Claire Smith

Scripture:

Genesis 12:1-9
Matthew 7:1-5

Reflection:

In a group where people were sharing about seeing faults in others, I heard a phrase I never heard before: “You spot it, you got it.” I liked it when I heard it. It refers to that all-too-human tendency to point out what we dislike in others when it is something we have in ourselves. In our Gospel reading, Jesus points out that we cannot presume to point out the faults of others, much less help them, when we don’t recognize our own faults: “How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’ while the wooden beam is in your eye? You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.”

I think it helps to remember that for the most part, we cannot remove the “wooden beam,” or even the “splinter,” from our ‘eye” by ourselves. We need the grace of God to remove our faults. Acknowledging this gives us the humility to actually be of service to someone else. We don’t help each other as experts as much as we help others as fellow travelers; as those who have known woundedness, too.

Before the Cross, we are all humbled and in need of mercy. This is why Jesus can tell us to stop judging and stop condemning. We may have to call out injustice, but we need not condemn others. Instead, we come together with people of good faith and work for justice and thereby help make peace. May the measure we measure out to others be one of generosity and compassion and the love of God in Jesus Christ.

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

The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

Scripture:

Genesis 14:18-20
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Luke 9:11b-17

Reflection:

On Sunday, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ. This feast calls to mind the total gift of Jesus’ self for our salvation, and consequently, the centrality of the Eucharist in the life of the Church.

Our readings point out certain aspects of the Eucharist and what it means to be church and to live Christian lives. One of the reasons we come to celebrate the Eucharist is to give thanks, as we see in our first reading (Genesis 14:18-20), when the priest and king Melchizedek comes to Abram with bread and wine and offers a blessing: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, the creator of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who delivered your foes into your hand.” When we come to Mass, we give thanks to God, for the Son of God becoming incarnate in order to deliver us from sin and the fear of death.

When we celebrate the Eucharist, we come to hear God’s word, as did the thousands of people who came to hear Jesus in our Gospel reading (Luke 9:11b-17). I often imagine these crowds coming to Jesus, desperate to hear some Good News! Whatever concerns or issues we bring with us when we come to Mass, we can hear God speak of His love for us.

In our second reading (1 Corinthians 11:23-26), St. Paul writes to his brothers and sisters about what was handed to him about Jesus’ words at the Last Supper. We believe that the bread and wine become for us the Body and Blood of Jesus. In this way, the sacrifice of Jesus, made once for all, is made present to us, so that we can share in that sacrifice.

Hearing God’s word and receiving this intimate gift of Jesus’ self, poured out for us in love, we are nourished and empowered to fulfill the mission given to us as a church. Again, in our second reading, St. Paul writes: “for as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.” We are to proclaim the Good News of God’s love in Jesus Christ until He comes again. People are still searching for something, or more accurately, Someone, to give them redemption and hope and purpose.

In our Gospel reading, after the crowds have heard Jesus, and He had healed those who needed healing, the disciples come to Jesus and suggest that He dismiss the crowds so that they could get something to eat. And Jesus says, “Give them some food yourselves.” I can imagine the agitation in the disciples’ voice when they say, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have, unless we ourselves go and buy food for all these people.” Then Jesus takes what they have and multiplies it so that the people have enough to eat.

Jesus tells them to give the people food themselves. I am reminded of a quote from St. Louise de Marillac: “To share what one has is nothing if one does not give oneself.” I think that is what Jesus is getting at here. We are called not only to give what we may have, but to give of ourselves. Having been delivered and healed and comforted and reconciled and fed through the mercy and love and sacrifice of Jesus, we are called to bring comfort and healing and nourishment to others. We may not feel we have anything to offer, like five loaves and two fish in the presence of thousands, but Jesus can multiply our efforts, especially when we are willing to come together, so that people’s needs are met.

It is the Body and Blood of Jesus, the total gift of Himself, that enables us to go forth and follow His command to love. Sharing in the sacrifice, we are called to share in the Mission.

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

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 12:1-10
Matthew 6: 24-34

Reflection:

“Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life…”(Matthew 6:25)

I have friends, a married  couple, that have both been out of work for several years. They never seemed to worry all the while praying and reading the scriptures daily. When I asked about their situation they would say:  “God will provide”.  This couple really believed that God would pull them through. A couple of months ago, they both got jobs. I will be honest.  I don’t think I have that kind of faith and trust in God. 

As we all know, there will be tough times in life.  Jesus says don’t worry about tomorrow God will take care of that. Be calm because life is tough at times. The key is how do we respond to these difficult times when we are tempted to worry excessively. We are called to discern God’s presence and stay focused on the kingdom of God in our lives .  Our Lord instructs us not to worry or be overly anxious but to strive toward being just in all that we do. On a worry and anxiety scale of 1 to 10, 10 being excessive worry, where would we place our concern and worry over material things?  The Lord instructs us not to worry but seek first the kingdom of God.  

Dear God, give us the faith and wisdom to discern your priorities  and not worry nor be anxious about material needs.   

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

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 11:18, 21-30
Matthew 6:19-23

Reflection:

“…do not store up for yourselves…where your treasure is, there also will be your heart…the lamp of the body is the eye”

Oh how ‘things’ can control our life!  Things we ‘need’, things we ‘want’, things to ‘make life easier’, things to prove ‘status’, ‘wealth’, ‘happiness’, ‘achievement’.  Things to fill our time, our homes, our workplaces.  Things to obsess over, worry about, and sometimes hoard!  I sometimes think ‘things’ are the American way!

In today’s gospel, Jesus shows us another way, the way of God, the way to open us to the ‘treasure’ of living in God’s kingdom.  Be careful, he says, pay attention – pay attention to your behaviors, to your longings and to true awareness.

He warns against pleasures that will ‘wear out’ or can be ‘eroded away’…don’t collect, gather or hoard that which can be ‘stolen away’.  These kinds of treasures will only lead to disappointment – things like that cannot last forever!

Jesus reminds us that while ‘things’ are not unimportant, they do need to be kept in perspective!  Some questions may be ‘do I need this…or want this’?  How can I share this?  How does this change me – does it feed my ego or open my heart?  

If the eye is the window that lets in the light – what smudges do I need to wipe away to see more clearly what is being taken in?  The smudges of prejudice, bias, jealousy, self-centeredness can prevent us from seeing clearly, just as ‘things’ can isolate us from the truth and reality that envelops us. We are called to live in harmony with ourselves, others and God.  What ‘things’ or ‘smudges’ might be preventing this harmony within you?  Today is a good day to spend some time with the Lord – what might he be saying to you or trying to point out to you?  Where your treasure is, there also will be your heart…

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

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 11:1-11
Matthew 6:7-15

Reflection:

For if someone comes and preaches another Jesus than the one we preached.

Everywhere we turn today—on social media, in the news, even in our conversations—we hear cries about injustice. Constant noise. Voices shouting to be heard. Pointing fingers. If we’re not careful, we can get caught up in it, too.

And if we look closely at Second Corinthians, we hear a story all too familiar. In 1st Corinthians, Paul had previously established a church in Corinth.  Afterwards, he heard they were not living as followers of Christ. People were divided against each other. Choosing sides. Picking their favorite apostle rather than focusing on becoming a follower of Christ. They had fallen back into sexual immorality, selfishness, and pride—so Paul paid them a visit. It is in Second Corinthians that if we look around, we too find ourselves much like the people of Corinth.

We are in the same situation.

So not is it only St Paul the Apostle, but St Paul of the Cross all of the saints urging us to look – to listen. St Paul the Apostle writes in “anguish and tears.” He hears of new eloquent speakers. He points out that he is not one of these “superapostles.” He was acknowledging that he himself was not a great speaker. But the difference is he knew Christ. He lived as a follower of Christ. He didn’t ask for money, handouts or burden anyone. He was honest and worked for what he had. He lived simply. Humbly. Faithfully. He lived Christ crucified.

So here we are today, surrounded by the noise. Injustice. Division. We have eloquent preachers who affect our beliefs and influencers who sway opinions.

We see the same story after story in the Bible repeating: people who were once oppressed becoming oppressors, all in the name of justice and equality. It has become a vicious cycle. Division over who is right and who is wrong – sometimes even within the Church – not by the love of Christ, but by the love of ideology.

We find ourselves not promoting justice or equality but rather screaming in the name of justice, crucifying others.
Have we forgotten our calling?
Have we lost our focus?
We are called to breathe life, not more conflict. To be living vessels- of Christ’s love in Truth.

So today, let us return to that mission. Tune out the noise of the world. Strive to be authentic with passion not for applause like a “superapostle” but for purpose. May we follow Christ in His example – to forgive others as He has forgiven us and to faithfully preach Christ crucified—not just with our words, but with our very lives.

Lori Kananen, LMC is the lay Pastoral Associate at Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center in Houston, Texas.

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 9:6-11
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

Reflection:

When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites. . . -Matthew 6:5

One of the most common confessions that I have heard over the years, whether it be in serious conversations, spiritual direction or in the sacrament of reconciliation, is the acknowledgement of feeling like a hypocrite. Those of us who are making a thoughtful effort of doing good and avoiding evil will sometimes feel like hypocrites.

The reality is that we all struggle with sinful patterns. Many have the false notion that once we give ourselves over to the following of Jesus, as the disciples did, and have been anointed by the Holy Spirit, then we should not have to struggle with our sinful tendencies.

However, our struggle with sinful ways will always be with us. We waste a lot of our time and energy fighting the fact that temptation and sin is part of our everyday life and everyone’s life. But we want to be the exception.

Once we accept our sinful condition, then we can go about the business of becoming holy day by day. We can concentrate on being good rather than avoiding evil.

Sinful patterns are baked into our way of life. Those who struggle with anger, will end up dealing with anger issues. Those who are dishonest and tend to lie will find themselves fighting this for the rest of their lives. Everyone has sinful tendencies. They will be with us until death. And these tendencies are all different and personal.

So, when Jesus is talking about hypocrites, he is not talking about the human struggle to do good and avoid evil. Jesus is talking about a whole different reality. He is talking about people who choose to live a double life, a life of sin and a public life that looks sinless. A hypocrite’s life is all about the appearance of goodness, it was all about the mask, the role that one plays in public.

In Jesus’ day, a hypocrite was a common term for an actor. The actor took on the persona of a playwriter’s script. There was no personal connection to character in the play and the personal life of the actor. The hypocrite is very much aware that the role presented to the audience is not a real person, but a make-believe one. An actor wants to deceive. And a good actor studies and perfects the art of acting for an audience. This is the result of a personal decision, to live a double life, even if it’s just briefly.

Most of us will never be hypocrites. We want to be good people. We want to live lives of integrity. We want to be authentic followers of Jesus. We want to struggle with our evil tendencies to overcome them, with the grace of God. We want to be loving and compassionate as Jesus was.

Do we sometimes fail? Sure! Do we always do and say the right thing? No! But that does not make us hypocrites! It just makes us aware that but for the grace of God, there go I.

Yes, there are people who want to be hypocrites. And maybe, before our conversion, before Jesus called us to come and follow him, we lived as hypocrites, intentionally doing things just so people could judge us good, even though we lived a sinful life.

It is when we embrace our God as a loving God, a merciful God, a God who sees our heart with eyes of Love, that we begin the journey of holiness. The journey of holiness is not the journey of perfection, Rather is a journey that begins each day with a purity of intention of following Jesus, confident that the God who sees all, sees us with love!

Fr. Clemente Barrón, C.P. is the local superior of Mater Dolorosa Community in Sierra Madre, California. 

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 8:1-9
Matthew 5:43-48

Reflection:

I once knew a woman whose fiercest enemy was her son. For years, her son crucified her. He blamed his mother for all his problems. He belittled and demeaned her. He could be relentlessly cruel in his words and his actions. On his better days, he simply ignored her, treating her with cold indifference as if she did not exist. But she never closed her heart to the son who could find no room for her in his. Instead, she insisted on loving this son who was proud to have become her enemy. To many, this mother’s love seemed not only unreasonable, but downright unnatural, even dangerous. But her love, though undeniably costly, was also surprisingly powerful, because over time it defused her son’s hatred, cooled his anger, and softened his stony, brittle heart. Eventually, the son was no longer dying from hatred but walking again in the way of love. He had been rescued and redeemed by love. Thanks to his mother, he was brought back to life.

In today’s gospel, Jesus tells us that we must love our enemies and pray for our persecutors. Yes, it makes sense to love only those who love us and to hate whoever hates us; but if, as this mother so poignantly demonstrated, we practice that kind of cozy and comfortable love, nothing ever changes. Enemies will never be reconciled, adversaries will never be friends, wounded hearts will never be healed because we remain stuck in a love that takes us nowhere, a love so conventional and predictable that truly nothing can come of it.

Jesus concludes this lesson on love by exhorting us to “be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” We are to be as God is. And we are when we commit to a love that never dies, a love that refuses to give up, a love that always seeks to forgive, reconcile, heal, and make whole. That’s a love powerful enough to start something new. It may even bring the dead back to 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 of Holy Cross Province.

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 6:1-10
Matthew 5:38-42

Reflection:

“As your fellow workers, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
For he says:  In an acceptable time, I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.  Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

When I read these words from St. Paul writing to the Corinthians I find myself picturing this valiant disciple of the Lord feeling somewhat weary and filled with concern for the community of believers to whom he is writing.  It may be that in his own mind he is wondering, “when in the world are they going to get it!”  Now I must admit, I am one who is guilty of daydreaming a lot!  I tend, at times, not to live in the present, and do a lot of imagining about how things could be or even should be.  But then, when I read these words of St. Paul, I feel as if he is telling me to live in the present. 

The plan of salvation is unfolding now, not some distant time in the future.  God’s grace is sufficient now; God’s plan for me is taking place now; God’s calling is being announced now.  Live now; pay attention now; the Lord is speaking to me now!  So, I have to let go of my daydreaming sometimes, not all the time, but sometimes, and live in the present.  It was Dr. Martin Luther King who once said that God’s plan for me is bigger than all my dreams!  How true are his words. 

So, St. Paul is inviting me, and all of us, to hear the word of the Lord now.  This will be enough for us.  This very moment the Lord is revealing to us his plan of salvation and how we are to be a part of it.  Now is the time of grace and blessing.  And all we have to do is to say, Yes, Lord, thank you Lord, and carry on from there!

Fr. Pat Brennan, C.P. is the director of Saint Paul of the Cross Passionist Retreat and Conference Center, Detroit, Michigan.