Daily Gospel Reflection
Join the Notre Dame family of faith. Receive God’s Word and a unique reflection in your inbox each day.
November 26, 2019
When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, he said, “As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.”
They asked him, “Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?”
And he said, “Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is near!’ Do not go after them.
“When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.”
Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.”
In today’s world, the ability to focus has become harder and harder as more things vie for our attention. Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu compete for our time when we get home in the evening. The project at work with the big deadline on the horizon consumes our thoughts. The distractions we are subject to seem to increase every day, and often have the effect of numbing us to what really matters. I can’t help but feel that, in this gospel passage, Jesus reminds us that the distractions, although entertaining, can lead us astray from our mission as Christians: to love God and to love one another.
It can be easy to gloss over the cosmic travail that Jesus describes in this reading because we don’t experience that kind of apocalyptic drama in our day to day lives. But perhaps we can consider our ordinary, personal, spiritual turmoil as a small version of what Jesus talks about today. What “beautiful stones” in the temple of our own lives distract us from the hungry person we drive by on the street corner each morning? What things “lead us astray” from taking the time to talk to a friend who seems sad or troubled? What distractions keep us from truly listening to and connecting with our loved ones when we get home at night?
As we approach the season of Advent, Jesus is challenging us to reflect on our own lives. How can we remove or minimize the distractions that keep us from drawing closer to him? How can we more effectively use our time and talents to connect with the people in our lives?
Prayer
Lord, today you warn us to not be deceived by those who pretend to come in your name. In our world, we have many who speak as if they know all that is to be known. We may even be confused by the conflicting claims we hear each day. Let us have the wisdom to listen to Your words, Your voice that resonates deep within us. We pray this to you Our God, forever and ever. Amen.
Saint of the Day
Blessed Gaetana Sterni was an Italian woman who lost nearly everyone she loved, yet she clung to her faith in God, and went on to dedicate her life to serving the homeless.
She was born in 1827 in Italy, one of six children. When she was a child, both her oldest sister and her father died in a short period of time. Then her brother left the family to pursue acting, which left the family poor.
Gaetana stood next to her mother during these difficult times, and took on extra responsibilities to help what was left of the family. Her mother was faithful, and Gaetana grew up with a strong faith that was complemented by solid religious education.
Just before she turned 16, Gaetana married a young businessman, whose previous wife had died, leaving him with three children. After only eight months of marriage, and in the middle of her first pregnancy, her husband died suddenly. When she delivered her baby, the child died after only a few days of life. She thought she would die of a broken heart, yet her grief was buoyed by a firm faith in God’s loving care.
She struggled for a few years to take care of her husband’s children, and she had significant disagreements with her in-laws, who resented the strong connection she had formed with the children. When she was 19 years old, she returned home to live with her mother, and her husband’s family took care of his children.
Even though she argued with her husband’s family, she loved his children, and advocated for their rights. Her patience and generosity eventually brought about a reconciliation with the family.
Gaetana wondered how her life would take shape, and considered marrying again. Through all of the grief and loss, she never lost a regular practice of prayer, and she began to feel a call to dedicate her life to God in a singular way. She joined a religious community of sisters, but when her mother died five months later, she had to depart in order to care for her remaining siblings.
Finally, when she turned 26 years old, Gaetana was free from family responsibilities and sought to give her life to God. She took on a role leading a homeless shelter in the city, which sheltered 115 people. This effort gathered other women, and she eventually shaped the community into a religious order—the Daughters of the Divine Will—which today has houses in Europe, Africa, and the United States.
Gaetana died in 1875 and was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 2001.
Blessed Gaetana Sterni, you clung to your faith through devastating loss and gave your life to serving the poor—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of Bl. Gaetana Sterni is used with permission from Catholic Online. Last accessed October 18, 2024.