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Scripture:

Acts 8:5-8, 14-17
1 Peter 3:15-18
John 14:15-21

Reflection:

As we move toward the end of the Easter season, the readings provided us suggest that there is still a good deal to learn about the Christ event that has preoccupied us now for several weeks.  There seems to be a sense of urgency.

For example, we hear about the activities of the deacon Philip, who is one of those chosen by the church gathered in Jerusalem to provide some of the leadership needed to keep the highly active church a cohesive unit.  Already the church is emulating the example of another deacon, Stephen, who earlier on had suffered martyrdom for preaching the gospel.  Nonetheless, Philip strikes out on his own, going to Samaria, which had been suffering strained relationships with the rest of Israel, and he was quite successful in his preaching activity, persuading the church in Jerusalem to send Peter and John there to follow up on what Philip had successfully gotten underway.  We get the impression that this embryonic church was gifted with some highly gifted personnel who were making their influence felt.

At the same time we are presented with some timely advice by St. Peter, who is aware early on that, along with the success that the young church was enjoying, there will be some kickback stimulated by this good fortune.  He writes to his correspondents to ready themselves for some opposition and defamation by those apparently concerned about the headway the nascent church was enjoying among the people at large.  Peter offers some encouragement about “hanging in there”, or, in his words, “it is better to suffer for doing good…than for doing evil.”  This is good advice, comparable to what an insurance agent may offer a client complaining about the steep price he or she has to pay to get the insurance coverage needed.  But just as the agent will likely admit it is costly, but then proceeds to point out the benefits gained by paying the fee, so Peter observes that Christ also had to suffer payback for the benefit accruing to each of us in his leading us back to God.

But at the heart of any restlessness the young church in Jerusalem may have been suffering was that unique privilege it enjoyed not too many months earlier when it had the actual personal presence of the Lord Jesus in its ranks, to guide and strengthen it in good times and bad.  That may now seem to be a thing of the past.  But in today’s gospel Jesus assures us: not so.  Just love and keep the commandments and Someone Else of significance equal to that of Jesus Himself will be given to accompany the lonesome church.  The church will come to see this if it continues to bear love for Christ through keeping the commandments, and this will provide a deep and abiding conviction about the presence of God’s spirit in its life.

So all the contingencies, all the “ifs and buts” hanging over the early church, have been foreseen, and will be addressed.  A rich legacy awaits the young church if only it “hangs in there” long enough to experience for itself what is here foreseen and promised.  And the same benefits await us, these many centuries later.

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

Scripture:

Acts 16:1-10
John 15:18-21

Reflection:

During these weeks following Easter, we continue to read about the developing early church and the spread of the Gospel beyond Jerusalem and Israel.  In today’s reading we learn that the Apostle Paul brings the Gospel to Derbe and Lystra where he teams up with a young man named Timothy.  Timothy was suspect in some quarters because he was only Jewish on his Mother’s side.  His Father was Greek!  Nonetheless, Paul judged him to be a great witness to Christ so made him his companion on the journey.  Together they greatly strengthened every Christian community they visited.

Together they travelled on through Phrygian and Galatian territory though they were unable to enter the Province of Asia.  They wanted to go to Bythnia but could not so they headed to Mysia and Troas.  Paul then has a vision calling him to Macedonia so they headed there.

It’s fascinating to watch Paul respond to the obstacles that constantly emerge in his path.  He plans to go to one place but something prevents him so he immediately adjusts and goes to another.  He takes on a companion who others find objectionable.  He is mistrusted by many of the Jewish Christians so he moves on to the Gentiles.  Though Paul is single-minded and determined to spread the Good News, he is remarkably flexible and creative in responding to obstacles thrown in his path.  No wonder he is such a great apostle.

The resilience Paul shows in his apostolic life can be a great model for all of us who want to witness to Christ’s presence in our world.  There are always obstacles for us and often our plans prove unworkable for one reason or another.  It’s easy for us to get discouraged and be tempted to give up.  But Paul’s creativity and determination encourage us not to lose heart but to look beyond our small plans and trust that God is opening new ways forward for us.  May we have the freedom and courage to follow God’s lead.

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

Scripture:

Acts 15:22-31
John 15:12-17

Reflection:

‘It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities, namely, to abstain from meat sacrificed to idols, from blood, from meats of strangled animals, and from unlawful marriage. If you keep free of these, you will be doing what is right. Farewell.'”  Acts 15: 28 – 29

None of us are immune from disputes or conflicts or differences of opinion. We may not be aware of how our early life experience shaped the way we respond to these very human occurrences. The vast majority of people who come to see me and are in crisis is because of a conflict with a spouse or a child. Most of the time, these people see me because they have failed to resolve their crisis over a period of time. The more they fail to resolve a crisis, the more frustrated and the more upset they become with themselves and with their opponents. They may come to a point where they cannot resolve their issues and will walk away from each other. Society has even coined a term for this: irreconcilable differences.

One of the reasons why I liked reading the Acts of the Apostles every Easter season is because we are given example of how to resolve conflicts. The religious and political leaders of their time had only one way: declare their opponents as lawbreakers and punish them severely, sometimes by death. They were under the false impression that “might makes right.” In several incidences in the Acts of the Apostles, conflicts are resolved by lying and false witnesses. Lies never stand the test of time. Lies never resolve conflicts.

In today’s first reading, we have a very good example of how the early church resolved a very difficult problem: what to do with those who profess their faith in Jesus the Christ as the Son of God and who were not born Jews. Some said that they needed to become Jews before they could become Christian. Those who were evangelizing Gentiles said “no” to that solution. So, they resolved the question by coming together for prayer, dialogue and consensus.

It took a lot of hard work to resolve this issue. This passage from the Acts shows us how the early Church resolved difficult problems. First, they trusted that the Holy Spirit would give the wisdom to decide for the common good. Second, they listened with respect to those who presented their case before the assembly, “the church.” Lastly, the decision was made by the whole church, even though some may still have been of a different opinion. Once, the decision was made, then it was communicated to everyone.

We should not shy away from difficult decisions. As we see from this example from the Acts of the Apostles, the resolution will lead to a strengthening of the bond between those in conflict. The Holy Spirit knows how to create new life and new energy resulting from conflict-resolution. This may help us to prepare for the coming of the Feast of Pentecost.

This reflection would not be complete without making a reference to the Gospel passage. Jesus had a profound understanding of human nature and had to settle many a conflict among his disciples. His solution was sacrificing self by means of Love. “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13) Jesus never lost confidence in loving us! May we continue to believe that Love Overcomes All!

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

Scripture:

Acts 15:1-6
John 15:1-8

Reflection:

All of us center our lives in whatever we think will give us life. It is money and possessions for many of us, power and pleasure for others, and perhaps privilege and influence as well. But the message of today’s gospel is quite straightforward: To live is to be in Christ and not to be in Christ is not to live at all. There is no alternative life source; there is no other possibility for being. Jesus must be the source and center of our lives for apart from him we wither and die.

We should understand this not as a doleful warning but as a richly hopeful promise. Jesus says not just “Remain in me,” but “Remain in me, as I remain in you.” That is precisely our hope and the source of our joy. We can live with confidence and courage, with faith, hope, and love, and with absolutely resolute joy because as we make our way through life Christ is in us and with us. We are never alone, we are always with Christ. Christ strengthens us. Christ comforts us. Christ encourages, consoles, and supports us. Best of all, the Christ who lives in us works through us to bless and redeem the world.

We often wonder if our lives will make a difference or if our attempts to do good really matter. And yet, Jesus assures us: “Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit…” So what are we waiting for? If Christ lives in us and acts through us, then whether we see it or not, we are bringing the love, mercy, justice, and compassion of God to others. We are changing people’s lives and transforming the world. We are helping build the kingdom of God. And, as today’s gospel reminds us, we are glorifying God.

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:

Acts 6:1-7
1 Peter 2:4-9
John 14:1-12

Reflection:

Finding one’s way in the dark when there is no light – literally or metaphorically – is not an easy thing. But in fact we rarely have total darkness, often we have just that little bit of light to assist us and allow us to be self reliant and independent of others’ help.

But what about when we have to go forward into the a new unknown reality – where there is no ‘light’ – no past experience to tell us all is well and we have to step out into something that can feel like the dark unknown?

Indeed anyone who has ever been ‘caving’ or any other kind of exploration of those often immense areas deep beneath the earth’s surface  –  can testify to the reality of ‘total darkness’.  I vividly recall a time when as part of a large group we were being conducted on a tour of a vast cave system with its wonderful underground chambers and vivid formations of stalactites and stalagmites – and all this illuminated by a powerfully bright lightening system. But to illustrate just how dark it truly was in the cave’s natural state, the guide said at one stage “I am just going to turn out the lights so that you’ll understand how dangerous it can be down here”. He did so, and I was stunned. I could not see the hand I held in front of my face.

I was surrounded by darkness or more so, by the absence of light itself. I hardly knew any perspective, I could see no one and felt absolutely powerless to find my own way out if it had come to that. I did not know the way and I could not find any path either.

We need light to see if we are to journey along our way, but if we do not have even this, then at least we need a guide to take our hand and to show us the way.

Perhaps this touches into the experience of not just the disciples in today’s gospel, but into the experience of every Christian in every age who contemplates the unknown. And indeed faith in Jesus so often calls us to go forward towards that which we do not yet know, or to further towards that which is frightening of challenging, or to step out into a situation that is act of pure trust.

To go forward even when we are ‘enlightened’ by faith can be a risk. And so often the Christian journey calls us to go forward into what is not known. ‘What will happen if… I forgive the other or I trust in this moment or I dare to ask for forgiveness etc?”

We do not always know these answers, in fact often we don’t know at all. But we can trust that Jesus has gone before us to enlighten our path, that he is present to our every moment guiding us, taking our hand, showing us the way by example, stirring us on through his Spirit, finding us companions for the journey or creating examples for us in the lives of those he has inspired before us.

This is part of the Easter promise. That we are never alone in our journey and that no matter how dark it seems he is there.  “Do not let your hearts be troubled.. have faith in God; have faith also in me… I will come back again and take you to myself…I am the way and the truth and the life.”

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.

Scripture:

Acts 13:44-52
John 14:7-14

Reflection:

Today, the Last Supper Discourse continues and we are treated to such rich images from the Gospel of John. “If you know me then you will also know my Father” (v.7). And, I ask myself the question, is my Father visible through me? Isn’t that my call, to be that channel? That light? Jesus certainly shows us how to cultivate this posture throughout his life on earth. As he says in the previous verse to today’s Gospel, he is the way and the truth and the life (v.6). In seeing Jesus, we see God. The enormous gift—the unbelievable miracle of knowing Jesus allows us to do even greater works than he did. So, how is that going for me, or for you?

I have often thought that my faith would be much stronger if, as Philip says, I could see the Father. How glorious to be present for those Signs and Miracles—then, I would have enough. Yet, Jesus shatters that thinking with his self-emptying love of the Father. That is the way.

Perhaps, we think we already know the way; our way. Our biggest challenge can be our inability to see clearly, like Philip, we can have our own idea of what we are looking for and we can miss the Father. Like the Jews in our first reading, Jesus was simply not what they were expecting and they missed him. How often have I missed the Father in my daily life when I do not have eyes to see, to go where Jesus went?

Today, we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Fatima. If there is ever a model to follow, she is it. Her yes, in faith to God, began the path of our salvation and made it possible for the Word to become flesh and “pitch his tent” among us. Can we hear the radical nature of this statement? Is there any doubt that our lives are to follow this pattern? Mary, and her Son, Jesus, our Immaculate Conception and our Incarnation. Today, we honor you.

It is my prayer that we can honor you by living lives of radical hope and radical works. This is not a story about what happened back then; this reaches through time and is happening now and now and now. Can you feel it? Can you hear it?

It is not so complicated, there is no secret formula. It is lived out in ordinary ways and in ordinary lives. Prayer first, then service as a response to the Spirit’s indwelling which we cultivate daily as we allow the will of God in our lives to be supreme. Once that happens—even for a moment—Jesus will answer our every need. Alleluia, alleluia.

Dear Lord, wash me clean of the debris of life, let there be nothing left of me but you.

 

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:

Acts 13:26-33
John 14:1-6

Reflection:

I have just taken on a pastoral assignment on Birmingham’s eastside. It is the most diverse parish that I have encountered in the diocese: African, Asian, Central American, Mexican and the diversity of the U.S.A.

The parish has no mission statement, no council, and the very competent pastoral team heads up most everything. We are under-taking four “meet and greet” sessions to address: “How is God calling the Body of Christ, our parish of Our Lady of Lourdes in the Roebuck/ Center Point area, to be a public witness/sign of God’s Way, Truth, and Life?” In other words, we are building a mission (how we are sent) out of a vision (what God wants us to see around us.)

I’ve been paying close attention to the building of the earliest Christian communities through the journeys of Paul, Barnabas, John Mark, and others in Acts.

Yesterday we were reminded by Jesus that He is the “I AM.” The God who brings us through everything that would distress us. Paul reminded us of the actions of God, the Moses-led Exodus, the over-coming of countless obstacles to establish a “Promised Land.” God sent bold leaders in Samuel, Saul, David, John the Baptist and Jesus the Son of God.

Paul continues his address in the synagogue today by reminding us that the witnesses to the resurrected life of Jesus continue to inspire, lead, and to act for the sake of building the kingdom of God.

This necessarily means a lot of courage. Not just facing into the bad news that comes from the ordinary sufferings due to our human fragility, but also the bad news caused by ignorance, greed, self-centeredness, and intolerance. ”Do not let your hearts by troubled.” Jesus advises us knowing full well that to seek Him means to be on the Way, to apply our skills to act in service of others is the truth backed up by actions, and not to count neither the cost or the results of our work is the Life that comes abundantly from “I AM,” Who says, “Nothing can stop me from loving you.”

Fr. Alex Steinmiller, C.P. is president emeritus of Holy Family Cristo Rey Catholic High School, Birmingham, Alabama.