Daily Gospel Reflection for June 1, 2021

Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

Reflection by Julie Ann Monzi

Today's Gospel: Memorial of Saint Justin, Martyr - Mark 12:13-17

Jesus asked the Pharisees to bring him a denarius, a Roman coin, which bore the image of Caesar. When you look in the mirror, what image do you see? For me, the first thing that I see is my hair. Is it unruly today or just right? The image we should be seeing in the mirror, though, and in everyone we meet, is the image of Jesus. Since we are created in His likeness, we need to be more loving, kind, and forgiving, just as He is. Then at the end of the day, we can “Render to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” How do we do that specifically?

We all have work to do each day no matter if you work inside or outside the home. Paychecks have taxes taken to “render to Caesar”. We can “render to God” by viewing our work in a different light. Do you see your work as a daily grind? Or do you see your work – no matter what it is – as an offering to God? If you’re performing a task that is not very enjoyable, you can pray, “God, I offer this work to you for the conversion of souls.” If it is something you look forward to doing, you can pray, “I offer this work to You, Lord, in thanksgiving for all the graces You have bestowed on me and my family.” If you encounter a troubling person during your day, you can say, “God, I lift this person into your care and pray they have a good day.”

In this way, we can live more for Jesus and strive to be like Him each day.

Ponder:

Every evening, can I render to God a day of prayer and praise?

Pray:

Jesus, help me to render my day to You by praying for others through the work that I do. In that way, I can become more like You, my Lord and my Savior.

Click to Tweet
Do you see your work as a daily grind? Or do you see your work – no matter what it is – as an offering to God? #dailygospel

Copyright 2021 Julie Ann Monzi

Julie Ann Monzi lives in Gettysburg, PA, with her husband, three grown children, and three cats. She enjoys reading, walking the Gettysburg Battlefield, Civil War reenacting, and watching foreign mysteries. Julie’s work has appeared in magazines including Harpstring Magazine, Liguorian, and Radiant. You can find her on Wimkin at https://wimkin.com/julieannmonziwriter