--- title: Daily Gospel Reflection for August 14, 2020 description: Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel. image: https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/DGR3_1180_551.png --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/daily-gospel/daily-gospel-reflection-for-august-14-2020#) [DAILY GOSPEL REFLECTIONS](https://www.catholicmom.com/daily-gospel/tag/daily-gospel-reflections) # Daily Gospel Reflection for August 14, 2020 Aug 14, 2020 12:15:00 AM  |  by [Gospel Reflections Team](https://www.catholicmom.com/daily-gospel/author/gospel-reflections-team) Receive Daily Gospel Reflections in your inbox ![featured image](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/DGR3_1180_551.png) *Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.* Reflection by Melanie Rigney ***Today's Gospel: [Matthew 19:3-12 - Memorial of St. Maximilian Kolbe](https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/081420.cfm)***   The Pharisees were fond of posing questions to Jesus they thought would stump Him or make Him look foolish. But they never succeeded, because He always spoke truth, whether it was popular or not. Today’s Gospel reading makes us uncomfortable. We all know people in marriages that started out with promise and love—and have devolved into dangerous situations involving physical, mental, emotional abuse. Surely, the Lord doesn’t expect us to be someone’s punching bag? To me, the point isn’t so much the Lord’s view on divorce, as it is His overwhelming love for us and His desire that our earthly decisions, romantic and otherwise, involve Him from start to finish. I’ve been divorced for fourteen years. My annulment was simple, since we hadn’t married in the Church. When I am tempted to pray for God to drop a kind, Catholic man of a certain age into my life, this is one of the passages I read. Perhaps I was always intended to live the vocation of a single laywoman; I certainly don’t have the time to devote right now to a relationship He would find pleasing. If the Lord desires celibacy of me, I accept it—more willingly some times than others, but I accept it. Matthew 19 also comes to mind when I think of friends whose marriages I admire. They’re not perfect, but they and their spouses don’t give up on each other. They start anew after every loss, every disappointment, confident in their love for each other, and in faith that God brought them together for a purpose. They live His truth. > [To me, the point isn’t so much the Lord’s view on divorce, as it is His overwhelming love for us and His desire that our earthly decisions, romantic and otherwise, involve Him from start to finish. #dailygospel](https://ctt.ac/x6dd4)   ### Ponder: What hard truth is the Lord asking you to embrace?   ### Pray: Lord, help me not to give up on myself, other people, or You. ![DailyGospelReflections_1080x1080](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/DailyGospelReflections_1080x1080.png?width=1080&name=DailyGospelReflections_1080x1080.png) --- Copyright 2020 Melanie Rigney Melanie Rigney loves to write and speak about saints and the Proverbs 31 woman, and how they bless us today. The author of several books, she is a regular contributor to Living Faith and Catholic Digest. Learn more about her at [www.rejoicebeglad.com](http://www.rejoicebeglad.com). ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Fdaily-gospel%2Fdaily-gospel-reflection-for-august-14-2020%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Fdaily-gospel%2Fdaily-gospel-reflection-for-august-14-2020%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Fdaily-gospel%2Fdaily-gospel-reflection-for-august-14-2020%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Daily%20Gospel%20Reflection%20for%20August%2014%2C%202020) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Fdaily-gospel%2Fdaily-gospel-reflection-for-august-14-2020%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Fdaily-gospel%2Fdaily-gospel-reflection-for-august-14-2020%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Gospel Reflections Team](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/CM%20DGR%20Gospel%20Team%20profile.png) ### [Gospel Reflections Team](https://www.catholicmom.com/daily-gospel/author/gospel-reflections-team) Our Gospel Reflections Team is comprised of more than 100 volunteers. We invite you to join us daily to reflect upon the Liturgy of the Word and thank our volunteers for sharing their gifts. ## Related Blog Articles [ Daily Gospel Reflection for June 14, 2020 - Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/daily-gospel/daily-gospel-reflection-for-june-14-2020-solemnity-of-the-body-and-blood-of-christ) [ Daily Gospel Reflection for June 17, 2020 Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/daily-gospel/daily-gospel-reflection-for-june-17-2020) [ Daily Gospel Reflection for June 16, 2020 Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/daily-gospel/dgr-daily-template-4) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! 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