Daily Gospel Reflection
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January 21, 2019
The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were accustomed to fast.
People came to Jesus and objected,
“Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast,
but your disciples do not fast?”
Jesus answered them,
“Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?
As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast.
But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them,
and then they will fast on that day.
No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak.
If he does, its fullness pulls away,
the new from the old, and the tear gets worse.
Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins.
Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins,
and both the wine and the skins are ruined.
Rather, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins.”
“Oh nooo, Mom! You picked an ogre again!!” My three-year-old shrieks with equal parts dread and delight.
We’re playing Race to the Treasure!, a cooperative board game popular with the five and under crowd. Players take turns blindly drawing tiles, working together to create paths across the board to reach the treasure and win the game. Hidden among the friendly path tiles, however, are the malevolent ogres the players are racing against, and my unlucky draw results in our sixth ogre of the game. If we pick two more ogre cards, the ogres will beat us to the treasure—game over.
In today’s Gospel, we hear that the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure, a treasure greater than the regular ol’ bag o’ gold that I’m currently battling ogres to secure. Whether one simply happens upon it—as in, the treasure buried in the field—or goes looking for it—like the rare pearl—its worth is beyond measure. Who would not drop everything to pursue a treasure of infinite value?
And yet, how often am I distracted in my pursuit of the treasure of heaven? If I’m honest, many are the days when I say, “Ah, I’m too busy, too tired. I’ll let the ogres win this round.”
Fortunately for me, the kingdom of heaven is a limitless treasure, continually accessible to me, despite my failings. I simply have to pay attention to its call, listen with an open heart, and stay steadfast in my pursuit of it.
During this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, I’m also remembering that—like my daughter’s favorite game—this pursuit of the Kingdom of Heaven is a collaborative journey. How can I better support—and be supported by—my fellow travelers, others who also seek the ultimate treasure?
Prayer
Lord, give us time today to be silent and prayerful, conscious of your personal presence, moment by moment, sustaining us in all our experiences and relationships. Call us to new decisions for faithfulness and generosity, and whenever you call us by name may we reply, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Amen.
Saint of the Day
St. Agnes is one of the most famous early Christian martyrs and is mentioned in one of the Eucharistic prayers of the Mass. She is a patron saint of those seeking chastity and purity because of the legend around her martyrdom.
The story is told that Agnes was a stunningly beautiful girl of thirteen who lived in Rome when Emperor Diocletian began violently persecuting Christians in 303. Young nobles asked for her hand, but she declared herself the bride of Christ. Rebuffed, the young men formally accused her of being a Christian, and she was arrested and brought to trial.
The judge first began to entice her to deny her faith; she flatly refused. He soon turned to threats, and when they had no effect, he had instruments of torture brought forth. Agnes only grew in joy.
The judge knew she valued her purity above all, and threatened to expose her in a house of prostitution, that anyone in the city could come to defile her. “You may stain your sword with my blood,” she said, “but you will never be able to profane my body, which is consecrated to Christ.” The men who approached her in the brothel were awed by her holiness and left her alone.
Her suitors were by now enraged at her stubbornness, and they enticed the judge to order her beheaded. It is said that she went to the place of her execution as joyfully as if she were headed to her wedding.
All of this information cannot be proven true, and is likely full of elaboration, but based on archeological evidence, it is true that a young girl of thirteen, a virgin named Agnes, was martyred in Rome and honored for her sacrifice. A church was built over her tomb, and her relics were venerated.
Agnes is often represented with a lamb because the Latin word for lamb, agnus, resembles her name. Additionally, some traditions say that she was killed by being stabbed in the throat—similar to how lambs are slaughtered.
On this date every year, two white lambs are blessed in the church in Rome that is dedicated to her. The lambs are cared for until it is time for their shearing, and their wool is woven into pallia, small round collars. The pallia are laid upon the altar above the tomb of St. Peter and then sent to new archbishops around the world as a symbol of their authority and union with the pope.
St. Agnes is represented in today's featured image of the mural from the walls of the Basilica.
St. Agnes, the courageous young girl who placed faithfulness over death—pray for us!