--- title: Daily Gospel Reflection for July 1, 2024 description: Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel. image: https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Daily%20Gospel%202.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/dgr-07012024#) [DAILY GOSPEL REFLECTIONS](https://www.catholicmom.com/daily-gospel/tag/daily-gospel-reflections) # Daily Gospel Reflection for July 1, 2024 Jul 1, 2024 12:30:00 AM  |  by [Gospel Reflections Team](https://www.catholicmom.com/daily-gospel/author/gospel) Receive Daily Gospel Reflections in your inbox ![featured image](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Daily%20Gospel%202.png) *Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.* --- Reflection by Laurann Donahue ***Today's Gospel: [Matthew 8:18-22](https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/070124.cfm)*** Today’s Gospel is about following Jesus. We are to follow Jesus and give up our worldly attachments. Jesus had no place to lay His head. Jesus told His disciples to “let the dead bury their dead.” He was asking them to follow Him and not look back. I must mention St. Junipero Serra in this context. Today is his feast day. St. Junipero Serra gave up all for his love of Christ. He joined a Franciscan monastery in Spain at the age of 17. He was ordained a priest eight years later in 1738. He earned a doctorate in theology in 1742. After working as a professor at the same university, he traveled to the Americas as a missionary. He landed in Vera Cruz, Mexico, on December 7 and walked 250 miles to Mexico City. He volunteered to go to the territory now called California. During his many years of missionary work, he founded very familiar-sounding missions: San Diego, San Carlos (Monterey-Carmel), San Antonio, San Gabriel, San Luis Obispo, San Francisco, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Clara, and San Buenaventura. St. Junipero Serra learned some native languages and communicated with people of several other languages. He protected the native population against the Spanish royal representatives. He brought the Gospel to the place we now call California. He followed Jesus there without hesitation. This diminutive man is a model for many people who want to follow Jesus with their whole heart and life. St. Junipero Serra did not look back. He never went back to Spain and never forced Spanish culture on the natives in the Americas. His dedication, hard work, and drive are exactly what Jesus was talking about in saying ”let the dead bury their dead.” Be a model of this kind of whole-hearted devotion to your children. Don’t look back.   #### Ponder:   Could I give up my country and all that is familiar for Jesus?   #### Pray: Dear Lord, help me to give up everything to follow You. Let me be like St. Junipero Serra and be an example of devotion to all around me.   --- ![Daily Gospel 2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Daily%20Gospel%202.png?width=2135&name=Daily%20Gospel%202.png)   --- Copyright 2024 Laurann Donahue ### 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%2Fdgr-07012024%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%2Fdgr-07012024%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Fdaily-gospel%2Fdgr-07012024%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Daily%20Gospel%20Reflection%20for%20July%201%2C%202024) [![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%2Fdgr-07012024%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Fdaily-gospel%2Fdgr-07012024%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) 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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