Daily Gospel Reflection
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July 20, 2024
The Pharisees went out and took counsel against Jesus
to put him to death.
When Jesus realized this, he withdrew from that place.
Many people followed him, and he cured them all,
but he warned them not to make him known.
This was to fulfill what had been spoken through Isaiah the prophet:
Behold, my servant whom I have chosen,
my beloved in whom I delight;
I shall place my Spirit upon him,
and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
He will not contend or cry out,
nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed he will not break,
a smoldering wick he will not quench,
until he brings justice to victory.
And in his name the Gentiles will hope.
Reflection
I like to think of myself as someone who isn’t easily rattled, as someone who can keep their calm and act rationally when confronted with difficult circumstances. But as life adapts, evolves, and outside stressors become more complex to navigate, more often than I would care to admit, the frustrations of life can overwhelm me. I lose my patience, and I respond in anger.
Jesus certainly faced a complex and difficult situation in today’s gospel. In the passages just prior, the Pharisees accuse Jesus and his disciples of violating the sanctity of the Sabbath. Despite his loving reply to their accusations, the Pharisees respond by taking counsel against Jesus to put him to death!
Unlike what I am tempted to do, however, Jesus does not lose his cool. He does not respond with anger or vindictiveness. He scarcely even tries to defend himself. Instead, he simply chooses to withdraw. It’s an astonishingly meek response considering the infinite power that Jesus wields.
Fortunately, Jesus deals similarly with us whenever we stubbornly resist his loving plan for our lives. Rather than rain down fire and brimstone, he showers us with kindness and mercy. Like the bruised reed and smoldering wick described by the prophet Isaiah, Jesus tries to gently coax us back to health, to carefully rekindle our flame. May we all learn to recognize and accept this amazing mercy available to us and in turn share it with those around us.
Prayer
Merciful Father, you sent your Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with the fire of your grace and mercy. Help us to nurture a spirit of charity and forgiveness towards those who have trespassed against us. May we always find in you the courage and humility to raise up—and not condemn—our fellow sinners as we strive to follow the example of your Son. Amen.
Saint of the Day
St. Apollinaris lived in the second century and faithfully led the young Church in Ravenna, Italy, as its first bishop. He is honored as a martyr.
For a long time, he was known as a follower of St. Peter, who made him bishop, but this claim and the legend of his life are likely inventions of a later age. The legend holds that he and the Church in Ravenna faced persecution—that he was forced to flee several times and was stabbed, stoned, hacked with knives, and covered in scalding water, among other tortures.
We know that Christian inscriptions dating to the second century have been found in Ravenna, so it can be inferred that the faith was present there at an early date. We also know that the Church of the first centuries held St. Apollinaris in very high esteem—he was famous among early martyrs and was remembered for his intercession in prayer.
Some early records name him as a martyr, while others state that he led the Church for a long time and did not die from persecution. Some early saints were remembered as martyrs if they suffered greatly for the faith, even if they were not killed for it.
St. Apollinaris, famous in the early Church for your faithfulness, pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Apollinaris is in the public domain. Last accessed March 20, 2025 on Wikimedia Commons.
