Daily Gospel Reflection
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May 27, 2023
Peter turned and saw the disciple following whom Jesus loved,
the one who had also reclined upon his chest during the supper
and had said, “Master, who is the one who will betray you?”
When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?”
Jesus said to him, “What if I want him to remain until I come?
What concern is it of yours?
You follow me.”
So the word spread among the brothers that that disciple would not die.
But Jesus had not told him that he would not die,
just “What if I want him to remain until I come?
What concern is it of yours?”
It is this disciple who testifies to these things
and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true.
There are also many other things that Jesus did,
but if these were to be described individually,
I do not think the whole world would contain the books
that would be written.
In 2018, I was particularly troubled in my heart about certain issues going on in the Church at that time. I reached out to a trusted priest for advice. “Keep your eyes on Jesus,” was his response. This is basically Jesus’ response to Peter when he inquires about the beloved disciple, saying, “Lord, what about him?”
Before this question, Peter had just received a prophetic word from the Lord, “…when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you don’t want to go.”
Following the Lord is hard, especially when placed in a leadership position like Peter. It is easy to wonder about the quality of life of those around us and assume that others must have it easier. As a parent of many children, I notice these assumptions and deflections in their responses too.
This very human fear started in the beginning with Adam and Eve! May I suggest that when faced with life’s inevitable difficulties and variations, we all are tempted to assume, “God must be holding out on me.” I, too, share this tender wound that requires the gentle care of a shepherd who lovingly says to each one of us, “Follow me.” I, too, am tempted to believe that others must have it better.
Jesus wants to heal our wounds through intimacy with him. Jesus has shown us that following him can be painful but promises that intimacy with him will bring us through anything. Through Peter, he is challenging us to trust and rest in him.
As we finish the joy-filled celebration of the resurrection and ascension, may our hearts be filled with the inner knowing that our shepherd fills us with gifts of courage, confidence, and connection through his Holy Spirit. We need only to keep our eyes on him and follow him.
Prayer
God of truth, we know the experience of misunderstanding and the harm done by spreading stories that are not completely true. By your grace, give us courage to testify to the truth in our daily lives. Help us today to see your many wonderful works, to celebrate them, and to share them so that your Spirit may grow in us. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Saint of the Day

St. Augustine of Canterbury was a missionary who re-evangelized England in the late sixth century through his administrative skills and miracle-working faith.
When Romans withdrew from England in 410, the English were left vulnerable to attacks from the Germanic Saxon tribes. The faith had come to England with the Romans, and it went underground when they left.
In 596, Pope St. Gregory the Great decided it was time to re-evangelize England, having received news that the Church would be welcomed among the kingdoms there. He sent 30 missionaries from the monastery to which he belonged, including the leader of the community, Augustine.
The group arrived in the north of France and were vehemently warned against crossing the channel to England because of the danger of the voyage and the savagery of the people there. Discouraged, Augustine and the group returned to Rome, but Pope Gregory sent them back.
They landed in Thanet and were received by the local king, who would be baptized and later crowned a saint himself—St. Ethelbert. He was open to their mission, gave them the use of a local, unused church, and gave them permission to teach the faith.
Their work helped the faith take root in the region, the king himself was baptized, and Augustine was raised to the position of archbishop. Ethelbert gave Augustine land in Canterbury for a church, where he built Christ Church and an abbey that now bears his name. The Church spread through England, and new dioceses were established in London and Rochester.
Augustine spent his last years consolidating the faithful communities that had been underground, and administering the growing Church. Under Gregory’s guidance, he did not destroy pagan temples, but consecrated them for Christian use; and retained local customs and festivals, using them as occasions to celebrate the Christian faith instead.
His detailed correspondence with Pope Gregory described miracles worked through his intercession—Gregory warned Augustine of pride, and told him to stay focused on the inward realities that the outward signs pointed to.
St. Augustine of Canterbury, you re-established the faith in England—pray for us!
Image credit:
This image of St. Augustine of Canterbury above appears with permission from Catholic.org