Claire Smith

Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus

Scripture:

Zechariah 8:20-23
Luke 9:51-56

Reflection:

Today is the feast of the remarkable saint whose short adult life was spent in a cloistered Carmelite convent in Lisieux, France, but whose spirit captured the world.  She died of tuberculosis in 1897 at the age of 24.  Yet within a very few years her reputation for holiness had captivated the world.  She was canonized in 1925 by Pius XI only 28 years after her death; declared patroness of foreign missions in 1927, and named a Doctor of the Church by Pope John Paul II in 1997.

The heart of Thérèse’s spirituality was what she called the “little way.”  As she wrote to a friend, Sometimes, when I read spiritual treatises in which perfection is shown with a thousand obstacles, surrounded by a crowd of illusions, my poor little mind quickly tires. I close the learned book which is breaking my head and drying up my heart, and I take up Holy Scripture. Then all seems luminous to me; a single word uncovers for my soul infinite horizons; perfection seems simple; I see that it is enough to recognize one’s nothingness and to abandon oneself, like a child, into God’s arms. Leaving to great souls, to great minds, the beautiful books I cannot understand, I rejoice to be little because only children, and those who are like them, will be admitted to the heavenly banquet.

Therese herself preferred to be faithful in “little things” –every day opportunities for patience, humility, and kindness.  In this way she could count on Christ’s love for her to enable her to achieve holiness.  At the same time, Thérèse had a great soul and was conscious of the world outside her convent.  She felt a deep call to support the missionary activity of the church with her daily prayer and life of quiet fidelity.

Pope Francis cited the “little way” of St. Thérèse in his powerful encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si’ (On Care for Our Common Home).  The pope noted that the enormous challenges posed by the environmental crisis can lead us to moral paralysis—what can anyone of us do faced with such complex and serious problems?  How can we offset the corruption and violence that so afflicts our society?  The pope noted that some people are in a position to effect significant change—government and corporation leaders, scientists, etc.—but most of us are not.  But, he said, there are ways we too can exercise our responsibility for our world.  Here he appeals to St Thérèse:

Saint Thérèseof Lisieux invites us to practice the little way of love,
not to miss out on a kind word, a smile or any small gesture which sows peace and friendship.
An integral ecology is also made up of simple daily gestures
which break with the logic of violence, exploitation and selfishness…
Love overflowing with small gestures of mutual care,
is also civic and political, and it makes itself felt in every action that seeks to build a better world.”  (Laudato Si’ #230)

The accumulation of such “small gestures of love,” Pope Francis notes, contribute to the church’s mission of “building a civilization of love.”

The gospel reading for today, although occurring on this day as part of the ordinary sequence of the daily readings and not special for this feast, picks up the quality of Thérèse’s spirituality cited by the Pope. In Luke’s account, as Jesus and his disciples are traveling to Jerusalem, they pass through Samaria, a region traditionally hostile to Judeans.  When some of Jesus’ disciples enter a Samaritan village to prepare for his arrival, they are not welcomed.  Angry, the disciples ask Jesus if they should pray for revenge— “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?”   But Jesus himself rejects such a hostile response and continues with his mission.

Refusing acts of violence and revenge and, instead, offering gestures of reconciliation and love was the way of Jesus in the Gospels and was the path to holiness for a young French woman whose life touched the world.

Fr. Donald Senior, C.P. is President Emeritus and Professor of New Testament at Catholic Theological Union.  He lives at the Passionist residence in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago.

Scripture:

Zechariah 8:1-8
Luke 9:46-50

Reflection:

Today’s statement by Jesus is very startling.  “He who is least among you all is the one who is great.”  How can the least among us be great?  Aren’t the great people the rich and famous, the entertainers and sports figures, the elected politicians and business tycoons?  How can a child who just learned how to read and write and hasn’t accomplished anything yet be great?  How can a homeless person barely existing on the streets be great?  How can a humble car wash attendant be great?

The answer comes in the earlier part of Jesus statement.  “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me.”  Jesus unites himself with the poor and lowly, the “least of my people” (Matthew 25:40), as he says in Mathew’s gospel.  True greatness is not the result of accomplishments, good looks, fortune or fame.  True greatness comes from union with Jesus.  We are called to share in his greatness.

At Cana Jesus performed his first miracle, transforming ordinary water into delicious wine.  That was a sign that he came upon this earth to transform us.  He came to lift us up out of our lowly human condition and let us share in the greatness of his life.

Are you looking for Jesus?  Do you want to encounter him today?  Receive a child.  Reach out to the homeless.  Wave at the guy shining shoes.  Praise the gardener for his good work.  Call the cashier by name. Tell a joke to the waiter.  What the world calls “nobodies” are really “somebodies” in God’s eyes.  And these “somebodies” are all around us.  We can encounter Jesus all day, every day.  Wouldn’t that be great?  Wouldn’t that make us great?

Fr. Alan Phillip, C.P. is a member of the Passionist Community at Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.   http://www.alanphillipcp.com/

Scripture:

Haggai 2:1-9
Luke 9:18-22

Reflection:

For now, hold fast – don’t disclose my identity just yet…wait for the right time.

I have experienced moments in my life that sadden me, from the time I was a child with an abusive brother, a teen with an alcoholic parent who dragged me through the pain of divorce, to adulthood as I try to find where I belong. But, all of those moments have strengthened me, and Christ was always there by my side, through it all. Pray for his guidance for strength, patience, compassion – you are not God, there is only one, and only He can give you the calm you need – the balm to sooth what ails you.

Is he a burden to you? We struggle in our faith to stay true to His word when we become discouraged, disheartened, neglected, or we feel we have been abandoned in our faith by those who we would hope to stand true to their convictions – and in today’s world, it is incredibly difficult to remember His words as we fight our battles. He told us the path would not be easy.  But we are here for Him, we live for Him, we focus on all the good that we do in our lives, and we do all of that good for Him.

Jesus was sent by God as the Messiah – who is Jesus to you? Do you see him as a leader, father, teacher, friend – maybe a combination of several different roles? Pray for clarity in your relationship with Christ. Pray for a renewed commitment to him, through your words and deeds. Stay steadfast in your faith, as you roll through this crazy world, and you may feel you are doubting your faith.  It doesn’t matter to anyone who I say Jesus is, except to me – so, who do YOU say that he is?

Patty Masson resides in Houston, Texas.

Scripture:

Haggai 1:1-8
Luke 9:7-9

Reflection:

Images of recent devastations in Puerto Rico and the Bahamas and Brazil, among so many other regions of the Earth, remind us of how fragile our lives and the Earth are. Millions of our fellow human beings live at the edge of calamity that one storm, one disaster can unleash. Whether we live in the path of powerful storms or not, all that we build, all that we place our trust in, all that is supposed to protect us…it all can be washed away. A scandal, an earthquake, a virus, a hacker or gunman can take more than our money or home or innocence. They take our confidence and erode our trust.

I am like most, believing that if I do what is right (mostly) and treat people well (mostly), if I am honest (mostly) and keep the Ten Commandments (mostly), then all should be well. Natural disasters and acts of violence, however, do not discriminate saint from sinner. Wrong time, wrong place? Perhaps.

“What now? Where do we go from here?” These really are faith questions. The question of “why did this happen” might well lead us to understand changes in climate or the source of deep-seated hatred some people might have for other human beings. But the puzzle of why bad things happen to good people never gets solved. The real question is, how do I now move forward in life?

Those called to lead us in our faith journeys—just like Haggai in today’s first reading—need to tell us the truth.  Where have we erroneously placed our trust? In structures easily washed away? In privilege and clericalism that too often disappoint? Prophets of yesteryear and today remind us to anchor ourselves only in God who will never abandon us even as storms swirl around us.

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:

Amos 8:4-7
1 Timothy 2:1-8
Luke 16:1-13

Reflection:

Beloved:

First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers,
petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone,
for kings and for all in authority,
that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life
in all devotion and dignity.
This is good and pleasing to God our savior,
who wills everyone to be saved….  1 TM 2:1-8

In my most vulnerable time, I felt the prayers of my community in a powerful way. I FELT PRAYERS, it’s hard to explain but I knew that my community was praying for me.  Literally, they were holding me up. That experience of prayer changed my prayer from a casual comment, “I will pray for you”, to a convicted action of prayer.

In 1 Timothy, today’s second reading, we are reminded of the gift of praying for each other.

Supplications: Praying with humility.

Petitions:  Praying with a request.

Thanksgiving:  Praying in thanks for God’s Abundance

If we do this, pray for all authority and everyone…then Saint Paul tells us, we will lead a tranquil life. A life that is good and pleasing to God.

That is the challenge today, to pray for all in authority, those that you like AND those you dislike, or disagree with. To pray for everyone, those that we love and those that challenge you. Pray with humility and in thanksgiving as well as with a petition.

And if you find some time, pray for me, and I will pray for all of you reading this!!

Kate Mims is the Retreat Center Director at Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center in Houston, Texas.

Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist

Scripture:

Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13
Matthew 9:9-13

Reflection:

September 21 is the feast day of St. Matthew. Before he was called by Jesus to join his apostles, Matthew was a greedy and corrupt tax collector. In The Calling of St. Matthew, Caravaggio depicts the moment written about in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 9, verse 9, which reads: “Jesus saw a man named Matthew at his seat in the customs house, and said to him, ‘Follow me,’ and Matthew rose and followed Him.”

The painting above is the Call of St. Matthew, by the 16th Century Italian painter, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, now recognized as one of history’s most influential artists.

“Jesus and Peter stand on the painting’s right, the former pointing toward Matthew. But which of the cluster of men on the left is this soon-to-be saint? Some scholars have suggested it’s the man hunched over coins, noting that the bearded fellow to his right appears to be pointing his way. However, the most popular interpretation is that this bearded pointer is Matthew, his finger pointed gently to his chest. This theory would explain why the radiant light shines down on his face to show he’s chosen by the light of the heavens. Still, other scholars believe Caravaggio was purposefully ambiguous about Matthew’s identity to suggest God could call upon any of them.” (From Wikipedia, Michelangelo Caravaggio)

Spend a few moments reflecting on the painting and Jesus’ call to Matthew.

Like Matthew God is saying “follow me.” What might God be calling me to do today?

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

Memorial of Saint Andrew Kim Taegŏn, priest and martyr and Saint Paul Chŏng Hasang, martyr, and their companions, martyrs

Scripture:

1 Timothy 6:2C-12
Luke 8:1-3

Reflection:

Most of us are quite familiar with the stories of the growth of faith in the U.S. and in Europe and South America.  But stories of the introduction of our faith in Asia, though less familiar, are equally compelling.  And today we celebrate the early days of Christianity in the country of Korea on this feast of St. Andrew Taegon and Companions.  St. Andrew is a “new” saint for he was canonized by Pope Paul II.  Though St. Andrew and his Companions are new to the liturgical calendar, they are powerful witnesses to living the Gospel in real life.

St. Andrew wasn’t the first Korean Christian by a long shot.  By the time he was born in 1821, Christianity had been growing in Korea for about fifty years.  It is believed that Christianity had been brought into Korea by some Christian Japanese soldiers in the latter part of the 18th century.   The Christian Japanese soldiers baptized the first Korean Christians and the Christian community began to grow quickly.  By the time the first foreign priest arrived in Korea in 1836, there was already a substantial Christian community flourishing there.  The Korean Catholic Church is the only known Catholic Christian community that first developed completely from the witness and work of lay Christians.

The rulers in Korea were not at all pleased to have this foreign religion thriving in their country.  At first, they just discouraged it but soon enough outlawed this practice and began to actively persecute anyone who took it up.  As Christians were arrested, tortured and put to death the Church quickly moved underground

St. Andrew’s parents, members of the Korean nobility, were an important part of that early community and secretly remained faithful to their life with Christ.  Andrew was baptized at fifteen and soon expressed his desire to become a priest.  He traveled to Macau to attend the seminary and was ordained in 1845.  He was the first Korean to become a priest and returned home shortly after his ordination to help organize the Church and bring the sacraments to the faithful.  He ministered in Korea only a year before he was arrested and put to death.

There were intense persecutions of Christians in Korea in 1839, 1846, 1866 and 1867 and 103 Christians were martyred for their faith.  We celebrate these heroic martyrs on this day.

May their faith and courage inspire us to live our lives faithful to the Gospel and have the strength to be a fearless witness for Christ in our everyday lives.

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