Daily Gospel Reflection
Join the Notre Dame family of faith. Receive God’s Word and a unique reflection in your inbox each day.
June 14, 2019
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.”
We just moved to a new home, a fixer-upper from the early 1870s. Finally, our growing family of seven (plus three pets) has enough elbow room, a park in our backyard, and a cornucopia of neighborhood playmates. Before we can settle in for good, though, we have to refinish the century-old wood floors throughout the house. We can’t live with very much, in anticipation of clearing out for the final stain, but it’s surprisingly easy. We can be very happy without the china hutch, the coffee cart, bed frames, bookshelves and end tables, because we’re already Home—and every day it’s more wonderful than we dreamed at first!
In today’s Gospel, Jesus says to cut off my hand and pluck out my eye. Is he suggesting I get rid of what is important—even indispensable—to me just to stay out of Gehenna? It’s more personal than that.
The Christian life means simply being with Christ in the friendship he has initiated with us. Once I’ve known and loved Christ, I realize how happily I can forgo those things I formerly thought were indispensable if it’s a choice between them and staying with him.
What importance remains to things like the high opinion of others; the appearance of being right; control over my time and attention; a daily life without contradictions and setbacks? I already have Christ, who alone is my treasure. He is our Lord, our Beloved, our pardon and our peace. He is truly the One Thing needed.
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
St. Methodius or Methodios was one of the early patriarchs of Constantinople. He was born in Syracuse, Sicily, sometime around the year 790 AD. Methodios was the heir to a wealthy family. He was sent to Constantinople, the capital of the empire, to receive a top-notch education and hopefully land a position in the emperor's court.
But Methodios was drawn, not to the splendor of the court of the empire, but to the monastic vocation. He became a monk and eventually was appointed the abbot of his monastery.
During the ninth century, the iconoclast controversies raged throughout the Christian communities in the East. Due to the influence of the quickly spreading Islam, the question of whether or not Christians were allowed to make and venerate icons swiftly became a fiercely debated topic. Iconoclasts insisted that images of God were pagan and should be forbidden. Iconophiles, who were led by many saints, including St. John Damascene, continued to profess the Christian belief that since God became man it was right for Christians to make images to praise him and remember him.
Leo the Armenian, an iconoclast emperor, reigned from 813-820, During his reign, Methodios served as a member of the staff of the Patriarch Nicephoros. Leo removed the orthodox, iconophilic, Patriarch Nicephoros and replaced him with an iconoclast, Theodotus. Methodios fled and returned after Leo the Armenian died.
Michael the Stammerer, who ascended to the imperial throne after Leo, was a more benevolent iconoclast who softened the penalties against the orthodox Christians. Eventually, however, potentially due to political pressure, Michael resumed the fierce persecution of orthodox iconophiles. Methodios was imprisoned. Michael's son, Theophilus, set Methodios free. Methodios continued to preach orthodoxy without troubling Theophilus, until Theophilus was defeated in an important war with his Arab neighbors. Theophilus blamed Methodios, insisting that God was punishing him for allowing an "icon-worshipper" to remain in his court. Methodios was tortured and exiled to the island of Antigonos.
When Theophilus died, the Empress Theodora ruled for her son. The Empress ordered that all who were imprisoned for icon veneration be set free. She appointed Methodios the patriarch of Constantinople. In 842, a local synod in Constantinople restored icon veneration and instituted a yearly celebration of "the Triumph of Orthodoxy" each year.
Methodios died on June 14, in the year 846 or 847. His feast day continues to be celebrated on June 14 by both the Eastern and Western Churches.
St. Methodios I of Constantinople, ecumenical patriarch who defended true Christian teaching—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Methodios I of Constantinople is used with permission from Catholic Online. Last accessed March 18, 2025.