Daily Gospel Reflection
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November 27, 2021
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy
from carousing and drunkenness
and the anxieties of daily life,
and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.
For that day will assault everyone
who lives on the face of the earth.
Be vigilant at all times
and pray that you have the strength
to escape the tribulations that are imminent
and to stand before the Son of Man.”
“That day” is a haunting phrase. Jesus cautions us lest we be caught by surprise on “that day.” He speaks of the coming of the kingdom and yet we know that, for each of us, there will come “that day.”
Fr. Richard John Neuhaus wrote that we are “born toward death, and in each of our lives, the work of dying is already underway.” The reality of death and dying, however, is frightening. In many ways, it is incomprehensible, so we distract ourselves. We may not engage in the “carousing and drunkenness” that Christ speaks of, but we distract ourselves, nonetheless, if only with the concerns of daily life. Sometimes a brush with death provides a needed reminder of what we should focus on.
My reminder came during Holy Week of 2020. I became ill with symptoms that my doctor said were likely indicators that I had COVID-19. These were the early days of the pandemic. We read daily of people whose initial fever left but who soon found themselves on ventilators fighting for their lives. Our oldest daughter had just given birth to our first grandchild. I worried if I would get to hold my grandson—my namesake.
As days went by, I had meaningful conversations with my wife and children. Just in case this illness took me, I wanted them to know how much I loved them and was proud of them. I had meaningful conversations with God, as well, begging, in some combination of faithfulness and desperation, for his mercy.
Ultimately, I recovered, but I often think of those days. They remind me as Christ reminds us today that we must be vigilant about how we live our lives. We must be deliberate in the way we care for others so that we’re prepared to give an account of ourselves when “that day” comes.
Prayer
O God, our life can be overwhelming at times. We are filled with anxiety, distracted by sin, and fall into complacency. Grant us the grace and strength to be faithful to you. Help us to remember the promise of your kingdom and the glory that awaits us. Keep us ever vigilant in the life that you call us to. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. 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.
