Daily Gospel Reflection
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April 29, 2026
Jesus cried out and said,
“Whoever believes in me believes not only in me
but also in the one who sent me,
and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me.
I came into the world as light,
so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness.
And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them,
I do not condemn him,
for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world.
Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words
has something to judge him: the word that I spoke,
it will condemn him on the last day,
because I did not speak on my own,
but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak.
And I know that his commandment is eternal life.
So what I say, I say as the Father told me.”
Excerpts from the Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America, second typical edition © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. Used with permission. All rights reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the copyright owner. The full readings of the day from the Lectionary are available here.
Today we hear Jesus saying, “I did not speak on my own…I say as the Father told me.” Jesus, although he was God, submitted himself completely in his humanity to the Father. His is not an act of self-assertion or self-promotion. Jesus’ communication is an act of love, received from the Father and communicated to us.
This kind of surrender isn’t easy to copy or fake. We’re used to being self-reliant—always ready to handle whatever comes at us, whether it’s a responsibility, a mistake, or even blame. That mindset is drilled into us. But Christ is calling us to push against that instinct to do everything on our own, to let go of that “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” way of thinking.
Christ draws us into this new life by baptism. The Father sends the Son. The Son speaks what the Father gives him. And we are drawn into that same movement in the waters of new birth. We receive from Christ what he receives from the Father. And so we can communicate that love to others as well. Our act of speaking becomes a participation in Jesus’ own act of speaking. By our words and actions in the Holy Spirit, we receive from Christ and give to others. When we participate in this trinitarian dynamic, we lose our focus on the self: on our self-assertion or self-promotion.
Each day, therefore, is an opportunity. Not only can we do good and avoid evil, but we can participate in the very realization of Jesus’ mission: a mission to bring light into darkness, to save rather than condemn. As Jesus is sent, so too are we. The dynamic between Father and Son becomes, by grace, the dynamic we are drawn into.
Prayer
Just because we know that you exist, O God, does not mean that we always believe in you and your goodness for all people. Strengthen our faith in your presence to us, especially through the word of Scripture and the sacraments of your church. May our belief in you reveal itself in our goodness to others, especially in ways of sacrifice and service. We ask all this through Jesus Christ our Lord. 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 38 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