Daily Gospel Reflection
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July 10, 2021
Jesus said to his Apostles:
“No disciple is above his teacher,
no slave above his master.
It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher,
for the slave that he become like his master.
If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul,
how much more those of his household!
“Therefore do not be afraid of them.
Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed,
nor secret that will not be known.
What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light;
what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.
And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul;
rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy
both soul and body in Gehenna.
Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin?
Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge.
Even all the hairs of your head are counted.
So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Everyone who acknowledges me before others
I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father.
But whoever denies me before others,
I will deny before my heavenly Father.”
Have you ever stopped yourself from praying in a public setting or felt discomfort when saying grace in front of friends at a restaurant? I often feel as though I am constantly living in this moment.
This is because we live in a world that so frequently recognizes human priorities over those of God. In today’s gospel, Jesus reminds us of how dangerous this can be. When we capitulate to certain societal norms over the lifestyle to which God calls us, we then truly forget our purpose.
We see examples of this in daily life. Sometimes the temptation is to skip Sunday Mass as a family because of sports tournaments or brunch reservations. Other times, we feel the pull of a life of comfort over a life of holiness and lose sight of the things that are true and lasting. We even can give into the fear and social anxiety that may come with living our faith openly. When reflecting on these moments, we realize that we have forgotten the message Christ gives us today.
As we continue through the weeks and months ahead, let’s decide where our priorities lie. Let’s figure out how God is going to become the centerpiece of our world. Let’s pray for the courage to acknowledge Christ before others in our everyday lives. In doing so, we can trust in Jesus’ promise that he will one day acknowledge us in front of our heavenly Father.
Jesus, Mary, & Joseph, pray for us.
Prayer
Almighty God, we are humbled as we ponder the mystery of your love for us. Open our eyes and our hearts to see you in the childlike and the wise, to know you in the stranger and the outcast, to love you in the poor and the needy. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Saint of the Day
Amelia, or Amalberga, was a noblewoman who lived in Belgium in the eighth century. She and her brother were raised in a devout household and she wanted to give her life to God as a religious sister.
In her legend, her beauty is said to have caught the eye of the young man who would become King Charlemagne. He became obsessed with Amelia and asked for her hand in marriage. She had dedicated her virginity to God, and refused. He persisted, and one day, as she was praying at a church, he tried to pull her away and ended up breaking her arm.
In some stories, her arm healed almost instantly, and Charlemagne withdrew his request. In other stories, he withdrew his request, but became ill; Amelia forgave him and prayed for his healing and he recovered.
She died at the age of 31 and there are many miraculous stories attributed to her. In one account, she crossed a lake by riding on the back of a giant sturgeon fish. She is patron saint of those suffering from bruises and arm pain.
The relics of St. Amelia rest in the reliquary chapel, and she is shown in this stained glass window in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on Notre Dame's campus.
St. Amelia, you are patron saint of people with broken arms—pray for us!