Daily Gospel Reflection for August 20, 2024

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

Reflection by Kathy Mallery Schober

Today's Gospel: Matthew 19:23-30

As Catholic moms, what do we want most for our children?

We want our children to be happy with God in this world and the next.

But let’s recall how it is that we are to live in this world so that we may be happy with God: We are to know God, to seek and build relationship with Him. We are to love God with all our hearts, souls, and minds. We are to serve God.

And what better way to do this than to follow His new commandment, love one another as I have loved you?

We all want our children to go to heaven. But it sounds like Jesus is telling us that serving the idol of money (and I will throw in power and success as they are almost always conjoined with the love of money) makes it all but impossible to follow Him.

I often hear mothers revealing how they deeply want their children to be happy. But all too often, these longings are misguided. These mothers are easily caught up in the world. They are hoping that their children will be popular, wealthy, successful, beautiful . . . 

A friend of mine recently suffered the death of her young adult son. I have seen her heart laid bare. And in her heart, the longings for earthly success are non-existent. She clings only to the knowledge of her son’s love for God and his hope of eternal life.

Let us reorder our desires for our children where they may have gone astray. Let us teach them to seek God, love Him with their whole hearts, and love others as God loves us. With our prayers and God’s grace, we help to unburden our children of those temporal things that can obstruct their entering the Kingdom.

Ponder:

How do my prayers, concerns, and teachings aid my children in entering the Kingdom of Heaven?

Pray:

Heavenly Father, you know and love my children better than I can hope or imagine. Give me the wisdom and grace that I need to teach them to better know, love, and serve You in this world, trusting in Your divine mercy.

Copyright 2024 Kathy Mallery Schober

Kathy Mallery Schober directs Faith Formation, catechizing for over 25 years, and holds a graduate degree in education. As a public speaker and educator, she has earned awards for her work with families and children. Through her YouTube Channel "Domestic Church," @domesticchurchmskathy, Kathy shares her videos for Catholic kids and families.