Daily Gospel Reflection
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June 17, 2020
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door,
and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to others to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”
People serving on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic have rightfully been receiving accolades for their service during this unprecedented time.
Millions more around the globe are doing their share of service day in and day out with little or no fanfare. Case in point is our daughter Stephanie (ND ’07) and her husband David, who are doing what they can to not only keep their family safe during this time but friends and neighbors as well.
This includes working from home while juggling the care and education of their three children ages 7, 4 and 18 months.
She credits four things that have allowed their family to not only survive but thrive during the quarantine — being married to a spouse who’s a true partner, having gifted and nurturing school teachers, working for supportive and flexible companies, and having space for working indoors and playing outdoors. Stephanie told me: “In the same way we come together as a faith community, it’s important for us all to join together now, through seemingly small acts like wearing masks and social distancing, to help protect the most vulnerable among us.”
Like so many other people in their situation, Stephanie and David aren’t looking for recognition for their part in slowing the spread of the virus. As today’s gospel indicates, we live our faith through daily sacrifices that we carry out not for the sake of being noticed by others, but simply because it is the right thing to do. Stephanie and David have been a witness to me of this type of humble sacrifice in the past months. I share their story with you today not to trumpet their praises but rather to show that the people who are closest to us can often be our best models of faithfulness and humility.
Prayer
My God, Our Father, we are tempted to do good to others from mixed motives. We want to be helpful; we want to be recognized and somehow rewarded. Let it be enough in our hearts to know we have tried to love you in whatever we do, whether in our hidden prayers for others or our kindness and service as well. We pray with the Church through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Saint of the Day
St. Hervé was the son of a traveling bard, a member of the court of one of the Frankish kings. Hervé was born blind, in the early sixth century. Even though he lacked sight, Hervé lived with great joy. He took after his father and began to sing as a bard and troubadour. He lived near the French city of Plouvien as a hermit with his disciple and companion, Guiharan.
Hervé became famous for his power to cure animals—wild and tame—and he tamed a wolf that was prowling the surrounding countryside. Hervé is often shown with his wolf, as legend has it the beast accompanied him everywhere.
Once, Hervé's wolf devoured the ox that Hervé kept as a draft animal. The pious Hervé began to eloquently preach a sermon, begging the wolf to aid him in caring for the crops. From that day forward, the wolf took over for the ox in pulling the plow for Hervé. Hervé's community of disciples grew, and a peaceful community of poet-hermits tended their land outside Plouvien until Hervé died in 556 AD.
St. Hervé, who, even though blind, saw God's love in all creatures—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Hervé is available for use under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Last accessed March 6, 2025 on Wikimedia Commons.
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