Daily Gospel Reflection
Join the Notre Dame family of faith. Receive God’s Word and a unique reflection in your inbox each day.
May 7, 2026
Jesus said to his disciples:
“As the Father loves me, so I also love you.
Remain in my love.
If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love,
just as I have kept my Father’s commandments
and remain in his love.
“I have told you this so that
my joy might be in you and
your joy might be complete.”
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.
I’m a tad partial to this gospel reading. After all, my wife and I chose it for our wedding. Like many couples presented with options for their readings, I am sure that Christ’s words here during the Last Supper discourses resonate with preparations for the journey ahead. The call to keep God at the center of a relationship and to remain in the love that the Father has for us reminds me so much of the line from the beautiful quote by St. Augustine—“our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”
As a student of theology, I also love this gospel because it was written by John, by far the most philosophical and poetic. And the call and invitation to “remain in my love” is such a perfect declaration for any audience, I can’t help but, as they say, “nerd out” a bit.
What struck me most today is Jesus’ use of the phrase “might be.” Joy is not a certainty or a forceful command. It is Jesus’ hope that we remain and embrace the depth of his love. But that is our choice. And there is the possibility that even by remaining in God’s love, our joys in life are not guaranteed. There will still be struggles and heartbreak; lows and tears.
But the “might be” shows us that there is still an element of choice and hope. I find it empowering that we have to choose to remain each and every day, that we have to commit and find purpose and meaning, and that we have to hope for the joy that “comes in the morning.” (Ps. 30:5)
God seeks us to rest and remain, but we must also seek to remain and rest.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, may everything we do this day honor the profound depth of your love for us. May our gratitude show itself in fruits of justice, love, and peace for each person we meet and for those throughout the world who continue to suffer. Thank you for your love. 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.