Daily Gospel Reflection
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March 13, 2019
While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them,
“This generation is an evil generation;
it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it,
except the sign of Jonah.
Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites,
so will the Son of Man be to this generation.
At the judgment
the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation
and she will condemn them,
because she came from the ends of the earth
to hear the wisdom of Solomon,
and there is something greater than Solomon here.
At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation
and condemn it,
because at the preaching of Jonah they repented,
and there is something greater than Jonah here.”
Over winter break, I was living in Lumen Christi, the monastery of the Little Sisters of the Lamb in Kansas City to seek a bit of rest after a tiring finals week. While there, reading Jesus’ words condemning the greediness of the crowd challenged me in a new way. In the seclusion of my cell, I was expecting to experience the presence of God a bit more intimately than I do in my busy daily life on campus. But my solitude turned me greedy for more signs of God’s presence, and I was left continually unsatisfied.
Fortunately, the daily life unfolding in the monastery soon called me out of my isolation and comfort zone. At Lumen Christi, roughly every half-hour, someone knocked at the door, to give a hand with the chores, bring donations, or ask for a word of advice or comfort from the sisters. These were the signs of God’s presence I was longing for, taking place outside my cell and outside of my expectations.
The miracles were there, in the witness of holiness of the people living in the neighborhood, thirsty to encounter Christ in this special place. This experience of Jesus challenging me to go and meet him outside of myself, opened my eyes to actually see the many blessings, which, through his providence, he bestows upon the Community of the Lamb, sustained through the generosity of its neighbors.
Today in this Gospel, Jesus brings us something truly greater than any sign we could ask for. May we recognize him as the origin of every miracle in our lives. And may our eyes be opened to see with faith the wonders he has worked and give thanks for them.
Prayer
Father of mercy and forgiveness, you are patient with our obstinate hearts. Stir us to be receptive to your Word, Jesus Christ, just as the Queen of Sheba sought the wisdom of Solomon and the Ninevites responded to the prophetic words of Jonah. May we hear your Word and keep it. Amen.
Saint of the Day
St. Euphrasia of Constantinople was an early Christian saint who lived in the fourth century, in the capital city of Constantinople. Various legends about her life relate slightly different stories about her origins, but all are agreed that she was a young noblewoman who chose serving God over marriage.
Euphrasia is believed to have been born around the year 380 in Constantinople. Her father was a member of the Emperor Theodosius I's imperial court. After her father died, Euphrasia and her mother retreated to Egypt and lived in a monastery with other women there.
At the tender age of seven, Euphrasia begged to take monastic vows and join the monastery as a nun. She showed a devotion to Christ and a desire to serve him far beyond her years. Accounts differ of which emperor wanted Euphrasia to marry, and whether it was before or after she entered the monastery. Regardless, the emperor commanded her to marry a certain wealthy senator. Euphrasia refused, gave up all her parents' property she had inherited upon the death of her mother.
The image featured today shows Euphrasia lifting heavy stones, which her abbess often assigned her for a penance, as manual labor was often used in monastic communities as a way to overcome temptations. Euphrasia died in the monastery at the age of thirty in 410.
St. Euphrasia of Constantinople, who as a young girl devoted her life entirely to God—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Euphrasia of Constantinople is in the public domain. Last accessed February 4, 2025 on Wikimedia Commons.
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