Daily Gospel

Saint Theodotus of Ancyra

Saint Theodotus, a martyr and a patron of innkeepers, was described as a man very passionate in doing his Christian duties, including charity towards his neighbours. He brought sinners back to God and helped the people in strengthening their faith.

In a persecution of the governor Theoctenus, Theodotus allowed his home to serve as refuge for the Christians, a hospital for the sick, and a place for worship. The martyrdom of Saint Theodotus is associated with the seven saintly virgins of Galatia — Thecusa (his aunt), Alexandra, Claudia, Faina, Euphrasia, Matrona and Julitta. The seven were called before the judges and were made to dauntlessly profess their faith. As a result, they were sent to a house of immorality, and miraculously all were able to preserve their purity. To end their lives, the virgins were cast into the sea with stones attached to their bodies. Theodotus succeeded in recovering their remains, which he gave an honourable burial. In consequence, the man too was arrested, tortured and executed.

The body of Theodotus was recovered and brought to Malos where the priest Fronto entombed him. A chapel was built over his grave. And the saint was forever held in reverence.

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Saint Kunigunde

Kunigunde, or Kinga, was born in 1224 to a royal family in Hungary. The family was known, not only for their political power, but also for their holy women. Among these were St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Sts. Hedwig and Agnes of Prague, St. Margaret of the Dominicans and the Blessed Yolande.

Kunigunde was only 15 when she was engaged to Boleslaus V, the heir to the throne of Poland. The two vowed for chastity before the bishop, and this promise they kept throughout the 40 years of their married life. As Queen of Poland, Kunigunde attended to the welfare of the people, providing them with their needs and visiting the sick. After the King s death in 1279, Kunigunde consecrated her whole life to the Lord. She lived the simple life of a Poor Clare nun, dwelling in a convent she and her husband had established.

Many miracles were reported to have occurred at her tomb, after her death in 1292. Thus, Kunigunde was professed as special patron of the Poles and Lithuanians by Pope Clement XI and was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1999.

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I presided over the celebration of a Baccalaureate Mass and used this as the gospel. The grade six students who were having their thanksgiving in that celebration surprisingly knew exactly what the Gospel challenges them to do. In the course of giving the homily, I asked them how they saw themselves in the light of the gospel and they all agreed that God wanted them to make good use of the blessings they had received from God as far as intellectual knowledge is concerned.

None of God’s created humanity is without any blessing. Such blessings are expected by God to be harnessed and nourished until they become fruitful and a source of further blessings for the recipients and others as well. To simply rest on whatever God gives you is to miss the point. God gave us blessings and He expects us to do something about them. I know of a priest who always conducted surveys at every parish that he was assigned to. Two of the questions he asked were, “What is your occupation?” followed by, “How can you help your local church?”

The idea is so simple; the priest wanted the parishioners to realize that their occupation in life could also be used as their occupation to achieve the next life.

And so Architects would come to him and offer free architectural designs for the church renovation. Teachers would come and offer Sunday catechetical instruction for children. Accountants would come and offer their services in handling the temporal goods of the church. Doctors would come and offer medical services for the indigent parishioners. The poor and unlearned would come and offer their time and energy as the church’s foot soldiers.

I believe this is exactly how God wishes all of us to work on earth—to cultivate our gifts to benefit us and make others benefit from them as well. Fr. Sandy V. E.

REFLECTION QUESTION: What is your occupation? How can you help your local church?

The talents You gave me are abundant. Give me a heart that longs to use these for the good of others.

St. Catherine of Bologna, virgin, pray for us.

Israel said to Joseph, “Your brothers, you know are tending our flocks at Shechem. Get ready; I will send you to them.”– Genesis 37:13

My husband Jon is a preacher. He came to know the Lord when he was still a teenager, and since then his relationship with God has blossomed. I should know. I too was evangelized by my husband. It was through him that I came to know the Lord. We used to work in the same office, and so one morning he talked me into getting myself involved in a community. And the rest is history.

Today, he serves as the national mission director for Familia. He handles the single professionals nationwide. Oh! How he loves this ministry God has given him. Truly he has found his purpose and meaning in life. He trains young people to become community leaders and he’s doing a great job at it. From experience, he knows when it’s time for these young people to be sent out in provinces or elsewhere to evangelize others.
I am so blessed to have him as my husband and I couldn’t ask God for anything more. Truly the Lord has worked in his life, and in our lives as his family. I guess when God asked him if he was ready, he immediately gave his yes to Him! Marissa E.

REFLECTION:
Being called for a mission? Go! Waste no time.

Oh! That you would bless me indeed and enlarge my territory, that your hand would be with me, that you would keep me from evil, that I would not cause pain.