Claire Smith

Scripture:

Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10
Hebrews 12:1-4
Luke 12:49-53

Reflection:

I have come to light a fire on the earth.

 At first read, these words of Jesus make no sense – they seem so out of character – do you think I’ve come for peace…no division!…families will be divided…what are we to make of this?  But once we let these words sink in, once we realize that the ‘Peace’ Jesus is about is a ‘Peace’ that comes from truth – then we can begin to understand.

Truth is hard – hard on individuals, hard on families, communities, nations and the world.  Truth takes courage – courage to face truth, to speak truth, to live truth.  Truth often means change and we all know that change is never easy, never without challenges, and almost never welcomed.

When families stop pretending that Billy’s drinking is not really a problem and Sally’s perpetual lying is not something she will simply outgrow there is likely going to be struggle.  When a community acknowledges its ethnic or racial biases, there is going to be defensive kick-back.  When nations begin to address the inequities among peoples, there will be challenges and struggles.  Truth can lead to division and denial, truth can result in defensiveness and polarity.

But truth, if embraced, even when difficult and challenging, can also bring about peace – the peace Jesus spoke of – the peace that is the result of being immerged in God’s Word, God’s truth.  Are we willing to embrace our Baptism and claim the truth – even when difficult – and do what we know is right?  Are we able to look at the uncomfortable truth’s in our lives, families, nations and world and face them as a follower of Jesus?

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

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Scripture:

Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab
1 Corinthians 15:20-27
Luke 1:39-56

Reflection:

Today we lift our eyes to the Heavens as Our Lady is assumed into Heaven mind, body and spirit on this Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On this day we hear some of the most eloquent words of Scripture as they appear in the first Chapter of Luke, in the Magnificat or Canticle of Mary where we here this eloquent expression of gratitude, humility and the mission of Our Lady. As always she points our attention away from her and directly to Jesus.

It comes to us in four main parts or themes that can be lessons to us all as we live our lives here on Earth with our eyes on the Heavens. First and foremost Mary expresses her gratitude to God as we hear, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord”, then she praises God for his Glory in, “the Almighty has done great things for me”. In her humility she compares how God deals with the proud and the humble, “he has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly.

Finally we hear that all the ancient prophecies to the Jews are now being fulfilled in the Messiah in her womb, “He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy,” The great poet Henry Wordsworth called Our Lady, “our tainted nature’s solitary boast” in his poem the Virgin. So let us turn our tainted nature to this great example of virtue in our quest for our own resurrection with our solitary boast and her son, our Savior!

Deacon James Anderson is the Administrator at Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center in Houston, Texas.

Scripture:

Deuteronomy 31:1-8
Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14

Reflection:

This summer we’ve been blessed to spend a lot of time with our five grandchildren who range in age from 11 years to two years. Children can teach us so much about ourselves if we are willing to take the time. It is hard for me not to list off all the qualities I’ve observed in them as I reflect on today’s Gospel. I wonder, was that the answer the disciples were expecting to their question about who was the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?  “Unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven” (v.3).

Children see so much that we miss in our surroundings; they will see the bug on the ground and delight over it. They are loving and quick to hug. They operate from a different rhythm and force me to slow down. They are much less interested in the tasks I need to get accomplished and respond to time spent playing, talking, or reading with them. They are not so interested in our worldly status rather they judge on kindness and accept us as we are. They delight in the simple things and have the innate ability to know authenticity when they see it. They are weak and vulnerable, totally dependent on the adults in their life to keep them safe. They are naturally trusting. Whatever happens in their childhood can frame how they view and live their adult lives. Rituals matter to them.

In the book, The Spiritual Child, author Lisa Miller Ph.D. suggests from her research that children are born hardwired for a relationship with God. I wonder if their very best quality is their ability to be taught, to learn. They are like sponges always ready to learn. Humility tells me that I have more to learn, that I do not yet know everything. As adults, we can fall prey to the idea that there is nothing more to learn in life. Our life is constantly speaking to us but are we listening?

The Gospel takes a turn in v. 10 and the focus switches to the parable of the lost sheep. Jesus warns us not to despise “one of these little ones…for.. their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.” The Greek in little ones is not the same term used earlier in referring to children. Rather, it has been translated as weak(er) ones. Then we are presented with the parable of the heavenly Father going in search of the one who is missing from the 100.

In the context of the last few weeks with three mass shootings, this parable makes me wonder how we lost those men. What happened to them that led to the violent taking of precious lives?

It is very distressing and complex when I attempt to view this on a national level, it feels helpless and hopeless. Yet, Moses reminds us in our first reading from Deuteronomy that “God marches with us and he will never fail us” (v. 6). Each of us has been called to do something to make our world a better and more loving place. We may not be called to great things like Mother Theresa or Dorothy Day yet, our life must inform us as to that call. What is your life saying?

Lord, keep us listening to your voice in our lives. 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:

Deuteronomy 10:12-22
Matthew 17:22-27

Reflection:

“This great God, who became man and wanted to suffer for us, is nearer to you than you are to yourselves.” -From the Letters of St. Paul of the Cross

Remember, that the “nearness” goes with you through whoever crosses your path today.

The first two lines of today’s Gospel sum up so much of my life experiences, as the experiences of the disciples’ who had gathered with Jesus in Galilee. The gathering seems to indicate a growing sense of security and power. A few of them had just witnessed the appearances of Moses and Elijah with Jesus. Others had witnessed the recent healings, and, of course, the multiplication of bread and fish for thousands. And, yet, when Jesus tells them the truth, and He relates that He will be “handed over to men,” He lets them know that being the Messiah means embracing suffering. They are “overwhelmed with grief.”

While the “wonderful things” that God accomplishes catch our imagination, the disappointments, the losses, the injustices and the grieving in which we participate, often in others, can really be hard to face, and scary to address.

We have the experiences of two women to attest to life’s extreme difficulties.

St. Jane Frances de Chantal, mother of 4, loses her husband in a hunting accident and is pulled under by the riptide of grief and anger. She chose not to ignore her pain but shared it with family, God, and her spiritual director, Francis de Sales, and eventually, the man who killed her husband. Later she would offer this advice: “Put yourself very simply before God.”

The other is none other than Eunice Shriver, the fifth of nine children of Rose and Joseph Kennedy, and foundress of Special Olympics. She died on August 11, 2009.

She believed in the full humanity of all those with disabilities and would lead her to dedicate much of her life to their cause and the inauguration of the first Special Olympics in Chicago, 1968, only weeks after the assassination of her brother, Robert Kennedy. The Special Olympics oath simply states, “Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”  Once, speaking to the Olympians she said, “You are the stars and world is watching you. By your presence, you send a message to every village, every city, every nation. A message of hope, a message of victory.”

Re-read Moses’ code of conduct contained in today’s selection from Deuteronomy, and understand its extreme relevance for today, especially at our international borders. Indeed, God’s nearness within you makes all the difference for someone.

Fr. Paddy Gilger, S.J. helped me write this.

Fr. Alex Steinmiller, C.P., will reside in the Holy Name Community of Passionists in Houston, Texas, effective September 2019.

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 9:6-10
John 12:24-26

Reflection:

When Jesus talks about the grain of wheat dying to give life, he isn’t primarily talking about physical death. The grain of wheat gives up its image of itself, its identity, and its closed-in existence in order to sprout into new life. It remains alive, but more fully so.

We who follow Jesus are called to do the same throughout our lives, in ways big and small, right up until the time of the physical deaths of our bodies. We have to let go of many things and die to many things, in order to become more alive in Christ.

Since I am a competent, independent, highly active person who travels the country for work, sometimes I have to be smacked hard to be reminded of this. My “smack” began on Mother’s Day weekend when a freak accidental fall broke my hip, requiring a total hip replacement. Suddenly, I was an invalid, dependent on others to even get out of bed. I had to cancel engagements and admit my frailty. I had to learn patience with a body that knew the slow path to healing and wasn’t about to be bullied into haste. I had to allow others to serve me instead of the other way around. I had to accept a different pace of life and a different sense of accomplishment. (When was the last time you celebrated the fact that you could bend down and tie your own shoes?) In short, I had to repeatedly let go of my self-defined identity and self-reliant existence.

As all these little deaths added up, our life-giving God slipped in. In the quiet and inactivity, God opened up the hurts and difficulties I had suppressed when I was “too busy” to pay attention to them. I reflected on my relationships, my goals, and where God was calling me. I adopted again the stance of a child – not proudly self-sufficient, but reliant on the one in whom I live and move and have my being. I let go. Necessary things died. I grew, even as I became more grounded.

I am still recovering as I write this. Yet I am again living in the sure knowledge that all I have, all I own, all of my abilities, and all of my successes can disappear in an instant. I am not in control. Yet no matter what happens, as Paul wrote: “God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.” In every death, God will give me what I need to bring life. I am trying to do a better job of living into that reality. Even if it takes a good smack to remind me.

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:

Deuteronomy 4:32-40
Matthew 16:24-28

Reflection:

Edith Stein, Finding What is Solid       

The opening prayers of Mass can be a bit of a stew. The ingredients remind us that we are unworthy, we are sinners, there is often a plea to strengthen our faith, and hope that we continue the journey that will bring us to eternal life. Other vegetables or a cube of meat are thrown in at times.

Examining this first course of our banquet at the table of the Eucharist I do not like to admit my human fragility or say I am a sinner. Humbly acknowledging how much I need this grace is not so appealing. Faith says much: the unearned, infinite and creative love of the Father, Jesus leading us to the Father, and the Holy Spirit with us. And finally, the journey leading us eternal life. This is a stew, nourishing, some un-tasty tidbits.

I have heard the expression, “I’m in a stew”. It’s not common. It describes a negative feeling we can have. We are swirling around. The events of life are all blending together and the definites of joy, goals, priorities or loves are not setting our compass. Life is just one course, and the solution is not adding a bit more spice!

Our Scriptures this week, today, and the feast day of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, Edith Stein, may speak to us in moments when we crave something solid.

This is the week of the Transfiguration. Tuesday, we heard Luke tell that event. Today and yesterday we hear what leads up to the Transfiguration in Matthew’s gospel. There is the first prediction of the passion, the rebuke to Peter after he acknowledges Jesus as Messiah (Peter and the disciples cannot comprehend that Messiah will suffer and so sagely suggest it be omitted!), Jesus then teaches all of us to follow him, taking up our cross. We must lose our life. Can we think of something to exchange for it? These are gospels that swirl us around.

Teresa Benedicta of the Cross had just completed her final book when soldiers came on August 2nd to take her, and her sister Rosa, from the Carmelite convent in Echt, Netherlands. They marched them down the street and put on a train to Auschwitz, their papers stamped, NO APPEAL. The punishment was swift, execution on August 9th. Tangential witnesses tell a little of the events, but we know from other Jewish people who rode the trains to the camps of the degrading treatment and cruelty inflicted on innocent men, women, and children. What a vortex of meaningless horror to be sucked into. Philosopher that she was she must have rewritten in her mind the pages of her last book, “The Science of the Cross” with these final experiences. A witness offers evidence of a commanding presence in a railroad yard at night, calling, really ordering water be bought to help her companions. With Rosa and a Sister of St. Joseph of Trevere, she went into the gas chamber to be one with her Jewish brothers and sisters.

Whatever our ‘being in a stew’ is, may the Scriptures nourish us, and the intercession, life, and death of Edith Stein help us. When life swirls around us, all that nourishes us, perhaps indistinguishable, is here. Take up the Cross, in losing life we will find.

Fr. William Murphy, CP is the pastor of Immaculate Conception parish in Jamaica, New York.

Scripture:

Numbers 20:1-13
Matthew 16:13-23

Reflection:

Though Faith anything is possible

Faith is the foundation God wants us all to build from. Without faith everything seems to crumble and fall apart. Faith makes small things big. Faith makes the week strong. Faith can move mountains. Faith makes us see in the dark. Faith gives us courage. Faith is our foundation. God wants us to have faith in him and his divine plan so that we can be happy and look forward to the salvation that is promised to all who believe and have faith.

In the first reading, the whole congregation of Israel, which consisted of thousands of people were without water and their faith in God was completely gone. They had lost focus and were thinking about their immediate problems instead of what God had done for them and how mighty He is. The Israelites even held a council against Moses & Aaron because there was no water and demanded that they do something about it. Their faith was completely gone.

God told Moses to, “take your staff, assemble the community along with Aaron and order the rock to yield its waters.” All he wanted Moses to do was go out in faith and show the people of God that He is still in control and he will always take care of them. Moses went to do what God had asked but he did it with little faith, which caused him to strike the rock not once but twice in order for the water to come out and this act or the attitude that Moses had when he did this, did not show God’s full sanctity to the people. God said to Moses, “Because you were not faithful to me in showing forth my sanctity before the children of Israel, you shall not lead them into the land I will give them. God is faithful and he expects us to be faithful.

In today’s Gospel, God asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” and they gave him all kinds of examples, Elijah, John the Baptist, Jeremiah or one of the prophets. They quoted what everyone else was saying but inside they all knew who he really was and they had faith in Him. Jesus then asked them, “Who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter was the only one mentioned, that spoke up and he said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Simon Peter had faith in who Jesus was. Jesus said, “Blessed are you Simon, son of Jonah, the heavenly Father revealed this to you, not flesh & blood. Because Simon Peter had faith Jesus said, “You are Peter & upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of the Netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven.

Later, Jesus began to show them that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer at the hands of the Elders, Chief Priest and Scribes and be killed and rise on the third day. All he wanted them to do was have faith that this was for the good of all. Peter took Jesus aside and said, “God forbid, Lord, no such thing shall happen to you.” Peter’s faith was weakening just that fast. Without our faith and dependence on our Lord and Savior we are weak. Jesus said, “Get behind me Satan, you are an obstacle to me.” He told Peter, you are thinking not as God does but as human beings do without faith. Where is your faith?

In the end, The Church of Peter flourishes in faith and is immune from error. There is no need for us to wonder at this, since the Lord said to Peter, “I have prayed for you, Peter, that your faith may not fail (Lk 22:32).

Deacon Peter Smith serves at St. Mary’s/Holy Family Parish in Alabama, a religion teacher at Holy Family Cristo Rey Catholic High School in Birmingham, and a member of our extended Passionist Family.

Scripture:

Number 13:1-2, 25-14:1, 26-29a, 34-35
Matthew 15:21-28

Reflection:

I knew all about plants, or so I thought. Then I started reading Brilliant Green, The Surprising History and Science of Plant Intelligence, by Stefano Mancuso and Alessandra (2015). Just reading the book’s title and inside jacket, I learned things that while I had heard, I never really thought about, like plants have been on earth longer than we have. Reading into the book I learned that plants possess fifteen more senses than we do. The following fact that was right in front of me all my life—you can cut plants, sometimes as much as 90% and get this—they don’t die, they keep right on growing. Of course, I knew that the more I cut the grass around my home, the more it grew. I always thought that was more a nuisance than amazing characteristic.

Like learning more about plants that have always been part of my life, I read today’s gospel and I find that even at my ripe old age of 74, I have more to learn. I was taught to follow Jesus, he had all the answers and could point out the way, especially in turbulent and confusing times. I also remember hearing that Jesus had to grow in his understanding of his mission, that Jesus was human and had to develop just like me, but I always assumed that was in the first 30 years of his life before we meet him in the gospels. In today’s gospel selection we see the mature Jesus learning from a Canaanite woman (a marginalized person in Jesus’ time) about his mission and widening his view as to whom he is being sent. The persistent woman seems to be a distraction to Jesus at first. He tells his disciples:

“Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.”
“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” MT 15:23)

The Canaanite woman perseveres, and Jesus has a change of heart:

“O woman, great is your faith!
Let it be done for you as you wish.”
And her daughter was healed from that hour. (MT 15:28)

I know I can take this passage to suggest that I must hound God in prayer for what I want, but I can also see that even Jesus had to learn as he grew. Thank you, God for Matthew who told the story the way it actually happened, not the way he may have wanted it to play out. Help me today to continue to grow and to tell my story like it is and not like I might want it to seem.

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