Daily Gospel Reflection for March 3, 2025

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

Today's Gospel: Mark 10:17-27

In today’s Gospel, a rich young man walks away from Jesus sad because He is unwilling to give all that he has to the poor. St. Ignatius of Loyola might tell this young man to practice “downward mobility,” the willingness to give up earthly things to participate in God’s project here on Earth, but these kinds of things are much easier said than done!

The young man in the Gospel story reminds me of another one of my saint friends whose feast day happens to be today, St. Katharine Drexel. Like the young man, St. Katharine had a great deal of wealth. Her mother died shortly after she was born, so Katharine was raised mostly by her stepmother, who believed in using the family’s financial blessings to help the poor. Katharine, her older sister, Elizabeth, and her stepsister, Louise, often accompanied Mrs. Drexel as they distributed food, medicine, clothing, and rent money to those in need.

When their parents died, the three young women inherited an estate worth $14 million. Because she had traveled widely, Katharine knew how poverty, racism, and discrimination had devastating effects on Native and Black Americans. After encouragement from Pope Leo XIII, she decided to use her family’s wealth to set up schools for Black and Native Americans.

St. Katharine Drexel was able to do what the young man in today’s Gospel story could not do. She found a way to use the resources she had been given to serve others. We may not have the same level of wealth she had, but God has given us all sorts of resources (our time, our talents, and our treasures) that we can share in loving service of others.

Ponder:

How might I better use my resources to help those in need?

Pray:

Lord, help me to see how I can use what You have given me in order to fulfill Your mission here on Earth.

Copyright 2025 Amy J. Cattapan