Daily Gospel Reflection
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May 7, 2020
When Jesus had washed the disciples’ feet, he said to them: “Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.
“I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But it is to fulfill the scripture, ‘The one who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ I tell you this now, before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am he.
“Very truly, I tell you, whoever receives one whom I send receives me; and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.”
Today’s gospel passage takes us back to the Last Supper where Jesus told his disciples they would be sent into the world by him, just as he was sent by the Father. In the cozy setting of the Last Supper, this seemed to be all well and good, but the apostles soon saw where the Father sent his Son: to the cross. Jesus, in complete trust and abandonment to the will of the Father, accepted his mission and we are asked to accept ours.
When I think of being “sent,” I often think of going out into the world and actively evangelizing. But, in a sense, God has made it easier and brings the world of evangelization to us. This Lent, before quarantine started, I was blessed to be a member of a wonderful women’s group that met to discuss Fr. Wilfrid Stinissen’s book, Into Your Hands, Father… Abandoning Ourselves to the God Who Loves Us. The first step in abandonment is to accept God’s will in the events of our life. The people and circumstances God sends to us daily, whether they be pleasant or unpleasant, are where God wishes us to bring God’s love into the world.
As a parent, I formulated a mantra to say to a child who was not so thrilled with a request: you might not like it, you might not agree with it, and you might not understand it, but you have to obey it! In a much less dictatorial style, I think God says to us in any difficult moment: you might not like it, you might not agree with it, and you might not understand it, but trust me! I am the God who loves you infinitely more than you can imagine and all I want is for you to be with me forever. With this unwavering trust in his Father, Jesus faced the cross, and with this same trust, we too can face our crosses each day.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, if our Baptism as Christians has incorporated us fully into your life, then we have a responsibility to act and speak as our Father does. You told us throughout the Easter season about your priorities. All too often they are not ours, and for this we ask forgiveness and assistance. We can’t become more fully like you all on our own. Please help us. Amen.
Saint of the Day
Rose Venerini followed God's voice, which was speaking to her in the circumstances of her life, and changed the lives of many people through her gifts as an educator.
She was born in 1656 in Viterbo, Italy. When she came of age, she was engaged to a young man, but he died suddenly. She decided to enter the convent, but only stayed there for a few months—her father had died, and she was needed at home to help her mother.
During this time at home, she gathered women from the neighborhood in her house to pray the rosary. She was struck by how little these women knew of their faith, so she began to instruct them. She still had hopes of entering a convent to spend her life in seclusion and prayer, but her spiritual director, who saw her work with the women in the prayer group, encouraged her to explore a vocation in the world as a teacher.
With two others, Rose opened a free school for girls in 1685, and it was a success. She quickly became known for her insights into education, and was invited by a cardinal in the area to give advice on the administration of schools in the diocese and to help train teachers.
Rose was known for her persuasive ways of speaking, and for her responsiveness to any situation. She went on to found more schools, though sometimes she faced fierce resistance. In one instance, opponents shot arrows at teachers and burned their house down. Still, she persevered with patience and trust. At the time of her death, 40 schools were under her direction.
After her death, many of the lay teachers who worked in her schools gathered into a religious community, called the Venerini sisters, who worked with Italian immigrants in the U.S.
St. Rose mentored another educational matriarch in Italy, St. Lucy Filippini, whose relics rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica. St. Rose was canonized in 2006.
St. Rose Venerini, you turned away both the convent and marriage to transform schools—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Rose Venerini is used with permission from Catholic Online. Last accessed March 6, 2025.