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Scripture:

Acts 7:51-8:1a
John 6:30-35

Reflection:

Although the celebration of St. Athanasius is celebrated annually on May 2^nd, the readings are usually those of the Easter cycle. Today’s readings portray the vivid narrative of the death of Stephen, whom we consider the “protomartyr”, or “first martyr” of the Church. This is followed by a Gospel passage from the ending of John’s 6^th Chapter, the well-known discourse on the ‘bread of life.”

The death of Stephen is brought on by his condemnation of the leaders of the people…you are just like your ancestors. Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They put to death those who foretold the coming of the righteous one, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become.

With the menacing crowd before him, Stephen has a “theophany”, a vision of the heavens…But Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God…

The crowd rushed him, forcing him out of the city and into a killing field, where they began to stone him. But Stephen prays for his muderers, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them,” and when he said this, he fell asleep.

The death of Stephen is cast against the backdrop of the Crucifixion of Jesus: there is the confrontation with the authorities with the consequent antagonism of the popular religious leadership, the frenzy of the crowd, the movement out of the city, and the final moments of the execution when the condemned prays for the forgiveness of his murderers.

Although we speak of Stephen as the “first martyr” (“protomartyr”), it is really the “Lamb who was slain on our behalf”, Jesus, who is the first to die in witness to the mission of mercy for sinners and for the sake of the kingdom that is being established in his blood.

Stephen’s death, like the deaths of Peter and Andrew, which were more literally crucifixion (upside down, and on a diagonal cross), are the literal consequences of “taking up one’s cross and following Jesus.”

Through this account of Stephen’s death, the Church recognizes the long line of faithful followers of Christ who have confronted the evil that afflicts the faithful, and pay with their lives. This is not something that we have not known in our own day. The “lilies of the field” continue to bloom in the face of human evil. The Church has never been without the witness (“martyr” in Greek) of those brave enough to face evil down, supported by the vision of God’s supporting presence, and the readiness to forgive.

We Passionists have known the witness of St. Maria Goretti, who in 1902 faced the evil of a frenzied lust with the strength of the conviction that having recently made her first communion, her body was a harbor of the Eucharist, not to be defiled by Alessandro’s adolescent passion. In her final hours, lying atop a marble operating table in the hospital of Nettuno, she was able to respond to the question, “Marietta, do you forgive Alessandro?,” with the clarity of one who knew the story of Jesus on the Cross, “How can I not forgive him, since Jesus already has?”

For Maria Goretti, the Bread of Life, which she had so recently received for the first time, was fulfilled in her passage from death to eternal life. I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.

Fr. Arthur Carrillo, C.P.  is the director of the Missions for Holy Cross Province.  He lives in Chicago, Illinois.  

Scripture:

Genesis 1:26-2:3
or Colossians 3:14-15, 17, 23-24
Matthew 13:54-58

Reflection:

This has to be one of the most beautiful feasts on the liturgical calendar.  Coinciding with “May Day” where countries around the world celebrate the dignity of human work, this feast lifts up the example of Joseph the Worker.  The gospel selection from Matthew 13:54-58 says it all, identifying Jesus as “the son of the carpenter.”  The townspeople of Nazareth seem hostile to Jesus, their native son, and point to his humble roots as a countersign to the reputation Jesus had acquired as a wise teacher, a powerful prophet and healer. But the fact that Jesus was raised by a working man highlights the Word of God’s full embrace of our humanity and gives new dignity to human labor.

A further source of that dignity is proclaimed in the first reading for today’s feast, taken from the opening chapter of Genesis.  We hear a portion of the magnificent account of creation, a reading we also heard at the Easter Vigil.  After having created the abundant and teeming beauty of the earth and all its creatures, God now turns to the creation of the human being, “male and female.”  While the account in Genesis 1 underscores the goodness of all that God created and, as such, becoming a reflection of the Divine presence, the creation of the human is on a different scale.  “Let us make the human in our image, after our likeness.”  Made in the divine image, the human is able to be “god-like” – able to choose and respond, able to reciprocate in an intentional way the love that God lavished on creation.  Thus the human can enter into a relationship with God and will have a destiny of being united with God forever.

Important for this feast is the fact that God gives to men and women the responsibility of stewardship over the earth and its creatures.  The human gives the animals their name and is called to till the earth and make it fruitful (Gen 2:15).  The word Genesis uses is “to have dominion” over the earth.  In some times past, people have understood this to mean that humans are free to exploit the earth and plunder it without concern for its care. But the word “dominion” here has a special connotation.  The Bible attributed “dominion” to the power of the king, who was to act on behalf of God, protecting and nourishing the people, caring for the vulnerable and the poor.  The king of Israel was chastised by God is he were to abuse or exploit God’s people.

Pope Francis has appealed to these very passages of the Genesis in making a case that responsibility for our earth and its well-being is a Christian responsibility given to us by God.  He states that the environmental crisis we are experiencing is the most serious “moral crisis” of our time.  Our labor is to help build up God’s kingdom, to ensure that the earth remains fruitful and life-giving, particularly for the poor who depend on the bounty of the earth for their daily nourishment.  Thus all work—from the most humble of toil to the technological advanced work of science—is to be in service of humanity and the earth to which we all belong.  The subtitle of the Pope’s remarkable instruction, Laudato Si’ (old Italian for “Praise you, Lord,” from a poem of St. Francis of Assisi), affirms this very point: “On Care for Our Common Home.”

On this day when we remember Joseph whose labor supported and nourished the very Son of God, let us honor human work of all kinds and re-dedicate ourselves to the responsibility of protecting and caring for our common home.

Fr. Donald Senior, C.P. is President Emeritus and Professor of New Testament at Catholic Theological Union.  He lives at the Passionist residence in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago.

Scripture:

Acts 6:1-7
John 6:16-21

Reflection:

“Respond to the Holy Spirit who is calling you! Come! Come! Come! Don’t wait for time because time isn’t waiting for you.” St Catherine of Siena, Letters to Pope Gregory XI

Today the Church celebrates the feast day of one of the few women Doctors of the Church, Catherine of Siena. Her influence on the Church at the time of the Great Schism was Divine intervention only because she listened to God with deep love and was open to the Holy Spirit.

In the first reading the Apostles are choosing the first seven deacons to help with the work of the Church while they take time to pray and preach the Word of God. By this time in the early Church the Apostles were finding that they were ministering to the needs of the poor, women and children. They were distributing food and clothing to the needy and visiting the sick. Most likely they were wearing themselves out doing everything. The deacons will take over the ministry to the poor and various needs of the Church while the Apostles could focus on preaching and teaching all that Christ taught them. Today we have the Permanent Diaconate to assist with taking communion to the home bound and those in hospitals. They may also have responsibilities within a parish to work in the parish food pantry or other outreach programs. Lay people are also called to minister within the Church. There are many ways in which lay men and women share their gifts with their parish or diocese. Lay people are in music ministry, taking communion to the home bound and nursing homes, lectors at mass, teachers in the RCIA programs and many more areas.

Which ministry are you being called to serve in?

“Come! Come! Come! Don’t wait for time because time isn’t waiting for you.”

In the Gospel the Apostles are out in one of their fishing boats at night and a “strong wind” is making rough seas. Not surprising that this is not the only time in the Scriptures that there are rough seas. This could very easily be an analogy of the rough time they will have in the future. Jesus appears to them and reassures them not to be afraid. As they are focused on Jesus the boat lands on the shore. In other similar scripture passages when the Apostles focus on Jesus things turn out for the better when they turn their focus somewhere else they sink or panic. Saint Catherine of Siena helped Pope Gregory to keep his focus on Jesus through her letters. When we keep our focus on Jesus even the storms of life can be calmed and the next thing we know we have landed on the shore safe and sound.

“It is I. Do not be afraid.”

Linda Schork is a theology teacher at Saint Xavier High School in Louisville, Kentucky

Scripture:

Acts 5:34-42
John 6:1-15

 

Reflection:

ALLELUIA! Jesus is Risen!!!!! ALLELUIA!

I always find so much hope in the scriptures during the Easter season, more specifically, the Acts of the Apostles.  Discipleship in the early church has many parallels to Discipleship in the church of 2017!

The apostles had the experience of being with Jesus, but then he was gone!  It was challenging and overwhelming to try and spread the good news and at the same time mourn the loss of their friend and savior!  I’m sure they had regrets and frustrations and wished they had used the time with Jesus in a more serious and fruitful way.  Now they were without him and it was hard to carry on!  BUT, we hear in Acts of how joyous they were to suffer and serve, to teach and heal and tell the world about Jesus!  FAITH alive!

Disciples in 2017!

What can we learn from our sisters and brothers of the early church?!

We can rejoice that we have been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.  And all day long, in our parishes, communities, families, nations, we must continue to teach and proclaim the Christ, Jesus!  We must persist!  The apostles set the bar high without even realizing it.  Instead of seeing the bar as too high, why don’t we join them on the high bar!  A favorite chant from the women’s march in Washington back in January comes to mind;  “when you go low, we go high”!  When the people of God are cranky, stubborn and overwhelming and bring us down and we find ourselves questioning our call to ministry, when our leaders in government, church or institutions seem unjust, hurtful or just plain inconsiderate,  leading many to begin to feel used, abused and forgotten, we must lead them to higher ground!  We must persist!

The higher ground can be attained through our relationship with the Risen Jesus!

Jesus died so that we may have new life and have it abundantly.  So, Disciples 2017, let’s glory in the new life all around us and spread the good news that

JESUS CHRIST HAS RISEN, ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA!!!!!!

Theresa Secord is a Pastoral Associate at St. Agnes Parish, Louisville, Kentucky.

Scripture:

Acts 5:27-33
John 3:31-36

Reflection:

Writing these reflections every month can be a challenge!  Ask anyone who writes them on a regular basis!  You don’t want them to be substitute homilies and you don’t want them to be preachy or condescending.  This is why I usually try to precede my writing with some prayerful moments, often with music playing in the background.

Today’s music included the old hymn “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” and “Imagine” performed by the popular singing group Pentatonix.  Today’s scriptures tell of the excited apostles fearlessly preaching the Word of God.

Reflection:

“Come thou fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing thy grace.
Streams of mercy never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet, Sung by flaming tongues above.”

I need you Spirit of God, to know what to write.  Touch my heart.

“Imagine all the people, living for today.
Imagine all the people, living life in peace.
Imagine all the people, sharing all the world.
I hope someday you’ll join us and the world will live as one.”

I need you Spirit of God, to know how to live.  Touch my life.

The apostles were called before the Sanhedrin where they were soundly chastised for preaching about Jesus in the city streets.  The leaders were “infuriated and wanted to put them to death.”

I need you Spirit of God, to know how to preach.  Touch my words.

Sometimes writing a reflection is simply a prayer lifted from my heart’s longing for God.  Maybe that’s the best reflection I can write, a reflection of my heart’s wandering amidst the signs of our times.

I need you Spirit of God, to know your love.  Touch my soul.

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

Scripture:

Acts 5:17-26
John 3:16-21

Reflection:

In these early days of the Easter season, the scripture readings lead us through a number of events in Acts of the Apostles. In these events the apostles, disciples, high priests, and those hearing the Good News of the Resurrection all have a choice. Believe or don’t believe.

Who believes the women who run to tell the apostles what they saw at the tomb? Who believes when John and Peter enter the tomb? Who believes as the disciples walk along the road to Emmaus? Who believes when told that Jesus has appeared to the apostles in the upper room? Who believes, like in today’s story of the miraculous release of the apostles from prison? And who chooses to not believe?

We read today in the gospel passage from John, “And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil.” There are far too many examples in our world today of those who choose darkness and sin: the tragedy of war that displaces those who have no power to end it,  the scourge of human trafficking and abuse of children, and the devastation of denuded forests, dying coral reefs, and choking smog. These are all human choices.

Yet we believe. We choose to see all the occasions where love triumphs over death. Forgiveness. Generosity. Selfless love. We choose to see what is happening all around us as Spring calls forth new life in dormant flowers and in tree buds. As priest and author Andrew Greeley is said to have written in his journal, “Someone keeps sending me flowers.” We can choose to see the flowers of Spring as the ongoing invitation of God to believe that Spring follows Winter, that Love is greater than Death, and that the Resurrection triumphs over Good Friday.

Robert Hotz is a consultant with American City Bureau, Inc. and was the Director of The Passion of Christ: The Love That Compels Campaign for Holy Cross Province.

Scripture:

1 Peter 5:5b-14
Mark 16:15-20

Reflection:

Often, when directing parish missions, I will give a talk on “vision” or “seeing through God’s eyes”… it’s an invitation to stretch our imaginations.  A major part of this conference might fall under the umbrella of hermeneutics, i.e., the proper interpretation of sacred scripture. As the believer becomes more familiar with God’s Word, one realizes that the Bible cannot be taken literally or fundamentally. (The Bible is not a science or history book.) Jesus doesn’t want you to pluck out your eye if it is a source of temptation; nor should you be severing your hand when the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion! Today’s Gospel on the Feast of Saint Mark offers yet another series of challenges: clearly Jesus is not suggesting that we brazenly handle serpents or drink poison, however.

But our Gospel begins with a subtler dilemma. The resurrected Christ concludes his ministry by instructing his disciples, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.” Earlier in Matthew’s Gospel (chapter 15) remember when he told the Syro-Phoenician woman, a desperate Mom, “My mission is only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel”?  It seems that Jesus has altered his targeted audience; initially he was limiting his attention to the Jews, now the poles of the tent have been stretched to include all people.

I reverence these conundrums, even the paradoxes in scripture. For example, the rich young man (Mark 10) departs from Jesus saddened because he was unable or unwilling to respond to Jesus mandate to sell everything, giving the money to the poor, and following Jesus. Zacchaeus (Luke 19), on the other hand, finds fulfillment in downsizing by only half his possessions!

How do we deal with these challenges from Jesus? I smile at the anecdote around the cleansing of the temple. Jesus curses a fig tree (Mark 11) because he wanted fruit and none was available; but Mark tells us it wasn’t even fig season! Either Jesus is having a very bad day, or we are invited deeper into the mystery of God’s Word.

As we ponder the gift of the evangelist Mark today, I ask for the grace to read between the lines, to not limit God’s Word to my puny imagination or narrow mind. And maybe I can commit to further Bible study. Hermeneutics.

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

Scripture:

Acts 4:23-31
John 3:1-8

 

Reflection:

Enable your servants to speak your word with all boldness.  Acts 4:20

An important word, witness, in New Testament helps to define what it means to be a Christian. Witness (martyreō) appears in its derivatives 295 times in NT. It means to be an eyewitness i.e. to affirm that one has seen or heard or experienced something, or that he knows it because he is taught by divine revelation or inspiration.

A simple definition of witness in Scripture is found in today’s liturgy:  “Enable your servants to speak your word with all boldness.”  The SS reminds us not only to grasp tightly the Risen Christ around His feet as the women did in Mt gospel, but also to boldly encourage others to do the same!  The Risen Lord had the habit of coming and going unexpectedly.   They wanted to keep Him there!   “There is salvation in no one else!” Act 4:12  The word for boldness is  parrēsia which means primarily, “freedom of speech, unreservedness of utterance,” “the absence of fear in speaking boldly; hence, confidence”

Parresia is one way we witness to the Living Christ today.   Lack of conviction plus fear of what others may think can easily stop most of us from “speaking your word with all boldness”.  “  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory” Lk 9:26  The word used for ashamed comes from aischos (disfigurement, i.e. disgrace).  We are made to believe that the teaching of Our Lord is narrow minded and wrong.  We let despicable practices against Christianity stand without challenge.

Perhaps one of our problems is we are far too quiet in our very secularistic climate.  Amid our rapidly changing and at times shameful culture, it seems so easy for us to let things degrade which took 2000 years of Christianity to establish.  It is a major Scriptural challenge to us to be a witness to our Living and Risen Christ!

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