Daily Gospel Reflection
Join the Notre Dame family of faith. Receive God’s Word and a unique reflection in your inbox each day.
July 19, 2022
While Jesus was speaking to the crowds,
his mother and his brothers appeared outside,
wishing to speak with him.
Someone told him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside,
asking to speak with you.”
But he said in reply to the one who told him,
“Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”
And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said,
“Here are my mother and my brothers.
For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father
is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
What a beautiful image—Jesus gesturing to his disciples, calling them his family. Imagine the exhilaration (and perhaps some trepidation) about what that meant. Jesus stretching his arms out, maybe even pointing his finger, saying, “You are my mother, my brother, my sister.”
This is our invitation to be the Body of Christ.
My imagination sometimes pushes me to envy that place and time—to be physically present with Jesus. However, as St. John Henry Newman noted, our post-Ascension invitation is more desirable since we “enjoy the spiritual, immaterial, inward, mental, real sight and possession of him; a possession more real and more present than that which the Apostles had in the days of his flesh because it is spiritual; because it is invisible.” As he so ably elucidates, Jesus’ family transcends physical limitations.
My family and I were blessed to have Monsignor Francis McGuire as a seminal influence. For me, he was the embodiment of open-hearted, welcoming, pastoral love. Today’s gospel evokes memories of Mass with him. The image is indelibly marked on me: he would loudly intone “Body of Christ” to each communicant, and everyone in St. Aloysius was awash in those words. His mantra was a wondrous prayer, proclamation, invitation, and sending forth.
With Msgr. McGuire’s refrain echoing in my head, I realize this is my gospel challenge: if I am the brother of Jesus, then I am called to love others as brothers and sisters, too. Even those who disagree with me.
Jesus’ invitation to be his family is manifest. Let us be open to the invitation of his outstretched arms. Let us be the Body of Christ and do our heavenly Father’s will.
Prayer
Loving God, we have heard the call of your Son, our faithful shepherd. May we imitate his love and compassion towards those we serve. Help us to be faithful in our responsibilities, and in our service of your kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Saint of the Day
St. Justina and St. Ruffina were sisters who lived in late third-century Spain. They made their living by selling pottery, a trade they learned from their parents.
One day, a wealthy customer came in and made a generous offer for much of their earthenware. When they asked what his intention was, he told them that the pieces were to be used in pagan rituals. The sisters smashed all the pottery so that they would have no part in sacrificing to idols.
They were arrested for being Christians and for obstructing sacrifices to the gods. They boldly proclaimed their faith in Christ and were tortured and killed. During their torments, an idol was placed nearby with a bowl of incense—if they simply burned some incense to the idol, they would be released, but they refused.
It is possible that Justina was a male named Justus—the historical record is unclear. The relics of both St. Justina and St. Justus rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica.
St. Justina, you were tortured and killed for refusing to associate your livelihood with sin—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of Sts. Justina and Ruffina is in the public domain. Last accessed March 19, 2025 on Wikimedia Commons.
