Claire Smith

Scripture:

Romans 10:9-18
Matthew 4:18-22

Reflection:

St. Paul reminds us:  “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.”  We could add, “How especially beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news of the Passion of Christ.”

 To preach the Passion begins with remembering Calvary: Jesus’ agony, heartache, pain and death endured out of love.  We remember, and love Jesus in return.

Then, to preach the Passion is to name the sufferings of Christ as experienced by people today, and to offer compassion.

To preach the Passion is to name the union with Christ that comes through baptism, and help people realize their pain is his pain.  He suffers not in vain.

To preach the Passion is to encourage the followers of Christ to give comfort to the sorrowing, bring hope to the discouraged, and to be a community for the lonely.

To preach the Passion is to help transform people from inflicting suffering to relieving distress, from doing injustice to working for peace.

To preach the Passion is to proclaim the cross of Christ as a symbol of victory, and the foundation for lasting joy. 

To preach the Passion means dying to self in order to welcome all people into our hearts.

How beautiful are your feet?

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:

Revelation 18:1- 2, 21-23; 19:1-3, 9
Luke 21:20-28

Reflection:

 “… another angel coming from heaven, having great authority, and
                       the earth became illumined by his splendor”    ~Rev 18:2

During the course of the week the readings have become more intense with the apocalyptic messages in both readings for today. We are just two days away from the beginning of Advent. Black Friday and Cyber Monday have come and gone. People are already thinking of Christmas and the Church reminds us of the time when the total transformation of the earth into the fullness of the Kingdom of God is coming.

As I read and reflected on the readings for today I sensed energy and movement of a force that is greater than what any human could create. A force that is a creative force that brings about something new, something full of light, such as the angel that is so full of “splendor” that the being from heaven “illuminates” the earth from its very presence. Human ways are removed and replaced by the “authority”, “might”, and “greatness” of Heaven/The Lamb. That when all has changed the wedding feast of the Lamb may begin. The coming together of the Church, the People of God with Jesus Christ. Both readings emphasis is on the glory that comes with the coming of the Kingdom of God, the wedding feast of the Lamb. That it is about light and glory, salvation and redemption. Yes, other things will pass away or lose their value because they are not of the Kingdom of God and the coming of this Kingdom is about transformation not destruction.

The challenge for us is how are we preparing for the wedding feast of the Lamb? We have had a year to transform and as the end of the liturgical year draws to a close and a new one is about to begin we take time to clean out our inner temple to prepare for the great wedding feast. May the new liturgical year bring many blessings and graces to you and your family.

Linda Schork is a theology teacher at Saint Xavier High School in Louisville, Kentucky.

Scripture:

Revelation 15:1-4
Luke 21:12-19

Reflection:

In our scriptures today from Revelation and Luke we find words of hope that are the result of a life that has as its focus, faith and perseverance.

From the Book of Revelation we read:

‘remain faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.’

And from the Gospel of Luke:

‘you will be hated by all because of my name,
But not a hair on your head will be destroyed.
By your perseverance you will secure your lives.’

To be a follower of Jesus Christ calls us to endure many trials and tribulations.  It brings us immeasurable joy and happiness as well.  The good days are times of celebration and rejoicing in God’s love and forgiveness.  The not-so-good days/times are often bereft of comfort and happiness.

To be a follower of Jesus Christ calls us to take a stand against injustice, to work to change laws that keep our brothers and sisters in bondage.  We cannot sit by and watch as people of a different color, faith, belief or walk of life are ridiculed and beaten down.

We live in times where violence, bullying, back-biting and meanness have become the norm!

To be a follower of Jesus Christ calls us to be present at the voting booth and the city council meeting, the pastoral council gathering and the march for gun control and civil rights for all God’s people!  We must take the gospel message to the streets in our neighborhoods, schools, churches and at gatherings of family and friends!

We are reminded of the greatness of God as we pray the responsorial psalm today; ‘Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!’ May our thoughts, words and actions reflect the greatness of God this day and the days to come!

Theresa Secord is a Pastoral Associate at St. Agnes Parish, Louisville, Kentucky.

Scripture:

Revelation 14:1-3, 4b-5
Luke 21:1-4

Reflection:

The Psalm refrain today echoes the plea of so many of our brothers and sisters today.
Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.

We can imagine for ourselves and for people across the globe crying out, pleading, “We long to see your face, O God!” Hear the cry of parents losing children in seemingly random attacks in bars, schools, concerts, places of worship, the workplace or a Walmart, only to hear that nothing can be done to help stop it.

Hear the cries of those forced to abandon their homes and homelands because of war and unfettered violence, only for those cries to fall on deaf ears as they search for safety.

Hear the anguish in the voices of those who tell their stories of abuse in the church and the workplace, only to be told they are not credible and ought to remain silent.

I often think about the blind beggar Bartimaeus sitting by the side of the road. He hears that Jesus is passing by and calls out to him. Only there are others who tell him to be silent. But he cries out all the louder, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.” His voice will not be silenced. Nor shall the voices today that cry out for mercy. Jesus does hear the cry of the poor.

We cannot allow our own voices to join the chorus of other voices telling those who are suffering that they should be silent. We cannot turn a deaf ear to those calling out for justice. We cannot ignore the pain of those who have been wronged. They long to see the face of God. That face of mercy is our face, our hands, and our words that will reveal God’s love to those most in need.

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:

Daniel 7:13-14
Revelation 1:5-8
John 18:33b-37

Reflection:

Feast of Christ the King

Today’s feast faces us with 2 problems: one apparent, the other real. Apparently stems from our American reaction to kings: We don’t like them!  The word “king” conjures up images of the tyrant or the despot, of too much power in one person’s hands… Herod slaughtering babies — Henry VIII or George III — denotes might, dominion, violence.

Jesus tells Pilate he’s not the kind of king Pilate imagines. Pilate’s world, like many civil leaders’ today, is a world of competition, fear, force. Little wonder Pilate is intimidated by Jesus. Jesus had no need to cling to status (remember Philippians 2 where the hymn tells us Jesus emptied himself and took the form of a slave, accepting even death?). He knew who he was, and he knew that his only purpose in this world was to testify to the truth (another thing with which many civil leaders struggle!).

Forgoing force is such an overwhelming, crushing decision. In the Gethsemane scene in Luke, Peter, in a preemptive strike, cuts off the ear of the servant of the High Priest. Jesus says simply, “No more of this.” Remember earlier:

“Princes of this world use power to dominate, lord it over others… it cannot be that way with you… Want to be follower? Serve. Wash feet. Forgive. Love enemies.”

“No more of this” and he heals the man, restoring his ear. Jesus has spent his entire ministry giving people ears to hear, so he is not about to start taking them off now. The symbolic import is that the beginning of violence is the end of dialogue. That is why Peter’s sword severs the ear. Combatants can no longer hear one another.

Finally, the problem is how I relate to truth. Jesus is Lord, but is Jesus MY Lord? My king? Who commands my love? Rules my heart? Can I say, with full integrity, that no person, no thing, takes precedence over Jesus in my life? What motivates me? Possesses me? Thrills me? …from dawn to dusk? What makes me get up in the morning? What makes me tick? Who or what rules my heart? Something does, or someone does. Or, dreadful thought, perhaps nothing does.

Fr. Jack Conley, C.P. is a member of the Passionist formation community at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.

Scripture:

Revelation 11:4-12
Luke 20:27-40

Reflection:

ALL LIVE TO HIM

“Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.” Luke 20:38. Someone asked Daniel Boone if he ever got lost in the wilderness.  He said “No never!” But he paused a little and said “I was confused for three days once”!

Many people are confused about the next life.  In the words of the movie You Got Mail the young son asks if his dead mother is alive in next life.  His father simply answers “I don’t know.”   How sad are these words seeing God gave His Only Son to die a terrible death to give us eternal life.  There are something like 200 references to eternal life in New Testament.

Jewish teachers were very confused about our final end when Jesus was preaching.  Our Lord often spoke in stories and teaching in the strongest terms about life after death.  Jesus said “You error badly” to his critics about the reality of next life.  At the moment of death many skeptics of eternal life are going to realize they made one of the biggest mistakes of their life.

In my ministry one of the most awesome experiences of my life is assisting the dying for the biggest journey of their life!  When my mother was dying in my arms I read Mark’s account of the Passion of Christ. Right when I came to the words: “And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last.” She breathed her last!   I have often thought of this event,   It was the greatest journey I ever took with mom.  What a great grace that the last thing my mother heard was God’s greatest act of love for her on the cross!

Fr. Bob Weiss, C.P. preaches Parish Missions and is a member of the Passionist Community in Louisville, Kentucky.

Thanksgiving Day (USA)

Scripture:

Revelation 5:1-10
Luke 19:41-44

Reflection:

Thanksgiving.

It has become such an ordinary word, thanksgiving. What does the word mean to you?

Here at Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center in Houston the retreat theme for the year is about humility. True humility is often found in thanksgiving.

This is the gift of the healed Samaritan in today’s reading of Luke chapter 17:11-19. He, ‘realizing he had been healed’, returned to give thanks, falling at the feet of Jesus. Humbling himself before the Lord.

If God is the architect, the healer, for all that is good in your life, you cannot help but to be humble. God is in control. It reminds me of the great youth ministry reminder, “God is God and You are not!!”

As we become more thankful for every little grace in our lives, then we are always looking to the Lord and not ourselves for those thanks.  How can we not be thankful when we stop to look to the cross and the incredible gift of love that the Lord has presented to each of us.

Today is Thanksgiving, a wonderful day to start humbly thanking the Lord for all the small and large graces in your life. We can pray as it teaches us in Psalm 145, “Every day will I bless you, and I will praise your name forever and ever. Great is the LORD and highly to be praised; his greatness is unsearchable.”

“May he grant you joy of heart and may peace abide among you.” Sirach 50:22-24

 

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