Daily Gospel Reflection
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April 23, 2020
The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things. The one who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, yet no one accepts his testimony. Whoever has accepted his testimony has certified this, that God is true.
He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but must endure God’s wrath.
As the mother of seven children, my most treasured apostolate is motherhood. With each of the seven souls God has entrusted to my husband and me to love, guide, and nurture, I have been called to believe more, love more, and trust more. This calling has transformed me. My apostolate raises the bar and empowers me to lead as I have never before. The stakes of eternal life are high, so my eyes have to stay fixed on “the one from above, who is above all,” yet I am tested daily, and like all parents, I struggle, get lost, and lose my way.
As I read today’s gospel, I am aware of how often I lower my head and forget to orient my gaze towards Jesus. I vacillate between God’s omnipotence and the false sense of my own, yet when I embrace God’s plan and purpose, the Lord paves the way with grace. Here is an example: Last month, my siblings and I moved my parents into Schubert Villa, an assisted living community at Holy Cross Village at Notre Dame. Over 70 years ago, Dad attended Notre Dame on a baseball scholarship. It was also at ND, where Dad received his JD degree, several of my siblings received their MBAs, and Connor, our third, recently graduated. Add to that countless trips to the Grotto, ND football games, and ice cream from Bonnie Doone, and that about sums up the joy of all things Notre Dame. And yet I struggled. My folks needed the medical supervision of an assisted living community, yet my apostolate and my faith were calling me to transform and become more. I needed my family to love, guide, and nurture my parents in this stage of their lives. Within months, we sold our house in western Massachusetts, moved Mom and Dad safely into Schubert Villa, packed our belongings, and relocated our family to South Bend–all amid a global pandemic. All throughout this process, I have reminded the kids that we can do all things through God who strengthens us. God, we put our trust in you. We believe. Help our unbelief. Amen.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, you love your Son Jesus and give everything and everyone over to him. May you make of us an everlasting gift to you, that we may always be grateful and sing your praises with a joy-filled hearts. Amen.
Saint of the Day
St. George is one of the most decorated and venerated saints in the Catholic tradition, yet all we really know of him is that he was a soldier and a martyr. He was a Roman soldier in Palestine who stood up to the emperor where Christian persecutions began around the year 300. For this, he was beheaded.
His story seems to have been told among English armies visiting the Holy Land during the Crusades. Convinced of the power of his intercession, soldiers returned to England with a devotion to this saint. From there, many stories were told to fill the curiosity of the faithful, including a tale of George slaying a dragon.
The story tells of a dragon terrorizing a kingdom. The people of the area kept the dragon satiated with gifts of sheep, but when livestock ran out, human sacrifice was required. Victims were chosen by lot, and one day the king’s own daughter was chosen. George rode into the city on his noble steed while this was taking place, and slayed the dragon with one blow. He then gave a stirring speech that converted thousands to be baptized. He was given a great reward, but gave it all to the poor and rode off into the sunset.
Fairytale or not, devotion to George was real, and he is patron of many cities, as well as England and Canada. His feast day used to be one of the biggest holidays of the year in Europe, rivaling Christmas, and a holy day of obligation for Catholics in England until 1778. He is also patron of soldiers, as well as those who work with sheep and horses. His courage and honor also make him patron of the Boy Scouts.
The relics of the martyr, St. George, rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica. The image above is a depiction of St. George slaying the dragon by the Renaissance master, Raphael.
St. George, brave soldier and martyr, patron saint of England and of Boy Scouts—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. George is in the public domain. Last accessed February 21, 2025 on Wikimedia Commons.
