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Daily Scripture, September 10, 2020

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 8:1b-7, 11-13
Luke 6:27-38

Reflection:

It seems that we have increasingly been sucked into an “us” vs. “them” state with no middle ground. So many people act as if anyone who disagrees deserves to be villainized, demeaned, ridiculed, accused, and cut off. Even scientists receive threats, sometimes against their lives, when objective facts they present are inconvenient or not consonant with already-determined beliefs. There is no reaching across, reaching down, reaching out and bringing in. 

This is the absolute antithesis of what Jesus taught! It is more centered on protecting individual or group power than on living the Gospel and working toward the common good of all. It is anti-Christian, anti-Catholic, and sinful.

As usual, any time I make a commentary on our society or our Church, I must examine myself for ways in which I contribute to the very things I decry. And then I must start the desired change with myself, deciding what I can do to work toward a better end goal in my own life while encouraging that change in others. 

So, I begin looking at my interactions with those who disagree with me. Do I truly listen? Do I want to understand where they’re coming from, or am I “listening” to determine how I can contradict, disprove, or argue with them? Most especially, am I focused only on their words, or can I hear the deeper emotions behind those words? What is it that the other person is clutching closely enough to defend it against challenge or change? What are they terrified of losing? If I can go deeper, truly hearing another person, there is at least a chance for understanding and common ground. I must remember, too, that if I am so set in my ways that I refuse to open my ears to hear another’s pain, hurt, fear, or personal experience, how can I ever expect them to listen to mine? 

Jesus always went to the heart. That’s why he preached love of enemies, doing good for those who persecute you, refusing to condemn and instead offering peace and understanding. As he said, “For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”

There’s so much more to do beyond this. Yet I believe this is where we need to start, and this is where I plan to start. How can I listen with the ears and mind of Christ? How can I look at a person I oppose and see that we are part of the same body? How can I learn to truly, deeply listen, and then work for the good of all? May God help me, and all of us, to do a better job. Our communal life depends on it.

Amy Florian is a teacher and consultant working in Chicago.  For many years she has partnered with the Passionists.  Visit Amy’s website: http://www.corgenius.com/.

https://passionist.org/daily-scripture-september-10-2020/Daily Scripture, September 8, 2020Daily Scripture, September 8, 2020

Daily Scripture, September 9, 2020

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 7:25-31
Luke 6:20-26

Reflection:

A Time for Beatitudes

Yesterday was the prelude to Luke’s Beatitudes that we will read through Saturday.

He showed us Jesus praying. In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus prays at important moments of his life – his Baptism, when he taught the forgiveness of sin, at the Transfiguration and beginning of the Passion. After this prayer, Jesus selects the twelve who will be apostles. Having prayed and called the apostles, they come down the mountain and are surrounded by a large crowd. Jesus heals everyone. Then he looks at his disciples, his followers, and speaks the Beatitudes.

Jesus began his ministry, announcing the fulfillment of Isaias, ‘to bring good news to the poor and liberty to captives.’ Through word and deed, he is at work proclaiming the Kingdom of God. Speaking as a prophet, he now describes the values necessary for those who will work for the Kingdom of God. They will believe that the poor will be rich, the hungry satisfied, the weeping will laugh, and those whose values are rejected, who are pushed to the margins and called evil, they will be like the prophets of old. They will receive the reward of the prophets.

For Luke, Jesus is a prophet, and those who follow Jesus will share his calling. Expect a surprise; there will be a great reversal. Woe to the rich and satisfied, those now laughing, and the false prophets!

We might imitate Jesus this week and surround our reflection on the Beatitudes with prayer. The Beatitudes are real and among us today. It is not just those trapped in war or made refugees who are poor and hungry. The pandemic has spread hunger and poverty along with illness. Weeping is close at hand. Weeping follows suffering and pain, but anger follows next – for the good of for the bad – to redress the causes of suffering. We are dealing with the anger of much frustration. Values are rejected, people are marginalized, and judgments passed. Many ‘deaths,’ not just the physical deaths, but things that touch the control of many aspects of life that we take for granted, cause us sorrow. The pandemic we expect and hope will bring with it new scientific understanding and health. We hope there will be a deepening knowledge of our human family that even as values are tested, we will grow closer together in community.

The Beatitudes tell us we shall ‘laugh.’ The only use of that word in the New Testament.

And we will ‘dance.’ The word used when John ‘leaped’ in the womb of Elizabeth upon the visit of Mary, who carries the Savior in her womb. Strong but simple words in the Beatitudes. Let us read them alongside our newspapers these days; hopeful blessings alongside worrisome news. Jesus said them looking at his disciples; let us surround them with prayer and turn our hope-filled faces to Our Lord.

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Peter Claver. He lived the Beatitudes among slaves, the poorest of the poor. He never saw a system that was a daily contradiction to living the values of Christ change. We don’t know his weeping or deepest hungers or frustrations. He believed the Beatitudes and in living them did what makes one holy.

Fr. William Murphy, CP, is the pastor of Immaculate Conception parish in Jamaica, New York. 

https://passionist.org/daily-scripture-september-9-2020/

Daily Scripture, September 8, 2020

Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary  

Scripture:

Micah 5:1-4a
Romans 8:28-30
Matthew 1:1-16, 18-23

Reflection:

Sister Mary Jean (+1988) quoted her in the perfect sense, “Morning Star,” we call her in the litany; in the Canticle of Canticles she is prefigured by the words, “Who is she that comes forth as the morning rising?”

To us looking back, as to those patriarchs looking ahead for the long four thousand years, Mary is the dawning, Christ the perfect day. Dark as the world may seem today, it can never be quite dark again since Mary came on earth. Mary, whose birth was the dawning hope for mankind, brought to us the light of the world.

Sister Mary Jean Dorcy, O.P.

Mary, Mother of God. Wow what a title. God is the creator, the almighty, the beginning, the middle and the end. To be born full of grace is indeed a blessing from God. To carry God in her stomach for 9 months is a blessing. To raise Jesus Christ the Son of God is a blessing. Blessed are you Mary, mother of God. Hail Mary full of Grace. Our new Eve. Mary’s yes was the biggest leap of faith a human being can make. God bless the day you were born. Through you a Savior was born. Through you we have everlasting life. Through you we offer up our prayers. Through you our sins are forgiven by your Son, Jesus Christ.

Happy Birthday, Mary.


Deacon Peter Smith serves at St. Mary’s/Holy Family Parish in Alabama, a religion teacher at Holy Family Cristo Rey Catholic High School in Birmingham, and a member of our extended Passionist Family.

Daily Scripture, September 7, 2020

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 5:1-8
Luke 6:6-11

Reflection:

“On a certain sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees watched him closely to see if he would cure on the sabbath so that they might discover a reason to accuse him. But he realized their intentions and said to the man with the withered hand, “Come up and stand before us.” And he rose and stood there. Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” Looking around at them all, he then said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so and his hand was restored. But they became enraged and discussed together what they might do to Jesus.” (LK 6:6-11)

As a student of education, I learned that I must evaluate my students’ behavior and their academic progress. When I actually ended up in the classroom, teaching boys with special needs, I learned that the best I could do was to create an environment where learning could take place. I further learned that evaluating them, i.e. giving them grades was not very conducive to that environment unless I gave them all “A’s”. To the total chagrin of my principal that is exactly what I did, I gave the majority of my students, “A’s”.

Learning to listen to others, children or adults, continues to challenge me almost on a daily basis. I witness behavior that I believe deserves punishment and correction and I am often crazy enough to think it is my job to administer, if not the punishment, at least some correction. Of course, that doesn’t work. Like what my students taught me above, I have to first recognize the ideas and suggestions that I can relate to, confirm them or give “A’s” to the ones I agree with, and hope that in the encounter, we both will recognize our common humanity and create an environment in which we can grow together in peace and harmony.

Like my experience with my first principal, Jesus’ experience in today’s gospel selection, leads to problems for Jesus. Jesus acts on his beliefs and cures the man with the withered hand enraging those in authority. (I only caused my poor principal some vexation).

Today, I have to remind myself that unlike Jesus, I am not god, and maybe I am or have been wrong. My prayer, however, is that like Jesus, I will continue to listen, to listen especially to people who see life differently than I see it, identify with what I can, be willing to take action and hope for the miracle. The miracle for me in my teaching career, came years later when a returning student who was a grandpa by then, told me: “You taught me to read.”


Dan O’Donnell is a Passionist Partner and a longtime friend of the Passionists.  He lives in Chicago.
 

Daily Scripture, September 6, 2020

Scripture:

Ezekiel 33: 7-9
Romans 13: 8-10
Matthew 18: 15-20

Reflection:

During these difficult days of the pandemic, economic crisis, demands for racial justice, environmental threats and divisive political hyperbole, we followers of Christ are put to severe tests.

We may move close to despair, become weary, tense, angry and be tempted to verbal or even physical violence within our families and social circles.

Today’s readings could not be more appropriate for dealing with this moment in history. God placed us here, now. God will provide what we need to endure and grow close to one another and to Him.

The first reading from Ezekiel defines the role of the prophet as the one who warns the house of Israel of pending disaster. As the People of God, we have a prophetic role in 2020. We are to call out hatred, divisions, lies and vindictive distortions that must cease or we face our own demise as a people.

Paul, in his letter to the Romans, offers the alternate way that applies just as much to us, now, as it did to the divided community of Christians to whom the letter was addressed nearly 2,000 years ago. “Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.”

In a world of revenge, falsehoods, power and demonizing, we are the prophetic counterforce. We respond with mercy, truth, collaboration and gentleness. Nothing is more countercultural at this moment in history.

We, as followers of Christ, are made for this time. Following the guidelines of today’s selection from Matthew’s Gospel, we confront evil, but the way we do it is with diplomacy and in the context of the community of love. Should the sinners refuse us, defy us, ignore us, they place themselves outside our circle of love and forgiveness, to their own peril.

We don’t ignore or minimize injustice, deceit, manipulation of truth. But the way we confront it is always as important as the of goal of conversion of hearts. This marks us as different in a world where the oppressed attempt to destroy the oppressor. Our way is modeled by Martin Luther King, Jr., St. Oscar Romero, Dorothy Day and Pope Francis who are themselves models of Jesus Christ.

As we confront evil together we are assured that, rooted in individual and communal prayer, Jesus is there: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Can any statement of Jesus be more reassuring during our moment in history?


Jim Wayne is a board member of the Passionist Solidarity Network (PSN), and author of The Unfinished Man. He lives in Louisville, Kentucky.

Daily Scripture, September 5, 2020

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 4:6b-15
Luke 6:1-5

Reflection:

The LORD is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth. Psalm 145:18

In our reflections, it is usually the gospel or epistle that receives the greatest focus. After all, one of the words of our Lord, the other, voices from the early Church. But this month my eye was caught by one line from Psalm 145: “The LORD is near to all who call upon him.”

In this time of social distancing, being near to someone can seem dangerous. I’ve noticed how people give each other greater space when passing in the stores or streets, often well beyond the required six feet. It can feel awkward to stand or even walk closer these days. Many people I’ve spoken to miss the closeness of others. And here in California, many of us have been driven inside due to the smoke from the wildfires, which has put even greater restraints on meeting and greeting our friends and neighbors.

And yet, when I was recently walking around others in a store (at an appropriate distance from everyone else), I found myself spontaneously blessing and praying for them. Although I was physically distancing, in some ways I felt closer to these strangers. We are all in this together. And God is with us as well. Later in the gospel of Luke, Jesus tells us, “The kingdom of God is in your midst.”

Consider these two thoughts together: “God is near us when we call upon Him,” and “The kingdom of God is in our midst.” Perhaps the space we are keeping between us can help us see what has been here all along. In my youth, there was a time when I went through a crisis of loneliness. My spiritual director reminded me, “God is closer to you than your jugular vein.” We can often lose sight of that which we hold too closely. But even in our blindness to what is familiar, God is there.

My prayer for myself today is that I remember to call upon God when I feel distant or lonely in these unusual (and at all) times.


Along with working as an independent teacher, Talib Huff volunteers and is the retreat team at Christ the King Retreat Center in Citrus Heights. You may contact him at [email protected].

Daily Scripture, September 4, 2020

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 4:1-5
Luke 5:33-39

Reflection:

Discipleship and Growth

Today, September 4th, 2020:  Jesus’ Lesson in Discipleship #2020.   Discipleship involves growth and change!  Day by day, come what may…to see more clearly, to love more dearly, to follow Jesus more nearly.

Luke’s Gospel selection presents Jesus meeting with a group of Scribes and Pharisees as they raised questions about fasting and prayer, comparing their disciples and those of John the Baptist with Jesus’ disciples whom they observed as “lax”; Jesus’ disciples were even eating and drinking!  Jesus challenges their thinking, using a variety of down-to-earth parables about patching clothes, as well as the storage and consumption of wine.

Many Jewish leaders had developed a legalistic formalism towards the practice of their faith.  It was more important to abide by minute fasting regulations than, for example, to help a neighbor in need.  Jesus tried to change that perception – and met opposition!  Jesus demonstrated that love is the essence of religion and that the “regulations” were simply to serve as concrete helps, not absolutes.  What Jesus asked was really more demanding; no doubt it is easier to be precise about fasting than to genuinely love God and neighbor with ones’ whole being.

As 21st Century disciples in this time of serious health and social pandemics, we are challenged to continue growing and loving in new ways.  Our involvements with others, our celebration of the Eucharist and other Sacraments, the challenge of “zooming” and social distancing and face masks:  life is radically different for us!  We may long for the “good old days”, but life today presents us with “new wine” needing “new wineskins” and suitable patches for the fabric of life today.  We are called to grow…building upon the wisdom and experience of one another and our history as the People of God.  Together, with Jesus, we can!

The coming days and weeks present us with a variety of celebrations and challenges.  Labor Day on September 7th, our Blessed Mother’s Birthday on September 8th, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross on September 14th, our fellow Passionist St. Vincent Strambi on September 24th, the Archangels on September 29th, the month-long days of Prayer for the Care of Creation:  May we grow in gratitude for the gift of our faith and the blessings of life and one another, and an openness to God’s loving care for us in all of life.


Fr. John Schork, C.P. is the Vocation Director for Holy Cross Province. He lives at St. Vincent Strambi Community in Chicago, Illinois. 

Daily Scripture, September 3, 2020

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 3:18-23
Luke 5:1-11

Reflection:

When I put myself in Simon’s place in the boat with Jesus, I understand his objections to the Lord’s suggestion he lower his fishing nets into the deep areas of Lake Gennesaret. Peter’s trade was fishing. He supported his family on the craft and knew where the fish likely swam in thick schools when the winds blew from different directions, what times of day or night were best for hauling in full nets and what seasons were ideal. And he knew this lake well.

Jesus had no such skill or knowledge. He was a dazzling preacher and teacher, and maybe a skilled carpenter, but not a fisherman. So why should Simon take his advice about fishing?

Sometimes I object to God’s suggestions and guidance. I think I know best, despite the promptings of the Holy Spirit to go in a different direction.

God’s ways are not my ways. Sometimes God is constantly asking me to go where I’d rather not, to change when it is uncomfortable and to take risks when I am very afraid.

In prayer I listen in quiet for the movements of the Spirit within to lead me, often to uncomfortable, risky places.

“Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command we will lower the nets.” The result so astonished Simon and his buddies that they left everything, including their preconceived notions of how to live their lives, and followed him. This is what conversion is – a surrender of my entire being to God’s ways. Will I take the risk?


Jim Wayne is a board member of the Passionist Solidarity Network (PSN), and author of The Unfinished Man. He lives in Louisville, Kentucky.

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