Daily Gospel Reflection
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June 21, 2022
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine,
lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces.
“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.
This is the Law and the Prophets.
“Enter through the narrow gate;
for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction,
and those who enter through it are many.
How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life.
And those who find it are few.”
At first glance, the Golden Rule seems easy enough to understand. For many, “do unto others” is simply a reminder to be kind and respectful. No one wants to be in the presence of someone intolerant, belittling, or mean. So as long as we avoid these qualities, we’re good?
A closer look at today’s gospel from the Sermon on the Mount reveals that Jesus’ message is more complex. The disciples are reminded not to “give what is holy” to dogs and swine. While Scripture scholars are uncertain what Jesus means by this, it is clear that these animals were despised in first-century Palestine. Whatever is holy in our lives—our faith, growing in the virtues, our commitment to justice—must be protected with the sensible recognition that unholy forces are at work in ourselves and in our world.
Today we celebrate the feast of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, an Italian Jesuit from a noble family. He was to inherit his family’s wealth and the title of Marquis, so his desire to enter religious life made his father furious. He eventually agreed under the condition that Aloysius would become a bishop.
Aloysius refused and entered the Jesuits because he would have to renounce any claim to social status. His primary ministry involved carrying victims of the plague from the streets to the hospital, where he washed them, fed them, and helped them receive the sacraments. Aloysius died at age 22.
Aloysius’ life is a reminder that while the gate may be narrow, it is not closed to us. Whether we are a college student, a parent, or a person in religious life, we have in Christ a guide who reminds us to prioritize holiness by placing others’ needs before our own, no matter how difficult that might be.
Prayer
God of wisdom and love, we live in a world full of screens (TV, phone, computer) with seemingly infinite possibilities to consume. So many gates promise to open with a click. Through the intercession of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, help us to know which gates lead to true life. Guide us to pass through the narrow gate of humility and service of others so that all may adore your holiness and live in your love. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Saint of the Day
St. Aloysius Gonzaga is the patron saint of Catholic young people because of how diligently he pursued holiness before his death at the age of 23.
He was born in 1568 in northern Italy, the oldest son in an aristocratic family. His parents were insiders in royal courts in Italy and Spain. His father wanted Aloysius to become a decorated military leader, so they sent him, even as young as 4 years old, to spend time with soldiers in camps. His tutors had to admonish him for the language he picked up from the troops.
At around the age of 7 he began to dedicate himself to prayer devotions to Mary and Jesus. Increasingly, he would spend time in churches, praying, or in reading the lives of the saints. In fact, throughout his life, he had regular and intimate contact with other saints—he received his first communion from St. Charles Borromeo and had as a spiritual director St. Robert Bellarmine.
Because of his family’s position, he also spent time in the courts, among royalty and their entourage. There he observed the intrigues of ambitious people with their lusts and deceits. This awoke within him a desire for virtue, and he poured himself even more into prayer and service.
When he was 11, he was struck with a disease of his kidneys, which caused him chronic indigestion and enough pain to frequently be confined to bed. He considered it a blessing because it afforded him more time for prayer.
He read a book about Jesuit missionaries in India, and their stories inspired him to join the order to become a missionary himself. As a first step, he began teaching the faith to the poor boys in his own town. He also began to live like a monk, even though he was not yet even a teenager—he got up in the middle of the night to pray the psalms and took on a rule of fasting.
His mother approved of his desire to join the Jesuits, but his father was infuriated. He sent Aloysius around Italy to meet local rulers and he gave his son roles and tasks that immersed him in the life of the ruling class. He hired friends of the family and even clergy to try to dissuade Aloysius, but it only deepened the boy’s resolve.
When it was clear that nothing would change his mind, his father relented. At the age of 18, Aloysius joined the Jesuit novitiate in Rome. As a novice learning the rhythms of Jesuit life, he was subject to rules from his superiors, and his diet and prayer times were closely monitored. He was actually forbidden from too much prayer in an attempt to help him learn how to lead a balanced life.
Aloysius had one overriding passion, however, and that was union with God; he pursued that relationship with all of his being.
He realized he had a privileged upbringing, and in an effort to grow in humility, he sought out service-based tasks such as helping to wash dishes or clean the building.
One day, in prayer, he came to understand that he did not have long to live. He fell more and more into deeper prayer and meditation, and when his peers saw him at meals, and even during recreation times, he seemed to be in some kind of ecstatic contemplation.
In 1591, a plague swept Italy, and the Jesuits opened a hospital in Rome. Aloysius assisted the patients there, washing them and making their beds. He got sick himself, and was prepared to die when, against everyone’s expectations, he recovered. He ran a low fever for months afterwards, which kept him weak. He remained in prayer, and it was revealed to him that he would die on the feast of Corpus Christi.
In the days before his death, he seemed well enough to travel, and his superiors considered sending him to a nearby town for some task there. He replied with his conviction that his life would end soon. The night of his death, he asked his confessor to recite the prayers for the dying, though he didn’t seem to be ill at all. Then, late that night, his health suddenly changed and he died around midnight the night between June 20 and 21. He was only 23.
A number of relics of St. Aloysius rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica, and he is depicted in this wall mural there as well. The sketch of St. Aloysius in heaven comes from the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art and is used with permission.
St. Aloysius, patron saint of Catholic young people—pray for us!
Image Credit: (1) Our featured image of St. Aloysius Gonzaga is in the public domain. Last accessed March 19, 2025 on Wikimedia Commons. (3) Giovanni Lanfranco (Italian, 1582-1647), Apotheosis of the Blessed Aloysius Gonzaga with Saint Louis IX of France and Saint Longinus, 1597-1647. Red chalk, pen and brown ink with red wash on laid paper, laid down. Raclin Murphy Museum of Art: Bequest of John D. Reilly ND ’63, ’64 B.S., 2014.061.349
