits, Saint Paul presents His Resurrection as the beginning of the resurrection that will reach all who belong to Him.

Christian hope is therefore not based on general optimism or an indistinct belief in life after death. It rests on the historical proclamation that Jesus Christ has conquered death. The Resurrection provides the foundation for preaching, sacramental life, service, sacrifice, and missionary activity.

The Church’s mission is possible because death does not have the final word. The Gospel can be proclaimed across generations and cultures because Christ is alive. The formation of priests, religious sisters, and Christian communities is directed toward a future held within the promise of the risen Lord.

From Resurrection Hope to Concrete Generosity

The readings establish a movement from divine action to human responsibility.

First, Christ is raised as the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. The source of Christian hope is God’s victory over death.

Second, the women in Luke’s Gospel respond to the work of Christ through concrete generosity. Their gratitude becomes support for the continuing proclamation of the Kingdom.

Third, the Church continues this pattern through communities and individuals who provide the practical resources required for evangelization. Mission depends upon preaching and sacramental ministry, but it also requires formation, buildings, transportation, food, books, instruction, and the daily care of those preparing for service.

Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, and the other women represent a form of mission support that can remain largely unseen. Their names are remembered because the Gospel recognizes the importance of their contribution. The passage shows that the Church’s mission has always been sustained by personal generosity offered in response to God’s grace.

The same principle applies today. Many people support the Church without public recognition. They provide scholarships, fund seminaries, request Mass intentions, assist religious communities, and sustain formation programs in mission territories. Such support may not appear in the public presentation of evangelization, yet it makes the proclamation of the Gospel possible.

This is a central point for Catholic spirituality and for a daily devotional life shaped by the Resurrection. Christian hope is not detached from responsibility. The promise of future life gives present actions their direction and purpose.

Formation of Indigenous Clergy as a Work of Mercy

The formation of local clergy and religious leaders is a concrete work of mercy because it strengthens Christian communities through lasting pastoral care. The Society of St. Peter the Apostle was established for this purpose.

The Society was founded in 1889 after Bishop Jules-Alphonse Cousin, MEP, Vicar Apostolic of Southern Japan and later Bishop of Nagasaki, sought assistance for young men in Southern Japan who were discerning priestly vocations. Financial limitations prevented some candidates from entering formation. Stephanie and Jeanne Bigard of France responded to Bishop Cousin’s appeal, leading to the foundation of the Society of St. Peter the Apostle.

The Society continues to support the development of indigenous clergy and religious life in mission territories. It works with local bishops and Christian communities so that the Church can grow through leadership formed from within the local culture and community.

Its assistance includes:

• Ordinary subsidies for the daily needs and formation of seminarians, novices, and religious sisters.
• Extraordinary subsidies for constructing new seminaries and renovating existing facilities.
• Self-sustainability projects that strengthen the long-term capacity of local churches.
• Mass intentions to assist seminary formators.
• Scholarships for future seminary educators.

This work reflects the hidden generosity described in Luke 8. Supporters provide from their own resources so that others can proclaim the Kingdom, celebrate the sacraments, teach the faith, and accompany Christian communities. The goal is not permanent dependence upon foreign missionaries. The goal is sustainable, locally led Church growth.

The Resurrection gives this mission its horizon. Because Christ is risen, the Church forms leaders for a future that belongs to God. The resources provided today contribute to the spiritual and pastoral life of communities for generations.

Eucharist Reflection: The Firstfruits of the Resurrection

The Eucharist makes present the Paschal Mystery of Christ. In the celebration of Mass, the Church receives the risen Lord and is gathered into the hope proclaimed by Saint Paul.

An Eucharist reflection Catholic tradition emphasizes that the Eucharist is both gift and mission. Christ gives Himself as the living Bread, and those who receive Him are sent to serve the life of the Church and the world.

The women of Luke 8 offer a useful image for this Eucharistic pattern. They received healing and responded by giving from their own resources. The Christian response to the Eucharist likewise includes gratitude expressed through concrete service.

The Eucharistic community requires priests who are properly formed, religious women and men who are prepared for their vocation, and educators capable of guiding future leaders. Supporting indigenous clergy formation therefore serves the sacramental life of the Church. It helps ensure that local communities can encounter Christ in the Eucharist, hear the Word proclaimed, and receive pastoral accompaniment from their own priests and religious leaders.

Prayerful Resolution

The Church may carry the following resolutions into September 18:

• To proclaim the Resurrection as the foundation of Christian hope.
• To remember that Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, and many others supported the ministry of Jesus through personal generosity.
• To identify resources that can be placed at the service of the Kingdom, including time, prayer, financial support, and professional skills.
• To pray for seminarians, religious sisters, seminary formators, and future seminary educators in mission territories.
• To consider support for the formation of indigenous clergy through the Society of St. Peter the Apostle.

May the risen Christ strengthen the Church’s hope and direct its resources toward the proclamation of the Kingdom. May the example of the women in Luke’s Gospel remind Christian communities that faithful support, whether public or hidden, has a necessary place in the mission of the Church.

Support the Formation of Indigenous Clergy

The Society of St. Peter the Apostle provides a direct way for individuals, parishes, and Catholic communities to support seminarians, novices, religious sisters, and seminary educators in mission territories.

• Learn about the Society of St. Peter the Apostle
• Support the Society of St. Peter the Apostle
• Request a Mass intention

The Pontifical Mission Societies
70 West 36th Street, 8th Floor
New York, NY 10018, USA

Phone: 212-563-8700
Email: contact@pontificalmissions.org