Daily Gospel Reflection
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May 7, 2025
Jesus said to the crowds,
“I am the bread of life;
whoever comes to me will never hunger,
and whoever believes in me will never thirst.
But I told you that although you have seen me,
you do not believe.
Everything that the Father gives me will come to me,
and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,
because I came down from heaven not to do my own will
but the will of the one who sent me.
And this is the will of the one who sent me,
that I should not lose anything of what he gave me,
but that I should raise it on the last day.
For this is the will of my Father,
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him
may have eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day.”
When my family and I go out for dinner to a new restaurant, I always check to see if there is meatloaf on the menu. That’s because meatloaf has an allure that fills me with memories of my teenage and college years.
Growing up, my Lola (Filipino for grandmother) would visit for one or two months at a time. I fondly remember that the one entrée she would prepare was embutido, Filipino-style meatloaf. I wasn’t particularly close to my Lola, but when I think of her, I recall her warmth, intelligence, and self-giving.
Recently, my teenage children were interrogating my mother to find out what I was like when I was their age. One thing led to another, and my mother confessed that when I was accepted into Notre Dame, my parents were beside themselves, trying to figure out how they would pay for school. She shared her dilemma with my Lola, who generously and quietly subsidized my education. I wish I had known then what I know now, and be able to profusely thank my Lola for divesting her own finances to support me.
Today’s gospel is about the ultimate divestment, in which Jesus proclaims that he is the bread of life—whoever comes to him will never hunger. As Catholics, we believe in transubstantiation, that the substances of bread and wine are radically changed to truly become the Body and Blood of Christ. The graced moment of the Eucharist, which means thanksgiving in Greek, creates time and space for us to offer our own thanks to the Creator, who supports us every moment of our lives. In the Eucharist, we also thank Jesus for his self-giving through his life, death, and resurrection, so that one day, we may dine with him at the heavenly banquet.
Prayer
Dear Lord, how blessed are we to know that with you we have life eternal. There is no end with you. Even when we are faced with seemingly dark days, there is no need for panic or despair for nothing that happens today, or any day, can overcome us. Even death itself is not an end, for with you there is ALWAYS a new beginning, a new life. We are comforted by your promise. Blessed are you our God! 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.