OCTOBER 29, 2026 FATHER HENK VAN MEIJEL
This gospel reading, Jesus cloaks his language a little bit and he says “Today, tomorrow, and on the third day, my work is finished.” in his conversation with the Pharisees. Really indicating his own death, resurrection, his crucifixion, his death, and resurrection, and rising after three days.
It is to be, in the first reading of St. Paul, St. Paul really talks to the Ephesians about putting on the armour of God. Putting on the armour of God.
It is so important in our secular world to put that armour of God on to know who we are. It is so interesting how the secular world can squeeze slowly in our lives. And, um, and we lose our identity, really, as Christians.
It really came to the forefront, actually, St. Paul writes this from Rome, when he was in chains, to the Ephesians to remind to be strong in God, and not to lose any hope.
It’s so easy that it can happen in our secular society, which we are inundated with daily. We just have to look at the media, the TV, the advertising, what they tell us, the social media, the comparing of selves with others and so on.
It really was driven home to me not too long ago on a visit to my family in the Netherlands. A family member who insisted that I took a family crucifix home with me to Canada.
What really struck me, there was very good people, they’ve been active in the church, they go on Sunday to Mass, and they do their Sunday duty. But also, when they were trying to give me that cross I look around their house, they had a brand-new house, I look around, not a sign of a showing that they were Christians, not a sign.
Beautiful art, you know, modern art. I sometimes look at modern art, it’s me, I’m from the farm, I look at modern art and I say, “Huh, what does this mean?” But not a sign of Christian identity.
It’s so easy, in a sense, I think they were embarrassed to show that they were Christians, that they’re Catholics, and so on. It’s so easy to kind of try to fit in into the secular culture, and forgetting that we’re called to be a sign of Christ in that secular culture.
It’s not that they made major decisions all of a sudden, but it’s clear as I come back in my visits over the years that there’s a gradual change, gradual refocusing on what is material, what is the world. Away from really knowing that we are Christian and that God calls us.
So, it’s so important to have that armour of God as St. Paul is talking about, to put that armour of God on, and to know who we are, and to really foster that personal relationship with Jesus, that personal relationship with God. Let everything flow out of that personal relationship.
But if we let our secular world slowly slide in there we can lose everything that we had hoped for. Nothing has changed in 2000 years.
As St. Paul is writing to the Ephesians, writing to put that armour of God on and not to be afraid to live a good life, and to work to Holy conduct, and to reconciliation, but our boundaries, to be there for others. To be acceptable of others.
Especially, again, in our secular world where’s the continuously a grow to make divisions between different people, different immigrant populations. But to know that God, just like St. Paul is writing to the Ephesians, that God is a God of all people. We have to show that in our actions.
Actually, today on the universal calendar, we celebrate Chiara Badano, she died in 1990 at age 18. A sign she knew who she was, although she was 18 years old, she knew who she was in God, a tremendous sign to God.
Actually, at age 9, she joined the Focolare Movement. It’s a movement but it’s really a universal movement to promote God.
At age 16, she said, “I discovered that Jesus forsaken is the key to unity with God, “and I want to be ready to welcome Him when He comes. “I prefer him above all else.”
16 years old, she had already a personal relationship with God. She knew who she was. She had that armour of God on.
Shortly after, I think at age 17, she was diagnosed with a rare bone cancer and it really affected her, of course, and it was incurable. But it’s interesting, as people came to see her to comfort her, it was the other way around.
She knew who she was and she comforted those who visited her. Everything got turned around. She was a sign of Christ, and she lived it out to the fullest.
Actually, her desire was, in the end, to be buried in a wedding dress, a bride of Christ. A girl who’s 18 years old, who’s basically not even a full adult, who shows us the way to God, and to have that armour of God on.
Thank you. Amen.
