If you missed the last USCCA Friendship Happy Hour, this video is for you! Tune in to hear our panelists discuss seeing God in the creative process, paying attention to the body and the interior life through Tai Chi, cultivating relaxation, awareness, and intuition through art, and the meaning of Qi 气. ---------------------- The USCCA is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. Your donations are tax-deductible to the maximum extent allowed by law. The success of our work depends upon the generosity of people like you.

Basilica of the National Shrine of Immaculate Conception Today, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of All Saints. This feast originated in the Church’s common commemoration of the martyrs and later expanded to include all the saints in heaven. We invite you to read more in Fr. Joseph's latest bilingual Scripture reflection, included below in Chinese and then in English: Scripture Reflection in Chinese 诸圣节 今天，教会庆祝诸圣节，纪念所有已经进入天上光荣、与天主圆满共融的圣人圣女。这个节日源于教会对殉道者的共同纪念，后来扩展为对天上所有圣人的庆祝，并在西方教会传统中定于十一月一日。诸圣节表达了一个信仰事实：基督的救恩已经在人类历史中结出了真实的果实，基督复活所开启的新生命，已经在无数人的身上达到圆满。教会敬礼圣人，是赞颂天主的恩宠怎样在他们身上工作。圣人有不同的性格、身世、才干和使命，却共同见证了同一个信仰：一个有限、软弱、需要被救赎的人，能够因着天主的恩宠，真实地学习爱，并最终与天主结合。今天的三篇读经给我们展现了一条完整的道路：我们因着天父的爱，已经成为天父的儿女；我们在世上学习按照真福八端所指引的方式生活；我们所盼望的终点，是面对面看见天主，永远分享天主的永恒福乐。 今天的第一篇读经选自《默示录》（默7:2-4,9-14）。若望看见一大群人，没有人能够数清，他们来自各邦国、各支派、各民族、各言语，站在天主的宝座和羔羊面前。这幅景象让我们看见，天主从万民中召集自己的子民，使不同背景的人共同分享永生。读经先提到十四万四千人，这个数目在《默示录》的象征语言中，表达天主子民的完整与圆满；随后出现的无数群众，更显示天主的救恩面向万民。每一个人都领受了天主成圣的召叫。无论人的出身、身份和处境如何，都可以在天主的恩宠中回应天主的召叫。 这些人身穿白衣，手持棕榈枝。白衣象征人的灵魂因基督的救恩而获得洁净，分享复活的新生命；棕榈枝象征胜利，表明他们经过考验，仍然忠于天主。若望看见天主宝座周围有二十四位长老，象征旧约与新约全体天主子民的圆满。其中一位向若望解释，这些身穿白衣的人，曾经历大灾难，并因耶稣基督的救恩而获得灵魂的洁净。这里的衣裳洁白，表达的是灵魂的洁净与生命的圣化。羔羊指向为人类受难、死亡并复活的耶稣基督。耶稣基督在十字架上，把自己完全交付给天父，以爱人到底的爱情救赎人类。羔羊的血表达耶稣基督为救赎人类而倾流的生命，使罪人能够获得宽恕，与天主和好。因此，圣洁首先来自天主的恩宠。人接受基督的救恩，藉着信德、悔改与爱德回应天主，灵魂得到洁净，生命便获得更新。 这些圣人“由大灾难中来”，说明他们曾经经历现实生活中的考验。他们也承受过痛苦、失落、诱惑和软弱，也需要在艰难中学习信赖天主。圣人的忠信表现在具体的选择中：跌倒以后愿意悔改，受苦之中继续行善，面对仇恨仍然坚持爱。苦难本身不会自动使人成圣；当人在苦难中依靠天主，在恩宠中坚持真理、实行爱德，灵魂便能得到净化，信德也得到锻炼。圣人的白衣见证了天主的慈悲，也见证了人对恩宠的真实回应。 第二篇读经说明成圣的根基（若一3:1-3）。圣若望说：“请看父赐给了我们何等的爱情，使我们能称为天主的儿女，而且也真是如此。”天父的爱使我们获得新的身份。藉着耶稣基督，我们被接纳进入天主的家庭，成为天父的儿女。这份身份包含真实的生命关系：天父赐给我们恩宠，使我们能够认识天主、爱天主，并按照天主的旨意生活。成圣的努力扎根于天父已经赐给我们的爱。我们越相信自己是蒙爱的儿女，就越能够信赖天父，也越愿意离开伤害自己、伤害别人、破坏人与天主关系的罪。 圣若望接着说：“主显现时，我们必要相似他，因为我们要看见他实在是怎样的。”这句话所说的，是我们将来面对面看见天主，在与天主的结合中获得圆满。如今，我们凭信德认识天主，仍受到知识、经验和内心软弱的限制；我们愿意爱天主，却常受到自私与恐惧的牵制。到了天上的圆满中，天主使我们的灵魂完全洁净，使我们能够以完整的爱回应天主。我们因恩宠而分享天主的圣洁与爱情，同时仍然保有受造者的身份。圣人的福乐，就在于完全属于天主，毫无阻隔地认识天主、爱天主，在天主的爱中享受永远的安息。因此，圣若望说，凡怀着这希望的人，必使自己圣洁。对永生的盼望，促使我们认真对待今天的生活。 福音中的真福八端，说明天父的儿女应当怎样生活（玛5:1-12a）。耶稣基督亲自活出了这些教导：谦卑、温良、富于怜悯、心地纯洁，缔造和平，并为了忠于天父而承受迫害。实践真福八端，就是使我们的思想、意愿和行动与耶稣基督相符合。“神贫的人是有福的，因为天国是他们的。”神贫使我们承认自己需要天主，不把财富、地位和能力当作生命最后的依靠。“哀恸的人是有福的，因为他们要接受安慰。”天主看见人的眼泪，也亲近那些为罪恶、不义和失落而悲痛的人。“温良的人是有福的，因为他们要承受土地。”温良使我们约束愤怒与报复，以尊重人的方式坚持真理。“慕义如饥似渴的人是有福的，因为他们要得到饱饫。”这要求我们渴望天主的旨意实现，并在家庭、工作和社会生活中实行公义。 “怜悯人的人是有福的，因为他们要受到怜悯。”我们从天主领受慈悲，也应当怜悯别人，在别人需要帮助时伸出援手，在别人愿意悔改时给予重新开始的机会。“心地纯洁的人是有福的，因为他们要看见天主。”这要求我们净化内心的动机，使言语、行为与信仰彼此一致，真诚地寻求天主。“缔造和平的人是有福的，因为他们要称为天主的子女。”天主的儿女应当主动修复关系，停止传播仇恨，在真理与公义中促成和好。“为义而受迫害的人是有福的，因为天国是他们的。”忠于天主有时需要付出代价，即使遭受误解、排斥和损失，天主仍然认识人的忠信，并赐给人永生。耶稣基督更明确地说：“你们欢喜踊跃吧！因为你们在天上的赏报是丰厚的。”天主的许诺使我们怀有希望，也支持我们在艰难中继续选择良善。 答唱咏所说的“手洁心净”，帮助我们理解这些教导怎样指引日常生活（咏24:1bc-2,3-4ab,5-6）。“手洁”关乎我们实际做了什么，有没有欺骗、伤害别人、占取不义的利益；“心净”关乎我们内心追求什么，有没有让嫉妒、贪婪和怨恨支配自己。寻求天主的人，需要让内心的信仰成为具体的行动。我们可以先选择两件事认真去做，例如，在利益面前保持诚实，在关系破裂时主动寻求和好。持守这些具体的选择，能够帮助我们省察自己，也使爱德有真实的行动。天主的恩宠在这些平凡的生活中工作，使我们的生命结出圣洁的果实。 庆祝诸圣节，让我们仰望天上已经成圣的圣人圣女。这些圣人当中，也许有我们的亲人、祖先，有许多默默行善的无名英雄，甚至有我们的朋友，或我们曾经认识的人。他们如今与天主同在，享受永恒的福乐。他们在世时忠于天主、爱人行善的见证，鼓励我们善度今生，帮助我们追求灵魂的圣洁，实践宽恕与和好。那位已经使无数圣人分享天上光荣的天主，正在我们的生命中工作。但愿我们永远信赖天主，回应天主，让天主的生命在我们身上结出果实，直到有一天，我们也与那数不清的圣人圣女一起，站在天主面前，永远赞美天主，享受无穷的福乐。 Scripture Reflection in English Solemnity of All Saints Today, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of All Saints, honoring all the holy men and women who have entered heavenly glory and are in full communion with God. This feast originated in the Church’s common commemoration of the martyrs and later expanded to include all the saints in heaven. In the Western Church, November 1 became the date for this celebration. All Saints expresses a truth of faith: Christ’s salvation has borne real fruit in human history, and the new life opened to us through Christ’s Resurrection has reached its fullness in countless people. In honoring the saints, the Church praises the work of God’s grace in their lives. The saints differ in personality, background, abilities, and vocation, yet they bear witness to the same faith: a person who is limited, weak, and in need of redemption can, through God’s grace, truly learn to love and ultimately be united with God. Today’s three readings reveal a complete path: through the heavenly Father’s love, we have become the heavenly Father’s children; during our earthly lives, we learn to live according to the Beatitudes; and the fulfillment we hope for is to see God face to face and share forever in God’s eternal happiness. Today’s first reading comes from the Book of Revelation (Rev 7:2-4, 9-14). John sees a great multitude that no one can count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue, standing before God’s throne and before the Lamb. This vision shows us that God gathers a people from every nation, enabling people of different backgrounds to share eternal life together. The reading first mentions one hundred and forty-four thousand people. In the symbolic language of Revelation, this number expresses the completeness and fullness of God’s people. The countless multitude that follows further reveals that God’s salvation extends to all nations. Every person has received God’s call to holiness. Whatever a person’s background, status, or circumstances, everyone can respond to God’s call through God’s grace. These people wear white robes and hold palm branches in their hands. The white robes symbolize souls cleansed through Christ’s salvation and sharing in the new life of the Resurrection. The palm branches symbolize victory, showing that these people have remained faithful to God through trials. The elder explains: “These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb.” The whiteness of the robes expresses the cleansing of the soul and the sanctification of life. The Lamb is Jesus Christ, who suffered, died, and rose again for humanity. On the Cross, Jesus Christ entrusted himself completely to the heavenly Father and redeemed humanity through a love that endured to the end. The Blood of the Lamb expresses the life Jesus Christ poured out for our redemption, enabling sinners to receive forgiveness and be reconciled with God. Holiness therefore begins with God’s grace. When people accept Christ’s salvation and respond to God through faith, repentance, and charity, their souls are cleansed and their lives are renewed. These saints “have survived the time of great distress,” showing that they experienced the trials of earthly life. They too endured suffering, loss, temptation, and weakness. They too needed to learn to trust God in difficult circumstances. Their faithfulness took shape in concrete choices: repenting after a fall, continuing to do good amid suffering, and persevering in love when confronted with hatred. Suffering does not automatically make a person holy. When people rely on God in their suffering, uphold the truth through grace, and practice charity, their souls can be purified and their faith strengthened. The saints’ white robes bear witness both to God’s mercy and to their sincere response to grace. The second reading explains the foundation of holiness (1 Jn 3:1-3). Saint John writes: “See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are.” The heavenly Father’s love gives us a new identity. Through Jesus Christ, we are welcomed into God’s family and become children of the heavenly Father. This identity involves a real relationship of life: the heavenly Father gives us grace so that we can know God, love God, and live according to God’s will. Our efforts to become holy are rooted in the love the heavenly Father has already given us. The more firmly we believe that we are beloved children, the more readily we can trust the heavenly Father and turn away from sins that harm ourselves, hurt others, and damage our relationship with God. Saint John continues: “We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” These words describe our future encounter with God face to face, when we will find fulfillment in union with God. Now we know God through faith, while remaining limited by our knowledge, experience, and inner weakness. We desire to love God, yet selfishness and fear often hinder us. In the fullness of heaven, God will cleanse our souls completely, enabling us to respond to God with wholehearted love. Through grace, we share in God’s holiness and love while remaining the creatures God has made. The happiness of the saints consists in belonging completely to God, knowing and loving God without obstruction, and enjoying everlasting rest in God’s love. Saint John therefore writes: “Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure, as he is pure.” Our hope for eternal life urges us to take our lives today seriously. The Beatitudes in the Gospel explain how the heavenly Father’s children should live (Mt 5:1-12a). Jesus Christ personally embodied these teachings through humility, meekness, mercy, purity of heart, peacemaking, and the suffering endured in faithfulness to the heavenly Father. To practice the Beatitudes is to conform our thoughts, intentions, and actions to Jesus Christ. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.” Poverty of spirit leads us to acknowledge our need for God and to avoid making wealth, status, or ability our ultimate security. “Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.” God sees human tears and draws near to those who grieve over sin, injustice, and loss. “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.” Meekness enables us to restrain anger and revenge and to uphold the truth with respect for others. “Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.” This calls us to desire the fulfillment of God’s will and to practice justice in our families, workplaces, and society. “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Having received mercy from God, we should show mercy to others, offering help when people are in need and an opportunity to begin again when they are willing to repent. “Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.” This calls us to purify our intentions, bring our words and actions into harmony with our faith, and sincerely seek God. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” God’s children should take the initiative in repairing relationships, stop spreading hatred, and promote reconciliation in truth and justice. “Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.” Faithfulness to God sometimes comes at a cost. Even when people experience misunderstanding, rejection, and loss, God recognizes their faithfulness and gives them eternal life. Jesus Christ also says clearly: “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.” God’s promise gives us hope and sustains us in continuing to choose goodness amid difficulties. The responsorial psalm speaks of the person “whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,” helping us understand how these teachings guide our daily lives (Ps 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6). Sinless hands concern what we actually do: whether we deceive, harm others, or take dishonest gains. A clean heart concerns what we seek within: whether we allow jealousy, greed, and resentment to govern us. Those who seek God need to express their inward faith through concrete actions. We can begin by choosing two things to practice seriously—for example, remaining honest when personal interests are at stake and taking the initiative to seek reconciliation when a relationship has broken down. Persevering in these concrete choices helps us examine ourselves and give charity practical expression. God’s grace works within these ordinary circumstances, enabling our lives to bear the fruit of holiness. Celebrating All Saints turns our eyes toward the holy men and women already in heaven. Among these saints may be our relatives and ancestors, many unknown heroes who quietly did good, and even our friends or people we once knew. They are now with God, enjoying eternal happiness. Their earthly witness of faithfulness to God, love for others, and good works encourages us to live well in this world, pursue holiness of soul, and practice forgiveness and reconciliation. God, who has already enabled countless saints to share in heavenly glory, is at work in our lives. May we always trust God, respond to God, and allow God’s life to bear fruit in us, until one day we too stand before God with that countless multitude of holy men and women, praising God forever and enjoying endless happiness. Fr. (Joseph) Guozhang Ruan was born and ordained in China. After serving in parish ministry in the Diocese of Mindong, Fujian, he pursued advanced studies in moral theology in Rome, earning a doctorate from the Pontifical Lateran University. Since coming to the United States in 2004, he has served in several parishes in the Archdiocese of New York. He is currently the Director of the Chinese Apostolate for the Archdiocese of New York and Parochial Vicar of Holy Rosary Church on Staten Island. His ministry focuses on serving Chinese Catholics, promoting evangelization, and fostering greater understanding between the Church in China and the universal Church. ---------------------- The USCCA is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. Your donations are tax-deductible to the maximum extent allowed by law. The success of our work depends upon the generosity of people like you.

Holy Family church in Wuhan, China At the end of each month, the USCCA compiles a brief list of interesting news articles about Chinese Catholicism. Here is an aggregate of links for October 2026. Oct 29, 2026: "Honoring Ancestors as Chinese Catholics," UCA News. Oct 28, 2026: “A Church That Must Be Chinese,” John Singarayer, UCA News. Oct 27, 2026: “Cardinal Tagle to Link Macau’s 450-Year Missionary Legacy with Asia’s Evangelization in the Age of AI,” Fr. John Mi Shen, Agenzia Fides. Oct 23, 2026: “Four Asians Appointed to International Theological Commission,” Sunday Examiner Hong Kong. Oct 19, 2026: “China Appoints New bishop for Haimen: Vatican-Beijing Agreement Continues to Influence Episcopal Appointments,” Zenit: The World Seen from Rome. ---------------------- The USCCA is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. Your donations are tax-deductible to the maximum extent allowed by law. The success of our work depends upon the generosity of people like you.

The love of God helps us understand where life comes from and where it is going. The love of neighbor turns this understanding into care for the person before us. We invite you to read more in Fr. Joseph's latest bilingual Scripture reflection, included below in Chinese and then in English: Scripture Reflection in Chinese 常年期第三十主日 （甲年） 今天是常年期第三十主日。今天的读经讲爱天主、爱近人，帮助我们认识信仰的中心，以及基督徒生活应有的样貌。爱天主，使人的生命获得最终的归向；爱近人，使这种认识落实在日常生活中。两条诫命彼此相通，共同指出基督徒生活的方向。今天的福音是从一个关于诫命的问题开始，指引我们进入圣经的核心，也帮助我们思考：一个真正爱天主的人，应当怎样生活？ 一位法学士问耶稣：“老师，法律中哪一条诫命是最大的？”当时的犹太信仰生活包含许多具体的诫命，这个问题涉及怎样理解这些诫命，以及怎样把握它们共同的精神。耶稣引用《申命纪》第六章回答：“你应全心、全灵、全意爱你的天主上主。”这条诫命属于以色列人经常诵念的信仰宣认，提醒他们记得自己属于谁，又应当怎样生活。全心、全灵、全意，就是以整个人回应天主，让思想、情感、意愿和行动，都朝着同一个方向。理性寻求真理，良心分辨善恶，意志选择良善，情感学习成熟，这一切都属于爱天主的生活。这样的爱也包含忠信：人在顺境中感恩，在艰难中信赖，在每天的选择中持守与天主的盟约。天主是生命的根源，也是人最终的归向；人越认识他，越能明白自己为何而活，也越懂得怎样运用所领受的自由。 耶稣接着引用《肋未纪》第十九章：“你应当爱人如己。”他特别说：“第二条和它相似。”这句话赋予爱近人极其重要的地位：我们对天主的敬爱，应当在人与人的相处中结出果实。每一个人都从天主领受生命，都有天主赋予的尊严；珍惜他人，就是以实际行动回应天主对人的眷顾。“爱人如己”也给了我们一个切实的尺度：我们怎样认真看待自己的需要，也应当怎样认真看待他人的处境；我们怎样珍惜自己的尊严，也应当怎样维护他人的尊严。耶稣说：“全部法律和先知，都系于这两条诫命。”这里的“系于”，让我们想到支撑与承托：圣经中的各种伦理要求，都从这两条诫命获得方向。公义维护尊严，诚实建立信任，忠信守护承诺，怜悯照顾受苦的人。圣奥思定说：“你若看见爱德，就看见天主圣三。”天父赐下圣子，圣子为我们交付生命，圣神把天主的爱倾注在人心中。人蒙召在恩宠中分享这种爱，学习以基督的心关怀别人，并在实际的付出中逐渐肖似天主。 读经一让我们明白，爱近人怎样落实在生活中。出谷纪提到外侨、寡妇、孤儿与穷人，他们都格外需要社会的保障与他人的照顾。上主对以色列人说：“你们也曾在埃及侨居过。”这句话唤醒他们的历史记忆：他们曾经在异乡生活，经历劳苦，也领受天主的拯救。如今，他们应当记得自己走过的路，以体谅和公道对待寄居在他们中间的人。中国文化讲“饮水思源”，信仰使这种感恩有了更深的意义：我们记得天主怎样扶持自己，也学习怎样扶持别人；我们珍惜所领受的恩典，也愿意让别人经由我们得到帮助。蒙恩的记忆，由此成为承担责任的力量。“推己及人”也有了具体的内容：从自己的经历出发，体会别人的艰难，并以适当的行动回应他们的需要。 读经特别提到穷人抵押的外衣，要求债权人在日落前归还。对债权人来说，外衣是一件抵押品；对穷人来说，它是夜间的铺盖，关系到身体的温暖与安睡。同一件外衣，在两个人的生活中有着如此悬殊的分量，天主要求拥有资源的人认真看待这种差别。债务涉及偿还的责任，借贷也涉及对生命的尊重；公道的安排，应当同时顾及双方的责任与人的基本需要。圣经所讲的公义，因此深入一个人怎样生活、怎样休息、怎样保有尊严这些事情。财物的运用，承载着对人的责任；权利的行使，也应当顾及他人的生存。那件在日落前归还的外衣，说明真正的仁慈需要细心：看见别人今晚的寒冷，理解他眼前的处境，并及时作出回应。 天主也以严厉的审判语言，表达他对受苦者的眷顾，以及对压迫者的追究。他俯听寡妇和孤儿的呼声，要求拥有资源与权力的人为自己的行为负责。经文警告，压迫者的家人也将面对寡居与孤苦，使人认真看待彼此共同的命运：别人的妻儿与自己的妻儿，同样值得珍惜；别人的痛苦与自己的痛苦，同样具有分量。天主的震怒表达他对邪恶的审判，他的俯听表达他对受苦者的怜悯，两者共同表达他对生命的珍视。这样的圣言促使我们省察，自己所拥有的资源，怎样成为他人的帮助；自己所行使的权力，怎样成为弱小者的保障。资源越丰富，服务的责任也越重大；影响越深远，对公义的承担也越需要认真。 读经二进一步指出，这样的生活从皈依天主开始。圣保禄称赞得撒洛尼人，因为他们离开偶像，事奉永生的真天主，并期待复活的基督再临。皈依意味着重新安排人生的轻重次序，让天主居于首位，使世上的事物各得其所。财富成为服务生活的资源，才能成为造福他人的恩赐，成就成为感恩与承担的机会，权力成为服务大众的托付。全心爱天主，使人获得内在的自由，懂得怎样拥有、怎样分享、怎样为他人的益处作出选择。保禄又说，得撒洛尼人在许多苦难中，仍然怀着圣神的喜乐接受圣道。他们的力量来自复活的基督：耶稣已经走过死亡，进入复活的生命，也把跟随他的人引向救恩。期待基督再临，使他们以永恒的眼光看待今天，以忠信的行动履行今天的责任。这样的盼望，使人能在艰难中坚持良善，在付出中持守爱德，在等待中继续履行自己的责任。他们接受的圣道，逐渐成为生活的准则，并经由他们的见证传扬出去。对圣经的理解由此成为生活的智慧，圣道也在人身上结出果实。 加尔各答圣德肋撒修女说过：“信德的果实是爱，爱的果实是服务，服务的果实是平安。”这句话点出了信仰成长的过程：人相信天主的爱，便学习以爱回应；爱进入行动，便成为服务；服务使人得到照顾，也让人与人之间多一份关怀与和睦。祈祷滋养这种爱，服务实践这种爱，二者共同帮助人走向成圣。答唱咏说：“上主，我的力量！我爱慕你。”天主既是我们所爱的主，也是支持我们去爱的力量。我们在祈祷中领受他的恩宠，在生活中运用他的恩赐，又在服务他人的过程中，更深体会他的仁慈。这样的信仰，让我们在日常生活中实践“知行合一”：所认识的真理进入行动，所付出的行动又帮助我们更深认识真理。 爱天主和爱近人，共同指出基督徒生活的方向。爱天主，使人知道生命从哪里来，往哪里去；爱近人，使这种认识化为对眼前之人的珍惜。我们渴望受到尊重，也珍视别人的尊严；我们需要安宁，也顾念别人的劳苦；我们盼望得到体谅，也愿意耐心聆听别人。这种爱从身边开始，进入家庭、工作、经济活动与社会制度，逐渐成为待人处事的准则。它需要真知灼见，也需要身体力行；需要全心归向天主，也需要认真承担对人的责任。出谷纪所说的日落，给这份责任定下了具体的时刻：那件外衣，要在穷人需要它的时候归还。爱也有这样的及时与体贴，愿意为眼前的人作出合宜的行动，让他得到温暖、保有尊严、怀抱希望。当我们以具体的行动照顾他人的需要时，爱天主、爱近人的诫命就在日常生活中结出果实。 Scripture Reflection in English Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time A Today is the Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Today’s readings speak about loving God and loving our neighbor, helping us understand the heart of faith and the way Christians are called to live. Love of God gives our lives their final direction; love of neighbor puts this understanding into daily practice. The two commandments belong together and guide Christian living. Today’s Gospel begins with a question about the commandments, leading us toward the heart of Scripture and inviting us to consider: How should someone who truly loves God live? A scholar of the law asks Jesus, “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” Jewish religious life included many specific commandments. His question concerns how to understand them and grasp their shared purpose. Jesus answers by quoting the sixth chapter of Deuteronomy: “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This commandment belongs to the profession of faith that the people of Israel regularly recite, reminding them to whom they belong and how they should live. Loving God with heart, soul, and mind means responding with our whole person, bringing thought, affection, intention, and action into a common direction. Reason seeks truth, conscience discerns good and evil, the will chooses goodness, and our affections grow toward maturity. All these belong within a life of love for God. Such love also involves faithfulness: gratitude in prosperity, trust in hardship, and commitment to our covenant with God through everyday choices. God is the source of life and its final fulfillment. As we come to know him more deeply, we understand more clearly what we live for and how to exercise the freedom we have received. Jesus then quotes the nineteenth chapter of Leviticus: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” He introduces this commandment by saying, “The second is like it.” These words give love of neighbor a place of profound importance: our devotion to God should bear fruit in the way we treat one another. Every person receives life from God and possesses a dignity God has given. Cherishing others is a practical response to God’s care for them. Loving our neighbor as ourselves also gives us a concrete measure: we should take another person’s circumstances as seriously as we take our own needs, and protect another person’s dignity as carefully as we cherish our own. Jesus declares, “The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.” The word “depend” suggests support: Scripture’s moral teachings receive their direction from these two commandments. Justice protects dignity, honesty builds trust, faithfulness safeguards promises, and mercy cares for those who suffer. Saint Augustine writes, “If you see charity, you see the Trinity.” The Father gives the Son, the Son offers his life for us, and the Holy Spirit pours God’s love into our hearts. Through grace, we are called to share in this love, learning to care for others with the heart of Christ and growing into God’s likeness through practical generosity. The first reading shows us how love of neighbor takes shape in daily life. Exodus names immigrants, widows, orphans, and people living in poverty. All have a particular need for the community’s protection and the care of others. God tells the Israelites, “You were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt.” These words awaken their historical memory: they experienced life in a foreign land, endured hardship, and received God’s deliverance. They are now called to remember their own journey and treat those living among them with understanding and fairness. A Chinese saying encourages those drinking water to remember its source. Faith gives this gratitude a deeper meaning: remembering how God sustained us teaches us to sustain others; appreciating the grace we have received moves us to share its benefits. The memory of grace becomes a source of responsibility. Taking another person’s circumstances as seriously as our own also becomes practical: we draw upon our experience to understand another’s difficulties and respond appropriately to their needs. The reading gives particular attention to a poor person’s cloak held as collateral, requiring its return before sunset. For the lender, the cloak provides security for a loan; for the borrower, it provides a covering at night, warmth, and rest. The same cloak carries vastly different weight in these two lives, and God calls the person with resources to take that difference seriously. Debt involves responsibility for repayment, and lending also involves respect for life. A just arrangement attends to the responsibilities of both parties and to basic human needs. Biblical justice thus reaches into the circumstances of daily living: how someone lives, rests, and retains dignity. The use of possessions carries responsibilities toward people; the exercise of rights should also respect another person’s livelihood. The cloak returned before sunset teaches us that genuine compassion requires attentiveness: recognizing someone’s need for warmth tonight, understanding their present circumstances, and responding promptly. God also speaks through severe language of judgment, expressing his care for those who suffer and holding oppressors accountable. He hears the cries of widows and orphans and requires those with resources and authority to answer for their conduct. The warning that an oppressor’s family will also face widowhood and orphanhood calls attention to our shared humanity: another person’s spouse and children deserve the same care as our own, and another person’s suffering carries the same human weight. God’s anger expresses his judgment upon evil; his attention to the afflicted expresses his mercy. Both express his regard for human life. These words invite us to examine how our resources might help others and how our authority might protect vulnerable people. Greater resources bring greater responsibility to serve; wider influence calls for a deeper commitment to justice. The second reading further explains that this way of living begins with conversion to God. Saint Paul praises the Thessalonians for turning from idols to serve the living and true God and to await the return of the risen Christ. Conversion means putting our priorities in their proper order, giving God first place and allowing created things to fulfill their proper purpose. Wealth becomes a resource for supporting life, talents become gifts for helping others, achievement becomes an opportunity for gratitude and responsibility, and authority becomes a trust for serving the community. Wholehearted love of God brings inner freedom, teaching us how to possess, how to share, and how to choose what benefits others. Paul also recalls that the Thessalonians received the word amid great affliction with joy from the Holy Spirit. Their strength comes from the risen Christ: Jesus has passed through death into resurrection life and leads his followers toward salvation. Awaiting his return teaches them to view the present in the light of eternity and fulfill today’s responsibilities through faithful action. This hope sustains goodness through hardship, charity through sacrifice, and perseverance in their duties as they wait. The word they received gradually shaped their conduct and spread through their witness. Their understanding of Scripture became wisdom for living, and the word bore fruit in their lives. Saint Teresa of Calcutta said, “The fruit of faith is love; the fruit of love is service; the fruit of service is peace.” Her words describe how faith grows: believing in God’s love teaches us to respond with love; love expressed through action becomes service; service brings care to people and nurtures greater compassion and harmony among them. Prayer nourishes this love, service puts it into practice, and both help us grow in holiness. The psalm declares, “I love you, Lord, my strength.” God is both the Lord we love and the strength sustaining our love. We receive his grace in prayer, use his gifts in daily life, and discover his mercy more deeply through serving others. This faith helps us practice what Chinese tradition calls “the unity of knowledge and action”: the truth we understand shapes our conduct, and the good we practice deepens our understanding of truth. Love of God and love of neighbor together guide Christian living. Love of God helps us understand where life comes from and where it is going; love of neighbor turns this understanding into care for the person before us. Our desire for respect teaches us to cherish another’s dignity; our need for peace makes us attentive to another’s weariness; our hope of being understood encourages patient listening. This love begins close to home and enters family life, work, economic activity, and social institutions, gradually becoming a guiding principle for how we treat people and conduct our affairs. It calls for thoughtful understanding and committed action, wholehearted devotion to God and serious responsibility toward others. The sunset mentioned in Exodus gives this responsibility a definite time: the cloak must be returned when the poor person needs it. Love has this same attentiveness and sense of timing. It moves us to respond appropriately to the person before us, offering warmth, protecting dignity, and nurturing hope. When we attend to the needs of others through concrete action, the commandments to love God and love our neighbor bear fruit in daily life. Fr. (Joseph) Guozhang Ruan was born and ordained in China. After serving in parish ministry in the Diocese of Mindong, Fujian, he pursued advanced studies in moral theology in Rome, earning a doctorate from the Pontifical Lateran University. Since coming to the United States in 2004, he has served in several parishes in the Archdiocese of New York. He is currently the Director of the Chinese Apostolate for the Archdiocese of New York and Parochial Vicar of Holy Rosary Church on Staten Island. His ministry focuses on serving Chinese Catholics, promoting evangelization, and fostering greater understanding between the Church in China and the universal Church. ---------------------- The USCCA is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. Your donations are tax-deductible to the maximum extent allowed by law. The success of our work depends upon the generosity of people like you.

By Chiaretto Yan This past summer, I was invited to two events in the US: to give a couple of talks at the USCCA conference on “Building Trust and Friendship” in Houston, TX, and to present my newly published book, My Chinese Dream: Dialogues and Encounters with Christianity, at DePaul University. Since it was a long journey, I took the opportunity to visit old friends and relatives across North America. Traveling from the East Coast to the West Coast, from south to north—Houston to Toronto—I visited a total of seven major cities, gave lectures in six Chinatowns and parishes, and conducted interviews in English and Cantonese. It turned out to be a deeply enriching and fruitful experience. Recently, I reflected on this scripture passage: “You shall not oppress or afflict a resident alien, for you were once aliens residing in the land of Egypt.” (Ex 22:21). This became the leitmotif (recurring theme) of my trip to North America as an alien myself during this period. For example, I only discovered that I needed a visa for Canada when I arrived at the San Francisco airport. The airline staff told me, “Apply online; you should have enough time. Just check Google yourself.” To make a long story short, I ended up missing my flight and felt completely desperate. I left that airline's counter and went to Air Canada. The agent there was exceptionally kind and eager to help. She tried assisting me with my mobile phone, but my payment wouldn't go through. In the end, she applied on her own phone and paid for my visa herself. I wanted to reimburse her, but she kindly refused and walked away. I was deeply grateful and reported her good deeds to the airline for helping a stranger in need. Back at the Houston conference, I had already made many new friends from L.A. and D.C., who offered me generous hospitality and genuine friendship. During this journey, I also reunited with old friends whom I hadn't seen in over 30 years. In Toronto, I shared my wish with Irene to find a venue where I could meet with old friends. Although it seemed difficult at first, through Irene’s dedication and God’s grace, we ended up holding three gatherings and doing several interviews with local Chinese Catholic media. In every Chinese parish and community I visited, I shared my personal testimony. I was born in Mainland China and grew up in Hong Kong. As a teenager, I became a Catholic after meeting a group of young people who lived out the Gospel authentically, which transformed my life. For the past 30 years, I have lived in Mainland China, sharing this deeper life of faith with others—precisely because my “Chinese Dream” is for people to enjoy a better life. My personal story resonated deeply with the audience. Many had pursued their own "American Dream" here—some 30 or more years ago, others 20 years ago, and some more recently. Though well-established now, all of them had been resident aliens in a foreign land at one point. This made their warm hospitality toward me even more meaningful. After my presentations, a priest and several parishioners in Los Angeles and Toronto invited me to give online catechism classes or OCIA in the future, given that I speak Cantonese, Mandarin, and English. I gladly accepted, as we shared so much in common, and it offers a wonderful opportunity to accompany new immigrants in their faith journey. Furthermore, in the Bay Area and Toronto, I met diverse groups originating from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Mainland China. Despite our different backgrounds, our gatherings were marked by harmonious relationships. Flying back to Shanghai from the US, my heart is filled with joy and gratitude. While we often witness a culture of indifference in the world around us, there are still so many people ready to extend a helping hand to a stranger in a foreign land. This is the true essence of universal brotherhood and sisterhood. A more fraternal world of peace is not merely a dream. Dr. Chiaretto Yan 甄健湘 is a visiting professor at the University of Saint Joseph (Macau) and the National Seminary of China (Beijing). He is a consecrated member of the international Focolare movement. He holds a doctorate in practical theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome and a second doctorate in philosophy from the Sophia University Institute in Loppiano. His publications include Evangelization in China: Challenges and Prospects and My Chinese Dream: Dialogues and Encounters with Christianity. Note from the USCCA: Dr. Chiaretto Yan has been a dear friend of the USCCA community for many years. The warm reception he experienced on his North American book tour is a sign that despite frequent media talk of tension between China and the U.S., human hearts are always ready for communion, friendship, and dialogue. The Catholic faith is universal; so is human solidarity. How good it is to see a “resident alien” warmly embraced in North America, where he politely and movingly shared his “Chinese Dream,” a dream for a better life for his people, to be realized by a supernatural love modeled after the Holy Trinity. As Chiaretto points out in his interview with Megan Mio of the Archdiocese of Chicago, this “Chinese dream” of unity and harmony by way of Christian love is not simply the humble dream of Chiaretto Yan. It is also the dream of Jesus, who prays for the world that all may be one. We encourage you to check out this book by Chiaretto: We also invite you to watch the interview videos below to get a vivid sense of Chiaretto’s theological and spiritual vision for China. ---------------------- The USCCA is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. Your donations are tax-deductible to the maximum extent allowed by law. The success of our work depends upon the generosity of people like you.

Painting by Chen Yuandu 陳緣督 (1902-1967), Housed in the Société des Auxiliaires des Missions Collection – Whitworth University What does Christian mission require of the disciple? How do we proclaim Christ with courage and humility? How can the spirit of World Mission Sunday enter into our daily life? Fr. Joseph reflects on these questions through this Sunday's Scriptures, included below in Chinese and then in English: Scripture Reflection in Chinese 常年期第二十九主日——普世传教节 今天，我们庆祝常年期第二十九主日，同时也庆祝普世传教节。1926年，教宗庇护十一世应传信善会的请求，设立这个节日，邀请全球信友共同承担传播福音的责任。每年十月倒数第二个主日，各地教会借着祈祷、奉献和实际支持，彼此扶持，让福音跨越地域与文化，走进人群。 今天的福音从一场精心安排的试探展开。法利塞人的门徒与黑落德党人问耶稣：“纳税给凯撒，可以不可以？”（玛22:17）这个问题暗藏圈套：赞成纳税，容易被指迎合统治者；反对纳税，又可能招致政治控告。他们企图让耶稣在两难之间失言。耶稣的回答却触及权力的根本界限：凯撒究竟可以向人要求什么？ 耶稣让他们拿出一枚税币，问：“这是谁的肖像和名号？”（玛22:20）他们回答“凯撒的”。耶稣便说：“那么，凯撒的就该归还凯撒；天主的就该归还天主。”（玛22:21）这句话承认人在公共生活中应尽的责任，也指出一切人间权力都有限度。凯撒可以征收税赋，却无权索取只属于天主的敬拜与终极忠诚。国家与制度各有其职分；任何权力一旦把自己置于至高的位置，就越过了界限。信仰由此赋予人承担社会责任的依据，也赋予人凭良心分辨、拒绝不义的勇气。 “天主的就该归还天主”，又把我们的目光从钱币转向人。钱币上刻着凯撒的肖像；人按天主的肖像受造（参创1:27）。在创造的光照下，我们便能进一步领会耶稣这句话的分量：人的整个生命都属于天主。这份归属奠定了人的尊严，也为人对他人的支配划出界限。人的价值无须等待社会承认，也不取决于财富、能力、国籍和地位。即使一个人失去工作、健康、自由，甚至遭到众人遗弃，他仍然是天主所创造、所爱的人。任何人、任何权力，都无权把他当作可以任意利用或舍弃的工具。 这也指出了传教的方向。教会宣讲耶稣基督，使人认识那位创造人、爱人，并在基督内施行救恩的天主，也发现自己被爱的身份与生命的召叫。因此，传教的方式必须与福音相称：尊重人的自由，认真倾听人的疑问，清楚表达信仰，以可信的言行邀请人回应天主。每一个与我们相遇的人，都已经带着天主的肖像。羞辱、操控或利用他人的困境，都会损害我们所传的福音。向人宣讲天主，要求我们认真对待眼前的人。 第一篇读经拓宽了我们的眼光。天主对居鲁士说：“我指名召叫了你……而你却不认识我。”（依45:4）这位波斯君王尚未认识以色列的天主，却已被纳入天主眷顾祂子民的计划。天主的行动超越我们熟悉的边界，祂的恩宠先于我们的脚步。传教因此需要勇气，也需要谦逊。在陌生的文化与不同的生命经验中，我们应当留意那些维护生命、追求真理、实践公义的努力，珍惜人心中对美善的渴望。相信圣神先于我们工作，使我们能够怀着敬意走近他人，也坦诚分享在基督内领受的信仰。 第二篇读经则使这份使命有了具体的形态。保禄记念信友“因信德所做的一切，因爱德所受的劳苦，因盼望我们的主耶稣基督所有的坚忍”（得前1:3）。信德进入行动，爱德承担代价，望德使人在艰难中持守。福音已经触及这些人的选择，使他们肯付出，并有力量坚持。今天，我们怎样对待无力回报的人，怎样在利益面前守住诚实，怎样陪伴陷于困境的人，同样关系到所传的信仰是否可信。福音借着言语被听见，也借着生活被看见；圣神赐下力量，使它在人心中扎根、结果（参得前1:5）。 普世传教节由此走进每个人的日常。在家庭中，认真听受伤的人说话；在工作中，拒绝以他人的尊严换取自己的利益；在公共讨论中，核实事实，克制羞辱，尊重与自己意见不同的人。这些选择使信仰有了可见的形态。当有人询问我们为何这样生活，我们也应当能够清楚回答：我们相信耶稣基督，相信天主爱人，并召叫我们以同样的爱对待他人。行动使宣讲可信，宣讲让人认识这份爱的泉源。 凯撒的肖像，使人认出钱币的归属；天主的肖像，使我们认出每个人都属于祂。把属于天主的归还天主，就是以整个生命回应祂，并按祂所赋予的尊严对待每一个人。教会宣讲在基督内亲近人类的天主，也有责任让人从我们的言行中感受到祂的亲近：让被轻视的人得到尊重，让被遗弃的人得到陪伴，让寻找真理的人得到诚恳的对待。传教就在这样的相遇中展开：我们向人讲述基督，也让人从我们的生活中认出基督。 Scripture Reflection in English Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time—World Mission Sunday Today we celebrate the Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time and World Mission Sunday. In 1926, Pope Pius XI established this observance at the request of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, inviting Catholics worldwide to share responsibility for spreading the Gospel. Each year, on the next-to-last Sunday of October, local churches support one another through prayer, offerings, and practical assistance, helping the Gospel cross geographical and cultural boundaries and reach people in their daily lives. Today’s Gospel opens with a carefully arranged trap. The disciples of the Pharisees and the Herodians ask Jesus, “Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?” (Mt 22:17). The question conceals a dilemma: supporting the tax could expose him to accusations of accommodating the ruler; opposing it could lead to political charges. They intend to catch Jesus in his words. His answer, however, addresses the fundamental limits of authority: What, ultimately, can Caesar demand of a human being? Jesus asks them to produce the coin used for the tax. “Whose image is this and whose inscription?” he asks (Mt 22:20). They answer, “Caesar’s.” Jesus then says, “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God” (Mt 22:21). These words acknowledge our responsibilities in public life while establishing that every human authority has limits. Caesar may collect taxes, but he has no right to demand the worship and ultimate allegiance that belong to God alone. States and institutions have their proper responsibilities; any authority that claims supremacy over everything exceeds its limits. Faith thus gives us grounds for fulfilling our responsibilities to society, as well as the courage to discern in conscience and resist injustice. “To God what belongs to God” also turns our attention from the coin to the human person. The coin bears Caesar’s image; human beings are created in the image of God (see Gn 1:27). In the light of creation, we can appreciate more fully the significance of Jesus’ words: the whole of human life belongs to God. This belonging establishes human dignity and sets limits to one person’s power over another. Our worth does not await society’s recognition or depend on wealth, ability, nationality, or status. Even someone who loses employment, health, or freedom, or is abandoned by everyone, remains a person created and loved by God. No individual or authority has the right to treat that person as a tool to be used or discarded at will. This also points to the direction of Christian mission. The Church proclaims Jesus Christ so that people may know the God who creates them, loves them, and brings salvation in Christ, and discover their own identity as beloved persons and the calling of their lives. The way we carry out this mission must therefore accord with the Gospel: respecting human freedom, listening carefully to people’s questions, expressing our faith clearly, and inviting a response to God through credible words and actions. Every person we encounter already bears God’s image. Humiliation, manipulation, and the exploitation of another’s hardship damage the Gospel we proclaim. Proclaiming God requires us to take seriously the person before us. The first reading widens our perspective further. God tells Cyrus, “I have called you by your name, giving you a title, though you knew me not” (Is 45:4). This Persian king did not yet know the God of Israel, yet he had already been drawn into God’s care for his people. God’s activity reaches beyond familiar boundaries, and his grace precedes our steps. Mission therefore requires courage and humility. Within unfamiliar cultures and different human experiences, we should recognize efforts to protect life, seek truth, and practise justice, and cherish the human longing for goodness. Believing that the Holy Spirit is already at work before we arrive enables us to approach others respectfully and share openly the faith we have received in Christ. The second reading gives this mission a concrete form. Paul remembers the believers’ “work of faith and labor of love and endurance in hope of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thes 1:3). Faith becomes action, love accepts a cost, and hope sustains perseverance through difficulty. The Gospel has touched their choices, making them willing to give of themselves and strengthening them to persevere. Today, how we treat those who cannot repay us, preserve honesty when personal advantage is at stake, and accompany people in distress likewise affects the credibility of the faith we proclaim. The Gospel is heard through words and seen through lives; the Holy Spirit gives it power to take root and bear fruit in human hearts (see 1 Thes 1:5). World Mission Sunday thus enters everyone’s daily life. Within a family, it means listening attentively to someone who has been hurt. At work, it means refusing to secure personal gain at the expense of another’s dignity. In public discussion, it means checking facts, refraining from humiliation, and respecting people whose opinions differ from our own. These choices give faith a visible form. When someone asks why we live this way, we should also be able to answer clearly: we believe in Jesus Christ, in God’s love for humanity, and in his call to treat others with that same love. Our actions make our proclamation credible; our proclamation reveals the source of this love. Caesar’s image identifies the coin as his; God’s image reveals that every person belongs to him. Giving to God what belongs to God means responding to him with our whole lives and treating every person according to their God-given dignity. The Church proclaims the God who draws near to humanity in Christ. We also have a responsibility to let people experience his closeness through our words and actions: offering respect to those who are disregarded, companionship to those who are abandoned, and an honest response to those seeking truth. Mission unfolds in such encounters: we speak to people about Christ and enable them to recognize him in our lives. Fr. (Joseph) Guozhang Ruan was born and ordained in China. After serving in parish ministry in the Diocese of Mindong, Fujian, he pursued advanced studies in moral theology in Rome, earning a doctorate from the Pontifical Lateran University. Since coming to the United States in 2004, he has served in several parishes in the Archdiocese of New York. He is currently the Director of the Chinese Apostolate for the Archdiocese of New York and Parochial Vicar of Holy Rosary Church on Staten Island. His ministry focuses on serving Chinese Catholics, promoting evangelization, and fostering greater understanding between the Church in China and the universal Church. ---------------------- The USCCA is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. Your donations are tax-deductible to the maximum extent allowed by law. The success of our work depends upon the generosity of people like you.

The USCCA joins Catholics worldwide in praying for the health and healing of Pope Leo as he recuperates from surgery. In the words of Psalm 41, we sincerely pray to the Lord for the recovery of his servant Pope Leo: 眷顧貧苦，主必賜福。 The Lord will surely bless those who care for the poor. 身罹患難，春回黍谷。主必相之，翼而長之。 Though he is suffering, he will miraculously recover, for the Lord is with him and shields him under his wings. 優遊一世，潤之昌之。敵人欲害，保之障之。 He will live with gladness and ease, nourished and blessed by the Lord. He will be protected from his enemy, who tries to hurt him. 呻吟病榻，扶之掖之。輾轉不寧，康之復之。 When he cries out in his sick bed, the Lord will carry and support him. When he tosses and turns in his distress, the Lord will heal him and renew his health. 中文Chinese: 吳經熊John C. H. Wu, 《聖詠譯意》 English: Re-translation of John C. H. Wu’s Chinese translation of Psalm 41, by Dr. Kathy Stout ---------------------- The USCCA is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. Your donations are tax-deductible to the maximum extent allowed by law. The success of our work depends upon the generosity of people like you.

God invites everyone to the joy of the heavenly banquet. All He requires is a sincere response and a willingness for the guest to put on the wedding garment of charity. We invite you to read Fr. Joseph Ruan's latest bilingual Scripture reflection, available below in Chinese and then in English: Scripture Reflection in Chinese 常年期第二十八主日甲年 今天是常年期第二十八主日。今天的读经以盛宴讲述天主的救恩，也提醒我们真心回应天主的召叫。福音中，耶稣以国王为儿子摆设婚宴的比喻，表明天主愿意邀请万民分享他的生命。天主诚心邀请，人也要真心接受恩宠，悔改更新，才能分享天国的福乐。 耶稣说：“天国好比一个国王，为儿子摆设婚宴”（玛22:2）。婚宴是分享喜乐的场合，主人预备丰盛的食物，邀请宾客欢聚一堂。在这个比喻中，国王代表天父，儿子代表耶稣。天父派遣圣子来到世上，耶稣藉着苦难、死亡和复活，为人打开通向永生的道路。婚宴所表达的，就是天主愿意人通过基督，分享祂救恩的喜乐。 国王派仆人去邀请宾客，客人却不愿意来。他又派另一批仆人，告诉他们：“一切都齐备了。请来参加婚宴吧！”然而，有人不理睬，去耕田；有人去做生意；还有人凌辱并杀死仆人（玛22:3-6）。国王一再派人邀请，表示出他的诚意；宾客的冷漠和暴行，则表明他们对邀请的拒绝。耶稣讲这个比喻时，面对的是司祭长和民间长老（玛22:1）。这些话表明了他们面对天主召叫时的态度：天主曾派遣先知，劝人听从他、归向他，却有人拒绝接受先知，甚至迫害他们；如今，天主的圣子亲自来到，这些领袖仍然拒绝接受他。 国王震怒，派军队惩罚凶手，焚烧他们的城市（玛22:7）。这段严厉的情节，表明拒绝接受天主、迫害天主派遣的先知，会带来严重的后果。耶稣借此提醒人们，天主的召叫需要人郑重回应。国王随后吩咐仆人：“你们到各路口去，凡是你们遇到的人，都请来参加婚宴。”仆人便把所遇到的，无论坏人好人，都召集了来，婚宴上坐满了客人（玛22:9-10）。这句话充满仁慈与希望：天主邀请罪人，给人悔改、获得赦免和重新开始的机会。人能够来到天主面前，首先是因为天主主动的召叫，愿意赐给人救恩。 国王进入婚宴，看见一个人没有穿婚宴礼服，就问他：“朋友，你没有穿婚宴礼服，怎么就到这里来呢？”那人默默无语，最终被绑住手脚，丢到外面的黑暗中（玛22:11-13）。在故事中，“外面的黑暗”就是婚宴所在的厅堂之外、没有宴席灯光的黑暗地方。那个人被赶出去，不能再与宾客一起分享婚宴的喜乐。“哀号和切齿”描写他痛苦、懊悔的处境。在耶稣所讲的天国比喻中，这个情节也提醒人们：最终被排除在天国的喜乐之外，是何等严重的损失。 前面说坏人好人都受到邀请，后面又要求穿上礼服，这两部分应当连在一起理解：天主愿意接纳罪人，也愿意使罪人悔改更新。邀请向所有人敞开，接受邀请的人也要作出相称的回应。在教会的传统理解中，婚宴礼服常代表爱德，就是爱天主、爱人的心。人领受天主的恩宠，就应当让恩宠改变自己的心，活出新的生命。 圣保禄说，受洗归于基督的人已经“穿上了基督”（迦3:27）。“穿上基督”，就是属于耶稣，接受他的教导，靠着他的恩宠，学习他的爱。婚宴礼服的意义也可以由此理解：进入婚宴的人，要以更新的生命回应国王的邀请。天主召叫人来到他面前，赐给人赦罪的恩宠，也召叫人离开罪恶，活出爱德。 耶稣最后说：“被召请的人多，被选上的人少”（玛22:14）。“被召请”，就是受到邀请；“被选上”，就是最后获准留下，分享宴席。比喻中，有人受到邀请却拒绝前来，也有人虽然来了，却没有穿上婚宴礼服。因此，受到邀请，并不表示最后一定能分享婚宴。耶稣以这句话提醒我们：天主召叫人进入天国，人也要真心接受，悔改更新，活出爱德。这句话没有给出得救人数的比例，而是提醒听众认真回应天主的恩宠。 第一篇读经中，依撒意亚先知说，万军的上主要为万民摆设盛宴，预备丰美的食物和上等的陈酒（依25:6）。这与福音中“凡是你们遇到的人，都请来”的邀请相呼应，表明天主愿意万民分享他的救恩。先知还说，天主要掀去遮住万民的“丧帕”和掩盖各国的“殓布”，并且“永远消除死亡”（依25:7-8）。“丧帕”是带有丧事、哀悼意味的遮盖之布，用来表达死亡所带来的悲伤；“殓布”则是覆盖或包裹死者身体的布。在这段圣言中，先知用这些布作比喻，表明死亡和悲伤好像一层沉重的遮盖，笼罩着全人类。天主许诺掀去这层遮盖，就是许诺战胜死亡，赐给人永远的生命。 天主还要“从每个人的脸上拭去眼泪”（依25:8）。这句话十分亲切，就像母亲看见孩子哭了，替他擦掉眼泪。天主知道人的痛苦，也愿意亲自安慰人。这个许诺在耶稣基督的复活中开始实现，并将在救恩圆满时完全实现：死亡被消除，眼泪被拭去，人永远生活在天主的爱内。因此，人们欢呼：“这是我们所期待的拯救我们的天主”（依25:9）。天国的盛宴所带来的，正是这份永不消逝的生命与喜乐。 第二篇读经中，圣保禄说：“我仰赖加强我力量的那一位，任何事都能做”（斐4:13）。他所说的“任何事”，是指无论饱足或饥饿、富裕或贫乏，都能靠着基督的扶持，继续忠于天主（斐4:12）。顺境也好，逆境也好，基督都是他的力量。保禄也感谢斐理伯信友分担他的困苦，并相信天主会在基督耶稣内满足他们的需要（斐4:14、19）。这里既有对天主的信赖，也有信友之间具体的关怀，让我们看见爱德如何结出果实。召叫人的救主，也扶持人回应；赐给人恩宠的天主，也帮助人活出新的生命。 今天，让我们怀着感恩来到耶稣面前，求耶稣以自己的圣体圣血养育我们，使我们真心接受天父的邀请，悔改更新，穿上爱德的礼服。愿我们在各种境遇中，都能靠着基督的力量忠于天主，直到有一天，与诸圣一起，在天国的盛宴中分享永远的福乐。阿们。 Scripture Reflection in English Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Today is the Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Today’s readings describe God’s salvation through the image of a feast and call us to respond sincerely to his invitation. In the Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of a king who prepares a wedding feast for his son. This story expresses God’s desire to invite all peoples to share his life. God extends his invitation with love, and we are called to receive his grace, repent, and live a renewed life so that we may share the joy of his kingdom. Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to “a king who gave a wedding feast for his son” (Mt 22:2). A wedding banquet is an occasion of shared joy: the host prepares a generous meal and welcomes guests to celebrate together. In this parable, the king represents God the Father, and the son represents Jesus. The Father sends his Son into the world, and through his suffering, death, and resurrection, Jesus opens the way to eternal life. The wedding feast expresses God’s desire that we enter into communion with him through Christ and share the joy of salvation. The king sends servants to invite the guests, but they refuse to come. He sends other servants to tell them that everything is ready. Some ignore the invitation and return to their farms or businesses; others mistreat and kill the servants (Mt 22:3-6). The king’s repeated invitation expresses his sincerity, while the guests’ indifference and violence demonstrate their rejection of that invitation. Jesus addresses this parable to the chief priests and elders (Mt 22:1). His words describe their response to God’s call. God had sent prophets to call his people back to him, but some refused to accept those prophets and even persecuted them. Now God’s Son stands before these leaders, and they still refuse to accept him. The king becomes enraged and sends troops to punish the murderers and burn their city (Mt 22:7). This severe episode expresses the serious consequences of refusing to accept God and persecuting the prophets he sends. Jesus reminds his audience to take God’s call seriously. The king then sends his servants to the main roads to invite whomever they find. They gather everyone, “bad and good alike,” and the wedding hall fills with guests (Mt 22:9-10). These words offer mercy and hope. God also invites sinners, giving them the opportunity to repent, receive forgiveness, and begin again. Our coming into God’s presence begins with his initiative: he calls us and desires to give us salvation. When the king enters the wedding hall, he finds a guest without a wedding garment and asks how he came in without one. The man has no answer. His hands and feet are bound, and he is cast into the darkness outside (Mt 22:11-13). Within the story, “the darkness outside” means the dark place beyond the wedding hall, away from the light of the celebration. The man is expelled and can no longer share the guests’ joy. “Wailing and grinding of teeth” describes his suffering and anguish. Within Jesus’ parable of the kingdom, this scene also warns of the profound loss of being excluded from the joy of heaven. The invitation to both bad and good, and the requirement of a wedding garment, belong together. God welcomes sinners and calls them to repentance and a renewed life. The invitation is open to everyone, and those who accept it are called to respond in a fitting way. In the Church’s traditional understanding, the wedding garment often represents charity: love of God and love of neighbor. Those who receive God’s grace are called to let that grace transform their hearts and shape a new way of life. Saint Paul writes that those baptized into Christ have “clothed yourselves with Christ” (Gal 3:27). Belonging to Jesus means receiving his teaching and, through his grace, learning to love as he loves. These words also help us understand the wedding garment: those who enter the feast are called to respond to the king’s invitation with a renewed life. God calls people into his presence and offers forgiveness, while also calling them to turn away from sin and live in charity. Jesus concludes: “Many are invited, but few are chosen” (Mt 22:14). Being invited means being called to the banquet; being chosen means finally being accepted to remain and share the feast. Some guests refuse to come, while another enters without a wedding garment. Thus, receiving an invitation does not automatically mean sharing the banquet to the end. Jesus calls us to accept God’s invitation sincerely, repent, and live in charity. His words do not provide a numerical estimate of how many will be saved. They remind his audience to respond seriously to God’s grace. In the first reading, Isaiah announces that the LORD of hosts will provide a feast of rich food and choice wines “for all peoples” (Is 25:6). This echoes the Gospel’s invitation to everyone the servants encounter and expresses God’s desire that all peoples share his salvation. Isaiah also says that God will destroy the veil covering all peoples and the web woven over all nations, and that he will “destroy death forever” (Is 25:7-8). A veil is a covering, while a web is something woven and spread across a surface. Here, these images portray death and sorrow as a heavy covering spread over humanity. God promises to remove that covering, overcome death, and give his people lasting life. God will also wipe away “the tears from every face” (Is 25:8). This is a tender image, like a mother gently wiping away the tears of a crying child. God knows human suffering and promises his consolation. This promise begins to be fulfilled in the resurrection of Jesus and will reach its fullness when God’s saving work is complete: death will be overcome, tears will be wiped away, and his people will live forever in his love. They therefore rejoice: “Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us!” (Is 25:9). The heavenly banquet brings this enduring gift of life and joy. In the second reading, Saint Paul says, “I can do all things in him who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13). His meaning is given by the preceding verse: whether well fed or hungry, living in abundance or in need, he can remain faithful through the strength Christ gives him (Phil 4:12). Christ sustains him in both favorable and difficult circumstances. Paul also thanks the Philippians for sharing in his distress and trusts that God will supply their needs in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:14, 19). Here, confidence in God is joined to practical care for another person. We see charity bearing fruit. The Savior who calls us also strengthens us to respond; the God who gives us grace helps us live a renewed life. Today, let us come before Jesus with gratitude and ask him to nourish us with his Body and Blood, so that we may sincerely accept the Father’s invitation, repent, and put on the garment of charity. May the strength Christ gives us help us remain faithful to God in every circumstance, until we join the saints at the heavenly banquet and share its everlasting joy. Fr. (Joseph) Guozhang Ruan was born and ordained in China. After serving in parish ministry in the Diocese of Mindong, Fujian, he pursued advanced studies in moral theology in Rome, earning a doctorate from the Pontifical Lateran University. Since coming to the United States in 2004, he has served in several parishes in the Archdiocese of New York. He is currently the Director of the Chinese Apostolate for the Archdiocese of New York and Parochial Vicar of Holy Rosary Church on Staten Island. His ministry focuses on serving Chinese Catholics, promoting evangelization, and fostering greater understanding between the Church in China and the universal Church. ---------------------- The USCCA is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. Your donations are tax-deductible to the maximum extent allowed by law. The success of our work depends upon the generosity of people like you.

Tertullian once famously asked, “What does Athens have to do with Jerusalem?” The USCCA community considers a similar question today: What does Chinese art have to do with Christian faith? On Thursday, October 29, 2026, the USCCA Friendship Happy Hour will explore the relationship between traditional Chinese art and Christian spirituality. The 7th chapter of the Analects describes Confucius’s pedagogical vision for his students: 志于道 据于德 依于仁 游于艺 (《论语》7.6). In translation: Aspire to the Dao, build upon Virtue, depend on human-heartedness, and wander freely in the arts. In this vision, the arts are intimately interwoven with the pursuit of Dao and the life of virtue. How does this vision apply in the context of Christian faith? Traditional Chinese art forms such as Tai Chi and landscape painting are no longer strange fixtures in the West. Many American Christians have taken an interest in them and cultivated a personal practice. Some have even integrated their experience of Chinese arts with a formal reflection on their Christian faith. Take, for example, Dr. Bede Benjamin Bidlack, a systematic theologian at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire, who practices Tai Chi and gave a talk at the 2026 USCCA conference about the interesting points of contact between Tai Chi and the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises. Dr. Bidlack engages deeply with the theological relationship between body, soul, and spirit, and finds his knowledge and practice of Tai Chi a helpful inspiration. Or Fr. Henri Capdeville, an Episcopalian priest serving at St. Michael and All Angels church in Tucson, Arizona, who spent 43 years as a Benedictine monk and priest. He has practiced Tai Chi as a meaningful part of his monastic life since 1978. He has found that Tai Chi fits quite well with Christian monastic spirituality. Or Ms. Terri McNichol, an award-winning artist and former museum director residing in New Jersey. Ms. McNichol is now President of Ren Associates, a consulting business for transformational leadership that applies Asian Wisdom traditions. In her published articles, she has shared profound thoughts about how Chinese landscape art can inspire a different way of being and acting, with positive ramifications for inner development, leadership, and sustainability. Join us on Thursday, October 29, 2026, at 7 pm ET to hear directly from these three experts. To register, click the link below: The USCCA Friendship Happy Hour is a round-table virtual conversation designed for mutual learning and fellowship within the USCCA community. It is not an academic lecture but a semi-structured conversation that allows specialists, clergy, religious, and laity to exchange their minds and hearts. We will discuss important topics of faith and culture in the spirit of friendship and dialogue. Join us! ---------------------- The USCCA is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. Your donations are tax-deductible to the maximum extent allowed by law. The success of our work depends upon the generosity of people like you.

Photo by Kathy Stout, St. Anthony's Church in Shenzhen, China Today’s readings show us that God lovingly cultivates his people, sends his prophets, and finally sends his own Son, expecting them to bear fruit in justice and faithfulness. His grace brings a calling, and what he entrusts to us calls for a response. We invite you to read more in Fr. Joseph Ruan's latest bilingual Scripture reflection, included below in Chinese and then in English: Scripture Reflection in Chinese 常年期第二十七主日（甲年） 今天我们庆祝常年期第二十七主日。所宣读的圣经以葡萄园为中心，讲述天主怎样爱护自己的子民，也说明他期待什么样的果实。福音中的恶佃户一再拒绝园主的使者，最后连园主的儿子也被杀害。然而，人的拒绝并没有使天主的救恩计划落空：被弃而不用的石头，竟成了屋角的基石。 福音的比喻从园主的细心预备开始。他栽种葡萄园，围上篱笆，掘好榨酒池，筑起瞭望台，然后把葡萄园租给佃户，就远行去了（玛21:33）。这些细节呼应依撒意亚先知的葡萄园之歌，使人想到天主对以色列子民的悉心照顾。园主先作了充分的预备，才把葡萄园交托出去；他对出产的要求，建立在先前的照顾与托付之上。 葡萄园属于园主，佃户受托耕种和管理，并不因此成为葡萄园的主人。到了收成的季节，园主派仆人来收取应得的出产，要求佃户履行约定。然而，佃户却殴打一个，杀害一个，用石头打死另一个。园主再派别的仆人，他们仍遭到同样的对待（玛21:34-36）。佃户一再用暴力拒绝园主的使者，也拒绝承认园主对葡萄园的权利。 比喻中的仆人使人想到天主历代派遣的先知。他们传达天主的圣言，呼唤子民忠于盟约、实行正义，却屡遭拒绝和迫害。园主再次派遣仆人，显出天主持续的呼唤；佃户坚持抗拒，则显出人不愿接受天主的圣言，也不愿结出他所期待的果实。 最后，园主派遣了自己的儿子，心想他们会尊敬他（玛21:37）。儿子的到来，把比喻推到了紧要关头。他与先前的仆人不同：他是继承人，与园主有着独一无二的关系。在这里，耶稣启示了自己的身份和使命——他就是父所派遣的圣子。 佃户认出这是继承人，却彼此商议，要杀害他、夺取他的产业。他们把他推出园外，杀了他（玛21:38-39）。这段叙述预示耶稣将遭到拒绝，并使人想到他将在耶路撒冷城外受难。佃户以为杀了继承人就能占有葡萄园，这一举动却暴露了他们的企图：摆脱园主的权柄，把受托管理的葡萄园据为己有。他们拒绝儿子，也就拒绝了派遣他的园主。 耶稣接着问：园主来到时，会怎样处置这些佃户？司祭长和长老回答，他会严厉惩罚那些恶人，把葡萄园另租给按时交纳出产的佃户（玛21:40-41）。他们承认园主有权追究佃户的责任，却也在回答中说出了针对自身的警告：领受托付的人，必须向托付者负责。 耶稣随即引用圣咏，指出匠人弃而不用的石头，反而成了屋角的基石；这是上主的作为，在人眼中神妙莫测（玛21:42；参咏118:22-23）。这句话使比喻从儿子的死亡，进一步指向基督的复活。人拒绝了耶稣，天主却使他成为救恩的基石。人的罪恶造成真实的伤害，也必受到天主的审判；然而，天主仍在基督内为人开启救恩的道路。 因此，耶稣宣告：天主的国要从“你们”手中夺去，交给能结果实的百姓（玛21:43）。这里的“你们”，直接针对司祭长和民间长老。经文强调的是领受托付者的责任，以及天国子民应当结出的果实。宗教身份和传统地位，都不能代替对天主的忠信。天国是天主的恩赐，领受这份恩赐的百姓，蒙召接受基督、遵行天父的旨意。葡萄园仍然属于天主，受托的人必须按照他的心意照顾它。 读经一进一步说明，天主所期待的果实究竟是什么。依撒意亚先知描述园主的悉心照顾：葡萄园位于肥沃的山冈，土地经过翻耕，石块已经除去，种下的是精选的葡萄树，瞭望台和榨酒池也都齐备（依5:1-2）。园主期待葡萄，结出的却是野葡萄。于是他痛心地问：为自己的葡萄园，还有什么该做而没有做的呢？（依5:4）这句问话邀请耶路撒冷和犹大的居民作出判断，也让他们看清自己的责任。问题出在葡萄园辜负了所领受的照顾，没有结出应有的果实。 先知最后把比喻点破：万军上主的葡萄园就是以色列家，犹大居民就是他所钟爱的幼苗。上主期待正义，看见的却是流血；期待公平，听见的却是冤声（依5:7）。希伯来原文在这里运用了读音相近、意义截然不同的词语，使这份反差格外鲜明，也显出子民的生活与天主的期待相距何等遥远。 天主所期待的果实，是合乎盟约的生活：人的生命受到尊重，受压迫的人得到公正的对待，弱小者的呼声有人聆听。正义与公平，是子民忠于天主应有的表现。流血与冤声则表明，他们的实际生活违背了所领受的盟约。 至于撤去篱笆、拆毁围墙、任凭荆棘丛生，则是先知宣告的审判：天主将撤去保护，让子民面对背弃盟约的严重后果（依5:5-6）。园主悉心照顾葡萄园，也期待它结出应有的果实；子民若持续背弃盟约，就必须为自己的选择负责。 读经一与福音同样以葡萄园为背景，重点却有所不同。依撒意亚责问葡萄园为何结出野葡萄；耶稣则揭露佃户如何拒绝园主的使者和儿子。两篇经文共同指出：天主悉心照顾自己的子民，也要求他们以忠信的生活回应他的恩典。 在读经二中，圣保禄劝斐理伯的信友，在一切事上怀着感恩，以祈祷和恳求把自己的需要告诉天主（斐4:6）。他劝信友不要忧虑，是邀请他们在困难中学习信赖，把真实的挂虑带到天主面前。祈祷使人承认自己的需要，感恩则使人记得已经领受的恩典。信友在恳求中依靠天主，也在感恩中确认他的眷顾。 天主所赐、超越人理解的平安，将在基督耶稣内守护他们的心思意念（斐4:7）。“守护”带有警卫守城的意味：这份平安像卫兵一样看守人的内心，使人身处困境，仍能依靠基督。困难未必立即消失，人却可以在天主的临在中获得力量，继续忠信地生活。 今天的圣经让我们看见：天主以爱栽培自己的子民，派遣先知，最终派遣自己的圣子，并期待他们结出正义与忠信的果实。他的恩典带来召叫，他的托付也要求回应。 我们的生命、时间、能力，以及家庭、工作和教会中的责任，都需要我们怀着感恩善加运用。我们怎样使用这些恩赐，怎样对待交托给我们的人和事，正显出我们是否忠于天主。 Scripture Reflection in English Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) Today we celebrate the Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time. The Scripture readings centre on the vineyard, revealing God’s loving care for his people and the fruit he expects them to bear. In the Gospel, the wicked tenants repeatedly reject the owner’s servants and finally kill his son. Yet human rejection does not defeat God’s plan of salvation: the stone rejected by the builders becomes the cornerstone. The Gospel parable begins with the owner’s careful preparation. He plants a vineyard, puts a fence around it, digs a winepress, builds a watchtower, and then leases it to tenants and goes away (Mt 21:33). These details echo Isaiah’s Song of the Vineyard, recalling God’s attentive care for the people of Israel. The owner makes every preparation before entrusting the vineyard to others; his claim to its produce follows from the care he has given and the responsibility he has entrusted to them. The vineyard belongs to the owner. The tenants are entrusted with cultivating and managing it, but this does not make them its owners. When harvest time arrives, the owner sends his servants to collect the produce due to him, expecting the tenants to honour their agreement. Instead, they beat one servant, kill another, and stone a third. When the owner sends other servants, they receive the same treatment (Mt 21:34–36). The tenants repeatedly use violence to reject his messengers and refuse to acknowledge his rights over the vineyard. The servants in the parable recall the prophets whom God sent throughout Israel’s history. They proclaimed his word and called his people to covenant faithfulness and justice, yet they repeatedly faced rejection and persecution. The owner’s sending of further servants reveals God’s persistent call; the tenants’ continued resistance reveals humanity’s unwillingness to receive God’s word and bear the fruit he expects. Finally, the owner sends his own son, believing that they will respect him (Mt 21:37). The son’s arrival brings the parable to its decisive moment. He is different from the servants who came before him: he is the heir and stands in a unique relationship with the owner. Here Jesus reveals his identity and mission: he is the Son sent by the Father. The tenants recognise the heir, but they plot to kill him and seize his inheritance. They throw him out of the vineyard and kill him (Mt 21:38–39). This anticipates Jesus’ rejection and recalls his coming suffering and death outside Jerusalem. The tenants imagine that killing the heir will give them possession of the vineyard. Their action exposes their intention: to escape the owner’s authority and claim as their own what was entrusted to their care. In rejecting the son, they also reject the owner who sent him. Jesus then asks what the owner will do to these tenants when he comes. The chief priests and elders answer that he will punish those wicked men severely and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will deliver its produce at the proper time (Mt 21:40–41). They acknowledge the owner’s right to hold the tenants accountable, yet their answer also pronounces a warning against themselves: those entrusted with responsibility must answer to the one who entrusted it to them. Jesus then quotes the psalm, declaring that the stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing, and it is wonderful in human eyes (Mt 21:42; cf. Ps 118:22–23). These words lead the parable beyond the son’s death towards Christ’s resurrection. Humanity rejects Jesus, but God makes him the cornerstone of salvation. Human sin causes real harm and is subject to God’s judgment; nevertheless, God continues to open the way of salvation through Christ. Jesus therefore declares that the kingdom of God will be taken from “you” and given to a people who will produce its fruit (Mt 21:43). Here, “you” directly addresses the chief priests and the elders of the people. The passage emphasises the responsibility of those entrusted with God’s gifts and the fruit that the people of his kingdom must bear. Religious identity and inherited status cannot take the place of faithfulness to God. The kingdom is God’s gift, and those who receive it are called to welcome Christ and do the Father’s will. The vineyard still belongs to God, and those entrusted with it must care for it according to his purpose. The first reading explains more fully what fruit God expects. Isaiah describes the owner’s attentive care: the vineyard lies on a fertile hillside; the soil has been dug, the stones removed, and choice vines planted. A watchtower and winepress have also been prepared (Is 5:1–2). The owner expects good grapes, but the vineyard yields wild grapes. In sorrow, he asks what more he could have done for it (Is 5:4). His question invites the inhabitants of Jerusalem and Judah to judge for themselves and recognise their responsibility. The vineyard has failed to respond to the care it received and has not produced the fruit it should have borne. The prophet finally explains the image: the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the people of Judah are his cherished planting. The Lord expects justice but sees bloodshed; he expects righteousness but hears cries of distress (Is 5:7). The Hebrew text uses words that sound similar but have sharply different meanings. This makes the contrast especially striking and reveals how far the people’s lives have departed from God’s expectations. The fruit God expects is a life faithful to his covenant: human life is respected, the oppressed receive justice, and the voices of the vulnerable are heard. Justice and righteousness are the proper expressions of the people’s faithfulness to God. Bloodshed and cries of distress reveal that their conduct has violated the covenant they received. The removal of the hedge, the breaking down of the wall, and the growth of thorns express the judgment announced by the prophet: God will withdraw his protection and allow the people to face the grave consequences of breaking the covenant (Is 5:5–6). The owner has cared attentively for the vineyard and expects it to bear good fruit. If the people persist in their unfaithfulness, they must answer for their choices. The first reading and the Gospel both use the vineyard as their setting, but their emphasis differs. Isaiah asks why the vineyard has produced wild grapes; Jesus exposes how the tenants reject the owner’s servants and his son. Together, the two readings show that God cares attentively for his people and calls them to respond to his grace through faithful living. In the second reading, Saint Paul urges the Philippians to bring their needs before God in prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, in every circumstance (Phil 4:6). His exhortation not to worry invites them to learn trust amid difficulty and bring their real anxieties before God. Prayer acknowledges their need, while thanksgiving recalls the grace they have already received. In petition they depend on God; in thanksgiving they recognise his care. The peace God gives, surpassing human understanding, will guard their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:7). The word “guard” evokes soldiers keeping watch over a city. This peace watches over the heart, helping believers continue to rely on Christ even in difficult circumstances. Their troubles may not disappear immediately, but in God’s presence they can find the strength to remain faithful. Today’s readings show us that God lovingly cultivates his people, sends his prophets, and finally sends his own Son, expecting them to bear fruit in justice and faithfulness. His grace brings a calling, and what he entrusts to us calls for a response. Our lives, our time, our abilities, and our responsibilities in the family, at work, and in the Church all call for grateful and faithful stewardship. How we use these gifts and care for the people and responsibilities entrusted to us reveals whether we are faithful to God. Fr. (Joseph) Guozhang Ruan was born and ordained in China. After serving in parish ministry in the Diocese of Mindong, Fujian, he pursued advanced studies in moral theology in Rome, earning a doctorate from the Pontifical Lateran University. Since coming to the United States in 2004, he has served in several parishes in the Archdiocese of New York. He is currently the Director of the Chinese Apostolate for the Archdiocese of New York and Parochial Vicar of Holy Rosary Church on Staten Island. His ministry focuses on serving Chinese Catholics, promoting evangelization, and fostering greater understanding between the Church in China and the universal Church. ---------------------- The USCCA is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. Your donations are tax-deductible to the maximum extent allowed by law. The success of our work depends upon the generosity of people like you.

We invite you to join us for a free online public lecture by Rev. Dr. Kim-Kwong Chan. The lecture, entitled "A Tale of Two Churches: The developments and challenges of the Catholic and Protestant communities in China during the past 45 years," will be held on October 22, 2026, at 7:30 PM ET (7:30 AM on October 23 in Chinese Standard Time). Register today! ---------------------- The USCCA is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. Your donations are tax-deductible to the maximum extent allowed by law. The success of our work depends upon the generosity of people like you.

A letter from Executive Director Benjamin T. OuYang, Ph.D. Dear USCCA Family, I hope you are enjoying the cooler days of fall and time with family and friends. At our USCCA Conference in Houston this summer, I met Father Dave, a priest from New Orleans who ministers within the Chinese Catholic community. As he reflected on the Conference, he spoke not only about what he had learned, but about something perhaps even more important: he was reminded that he is not alone. That simple observation captures something essential about the mission of the US-China Catholic Association. The USCCA brings together people who might otherwise never find one another—priests and parishioners, scholars and students, Chinese Catholics and friends of China, people with decades of experience and those just beginning to discover this ministry. Through these relationships, we strengthen one another in faith, friendship, and service. Our gathering in Houston was one expression of that mission. We are taking steps to carry it forward throughout the year. New USCCA Happy Hour conversations are bringing people together between conferences. A Chinese-language Book Study is creating another opportunity for faith and learning. The Membership program offers opportunities for fellowship and mutual learning. Expanded communications and bilingual resources are helping us reach Chinese Catholic parishes, missions, families, and friends. As these efforts grow, so does the financial support required to sustain them. Your gift to the USCCA Annual Appeal helps us create programs and resources, welcome new participants, strengthen our outreach, and build a community in which people like Father Dave—and the parishes, students, families, and communities they serve—know that they are not alone. This is Faith in Action: Sharing Our Blessings to Strengthen Our USCCA Community. Our Board of Directors is joining in this effort through membership, personal giving, and inviting others to support the mission. Our annual appeal goal is to raise 80K. I invite you to consider making a gift to the USCCA Annual Appeal through this link: If you would prefer to mail a check in support of our mission, please make your gift payable to US-China Catholic Association. Our mailing address is as follows: US-China Catholic Association 1501 N. Oakley Blvd, #214 Chicago, IL 60622 Thank you for believing in this mission and for the many ways you share in it—through your participation, your prayers, your friendship, and your generosity. Together, we can continue to carry forward the mission of USCCA—one relationship, one conversation, and one small step at a time. God bless, Benjamin T. OuYang, Ph.D. Executive Director US-China Catholic Association Dr. Benjamin T. OuYang is the Executive Director of the US-China Catholic Association. Prior to joining the USCCA, he served as a podcast host and coordinator for the US Catholic Missions Association. He has extensive experience in youth ministry, marriage ministry, OCIA, prison ministry, and missionary work. A lifelong educator, Dr. OuYang dedicated thirty-two years to public education, including fifteen years as a school administrator. ---------------------- The USCCA is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. Your donations are tax-deductible to the maximum extent allowed by law. The success of our work depends upon the generosity of people like you.