Claire Smith

Scripture:

Acts 6:8-15
John 6:22-29

Reflection:

“And when they found him across the sea they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” Jesus answered them and said, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled.” John 6: 25 – 26

Why do we seek Jesus? Why do we go looking after him when he seems to disappear? What is it that we really and truly want from Jesus in our lives? These are the questions that Jesus is asking those who come looking for him the next day after he fed the 5,000 at Bethsaida in Galilee. Very soon after the crowd had eaten their fill of the bread given them by Jesus, they began making plans to make him king. (John 6:15) Jesus quickly withdrew up the mountain by himself while his disciples crossed the sea by night to Capernaum. The crowd was left wondering where Jesus could have gone.

The next day, some of the people caught up with Jesus in Capernaum. This is when they asked Jesus the question, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” Jesus never answered their question, but he questioned their motivation, they were looking for him because he had fed them and not because he was their “Rabbi” or the Messiah or the Son of God. Then Jesus leads them to a very important spiritual quest: to follow him, not primarily because he is able to satisfy their human needs but to believe that he is the One sent by God to be their Lord and Savior.

He tells them to work for food that does not perish, but for food that endures for eternal life. Some begin to believe. They say, “What can we do to accomplish the works of God?” They recognize that this effort to work for food that endures for eternal life is a work of God. These people were very familiar with the Book of Genesis, and the “work of God” in the seven days of creation, and then resting after the seventh day. Working for God would not be an easy calling!

So, why do we go looking for Jesus? Are we after the bread of daily life, the cures of our many personal illnesses or those of our dear family members and friends? Are we looking for Jesus because we want to live a comfortable life with no personal or familial sufferings or challenges? Or are we looking for Jesus so that we can accomplish the works of God? Jesus himself tells us what the most important work of God is: “that you believe in the one he sent.” (John 6:29)

Believing that Jesus is the Son of God is hard work! Believing in the teaching of Jesus is hard work! Following Jesus to the Cross is hard work! Living the life of the Resurrected Jesus is hard work! But because it is a work of God, it is not all up to us.

Jesus himself has fed us with the Bread of Heaven. He strengthens us with his Word. He accompanies us in our journey. He intervenes when we try to walk away. We are not alone. What echoes in our minds and hearts is Jesus’ last words to us, “And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” (Mathew 28:20) Alleluia!

Fr. Clemente Barrón, C.P. is a member of Mater Dolorosa Community in Sierra Madre, California. 

Scripture:

Acts 3:13-15, 17-19
1 John 2:1-5a
Luke 24:35-48

Reflection:

…And how Jesus was made known to them in the breaking of bread…Peace be with you…recall the words I spoke while I was still with you…

The disciples are fresh off their journey to Emmaus…they are still talking about recognizing Him in the breaking of the bread…but they are scared to death when he again stands in their midst!

We say we recognize him in the breaking of the bread – in the Eucharist – St. Augustine reminds us we are invited to become what we eat – we recall the Words of Jesus – do this in memory of me – who do we recognize?  What facets of Jesus do we want to embrace and embody?  Do we allow our hearts to be filled with God’s Peace?

If we really pondered these questions how would that change the way we are present to all those around us?  Would we continue to be ‘startled’ when he comes into our midst?  Can we let Peace fill our hearts, recall Jesus’ words and recognize him because of our participation in the breaking of the bread?  What startles us about the poor, those that think differently than us, look different than us or challenge our assumptions?  Who is the Jesus that we recognize?  What is this Jesus asking of us?  How are we responding to the invitation to be a part of  the unfolding of the Easter Mystery – the building of the Kingdom of God?

Today’s readings challenge us to integrate the stories of Scripture – our salvation history – revealed in God’s Word and the stories of our lives.  How do the stories of our lives help us identify the ‘God moments’ those times when we met God in the most unexpected places or the most unexpected people or circumstances and life was not the same, those intersections are places where God opens our minds to greater understanding. 

Are we willing to notice and because of the noticing how is our response different?

Faith Offman is the Associate Director of Ministry at St. Paul of the Cross Passionist Retreat and Conference Center in Detroit, Michigan.

Scripture:

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

Reflection:

Our gospel today is one each of us should eagerly take to heart because it is about finding hope amidst unforeseen storms. In this story, the disciples are about to embark on a simple evening sail across the lake to Capernaum. Nothing seems amiss, nothing ominous appears on the horizon. Indeed, because they have likely taken this journey many times before, when they set out on what seem to be untroubled waters, there is no reason for them to expect anything other than smooth sailing. But suddenly, and quite unpredictably, everything changes. As if out of nowhere, strong winds and rough waters leave them fearing for their lives, utterly at the mercy of forces they are powerless to control.

Is it any different for us? This gospel story is a fitting metaphor for our lives because there are moments for all of us when everything—like the waters of the lake that evening—seems calm, tranquil, and promising. But then, through no fault of our own, we sail into unforeseen storms and find ourselves buffeted by unexpected misfortune, tossed about by overwhelming adversity or nearly pulled under in oceans of loss and desolate grief. Too, like the disciples that unforgettable evening, we can feel that Jesus is nowhere in sight when we need him most, leaving us to navigate the rough seas of our lives all on our own.  

But that is never true. In this gospel story, Jesus doesn’t quiet the storm or calm the waters; rather, he’s walking right beside the disciples as they make their way through the storm, even though at first they do not see him. Similarly, we may not be able to escape the storms of suffering, hardship, calamity, and loss, but we never navigate them alone. We can always find hope amidst unforeseen storms because Jesus says to us exactly what he said to those disciples that night: “It is I; do not be afraid.”

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:

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

Reflection:

The God of Our Being and Meaning

“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish;
but what good are these for so many?”  John 6:9

How often this is the critical question of our lives!  How do we get through life when we are so flawed and pathetic?  We so quickly forget our Creator and ourselves as creatures.  As a young man, the first quote in the original Greek from the New Testament that I memorized are the words of Jesus:” ‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.” Mk 9: 23  Our Father in Heaven creates not only our being but also our meaning!  His creative power includes not only our existence but also our significance.  His plans for our lives are full of His creative energy as much as when He gave us being out of nothing!   Our being and meaning are in His wounded hands!   On our part, we must trust in His creative and loving plans for us!

The world has been paralyzed by fear.  Problems are an opportunity to build our trust in God’s loving designs in life.  That is why He lets us get into freighting situations!  One must think long and hard at Jesus on the cross to be absolutely convinced of His loving fondness and care for us. “You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD” Is 62:3

Jesus’ final words on the cross in Luke are a quote from SS., “And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into Your hands, I commit My spirit.” Having said this, He breathed His last.”  Lk 23:46  The word in the inspired Greek for commit is paratithēmi i,e, total giving.

Jesus says in today’s liturgy, “Have the people recline.” John 6:7   We must learn to relax in the hands of the risen Jesus, which still have the mark of the nails!  When Christ appeared to his apostles, He dealt with their terrible fear and unbelief with the words: “See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see.” The word used for touch is psēlaphaō which means to handle or gently feel the wounds in His hands and feet. That is our vaccine for fear and courage to live!

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

Scripture:

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

Reflection:

I well remember one of my scripture teachers speaking about the gospel of St. John. He found it easier to use the passages throughout this gospel for his prayer rather than for his preaching.

In some ways that might speak to many people, since John’s gospel is marked by a number of longer discourses spoken by Jesus which are not so easy, to sum up briefly but rather call for reflection and invite us to ponder them so as to discern their meaning.

That seems true for our reading today with its many statements each containing a truth for us to wonder about.

So perhaps today we can approach the reading in two ways.

Firstly, we can simply stay with the words of our gospel and allow them to lead us into a time of reflection and prayer. Thus I invite you to read slowly over the words of the text and to hold them in a more prayerful way. Sometimes we are helped in this exercise by gently re-reading the text or by repeating to ourselves those phrases s or words that resonate and which seem to stay with us.

Let yourself then stay with the prayer and sharing with God that follows.

Alternatively, a second approach may suit if we prefer to look more deeply at the message that the gospel proclaims. In this case, then let us focus on just one or two points of reflection.

We might notice that today Jesus speaks to us of his mission which was to come to us and to proclaim the truth on behalf of God – a truth that is given to us and which invites us to accept it.  The mission of Jesus begins in eternity and his earthly life brings this mission to its fulfillment – he is God’s witness and he speaks the truth of God.

Our response to this good news is one of faith.  In our response to God we seek to raise up our whole self –  mind, heart, will, strength and to make Jesus the center of our lives and his message our compass to guide all our actions in life’s journey.

And as today’s text also promises that ‘whoever believes in the Son has eternal life’. Here we can take confidence that God is faithful to us and that our faith will be rewarded. But faith is a gift not only for oneself but contains within it a dynamic that propels us to reach out to others. Here I think we can also hear an echo of the experience of the apostles in our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles – such was their faith that it filled them with strength and opened them to the prompting of the Holy Spirit; so much so that they became witnesses to others and indeed their preaching ‘filled the whole of Jerusalem’. Perhaps we will not preach in that way, but our faithful lives can become a shining beacon to others and help to show them the way to Jesus and thus to eternal life.

Fr. Denis Travers, C.P., is a member of Holy Spirit Province, Australia.

Scripture:

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

Reflection:

Today’s refrain in the Responsorial Psalm is “The Lord hears the cry of the poor”. Do we ever hear that refrain, and immediately think of the poor in Africa, Calcutta or even the chronically poor in our own country. That certainly has been my thought over the years when I think about the Lord hearing and answering the cry of “poor” among us. Do we ever think of ourselves as poor? As being in need? Or are we ok, just need a little help now and then. We’ll ask for it if we need it. A temporary lifeline. Instead do we ever consider our own poverty? Our need for a Savior. God has seen mans need throughout history, and as we hear in today’s Gospel, in response, out of His love, He has sent His only Son that we might be saved, that we might have life, eternal life.

I retired a number of years ago and began a journey to deepen my interior life, to come closer to the Lord. To deepen my relationship with Him. That journey became one of coming to know the Lord and His love, but also of knowing myself. And letting the Lord know me. Not the varnished version I often might present, even to God. But of the real me He created and knows. It was there that I came to know, or I was shown, my poverty, my need. I may have always thought of myself as a “good” Catholic, but on this journey, even at 62 years old, I have been led to know myself in a deeper and truer way, seeing my poverty, my need for healing, my need for a Savior. It is not the physical poverty I had always thought of when I heard the refrain from the Psalm, but I truly have come to see myself as one of the Lord’s poor. I believe it is from that more humble place, that we are better able to be open to live the Lord’s truth and come into the light that we hear about in today’s Gospel, allowing The Lord to heal our poverty and draw us into new life with Him.

Steve Walsh is a retreatant at Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center in Sierra Madre ,and a good friend of the Passionist Community

Scripture:

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

Reflection:

When Jesus was alive, it seemed that the Apostles never understood his true mission.  They came to believe he was the Messiah but were blinded by their assumptions about what the Messiah was to be about.  They were thinking about an earthly kingdom and worldly power.  Jesus challenged them over and over to think beyond their preconceptions, but they managed to cling to their expectations right up to the arrest and death of Jesus.  However, that experience dashed all their hopes and killed their tightly held expectations!  They ended up locked up in an Upper Room filled with fear and darkness.

The resurrection of Jesus caught them totally unawares and changed everything.  After a little confusion at the beginning few days, they quickly took up the new life and vision Jesus offered them.

In today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles we see them carrying on the mission Jesus had given them with commitment and confidence.  The chief priests and elders had chastised and confined both Peter and John because they kept proclaiming that Jesus was alive.  Yet they were not intimidated or cowed.  They returned to their own people and affirmed that though “Herod, Pontius Pilate, together with the gentiles and the peoples of Israel” had “stood against the Lord’s anointed One,” they themselves would continue “to speak the word of God with boldness.”

The Word of God they continued to speak was not condemnation for the evil acts of the people and their leaders, but rather a word of healing, recalling the signs and wonders done through the name of Jesus.  The Word of God is a Word that brings life to those who hear it and take it to heart.  There is no place in the hearts of the early Apostles for revenge or recriminations.

As disciples of Jesus, we, too, are called to speak the Word of God to our generation.  To do so faithfully our hearts must also be filled with the same love and compassion that is so clear in the life of Jesus and the lives of Peter, John and the other Apostles.  May God continue to open our hearts to his Word of love so that we speak that Word clearly and boldly as did Peter and John.

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