Daily Gospel Reflection
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April 8, 2022
The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus.
Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father.
For which of these are you trying to stone me?”
The Jews answered him,
“We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy.
You, a man, are making yourself God.”
Jesus answered them,
“Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, ‘You are gods”‘?
If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came,
and Scripture cannot be set aside,
can you say that the one
whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world
blasphemes because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?
If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me;
but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me,
believe the works, so that you may realize and understand
that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”
Then they tried again to arrest him;
but he escaped from their power.
He went back across the Jordan
to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained.
Many came to him and said,
“John performed no sign,
but everything John said about this man was true.”
And many there began to believe in him.
As Mother Teresa once said, “We can do no great things, only small things with great love.” How can we all be “gods” as today’s gospel passage challenges us? Of course, it’s only through God’s love that we ever could, but how can we live and show it?
It may be as simple as sitting with a loved one with undivided attention in a world full of distractions. Perhaps it is listening a little while longer to a person who is lonely or overlooked by society.
In my line of work as a pediatrician, it often means spending a few more minutes with a worried parent who is wondering if their one month old will ever stop crying, or listening to a preteen regale me with tales from middle school.
One of my favorite memories from residency was sitting with a patient who survived a brain tumor and had complications leading to frequent hospitalizations. We had a great time while she colored and told me about her cats.
Covid-19 has been isolating to many, both physically and emotionally. I recall seeing a six-year-old patient who always arrived with coordinating clothing and holiday-themed hairstyles. She was so fearful that she physically did not leave her house for a year. Recently, she told me she traveled to both Disneyland and Disneyworld in the same year and brought me a souvenir along with a drawing of the two of us. I cannot wait to see her sweet unmasked face again.
How can we let the light of God shine through us so others might believe? During this Lenten season, how can we be more mindful of others to be grateful, patient, and generous—to do “small things with great love?”
Prayer
Almighty and ever-living God, the words of Jesus your Son scandalized some of those who first heard them, and he was accused of blasphemy. Centuries later, we still seek to live within the outlandishness of Christ’s promises—promises so deep and abiding that they conquer all sin and death. Make us fearless in proclaiming the truths that set us free. You live and reign forever and ever. Amen.
Saint of the Day
Though St. Walter of Pontoise did not want to be in the public eye and longed for a life of solitude, he could not escape the leadership roles to which he was called.
He lived in 11th century France and was a professor of philosophy before joining a community of Benedictine monks. Because of his intellect, the king asked him to serve as the first abbot of a new monastery in Pontoise.
He was fearless in speaking to those in power, which made him rise in their estimation. The honor that he received from executing his position well made him anxious. He had always desired a life of silence and prayer, so he fled to a distant monastery, hoping to escape his responsibilities. His monks found him, though, and brought him back.
He tried a number of other escapes as well—he tried to live in solitude on an island but was found, and a pilgrim recognized him when he attempted to hide in another, different monastery after that.
Walter eventually appealed to the pope himself, asking to be relieved of his duties. The pope told him to make good use of the talents God had given him and told him to never leave again. Walter took that as a definitive answer and gave up on looking for a way out of his public ministry.
He spoke out against priests who abused their positions and faced angry opposition. He was even seized, beaten, and thrown into prison at one point—the monks of his community had him released.
As he aged, he increased his devotions and disciplines. It is said that he rarely sat down while praying in church—he would lean on his staff instead. He would often be the last man to leave the monk’s night prayer, lost in contemplation, and sometimes would fall asleep there to be discovered in the morning in a heap on the floor.
St. Walter died on this date in 1095, which happened to be Good Friday. He is a patron saint of prisoners, and of those who experience job-related stress.
The chapel in Duncan Hall, a men's hall on Notre Dame's campus, is named after St. Walter of Pontoise, a designation that is marked with this plaque that stands near its door.
St. Walter of Pontoise, patron saint of those who suffer from job-related stress—pray for us!
Image credit: This icon comes from St. Walter Pontoise Parish in Roselle, Illinois.