Daily Gospel Reflection
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November 13, 2025
Asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come,
Jesus said in reply,
“The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed,
and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’
For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you.”
Then he said to his disciples,
“The days will come when you will long to see
one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it.
There will be those who will say to you,
‘Look, there he is,’ or ‘Look, here he is.’
Do not go off, do not run in pursuit.
For just as lightning flashes
and lights up the sky from one side to the other,
so will the Son of Man be in his day.
But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation.”
Reflection
I used to try to rationalize every moment in my life. I’m well educated, and there always had to be a reason for what I did. Like most, I invested in my share of planners and online organizational tools to run my operations and optimize my productivity. I think that’s part of our human condition. In contrast, my sweet furry Labrador certainly didn’t feel compelled to justify anything or keep a schedule.
But when things inevitably don’t go as planned, all the calendars in the world do not make the ensuing pain and disappointment go away. For me, several massive personal upheavals left me stripped down to the most essential thing I could hold onto—the love of God and the hope that my faith brings to every day.
I am emerging from a life of forever “too busy” to one of pausing. Sometimes there is a vista I know I will only see once, and I stop to look, inhale, and exhale. I take time to sit and watch the waves at my favorite beach, doing absolutely nothing. I stay for sunset even when it’s late.
There is no rhyme, reason, or great wisdom to any of my wanderings, but I know they bring me closer to God. My singular attempt to immerse myself in the hope that faith brings and in the goodness of our world has brought me great joy and peace.
As I read today’s gospel, I hear Jesus say that there isn’t a specific place or time for the kingdom of God, but that we must embrace God’s presence now in our everyday lives. God asks us to have faith and hope, rather than a specific plan with time and date on a calendar. The calendars are great for work productivity, but timeless faith and hope are what work for producing life.
Prayer
God of all time and seasons, as autumn turns to winter and the days grow shorter, we remember and hope for your holy light in our lives. Give us your grace to see that where there is love, we find you among us—your kingdom here and now. Forgive our failing to love, to reconcile, to be converted. Fill our hearts with your love and give us the courage and strength to share it freely as your beloved sons and daughters. Come Holy Spirit—enkindle with us the fire of your love! Amen.
Saint of the Day
An immigrant herself, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini served thousands of Italian immigrants who came to America at the turn of the century, looking for a better life. She is the first naturalized American citizen to be canonized a saint.
Frances was born in 1850, two months premature, to a very large family in Italy that grew cherry trees. She grew up with a great desire to become a missionary to China, but had chronically fragile health and was not allowed to join a religious order. She began to work as a school teacher in Italy.
By 1880, she had become the headmistress of an orphanage and gathered other women to join her work, teaching and raising the children. This community of women formed into a new religious order, the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and dedicated themselves to missionary work.
When the order was approved by the pope in 1887, she asked to be sent to China, but the pope instead sent her to serve the large number of Italian immigrants in the United States. Some 50,000 Italian immigrants were living in New York City, many of them in poverty, so she left Italy in 1889 with six other sisters to begin their work. Thanks to her remarkable trust in God and sharp administrative mind, their order grew and established many schools, orphanages, and hospitals.
Her order served people in New York but soon spread to other parts of the nation, then around the world. In 1907, Frances became a citizen of the United States, and she died ten years later in Chicago. She is represented in this panel on Notre Dame's law school building (right).
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini is the patron saint of immigrants and hospital administrators. Here is a prayer inspired by her commitment to recognizing the dignity of immigrants:
Loving God,
You led St. Frances Cabrini around the world.
By her example, teach us concern for the stranger.
By her prayers, help us to see Christ in our immigrant Sisters and Brothers
And all who welcome them.
By your guidance and Mother Cabrini’s inspiration, may we love boldly and work tirelessly to correct injustice
May civic leaders recognize the dignity of all people and the sanctity of the family
And may our nation and our hearts
Be places of welcome.
We ask this through the intercession of St. Frances Cabrini.
Amen.
Some of Mother Frances' relics rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on campus, while most of her body is preserved at the Mother Cabrini Shrine in Upper Manhattan. Frances Cabrini's inspiring witness to Christ and image are used by high school students who come to campus for a summer conference with the Notre Dame Vision program.
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, who cared for the displaced and poor who came to America as immigrants—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini is an illustration by Julie Lonneman, who holds exclusive rights to the further distribution and publication of her art. Used with permission.
