Daily Gospel Reflection
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March 20, 2026
Jesus moved about within Galilee;
he did not wish to travel in Judea,
because the Jews were trying to kill him.
But the Jewish feast of Tabernacles was near.
But when his brothers had gone up to the feast,
he himself also went up, not openly but as it were in secret.
Some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem said,
“Is he not the one they are trying to kill?
And look, he is speaking openly and they say nothing to him.
Could the authorities have realized that he is the Christ?
But we know where he is from.
When the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from.”
So Jesus cried out in the temple area as he was teaching and said,
“You know me and also know where I am from.
Yet I did not come on my own,
but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true.
I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.”
So they tried to arrest him,
but no one laid a hand upon him,
because his hour had not yet come.
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.
When we think of Jesus, we often picture empathy, unconditional love, and the tender warmth of a father. These associations are both natural and fitting. However, in this passage, we see Jesus exhibit bravery, courage, and heroism in the face of arrest.
Speaking openly to those who sought his arrest, Jesus knew his fate. He knew the suffering that awaited him for the sake of the very ones who sought his arrest. I find it hard to imagine myself coming close to such courage under such circumstances. But Jesus was empowered to do so.
Just as Jesus was sent with a purpose, so are we. God knew us before our creation and devised a plan for our part in the church. We may fear loss of friendships, loss of opportunities, or even loss of family members in our journey to cooperate with his plan. Even when the future seems frightening, though, Jesus assures us of his protection. So too must we be confident in the Lord’s plan for us.
Being charged with this myself, I look to St. Thérèse of Lisieux and her theology of “The Little Way.” You and I may not yet fully know the shape of our purpose, yet by embracing that purpose in the smallest of ways, through our deeds, our words, and our daily encounters, we begin to share in the same courage Christ revealed when he stood unflinching before those who sought his arrest. It is in these small, faithful acts that we learn to trust the Father’s plan, and in that trust, we grow into the bravery to which God calls us.
Prayer
Jesus, Son of God the most high, you live in intimate union with the Father, and you invite us to share in your life. May the fruits of our own baptism be more evident than ever these Lenten days, that we may celebrate Easter with unrestrained rejoicing. You live and reign with the Father and the Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.
Saint of the Day
St. Martin of Braga was a bishop and evangelizer who spread the faith in the Iberian peninsula in the 500s. He was born in central Europe and made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land before joining other pilgrims who were returning to an area in the northern part of present-day Portugal, where he settled.
He was a highly-regarded scholar—said by contemporaries to be the smartest man of his age—and preached against the Arian heresy, which was gaining ground in the region. His preaching attracted many who had wandered from the faith, including the king. He also built several monasteries.
Because of his connections to the king, he stayed in the royal court for a time, but he continued to live like a monk. He oversaw his monasteries with strict discipline and was promoted to oversee the Church in the region from the city of Braga, a role he kept until his death in 580. His relics rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica.
St. Martin of Braga, you evangelized Spain and Portugal—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Martin of Braga is in the public domain. Last accessed February 6, 2025 on Wikimedia Commons.
