Daily Gospel Reflection for September 3, 2018

Today's Gospel: Luke 4:16-30 - Memorial of Saint Gregory the Great Verse 30 in today’s Gospel is the saddest verse in all the Bible: “But passing through their midst, he went away.” Can you imagine having Jesus in your midst and not welcoming Him? Can you imagine ignoring him? Getting angry at Him? Speaking ill of Him? “Whenever you did this to one of these, the least of my brethren, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40). Jesus is in our midst. He is in our co-worker who needs some help. He is in the homeless on the corner asking for a meal. He is in the elderly man driving slowly in the left-hand lane and in the woman in front of us in the express line with 24 items! He is in our child asking for our attention. He is in our spouse who wants a bit of our time, too. He is in our midst in the quiet of the morning or the calm of the evening, calling us to be still and know that He is God. It is He who will give us the grace to not ignore the homeless or to not speak ill of our hapless co-worker. He will give us the patience to not get angry with the woman in the grocery line or the elderly man in the fast lane. He will give us the time to spend with our children and spouse, without feeling stressed out. If only we make time for Him, He will stay with us; He will not go away.