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Daily Scripture, December 12, 2022

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Scripture:

Zechariah 2:14-17 or
Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab
Luke 1:26-38 or 1:39-47

Reflection:

I believe in the Word of God bringing us to the fulfillment of God’s Plan, the harmonization of all God’s creation, and the ultimate reunification with with our Creator, that “all be one again.” I believe in the Word, which we hold aloft, bless, incense, proclaim and, habitually, put into effect with a courageous trust. It is the Word that proclaims a non-violent response to the power of evil. It is the Word that teaches love of enemies and those who persecute us. It is the Word that asks us to submit to God’s loving Will in total surrender. It is the Word that attracts, in the most mysterious ways, that which is broken, abused, addicted, disrespected and scattered. This Word has uncanny way of gathering into that Body, which it inspires, the Church. The Word informs those who strive to fulfill it like the birthing of a child, birthpangs and all. Birthpangs continuing in the fight for justice for all . (Did you know that there is a new, national movement afoot to bring back a poor peoples’ fight for justice?)

This Word became flesh in a most dramatic fashion through the apparition of our Blessed Mother to a man named Juan Diego in December of 1531 on a hill called Tepeyac in Mexico. It could be considered the most provoking appearance of our Lady in history.

The Spaniards had entered into what was then the territory of Mexico to abscond gold from the land, in the cheapest way possible, through slavery of the native population.This master/slave relationship evolved into genocide of these tribes as the Spaniards gained a more commanding foothold. These horrific actions on the part of the Spaniards and this sudden appearance of our Blessed Mother reflect the imagery of the Book of Revelation and that of verses in the Gospel of Luke whereby our Blessed Mother stands, pregnant with Child face to face with the great red dragon who wanted to devour the newborn. Her strength would be revealed in her declaration that her “soul magnifies the Lord,” and her “spirit rejoices in God” her Savior. The 30,000,000 Hispanic people in our midst continue to remind all of us of our vigilant and strong “Virgencita” and her love for the oppressed and downtrodden.

Be mindful of the opening prayer on this feast, where we pray to seek with ever more lively faith the progress of peoples in the ways of justice and peace.

Let us celebrate this festival of our Lady of Guadalupe, as a reminder that the Word continues to become enfleshed through our activity to establish the reign of God.

Fr. Alex Steinmiller, C.P., is a member of the Passionist Community in Detroit, Michigan.

Alex Steinmiller CP

On 11/26/2022, Alex Steinmiller CP wrote:

In his last editorial in The Bible Today, Fr. Don Senior wrote:”While I was preparing this issue for its deadline I experienced a very serious heart attack of which I had no anticipation. It disrupted our production of this issue, hopefully without much inconvenience to our readers….Experiencing a serious crisis of health can also have an impact on one’s realization of the beauty of life and the world around us….this experience helps me think about the full meaning of Advent and the arrival of the exultant Christ in a way I never experienced before.”
And, now, Don has eternity to experience the fullness of God’s love now.
The contemporary “picture” of our planet ecologically, humanely, and existentially appears very challenging to alter and change. That is why our Redeemer is born into the world that God has created. To work with and inspire us to bring about the changes God intends for the dredemption of the world…biosphere and all.
I pray that your Advent will be an experience that you have never had before. That begins with our intention to enter more fully into the Will and Ways of God within each of us. That is where the transformation begins.
Peace of Christ be with all of you.
Alex CP

Apostolic Nunciature

On 11/14/2022, Apostolic Nunciature wrote:

Upon request of HE Card. Blase Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago, the Holy Father has sent the following message:

HIS EMINENCE CARDINAL BLASE CUPICH
ARCHBISHOP OF CHICAGO
HAVING LEARNED OF THE DEATH OF THE REVEREND DONALD SENIOR, CP, HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS SENDS HIS CONDOLENCES TO YOU, HIS CONFRERES IN THE CONGREGATION OF THE PASSION, THE STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF OF THE CATHOLIC THEOLOGICAL UNION AND THE ARCHDIOCESAN COMMUNITY. IN COMMENDING THE LATE FATHER SENIOR’S SOUL TO THE LOVE AND MERCY OF ALMIGHTY GOD, HIS HOLINESS JOINS IN YOUR PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING FOR HIS YEARS OF PRIESTLY MINISTRY, MARKED BY ZEAL FOR THE WORD OF GOD, DEDICATION TO BIBLICAL SCHOLARSHIP AS A PROFESSOR AND AUTHOR, SERVICE TO THE CHURCH AS A MEMBER OF THE PONTIFICAL BIBLICAL COMMISSION AND HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECUMENICAL AND INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE. TO THOSE PRESENT AT THE MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL AND TO ALL WHO MOURN FATHER SENIOR IN THE SURE HOPE OF THE RESURRECTION, THE HOLY FATHER CORDIALLY IMPARTS HIS BLESSING AS A PLEDGE OF PEACE AND CONSOLATION IN THE LORD.
CARDINAL PIETRO PAROLIN
SECRETARY OF STATE

Duane Etienne

On 11/09/2022, Duane Etienne wrote:

I, too, was privileged as Father Don’s classmate at St. Meinrad. Always impressed with his intelligence, but I did lose contact with him over these many years. May he glory in the presence of our loving Father!

Fr. Cedric Pisegna, C.P.

On 11/09/2022, Fr. Cedric Pisegna, C.P. wrote:

When I graduated CTU in 1990 someone gave me a book: Finally Comes the Poet. The book was about preaching. After listening to Fr. Don’s teachings and preaching and can say this with all assurance: Finally Came the Poet.

Sean Goan (Ireland)

On 11/09/2022, Sean Goan (Ireland) wrote:

It was a privilege and a great blessing in my life to have known Don. He was an inspiration to me as a scholar and an example to me of authentic Christian living. My memories of him range from being uplifted by his teaching to being encouraged by his dedication and personal kindness. I am particularly grateful for the time I spent with the Passionist community in CTU in 1991/92.
I would like to offer my condolences to the Passionist family of the Holy Cross Province. He will be greatly missed.

Msgr. John J. Bendik

On 11/09/2022, Msgr. John J. Bendik wrote:

Fr. Don was a classmate of mine Saint Meinrad School of Theology, a Benedictine seminary in Southern Indiana. He, and the Passionist Community were a blessing for all of us. May he rest in the peace of the Lord he loved and served so well.

Celebrating the Life of Father Don Senior, C.P.

It is with profound sadness and a deep sense of gratitude for his life, that we share Father Don Senior, C.P., died on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, at the age of 82, after a brief illness.

Born on January 1, 1940, to Vincent and Margaret Senior, Father Don was the first baby born in the new year and the decade, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

When Don was in junior high school, the family moved from Philadelphia to Louisville, Kentucky, where Vincent Senior found gainful employment. The family joined St. Agnes Parish in Louisville, which was staffed by Passionist priests from the adjacent Sacred Heart Monastery.

Inspired by the Passionist seminarians at Sacred Heart and St. Agnes led Don to join the Passionist Novitiate in 1960 in St. Paul, Kansas.

Upon completing formation, Don was ordained a priest on April 27, 1967.

In an interview with Joyce Duriga for the Chicago Catholic newspaper, Don stated that he wanted to serve as a Passionist missionary in Korea after ordination and asked permission to do so. According to Don, he received the following response from the Province Superior:

“He listened but then later said, ‘We decided we are going to send you for graduate studies in Scripture in Europe,’” Senior said. “I’ve thought of it since like an arranged marriage. You have one thing in mind but you don’t have the freedom to choose it. Somebody else chooses it for you. Then hopefully you fall in love with your spouse. That’s sort of what happened to me. The study of the Scriptures have sustained my life.”

Read the full interview in the Chicago Catholic.

A few years ago, Don shared some of his vocation story:

Father Don was very involved at Catholic Theological Union (CTU) for many years. CTU presented his bio as the following:

Rev. Donald Senior, C.P., is President Emeritus and Chancellor of Catholic Theological Union in Chicago (CTU), where he is also a member of the faculty as Professor of New Testament. Born in Philadelphia, he is a member of the Passionist Congregation and was ordained a priest in 1967. He received his doctorate in New Testament studies from the University of Louvain in Belgium in 1972, with advanced studies at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati and Harvard University. He served as president of CTU for 23 years. He is a frequent lecturer and speaker throughout the United States and abroad, serves on numerous boards and commissions; and is actively involved in the interreligious dialogue, particularly with the Jewish and Muslim communities. Fr. Senior has published extensively on biblical topics, with numerous books and articles for both scholarly and popular audiences. He led numerous study tours of the Middle East

He was the recipient of the National Catholic Library Association’s 1994 Jerome Award for Outstanding Scholarship and the 1996 National Catholic Education Association’s Bishop Loras Lane Award for outstanding service to Catholic education. In 2013 he received the O’Connell-Douglas Award for his contribution to interreligious and ecumenical harmony, and the Gutenberg Award for biblical scholarship. In 2014 he was granted by the Governor of Illinois, the Order of Lincoln Award, the State’s highest honor for public service. He is past President of the Catholic Biblical Association of America (1997-1998), of the Association of Theological Schools of the United States and Canada (2007-2009) and of the Council of Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago (2012-14). Beginning in 2001, he has served the last three Popes as the American representative on the Pontifical Biblical Commission. Source: Catholic Theological Union.

Fr. Don received several other awards over the years for his outstanding contributions to the life and work of the church.

Father Don received The Bernardin Medal, given to a Chicago area Catholic who has made significant contributions to the life of the city and Church of Chicago, and who embodies the core values and ideals of Amate House: faith, service, community.

The Union honored Father Don with the Sophia Award for excellence in theological scholarship contributing to the ministry of the Church. Fr. Senior's lecture following the award presentation was entitled: “Don’t Pull Up the Weeds (Matthew 13:29): Biblical Wisdom on Seeking Communion in the Midst of Division”.

He received a Ministry Award from the Association of Chicago Priests (ACP) for his contributions, “to the life of the Church of Chicago.”

Father Don received the “Blessed are the Peacemakers” award from (CTU), for his 23 years of dedicated and committed service as president of CTU. The award is presented to those “…whose accomplishments and commitments reflect the values of CTU’s, own mission, particularly in the areas of reconciliation, justice, and peacebuilding.”

Father Don received the Order of Lincoln Award, “the highest honor for professional achievement and public service” presented by the state of Illinois. As stated in the press release by the state of Illinois, “President Emeritus Donald Senior, CP, was named in recognition of his contributions as, ‘...a world class theologian, for 23 years the President of the Catholic Theological Union, the nation's largest Roman Catholic graduate school of ministry.’ In the statement from the Governor's office, also mentioned were Fr. Senior's contributions as general editor of the Catholic Study Bible, editor-in-chief of the journal The Bible Today, and co-editor of the New Interpreters Study Bible.”

Father Don authored numerous books, articles, and other writings. Many of his books can be found here.