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Scripture:

Genesis 2:4b-9, 15-17
Mark 7:14-23

Reflection:

In the 1997 movie As Good As It Gets, a popular New York City author of romance novels named Marvin Udall, played so well by actor Jack Nicholson, has an obsession with cleanliness, with a compulsive daily hand washing ritual. His medicine cabinet is jam-packed with bars of soap.  During his daily hand-washing, he goes through several bars of soap, and then rinses his hands in blistering hot water.  He is now clean.  He touches no one, and no one touches him.

There’s something else about Mr. Udall.  He takes pleasure in insulting everyone with whom he comes in contact.  What’s more, he is the worst of listeners.  He tunes out to anyone or anything that may contaminate his world.  From his typewriter, Mr. Udall writes passionately about love.  Yet sadly, from his heart he spews garbage.  A powerful parable, this movie.

This parable, however, has been told before – by Jesus.  Some Pharisees, who carefully, even obsessively, observed the purification rituals of washing of hands and avoiding ritually unclean foods, criticized the disciples of Jesus.  Could Jesus not see that there were violating traditions of cleanliness mandated by the Torah?  The purpose of these rituals, spelled out in the Book of Leviticus, was to instill an awareness of God’s holiness and love for his people.  Yet sadly, from their hearts, these Pharisees spewed legalism and barriers to fellowship with God.

Jesus knew that even the best intentions can become corrupted.  Sometimes rituals can become substitutes for faithfulness to God while our hearts remain filthy by sin.  “There is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile,” Jesus declares.  To whom does he speak?  He speaks to the Pharisees, to Mr. Udall, but most of all, to us.

Deacon Manuel Valencia is on the staff at Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.

Scripture:
Genesis 1:20-2:4a
Mark 7:1-13

Reflection:
When we use the word “Incarnation”, we most often refer to the incarnation of God as a human being in the person of Jesus Christ, and rightly so. In that humble, selfless, and totally loving act, God entered our humanity and became one of us.

As I listen to the creation story, though, I am beginning see it as a story of incarnation, too. God’s love and the creative energy it generated were too strong to be contained, so God created the universe and all it holds as an expression of God’s very self. The highest form of this incarnation was when God created male and female in the divine image, and the ultimate form of incarnation was Jesus. Yet all of creation, the earth, the stars, the universe, and all living things are reflections of and indeed incarnations of God.

We know this intuitively when we experience God in the wonder of the animal kingdom, the unconditional love of a pet, the brilliance of a sunset, the majesty of mountains, or the vastness of the oceans. It is reinforced by scripture. In Wisdom, we read, “Foolish by nature were all who were in ignorance of God, and who from the good things seen did not succeed in knowing the one who is, and from studying the works did not discern the artisan…For from the greatness and the beauty of created things their original author, by analogy, is seen.” St. Paul picks this theme up in Romans, where he says, “For what can be known about God is evident to them, because God made it evident to them. Ever since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made.”

In our scholarly tradition, Anthony of the Desert and one of our great theologians Thomas Aquinas said that the first book of scripture is the natural world which was created as an expression of God. To quote from Aquinas’ Summa Theologica: “God brought things into being in order that his goodness might be communicated to creatures, and be represented by them; and because his goodness could not be adequately represented by one creature alone, he produced many and diverse creatures, that what was wanting to one in the representation of the divine goodness might be supplied by another.”

This view changes everything. If all of creation and every creatures is an embodiment of God, then I need to treat everyone and everything with the respect due to Jesus himself.

Jesus was often upset with people who didn’t understand, who felt they could take advantage of others for their own good or who placed obeying every dot of the law above love and mercy. And certainly in the order of creation we need to devote great care to how we treat and think about every person we encounter. In addition, though, I think God must cry over how we treat the earth, the animals, the atmosphere, and all the forms of God’s incarnation. When we abuse them, we abuse God. Increasingly, too, those things which are good for the planet also happen to be good for the people who live on it. We can’t so easily separate the two.

My challenge, then is to broaden my perspective. By myself, I certainly can’t reverse global warming or stop the deforestation of rain forests. I can’t stop people from dumping garbage into our oceans and rivers, nor ensure that animal habitats remain undisturbed. But I can do something. And if we all do something, with the grace of God, we may have a larger impact than we ever thought possible. My challenge this month is to choose at least one issue I believe is important for the animals, creation, and my fellow human beings, and have the courage to act. Will you join me?

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.amyflorian.com/.

Scripture:

Genesis 1:1-19
Mark 6:53-56

Reflection:

Patience! 

Patience! We have Gaudate and Letare Sudays that proclaim, ‘Rejoice!’ In the Anglican Church the last Sunday before Advent tells us, ‘Stir Up’. But none of our liturgies begin by saying, ‘Paciencia’, Patience.

As we begin our final full week before Lent this could be its invitation or admonition. We have no hints of spring yet, in fact most of the country continues to feel the icy grip of winter. Only the steady march of the calendar shows us the days of winter are lessening. Patience.

Our first reading today begins the beautiful story of creation, but Lent is only eight weekday readings away. We will arrive at Noah’s preparation to build the ark before we give way to the specially selected readings of Lent. In fact we will not come back to Genesis in our daily readings. But after the joy of creation, the sadness of the fall and its echo among the children of Adam and Eve, we will be awakened in the darkness of the Easter Vigil, reminded of the ‘happy fault’ of our first parents in the garden, and hear creation recreated in the Risen Christ. Be patient.

Today Mark is in transition. He recalls Jesus, miracles. Our Lord has come to proclaim the Kingdom not only in Word but also in Deed. We see the future when the disciples will go as missionaries doing the words and deeds of Jesus. Patiently the disciples are learning. Like them we too are always being schooled in our missionary calling.

There are times when Jesus seems impatient. He will say that he came to light a fire and how he wishes the blaze were ignited; that he has a baptism to receive, and what anguish he feels till it is over (Lk 12:49). Listening and discerning the Father’s will invites our patience. Maybe we hear Our Lord’s patience being expressed through gritted teeth?

Lent will call forth patience as we work its rich program and see how clever is the Spirit orchestrating in our personal lives, the lives of our families, friends and coworkers, and in the Church and beyond the unfolding of Salvation among us. Patience here is definitely called for so that we are receptive to the seeds of grace and let them germinate and sprout. Beginning this week we might think of ‘Patience’ as we are treated only to the beginning of Genesis, meet the Syro-Phoenician woman and a man who is deaf and mute, and hear the feeding of the four thousand. These days invite us to wait with patience because we are moving to the light, step by graced step, that will enable us understand the Pharisees’ desire for signs and find answers to the questioning of the disciples.

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

Scripture:

Job 7: 1-4, 6-7
1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23
Mark 1:29-39

Reflection:

In today’s Gospel, we see Jesus immersed in the work of healing.  Mark notes that after healing Simon’s mother-in-law, it is after sunset when ALL who were ill are brought to him.  In fact, the whole town came out!  Being human, Jesus must have been exhausted by the time he was able to lay down to rest a bit.  But what does He do?  He rises very early and goes off to pray.  Now, I don’t know about you, but when I have a late night, I often have trouble getting up in the morning.  And to get up before dawn to pray when I am so tired from the night before seems almost impossible.  But not for Jesus, who first thing is up and going off to pray.  Alone.  In a deserted place.  Jesus knew that his work depended on not just the renewal of his body through rest, but the renewal of his spirit through prayer.  This Gospel model of work and prayer is the foundation for a way of life for many religious communities, including the Passionists.  It’s often referred to as active contemplation.  A life that is about ministry and hard work, but also about taking the time to have a deep spiritual life, to meditate and pray, to contemplate the Word of God.

We are all called to have lives that reflect this principle as best we can.  Keeping the Sabbath is one way that to do this.  Our society places so much emphasis on hard work, on achievement, on reaching our potential and accomplishing much that we often forget our need to stop, to pray, to spend time with family, to just be quiet and listen for God’s voice.  Keeping the Sabbath can help us accomplish this at least one day a week!

Another way to bring prayer and contemplation into our lives is by making an annual retreat.  Like Jesus, we need to set aside time to go off to a quiet place, to be alone with God, to shut out all the distracting noises and bask in the silence, giving God the time and space to reach us.

It is so important for us to remember that while our work, providing for our families, and caring for others is important, it is essential to also make room for God.  In just 10 day, the season of Lent begins.  May this Lent serve all of us as a time for a renewed prayer life, for a new dedication to keeping the Sabbath and perhaps for scheduling a retreat.

Mary Lou Butler is a long-time friend and partner in ministry to the Passionists in California.