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

 

Today's Gospel: John 8:21-30

As a convert who comes from a large family of many different faiths, I am used to answering questions about why Catholics do what we do. Why, for example, is there Mass on weekdays? Why do you need to tell your sins to a priest in order to obtain forgiveness from God? Why are Catholics so obsessed with suffering? Why do Catholics have a lot of religious stuff and what’s the deal with no meat on Fridays?

I have to admit, they have a point. At first glance, Catholicism can seem like a myriad of strange little customs and observances. Some actions, like the burying of St. Joseph in the ground before we put a home up for sale, can seem downright superstitious to the untrained soul. At best, you could say these practices are mysterious. At worst, perhaps they are just confusing.

I answer the questions I receive about our faith as well as I can. When I don’t know the answer for why Catholics do the things we do, I provide the only answer I had when I sought to come into the Church in the first place: because Jesus’ death and resurrection is true.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus alludes to His death and resurrection, but the Pharisees did not understand. Jesus’ actions and reasoning behind what He was doing most likely seemed a myriad of confusing and mysterious words, especially without the light of His death and resurrection to illuminate it. As we go through our days, may we be mindful of the actions we take and the reasons behind why we are doing them. May all our efforts be illuminated with the light of Christ, and may we love with purpose and intention.

 

Ponder:

 

How well have I set my intentions for the efforts I undertake in a day?

 

Pray:


Heavenly Father, purify my intentions and the choices I make in my life to please You and You alone.

 

Click to tweet:
May all our efforts be illuminated with the light of Christ, and may we love with purpose and intention. #DailyGospel

Daily Gospel 2

 

Copyright 2023 Jasmine Kuzner

About the Author

Jasmine Kuzner

Jasmine Kuzner

Jasmine Kuzner is a wife and mother to two beautiful, quick-witted children, and is the Director of Religious Education at Saint Bernadette Church in Silver Spring, MD. She is also a consultant for the Saint John Paul II National Shrine. She holds an M.F.A. from the University of Maryland, College Park, and has been published in Humanum Review, Busted Halo, and Catholic Mom.