Guest Post by: David Tonaszuck
A reflection on the Gospel of Matthew 10:37-42
Dear Friends in Christ,
There’s a house on the edge of town, old but warm, with wide porches shaded by tall trees. In it live Mary and Joseph—an older couple, married nearly fifty years. Their children are grown, the rooms are mostly empty, but their hearts have only grown larger with the years. They’ve made a quiet promise to God: if someone is lost, hurting, or needs a place to begin again, their home will be open.
One winter, a man named Tom came knocking. He’d once worked with Joseph, years ago, when things were easier. But Tom’s world had unraveled—alcoholism, a painful divorce, and now, jobless, he was left with two small children and nowhere steady to go. He was ashamed to ask for help, but Joseph and Mary didn’t hesitate. They welcomed him and his children in. Mary cooked warm meals; Joseph sat with Tom late into the night, listening, praying, helping him plot a way forward. For months, Tom lived in that house. The children slowly smiled again. Tom found sobriety, and eventually, work. He moved out, but he never forgot the gift of shelter and hope—given not because he could repay it, but because he was in need.
The Power of Simple Mercy: Seeing Christ in the Little Ones Among Us
This, friends, is the Gospel in action. When Jesus says, “And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because the little one is a disciple—amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward,” He is telling us what it means to live as God’s people. The “little ones” are all around us: the broken, the lost, the ones whom the world forgets. Sometimes, they show up on our doorstep. Sometimes, they are the ones we pass by in the street, or even the people sitting next to us in the pews, quietly carrying burdens we cannot see.
But notice the simplicity of Jesus’ command—a cup of cold water. Not grand gestures, not impossible heroics. Just a small act of mercy, given out of love for God. In the eyes of Christ, even the smallest kindness, done for love of Him, has eternal significance. As the Catholic writer Dorothy Day once said, “The Gospel takes away our right forever, to discriminate between the deserving and the undeserving poor.” The Kingdom of God is built not on our judgments, but on our willingness to serve and to love, even when it’s inconvenient, even when it costs us something.
Today’s Gospel also reminds us that to follow Christ means placing Him at the center—above comfort, above reputation, even above family when there is a conflict of loyalty. “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me…whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me.” These are hard words, but they point to a deeper truth: when we love God first, we learn how to truly love everyone else. When we serve the “little ones,” we are receiving Christ Himself. When we open our homes, our hearts, our lives, we become living signs of God’s presence.
Prompted by the Spirit: Building God’s Kingdom Through Everyday Acts of Love
The Holy Spirit works quietly, persistently, urging us to pay attention to those in need—sometimes with a nudge in prayer, sometimes with a story that won’t let us go. If we ask for the Spirit’s help, we will find opportunities to serve: an elderly neighbor who needs groceries, a friend who’s lost a job, a stranger who needs just a little kindness to believe life can begin again. We don’t have to do everything. We just have to do what God places in front of us, trusting that every cup of cold water matters.
By helping one another, we slowly build the Kingdom of God, stone by stone, act by act. Our world is thirsty for hope, for mercy, for the reminder that no one is forgotten. Each time we respond, we place God first—not just in our words, but in our deeds.
So let’s ask ourselves: Who are the “little ones” in my life right now? Where am I being invited to give, to serve, to love? May we have the courage to open our doors, our hands, our hearts—knowing that Christ Himself meets us in the face of those in need.
Let us give thanks and praise and glory to our Lord, who loves us so much that He sent His only Son, Jesus, to walk among us and show us the way. Let us rejoice in the gift of the Holy Spirit, who gives us the strength to carry our crosses and to love beyond measure. May we always remember: in serving the least, we serve Christ. And in giving, we receive a reward that nothing on earth can match—the joy of knowing we have done the will of God.
Amen.
About Our Guest Blogger
Saint Carlo Acutis once said, “Not me, but God.” His words echo deeply in my own spiritual life. This blog is not about me, but about the work of the Holy Spirit. I choose to remain anonymous because the voice behind these reflections isn’t what matters — the One speaking through them is.
I am a lifelong Catholic with a deep love for Scripture, the sacraments, and the quiet ways God speaks through everyday life. Live the Eucharist was born from my desire to share how the Gospel and the Eucharist shape not just my Sundays, but every step of the journey.
My hope is that these reflections bless you, challenge you, and draw you closer to Jesus — truly present in the Eucharist and profoundly present in your daily life.
