Daily Gospel Reflection
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June 23, 2020
Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not give what is holy to dogs; and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under foot and turn and maul you.
“In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.
“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
Growing up, when things weren’t going my way, my mom would say, “Welcome to the human race.” When I said something like, “I hate brussel sprouts,” my dad might say, “You only hate the devil.” They were providing me with ‘pearls of wisdom.’ But I suspect that I was frequently unready for or unaccepting of their pearls.
In the text today from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells the disciples to not “throw your pearls before swine.” Scholars see “swine” as a reference to the unclean, the unworthy, the pagans, and as an appeal to focus the mission first on Israel.
But the first disciples themselves were surely unworthy in many respects. And yet the Lord throws them pearl upon pearl in this ‘sermon,’ pearls we’ve been hearing and reading these past two weeks in the lectionary (and for some of us, for all of our lives). “Blessed are the peacemakers… You are the salt of the earth… Turn the other cheek… Go the extra mile… Love your enemies…” Pearls indeed for every generation.
Today may be a good day for recalling ‘pearls’ thrown to us, from Christ, from parents, from mentors. And a good day to share a pearl. My wife and I will go again today, just the two of us, for just an hour, as we do daily, to a busy intersection here in Richmond, VA, former capital of the confederacy.
We hold signs during this time of racial refocus and reform that read: BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL and COLOR IS NOT A CRIME. Pearls? Perhaps not. But the reactions, y’all, can be very sweet and appreciative. Someone may need whatever pearls you can offer from your faith today.
Lord Jesus Christ, you are our Pearl. Please hold open that narrow, pearly gate for us.
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. Joseph Cafasso stood at the center of a network of religious people who shaped the Church with their work in the 1800s; he had a large influence on St. John Bosco’s vocation to work with boys.
He was born in 1811 in Italy. His health was good, but he was undersized, and his body was twisted because his spine was slightly deformed. He was an excellent student, and assisted his classmates in their studies. He was sent to seminary, where he was the best student in the school, and was ordained a priest in 1833. He pursued further studies in moral theology.
In spite of his small size and his stooped posture, Joseph commanded respect among those he met with his handsome features and deep, resonant voice. He was a compelling preacher, and became a very effective lecturer.
He was given leadership positions in the institutions where he taught, and formed many priests who studied there. A very young St. John Bosco met Joseph and was inspired by his example. He followed Joseph and studied at his school; it was Joseph who helped John discover his vocation to work with wayward boys.
Jansenism, a scrupulous strain of thought that considered any fault a grave sin, was a popular belief among many, and Joseph helped people find balance in their spiritual lives, especially though his ministry in Confession. “When we hear Confessions, our Lord wants us to be loving and compassionate, to be fatherly towards all who come to us, without reference to who they are or what they have done,” he wrote to fellow priests. “If we repel anybody, if any soul is lost through our fault, we shall be held to account—their blood will be upon our hands.”
He was famous for his ministry with prisoners, and is patron saint of those in jail and those who care for them. The prisons of his day herded the condemned together under horrible conditions, and he visited men, giving them dignity and inspiring hope. The most famous of his converts was a man who deserted the army and was leader of a notorious gang. Joseph accompanied more than 60 prisoners to their execution—he called these men his “hanged saints” and asked for their prayers.
A number of other priests and nuns who founded new religious communities found an effective ally in Joseph—at least ten emerging orders found his support and guidance indispensable.
In 1860, Joseph fell ill, and he died on this date of pneumonia. John Bosco preached at his funeral, which was attended by an enormous crowd.
St. Joseph Cafasso, you served prisoners and inspired a generation of priests and nuns—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Joseph Cafasso is in the public domain. Last accessed March 19, 2025 on Wikimedia Commons.
