Claire Smith

Scripture:

James 5:9-12
Mark 10:1-12

Reflection:

Have you ever seen those billboards that advertise, “No Fault Divorce: $139.00”? Or type the word “divorce” into your favorite search engine and notice the entries that begin with… “Complete paperwork in less than thirty minutes”!  As I write this, the media offer us the joy and inspiration of the nuptials of Harry and Meghan —  the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and I am preparing a weekend retreat for Married Couples. We revel in marriage, honor it, celebrate it… even if fewer people are embracing the reality today. Today’s readings offer us helpful guidance through it all, and it behooves us to pay attention.

Initially, it seems there are two responses to our Gospel: First, the responsibility that each of us has to walk with those suffering through the painful experience of separation or the dissolution of their marriage. It is often long years in coming, and long years in the settlement and in the adjustment. The upheaval of life is immeasurable; the sense of failure and fear can torture our souls. Psalm 6 voices it so well: “…all night long I drench my bed with tears; I soak my couch with weeping. My eyes are dimmed with sorrow.” Our work performance is hindered, and friends and family don’t know how to relate to us, so they begin to withdraw. As the Baptist pastor/author, John Piper, says… the death of a spouse is clean grief, but divorce is dirty grief, because it is compounded by courtroom controversies, the awkwardness of visitation rights, and countless other raw, emotionally festering wounds.

Secondly, the Gospel offers little wiggle room, much like the admonition of James in today’s first reading: “Let your “Yes” mean “Yes” and your “No” mean “No.” When Jesus replies to the Pharisees, he is alluding to Deuteronomy 24:1-4. Today we might better appreciate the straightforward rhetoric and clear stand, perhaps, because we are so used to slippery language from public figures. But Mosaic culture was male dominant, obviously, so Jesus’ words are not only a reflection of God’s ideal for God’s people, but also the reflection of the hardness of the human heart in a patriarchal culture, and how to manage woundedness and sin in a particular people at a particular time.

Once again we are called to hold the paradox in a dynamic tension, offering what Pope Francis calls the “revolution of tenderness” as we listen, console, and comfort our loved ones.

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

Scripture:

James 5:1-6
Mark 9:41-50

Reflection:

For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink  because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward. Mark 9:41

Years ago when I first arrived at the seminary in Normandy, Missouri, there was a beautiful statue of the Sacred Heart outside. The statue had been damaged by a storm and the hands were missing. For first three years there I thought it was sad that an otherwise beautiful image of Christ was ruined. But after some wonderful classes taught by Fr Leo Patrick Brady, CP, on the Church as the Body of Christ, I received my first deep understanding that my hands are the hands of Christ!  Through Baptism we are all members of Body of Christ. In my little world the only healing hands that touch and heal others are mine.

When we service members of Christ’s Body we are indeed repairing and enabling the members of Jesus, we are all active in making Jesus present by many ministries that have high maintenance needs.  We need to make serious efforts to support the various members of Christ’s Body.  Some might have to support young families raising their children in a hostile secular world.  Grandparents need confirmation encouraging their extended families to remain faithful to their Catholic traditions. Catholic teachers need support from parents.

Clerical and lay pastoral workers need affirmation in their evangelization. The many people who work so hard to support the religious orders and organizations in their spread of Gospel need our grateful appreciation.  Many people serve on liturgical committees or in the choir, who practice for hours working to raise our hearts in worship!   There are so many people giving hours of care to the sick and elderly.  Our parishes are treasure houses of the compassion of Christ!

Mark Twain said: “I can last two months on a good compliment.” While we should have good hearts for all of God’s children, we should especially be sensitive to the multiple of members carrying on the work of the Living Christ!

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

Scripture:

James 4:13-17
Mark 9:38-40

Reflection:

When I was working at Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center in Sierra Madre, CA, the ministry team would conduct a guided retreat for five days during the summer. One of the priests who helped us in this served at a parish in a town that also had at least two Protestant churches. If I remember correctly, one Protestant church was named Trinity Church. The other was named Holy Trinity Church. And the Catholic Church was named Most Holy Trinity Church. I find this humorous, but it does point to what can be unnecessary divisions among us.

This is what I get from our Gospel reading for today. The apostle John sees a man driving out demons in Jesus’ name, and tells Jesus that he and others tried to stop him because he was not part of their group. But Jesus says, “Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us.”

It seems especially so in our society today that Jesus’ attitude is hard to come by. We can be in such adversarial stances that it can seem impossible for people to work together. Have you ever watched some “talking heads” on some TV news program where they seem to be arguing even though they are saying pretty much the same thing? But they could never be caught agreeing with each other.

For Jesus, driving out demons is not a contest. What’s important is that people are healed and shown the way to salvation. What would I gain, for example, by dismissing the work of an inner city Protestant pastor, or Jewish rabbi or Muslim imam, that was meeting the needs of people, just because they weren’t Catholic? There can be a danger in relativism, but I’m not sure Jesus would approve of stopping good works because of it.

My hope is that more and more people of good will can come together to address the needs of the people and care for the earth. We don’t have to be always against others to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Fr. Phil Paxton, C.P., is the local superior at St. Paul of the Cross Passionist Community in Detroit, Michigan. 

Scripture:

James 4:1-10
Mark 9:30-37

Reflection:

I always thought my mother was the person who formulated the saying, “Ask for it the right way or you’re not going to get it.”  I see in the Scriptures today that James beat her to it.  They both had the same message, however.  James makes it clear that we had better know what we are asking for and then ask for it in the right way.  If the request is all about me – me – me, we will have a long wait for a positive response.  Our Scriptures today call us to a single mindedness in making our requests.

James reflects on the tragedy of our splitting ourselves into two minds.  The one mind knows God, hears the call to holiness and righteousness  and makes choices in a manner that leaves self behind and focuses energy on moving into a closer identification with the mind of God.  At the same time, James says, we sometimes are wrapped up in self so intensely that self and what we are able to gain from the world becomes the object of our energies.  This mindset is at odds with the first mindset focused on the Lord which leads to internal wars, conflicts and hostilities that become reflected in our relationships with God and one another.  Recognizing this, James laments we are in danger of becoming people “… of two minds.”  Our only remedy is repentance              which cures our double mindedness and returns us to people with a single minded focus on walking gently with our God.

Saint Mark allows us to listen in while Jesus confronts the double-mindedness of his disciples.  They are well into their three year walk with Jesus.  Yes, they recognize Jesus as sent by God.  Yes, they see that Jesus has brought the grace of the Kingdom of God to everyone, especially the sick, oppressed, marginalized, sinners, and lowly ones.  Yes, they even entertain hope against hope that Jesus is the Savior.  At the same time, they find themselves reaching out for a piece of the action.  Their other mindedness is looking for earthly power, glory, and adulation.  They wonder and argue aloud with each other about whether their importance will be recognized, appreciated and acclaimed.  In today’s gospel, they are caught hedging their bets, looking in both directions at once.  In the words of James, they are experiencing internal wars, conflicts and hostilities which are playing out in their interactions with each other.   At this moment, Jesus introduces the “child”.  Jesus assures them that if they receive a child in His name, they receive not only Him but the One who sent Him.  This doesn’t sound so strange to our ears but try to imagine hearing this for the first time in Galilee at that time.  A child had no rights.  A child was considered the property of a parent in the same way that a parent owned a beast of burden or a table or a water jar.  A child had little societal significance.  When Jesus tells his disciples if they wish to be first, they must be the last of all and the servant of all and then places the child in their midst, he is calling them back to single mindedness.  He is telling them to stop thinking of themselves.  He is telling them that discipleship necessarily entails a single minded focus on reaching out to the lowly, the insignificant, the marginalized, the despised, the oppressed and, yes, to sinners, even unrepentant sinners in the name of Jesus.

This will be the sure sign that a person has chosen a single minded, single hearted manner of living his or her life.  Perhaps our Scripture today calls us to quell any warring factions within ourselves.  End the internal hostilities and fighting and regain a single minded focus on living the characteristics of discipleship enjoined upon the followers of Jesus by St. James and St. Mark today.  The grace and strength to live this single mindedness – this is the right request, asked in the right way.

Fr. Richard Burke, CP, is a member of St. Paul of the Cross Province.  He lives at St. Ann’s Monastery in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church

Scripture:

James 3:13-18
Mark 9:14-29

Reflection:

This year, for the first time, this Memorial must be celebrated by everyone choosing to attend mass , according to a new directive from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.  The “must be” in this statement does not mean it is a new holy day of obligation, but rather that anyone who freely chooses to celebrate mass on this day is no longer free to choose from a whole series of options (which we have called “votive” masses) but must choose the mass formulary entitled MEMORIAL OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, MOTHER OF THE CHURCH (which apparently is not yet available).

So anyone choosing to celebrate mass today must use this Marian prayer form and not arbitrarily, as was previously done, choose the Mother of Sorrows or the Immaculate Conception or The Mother of Holy Hope, but rather THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, MOTHER OF THE CHURCH.  Pope Paul VI (to be canonized with Oscar Romero in October of this year) is the most authoritative spokesperson describing Mary in this way, which he did November 21, 1964, during the course of Vatican II.

We may wonder at the newness or difference involved in calling Mary the Mother of the Church, since we have been calling upon her as the Mother of God for centuries, a title that no other can equal in importance.  And, as we know, we are accustomed call upon her with many titles.  But there have been periods in the history of the church when calling on Mary with certain titles has proven difficult for certain groups, as if attributing to her some of these titles that we find in certain litanies devoted to her derogate from or diminish the honor and glory that belong properly to God.  And even now, in the breviary (the prayer book, used daily by priests and deacons) the layout of this official prayerbook of the church gives priority to a section devoted to the “dedication of a church” before it provides access to prayers devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Should it not vice versa?  But, in general, these quaint arrangements have little effect on our prayerful devotion to Mary, nor do they diminish the status of Mary in God’s plans for her and us.

So we are indebted to Blessed Pope Paul VI, soon to be recognized as a saint (in November of this year).  And there is room to wonder whether Fr. Barnabas Mary Ahern, a now deceased member of our Holy Cross province, might not have been instrumental in bringing attention to this title of Mary as Mother of the Church, given his notable devotion to Mary.  For he was part of the American contingent of bishops and theologians attending the first part of the 2^nd Vatican Council, and Cardinal Albert Meyer of Chicago took along with him to the council as his theological advisor, Fr.  Barnabas Mary Ahern, C.P., whose biblical expertise together with his notable devotion to Mary might well have proven instrumental in persuading the American bishops at the council to highlight the prominence of Mary as a center of their efforts at the council.  At any rate, it is fitting that this new feastday of Mary occurs for the first time in May this year, the month dedicated to Mary, and, in the future, it will occur on the Monday following the feastday of Pentecost.  For it is likely that Mary was part of the large group of people assembled in the Upper Room, in Jerusalem, on the occasion of Pentecost, often called the birthday of the church, and she could certainly claim preeminence among the members of the church that was born on this occasion, as mother of the church.

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

Feast of Pentecost

Scripture:

Acts of the Apostles 2:1-11
1 Corinthians 12: 36-37, 12-13
John 20:19-23

Reflection:

Today we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost.   This great feast marks the birth of the Church as we remember the coming of the Holy Spirit onto the disciples gathered in Jerusalem.   Just before Jesus returned to the Father having fulfilled his mission, he told his disciples to remain in Jerusalem until he sent the Holy Spirit upon them.  So, they waited.

In our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles the coming of the Holy Spirit is described for us.  First, a great roar of wind, then tongues of fire over the heads of those gathered, finally they all raise their voices in praise of God and in testimony to what Christ has done for us.  They made such a ruckus that many of the people visiting Jerusalem from many different countries gathered around the building the disciples were in to see what was happening.  And they were amazed at what they heard and even more amazed because they heard the testimony of the disciples about Jesus in their own languages.  And many were converted on that day.

In the second reading Paul continues to reflect on the impact the Holy Spirit had on whole of the Christian community.   Through the Holy Spirit every member of the community is united with one another and with Christ, making them the living body of Christ.  Every spiritual gift, form of service and good work is the result of the presence of the Holy Spirit in the community.  It is the Holy Spirit who enlivens every member of the community and empowers them to be witnesses to what Christ has done and is doing for us.

And in the Gospel, we are reminded that our witness is to bring the peace and forgiveness of Christ into our world.

We remember this glorious moment of God’s intervention into human history and celebrate the living community that came from it.  We also pray for the grace to be who we are, today’s faithful witnesses to God’s love for the world and Christ’s living presence in it.

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

Scripture:

Acts 28:16-20, 30-31
John 21:20-25

Reflection:

When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus said to him, “What if I want him to remain until I come? What concern is it of yours? You follow me.” John 21: 21 – 23

With these readings, the Church concludes the Easter Season. Paul the Apostle, the missionary disciple, ends his life under house arrest. His proclamation of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus the Christ has led him to be a prisoner for Christ. It was Paul’s preaching that opened the Church to all peoples of good faith to be baptized in Jesus’ name. Would the Church continue after his death?

John the Evangelist ends his Gospel with this appearance to some of his disciples and one more instruction for Peter. The Acts of the Apostles concludes with Paul, knowing that he would soon be executed. This is how the Season of Easter ends.

The next day the Church celebrates Pentecost.

But today’s readings leave us with a feeling of uncertainty for the future of the followers of Jesus in John’s Gospel and for the future of the emerging Church in the Acts of the Apostles. Most of us do not do well with uncertainty, especially when it comes to envisioning what our future should be. We become like Peter, who loses focus on what is the most essential task before him, the following of Jesus, and begins to worry about how John the disciple is going to fare in the future. It is this kind of worry and concern that Jesus responds with a very startling comment, “What concern is it of yours? You follow me.” We almost hear Paul saying to us, “But I shall show you a still more excellent way” as he prepares to tell us about what real love looks like. Nothing else really matters.

If we dare to follow Jesus, then our future is assured. The future is not markets, or polls, or political parties or economic success or any of those worrisome realities. Yes, these things are included in our future, but our future is about the following of Jesus and it is about helping others follow Jesus. It is about the witness of Gospel values, values about truth, respect, integrity, the dignity of life, care for the hungry and thirsty, the care for mother earth, for the quality of life for all human beings, words that save and do not violate and destroy.

There are many people who will not follow Jesus and the Gospel, and they will try to put us to death, as they did Paul and the early church martyrs. It’s good that we pray for their conversion, but it is even better when we create a culture of Gospel values that will always overcome the evil ways that humanity has devised for us. We are not helpless in this situation. We will overcome! As Jesus said: “You follow me!”

Fr. Clemente Barrón, C.P. is a member of Mater Dolorosa Community in Sierra Madre, California. 

Scripture:

Acts 22:30; 23:6-11
John 17:20-26

Reflection:

Today’s readings seem to be starkly at odds because they exhort us to embrace what appears to be such radically different behavior.

The reading from the gospel of John continues Jesus’ discourse to his disciples the night before he died. In one of the most poignant passages of the New Testament, Jesus prays “that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you….” Those words go straight to our hearts because Jesus articulates a vision of harmony and unity, of deep intimacy and abiding peace, which are the very things for which all of us long. We hunger for a world in which there are no more divisions, no more alienation and estrangement, no more arguing and shouting, no more hatred and hostility. We hunger for a world in which there are no more breakdowns in love. Jesus’ prayer is one we want to make our own because we know that we are brought to fullness of life not apart from one another or independent of one another, but only together. As Jesus prays: “that they may be brought to perfection as one….”

And yet, in the first reading from Acts, the apostle Paul seems more a disturber of peace than an instrument of peace. Paul is on trial before the chief priests and the Sanhedrin because of his belief in the resurrection of the dead. Instead of keeping quiet, Paul speaks out. His words lead not to harmony and peace, but to a “great uproar,” one so extreme that the commander fears for Paul’s life.

Perhaps the message of today’s readings is that, yes, we are called to live in harmony and peace with one another, but not at any price. Paul refused to be silent because he knew that Christianity stands or falls on whether or not Jesus’ resurrection—and our sharing in it—is true. Like Paul, we should not suppress the fundamental beliefs of our lives, and especially of our faith, simply not to provoke conflict and opposition. In fact, as Paul shows us, there are times when disturbing the peace is not only an act of courage, but also a powerful act of love.

Paul J. Wadell is Professor of Theology & Religious Studies at St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin, and a member of the extended Passionist family.