Daily Gospel Reflection
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November 29, 2024
Jesus told his disciples a parable.
“Consider the fig tree and all the other trees.
When their buds burst open,
you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near;
in the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that the Kingdom of God is near.
Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away.”
I love it when Jesus teaches us through stories of nature. In Matthew chapter six, we are invited to consider the lilies of the field and the birds of the air. These stories show us the uselessness of worry and the beauty of reliance on God’s providence. Consider the trees from today’s gospel, however, and you will be confronted with the end of days.
Instead of assuring us that we will have food and clothing, as the lilies and birds do, the trees show us that heaven and earth will pass away, perhaps sooner than we think. Knowing this, how can we not worry?
Jesus does provide one caveat: that his words will not pass away. There must be a distinction then between heaven and earth, which will pass away, and Jesus’ words, which will not. From John chapter one, we know that Jesus is the Word and that through him, all things were made. Looking around or within ourselves, we can see that creation has fallen from the perfection of Jesus’s Word. Sin and death have made their mark. Jesus promises those faults to pass away while his Word remains.
So, I believe that Jesus does not want the trees to serve as reminders of upcoming destruction and panic but of the coming perfection of the kingdom of God. And while we may experience the passing away of all we know now, we have a new world to anticipate with joy. No worrying necessary.
Prayer
Lord, help us to recognize your presence in a church or chapel, even a private room, where we can sit or kneel and quietly reflect on your goodness and mercy toward us. Help us to know the richness of prayer offered from the heart. Grant us courage in the face of difficulties, faith in the presence of doubt and uncertainty, and confidence in your strengthening grace. Let us not miss these gifts by indifference and merely routine words. 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.
