Daily Gospel Reflection for August 14, 2023

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

What can you accomplish without God? Just prior to this Gospel passage, Jesus’s disciples had been given authority to cast out demons (Matthew 10:1), yet they were unable to cast out the demon from the epileptic boy because of their “little faith” (Matthew 17:19).

With this backdrop for today’s Gospel reading, we can understand why the disciples were “overwhelmed with grief” when they learned that the Son of Man would be killed. The disciples knew how weak they were. They knew that without Jesus, they could not accomplish anything.

To be overwhelmed with grief is nearly insurmountable. It’s a feeling that you cannot conduct your day-to-day activities because of such great sadness. Because the disciples were fraught with chest-heaving grief, they did not comprehend the next part of what Jesus told them: “and he will be raised on the third day” (Matthew 17:23).

Today’s Gospel gave a promise to the disciples. Jesus’s promise today is not that we will be forever protected from experiencing challenges, struggles, sadness, grief, or even death. Despite all of these things, and even in this midst of all of these things, we must strain to hear the second half of the sentence: “and he will be raised on the third day.”

Especially in challenging times, we must remember that Jesus walked a path of suffering for our sake. He paid the penalty of sin for our sake, and we participate in the resurrection because He deigned to suffer for us. That is an overwhelming thought that should bring us great comfort and remind us that we are never alone.

Ponder:

Where can you be more mindful that Jesus is walking with you today?

Pray:

Lord, in times when we feel overwhelmed, help us to be mindful that we are never alone.

Click to tweet:
Because the disciples were fraught with chest-heaving grief, they did not comprehend the next part of what Jesus told them, “And he will be raised on the third day” (Matthew 17:23). #DailyGospel

Daily Gospel 2