Claire Smith

Scripture:

Hebrews 7:25-8:6
Mark 3:7-12

Reflection:

In our Gospel reading, Mark relates that, even though Jesus “withdrew toward the sea with his disciples,” people followed Him, hoping to be healed. Their hopes were fulfilled, and Jesus did heal them.

Once again, we are reminded not only of Jesus’ power but of His love and mercy. We, too, can go to Jesus at any time, in any place, in any situation. We may not receive the healing or resolution we expect, or even want, but we have faith that we will receive what we need.

Our Gospel reading does speak to us about expectations. Mark tells us that when Jesus would encounter unclean spirits, they would shout, “You are the Son of God.” Mark also tells us that Jesus would warn them “sternly not to make him known.”

We see this often in Mark’s Gospel. Why was Jesus being so secretive? I have believed for some time that Jesus was being secretive about who He was, because He was trying to manage expectations. Many people at the time, and many people even now, expected to see the Savior as a kind of conquering warrior. And yet, Jesus did not save us by might or conquest as the world understands such things. He saved us through sacrifice. As we hear in our first reading from Hebrews: “He has no need, as did the high priests, to offer sacrifice day after day, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; he did that once for all when he offered himself.” His disciples needed to witness His Cross and Resurrection before they could come to understand how He would be the Messiah.

It seems to me that, even though we are called to work for justice, we are called to bring healing more than retribution. It is in the love of God in Jesus Christ that we can work against evil and oppression. May we follow Jesus in love and mercy.

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

Scripture:

Hebrews 7:1-3, 15-17
Mark 3:1-6

Reflection:

In our Gospel reading for today, Jesus is in a synagogue on the Sabbath, and there is a man there with a withered hand. The people there are watching Jesus closely, waiting to see what Jesus might be willing to do on the Sabbath. So, Jesus, knowing what’s on everyone’s mind, calls the man up front, and then asks a question: “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” Then Jesus heals the man.

As I reflected on this, I wondered if Jesus is telling us to always grasp the opportunity to do good, even if it comes across as unseemly or untimely. I was reminded of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham City Jail,” in which he tries to explain to the religious leaders who asked him to refrain from the direct action he was leading, why the work for civil rights could not wait: “This ‘Wait’ has almost always meant ‘Never.’”

There are many opportunities, both great and small, for us to do good and to save life. There are many people of good faith, even if their faith is not ours, with whom we can work to achieve good and promote life. And there is no need to wait.

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

Memorial of St. Agnes

Scripture:

Hebrews 2:14-18
Mark1:29-29

Reflection:

Today is the feast of St. Agnes, a popular (twelve- or thirteen-year-old) early Roman persecution martyr. Her life has been celebrated on this day since the fourth century.  St. Agnes is often pictured with a lamb because of the Latin word for lamb is agnus.

She is a reminder of innocence, sacrifice, and her willingness to witness what is right

and just. The Passionists have St. Agnes Parish Church in Louisville, Kentucky. (Living with Christ, January 2025, p.152)

In the Gospel Jesus states: “The Sabbath was made for humankind”. The Pharisees have taken the two great commandments: (Love God and love your neighbor) and made them into 612 regulations which focused on following the rules rather than meeting human need especially healing on the Sabbath. 

The word Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word Shabbat which means “to stop or to cease”. The

book of Genesis cites that God stopped creating and rested on the seventh day. Sabbath actually means to stop and, therefore, remember God. From this perspective, the Sabbath is not just a day off or a day of the week.  Rather, the purpose of our stopping and resting is to look back and give thanks for all that God has done in our lives. Sabbath is not something we do once a week on Saturday or Sunday.  Sabbath moments are when we stop for a few minutes and remember God’s care and love for us.  Sabbath Moments should be taken every single day of our lives.

(Mark 2:23-28 – What is The Sabbath? by diviadmin | May 25, 2021 | Mark | St. Andrew’s Enfield https://www.standrewsenfield.com/2021/05/25/mark-223-28-what-is-the-sabbath)

If we would practice Sabbath Moments daily:

• To what degree would our stress levels be reduced?
• Would our blood pressure be lowered?
• How would our relationships be enhanced?
• How much calmer might we be?

O God assist me in remembering to take some moments of every day and make them Sabbath Moments.

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

Scripture:

Hebrews 5:1-10
Mark 2:18-22

Reflection:

“…new wine is for fresh skins…”

Why do your followers not…doesn’t that sound familiar?  A typically human response – we want everyone to do as we do, to think as we think, we want life to follow along “same old, same old”.  And when they don’t or life changes, we point fingers, we accuse, we villainize or ostracize – anything to not have to face the truth!  But in truth, can life stay the same and never change?  Would that even be healthy?  What would life be like, really, if we all did everything alike and never challenged or thought outside the box?  BORING!

Jesus’ response is a wake-up call – pay attention!  When the bridegroom is with you – CELEBRATE.  Jesus came to make things new, not just to ‘patch up’ or revert back – why would he, it never works – the cloth will just tear again – and the ‘rip’ will actually be bigger and more tattered.  New wine needs new skins – new containers – it needs the elasticity and flexibility to contain the freshness and flavor of the new wine.

Are we open to preparing for something new? Are we open to the discovery; are we open to living into new skins?  Are we willing to look within first, let God show us where we need to grow, what ‘outdated’ thoughts, biases, judgments, fears or hurts are causing us to typically say “Why do you not…” what can we do to change the way we walk with the other so that we can be open to the new, to live within the both/and rather than the right/wrong?  Do we recognize the bridegroom in our midst and dare to celebrate rather than flagellate? Who is our Jesus? And what is he asking of us – individually and collectively?

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

Scripture:

Isaiah 62:1-5
1 Corinthians 12:4-11
John 2:1-11

Reflection:

You have kept the good wine until now. 

These are the words the headwaiter speaks to the bridegroom in today’s Gospel. While they were addressed on that day in history to the man who had gotten married, we can also understand them as being addressed to Jesus, the Bridegroom. They are words of surprise and confusion but also words of delight. Jesus has a way of evoking these responses in all who truly encounter Him. We come to Him filled with our own understanding and expectations. We have ideas about what we want Him to do or what He should do, and often, He defies those preconceived notions. He does something new. He does something confusing, challenging even. Yet, in the end, He does something better than we expected. 

As St. Paul enumerates so eloquently in his first letter to the Corinthians, there are many gifts the Lord wants to give us in this life, but He gives them how and to whom He wills. We should be prepared to be surprised and even challenged by their appearance, but we should always be delighted. 

Ultimately, there is one gift that Jesus wants to give to every one of His people, and this might be the biggest surprise of them all. As a bridegroom rejoices in his bride, He rejoices over us. God’s own joy… Is there any sweeter wine than that? 

Megan Silas is a Lay Passionist at Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center in Houston, Texas.

Scripture:

Hebrews 4:12-16
Mark 2:13-17

Reflection:

The word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart. No creature is concealed from him, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account. (Letter to the Hebrews, 4:12 – 13)

Our Catholic tradition has always been fascinated with the word “word.” There are 284 references to the word “word” in the New Testament. Why so many references?

We are being called to reflect upon the impact that the Word of God has in our lives, the Incarnate Word as Son of God and Son of Mary and how we are challenged to pay attention to our own words as we speak to one another. Words matter. What we say matters. So, let us take a deeper look on how today’s Word of God impacts our lives.

If you are like me, you can remember words and phrases from your past, even from your earliest moments of awareness. They came to be in our awareness and now live on forever in our memory.

I remember words that made me smile and words that made me cry. I remember encouraging words and humiliating ones. I remember words that made me angry, that offended me, words that left me confused and speechless. I remember words that invited me to go beyond my personal best and prodded me to go beyond my comfort zone. I remember words of love and how these words made me feel. Yes, words are a two-edge sword.

Early on in our lives, we learn to use words to protect ourselves. We learn to use facile words, careless words. We may have even become accustomed to speaking falsehoods, thinking that our misstatements and lies can save us from the exposure of our true selves and innermost being. Falsehoods only lead to false security. Many of us have learned this lesson painfully.

How does the Word of God touch my life? How does God’s Word challenge me and call me to conversion? At what point will I become truly convinced that God’s Word is Truth, the kind of truth that will set me free? God’s Word is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Most of us will agree that being true to our word can come at an awful price. To live a virtuous life will demand integrity, honesty and courage. We need courage to live trustworthy lives, for our yes to be yes and our no to be no. When we give our word, we give our very selves, a child of God.

Let us, then, meditate on this: And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us! Today, at this moment, we are the Word of God in our world.

Fr. Clemente Barrón, C.P., is the is the local superior of the Passionist Community at Mater Dolorosa in Sierra Madre, California. 

Scripture:

Hebrews 4:1-5, 11
Mark 2:1-12

Reflection:

The evangelist Mark depicts today’s gospel story in such vivid and dramatic detail that we feel as if we are right there in Capernaum. This must have been what Jesus’ life was like once he began his public ministry—swarms of people beseeching him for help, exhausting him with endless pleas and petitions. One of those seeking Jesus on this day is a paralyzed man whose friends have brought him on a stretcher. With people spilling out of the house, they are desperate. If they cannot bring their friend through the door, what can they do? They know their friend will be devastated if he cannot get to Jesus, so they carry him up to the roof, pull away part of it, and slowly lower him down until he is at the feet of Jesus.

This riveting story carries an important reminder: All of us are called to Jesus, but none of us reaches Jesus on our own. We come to Jesus through the help, encouragement, support, and guidance of others, just as they come to Jesus through us. Today’s gospel offers a breathtaking picture of true friendship at work because the friends who bring the paralyzed man to Jesus do whatever is necessary—even if it means going to extremes—so that he can reach Jesus.

The Christian life is a journey to God, but we cannot manage that journey on our own. Like the man in today’s gospel, we need companions on our journey to help us stay close to Jesus and to draw us nearer to God. That’s the inescapable truth in this gospel story. If any of us are going to find Christ in our lives, we need others to help us. After all, if it is true that the paralyzed man could never have gotten so close to Jesus without the help of his friends, it is equally true that the paralyzed man, in his undisguised need, brought them to Jesus as well. When it comes to the Christian life, if we don’t do it together, we don’t do it at all.

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:

Hebrews 3:7-14
Mark 1:40-45

Reflection:

When I read today’s Gospel, I think of and am struck by the faith of the leper. In his despair, in his loneliness, his aloneness, in his impossibly difficult situation, he seeks out the Lord, kneels before Him, and asks in faith to be made clean. And the Lord in His mercy and love, heals him. The leper’s request was no small ask. His healing would transform his life, his relationships, his very existence. Shouldn’t we approach the Lord with the same faith and desire as the leper?

In the Gospels Jesus speaks much to us about faith. “Go, your faith has saved you”, He says after performing so many of His healing miracles. ( eg:Mt 9:22 ) He also tells us we can move mountains if we have faith the size of a mustard seed (Mt 17:20 ). How strongly the Lord calls on us to have faith. We try, and when things are going along smoothly our faith can seem strong. Then when difficulty comes, when we are really struggling, our faith can falter.

Do we truly believe in all the Lord can accomplish in our life? That we can be healed or grow in virtue in an area of our life we never thought possible. That a loved one can return to the faith or that we can be reconciled with a family member or friend we haven’t talked to in forever. Do we believe Our Lord is present in the deep divisions in our country or in the isolation we are currently experiencing in the pandemic? Our Lord asks us to be like the leper. To trust in faith all He can do in our lives.

The Eucharist is the source and summit of our Catholic faith and the mass gives us a beautiful moment to become like the leper in our faith, in our desire to be made clean, and in our plea before the Lord. On our knees as the priest holds up the host, believing in the Lord’s presence in the sacrament we are about to receive we say, “Lord I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof”. About 5 or so years ago, after completing that prayer, I began to add in silence the prayer of the leper…..”Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean”. I then proceed in faith to the altar to receive the Lord in the Eucharist, trusting He alone can heal me. He alone can transform me. He alone can save our world.

Steve Walsh is a retreatant at Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center in Sierra Madre, and a good friend of the Passionist Community.