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Scripture:

Ezra 9:5-9
Luke 9:1-6

Reflection:

Jesus gives us his “marching orders” in today’s reading from Luke.

Jesus summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases and he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.  “Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic.”

As I get older when I go on a trip I go through a more painful preparation process!  Did I remember all the required medicines?  Are Zoe the dog and Gabriel the cat supplied with everything they will need at home?  Is the coffee pot off?  Do I have my wallet?  Are the doors locked?  Am I losing my mind double checking everything?  (My wife can tell you the answer to that one!).

Jesus sent the Twelve out with nothing.  All they had was the present moment and the knowledge that the Kingdom of God was at hand.  I wonder what I would have done if my marching orders were to leave with nothing, right now and to proclaim the Kingdom!  My guess is that Jesus would have gotten a few questions from me.

This is a good day to reflect on what I need in today’s world to proclaim the Kingdom of God.  I seem to need lots of trappings.  These trappings can obscure the message I am trying to preach.  I need to set aside anything which clouds the truth.  The truth is simple, beautiful and life-changing.  God loves us.  God loves us so much that we are each invited to empty ourselves (die) and be filled with new life (rise).  We are invited as individuals and as a loving community to experience death and resurrection along with all of creation.  We are one with God, each other and the creation which surrounds us!

I don’t need a tunic to proclaim this good news of the Kingdom of God.  I need simply to say yes and “get on down the road!”

Terry McDevitt, Ph.D., is a member of our Passionist Family in Louisville, Kentucky.

Scripture:

Ezra 6:7-8, 12B, 14-20
Luke 8:19-21

Reflection:

He said to them in reply, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.” Luke 8:21

Jesus promised us the closest intimacy with him if we listen with great care to his word!  This is among the most astonishing statements in the New Testament.  How much closer can one be than a mother?   Mary was instrumental in bringing about the greatest event in human history by listening and absorbing the Word.   “let it be to me according to your word.”  Luke 1:38   “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us!”  Elizabeth captured the heart of Mary’s intimacy with God.  “Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” Luke 1:45

If we ever hope to have an intense relationship with God we must have a passion for listening to God’s word.  We must imitate Jeremiah:  “Your words were found, and I ate them”. Jeremiah 15:16

In the great challenge of the new evangelization the first step is to come to some familiarity and relationship with Jesus Who is the good news of God. How can this ever come about if we are not listening to God’s word?  The plaintive cry of Jeremiah still echoes in our ears: “O land, land, land, hear the word of the LORD!” Jeremiah 22:29

When I was stationed in Southern California I used to love visiting the Huntington Gardens Library where there was an original copy of the Guttenberg Bible.  Some years ago a copy was sold at 4.9 million dollars at Christie’s auction.  It was the most ever paid for a book.  God’s word is worth far more than this not because it is an important piece of history.  Rather it is the living word of God revealing Christ in real time!

Fr. Bob Weiss, C.P. preaches Parish Missions and is a member of the Passionist Community in Louisville, Kentucky.

Scripture:

Ezra 1:1-6
Luke 8:16-18

Reflection:

Back in college I had a delightful humanities teacher who periodically would depart from his prepared notes, and generously share wonderful insights about culture and religion… perhaps current events or philosophy. Once when we were discussing the impact that architecture and environment make on society, he spoke of how, in medieval times, the church was always the center of the village; it was the tallest building, and it enjoyed the finest of landscaping, while the interior always had fresh flowers. All of this occurred because God was the center of people’s lives. Sadly, he said, banking and insurance, luxury merchandising and boutique hotels have now taken that place. I’ll never forget the melancholic tone in his voice when he spoke of how our currency might declare, “In God We Trust,” but our architecture tells us it’s the almighty dollar we worship. He spoke of the tiers of chrysanthemums around a waterfall decorating the nearby shopping mall; it had become our new shrine.

Today’s readings thunder this message powerfully. The temple which the returning exiles are going to rebuild in Jerusalem is described in various places as the light of the world; this light, set on a mountaintop, will illumine the whole world. In the Gospel, the lamp is never put under a bushel basket; rather, it is displayed on a stand, to be a light for more people.

The light that each of us can bring to our bruised and broken world is truly a treasure. Today, it might simply mean smiling at the clerk in the grocery store, or asking the receptionist how her ailing mother is doing. I want to penetrate the darkness with the Light of Christ, the core of our lives. And tomorrow maybe I can help clean the church!

Fr. Jack Conley, C.P. is a member of the Passionist formation community at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.

Scripture:

Isaiah 55:6-9
Philippians 1:20c-24, 27a
Matthew 20:1-16a

 

Reflection:

The Kindness of God

“Are you envious because I am good?”  “God is good” is a close translation of today’s Gospel.  So many people are always talking about justice today that it makes one think we forget the incredible kindness of God.   About the last thing in the world we need is justice from God!  Some time ago I had my picture taken for my drivers’ license.  I told the photographer: “do me justice young lady!”  Without a smile she answered: “You need mercy, not justice, old man!”

“The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard.”  Mt 20:1   If the men got a just recompense for their work of one hour, their families would have to go to bed hungry that night as they could not  live on a part of a full day’s wage.   Thanks to the Lord who is literally “good” (agathos) in original inspired Greek text.  He gave them a full day’s wage.

Justice has quite a different meaning in biblical terms than it does in modern American language. For moderns justice often means “you owe me something”.   God owes nobody anything.   We are all total objects of His mercy.  We can’t take one breath without His gift.   We are all workers in the last hour.  Perhaps that is why Jesus told us: “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. “Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.^”  Mt 18:3

A child earns little money, has little wisdom, and is very dependent on others!  He lives because of the care of others.   Is this not our relationship with God but more so?  The wonderful thing is that He cares deeply about us!   “For your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” Mt 6:8   God is good “so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.^”  Mt 5:45

Outside of my window a Mockingbird was singing.  What an unbelievable creation of God!  Jesus used birds to draw attention to His Father’s loving care of us all. “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?”  Truly God is so very good!

Fr. Bob Weiss, C.P. preaches Parish Missions and is a member of the Passionist Community in Louisville, Kentucky.

Scripture:

1 Timothy 6:2c-12
Luke 8:1-3

Reflection:

Recently I was hospitalized for five days ( doing fine now,  thanks).  I was confined to bed and was not supposed to get out of bed without assistance.  Reading, writing or even praying was difficult with a multitude of tubes in my arms and neck as well as wonderful nurses coming in to check every irregular heart beat.   I turned to the TV to help pass the time.  Have you seen what has happened to daytime TV ?  When you think about it, it is appalling.  In one break – two minute set of commercials, I discovered “Loan Depot”  specializes in home loans for the riskier people out there;  a certain Law Office specializes in getting you what you deserve from an auto accident or work injury; “Drive-time.com” will finance the car of your dreams even if everyone else has turned you down; and you can get picky with your TV contract by going to Sling TV to get what you have always desired at a much reduced price.  That afternoon I was visited by a friend who is very devout.  She confided to me that God had not answered her prayers.  She had asked to be the sole winner of the Power Ball prize for several hundred million dollars.  She didn’t win.   I said I was disappointed too because the Church could have used a hefty donation from such a winner.  Then I asked how many chances she had bought.  She smiled sheepishly and said none.

As I read the selection from St. Paul’s letter to Timothy today, these moments came to mind.  How do we in the first world understand or relate to the lessons Paul is attempting to communicate to Timothy and his fellow believers?  Even more, how do we in the United States which has the wealthiest economy in the world understand the core teaching, “…those who want to be rich are falling into temptation and into a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge them into ruin and destruction.”  If we take a thoughtful look at our TV advertisements and reflect on our own thinking when it comes to “wanting” when so much is available perhaps we will become inspired to seek St. Paul’s intercession in helping us form our minds and attitudes in the light of Christ.

Our gospel for today offers us the foundation from which we are to work on conforming our minds and hearts to Christ.  Like the Twelve and the women who came to believe in Jesus, we are all called to be today’s disciples who are “…preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God.”   It is a proclamation that God has fulfilled the divine promise to send a redeemer to save us and open the pathway to the Kingdom.  To answer the call in an authentic and real way, the values of the Kingdom must find their way into our daily life choices and attitudes.  Today, St. Paul reminds us that the  fullness of the  Kingdom is beyond this world.  In fact, the temptation to focus all of our energy and efforts to acquire as much of this world as we possibly can is a temptation and trap which leads to tunnel vision and deafness.  As such, the effort to gain everything we ever desired here in this world will eventually make the world of the Kingdom inaccessible to us.  Could that possibly be the meaning of Paul’s warning that endless pursuit of acquiring possessions leads to “ruin and destruction” ?  Our continuing dilemma revolves around the answer to these questions : How do we use all of the gifts and talents God provided to us in such a way they reach their highest human achievement while at the same time fostering an attitude that all of this is given for the sake of sharing and giving glory to God ?  How do we avoid the destructive temptation to keep drawing all to ourselves in order to place ourselves on a pedestal of pride and conceit?

Perhaps we are able to look around our lives to discover helpers in answering these questions.   This week, I received the periodic  magazine called “Empower” which serves the mentally challenged children and adults of our society.   The Arc Programs across our country provide possibilities for these significant members of our society.  A friend of mine, “Jimmy”, is a local Arc member.  I found one article intriguing.  It says, “Many perceive people with disabilities as the ones in need of service, but in reality they are often part of local, state and national engagement.”  The article goes on to describe how service for the sake of helping others is part of their self understanding.  They used their gifts and abilities to serve the hungry, create enclosed playgrounds and work on food drives.  They find great satisfaction in helping others achieve a better life.  There seems to be nothing of self interest in their efforts.  Is this not what St. Paul is talking about when he says, “If we have food and clothing, we shall be content.”  Just as we have brought nothing into the world with us, so will we not take anything with us out of this world.  With regard to accumulating the riches of this world, are we not to keep self interest in check and always look to be of service to one another?

Living the values and mindset of the Kingdom of God is the goal of Saint Paul’s teaching today.  There are competing messages about this all around us.  It is up to each one of us to decide which messages to see and hear.

Fr. Richard Burke, CP, is a member of St. Paul of the Cross Province.  He lives at St. Ann’s Monastery in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Feast of St. Matthew, Apostle

Scripture:

Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13
Matthew 9:9-13

Reflection:

Today we celebrate the memory of St. Matthew, one of the original twelve apostles, and the author of one of our four gospels.  His gospel seems intent on suggesting the compatibility of the way of life proposed by Jesus with the biblical way of life so evident in the scriptures.  An early disciple of Jesus, he was familiar with the many remarks of Jesus’ suggesting how well attuned Jesus was with the scriptures.

This seems to have resonated well within Matthew’s narrative, which was written with the Jewish community in mind.  For, as the man Matthew emerges before us in our reading of this gospel, we note some incompatibilities that emerge about him between his Jewish background and his occupation that might have raised some concern and sensitivity about Matthew, because his background was that of a tax-collector—an occupation that would not have endeared itself to any law-abiding Jew, forced to contribute taxes toward the support of the Roman occupation.  So Matthew was likely used to being put down and taunted by his fellow Jews for his collaboration with the Romans, especially in matters of their hard-earned money.  But we gather from the story in our scriptures today that Matthew was not to be that easily dismissed by his fellow Jews, so what does he do but, first, to invite Jesus Himself, and His disciples, to a meal at his house—to the consternation of those Jews who were trying to disregard people like Matthew, and then Matthew ups the “ante” on this gaffe in protocol regarding the table guests by extending an invitation to an unsavory bunch of his fellow-tax collectors and people designated as “sinners”.  This took a considerable amount of chutzpa on Matthews’s part, which Jesus probably admired.  So, if Jesus was looking for a follower who would stick by him through thick and thin, he found him in Matthew.  And to make sure that the upright tablemates at this meal got the message, Jesus clarifies: “I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

Years later, when the apostle Paul may have been pondering this message found in Matthew’s gospel, he had occasion to capture the heart of it in corresponding with his converts in the city of Ephesus much along the lines Jesus proposes in the gospel today by urging them to bear with one another through love, “striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace”, and then he points out what is obvious to all of us, that each of us has his or her own gifts and talents, differing from one another in this regard.  So, as we have learned, we not only differ from one another because some of us are good people, and others of us less so, but we differ even in our good points, our talents and skills, as well as in our vocational calling.  Parents likely more than others have the opportunity, with regard to their children, to notice this variety of differences in their children, and it is these differences that seldom lead to antagonisms among children, but rather to their pride in and support for one another.  A child who is a pianist and another who is an artist and a third who is a story-teller and a fourth who is a cook, etc., are seldom competitive with one another in a harmful way, but often only in a supportive way.  And this seems to be the mindset of St. Paul as he cites the various vocational differences among people of Ephesus, like apostles, prophets, evangelists, etc.

Like a jigsaw puzzle, it is the differences in the pieces of the puzzle that cause, not the problem, but the solution to the task of devising a picturesque design that proves appealing to those observing it.  Initially, a certain piece of the puzzle may prove to be an obstacle, but eventually, for one willing to expend time and energy on it, it turns out to be the key to its completion.

Fr. Sebastian MacDonald, C.P. is a member of the Passionist Community in Louisville, Kentucky.

Memorial of Saint Andrew Kim Taegŏn, priest and martyr and Saint Paul Chŏng Hasang, martyr, and their companions, martyrs

Scripture:

1 Timothy 3:14-16
Luke 7:31-35

Reflection:

Many of us are familiar with and inspired by the stories of heroic men and women who have lived remarkable lives of faith.  Their witness to Christ and to God’s presence in the world model for us various ways to be faithful disciples of Jesus.  The saints we celebrate today are just such wonderful people.  They are St. Andrew Kim Taegon, St. Paul Chong Hasang and their companions.  They were all martyred during the major persecutions of the Christian community in 19th century Korea.  St. Andrew is singled out from the group because he was the first Korean Catholic Priest and St. Paul Chong Ha Sang was an important lay leader and catechist during that time.  It would seem that the “companions” were ordinary, everyday Catholics rounded up by the government in its attempt to stamp out the Christian faith.  All were put to death in a most violent and public way.

By the time these Catholics were martyred, Christianity had been growing in Korea for more than seventy-five years.  It is believed that Christianity had been brought into Korea by some Christian Japanese soldiers in the latter part of the 18th century.   The Christian Japanese soldiers baptized the first Korean Christians and the Christian community began to grow quickly.  By the time the first foreign priest arrived in Korea in 1836 there was already a substantial Christian community flourishing there.  The Korean Catholic Church is the only known Catholic Christian community that first developed completely from the witness and work of lay Christians.

The rulers in Korea were not at all pleased to have this foreign religion thriving in their country.  At first they just discouraged it but soon enough outlawed this practice and began to actively persecute anyone who took it up.  As Christians were arrested, tortured and put to death the Church quickly moved underground

St. Andrew’s parents, members of the Korean nobility, were an important part of that early community and secretly remained faithful to their life with Christ.  Andrew, born in 1821, was baptized at fifteen and soon expressed his desire to become a priest.  He traveled to Macau to attend the seminary and was ordained in 1845.  He was the first Korean to become a priest and returned home shortly after his ordination to help organize the Church and bring the sacraments to the faithful.  He ministered in Korea only a year before he was arrested and put to death.

There were intense persecutions of Christians in Korea in 1839, 1846, 1866 and 1867 and 103 Christians were martyred for their faith.  We celebrate these heroic martyrs on this day.

May their faith and courage inspire us to live our lives faithful to the Gospel and have the strength to be fearless witness for Christ in our everyday lives.

 

Fr. Michael Higgins, C.P. is the director of Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.

Scripture:

1 Timothy 3:1-13
Luke 7:11-17

Reflection:

Beloved, this saying is trustworthy. 1 Timothy 3:1

Last week, as I was preparing for this homily, I was asked to celebrate the Saturday Mass for our weekend retreat at Mater Dolorosa. When I read the first reading for the Saturday Mass, a reading from St. Paul’s letter to Timothy, St. Paul states: “This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance.” (I Tim. 1:15) Then I reread the first reading for today’s Mass and Paul says, “This saying is trustworthy” to Bishop Timothy, a young man whom Paul mentored as he went about his missionary journeys.

What does trustworthy mean and why is it important? As I reflected on those questions, I went back to the New Testament and discovered that this word is used 21 times in the Gospels and the other books of the New Testament. We first find it used by Jesus who tells us that someone who is trustworthy in small matters will also be trustworthy in great ones (Luke 16:10). For the early church, being trustworthy was very important and the only to know if a person is trustworthy is by looking at what person says and does. As St. Luke explains in the Gospel passage cited, a person who lies, is dishonest and disrespects others is not trustworthy. We really do not need an expert to tell us this. Even a child knows when we are being trustworthy and when we are deceitful.

Recently, I began reading a biography of the Lutheran martyr, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who became a theologian and a pastor when Hitler began his rise as leader in Germany. He came from a wealthy, well know family in Germany. Shortly after Hitler’s election, Bonhoeffer broadcasted a sermon over the radio in which he said that Hitler was not trustworthy and why. The radio station stopped transmitting mid-sermon, but no one would be able to stop him from preaching the Gospel. As we know, the German authorities later arrested him, threw him into a concentration camp and executed him. Of course, he was not the only one who condemned Hitler for his policy of extermination of the Jewish race and other crimes against humanity, but certainly he continues to be an outstanding example of someone who knows the difference between someone who is trustworthy and one who is not.

So, when Paul writes to Timothy, he is telling him to pay attention to what is trustworthy. Who is Timothy supposed to trust? Who are we supposed to trust? God and God’s Word. God acts of Love, which includes Jesus’ death on the Cross. The word and testimony of the many men and women over the centuries who have taught us the Gospel of Jesus, its values, its way of life, its sayings, and its saving message of grace. That is trustworthy and worthy of full acceptance!

St. Paul is asking us to be trustworthy ourselves. And Paul is also asking us not to be deceived by people who are not trustworthy. The rest of the first reading describes people who are trustworthy and people who are not. What a wonderful message we have to today’s times!

In whom do we put our trust?

Fr. Clemente Barrón, C.P. is a member of Christ the King Community in Citrus Heights, California.