Preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 🕊️
Welcome to A Word of Hope for Friday of the 29th Week in Ordinary Time (23 October 2026). Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, OP, joins us from Martin de Porres House in Oak Park, Illinois, to continue this week's reading of St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians.
Writing as "a prisoner for the Lord," Paul urges the Church to live "with all humility, gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:1–6).
Fr. Scott reflects on the astonishing thing Jesus did: bringing Jew and Gentile together into one Church where everyone has a place. That unity is the work of the Holy Spirit – the same Spirit who binds the Father and the Son without erasing their distinction. So we don't need to be identical to be united. Whether we pray in English, Spanish, or Latin, aren't we all praying in the one Spirit to the one God? Republican or Democrat – does that really stack up against the sacrifice of Christ that saves us all?
Today, let's work to see the bigger picture of our unity – and live toward it.
⏱️ TIMESTAMPS
0:00 – Welcome: Friday of the 29th Week of Ordinary Time
0:15 – Ephesians 4: "I am a prisoner of the Lord"
0:29 – "Bearing with one another through love"
0:43 – Striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit
0:50 – Jews and Gentiles: one Church where everyone has a place
1:09 – The Spirit unites the Father and the Son without erasing differences
1:25 – We don't all need to be the same
1:45 – English, Spanish, or Latin – one Spirit, one God
2:03 – What divides us is trivial compared to what unites us
2:11 – Politics vs. the sacrifice of Christ
2:28 – Today's challenge: see the bigger picture of our unity
2:38 – Blessing
📖 TODAY'S READINGS
First Reading: Ephesians 4:1–6
Gospel: Luke 12:54–59
🔔 SUBSCRIBE for a new Word of Hope every day, and tap the bell so you never miss a reflection.
👍 If this encouraged you, like and share it with someone who needs a word of hope today.
🙏 Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, OP, is a Dominican friar at Martin de Porres House in Oak Park, Illinois.
#AWordOfHope #CatholicUnity #Ephesians4 #DailyGospelReflection #OrdinaryTime #CatholicHomily #Dominicans #FrScottSteinkerchner #OneSpiritOneGod #BearWithOneAnother #CatholicChurch #DailyDevotional #HolySpirit #ChristianUnity #Catholic