Daily Gospel Reflection
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June 13, 2025
Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery.
But I say to you,
everyone who looks at a woman with lust
has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
If your right eye causes you to sin,
tear it out and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one of your members
than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna.
And if your right hand causes you to sin,
cut it off and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one of your members
than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.
“It was also said,
Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.
But I say to you,
whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful)
causes her to commit adultery,
and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”
When FaithND invited me to write a reflection for June, I chose today, my wedding anniversary. This gospel isn’t my first choice to celebrate 38 years together (as God’s sense of humor would demand, our first dance was to “I Only Have Eyes for You”), but it stresses a virtue vital to any marriage or relationship.
While I’m innocent of the traditional meaning of adultery, Jesus’ more challenging definition probably requires that I hope for mercy. He didn’t condemn the woman caught in adultery, after all, telling her only to sin no more. I’ll admit I can’t cast the first stone.
What he describes, however, is hardly the only way I’ve looked at people as less than the sum of their parts, sometimes seeing them instead as means to my ends rather than ends in themselves and ignoring their personal agency. It’s all too easy to see people as the path or obstacle to one’s goal, whether that’s a better place in line, a raise, or a shortcut to an unmerited prize.
More broadly, Jesus is asking what’s in our hearts regarding other people, including those outside our circles. The hypothetical woman in his example could easily have been unknown to the looker. I think Jesus is also speaking, as he often does, about humility. If we humble ourselves and respect others, we’ll likely treat them rightly in the world. We might even fulfill Jesus’ command to “Love one another” (Jn 13:34) and—in a divine oxymoron—be “exalted” for our humility (Mt 23:12). The prescription isn’t complicated, but the heart can be.
Speaking of means and ends, respect and humility, I confess decades of shirking household duties—but admitting the problem is the first step, followed by other steps. Happy Anniversary to a patient woman!
Prayer
Lord, give us time to be silent and prayerful, conscious of your personal presence, moment by moment, sustaining us. Call us to new decisions for faithfulness and generosity, and whenever you call us by name, may we reply, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Amen.
Saint of the Day
Though he died at the age of 36, St. Anthony of Padua stands as one of the Church’s greatest saints for his effectiveness in inspiring holiness in people.
When he was 25, the relics of Franciscan martyrs were brought to his town. They had just died in Morocco while trying to preach the Gospel there. Their stories inspired Anthony, and he decided to give everything to Christ. He joined the Franciscan order and soon received permission to travel to Morocco and to preach there just as the martyrs had. Just as soon as he arrived, however, he fell ill for several months and had to return to Europe.
The boat he was on was driven off course by a storm and he landed in Sicily. He made his way to Assisi, where a large meeting of Franciscans was convening—a gathering open to all members of the order. Francis himself was present, though he was not in charge. Anthony kept to himself, and after that meeting, he was assigned to a place of retreat. He spent his days in prayer and served other friars by washing dishes after meals.
One day, Dominicans and Franciscans gathered for a celebration and large meal. Through a misunderstanding, no one came prepared to give an address, and Anthony was asked to speak to everyone gathered and to share whatever the Holy Spirit inspired him to say. His address astonished the guests—he was eloquent and zealous, and the substance of his remarks was deep and thought-provoking.
He was immediately assigned to preach throughout the region, and converted many people, especially those who held distorted beliefs. He was very persuasive, had a passion for people, and possessed a resonant voice that carried well and was easy to listen to. He was short and round and had an attractive personality. He was given the gift of miracles, which accompanied the words he spoke. It was said that he seemed to radiate holiness.
Crowds gathered to hear him preach and even hardened sinners were converted and moved to change their lives. People camped out in churches overnight to save seats to hear him speak. Shops were closed when he came to town. Often, churches were too small for the crowds and he addressed people in town squares or marketplaces.
He settled in Padua, a town he loved and that had benefited most from his preaching. People there took his words to heart—feuds between families were reconciled, and those who were unjustly imprisoned were released.
St. Anthony is known as the “Wonder-Worker” and is patron saint for the recovery of lost items. Once, a young man who was learning the life of the Franciscans had decided to run away from the monastery. He stole Anthony’s book of psalms on the way out, knowing that he could sell it and receive a large sum of money. The book contained Anthony’s notes for his preaching, so the saint prayed for its return and for the conversion of the young man. The young man had a change of heart and came back to the monastery, where he returned Anthony’s book and continued his formation as a Franciscan.
It is possible that Anthony had a photographic memory—throughout his life, he had an extraordinary recall of the words of Scripture. The pope called him “the Ark of the Testament” because he knew the Bible inside and out.
In 1231, Anthony became ill and died suddenly. He was almost immediately canonized and has been declared a doctor of the Church.
Anthony is pictured in the stained glass window above from the library of Moreau seminary. The windows of the library were created by Rev. Anthony Lauck, C.S.C., who included an image of his patron saint. The book he holds reads “1958 Antonio me fecit,” which gives the date of construction and means “Anthony made me.” St. Anthony’s relics rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica.
The Basilica also holds another remembrance of St. Anthony. The largest and loudest bell rung in the Basilica’s steeple is named after the saint—it stands more than seven feet high and weighs more than 8 tons. Make a virtual visit to the Baslica's belltower in this video.
St. Anthony of Padua, the “Wonder Worker” and patron saint for the recovery of lost items, pray for us!