Daily Gospel Reflection for October 2, 2023

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

Reflection by Holly Novotny

Today's Gospel: Matthew 18:1-5, 10

As moms, we have an up-close and personal encounter with the magnificence of new life. From the very beginning, we learn the humility involved in carrying and caring for our children. When we first behold them, we are in awe. And somehow in the midst of daily life and ever-changing needs and schedules, we might lose that initial sense of wonder. When my daughters were little, we had a membership at the zoo. I was excited to take them to see the parrots, elephants, and giraffes, but they were just as delighted by the bugs on the fence and the ordinary birds that bathed in the fountains. Their own sense of awe as they experienced the world around them helped me to reflect on the beauty in the ordinary moments, the experiences in the little garden in our neighborhood, around the dinner table, and on the living room floor with a pile of blocks or books. When we take the opportunity to embrace the simply profound beauty before us, we become like children.

Jesus exhorts us to become like children, and we approach this invitation from an ever-deeper maturity and desire to grow in holiness and help our families on their own journey toward heaven. As our children grow, we might recall our own experiences, which shaped our attitudes about ourselves and others, and in light of this command from the Lord, we can put these things into a new perspective. We want to allow the Lord to strip away the worldly perspectives that have crept in over time in order to return us to a simpler, uninhibited wonder at the world around us. We long for this simplicity, and Jesus reminds us that this gift of humility draws us closer to Him.

Ponder:

How can I let the Lord revive child-like joy in my life? What attitudes need to be reoriented so I am free to live with awe and wonder?

Pray:

Jesus, give me the grace to seek Your presence in the ordinary moments of life, uninhibited by worldly attitudes and expectations.

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Their own sense of awe as they experienced the world around them helped me to reflect on the beauty in the ordinary moments. #DailyGospel

Copyright 2023 Holly Novotny

Holly Novotny is a wife and mother of two young adult daughters. The Lord’s mercy and grace continue to transform her, much to her astonishment and joy. She is a Lifetime Marian Servant and as a graduate of the Cenacle School of Spirituality offers spiritual direction in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Podcast: numinous.fm/redeemer