Daily Readings | October 30, 2026
Today’s Readings
- Gospel: Luke 11:23–26
- Epistle: St. Paul’s Letter to the Colossians 4:10–18
- Saint of the Day: Holy Martyrs Zenobius and Zenobia
Epistle of the Day
Gospel of the Day
Luke 11:23–26
The Lord said, “He who is not with Me is against Me he who does not gather with Me scatters. When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places seeking rest; and finding none he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes he finds it swept and put in order. Then he goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.
Gospel Reflection
In this Gospel, Jesus teaches that we must make a clear choice to follow Him. When He says, “He who is not with Me is against Me,” He reminds us that faith requires commitment. We cannot claim to follow Christ while continuing to live in ways that separate us from Him. Jesus calls us to remain close to God through prayer, obedience, and love, allowing His teachings to guide our daily lives.
Jesus then tells the story of an unclean spirit that leaves a person but later returns to find the person’s life empty and unprotected. The spirit brings seven others even more evil than itself, leaving the person in a worse condition than before. Through this example, Jesus teaches us that turning away from sin is only the beginning. We must also fill our hearts with God’s presence, His Word, and good works so that we do not fall back into our old ways.
The main message is that true spiritual change requires us to remain united with Christ. It is not enough to remove sinful habits from our lives; we must replace them with prayer, repentance, humility, and love. When we continually seek God’s guidance and strengthen our relationship with Him, we become better prepared to resist temptation and remain faithful to His teachings.
Saint of the Day
Holy Martyrs Zenobius and Zenobia
Saints Zenobius and Zenobia were born in the city of Aegea in Cilicia during the third century. They were raised by devout Christian parents who taught them to love God and remain faithful to His commandments. After their parents passed away, the brother and sister gave away their possessions to the poor, choosing to dedicate their lives to serving Christ and helping those in need.
Saint Zenobius became a physician, but he did not rely primarily on medicines to heal the sick. Instead, he called upon the holy Name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, through Whom many people received healing. Because of his great compassion, generosity, and love for others, he was eventually appointed Bishop of Aegea, where he continued caring for the faithful.
Around the year 290, during the reign of Emperor Diocletian, a cruel prefect named Lysias was sent to Cilicia to persecute Christians. When Lysias heard about Saint Zenobius and the miracles performed through his prayers, he summoned him before the tribunal. The prefect demanded that Zenobius abandon his Christian faith and worship the pagan idols, hoping that his followers would do the same.
Saint Zenobius boldly confessed Christ and declared that he was prepared to die for Him rather than deny his faith. Enraged by his refusal, Lysias ordered him to be suspended from a wooden frame and cruelly tortured, with his flesh torn by iron hooks.
When Saint Zenobia learned of her brother’s suffering, she hurried to the place of his torment. Seeing his wounds, she courageously rebuked the prefect and openly confessed her own faith in Christ. Lysias first attempted to frighten her into silence, but when she refused to deny the Lord, he ordered that she be tortured alongside her brother.
The two martyrs were stretched upon an iron bed covered with burning coals. Yet, through the grace of God, they remained unharmed by the flames and continued praising Christ. Astonished and angered, the prefect ordered them to be thrown into a cauldron of boiling water, but even this failed to overcome their faith.
Finally, Lysias commanded that Saints Zenobius and Zenobia be taken outside the city and beheaded. Through their steadfast courage, love for Christ, and refusal to abandon their faith, the brother and sister received the crown of martyrdom and entered into the eternal joy of the Lord.
