Claire Smith

Scripture:

Genesis 8:6-13, 20-22
Mark 8:22-26

Reflection:

Both scripture readings today present us with stories about living in a wounded world.  The first, from Genesis, recounts the last half of the story of Noah.  The forty days of rain have stopped and now Noah is waiting for the flood waters to recede so he can free the animals and his family from the protection of the arc.  He hopes that all the residents of the arc can now begin to repopulate the earth and heal the world.  He doesn’t know for sure whether that’s possible but wants to trust that God will be faithful to him and to all of God’s creation.  At the end of today’s reading, God promises to be faithful even in the face of any evil that remains in the human heart.  “As long as the earth lasts, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.”  Noah’s hope in God’s faithfulness is fulfilled.

The Gospel reading also presents us with a different kind of wounded world, a world of a blind man.  The people of the village of Bethsaida bring the blind man to Jesus and encourage him to touch their blind friend.  They hope that such a simple touch will cure his blindness.  But, this time it’s not quite that simple.  Jesus takes him out of the village and then puts his spittle on his eyes and lays his hands on him.  His sight gets better but is not fully restored until Jesus lays his hands on him a second time.

Most of us live in our own wounded world.  The wounds can affect the whole world as in the time of Noah or they can fester in our own personal worlds.  But those wounds can fill us with fear and hopelessness, with pain and suffering, with discouragement and despair.  Often enough we feel helpless in the face of those wounds we carry.  The readings today remind us that even in the darkest times we can be confident that God will continue to be faithful to us as he was in the time of Noah.   The story of the blind man invites us to allow Christ and His saving presence to touch our lives, to bring us light, to help us see the beauty of our lives in Christ. The touch of Jesus can and does allow us to see the movement of God in our lives, even in and through the wounds we carry.

Perhaps our prayer today can be, “Lord, help us to see you touching our world and bring healing into our wounds and light into our world.”

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

Scripture:

Genesis 4:1-15, 25
Mark 8:11-13

Reflection:

Today’s first reading from Genesis, the infamous and always unsettling story of Cain murdering his brother Abel, is a case study in the pernicious effects of envy, traditionally listed as one of the seven deadly sins, habits that have perennially been recognized as especially corrupting and destructive not only because of the harm they unleash on their targets, but also because if we let them take over our lives, they keep us from growing into the person God wants us to be.

We all know the story. Cain succumbs to the grip of envy because he deeply resents that the “Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not.” Envy slivers into our hearts when we not only want what another person has but also don’t want them to have it. It’s not just that Cain desires the honor Abel received from God, which suggests that Cain could be content if he was equally favored by God. No, Cain wants Abel not to be honored at all. People consumed with envy, whether over another’s wealth, talent, reputation, or success, can have no equal. They will never be satisfied unless they surpass everyone in every respect.

But that will never happen, and it explains why when envy remains unchecked, it morphs into bitterness, hostility, burning anger, and eventually a hatred so virulent that we not only look for ways to diminish the people we envy—to reduce them in the eyes of others—but can even want to destroy them. So it is that Cain says, “Let us go out in the field.” There we see the full fury of envy unfurled, for “Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.”

Envy always harms. But perhaps the most tragic consequence of envy is what is lost to the person possessed by it. They spend so much of their life trying to be someone else that they never discover the uniquely splendid and precious and beautiful child of God that they are and have always been. That’s why envy is a game we are always bound to lose.

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:

Jeremiah 17:5-8
1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20
Luke 6:17, 20-26

Reflection:

In our Gospel reading for today (Luke 6:17, 20-26), Jesus gives some reassurances and some challenges. The reassurances come in the form of beatitudes. Jesus begins with “Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of heaven is yours,” and ends with “Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man…Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way.”

After the reassurances come the challenges in the form of curses. Jesus begins with “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation;” and ends with “Woe to you when all speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way.”

Is Jesus really condemning the rich, or those “who are filled now,” or those “who laugh now?” Does Jesus really want us poor and hungry and miserable? I don’t see it. However, what helps me understand what Jesus is saying is what He says in that first curse: “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.” When we find consolation only in being wealthy, or well fed, or when times are easy, or when everyone thinks we’re great, what happens when those things are diminished, or even totally gone? Are we not left empty and hopeless?

But when we put our trust in God, in the love God has for us in Jesus Christ, then we can find consolation at any time. However, accepting God’s unconditional love for us is not to lead us into complacency. It’s so easy not to want my comfort disturbed by the suffering of others. And that is where we need to be careful, even with the beatitudes Jesus speaks. Many groups of people throughout history have rationalized their oppression of others, by telling themselves, or even the people they oppress, that their “reward will be great in heaven.” But when we look at many of the parables that we will encounter in Luke’s Gospel during this liturgical year, we see that Jesus is telling us that we cannot turn a blind eye to the poor and the hungry and the oppressed, even if that means we are denounced by others.

May we not only find consolation in God’s love for us, but be willing to be instruments of God’s consolation of others.

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

Scripture:

Genesis 3:9-24
Mark 8:1-10

Reflection:

What were Jesus and his disciples to do with a large crowd in a deserted place, and very hungry after spending three days with them?  There just wasn’t enough bread for them.

Jesus was “moved to pity for them…If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will collapse on the way.”  Incidentally, in the early days of the Jesus movement, Christians were simply known as “people of the way, or on the way.”

The word for collapse (“faint” in the RSV) is used elsewhere in the New Testament to mean “losing heart or getting discouraged in the faces of the struggles of the Christian life,” scripture scholar Mary Healy observes in her book, “Gospel of Mark.”  Healy suggests the central question in today’s gospel is this: “How will the disciples respond when God’s people collapse or faint for lack of spiritual nourishment, and they do not have the resources to feed them?”

Something strikingly similar occurred in March 2020 with the pandemic Covid 19, including, of course, in my corner of the world in Sierra Madre, Calif.  All work abruptly stopped, businesses closed, people lost jobs.  The most vulnerable were the hardest hit.  Funds dried up for non-profit organizations serving the poor, homeless, the elderly and homebound.  There just wasn’t enough bread for them, so to speak.  So many of God’s people surely would surely “collapse on the way” for lack of food or spiritual nourishment.  How will today’s disciple respond?  By ignoring them?  Too many people, not enough bread?

Today’s gospel modeled their response.  Jesus challenged his disciples to stretch their faith.  In Eucharistic fashion, Jesus blessed the seven available loaves, broke them, and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the hungry crowd.  Rather than distributing the loaves himself, Jesus directed his disciples to take up this ministry of service. And “they ate and were satisfied.”

So too did Jesus challenge his disciples through Sierra Madre and the San Gabriel Valley.  Acting as the catalyst, the leadership of Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center coordinated its recourses with many groups and individuals.  The retreat kitchen staff used its large kitchen and equipment to cook nourishing meals.  Others generously donated money and volunteered time. Thousands of meals were prepared at the retreat.  Many others delivered them daily to organizations that serve the poor, homebound and homeless, and to many needy individual homes.  These meals nourished, not only bodies, but souls in need of hope of those on the way that looked so dark.

Not too long ago, Pope Francis was asked: “How does prayer work when people are hungry?”  “You pray for the hungry,” the pope responded. “Then you feed them.  That’s how prayer works.”

The pope was echoing the words attributed to St. Augustine: “Pray as though everything depends on God.  And work as though everything depends on you.”

Just so.  In faith, Jesus will bless and break our seemingly meager bread.  And in faith, we are to go out and share this bread of life with all in need.

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

Memorial of Saints Cyril, Monk, and Methodius, Bishop

Scripture:

Genesis 3:1-8
Mark 7:31-37

Reflection:

Jesus often told people not to publicize his miracles. This might seem counterintuitive – wouldn’t miracles be the most obvious way to demonstrate divine power? It makes you wonder why he’d keep them secret. Who could resist sharing such incredible news?

I believe Jesus’s priority was to emphasize his core messages over the miracles themselves. He likely wanted people to focus on selfless acts, humble living, and aligning with a greater spiritual purpose. He encouraged genuine commitment to God’s laws rather than the superficial displays of piety common among religious leaders at the time.

To illustrate this, imagine trying to raise awareness about environmental protection 17 or 18 years ago. Smartphones and readily available information about climate change were not widespread. But imagine you happened to own one of the earliest smartphones capable of answering environmental questions on the spot. Sure, you would have an answer, but guess what? Your audience might have been far more fascinated by the phone itself than the urgent message about climate change.

Similarly, Jesus’s miracles, while astonishing, risked overshadowing his teachings. People were understandably captivated by these seemingly magical events, potentially distracting them from the importance of loving their enemies, aiding the vulnerable, and striving for justice.

Today, we’re inundated with the glitter and glow of technology. So, more than ever, it’s crucial to actively seek and understand God’s role in our lives, from our creation to our ultimate destiny. Might we choose, therefore, to strive for humble and selfless living guided by a divine purpose, rather than being driven mainly by less nourishing material instincts.

Jack Dermody is president of Share Our Gifts, Inc., a proactive group founded by Passionist Alumni, dedicated to serving the poor and suffering. He is also editor of CrossRoads, the newsletter for the Passionist Alumni Association. He lives in Glendale, Arizona. 

Scripture:

Genesis 2:18-25
Mark 7:24-30

Reflection:

Our Gospel for today picks up as Jesus once again travels into Gentile territory from the traditional lands of Israel. As far as we can tell from the text, he is alone and enters “a house”  with the desire to escape notice.

We might assume that being disturbed has put him in a slightly foul mood because nowhere else in the Gospel narrative does he respond in such a rude and demeaning way to anyone asking for his healing help, especially not a child. This mother fell at his feet offering a fervent petition on behalf of her daughter, and Jesus dismissed her initial request.

The mother is not deterred by Jesus’ response in calling her daughter “a dog.” Dogs are regarded as unclean animals, and he rudely insults this woman and her daughter. As a mother and a grandmother, I feel compassion and empathy for this woman but also anger at Jesus’ rejection of her. Like every parent from the beginning of time who begs help for their child, she has no choice but to persist. She has nothing to lose and stands her ground with Jesus. She’ll take the crumbs discarded by “the children” and do whatever it takes as long as Jesus heals her daughter. Unlike Matthew’s Jesus (15:28) who declares her a woman of “great faith,” Mark’s Jesus says, “For saying this, you may go. The demon has left your daughter.” v. 29.  

This text of the Syrophoenician woman offers further insight into the dynamics in the Marcan community as they wrestle with the cultural gap between the Jews and Greeks. Mark shows Jesus going into Gentile lands and finding people of faith. We might even note that she counters and wins the argument. She has agency.

At this time in the first century (70 AD), their struggles to create and sustain a new Christian community were real. They were played out against the backdrop of persecution in Rome. At any time, change is hard, and adjustments are uncomfortable. It seems the more things change, the more they stay the same. Those challenges seem just as true for us today.

Finding common ground is often elusive, yet hope must be our posture. Our recent experience of the Eaton Fire has taught many lessons on coming together as a united people. After being evacuated from our home late on the night of January 7, we joined many thousands looking for hotel rooms. It took several tries until we finally found one. Looking back, it was a bit chaotic between slow hotel computers and electricity coming and going. However, the one constant was the people in line. There was a unity of purpose; we were all in the same situation. In those moments, we were human beings looking out for each other with care and concern.

Like Jesus, may we continue in this jubilee year of Hope to cross boundaries and bring his love and care to all we meet. Like the Syrophoenician woman, may we be steadfast and relentless in pursuing healing and wholeness for our world. Amen.

Jean Bowler is a member of the Ministry Team at Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center in Sierra Madre, California.