Daily Gospel Reflection
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August 2, 2025
Herod the tetrarch heard of the reputation of Jesus
and said to his servants, “This man is John the Baptist.
He has been raised from the dead;
that is why mighty powers are at work in him.”
Now Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison
on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip,
for John had said to him,
“It is not lawful for you to have her.”
Although he wanted to kill him, he feared the people,
for they regarded him as a prophet.
But at a birthday celebration for Herod,
the daughter of Herodias performed a dance before the guests
and delighted Herod so much
that he swore to give her whatever she might ask for.
Prompted by her mother, she said,
“Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”
The king was distressed,
but because of his oaths and the guests who were present,
he ordered that it be given, and he had John beheaded in the prison.
His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl,
who took it to her mother.
His disciples came and took away the corpse
and buried him; and they went and told Jesus.
“That my life may be only a radiance of yours.” This line is from the first song I ever sang with the Notre Dame Folk Choir, called “Prayer.” It struck me then, and I was reminded of it again today as I read this account of the death of John the Baptist. His courageous death, certainly, was an undeniable witness to the faith, but his entire life was a witness—every single day of it.
From leaping for joy at the presence of Christ in Mary’s womb, to living and preaching in the wilderness, to baptizing in the River Jordan, John did all things in his life so that others might see not himself but Christ in him. Now, we might not ever have to stand up against Roman rulers and die for Christ like John did, but can we live for him?
I chose that line from “Prayer” because I understand it, and the life of witness, most fully through the Folk Choir. It’s warm hugs after a long day, a listening ear for the struggles and the victories, countless brunches together on Sunday mornings, and late nights spent laughing by the lakes. Their overflowing love in moments big and small, in joy and in pain, is as good a message of Christ’s love as any preaching could ever hope to convey.
Like John the Baptist, and today like my choir, our very lives can become the gospel that we read to the world. Through the courage to live not for our own glory but for his, our witness allows us to become the hands and feet of Christ that the world so desperately needs.
Prayer
When you walked the earth, Lord, there was the same kind of violence we see in our day. Violent men threw John into prison and raged against the kingdom you were establishing. Help us counteract the violence of our time by being men and women who try to advance your kingdom of peace. Amen.
Saint of the Day
St. Peter Julian Eymard’s devotion to the Eucharist led him to a life of active love for God and his neighbor. He was a contemporary of Blessed Basil Moreau, and both priests sought to revive the Church in the wake of the French Revolution.
Peter Julian was born in 1811 to a poor family just after the Revolution. Peter decided to become a priest and joined the seminary against his family’s wishes. He soon got sick, however, and had to withdraw from his studies—he never fully recovered his health.
A few years later, he tried again and was successful in his training—he was ordained a priest in 1834 and joined the Marist Fathers. His life and ministry were characterized by a profound devotion to Mary and the Eucharist, which were the central focus of much of his preaching and teaching.
“We believe in the love of God for us,” he wrote. “To believe in love is everything. It is not enough to believe in the truth. We must believe in love, and love is our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. That is the faith that makes our Lord loved. Ask for this pure and simple faith in the Eucharist. Men will teach you, but only Jesus will give you the grace to believe in him. You have the Eucharist. What more do you want?”
With the encouragement of his friend, St. John Vianney, Peter Julian founded two new religious orders dedicated to the Blessed Sacrament. Though the orders struggled at first, they eventually succeeded in bringing about his vision of a united community of people—priests, deacons, sisters, and laypeople—deeply formed by the Mass and prayer before the Eucharist.
Towards the end of his life, he took a long retreat in Rome and received a mystical experience of communion with Christ, which he described in a series of letters and meditative works. He died on this date in 1868 after suffering a stroke in France. His relics rest in the Basilica.
St. Peter Julian Eymard, who loved Christ in the Eucharist, pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Peter Julian Eymard is available for use under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Last accessed March 28, 2025 on Wikimedia Commons.
