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Scripture:

2 Corinthians 5:14-21
Matthew 5:33-37

Reflection:

The first Christians believed that the death and resurrection of Jesus began a new age with startlingly new possibilities. And they were absolutely right. In today’s first reading—a compelling, uplifting, but also unquestionably challenging passage—Paul articulates the momentous and irreversible change that the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus brought to the world. He jubilantly proclaims that anyone who has been baptized into Christ is a “new creation,” an image that suggests not only new life, but also a completely new and liberating way of being. He says that because of Christ “the old things have passed away” and “new things have come.” The “old things” are all the unpromising, lifeless, and ultimately self-destructive ways of living and acting that we embrace when because of fear, selfishness, pride, anxiety or animosity, we turn away from others and begin to live only for ourselves.

By contrast, the “new things” that have come refer not only to what God has made possible for us in Christ, but also to what we are blessed and summoned to continue. Baptism makes us “ambassadors for Christ,” Paul writes, and our mission is to carry on the ministry of reconciliation begun by Christ. What would this mean in our families? In our workplaces? In all of our relationships? In our churches? Where are we called to be ministers of God’s merciful and reconciling love right now? Where are we summoned to bring God’s healing and peace?

In a world that is no stranger to breakdowns in love and broken relationships, in a world that knows the endless sorrow that flows from unhealed hurts and unforgiven transgressions, there is no more urgent calling than to continue Jesus’ ministry of reconciliation. It is every Christian’s task for it is the only sure path to peace and the only way to witness our belief that God’s love is the power that rules the world.

Paul J. Wadell is Professor of Theology and Religious Studies at St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin, and a member of the extended Passionist family.

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 4:7-15
Matthew 5:33-37

Reflection:

The Gospel of Matthew is sometimes called the Rule of Discipline, or the Manual of Displine. Matthew’s Gospel is designed to help the Matthew Community locate the charism of Jesus.  Matthew wants to move his Community from a rule or manual to their heart!  The heart in Jewish thought is the inmost being of a person.  It is where failure and faults begin, where virtue and holiness begins.

Matthew’s Community has a litany of wrongs that need to be defeated and replaced with virtues.  They are these:  Murder, Adultery, False Oaths, Revenge, and Hate.  These failings have their roots in smaller infractions like : Anger, Lust, Swearing, and Spite.  Sin for Matthew is an act of alienation from the  Community, and even one’s self.

Jesus knew the seriousness of these infractions.  They jeopardize the stability of the family, the Community, from one another.   They jeopardize all relationships.  These infractions contrary to our Baptismal promises.  Matthew tells his Community there is a “New Law” in our hearts.  For Matthew the heart is one’s inmost begin.  These infractions root themselves in our hearts and can “break our hearts.”  For Matthew this is “the heart of the matter!”  Because it is where sin begins.  This is where alienation from God, Community and self begins!

Someone has said that we “live half by faith and half by axioms.”  These are a few that help us on our journey of faith.”  Sometimes when we are upset it is this axiom that gets us through the day: “Salvitur ambulando” “All is saved by a walk.”  When things get too heated “take a walk” or “walk it off”.  We just keep our mouth shut.  Other times we just “swallow”.  In other words “Jesus autem tacebat or Jesus however was silent.”  This is the shortest sentence in the Gospel.  Briefly, Matthew was speaking to aspirations that made up his Rule or Manual.  These come from his experience and the members of his Community. He had axioms, faith. We can create our own Manual or Rule with these acts of faith, our axioms.

Fr. Ken O’Malley, C.P., is the local superior at Holy Name Passionist Community in Houston, Texas.

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 3:15-4:1, 3-6
Matthew 5:20-26

Reflection:

Several years ago, Presbyterian brothers and sisters attacked six Pentecostals about an hour away from where I used to live. Four people received knife wounds, a car was burned, a house was vandalized and most of the religious and civic authorities remained silent here in Chiapas. Apparently, this is not new phenomena. In the past, Catholics have done the same to Christians of others denominations. The attack on the Pentecostal family was not only caused by religious fanaticism but, also, because of political power. The Presbyterian pastor was also the judge of the region, and the elders of the church are his council. A new church would challenge not only the attendance to their church but their monopoly on political power. Unlike the Presbyterians of this area, the Pentecostal family was known to be critical of the government and to participate with the government and its projects. The Mexican Government has used welfare-like programs to gain alliances and shut any criticism of their blatant corruption.  At the end, those who professed faith in Jesus, the Son of God, used his name to provoke and cause violence on others. May God’s merciful judgment come upon us, if we are even to remain silent when violence is perpetuated on others.

 

Fr. Hugo Esparza, CP, is a Passionist of Holy Cross Province now working in Haiti.

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 1:18-22
Matthew 5:13-16

Reflection:

On May 1^st of this year my mother passed away following three years of battling cancer. Those who came to pay their respects would declare that she—and my dad who is still living—were the “salt of the earth” kind of people. So, for me today’s Gospel reading begs the question, what do those words look like? How might we lose our flavor? And, how might we shine and give glory to God?

I believe it means nothing more than sharing the Love of Jesus at every opportunity. We do this by cultivating a life of prayer and service which over time produces the fruit of hospitality, wisdom, engagement and love. I wonder in our hustle and hurry world if these qualities may be diluted and even slip away unnoticed. Then every once in a while, life invites us to notice by sending challenges we don’t feel equipped to handle.

Fear not! When you’ve lost your flavor, go find a salt of the earth person.  You know who they are. They are the ones who let their light shine, the beacon on the hill calling you home. Home to yourself, home to experience the love of Jesus. I understand this is what people meant when they spoke of my mother. She opened her door to all with a ready smile, she engaged in the lives of her family and friends offering the wisdom gleaned over a lifetime of prayer and service. She gave the gift of her time. As St. Paul suggests in our first reading, yes, was in her.

Being anointed by God and sealed with his Spirit as a first installment is our destiny and inheritance not just for an unknown future but today—now, this very moment. Regardless of our life circumstances—in fact, I might suggest it is true in spite of our circumstances. Like the city set on a mountain, we must attempt to rise above our circumstances, to reach high so as to be infused with the flavor of the Spirit which we discover actually never leaves us.

What we lose is our vision, our way; if we are not careful to cultivate our deepest, yes. The foundation and seal of all our yesses is only possible through the initiative of our Creator. With God, all things are possible and without him, we can do nothing. This is the essence of being the salt of the earth; it is a humbleness which is expressed in loving and giving life and does not expect anything in return. It simply allows the glory to be given to God. This is our call and we have been made worthy once and for all.

So, let us be encouraged when we find those wonderful people in our lives who shine like a beacon in this world which is often very confusing. Let us strive to be like them as we shout aloud, “Wonderful are your decrees, therefore I observe them” and let your glory shine, Lord, alleluia, alleluia!

Jean Bowler is a retreatant at Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center in Sierra Madre, California, and a member of the Office of Mission Effectiveness Board of Holy Cross Province.

Scripture:

Exodus 34:4b-6, 8-9
2 Corinthians 13:11-13
John 3:16-18

Reflection:

On Sunday we celebrate Trinity Sunday, in which we are reminded of the doctrine of the Trinity, that we believe God to be Three Persons in One God. It is a doctrine which is not so easy to understand, and so when we try to grapple with it, our default response is to say, “It’s a mystery.”

As I was reflecting on this, I thought to myself, “Why does that surprise us?” For me, the doctrine of the Trinity does not so much speak of theological concepts and philosophical definitions of the word “person,” as it speaks of love and relationships. The idea of Three Persons in One God denotes a Supreme Being of perfect relationship. And God, out of love, created the universe and revealed the Divine Self in the Son of God becoming one of us in Jesus Christ.

Have I lost you, yet? I’m about to get lost myself. But if we see God as a God of relationships, then it shouldn’t surprise us that we cannot fully understand or know God. Look at our own human relationships. There are people whom we love dearly. We know them well, and there might even be times when we say we know them better than they do themselves. But we cannot know them absolutely 100%, because they are ultimately distinct from us. But we love them, and we are in relationship with them. God chooses to be in relationship with us, and indeed, God does know us better than we know ourselves. And still, God loves us! In our first reading from Exodus (34:4b-6, 8-9), Moses asks God to accompany the people, even though they (and we) are “stiff-necked.” And God does!

The challenge of this day for me is the connection between love and relationship. Can I really love someone in the abstract, or do I need to be in some kind of relationship with him or her or them in order to love them? The reality of the Trinity seems to call for the latter. But then what does that mean when Jesus calls us to love our enemies, or love the “least of these,” or love the ones who cannot repay our love? Can we be in relationship with them?

Can we let ourselves be that vulnerable? I think we do when it comes to family or good friends. And again, the challenge may be to increasingly broaden the circle of relationships we have, even to those who are so different from us, in order to follow the commandment to love. One thing that might be helpful to remember is that God has been willing to be that vulnerable with us. How can I say that? God is all-powerful, all-knowing, all-present. How can God be vulnerable? Is it not a willingness to be vulnerable when the Son of God becomes one of us in order to save us? Our Gospel reading (John 3:16-18) says it well: “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.” Is it not a willingness to be vulnerable when we are given free will and are thus free to turn our backs on God and ignore the Holy Spirit?

Are we willing to be vulnerable with God? Are we willing to surrender to God’s love and will? Are we willing to be in relationship with others? It can seem impossible, but we know there are people who do; the ones who can see the good in everyone, or who can make friends with just about anyone. I think (maybe hope is the better word) that this is true for even the quiet and shy ones among us.

This day invites us to enter into the mystery of love and relationships, trusting that God, who is love, will show us the way.

I welcome any comments or questions. Thanks for your time.

In the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
Phil, CP

Scripture:

Tobit 12:1, 5-15, 20
Mark 12:38-44

Reflection:

My brother Jim is now in his second round of chemo for stage 4 brain cancer. So far the scans are clear, but we know with certainty that it’s only a matter of time before another tumor appears somewhere in his brain. His longevity is dependent only on when and where.

Living with cancer is like running your computer with multiple programs open at once. Your attention is focused on the program currently on the screen, but the others are still there in the background, affecting you (including your memory and your operating speed), and it only takes a click to bring one of them to the fore. When the cancer is like Jim’s, that program cannot be relegated to the recycle bin or even put to sleep. It is a permanent part of his system and at some point it will end his life.

This reality is changing Jim in a number of ways. He is the kind of guy who has always lived larger than life, diving deeply into one activity or another. He is highly successful at work, committed to an intense fitness and muscle-building routine, a devoted water-skier who arises early to get in a ski run before work, and a fun and wise friend, father, and husband. Or at least he was all those things. His priorities and his life are different now. Although the last one remains true, Jim currently works no more than 6 hours a day, even if he feels capable of doing more. He says he doesn’t want to spend his life tied to an office and he doesn’t care whether he is recognized for being successful. He still works out, but has lost 15 pounds of muscle weight and is more the size of a typical man than the extreme fitness buff of the recent past. He still skis, but he wants to ensure he gets sufficient sleep so he doesn’t get up early and he only goes out skiing with his wife and/or kids in the boat with him. He isn’t interested in making plans to go on vacations or any kind of trips, preferring to be at home.

In other words, Jim’s entire perspective on life has become more like the widow in the gospel.  She quietly and generously gave everything she had. She wasn’t looking for praise or recognition. She was looking to be of service rather than hoarding her money, choosing to make whatever difference her meager means allowed. She knew something that Jim wishes he’d realized sooner, that it’s truly the little things that count. It’s the unseen sacrifices and the depth of character behind those sacrifices. It’s keeping one’s priorities straight and focusing only on those things that are truly important.

Jim was never a selfish or callous person – far from it. Yet I see him deepening, broadening, and centering himself in ways I’ve never seen before.  He is the widow standing before me, putting his offering into the box and reminding me in profound ways that it is not important to have stuff, to be physically impressive, to cling to material possessions or chase the highest levels of success. It is important to give of yourself, to love and live with your whole being, and keep relationships at the core. I know these things, but I also know how easy it is to lose sight of them, relegating that particular computer screen to the back of the order.

My prayer for all of us is that it doesn’t take a terminal diagnosis, whether our own or that of someone we love, to shake us up and rearrange our priorities. I resolve again to consciously examine myself in prayer every day, pull up each screen on the computer of my life, and try with the grace of God to keep them in proper perspective. Then I pray for the wisdom to recognize when the sheer number of active programs gets overwhelming or I am getting out of sync, so I can re-boot and return to the Source that created and sustains me. In doing so I will honor Jim and all the people I love, keep my priorities straighter, give freely of myself, and hone in on the moments, relationships, and service that give meaning and purpose to whatever time I have remaining on this earth.

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/.

Scripture:

Tobit 11:5-17
Mark 12:35-37

 

Reflection:

From Lament to Praise

As we move into the ordinary time we have read this week the story of Tobit, Tobiah and Sarah. With the background in Babylon we know it is during the time of exile. It seems that Tobit is very aware of the sins of Israel; they suffer for being unfaithful to the commandment. He is man of reverence. He will risk all to do what is right. But even Tobit is pulled down in the midst of the sufferings of his people, and his own suffering of blindness. He lashes out unjustly at his wife whose feelings he really hurts.

In the parallel story his son Tobiah meets Sarah, a relative who is not only eligible but also captures his heart immediately. The makings of this potentially ‘made in heaven marriage’ are complicated by a demon and his hand in the previous seven marriages that have all ended on the night of the marriage with the death of the bridegroom. Sarah, like Tobit, is at the point of despair. She would hang herself but fortunately she is selfless enough to think of her father’s happiness and would spare him such a grief. She would be happy to die of natural causes.

Both Tobit and Sarah pray to God out of their emptiness. There is little to hope for. Their prayers are truly laments from their hearts. “The prayer of these two suppliants was heard in the glorious presence of Almighty God.”

The story will end with the rejoicing of a newly married and happy couple, and tears of joy that flow from Tobit’s healed eyes. Raphael announces that God commissioned him to heal Tobit and Sarah, and says “I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who enter and serve before the Glory of the Lord”.

This is a story of God’s faithful love that does not abandon us in the worst times. Even in the midst of the punishment of exile God was listening, in physical suffering, in the despair caused by evil entering into the most holy of relationships.

We conclude Mark’s gospel this week and will begin Matthew on Monday. This final week we hear parables of love with echoes of the Easter season still fresh among us. The parables the coin that is owed to Caesar against God who deserves everything, and the widow who offers the treasure of her little coins made precious because they come from a heart full of love. Today we hear of the Son of David will sit at the Father’s right hand, and earlier this week a teaching by Jesus on the mystery of eternal life.

We can identify with Tobit. There are things that bring tears to our eyes, suffering, and the bad things of exile or evil that reach out to touch us The laments of the book of Tobit give way to praise of God even before Raphael’s announcement of who he is. Reminded of the victory of Easter and our call to give all of our love to God whose love does not forget or abandon us, even in the midst of our laments may we give God the praise of our love.

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

Scripture:

Tobit 6:10-11; 7:1bcde, 9-17; 8:4-9a
Mark 12:28-34

Reflection:

‘Are we there yet?’ is one of the lines often used by children on a journey. As many parents will understand only too well, the context is often one of travelling together in the family car and the children are usually voicing their tiredness, or impatience for or anticipation of ‘journey’s end’.

But for Jesus to say to the scribe ‘you are not far from the Kingdom of God’ is something entirely different in meaning and something far richer and deeper.

The Kingdom or ‘the Reign of God’ is not a state, a place or a plan. It is not something that one could see merely as a destination. Nor is there a ‘map’ of how to get there. Indeed Jesus never gave a concrete description or definition of what it was like to be within the Kingdom.

Rather Jesus used a series of stories, parables and encounters to illustrate the experience of being held within, surprised by, or carried along by Gods powerful, loving and creative presence in our world. Perhaps it is simplest to say that the Kingdom or Reign of God – which is dynamically present, boundless and all embracing – is manifested and made visible when we live according to God’s dream, when we choose according to what God has already foreseen as good for us and when we love in a way that imitates God’s totally selfless love for us.

As our gospel emphasises for us today, the Kingdom is indicated or made more obvious when one aligns his or her life with the wide ranging dimensions of God’s reign amongst us.

Again while Jesus gave no precise definition, today’s encounter does narrow down the field to that of tri-dimensional relationship. One’s relationship to God; to others, and to self are the three dimensions highlighted. Thus two great streams of Hebrew thought and teaching about love, and the source often of argument, are now blended by Jesus (and acknowledged by the scribe) as one supreme command that acknowledges God as the One from whom we originate and to whom we belong, and further calls us to love God with all one’s heart, understanding and strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself. We might note too that these dimensions – heart, mind and strength – sum up all the facets of human effort (as imagined in Jesus’ time) and thus serve to remind us that we are to give our ‘all’ to our relating to God and others.

This gospel encounter serves to illustrate for us very clearly the vision that Jesus lived by and taught. He names love of God, neighbours and self as the primary command by which one should live. And it is a teaching which reflects his own values, attitudes and way of life and may well be seen by us as the ‘way’ or path for us to follow now and always so that we might enter into the life found within God’s reign.

Fr. Denis Travers, C.P., is a member of Holy Spirit Province, Australia.  He currently serves on the General Council and is stationed in Rome.