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Scripture:

Romans 4:13. 16-18
Luke 12:8-12

Reflection:

If Abraham was to be the father of many nations, the members of that large family would need to be like their father.  Chances are all could not do the same things that Abraham was able to do.  Some might be more artistic; some may be carpenters; some good a teaching, etc.  Their oneness with their father Abraham would not depend on doing the same things.  Rather, it would depend on their trusting openness in faith to the free gift of God’s grace falling upon them.  They would all share in the righteousness of Abraham not through works but through faith.

Faith opens and keeps open our hearts to the flow of God’s love.  Jesus tells us that the only sin that cannot be forgiven is the sin that closes the heart to the flow of God’s forgiving grace.

The flow of God’s Spirit within us puts us into an oneness with God.  In times of necessity, we need not worry about what to say or not say.  Because of our intimacy with Jesus, he can speak through us by the Holy Spirit he has given to us and who dwells within our hearts.

Faith makes us a channel through which flows the power and love of God.  Our challenge is to let it flow.  If we try to dam in up and keep it for ourselves, it will become stagnant and a source of death rather than a river of life.  The more we allow it to flow the more it cuts away our sinfulness and resistance and the greater our capacity becomes to channel an even greater abundance of God’s blessings and anointings to others.

Fr. Blaise Czaja, C.P. gives parish missions and retreats.  He is a member of the Passionist Community in Houston, Texas.

Scripture:

Joel 1:13-15; 2:1-2
Luke 11:15-26

Reflection:

“But if it is by the hand of God that (I) drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come among you.” (v.20). This verse simply takes my breath away! My tendency in reading this Gospel is to feel frustration at those who miss the miracle and seem spiritually blind. I want to ask, what is holding you back? What is the obstacle which prevents you from seeing the Savior of the world before your eyes? I wonder, if I placed myself in this scene, would I experience the kingdom or would I miss it like “some of the crowd?” How would I know?

The opposite of faith is not doubt—doubt can and does exist with faith. In fact, it is good to question, to test everything as we read in the First letter of John, “Beloved, do not trust every spirit but test the spirits” … (1 John 4:1). The opposite of faith is certitude, the kind of certitude demonstrated in this text. Here the debate ensues about which spirit is involved in Jesus’ driving out the demon in the mute man.  We have examples of certitude as we observe Jesus’ encounters with some Pharisees. They come off sounding so certain as to what the Messiah would look like and are unable to reconcile that understanding with the person of Jesus. Peter had some of those traits when he decried Jesus fate, “God, forbid, Lord!” This was not his idea of the Messiah either. And Jesus tells him to “Get behind me Satan, you are an obstacle to me. (Matt 16:22-23) Peter’s personal experience of Jesus continued to open his eyes.

As I reflected further, I became conscious of the humanity of Jesus. Do we miss his humanity here? Might he have experienced doubt, sadness, disappointment, deflation, rejection, and frustration at not being able to get through to everyone? Surely these thoughts are possible in his humanity?  Yet, as he spoke from the cross, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34), clearly, he demonstrates his love for humanity. Real love conquers all; real love loves all regardless of the circumstances. Real love has the ability to look at another and see the Imago Dei within them even as they do everything in their power to reject this reality. Real love never fails.

At the beginning of this chapter, Jesus teaches the disciples how to pray and further, he suggests that persistence in prayer and asking for what we want is good. Next, he frees the mute man to do just that. As the Gospel suggests, Jesus is the stronger man and once he heals us, the rest is up to us, to fill that free space with the power of his presence as a safeguard against all future storms.

Lord, Jesus, I ache for your experience of rejection by our humanity, by our fears and by our certitude. Thank you for your freely offered forgiveness. Fill us with the power of your love and set us free. Amen.

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:

1 Timothy 6:13-16
Luke 8:4-15

Reflection:

In today’s Gospel reading, we hear Jesus tell a parable about a sower and the seed he sows in various areas. After He tells the parable, Jesus explains it to His disciples. The seed is the word of God, and the various areas correspond to the various ways in which people respond to God’s words.

What I’d like to focus on is the last category of seed. Jesus says: “But as for the seed that fell on rich soil, they are the ones who, when they have heard the word, embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit through perseverance.” Of course, we are called to embrace the word and bear good fruit. But maybe the perseverance Jesus is talking about is not only perseverance through tough times or, as the first readers of Luke might have understood it, persecution.

Perhaps Jesus is also talking about a perseverance with ourselves. For instance, there may have been times when we may have let the “anxieties and riches and pleasures of life” keep us from embracing God’s word as fully as we would like. But by the grace of God, we don’t need to be stuck among the thorns! God can lift us up out of anxiety. The challenge might be whether we are willing to be lifted up out of being seduced by things that don’t last. If we are willing to come closer to God, and keep striving to bear good fruit, we can do so with trust that God will persevere with us.

May we embrace God’s love in Jesus Christ. May we embrace God’s word and bear good fruit.

Fr. Phil Paxton, C.P., is the local superior of the Passionist Community in Birmingham, Alabama. 

Scripture:

1 Timothy 1:15-17
Luke 6:43-49

Reflection:

From the time we were young, we were always taught to act toward others how we would want them to act toward us.  Even if those actions toward us are evil, we are taught to forgive as Jesus did.  As Timothy stated in today’s reading, “Christ Jesus might display all his patience as an example for those who would come to believe in him for everlasting life.”  Even the person with hatred in his heart can, in time, open his heart to accept the grace and goodness of the love Jesus has for us.

In the gospel, Jesus speaks of the goodness or evil in our hearts,  “every tree is known by its own fruit.”  In the goodness of our hearts, we can be the source of goodness toward others.  But, if a person has only evil and hatred in their hearts, they are the source of evil and hatred toward others.   We see the goodness of the actions of others; we want to get to know them because of their goodness.  When we seek out the goodness in others is it our way of seeking Christ?

How is the foundation of our faith?  Is it strong enough to withstand any crisis or storm that seeks to shatter that faith, or will it be completely destroyed?  Can we allow ourselves to be enveloped in God’s grace knowing that his love for us will ultimately save us?  Who in our lives do we need to forgive?

Claire Smith is the Director of Communications for Holy Cross Province in Park Ridge, Illinois.

Scripture:

Deuteronomy 34:1-12
Matthew 18:15-20

Reflection:

Matthew is concerned about members of his Community who have departed from their first fervor.

The Community needs to make every effort to help these persons before giving up on them. If there are no signs of repentance, the Community needs to separate itself from these members who arrogantly   refuse to repent.  Mathew assures the faithful the presence of Jesus guarantees the efficacy of their prayers for this situation.  Matthew suggests a process that can be a blueprint for all to be followed.

Matthew offers a process and encouragement to those members who are willing to reach out and help those who have gone astray.  First, the Community member needs to approach the offender privately.  He needs to confront and correct the offender in kindness with hopes for a conversion.  Second, if this does not happen the member must take another member of the Community and see if this is not persuasive?  The Book of Deuteronomy recommends two or three witnesses.   (Dt. 19:15). The facilitator helps both parties to listen to each other.  If this does not bring about a conversion, the Third, the next stage is that the member is to take the Offender to the “whole Community.” Ordinarily, the larger the Community the more liberal or generous is the conversion. Repentance is possible when Jesus is in our midst.   If there is no change the Offender must be “expelled.” Excommunication takes place when the welfare of the Community is at stake.

Matthew’s Gospel is speaking of real sin, not just social offenses.  Jesus tells us He has  the power to forgive.  Jesus also transmits this power to his disciples.  Communal forgiveness is primarily private and pastoral.  Matthew is concerned about his present Community but also the eschatological Community.  Also this is the only time Matthew uses the term “Church.” Matthew in Chapter sixteen is directing the instructions directly to Peter and in Chapter Eighteen Matthew directs the instructions directly to the disciples in general.

The Gospel tells us that we must forgive, and we must seek conversion.  The First reason the Gospel gives us to do this is so the Community can prayer together!  Second, we cannot manage our faults and our virtues without each other. Third, forgiveness and conversion radicalizes the goodness in each other. Fourth, the evil in each of is challenged when we live in Community.

Community is best when virtues triumph over evil.  The Mennonite tradition has an axim when confronted with differences.  “Don’t argue, Don’t deny, Don’t withdraw.”  Peter Drucker, the father of modern management: “Be fair, Be firm, and Be friendly.”

Forgiveness is an extraordinary gift.  Matthew recognizes this.  The rabbis use to say “you can forgive up to three times.  After that God take care of the forgiveness.”  When Peter asks if he should forgive seven times, Jesus responds 70 times 70 times, in other words. Forgive without end!  The disciples respond “Help our unbelief!”  Forgiveness is not easy, and we can’t give up on repentance

Fr. Ken O’Malley, C.P., is a member of the Passionist Community at Sacred Heart Monastery in Louisville, Kentucky.