Daily Gospel Reflection
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April 29, 2021
When Jesus had washed the disciples’ feet, he said to them:
“Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master
nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him.
If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it.
I am not speaking of all of you.
I know those whom I have chosen.
But so that the Scripture might be fulfilled,
The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me.
From now on I am telling you before it happens,
so that when it happens you may believe that I AM.
Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send
receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”
Today’s gospel passage takes us back to the Last Supper where Jesus told his disciples they would be sent into the world by him, just as he was sent by the Father. In the cozy setting of the Last Supper, this seemed to be all well and good, but the apostles soon saw where the Father sent his Son: to the cross. Jesus, in complete trust and abandonment to the will of the Father, accepted his mission and we are asked to accept ours.
When I think of being “sent,” I often think of going out into the world and actively evangelizing. But, in a sense, God has made it easier and brings the world of evangelization to us. I was blessed to be a member of a wonderful women’s group that met to discuss Fr. Wilfrid Stinissen’s book, Into Your Hands, Father… Abandoning Ourselves to the God Who Loves Us. The first step in abandonment is to accept God’s will in the events of our life. The people and circumstances God sends to us daily, whether they be pleasant or unpleasant, are where God wishes us to bring God’s love into the world.
As a parent, I formulated a mantra to say to a child who was not so thrilled with a request: you might not like it, you might not agree with it, and you might not understand it, but you have to obey it! In a much less dictatorial style, I think God says to us in any difficult moment: you might not like it, you might not agree with it, and you might not understand it, but trust me! I am the God who loves you infinitely more than you can imagine and all I want is for you to be with me forever. With this unwavering trust in his Father, Jesus faced the cross, and with this same trust, we too can face our crosses each day.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, if our Baptism as Christians has incorporated us fully into your life, then we have a responsibility to act and speak as our Father does. You told us throughout the Easter season about your priorities. All too often they are not ours, and for this we ask forgiveness and assistance. We can’t become more fully like you all on our own. Please help us. Amen.
Saint of the Day
Catherine, from the time she was a child, had an extraordinary and mystical sensitivity to the divine. It was this dynamic relationship with God that propelled her to become one of the greatest female saints we honor.
She was born in 1347 in Siena, Italy, the 23rd child of Jacopo and Lapa Benincasa At the age of 6, she received a vision in which Jesus reached out and blessed her. This encounter encouraged her to give her life to God, and even as a child, she would spend much time alone in prayer.
Her parents were concerned that she was not behaving like other little girls. They imposed punishments so that she would abandon her preoccupation with the spiritual life. She retained her sweet demeanor through it all, and did not waver in her devotion. Finally, they gave in and acknowledged that she had a special calling to follow.
As she grew into adulthood, her prayer life became even more intense. She would receive tremendous consolations in prayer, but also fierce temptations. At times, God would seem altogether absent, but would always be revealed to be with her in hidden ways.
Her life was marked by several visions and manifestations when she was visited by the Lord—usually, these apparitions preceded a turning point when she was to take on a new role. In one vision towards the end of her life, she received the stigmata, which became visible to other people only after she died. She never married, nor did she ever join a formal religious community, but a small group of people began to follow her in imitation of her way of life.
She began to spend her energy caring for the sick, and took on especially difficult patients. One woman she served suffered from a disfiguring cancer and another was a leper, and they both insulted her to her face and spread rumors about her behind her back. She persisted in her charity, though, and over time, they both changed their ways and came to respect her and accept her care.
When an outbreak of the plague struck Italy, Catherine cared for the sick and dying, and buried the dead, with great compassion. She became so well-known for her holiness and compassion that many people started to seek her out for wisdom and advice. Three priests were assigned to her so that they might hear the confessions of all of those who were converted to change their lives after speaking with her.
Her counsel was also sought amidst the division in the Church when the papacy was split between Rome and Avignon, France, during that period of history. She spent the last part of her life working to heal this division.
Catherine has been declared a doctor of the Church, a title given to 37 saints who are known for elucidating the faith by their words or example. Her letters and a treatise called “A Dialogue” are considered among the treasures of Christian spirituality. She is depicted in this image from the Pasquerilla East Hall Chapel, and her relics rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on Notre Dame's campus.
St. Catherine of Siena, doctor of the Church and bold preacher of Christ who advised popes—pray for us!
To learn even more about Saint Catherine of Siena, watch this video lecture from the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame