Daily Gospel Reflection
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July 1, 2019
Now when Jesus saw great crowds around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. A scribe then approached and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” Another of his disciples said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
Talk about getting your attention! But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” I can only imagine the scribe’s face when Jesus said this.
The path to Christ is often the path of more resistance. Pope Benedict XVI said it well: “The world promises you comfort, but you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness.” Pope Benedict did not mean “greatness” in its earthly, material sense, but rather greatness in faith, greatness in service, greatness in sacrifice. What an inspiring goal!
The path of least resistance is enticing. When I think of my everyday decisions, I realize how often I’m tempted to choose it. Those small choices in my day to day create the habits that either help me continue on the road less traveled—or lead me astray. Getting up an hour early for mass while traveling isn’t always easy, but it keeps me focused on what’s important. Correcting a child even when I know it will cause an argument can be difficult, but it’s the right call for us both. Skipping a sporting event to bring the kids to a day of service is sometimes the difficult path, but it’s also the better one.
How do we build that commitment to taking the virtuous road? Vince Lombardi said, “Winning is not a sometime thing; it’s an all the time thing. You don’t win once in a while; you don’t do things right once in a while; you do them right all of the time. Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing.”
I pray that, when we are presented today with choices between the easy path and the path of discipleship, we make the choices that lead us to greatness.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, would I feel a deep sense of loss if you were not part of my life? Let this question filter throughout our thoughts and actions this day. Help us to more faithfully follow you, the Lord of life. Amen.
Saint of the Day
Saint Junipero Serra was canonized by Pope Francis in a Mass in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 23, 2015—the first canonization to take place on American soil. He is patron saint of vocations to Church ministry, and he played an instrumental role in building the Church on the West Coast of America when that area was still a mission territory.
Though some controversy has arisen around the saint because of the connection between his missionary activity and the Spanish colonization of Mexico and California, the many investigations into his life show a saintly man who was absolutely dedicated to the indigenous people he served.
Miguel Jose Serra was born in 1713 on the Spanish island of Majorca. When he entered the Franciscan order at the age of 17, he took the name Junipero, which was associated with St. Francis and one of his first followers.
He was an outstanding student and rose quickly in his class. After being ordained to the priesthood, he earned a doctorate in theology and taught philosophy for 12 years.
At the age of 37, he traveled to the New World to teach at a university in Mexico City. He was bitten by a snake during this journey, and suffered from a swollen leg for the rest of his life, though it did not stop him from making other trips by foot.
After teaching in Mexico City for some time, he asked to be stationed at a mission 90 miles away that reached native American Indians in the area. He spent nine years there and learned the native language, even translating a catechism. He returned to Mexico City, where he became an effective preacher, encouraging people to turn from sin. He often practiced acts of self-mortification to emphasize his desire for repentance.
At the age of 55, he was given responsibility for a number of missions in what is now the Baja peninsula and California. He worked tirelessly, converting thousands and building 21 new missions. Frequently an advocate for the indigenous people he served, he implored the Spanish authorities to adopt policies that would recognize the dignity of all, even walking over 2,000 miles to Mexico near the end of his life to champion this cause.
Junipero helped bring to California many staples of its current agriculture industry: oranges, lemons, olives, figs, grapes, and vegetables, as well as cattle, sheep, goats, and horses. This statue of Saint Junipero represents the State of California in the National Hall in the U.S. Capitol building.
Saint Junipero was beatified by Pope St. John Paul II in 1988. His feast day is celebrated on August 28 everywhere else besides the United States, where it is honored on July 1.
Saint Junipero Serra, patron saint of vocations to Church ministry and builder of the Church on the West Coast—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Junipero Serra is available for use under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. Last accessed March 19, 2025 on Wikimedia Commons.
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