Daily Gospel Reflection
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April 26, 2023
Jesus said to the crowds,
“I am the bread of life;
whoever comes to me will never hunger,
and whoever believes in me will never thirst.
But I told you that although you have seen me,
you do not believe.
Everything that the Father gives me will come to me,
and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,
because I came down from heaven not to do my own will
but the will of the one who sent me.
And this is the will of the one who sent me,
that I should not lose anything of what he gave me,
but that I should raise it on the last day.
For this is the will of my Father,
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him
may have eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day.”
I wonder if, three weeks after Easter, any of the disciples ever thought about Judas. Amidst their celebration of Jesus’ triumph over death, did they remember the pain Judas caused them? Did they ever miss him? Maybe they remembered the laughs they shared and the obstacles they overcame together.
Did they ever think about how they lost one of their own, a one-time friend, a brother? Did they think about the moment they heard Jesus’ words recorded in today’s gospel and think, “But it seems like Jesus did lose someone. We lost Judas.”
I often think about those who have strayed from the gospel call to love. I think of the stories on the news of folks who exhibit greed at the expense of others or commit horrible acts of interpersonal violence. And my heart asks, “Jesus, I thought you weren’t supposed to lose anybody! What about them? How could we lose them? Didn’t anyone speak your words of love to them? Didn’t anyone tell them that only if they come to you, you would feed their deepest longings for love, belonging, and meaning? There are thousands of churches in America and hundreds of millions of Christians. How could they not, at some point, have seen your loving, tender face? Why didn’t you call their name louder? Why didn’t you make them believe?!”
Of course, each person has been given the gift of free will. No one can force them into choosing Christ’s path of life, but I still hurt inside when one is lost. This may be how it is supposed to be.
Rather than celebrate or judge the demise of that criminal on the news, a neighbor, or a friend, we should mourn and still pray for them. And use that sadness to motivate ourselves to more boldly bring people face to face with Christ to help them encounter the true depths of love. Then, they may truly see and believe.
Prayer
Dear Lord, how blessed are we to know that with you, we have life eternal. There is no end with you. Even when we are faced with seemingly dark days, there is no need for panic or despair, for nothing that happens today, or any day, can overcome us. Even death itself is not an end, for with you there is always a new beginning, a new life. We are comforted by your promise. Blessed are you our God! Amen.
Saint of the Day
Devotion to Our Lady of Good Counsel began as devotion to a particular image of Mary in Genazzano, Italy.
For many years, the town of Genazzano dedicated its tithes to the construction of the beautiful basilica, Santa Maria Maggiore, in Rome. In return, a church was built in Genazzano, and the Augustinian friars took charge of the church in 1356. Many pilgrims flocked to the church to pray to Mary.
The image of Our Lady of Good Counsel, shown here, purportedly appeared miraculously on the wall of the church when it had fallen into disrepair.
Art experts say that the image is from the early fifteenth century, the only surviving portion of a much larger fresco that had covered the church walls.
As pilgrims flocked to Genazzano and asked for the intercession of Our Lady of Good Counsel, they attributed miracles and cures to Our Lady's intercession, and devotion to Our Lady of Good Counsel spread throughout Italy. In 1903, Pope Leo XIII added the title to the Litany of Loreto, which honors Mary.
Popes, councils, and leagues of women have invoked her patronage and guardianship. She is the patron of the town of Essen in Germany and many of her devotees wear a white scapular as a sign of their trust in Mary.
One of the mottos inscribed on the scapular is a quote of Pope Leo XIII: "Child, listen to her counsels." Our Lady of Good Counsel is an apt title for Mary that reminds us that we can look to her as a wise mother to guide us. As Mary offered herself completely to God, to bring the divine plan of Salvation to completion, she is an excellent guide for us as we seek to make Christ's plans for us complete in our own lives.
Mary's counsel will always lead us back to her Son, our God, and therefore we can always trust that it will be very, very good.
Our Lady of Good Counsel, our mother and guide—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of Our Lady of Counsel is in the public domain. Last accessed February 21, 2025 on Wikimedia Commons.
