Daily Gospel Reflection
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July 17, 2024
At that time Jesus exclaimed:
“I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows the Son except the Father,
and no one knows the Father except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”
Reflection
In its starkest form, faith means blindly trusting someone or something. Today’s gospel reminds us that faith is fully trusting in God’s plan for us like a vulnerable child. It is, therefore, no coincidence that I write this reflection on the birthday of my identical twin daughters, Harper and Mackenzie.
Mackenzie was stillborn. Losing her was the hardest thing I’ve ever experienced in my life. And for a season, I withdrew from work, my family, and even my surviving daughter. I scoffed at my good friend Fr. Brad Metz when he told me I should trust in God’s plan for my family. I was angry when acquaintances said to me, “It was meant to be,” or wouldn’t say anything at all.
With time and the help of my friends, family and even my students, I finally began to feel the joy of being a mother to Harper without forgetting Mackenzie. I found an outlet for my grief by donating necessities for preemies to the local neonatal intensive care unit. I realized what Fr. Brad meant when he compassionately said that the death of Mackenzie means I should no longer fear death. Mackenzie will be greeting me at the gates of heaven once I get there, and she will be perfect. I understood that trusting in God was different from “it was meant to be.” Finally, I was able to know God again through my faith.
Tragedy has the power to both bring us closer to God and draw us farther away. It reminds us of our own limitations, but it may also cause us to question God’s benevolence. For me, the difference between the two outcomes was my humility and openness to trusting the Lord with childlike faith.
Prayer
Loving God, you have called us by name to continue Christ’s mission of reconciliation and healing. Give us patience in times of challenge, hope in places of suffering. May we recognize your kingdom in our midst, near to us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Saint of the Day
St. Alexis is a saint who is half-legend, half-man.
Despite his uncertain history, he is depicted in a mural in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart because he is patron of the Pipcus Fathers, who are known as the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. The Holy Cross priests are dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and wanted to encourage as many other examples of that devotion as possible.
We are told that St. Alexis lived in fifth century Syria and took on the life of a beggar. He was known to be of great virtue, and is honored as a saint. This is the most reliable information we have about him.
An early writer told his story with more detail, referring to Alexis simply as “the Man of God.” Legend has it that Alexis was the only son of a wealthy Roman senator, and had every advantage in the ancient world because of this citizenship. He renounced all of this, though, and begged for food at the doors of a church. He shared all of what he received with other poor people, only taking for himself what was left over.
He got sick and was cared for in a hospital, and he told an attendant his life story. When he died, he was buried in a mass grave. His story got passed around the city, and when the bishop heard that he was a Roman citizen, he ordered Alexis’ body exhumed for proper burial. All they found was his ragged clothing. The saint’s supposed Roman heritage led to his popularity. His story and veneration spread because people identified with him and were moved by his example.
St. Alexis, you gave up a life of privilege to live among the poor and care for the forgotten—pray for us!