Daily Gospel Reflection

Join the Notre Dame family of faith. Receive God’s Word and a unique reflection in your inbox each day.

December 7, 2023

Memorial of Saint Ambrose - Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Mt 7:21;24-27
Listen to the Audio Version

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
will enter the Kingdom of heaven,
but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them
will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.
And everyone who listens to these words of mine
but does not act on them
will be like a fool who built his house on sand.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”

Reflection

Allie (Greene) Steiner '13, M.A.
Special Projects for Notre Dame Campus Ministry
Share a Comment

I have never built a house, though I admire those who have. If I built a house, I would be distracted by the many decisions required to create something from nothing (such as the proper placement of electrical outlets) and forget entirely about the necessity of its foundation. Although my home’s physical foundation has supported it for 113 years, I rarely think about it.

But the Lord knows the importance of a strong foundation and reminds us of this throughout scripture. Jesus is called the cornerstone, chosen and set apart. His life, death, and resurrection are the foundation of our faith. When Jesus advises his disciples to be wise, he teaches the importance of a firm foundation that will stand even when faced with adversity. There will be trying times and seasons of turmoil in which the house—the life of a follower of Jesus—will be in danger of collapsing. As a proper foundation supports a house, someone who listens to and acts on Jesus’ teachings will not be ruined.

In my daily life, my husband and I work together intentionally to ensure our family will not be shaken, no matter what trials we face. Our foundation is one of faith in God, hope in the promised eternal life, and steadfast love for one another. This solid, supportive foundation keeps us faithful to God and each other even in challenging times. We have known rains, floods, and winds; we have weathered tremendous losses, deep and blinding grief, stress, and other dark, doubt-filled times. In these stormy seasons, we work to remind each other of the rock-solid foundation of our family life in Christ, which will not allow us to collapse.

Lord God, be a firm foundation for us as we place our trust in you.

Prayer

Rev. Thomas McNally, C.S.C.

Lord, you tell us to build a house on rock and not on sand. We need a strong foundation for our lives, or we will surely be blown away by the first gust of wind. In our hearts we know that we cannot survive without you, but still we are fearful. If we allow you to get too close what will we have to give up, what will we have to change? Give us courage, Lord. Amen.

Saint of the Day

St. Ambrose

Although St. Ambrose is a great saint in his own right—he had a brilliant mind, was a political star of his time, and is one of the thirty-seven doctors of the Church—he is perhaps best remembered for prompting the conversion of the great St. Augustine.

He was born to a Roman family of nobility and had several siblings who also became saints: Marcellina and Satyrus. He was educated in Rome and became known as an eloquent and convincing speaker.

He was trained in the law and was noticed by important politicians in Rome. He was appointed the governor of Milan, one of the most important offices in the empire, before he was 35 years old.

Milan’s bishop died and a controversy arose as to who should succeed him. The dispute threatened violence, so Ambrose went to plead with the crowds himself. While he was speaking, a voice shouted, “Ambrose, bishop!” and the whole crowd took up the cry. Both sides of the dispute unanimously proclaimed him bishop of Milan, even though Ambrose was not yet baptized.

Ambrose tried to escape the election by appealing to the emperor, who simply said that he was pleased to appoint governors worthy of being also bishops. Ambrose next tried hiding in the home of a friend who was a senator but was given up. Finally, on this date in 374, he yielded and was baptized. A week later, he was ordained a bishop.

He gave up all of his belongings to the poor, as an example to the people of Milan and so that he could focus on his duties as bishop. He was famous as a teacher of the faith and a scholar of the Bible. His preaching drew crowds, including a young and noncommittal St. Augustine, whom Ambrose taught and later baptized.

In a letter, Ambrose wrote the following about the art of preaching:

"Let your words be rivers, clean and limpid, so that in your exhortations you may charm the ears of your people. And by the grace of your words win them over to follow your leadership. [Let] no word escape your lips in vain or be uttered without depth of meaning."

Ambrose preached often against the Arian heresy. Ambrose's learning and preaching earned him the title "Doctor of the Church," an honorific given to thirty-six other saints who are known for elucidating the faith by their words or example. His relics rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica and a stained glass window in the Basilica portrays Ambrose confronting Emperor Theodosius, who was responsible for ordering a massacre of 7,000. The emperor repented publicly for his action because of this encounter and was reconciled to the Church. Ambrose later presided over his funeral.

Ambrose confronting Emperor Theodosius

St. Ambrose, whose preaching drew Christians into a deeper life of faith—pray for us!