Daily Gospel Reflection
Join the Notre Dame family of faith. Receive God’s Word and a unique reflection in your inbox each day.
June 23, 2026
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.”
Excerpts from the Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America, second typical edition © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. Used with permission. All rights reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the copyright owner. The full readings of the day from the Lectionary are available here.
Like many alumni, students, and friends, my time at Our Lady’s University was a period of critical discernment and choices. What major should I choose? What is my relationship with Jesus? Who will I work for and how much money will I make? How will my relationship with Jesus inform how I can live a life of purpose? In today’s reading from Matthew, we are given a map to guide us to our most important destination.
This passage teaches us that to live a life of purpose is to choose and successfully navigate a path that leads us to “enter through the narrow gate,” to eternal life. The narrow path is not just the more difficult path; it is the path of faithful discipleship to Jesus, which often requires sacrifice, active compassion, and perseverance. On the other hand, there will always be a more comfortable path available that leads to a wider gate, one that many people around us will choose, but will eventually “…[lead] to destruction.”
My decision to transfer to Notre Dame in 2007 as a junior was one filled with great sacrifices and was anything but comfortable. From denial letters to summer classes to leaving my closest friends and family behind, this narrow path led to a narrow open gate with so much waiting for me on the other side. The most important reward was a prudent, welcoming campus environment that invited me to deepen my relationship with Jesus and receive the sacrament of confirmation in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in 2009.
Choosing the narrow path commits us to a life that is careful in our discipleship, proactively treating others with dignity and respect, and that will often make us feel alone. As we make choices on the narrow path to eternal life, may they always be informed and assured by today’s gospel.
Prayer
Eternal God, you created us in your divine image in your infinite wisdom. When the darkness of sin blinds us, let your light shine forth and remind us of this great gift. May our words and deeds reflect this knowledge, and may your wisdom lead us ever closer to uniting all humanity into the body of Christ. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
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 the 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.
Several 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.
