Claire Smith

Scripture:

Exodus 11:10-12:14
Matthew 12:1-8

Reflection:

When I was a child, learning the ten commandments, I was taught the third commandment as “Keep Holy the Sabbath Day.  That meant going to mass on Sunday and refraining from unnecessary servile work. The meaning of servile work at that time was unnecessary physical labor. What does the sabbath mean to us today?

The Hebrew word “shabbat” (=sabbath) means “stop”.   What should we stop?  Stop slavishly working through the list of to-dos, rushing to the grocery store, washing the car, doing the laundry mowing the grass all on a Sunday afternoon. 

Rabbi Nachshon Siritsky (Shabbat: A Time to Stop, 6/30/2023) shares with us “Rest is the power of the biblical observance of Shabbat (the Sabbath). The act of resting is a sacred commandment- one that we do, because we were created in the divine image. It is central to our essence. The book of Genesis describes how G!d  (God) rested on the seventh day, and that this was the final stage of creation. Later rabbinic commentary understood this to mean that our planet’s ultimate liberation will come when we all learn to rest”.

But if you are like me, we have worked so hard and rushed around for so long that we feel guilty when we stop. Most of us feel guilty resting,  thinking we should be doing something productive as chores to get ready for the week. A friend of mine does his chores on Saturday, goes to Church Sunday morning, takes a nap early Sunday afternoon, and on Sunday evening celebrates the Sabbath by inviting his adult children and grandchildren for a leisurely Sunday dinner, every Sunday. They all come early and set up and all bring a dish to pass. There is laughter and joy as they celebrate the week that was and the week to come.  It is a celebration of the family spirit of thanksgiving to God for all that they have and for all that they are a loving family to each other. How might you make the Sabbath Sunday more meaningful and holy next Sunday?

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

Scripture:

Exodus 3: 13-20
Matthew 11: 28-30

Reflection:

What would you say to your child or grandchild or inquiring friend if they approached you and asked you what you thought the name of God is?  I suspect many of you have already had this experience.  What did you say?  How did you try to “name” God?  Perhaps you described God as Creator, Supreme Being, Father, Redeemer, Spirit, ultimate Judge, punisher of evil and bringer of Justice?  Or, perhaps you focused on some of the attributes of God, e.g., compassionate, all-powerful, forgiving, loving, kind, patient, self-giving, etc.?  If you’ve ever been asked the question, “What is the name of God?”, you know how challenging it is to respond adequately.

In today’s first reading, Moses asks that question.  He asked God himself as God instructed him to lead the People of Israel out of Egypt where they were being oppressed.  “…if they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what am I to tell them?”  God replied, “I am who am.”   Then he added, “This is what you shall tell the children of Israel:  I AM sent me to you.” 

Two words!  God’s response to the request for his “name” is just two words: “I Am.”  The text goes on and mentions their ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and though the people living then had only heard about these important and ancient ancestors, God testified that He was present to them as well.  God wants them to understand that He was not only present to their famous forebears, but God is present to them right now.  “This is my name forever;
this my title for all generations.”

I suspect they found it difficult, if not impossible, even to imagine that God was present to them.  They were living as slaves and had no hope of anything better.  How could God possibly be present to them??

There have been times in most of our lives when we’ve felt the same way.  Where is God in all this??  How could God be present here in this terrible time of suffering?  Why is God absent…or silent?  O God, where are you??  The testimony of our first reading challenges us to realize that God is present here, now, in this situation.  And, God hears, no God listens deeply to our cry.  And, God responds with His great love.  Do we see it??

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

Scripture:

Exodus 3:1-6, 9-12
Matthew 11:25-27

Reflection:

The Bible tells us indispensable truths about God and indispensable truths about ourselves, and this is especially the case with today’s reading from Exodus. It is the remarkable story of Moses encountering God in the burning bush. This passage is so familiar to even the most casual believer (and perhaps to the most seasoned unbeliever as well) that we can overlook why it is the central revelation of God for the Jewish people and, therefore, an important one for Christians as well. We know the context for the story: The Israelites were slaves in Egypt, which means that Pharaoh and the Egyptians saw them as less than fully human, expendable creatures to be used to build Pharaoh’s empire even if it cost them their lives.

In what are undoubtedly among the most crucial words that God utters in the Bible, God tells Moses, “The cry of the children of Israel has reached me, and I have truly noted that the Egyptians are oppressing them.” God, far from being unmoved or indifferent to human suffering, cares deeply about it. The misery, sorrows, tears, and afflictions of people, particularly the poor and oppressed, matter to God. God is passionately committed to justice and unmistakably angry over injustice because the God who brought all things into being wants life abundant for all creatures. In fact, it is no exaggeration to say that God takes sides because God stands not with the wealthy and the privileged, but with all of history’s victims to injustice and cruelty. Thus, the story closes with God vowing to liberate the Israelites from Pharaoh’s crushing tyranny.

But God will do so through Moses. God calls Moses to be God’s instrument of liberation, God’s agent of deliverance. Consequently, if this passage reveals a critical truth about God, it likewise discloses something important about ourselves: Like Moses, God calls us because God depends on us to further God’s creative and redemptive mission in the world. Yes, God has plans and purposes, but God needs our cooperation for those plans and purposes to be fulfilled. And, like Moses, God’s call can come at the most unexpected times and in the most unexpected places.

This is why we must be attentive and alert, always ready to respond, and continually asking, “How is God calling me today? How does God need me? Where is God summoning me to bring justice and life?”

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:

Exodus 1:8-14, 22
Matthew 10:34-11:1

Reflection

It is easy to dismiss today’s gospel as “crazy talk” because what Jesus asks of us seems not only excessive and unfair, but downright at odds with the deepest inclinations of our nature. Jesus doesn’t simply say, “Love me,” which would seem eminently reasonable and doable. No, Jesus flat out tells us: “Whoever loves father or mother, son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me.” There’s no wiggle room here, not a smidgen of space in which we might bend Jesus’ words more to our liking. Jesus doesn’t suggest that if we love our father or mother, son or daughter more than him we ought just to try a little harder; rather, he says we’ve made ourselves unworthy of him.

It almost seems selfish of Christ—greedy, really—to ask that of us, but Jesus’ jarring declaration is a reminder that the gospel leaves no dimension of our lives untouched. One set of loves, loves that seem so natural and so sensible, must be dislodged and relocated for the sake of another; indeed, everything in our lives must be reprioritized and rearranged because nothing can supplant our fundamental commitment to be faithful disciples of Christ. Jesus doesn’t say that loving our parents, our spouses, our children, our siblings or our friends is wrong. But he does say that those loves can never be sovereign. Those loves, no matter how precious and resilient, can never be the leading loves of our lives. Everything that we love and prize and cherish must serve our love for Christ and strengthen our love for Christ.

If that’s not challenging enough, Jesus goes on to say that following him is inseparable from taking up the cross. There’s no alternate path, no scenic route to beatitude. This is hard to swallow, but it should come as no surprise to any baptized Christian. After all, we’ve known from the start that there is no life without dying, no life without letting go, no life without being remade at the very depths of our being. Or, as Jesus says in today’s gospel, “He who seeks only himself brings himself to ruin, whereas he who brings himself to nought for me discovers who he is.”  

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:

Genesis 44:18-21, 23b-29; 45:1-5
Matthew 10:7-15

Reflection:

Our first reading continues to share the story in Genesis of Joseph and his brothers. That story is familiar to most of us if for no other reason than having viewed the musical “Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat.” Sharing the story of Joseph, his father Jacob, who makes a beautiful coat for him, and his brothers, who plot his demise, the musical was a huge success beginning in the early 70s. It is the ultimate family saga, relevant in our modern day. I remember how my parents loved the most famous song from the production, “Any Dream Will Do,” and often sang it in our home.

Today, the text tells of the epic reunion between Joseph and his brothers, who sold him into slavery years before. They do not recognize him, but Joseph knows who they are and dramatically reveals himself to them. Can you imagine their shock? The text says they were “so dumbfounded” (v.3). Afraid Joseph might retaliate for their crime against him, they were distressed. Yet, Joseph does no such thing. Instead, he sees the hand of God at work even in their crime because he is now in a position to save their lives and many others. He used his gift of “dreams” to foretell the future for God’s purpose. His brothers had nothing but evil intentions when they sold him yet, God takes even this terrible betrayal to bring about good.

In our Gospel from St. Matthew, Jesus instructs his disciples to proclaim, “The Kingdom of heaven is at hand” (v.7). This verse is first found in chapter 4:17 as Jesus began his ministry in Galilee following his temptation in the desert. Now he instructs his disciples to make that same proclamation, and from the previous chapters, we know what that signifies as Jesus “cured the sick, raised the dead..” 

Judgment is a motif of Matthew’s writing, and this is represented here by Jesus’ instructions to “shake the dust” from their feet wherever they were not received (vs 14-15). When returning home from Gentile (pagan) territory, Jews would shake off the dust to avoid bringing contaminated soil on their shoes.  Similarly, those who do not receive the word of God are no better than pagans.

I wonder, in daily life, tending to our duties and overcoming challenges or struggles of any kind, do we forget this proclamation? Does “the kingdom of heaven” seem far away in that ancient land where Jesus once walked? Do we fall victim to our circumstances, or fail to dream, thereby missing God’s presence among us? Within this context, we easily dismiss the radical messages in these verses and race along in our hurried-up lives.

Instead, what if the living word of God broke through into our consciousness, inviting us to slow down and take a breath? Then we may savor the miracle of Joseph’s life and his ability to see the work of God as active and dynamic. In choosing to keep his focus on God’s blessing, reconciliation with his brothers was possible. His actions challenge us to contemplate this same presence in our own lives.

As a world community when we realize this sacred presence, might it be possible to cure the sick and cleanse the leper? When we take time to receive the peace of Christ, like the disciples, we will proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Gentle Jesus, let this reception of your peace begin today with me. 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:

Genesis 28:10-22a
Matthew 9:18-26

Reflection:

As a child, did an adult entrusted with your care violate that trust in harmful ways? As an adult, have you ever trusted someone and then been betrayed? I suspect most people could answer “Yes” to one or both questions. I know I’ve had my trust shattered several times in my life. People, no matter how good they seem or even how well-intentioned, aren’t always trustworthy, and such betrayals can cause us to doubt whether there’s anyone we can trust. That skepticism often carries over into lack of trust in God.

The scriptures recognize the dilemma. Jacob has a visionary dream in which God promises to protect him, bring him back to his land, and multiply his descendants, assuring Jacob that he will do all that he says. Jacob is understandably ecstatic about this dream, and he dedicates the spot where it happened. And yet, Jacob states that IF this happens and IF that happens and IF another thing happens, then (and presumably only then) the Lord shall be his God. That doesn’t sound like he trusted God much!

Contrast that with the Gospel story of the official who asked Jesus to lay his hands on his dead daughter so she could live. Think about how outrageous that request sounded to bystanders! But his trust in Jesus was so high that he risked looking like a fool, even when the crowds at his house ridiculed them as they arrived. The official persisted, and Jesus amazed them all by raising the girl. Can you imagine the joy the official felt?

On the journey to the official’s house, a hemorrhaging woman believed that she could merely touch Jesus’ cloak to be healed. Remember that in her day, a menstruating or bleeding woman was unclean. She was banned from public gatherings, and touching a man was utterly taboo. She risked being arrested, beaten, or worse. Her trust and courage were rewarded, and she could hold her head high for the first time in 12 years. What an affirmation!

I am slowly learning greater trust. I’ve come to see that people will let me down, but God never will. Oh, I may not get what I ask for, but I will receive strength, wisdom, courage, and all I need to handle whatever life throws at me. I have a rock on which I stand, an unfailing source of life and love that is available to me always. Sometimes it seems I have a long way to go. Other times, my trust in God helps me step more confidently into life, willing to take risks, knowing I will be caught when I fall and loved always.

Where do you land on the trust spectrum? Do you demand that God prove things to you first before you risk trusting? Are you willing to place your trust in God come what may, even if it seems foolish? Or are you somewhere in between? Despite how tempted we all are to imitate Jacob and go for certainty, perhaps we can pray and work to risk the kind of trust held by the official and the woman. That seems like a pretty solid bet, don’t you think?

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.corgenius.com/.

Scripture:

Zechariah 9:9-10
Romans 8:9, 11-13
Matthew 11:25-30

Reflection:

Jesus’ prayer sums up the gospel of Matthew and connects Jesus’ Beatitudes and the final teaching of his hidden presence revealed at the final judgement. The Beatitudes reveal the Father’s love given to the ‘little ones’, and as the end of Our Lord’s ministry nears the little ones who follow Jesus will know and reveal Jesus hidden presence.

As Passionists we seek Our Lord’s love made known in the Paschal Mystery and we share this mystery in our ministries. The prayer of Jesus that Matthew gives us thanks the Father the giver of hope in the revelation of love in Jesus, and for the call to love and serve him in the crucified, that is to take up our Cross and walk with Our Lord.

To you.…the poor in spirit and the single-hearted, the sorrowing, the hungering for holiness, and those persecuted for holiness sake, the peacemakers and the merciful, and to all who are persecuted and slandered because of me, Blessed, happy are you.

And to you who when…. I was hungry you gave food, thirsty and I was given drink, away from home and you welcomed me, naked and I was clothed, ill or in prison and you visited me…. When? When you did it for the least of my brothers and sisters you did it for me.

I remember a friend who has since died who ministered with me and would later marry and raise a family. He was gifted with compassion. He put people first. His work with a non-profit who ministered to the homeless seemed a good fit. He became an administrator and would work for two companies. Unfortunately, he was not an administrator. He gravitated naturally to practically caring for the poor. He was fired from both jobs. Not surprisingly the straw that broke the camel’s back in one job was washing the feet of a man who the aides were neglecting. He became unemployed shortly before retirement, and then due to his age found himself unemployable. He was ‘persecuted’ for his holiness, and a peacemaker when his wife declared war on those who fired him! He did not neglect Jesus ill or abandoned. My friend saw Jesus ill and abandoned and cared for him, he revealed the disguised Jesus in his good works.

I worked in Atlanta, GA many years ago now, and knew a parishioner gifted with a rich prayer life. She told me of her bus ride across Georgia to be be with her dying brother. in a small rural town, she was put off the bus to accommodate a white man. Her brother died before she arrived. This woman was poor in spirit. She felt privileged having the gift of Jesus. She gave to drink those thirsty for the strength to forgive. I was away from home, and she welcomed me into her world of seeing Christ even in such an action that caused irreparable pain, and she made Christ visible.

Have you seen ‘little ones’, those who follow Jesus who reveals the Father’s love as Matthew tells us, and in their love make Christ visible to us? Where have you encountered brothers and sisters who took up their cross to follow Jesus from Beatitudes to the revealing of his presence in their love as well as in the persons whom they loved? These are two stories I still ponder. What are yours?  

Fr. William Murphy, CP is a member of Immaculate Conception Community in Jamaica, New York.

Scripture:

Genesis 23:1-4, 19; 24:1-8, 62-67
Matthew 9:9-13

Reflection:

Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.
Go and learn the meaning of the words,
I desire mercy, not sacrifice.
I did not come to call the righteous but sinners. -Matthew 9:12-13

Jesus tells me through Matthew today that my job is to learn. This can be challenging for an old Irishman like me, but it is a task that I think and feel I might need to do. The important word in the previous sentence is “do”.

I do not believe for one second that learning is a passive event. If I don’t go away from a meeting or for that matter any encounter that God gives me today, doing, living, differently, I didn’t learn. Lifelong learning is a popular phrase for this understanding today. For me, meeting a friend at the local coffee shop seems to be our new classroom. At the coffee shop, we share our take on an issue that might be the reason we decided to get together or maybe the issue is something that just happened to us on our way, and we are trying to figure out what to do.

It’s all kind of like another classroom I’ve attended for most of my life, a good liturgy. For me a good liturgy as a Roman Catholic is The Mass. The way or ritual I learned at The Mass is to greet each other lovingly, make mention of any past mistakes or unresolved issues, promising to do better with help, listening to each other, seeing if there are others with similar experiences that can help in our discernment on how we hope to proceed today, saying thanks recognizing that we are not alone, but part of a life together, but also part of a much grander universe that we can possibly fully know, but nevertheless like a stone thrown in the river, affect not only us, but all of life. Finally, we do this all the while sharing coffee and if we are lucky, some delicious bread.

God, help me learn from you as Matthew reminds me to do in today’s scripture selection. Help me learn today what is the difference between justice and mercy in my life, and do mercy, recognizing that while I strive for justice, I often miss the mark, but we can do much better.

Dan O’Donnell is a Passionist Partner and a longtime friend of the Passionists.  He lives in Chicago.