Daily Gospel Reflection
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November 27, 2019
Jesus said to the crowd: “They will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name.
“This will give you an opportunity to testify. So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict.
“You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will secure your lives.
If you follow any of Bishop Barron’s platforms, you may have heard him address and extend an invitation to the “Nones,” those who claim no religious affiliation and who are now the fastest-growing religious movement in America. I believe the gospel today comes at an appropriate time and provides each of us a call to specifically address this rising pastoral concern. We can think of the Nones as a group of distant people that have wandered away and need to be found, but the reality is the Nones are all around us; they are our kids, friends, colleagues, and closest relatives. They are not an intangible group of people, but the people we care most about, some of whom we may be seeing tomorrow.
Jesus challenges each of us today to not be afraid to witness to the joy and love that has been gifted to us through his sacrificial love. He explains that we do not have to prepare a defense, only be open to allowing His words and wisdom to flow through us. When I first began working for the Church, I was always nervous when holidays would come around, because I knew one of my relatives would try to question my career choice and my faith. It took some time to trust what Jesus promises in this gospel, but eventually, I was led to a point where I welcomed these conversations and the ability to share the joy I receive being a disciple of Christ. As we prepare for Thanksgiving tomorrow, spend some time today reflecting on what Jesus promises us in this gospel. How do these promises call us to be more open to witnessing to the Nones in our own life?
Prayer
O, Christ, our lives pattern your own. You were beaten and spat upon for loving a world unused to love. We, however, expect not to be hated by the world, but admired by it; not to be betrayed, but to succeed. Save us from the lie that your name, Jesus, will bring us only success, praise, and power. Give us the endurance to suffer because we have become such great lovers of the world that we bear you in our very bodies. Amen.
Saint of the Day
Despite the city attached to his name, St. Virgil of Salzburg was actually from Ireland—he was a pilgrim on his way to the Holy Land who stopped in Salzburg on his journey and stayed as its bishop.
As abbot of a monastery in Ireland in the eighth century, Virgil was one of the most learned men in Europe (he even gained the sobriquet the “The Geometer” for his knowledge of geometry). Virgil decided to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and he and his fellow companions sailed to France. Virgil spent two years wandering and traveling throughout Europe but did not get any farther east than Bavaria.
During a stay in Salzburg, Virgil was appointed abbot of a monastery, a role that included administrative duties for the bishop of that diocese. He performed these duties admirably and found himself compelled to accept an appointment as bishop of Salzburg.
Virgil ran into trouble with St. Boniface, who disagreed with some of his decisions and teachings and complained to the pope. These inter-saint disagreements came to nothing, however, and Virgil continued on his tenure as a fantastically effective bishop without further disruption from saint or sinner. Virgil rebuilt the cathedral in Salzburg to become an even larger and grander building than it had been originally and sent missionaries to evangelize the surrounding regions.
Virgil himself traveled to preach the Gospel to new people, as far as Hungary and is known as the Apostle to the Slovenians. When he returned from one such journey, Virgil, unfortunately, fell ill and died on this date, November 27, in 784. Virgil was renowned for his great knowledge and his holiness, and his feast is celebrated both in Ireland and throughout central Europe.
St. Virgil of Salzburg, Irish abbot who left for a Holy Land pilgrimage and found yourself bishop of Salzburg—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Virgil of Salzburg is available for use under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Modified from the original. Last accessed October 18, 2024 on Wikimedia Commons.
