Daily Gospel Reflection
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January 20, 2021
Jesus entered the synagogue.
There was a man there who had a withered hand.
They watched Jesus closely
to see if he would cure him on the sabbath
so that they might accuse him.
He said to the man with the withered hand,
“Come up here before us.”
Then he said to the Pharisees,
“Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil,
to save life rather than to destroy it?”
But they remained silent.
Looking around at them with anger
and grieved at their hardness of heart,
Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”
He stretched it out and his hand was restored.
The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel
with the Herodians against him to put him to death.
I keep in prayer the Holy Cross family–sisters, brothers, and priests–and the people we serve in ministries throughout the world, in parishes and schools, classrooms and campus ministry offices, hospitals and clinics, prisons and shelters, senior housing and non-profits. The men and women of Holy Cross serve thousands of people, caring for souls and bringing the good news of God’s love and mercy to those they serve. My prayer is that God may continue to bless the ministries of our Holy Cross religious, and especially the life of prayer our senior members embrace as they age and face illness and infirmities. This is the family of Holy Cross that Blessed Basil Moreau founded. It is inspiring when I think about it, how his efforts set loose a flourishing religious community.
Blessed Basil Moreau had a vision for a community modeled on the Holy Family, a community of sisters, brothers, and priests serving the Gospel, women and men “with hope to bring” to those they serve.
Today’s gospel offers a context for reflection on today’s celebration of Basil Moreau. The image of Jesus healing a man on the sabbath shows us that the world is always in need of healing. The Pharisees’ opposition shows us that there will always be forces that sow division, preventing communion and understanding.
The work of creating a family and building a community, as Moreau envisioned, is only realized when we acknowledge that Jesus is the one who gathers, welcomes, forgives, heals, and loves. He is the one who reaches out with his healing love to the poor, the marginalized, and the brokenhearted.
Blessed Basil Moreau’s vision for a family of religious praying and working side by side continues to inspire all of us who remember today our founder and strengthens our mission to minister to those we serve. For all are longing for the healing power of God’s love and mercy.
Prayer
Lord God, the fact that your detractors were observing you, hoping for you to make a mistake, did not deter you from being compassionate and loving as you healed the man with the withered hand. Give us today the same boldness to be compassionate and loving, no matter the cost. We pray this to you, Our God and our Teacher. Amen.
Saint of the Day
Blessed Basil Moreau founded the Congregation of Holy Cross—the order of priests and brothers that founded the University of Notre Dame.
Basil Anthony Marie Moreau was born near Le Mans, France, in 1799, and would be forever affected by the spiritual upheaval caused by the French Revolution. Church property was seized, priests were executed and arrested, and religious communities were expelled from France. Basil Moreau's hope was to fill this vast spiritual and educational gap.
In 1821, Moreau was ordained a priest for the diocese, later becoming a seminary professor teaching philosophy and theology, while enthusiastically continuing his pastoral duties.
By 1835, Moreau had organized a group of young and energetic “auxiliary priests” whose mission was to travel the diocese, assisting in educational and spiritual growth programs at parishes. That same year, the bishop asked him to oversee the Brothers of St. Joseph, a community of educators. Two years later Fr. Moreau merged the priests and brothers into one association, which took its name from the small French town outside of Le Mans where it was based, Sainte-Croix. The new order's name became Congregatio a Sancta Cruce (hence the initials that follow the name of every Holy Cross religious—C.S.C.), which literally means "Congregation of Holy Cross."
The cross soon became an integral part of this community’s spirituality. The motto of the congregation is Ave Crux, Spes Unica, which means "Hail the Cross, Our Only Hope"—calling on the community to "learn how even the Cross can be borne as a gift."
Blessed Moreau’s vision was to give this association “one heart, one soul” by modeling it after the Holy Family and bringing into it a group of sisters who would also be involved in education and evangelization.
Reflecting his congregation’s zeal to make God known, loved and served, Moreau started sending members to other countries, including Algeria, Canada, Bangladesh, and the United States. He sent seven young men—six brothers and Father Edward Sorin—to the United States, where, in 1842, they founded the University of Notre Dame.
Moreau later resigned as Superior General mid crises and controversies and disagreements with Fr. Sorin. Moreau lived his last days estranged from his community, and Fr. Sorin was the second man elected to succeed Moreau as superior general. Moreau died in Le Mans on January 20, 1873.
On September 15, 2007, Fr. Moreau was beatified in Le Mans, France, the city where he lived and died, the home of the Congregation’s Mother Church and the sacred place where he is buried.
Blessed Basil Moreau, founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross who sought to make God known, loved, and served—pray for us!