Claire Smith

Scripture:

Acts 4:8–12
1 John 3:1–2
John 10:11–18

Reflection:

We are invited to reflect upon the Good Shepherd gospel from Saint John today.  We may have visions of white, fluffy lambs over the shoulder of a long-haired, sturdy, bearded, young man who exudes a ruggedness that says, “I will protect you”.  Perhaps we see that same man with a crook in his hand standing in the midst of a flock of sheep who never lose sight of their shepherd.  For sure, the image is a time honored and noble one but one that requires a great deal of imagination from us.  Few of us today have spent time on a farm or in any countryside where sheep herding is a common sight.  In my neck of the woods, the few sheep we may see are safely locked up inside their fence or corral, protected from enemies by electricity and barbed wire.

Perhaps we need to think in terms of another image which may speak to us of today’s gospel message.  The image may be different for each of us but I suggest there is one there in our lives if we look.  Fourteen years ago, I bought my older sister a German Shepherd puppy to replace her dog which had died two months earlier.  She lives a five hour drive from me.  I picked up the puppy and kept it with me for five days before driving it to her house.  In those five days, Mia and I bonded so closely that for fourteen years she stayed at my feet and next to my bed every time I went to visit my sister.  When I walked into the house Mia would run to me and my sister would say, “Well, I guess I’m chopped liver until you go back.”   This is the kind of closeness Saint John is attempting to describe with his image of the Good Shepherd.  It is a closeness that is warm, personal and protective.

If this be the case, what are we to do to make this Scripture come alive for us?  First, I suggest we look to the heart of the message.  Jesus as Good Shepherd is really about relationships.  It is one of St. John’s ways of thinking about and visualizing the relationship which exists between Jesus and His followers, between Jesus and us.  This is a relationship that is intimate.  All parties know each other very well.  They call each other by name.  They feel safe with one another.  They are deeply protective of one another.  They know each other’s voices and respond almost automatically because the voices reveal hearts touching hearts.    Do we truly believe that this description of our relationship with the Lord is the foundational fruit of the Resurrection of Jesus?  Such bonds form the foundation of our baptismal life with the Lord and each other.  Such bonds can never be broken, torn apart or dismantled by any power or force.  It is the most excellent Easter gift Jesus gave to us.

In the Acts of the Apostles, Saint Luke makes it extremely plain through the words of Peter.  Jesus is the cornerstone of our relationship.  All rests on and in Him.  The cornerstone of our relationship with the Lord will never crumble or be dislodged because it rests on a once and for always sacrifice, sealed with the blood of Jesus and now basking in the glory of the Resurrection.  Saint John says it all once again in his first letter.  “We are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed.  We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.”  Saint John is saying that since the Resurrection of Jesus, we live our lives in the intimate, warm, protective relationship of child to parent and that with the passage of time, it will only get better.

Today’s Easter message invites us to understand ourselves as loved beyond our imagination.  We may not always understand why but Saint John, both in his Gospel and in his letter, wants us to understand that we are firmly grounded in divine love, that God is on our side at all times, and that Jesus our Good Shepherd always has our back.

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

Scripture:

Acts 9:31-42
John 6:60-69

Reflection:

St. Anselm, whose feast day we celebrate each April 21, was a member of the monastery of Bec in France, when he was elected abbot there.  But since his abilities were considerable, he was also later elected archbishop of Canterbury in England.  This dual church leadership position occurred at a time when the current separation between France and England was less prominent than it now is. But he was soon in conflict with the English monarch and went to Rome to gain the support of the Pope, who gladly provided that.  He returned to his archdiocese in England, with a new monarch ruling the kingdom, and once again Anselm found himself in disagreement with this new king, so he returned to Rome to gain its support once again, which he received.  Eventually he and the king reconciled, so he returned to his see in Canterbury where he remained till his death.

Anselm was not a man whom kings could easily push around, and that was an advantage of which he had reason to be proud.  But, along with this achievement, he has come down in the pages of history, at least of church history, as a great theologian, representing a developing phase of theology, to be known as scholasticism, which was undergoing a change as a result of bringing a new emphasis on one’s power of reason about the workings of God in this world of ours, with the aid of some new tools of philosophical speculation that were beginning to pervade western Europe at this time.  Anselm was at the cutting edge of Catholic thinkers of the time who saw potential in this new style of speculative thought, when brought to bear on God and His works.  So, amidst all his other involvements, Anselm began to write a theology inspired by this new style of thinking and speculation.  An influential book of his was named WHY DID GOD BECOME MAN? (Cur Deus Homo?)  His provocative motto was : fides quaerens intellectum (faith seeking understanding).  He was of the strong opinion that faith was not to be accepted simply on the fact that it is authoritatively presented us, e.g., in the bible, but that its strength in throwing light on divine things that perplex and mystify us could be explored in new ways to enrich our understanding of God.  The upshot of this was that we should not only accept our faith, but study and reflect on it, so that we are personally enriched by it so as to better understand the works of God underway in this world of ours.  As a result of this conviction of his, he is regarded as the Father of Scholasticism, which is a type of theology that calls upon philosophical speculation to methodically  understand the works of God in this world of ours.

He authored an influential book, CUR DEUS HOMO?, which has become a good introduction generating  questions about things regarding God, and this has intrigued theologians over the centuries ever since.  Even today it stirs up theological speculation: WHY DID GOD BECOME HUMAN?  It spills over into that part of theology devoted to the Passion of Christ (His sufferings and death on the cross).  Why did Christ die on the cross?  This question has generated a host of answers over the centuries, based on the differing orientations and leanings of those asking the question.

So we have In St. Anselm that rare combination of scholarship and practical speculation that gave him a prominent position among the leadership people of the 11^th century, that laid the groundwork for the next generation of great thinkers, such as SS. Thomas Aquinas and Bonaventure.  Interestingly, Anselm’s question, WHY DID GOD BECOME MAN (e.g., human) elicited differing answers from these two outstanding thinkers of the 13^th century: WHY?  Out of love, mercy, concern, etc.?  Was it because we were mishandling things so miserably, or because God had a better plan for us?  St. Anselm stands at the source of these “bigger than life” questions, and encourages us to think long and hard about God’s involvement in our lives.

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

Scripture:

Acts 8:26-40
John 6:44-51

Reflection:

Jesus said to the crowds: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day.” John 6:44

What makes a missionary a missionary? This question stirred within me as I reflected on our two readings for today’s Mass. My recollections from my seminary studies are that a missionary is someone who is “sent.” Who does the sending and to what purpose? These questions are also important to our understanding of being a missionary. Using these questions, I reflected more profoundly upon the readings for today’s Mass.

Jesus is clearly calling himself a missionary. He is being “sent” by his God to identify those who are drawn to God so that they may eternal life. That is the definition of a missionary we received at school. Jesus is sent by God to bring people eternal life. Jesus knows who he is, who sent him and for what purpose. This was a new insight for me.

We look to Jesus the Missionary to better understand the true nature of being a missionary. This can be our starting point as we reflect upon the second reading for today’s Mass: St. Philip being as a Missionary Disciple.

Pope Francis introduced us to the term, “Missionary Disciple,” in his first Apostolic Exhortation, “The Joy of the Gospel.” He says: “Every Christian is a missionary to the extent that he or she has encountered the love of God in Christ Jesus: we no longer say that we are ‘disciples’ and ‘missionaries,’ but rather that we are always ‘missionary disciples.’” (Joy of the Gospel, #120) I believe that this new understanding of who we are as followers of Jesus enables us to re-read the Scriptures using this new lens of “Missionary Disciples.”

What Philip, Peter, James and the rest of the Disciples of Jesus did after the Resurrection was clearly remarkable. The experience of the Resurrected Jesus transformed them into Missionary Disciples. They became fearless as they stood before the religious and political leaders of their day, proclaiming truth, justice, forgiveness, love of neighbor, in short, the Gospel as proclaimed by the Crucified Jesus. Missionary Disciples are empowered to do what the Resurrected Jesus did for his frightened followers: to open their minds to the Scriptures and give them the Living Bread of Eternal Life for the journey. Once the Missionary Disciples of Jesus began on their missionary journey, there was no turning back.

Let us be inspired by the Missionary Jesus and his Missionary Disciples, who were once timid and afraid. Let us be courageous and become Missionary Disciples in today’s world!

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

Scripture:

Acts 7:51-8:1a
John 6:30-35

Reflection:

In his Biblical Meditations for the Easter Season, the late Passionist priest and biblical scholar Carroll Stuhmueller, CP, noted that the death of Stephen, which is recounted in today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles, strikingly resembles Jesus’ death on the cross. Like Jesus, Stephen is accused of blasphemy and “condemned to death by the Sanhedrin.” Like Jesus, Stephen “sees a vision of someone at the right hand of God” and prays that God will forgive those who kill him.

Stephen could die like Jesus only because he strove to live like Jesus. He could imitate Jesus in his dying precisely because he had given himself completely to Christ every day. And yet, we cannot adequately understand what empowered Stephen to speak so boldly “to the people, the elders, and the scribes” and to be so unshakable in the face of a violent death, unless we appreciate how thoroughly he took to heart Jesus’ proclamation in today’s gospel. When asked by the crowd for a sign “that we may see and believe in you,” Jesus responded with the declaration upon which Christians base their lives and center their hopes: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”

All of us look for something to satisfy the deepest longings and most abiding hungers of our lives. We look for something to fill the emptiness, to ease our anxiety, and to make us whole. Sometimes we never find the healing and peace we so desperately need because we seek it in things that can only disappoint us. Instead of wasting our time—and our lives—on “food” that can only leave us morally and spiritually famished, we need only to open ourselves to Jesus, “the bread of life” who offers himself to us every moment of every day, especially in the Eucharist. If we do, we will know the joy and peace that filled Stephen even in his dying.

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.

Scripture:

Acts 3:13-15, 17-19
1 John 2:1-5a
Luke 24:35-48

Reflection:

In our Gospel reading from Luke, we hear the account of an appearance of the Risen Jesus to His disciples. In the Gospel, this happens after Jesus has appeared to the two disciples on their way to Emmaus, and after He had been made known to them “in the breaking of bread,” they have returned to Jerusalem, to tell the others.

Similar to the account we heard last week between Jesus and Thomas, Jesus shows the disciples that it is really He by showing them His hands and feet, in other words, by showing them His wounds. He further demonstrates that he is not a ghost or something else by asking them for some food to eat, and then eating it. Again, it is interesting to me that Jesus demonstrates His glory, in a way, by demonstrating His humanity, his wounds and his human needs (hunger).

After Jesus has done for the disciples there what He did for Cleopas and his companion, and opened their minds and hearts to understand the Scriptures in relation to what has happened, Jesus says to them: “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.”

In our first reading from Acts, we hear Peter speak to the people in similar words: “The author of life you put to death, but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses. Now I know, brothers, that you acted out of ignorance, just as your leaders did; but God has thus brought to fulfillment what he had announced beforehand through the mouth of his prophets, that his Christ would suffer. Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away.”

The Jesus who has been raised is the same Jesus who is the Son of God become one of us, and so I see repentance as not only sorrow for our sins, but a willingness to turn back to God, a willingness to turn to God in all things, knowing that Jesus understands our human condition, and trusting in His love for us. And so repentance may not need be a melancholy exercise, it can be an exercise in hope in the future and trust in the mercy of God.

The disciples were witnesses of God’s love and mercy. They saw Jesus heal and feed and calm the storm. They saw Him raise Lazarus from the dead. They were witnesses of the power of God’s love. Jesus was not risen in order to avenge His death. He rose in vindication of His sacrifice. He rose to offer the promise of everlasting life to all. Yes, He demonstrated power, but not power as the world so often understands it. He revealed the power of God’s love, a love revealed in mercy and forgiveness and sacrifice. I must confess that I have problems with depictions of Jesus as some kind of warrior king, because I see those depictions as attempts to make God’s power conform to the our notions of worldly power, and so those kinds of images don’t ring true for me.

Do we trust in God’s power? Do we trust in God’s love? It is not always easy to do so, when we see evil or are overcome by anxiety, but celebrating Easter helps us remember the reality of the power of God’s love. May we let go of any attempts to have power over others in trying to control their lives, or getting ahead by holding others back. May we live and speak and act in the power of God’s love in Jesus Christ, trusting in the reality of Resurrection.

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

Scripture:

Acts 6:1-7
John 6:16-21

Reflection:

In the Niccoline Chapel, located in the Vatican palace, there is a famous fresco that was painted by the great artist, Fra Angelico.  This fresco portrays the consecrating of the first “seven deacons” chosen by the Apostles: St. Stephen (first martyr); St. Philip, (Evangelist); Prochorus; Nicanor; Timon; Parmenas; and Nicholas.  The consecration was occasioned by the fact that the Church and followers of Jesus was growing rapidly.  The Hellenists, Greek-speaking Jews, were complaining because their widows were not sharing equally in the “daily distribution”, i.e., the sharing of food and other material needs overseen by the Twelve.  Since the Apostles realized they needed help in order to continue to dedicate themselves to the proclamation of the Gospel — the task of evangelization we speak of so frequently today — it was decided that others should be enlisted to help so that the Apostles could continue to put the proclamation of the Gospel above all else.  Our first reading today tells us, “Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, whom we shall appoint to this task, whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

Thus, we celebrate the beginning of the ministry of deacons in the Church, an ordained ministry and sharing in the priesthood that thankfully continues so vigorously in many parts of the Church today.  I am sure that many of us are familiar with deacons in our home parish and are very grateful for their service of preaching and assistance at the altar during the celebration of the holy Eucharist.  After this momentous event in the early Church the scriptures continue and tell us that “the word of God continued to spread, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly…”  This is one of the reasons why we can continue to rejoice so heartily during this Easter season.  Thank God for our good, wise, and reputable deacons!

But we can rejoice for another reason.  Who can forget the scene portrayed in today’s Gospel from John, chapter 6?  The disciples found themselves in rough and threatening waters.  Suddenly Jesus appears, speaking unforgettable words: “It is I.  Do not be afraid.”  How frequently I need to take these words into my heart and allow them to dispel my own fears and anxiety.  We all do!  When we see the political chaos around us and the uncertainty of peace in our world — “It is I.  Do not be afraid.”  When we grieve the tragedy of young deaths in our growing opioid crisis — “It is I.  Do not be afraid.”  When we continue to see gun violence in schools and streets — “It is I.  Do not be afraid.”  We can change these things, we really can.  All we have to do is to recognize the Lord, shed ourselves of fear, and respond with resurrection courage and joy.

Fr. Pat Brennan, C.P. is the director of Saint Paul of the Cross Passionist Retreat and Conference Center, Detroit, Michigan.

Scripture:

Acts 5:27-33
John 3:31-36

Reflection:

This meditation is based on today’s Word. “The One who comes from above (heaven) is above all….He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for He gives the Spirit without measure.” (Jn. 3: 31, 33)

This is a meditation on the “world beyond our cell phones.” Yes, there is a world beyond our cell phones which is the greatest reality we have, which gives “the Spirit without measure,” and, which carries us into eternity. (You can stop right here, if that is enough to think about today!)

The other day I received a call from a friend who was in Machu Pichu, Peru. That was pretty amazing! It seems I’ve got the world in my phone. But, that is not quite true. The world that was confirmed within us at the Easter Rising of the Son of God is the world with which 1. we are accompanied, in which 2. we find the source of all wisdom and energy, and, 3. is through us and around us, whereby we find our meaning and direction, and our eternal destiny. “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life.” (Jn. 3,36) We can call this meditation the daily “WIT” prayer, if you like. That all we do today is With Him, In Him and Through Him.

That prayer form is compliments of Fr. David Knight, a preacher and a teacher. I put no superlative adjectives in front of his roles, he would not approve.

Why is this prayer form so important? Things have not changed much from those days when the original missionary disciples were harassed by the temple police. Yes people get upset when the “true truth” of the Son of God is proclaimed. Did anyone hear anything of the reality of non-violence in Christ’s Passion and Death during Holy Week? And how we are to imitate Him in His Passion and Death?

Pope Francis is about to publish a new letter to the Catholic world addressing the “truths of Christ” around which we are to imitate Him in our words and deeds, to unite us and not divide us.

Let us see where the “WIT” prayer will take us today.

Remember the opening anthem of our Liturgy today, “O God, when you went forth before your people, marching with them and living among them, the earth trembled, heavens poured down rain.” May we find each other in that march today.

Fr. Alex Steinmiller, C.P., is the administrator at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Birmingham, Alabama.

Scripture:

Acts 4:32-37
John 3:7b-15

Reflection:

My son and I have interesting conversations these days. Steven was born with a soft, compassionate heart and a desire to make the world a better place. He has also been a seeker, trying to find God in many ways and consistently asking thoughtful questions as our family actively participated in the rituals and practices of Catholicism. He was probably the most challenging member of his Confirmation cohort, though he did decide to be confirmed in the Catholic Church. Now in his late 20’s, he has become deeply attached to the Buddhist tradition, and actively volunteers and teaches at a Buddhist meditation center.

Steven and I talk about the similarities and differences between Buddhist meditation and Christian contemplative prayer (which is my preferred prayer style). We explore the common commands to care for creation and to honor the dignity and respect due to each person. He inspires me with his commitment to being a vegetarian in order to do no harm to other creatures of the earth. He asks earnest questions of me about my beliefs, and I of him. In the process, even though I have a Master’s degree in pastoral studies from a Jesuit institution, I admit that I am learning even more about my own faith, reflecting an adage that I learned as a youth – “If you want to truly understand something, try explaining it to someone else.” It is an enriching process, and I am constantly challenged to grow, clarify, and expand my thinking.

I have met many Catholics who lament such questioning of faith. However, I am encouraged about this process when I think of Nicodemus. He was a lifelong faithful Jew, a leader of his faith community, and a respected member of the Sanhedrin. He first came to Jesus at night, under cover of darkness. Perhaps he wasn’t sure enough of his budding faith to allow it into the light or admit it publicly. Perhaps given the vitriol of the debates in the Sanhedrin over Jesus, he may have felt that making his faith known risked his professional life and reputation. Or perhaps he didn’t want to risk affiliation with this young upstart in case his investigation yielded nothing. Regardless, he was willing to challenge his own beliefs and participate in discussions. His first tentative meeting intrigued him enough to keep coming back, trying to understand more deeply. He asked sincere questions, and listened even when Jesus’ answers seemed confusing (which they often were). Eventually he learned to genuinely embrace Jesus, and he became a disciple.

Nicodemus and Steven, as well as countless saints and prophets, remind me that questioning and searching are good, in and of themselves. They prompt us to go deeper rather than rely on surface assumptions or complacent belief in what we’ve “always been taught.” People of other faiths and our own young people demand this of us. In a country where almost 13% of those ages 18 – 25 are former Catholics (including my son, at least for now), I wonder whether we as a Church have failed in our ability to listen, to engage in sincere dialogue, to assume the other has something to teach us, and to be open to changing ourselves as God reveals truths in unlikely places beyond the safety of our church walls. I wonder if we rely too much on Pharisaical adherence to laws, exclusion of those who dare question or dissent, and rigid assertions of righteousness. Indeed, many of Steven’s friends have totally closed the door to anything having to do with Catholicism because of these attitudes, and it’s not likely they will ever come back.

I don’t know where Steven’s questioning will lead him. He may return to the Catholic faith of his youth at some point, or he may become a lifelong Buddhist. Wherever it leads, I know that I will love him, continue our discussions, and keep an open heart to ways his practice can inform and deepen my own. I also know that, as Jesus told Nicodemus, the Spirit blows where it will, even though we cannot see it, and that the Spirit often moves in hearts open to seeking God and truth. I know that God is at work not only in my son but also in me.

Along the way, I pray that just as the early disciples were witnesses to all those around them, both in their teachings and in the selfless ways in which they lived their lives, so I, too, may be a living witness in word and deed to the grace and faith that I’ve been given. I pray to be an instrument of God’s healing and love. I pray for wisdom to know what to say and when. Finally, I pray that I may allow the Spirit to blow freely, in Steven’s heart and in my own.

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/.