Daily Gospel Reflection
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November 29, 2022
Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,
“I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows who the Son is except the Father,
and who the Father is except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”
Turning to the disciples in private he said,
“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.
For I say to you,
many prophets and kings desired to see what you see,
but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”
The childlike are the chosen; not the wise or learned, not prophets or kings, but the childlike. So why does God choose to reveal himself this way? Why not the most intelligent or those with positions of authority, who could decree others to follow and would carry instant credibility to their words?
In reflecting on this scripture and the Advent season, many of us remember our childhood wonder at Christmas of those family traditions and meals, Christmas pageants at church, and getting dressed up for Christmas Eve service.
The excitement of letters to Santa, tracking his sleigh on Christmas Eve, and the anticipation of the gifts that would be discovered the next morning—children experience all of the pure, untainted joy, eagerness, and excitement to share with everyone about the wonders of this season.
Maybe God also wants the new testament of God’s Son on earth to be carried by those with no other motive than pure, untainted joy. God wants those so awed with wonder that they are bursting to jubilantly share the good news with others. God wants those who hear the message to choose to believe not because of a decree but because their hearts and minds are inspired through faith.
What is truly rewarded and causes Jesus to rejoice in this passage is those who remain childlike—humble, open, trusting, faithful—and will receive and carry the good news and knowledge of God to others.
May we all be reminded to seek with childlike wonder the treasures that truly matter. May our hearts be bursting with the joy of the Holy Spirit and may God be revealed to us more deeply for unto us a child is born, the savior and redeemer of all mankind! Rejoice indeed!
Prayer
Good and loving God, give us the gift of childlike wonder this Advent season. Open our eyes to see the awesome truth that lies at the heart of each and every day: that you have shown us the Father and have allowed us to hear the eternal Word. Fill us with hope. We ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.
Saint of the Day
Saturninus was a popular name in the late antique Roman empire, so there are several obscure saints who all bear that name. At least two potential candidates are the saints with the name Saturninus who we honor today, and both were martyred in the first centuries of the Church. Relics of St. Saturninus rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica, but it is unclear which Saturninus the relics belong to.
The legend of Saints Perpetua and Felicity tells of a priest, Saturninus, who was one of their companions and ministered to them during their time in prison, comforting them as they prepared for martyrdom and he anticipated his own. This may or may not be the same Saturninus as Saturninus of Rome.
Saturninus of Rome was a priest who ministered with Sisinius, a deacon. They were imprisoned during a period of persecution of Christians, potentially during the reign of Septimius Severus and forced into manual labor before being tortured and killed, most likely around the year 203 AD.
Saturninus of Toulouse was the first bishop of the city of Toulouse in France, and was known to have converted many with his preaching and by working miracles. One of the popular cults in the late Roman empire was the cult of Mithras. The cult of Mithras was a popular "mystery religion," which featured secret initiation rites and cultic sacrifice. A temple to Mithras had long stood at the heart of Toulouse but Saturninus’ presence and preaching offended the priests there. They seized him and told him to offer sacrifice to Mithras or face death. Saturninus chose death, saying, “I worship only one God, and I am ready to offer a sacrifice of praise.” They tied him to a bull that was to be sacrificed at the temple and then prodded the animal to run through the streets until Saturninus was dead. Saturninus was thought to have been martyred around the year 257 AD.
Churches were built over the bodies of both of these saints in their respective cities.
St. Saturninus, who showed great dedication to God, even under the threat of death—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Saturninus is in the public domain. Last accessed October 18, 2024 on Wikimedia Commons.
