Daily Gospel Reflection
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August 13, 2024
The disciples approached Jesus and said,
“Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?”
He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said,
“Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,
you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.
Whoever becomes humble like this child
is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.
And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones,
for I say to you that their angels in heaven
always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.
What is your opinion?
If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray,
will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills
and go in search of the stray?
And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it
than over the ninety-nine that did not stray.
In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father
that one of these little ones be lost.”
I firmly believe that two of my Notre Dame friends are parents to a saint. His name is Francis Joseph. Despite an in-utero diagnosis that revealed Francis would struggle to survive after birth, his parents courageously chose to carry him for as long as they were given. After carrying him to term, Francis’ heroic mom gave birth to her son. His dad baptized him immediately. They spent six precious hours as a family. And then they said goodbye.
At Francis’ funeral, the veil between heaven and earth felt impossibly thin. The presider’s message was clear: this mom and dad had done their entire job as Francis’ parents. They had loved him into being and set him on the path to heaven, where he tugs at the hem of Jesus’ garment: “Lord, bring my mom and dad here someday. They were so good to me.” Jesus’ words resound: “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.”
It’s not the little ones like Francis who need to hear today’s gospel passage. They’re already gathered at Jesus’ feet and cradled in Mary’s arms. It’s us, perhaps, who have “[gone] astray.” I wonder if the disciples were surprised by Jesus’ answer to their questions: “Who will be first, Lord? Peter, for his zeal? Mary Magdalene, for her devotion?” No, friends. First in the kingdom are those who become humble like children.
How do we become like Francis? The smallest, most humble children allow—in fact need—others to love them. Perhaps when we are called to become like children, we are being prompted to “turn,” as Jesus says in today’s gospel, and let Jesus love us. God loved us into being. How can we allow him to love us today?
Little Francis Joseph, pray for us.
Prayer
Loving God, the shepherd who seeks us always, in your kingdom where the last are first and the first are last, may humility flow like a river to remove the pride that keeps us from being your children. May we trust in you alone. Grant this in the name of Christ our Lord and Brother. Amen.
Saint of the Day
Hippolytus was one of the most important writers and thinkers in the Church before the fourth century. He was a learned priest in Rome and renowned for his eloquence. He became overzealous, however, and spoke out against several popes for being too lax with people who strayed from the faith, or for not denouncing a certain heresy forcefully enough. He thought the faithful should be an undefiled body of people, and was elected as a rival pope.
Pope Pontian (pictured here) was elected in 230, and was able to reconcile with Hippolytus and restore union to the Church. Shortly afterwards, the Roman emperor began persecuting Christians, and both Pontian and Hippolytus were exiled to Sardinia, which was known for its harsh conditions. Before his arrest, Pontian stepped down from his role as pope so that the Christian community could select another leader in his absence.
Both men labored in mines and died there due to exhaustion. The bodies of both men were retrieved and returned to Rome for burial and veneration as martyrs for the faith. Relics of both saints rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica, and the image of St. Pontian is used here with permission from Catholic.org.
Saints Pontian and Hippolytus, you were bitter rivals who reconciled before your exile and death—pray for us!