Claire Smith

Scripture:

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

Reflection:

 Therefore, that I might not become too elated,
a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan,
to beat me, to keep me from being too elated.
Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me,
but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you,
for power is made perfect in weakness.”
I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses,
in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me.
Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults,
hardships, persecutions, and constraints,
for the sake of Christ;
for when I am weak, then I am strong.

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The weakness in this reading from Saint Paul has always captured me.

It is counterintuitive. Boasting of weakness. This is not a language that we learn on the playgrounds of elementary school. In climbing the ladders in the corporate world there is no perfect weakness. I think we trip over ourselves trying to hide each and every weakness.

Let’s take a minute and reread Christ’s answer to the plea of Saint Paul to take away the thorn. “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness” (2Cor12:9)

His grace is all we need.

Saint Paul realized this, and what it did was make his personal weakness be a glorious strength.

What are our weaknesses? Are we prideful? Do we have cancer or another serious illness? Perhaps we have anxiety or other social issues? Maybe we just don’t think we are good enough? These weaknesses, often make us powerless. It is in this powerlessness that Christ shines the greatest.

“My grace is sufficient for you.” It’s not always an easy answer, I much prefer, ‘go in peace and be cured of your affliction” (Mark 5:34).

Unfortunately, being cured of our affliction isn’t always what is best for our salvation. What is best, only God knows.

“Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Cor12:10)

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

Memorial of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga

Scripture:

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

Reflection:

Today is the longest day of the year–or close to it.  This means we can accomplish more today than on any other day of the year.  Correct?  Not exactly, we caution.  It’s just a different disposition of our tasks throughout the 24 hours available to us.

It’s also the memorial of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, a Jesuit scholastic who died at a young age.  He’s a saint, accomplishing much in a short period of time.  Was he at an advantage over us older folks in getting a lot done in the amount of time available to him?  Or at a disadvantage?  And he is joined by other young saints in his achievements, such as his fellow Jesuits Stanislaus Kostka and John Berchmans, and young Passionists such as Gabriel Possenti, Gemma Galgani, Mary Goretti.

Well, it’s a matter of accomplishing the tasks to be done in the time available.  We call this packaging.  One way to approach this is by citing what “we have to do”: keep the 10 commandments, the 5 precepts of the church, the1752 entries in the code of canon law, the tax code weighing in at around 25 pounds, city and country ordinances, rules at our workplace–among others.  Can we repackage all of this?

Jesus does so for us today.  What is the greatest commandment in the law?  This from a scholar in Jewish law (613 laws).  Jesus responds: love God, and your neighbor as yourself.  This accounts for the whole law and the prophets.

And John comments in today’s first reading that this commandment is not burdensome for one who has faith, believing that Jesus is the Son of God.

This faith is like an elixir.  It contains all the nutrients we need for the day.  We don’t have to engage in a harried chase after scores of substitutes in order to achieve the same ends.  It’s a question of simplifying.

So, if we love and believe, we are associates of Aloysius Gonzaga and his peers in codifying “the things we have to do” to achieve our place with God.  This is a simplification well worth pursuing.

Fr. Sebastian MacDonald, C.P. is a member of the Passionist Community in Louisville, Kentucky.

Scripture:

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

Reflection:

The readings for today seem to be about simplicity and transparency.

In the first reading we find St. Paul wondering if he made a mistake in his approach to bringing the Gospel to the people of Corinth.  His preaching was straightforward and very clear.  As you recall, when Paul first came to Corinth, he did so in fear and trembling.  He had just been mostly unsuccessful in his preaching at Athens and had come to realize that it was the message of God’s love that had power, not his oratorical skills.   So, he basically spoke of Christ’s great love in accepting even death on the cross for them.  It was a powerful message and many people converted.

But time has passed.  Other evangelizers have travelled to Corinth and preached a more complex and esoteric Gospel message.  The fine rhetoric of the latest preachers has caused confusion in the community and some have strayed into strange beliefs and superstitious practices.  Paul is telling them that they are losing the simple and profound truth of the Gospel.  He urges them to return to their original faith in Jesus because it is there that the true understanding of God lies.

In the Gospel, Jesus clears away the some of the false beliefs about what makes prayer “work.”  Apparently, some believed that they needed to bombard God with a constant “babbling” of their needs and petitions.  Jesus tells them they don’t need to babble on endlessly because God already knows their needs.  And then, Jesus goes on to help us understand that the reason prayer “works” is God’s love for us and intimate relationship with us.  It is within that relationship of trust that our prayer becomes effective and nourishing.  And, the most important arenas for prayer are God’s will, daily bread (all those needs and relationships that nourish us), and forgiveness, a forgiveness that we’ve already received through God’s love and are called to share with the people in our lives.

We hear a lot of different things about what it means to be a religious person.  The readings today remind us that an authentic relationship with God needn’t be complicated or arcane.  Rather, it should be a straightforward embrace of God’s love for us revealed through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

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

Scripture:

Proverbs 8:22-31
Romans 5:1-5
John 16:12-15

Reflection:

Today on the ecclesiastical calendar we celebrate The Feast of the Most Holy Trinity.  Today we also celebrate all the fathers on this holiday “Father’s Day. “  In the Gospel Jesus is telling his disciples that He will be leaving them.  However He will not be abandoning them, but will send the Paraclete.  Some have called this periscope the “Peek A Boo Jesus! Passage.”  In other words what Jesus is doing is something all father and mothers around the world play a serious game with their children called “Peek A Boo!”  The parents are teaching their children a critical lesson for life.  In a word, parents are teaching their children that even though their children do not see their parents, they are there and will be there if they should be needed.  Their fear will be transformed into “joy.”

In our Christian life, there are periods when we feel abandoned and deserted. This period has been called the Dark Night.  In other words, there are these times when we are not able to feel God’s presence.  Great mystics/saints have had this experience. Juliana of Norwich did for 18 years, Teresa of Avila did this for 20 years, St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta did this for 25 years, and Paul of the Cross Founder of the Passionists had this experience for 40 years.  These mystics grew to know that these periods “These dark nights of the soul held profound  secrets.  It is surprising, but St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta said that she “embraced the darkness.”  Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity had a prayer many have found helpful to “embrace” this absence of God:  “O Triune God so live in me that all I think and all I  say  may be your thoughts and words this day!”

John’s passage is calling the Disciples of Jesus to a profound recognition of the Community.  He is calling them to a profound life of Holiness.  If they love God and keep the teachings of Jesus they will experience the Paraclete, who will not abandon them.  All people are called and capable of living a life of holiness.  All are called and capable of a life of contemplation. These realities are available to us as we keep alive the memory of the Passion.

Fr. Ken O’Malley, C.P., is the local superior at Holy Name Passionist Community in Houston, Texas.