Daily Gospel Reflection
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November 14, 2019
Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you.”
Then he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. They will say to you, ‘Look there!’ or ‘Look here!’ Do not go, do not set off in pursuit. For as the 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 endure much suffering and be rejected by this generation.”
In the days before the movie Rudy, hundreds of freshmen at Notre Dame used to jam the engineering hall every fall to watch Knute Rockne, All American as part of their introduction to Notre Dame. At the end of the movie, Rockne boards a plane that we all know will lead to his demise. Knowing what will happen, the students shout out advice that can’t be taken.
“Don’t get on that plane, Knute!”
Rockne was long gone by the time the advice comes from the movie-goers. But God doesn’t wait until it’s too late to give us advice – God’s guidance, love, and mercy are omnipresent, just as God is.
In today’s gospel, Jesus gives advice that is unusually direct, “Do not go, do not set off in pursuit.” He is talking about pursuing all the allures of our world that distract us from the kingdom of God, those temptations that promise–but never deliver–happiness. Today we are bombarded by social media, political parties, and advertisements telling us to pursue these shiny objects, even though we know our hearts won’t be satisfied. We spend all of our time on work, social media, and entertainment but cannot “find time” for prayer. We go to the football game on Sunday, but skip Mass because it is inconvenient.
You might say, “wait a minute, it’s not so simple. How can I know what is right to pursue”? True, it is not easy, but we must seek it through prayer, discernment, and honesty with ourselves. We have to confront that deep, hidden feeling of desire or weakness that we don’t want to admit is driving our behavior. We must ultimately surrender to God in order to turn away from the desires that we know, deep down, will lead us away from holiness and true happiness. Unlike Rockne, we can heed the advice. “Do not go, do not set off in pursuit.”
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
St. Laurence O’Toole was archbishop of Dublin, Ireland, and a great force for peace during a tumultuous time.
He was born 1128 and named Lorcán Ua Tuathail (his name is anglicized to Laurence O’Toole). He was the son of Murtagh, the chieftain of the Murray clan. When a neighboring king invaded, Murtagh was forced to give up Laurence, then only ten years old, as a hostage.
For two years, Laurence lived in a barren and stony region and was poorly treated. When Murtagh heard of this, he threatened vengeance unless the boy was handed over to the Bishop of Glendalough. Laurence was delivered to the bishop, and Murtagh hurried to visit him there. In thanksgiving, Murtagh vowed to God that one of his four sons would serve the Church. He asked the bishop to cast lots to decide which son should join him, but Laurence laughed and told him not to bother—he had already decided to do so.
Laurence was raised and educated by the bishop, and when he turned twenty-five, he was asked to be the Abbot of Glendalough Abbey. Laurence was a charitable and wise leader. When a famine struck the area during his first four months as abbot, he generously supported the villagers with extra food from the abbey.
Outlaws and robbers hid in the hills surrounding Glendalough and often threatened anyone who traveled through them. Laurence boldly spoke out against these robbers, and they responded to his rebukes by spreading lies about him. Laurence responded to the slander with silence, content to let the truth bear itself out.
When the archbishop of Dublin died in 1161, Laurence was elected to replace him, his election was supported by the High King and the community of Glendalough, but also warmly welcomed by the population of Dublin itself. Laurence's first plan of action in the city was to reform the clergy who worked with him in Dublin. Laurence asked the clergy to truly commit to a life of regular prayer and fasting, and he led the clergy in these disciplines with his own example—he wore a religious habit, ate with the clerical community in a common dining area, and observed hours of silence and vigil prayer. Every day, Laurence shared a meal with the poor and destitute of Dublin, and he sustained many others by paying for their housing.
Various Irish kings and chieftains allied with the Norman King Henry II of England and conspired to seize Dublin. The citizens of Dublin begged Laurence to parlay with the Norman troops for them, but Laurence was unable to prevent the Normans from entering the city. He did, however, succeed in stopping the massacre of Dublin citizens the Norman knights were beginning to carry out. In the ensuing years of political turmoil, Laurence continued to negotiate between the Normans and the Irish chieftains.
During one trip to England, Laurence visited the tomb of St. Thomas Beckett, who was murdered for disagreeing with the king and honored as a martyr. The next day, as Laurence was celebrating Mass, a man attending Mass thought Laurence would inspire the people as a martyr as well, and struck him on the head. Laurence fell to the ground, and the horrified congregation thought he had died. When Laurence regained consciousness, however, he washed the wound on his head, bandaged it, and continued with Mass. The man who struck him was sentenced to hang, but Laurence asked for his pardon and saved his life. (Seven hundred years later, when Laurence’s relics were examined, his skull carried the mark from this blow.)
Laurence fell sick while traveling to England to meet with Henry II and returned to Ireland in very critical condition. Before he died, Laurence was asked what he wanted to leave to his heirs in his will, and he replied, “God knows I have not a penny in the world.” Laurence had truly embodied the care and stewardship of a shepherd and had given all he had to his beloved people of Dublin. Laurence died on November 14, 1180.
St. Laurence O’Toole, Irish bishop who endured violence to lead the Irish people to deeper faith—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Laurence is used with permission from Catholic Online. Last accessed October 10, 2024.