Claire Smith

Scripture:

Ruth 2:1-3, 8-11; 4:13-17
Matthew 23:1-12

Reflection:

My father taught me many important lessons that I have carried my entire life. Being kind, saying thank you, and telling the truth are basic tenets by which to live a good life. He lived these traits in his own life and tried to instill them in his children.

When reading today’s gospel story from Matthew about the hypocrisy of the scribes and pharisees, I thought about my dad always saying, “Don’t just put things back where you found them; leave things better than you found them.” When I was younger, I thought he was talking about putting the tools back where they belong. He was actually saying, “Do things the right way.” Leave the world a better place, even in small kindnesses.

Jesus says about the religious leaders of the day, “Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice.” Examples of this hypocrisy abound all around us still. Public and religious leaders say one thing but do the opposite. As the saying goes, “practice what you preach.”

“Crude” was the word my dad often used to describe others when they would behave poorly toward others. How, in mistreating others, mocking someone, or telling lies, can one leave the world a better place than when one found it? Have we become crude as a culture? How do we reconcile rhetoric that devalues and excludes others who are different than we are with Jesus saying, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another”?

Let’s all make an effort to leave the world just a little bit better at the end of each day.

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:

Ruth 1:1, 3-6, 14b-16, 22
Matthew 22:34-40

Reflection:

In our Gospel reading from Matthew, we hear a scholar of the law ask Jesus, “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” And Jesus responds with the commandment to love God with everything you have and are. And then, Jesus goes further by talking about the second commandment to love your neighbor as yourself.

As much as we may try to separate the two, we really cannot. How can the love of God be demonstrated in concrete ways unless we love each other? In our first reading from the beginning of the Book of Ruth, we see a great example of this love.

In fact, I see many things about love in what we hear about Ruth that would be good for us to remember. One is that love knows no false barriers. Naomi, an Israelite, moved to Moab with her husband. Her two sons took Moabite women for their wives. When Naomi’s husband dies, and then her two sons die, Naomi decides to go home and sends her daughters-in-law to their homes. But Ruth will not leave her side: “For wherever you go, I will go, wherever you lodge I will lodge, your people shall be my people, and your God my God.” It is such a touching scene, between a mother-in-law and a daughter-in-law, no less! But such is the power of love, flowing from the love of God for all.

At a time when there is great suspicion of those who are different, Ruth and Naomi show us how love, perhaps strengthened by understanding each other’s loss, can overcome the stereotypes and prejudices that seem almost taken for granted these days.

The two commandments of which Jesus speaks have been with us for a long time, and yet, when we follow them, we witness to a different idea of what the world can be. I would daresay that it is not only “the law and the prophets” which depend on these two commandments, but all of reality. As people of faith, we don’t need to ask which are the greatest commandments. All we need to do is to follow them.

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

Scripture:

Revelation 21:9b-14
John 1:45-51

Reflection:

Meeting Jesus

Philip in the beginning of Jesus’s ministry tells Nathaniel: “come and see” Jesus!  The first step of religion or of a meaningful relationship with the Lord is to meet Him!   This fact is so obvious in the Gospels that it can easily be missed.   It is expressed by a plethora of words and expressions.    Just one word “to come near” (pros-erxomai in Greek NT) alone is used for approaching Jesus 29 times in Matthew. 

In today’s Gospel Nathaniel becomes a lifelong follower of Jesus only after experiencing His word and presence.   He needed to be brought face to face with the living Christ.    We see a frequent pattern in the Scriptures of encounters with the Lord.   A beautiful example is found in Mt 28:9 “And behold, Jesus met (Greek NT upo+anti up close) them (women) and greeted them.   And they came up and took a strong hold of His feet and worshiped Him.” Mt 28:9

The experience of meeting Jesus must begin with Him making the first move.    In the post resurrection appearances, no one sees Jesus unless He first shows Himself.   So, we see in Mt 28 Jesus first “meets” (upo+anti up close) the women.  It is only then that they approach (pros-erxomai) and throw their arms around His feet, so He won’t get away!   In prayer we must be humble and realize we are way out of our ability to contact Jesus by our own power. 

The Cure of Ars beautifully comments: “My little children, your hearts are small, but prayer stretches them and makes them capable of loving God.” To touch the Living Christ is the biggest stretch of our lives!  How many people have experienced not only is it hard to pray but it is impossible to do so without Himself revealing His presence?  

How often in Scripture the Psalmist begs God: “Do not hide Your face from me,Ps 27:9  “You hid Your face, I was dismayed” Ps 30:7    The face of God was a beautiful expression for the presence of God.  God is the deciding factor whether we can meet Him in prayer or not!   In the Divine Office we wisely begin by saying: “Open my mouth and (then) I shall declare thy praise!”

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

Scripture:

Judges 9:6-15
Matthew 20:1-16

Reflection:

In our Gospel reading for today, Jesus tells a parable about the kingdom of heaven. It is a parable about an owner of a vineyard hiring workers at different times of the day, and winding up paying them all the same, the “usual daily wage.” In the parable, the workers who worked in the vineyard all day take exception to the fact that the ones who only worked an hour or two get the same wage.

For those of us listening to this parable, we can find ourselves sympathizing with those ones who were offended. But we need to remember that this is a parable about the kingdom of heaven, not a discourse about just labor practices.

If we think about the kingdom of heaven, about our salvation, does it matter whether we are first or last or somewhere in-between? Are there different levels of heaven, or different levels of being forever with God? I think that very often we’d like to think there is. But once again, Jesus reveals to us that God’s way of thinking is not the human way of thinking. God wants us all to enter the kingdom of heaven.

When we are in touch with the generosity and grace and love of God in our lives, and are willing to do God’s will and follow Jesus, I think we’ll find that we are just happy to get in, and we will willingly let go of any concern about rank and privilege in heaven. Think of your favorite saint. Do you not hope that he or she will welcome you with joy, no matter when you came? He or she will not be jealous of you being in the presence of God as he or she is. What more privilege can we receive than to spend eternity with the God who loves us more than we can imagine?

While we are here on earth, following Jesus involves working for justice and peace. Laborers deserve a just wage for the labor they provide. But when it comes to the kingdom, the “prize” of being with God cannot be added to or segmented into different levels. By the grace and love of God in Jesus Christ, may we all enter the kingdom.

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

Scripture:

Judges 2:11-19
Matthew 19:16-22

Reflection:

A rich young man of the ruling class who owned a lot of property runs up to Jesus.  He was very influential and a person of authority, moral and kept the commandments and probably very devout.  The young man asks Jesus what he must do to gain eternal life.  Jesus responds: “Keep the commandments”.  The young man asks: “Which ones?” (Matthew 19:18)

And Jesus said, “You shall not commit murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; ¹⁹ Honor your father and mother; and You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ²⁰ (Matthew 19: 18-20). 

It is interesting to note that these commandments pertain to our relationships with others.  The young man replies: “All these things I have kept, what am I still lacking?” (Mathew 19:21) We know Jesus answer next: “Go sell what you and give to the poor and come follow me.”  (Matthew 19:22)

The young man went away grieving because he could not give up his love for possessions and earthly treasures. 

There are many of us who could sound like the wealthy young man.  We have observed the commandments most of our lives, gone to mass frequently and put our envelope in the collection basket. The young man asks Jesus what he is lacking.  He knew that something was missing in his life, but he couldn’t quite identify that missing element. This gospel challenges us to take a few moments today and talk to Jesus about what might be missing or lacking in our spiritual life.  Like the young man, do we need to do more for the poor and vulnerable in our communities?  Are we lacking a daily prayer life or have we elderly relatives in nursing homes whom we never visit?  Try and figure out what more we can do to gain eternal life and then put together a plan to do it. 

Lord, today help me to discern what I am lacking and give me the grace and strength to go and do it. 

Carl Middleton is a theologian/ethicist and a member of the Passionist Family.

*Biblical  quotes have been taken from https://thebiblesays.com/about/ and some elements adapted from the same source.

Scripture:

Joshua 24:14-29
Matthew 19:13-15

Reflection

Imagine yourself smack in the middle of today’s first reading. Joshua has “gathered together all the tribes of Israel at Shechem,” and you are right there with them. The purpose of the assembly is for all those present to renew their commitment to God. Joshua exhorts the Israelites to make a decisive confession of faith by publicly declaring who will rule their hearts. Will they give themselves to Yahweh, the only true God, or align themselves with “the gods your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt” or “the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are dwelling”? After asserting that they will never “forsake the LORD for the service of other gods,” you hear the tribes of Israel recite a stirring litany of God’s saving actions for them, beginning with their ancestors’ deliverance from slavery in Egypt up to their present life among the Amorites. That liturgy of remembrance enables them to jubilantly declare: “Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God.”

It is easy to picture ourselves participating in this covenant renewal ceremony because we all give our hearts to something. We can even say that we are naturally lovers because we hand ourselves over to whatever we think will complete us; whatever we believe will satisfy the deepest hungers and yearnings of our lives. This story from the book of Joshua reminds us that every person worships some god even though it may not be the true God. Joshua warns the Israelites about serving “strange gods.” Today those “strange gods” could be money and possessions. They could be our successes and achievements. Or maybe our strange god is making sure we always get what we want and always have our way. When we look back over our lives, we discover that we forsake the true God for strange gods all the time.

And whenever we do, we learn that no matter how alluring those strange gods might be, none can offer us the life and peace and goodness and joy and hope that the only real God can and always has. And so today, let us join our ancestors in the faith in joyfully proclaiming: “As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”

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

Scripture:

Joshua 3:7-10a, 11, 13-17
Matthew 18:21-19:1

Reflection:

To be a Christian is to live a forgiven and forgiving life. It is to extend to others the liberating mercy that God always extends to us.

That’s the message of today’s gospel, a passage that begins with what may well be the most famous question posed in the scriptures. Peter asks Jesus if it is ever permissible to stop forgiving. Can we put limits on forgiveness? Can we cease being merciful? As he often does, Jesus responds with a parable. It’s the story of the unforgiving official, the man who had been rescued by mercy but who brazenly refused to show a servant the same mercy the king had extended to him. Both the official and the servant’s future absolutely depended on the gift of forgiveness because neither could pay back his debt. Both the official and the servant fell to their knees and begged for mercy. But the one who had received it, instead of imitating the mercy he had so lavishly been given, had the servant jailed until he could repay all that he owed. The parable ends with the unforgiving official, now stripped of the mercy he had received, tortured and tossed into prison, and with Jesus’ ominous warning that the same fate awaits us if we withhold forgiveness to anyone.

Each of us has a mission of mercy. Each of us is to be a living sacrament of God’s merciful love in the world. It is a vocation every Christian shares, a calling to which no follower of Jesus is ever exempt. That is because God has been endlessly and patiently merciful to us. God’s extravagant mercy is the gift that makes all of us equal and all of us one; indeed, God’s mercy is the foundation of our lives. Thus, to withhold mercy—to refuse to offer it whenever we can—is not only to be horribly ungrateful and scandalously unjust, but also to blaspheme God.

Paul J. Wadell is Professor Emeritus of Theology and Religious Studies at St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin, and a member of the Passionist Family of Holy Cross Province.