Claire Smith

The Baptism of the Lord

Scripture:

Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7 or Acts 10:34-38
Matthew 3:13-17

Reflection:

Our Lord’s baptism concludes the 44 days of Advent and Christmas. If we love  Christmas season and hate to see it end, we have only to remember Mr. Scrooge. Having met the spirits of Christmas, his conversion made him known as the man who lived Christmas every day of the year! There is a goal for us.

After Christmas day the liturgy gives us responses of faith to the mystery of the Incarnation. Stephen, John the Evangelist and the Holy Innocents invite us to ponder their responses. The first week end with Mary, Mother of God, but also one who responds as a disciple. She always listens to the Word and pondering in her heart.

Our second week of Christmas unveils the challenge of having faith. We met John the Baptist. Prompted by the Spirit he identifies Jesus as God’s chosen One. Yet John will send messengers from his prison cell to ask Jesus, ‘are you the one?’. A final act of faith must be made by John it would seem. We hear the disciples whom Jesus calls give  Our Lord various titles: Messiah, Son of God, King of Israel, Rabbi. What more could be said? But we know these are hollow titles, their meanings to be filled in by the words and actions of Jesus’ death and resurrection. The Wedding Feast of Cana, Mary’s annunciation to Jesus by the one who responded to the angel’s annunciation, sets Jesus on the work of giving glory to the Father and of being glorified by the Father.

‘As we end Christmas Matthew’s focus is on the person of Jesus. We have the identity of the one who will lead us to the Father and proclaim the Kingdom of God. What we have reflected on the days of Christmas is proclaimed, ‘This is my beloved Son. My favor rests upon him.’

Madeline L’Engle in her book ‘Wind in the Door’, the second of a quintet of children’s books that deal with the battle of good and evil, introduces a ‘singular cherubim’ by the name of Proginoskes. He helps the main character, Meg, in her battle and becomes her special friend. To her this angel of a hundred wings and a variety of eyes is Progo.

He has the mission of being a Namer, a sacred job. Progo explains that in his training he had to learn the names of the stars. When asked by Meg, ‘which ones?’ he replies with a strange expression, ‘why all of them of course! (we realize there are billions!). Meg points this out to him and he concedes that it was a bit of work, but important because each of the stars like to be called by their name when God addresses them.

Angels decorated our parish church this year, large beautiful angels suspended from the ceiling. They gathered the assembly and said something wonderful is going to take place. Two bore Advent symbols of an open treasure chest of God’s Word and a house, God will dwell with us and the Word will become flesh. An angel also hovered over a large backdrop behind the altar of our children gathered around the manger. Let us take our leave of Christmas in the company of the angles who have been with us these days. If a star’s identity is important, how sacred is ours! And how important what we hear of the identity of Jesus: the Son, the Beloved, the New Israel.

Fr. William Murphy, CP is the pastor of Immaculate Conception parish in Jamaica, New York.

Epiphany of the Lord

Scripture:

Isaiah 60:1-6
Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6
Matthew 2:1-12

Reflection:

In my life as a Passionist, and perhaps even before I joined, I have been interested in the forming of community, and how diversity may not only be tolerated, but celebrated, as we strive to come together in some form of unity. When we read the history of the Church, we see that almost from the very beginning of its existence, the Church has had to deal with how to make the Good News of Jesus Christ intelligible in the various cultures in which it found itself. And so Matthew, in Sunday’s Gospel (Matthew 2:1-12), has recounted for us the visit of the Magi, these strangers from the east, who have come to do homage to the “newborn king of the Jews.” In recounting these events for us, Matthew has shown us that from the beginning of Jesus’ life, there has been an indication that His coming was not meant only for the people of Israel, but for everyone. This is an important truth to remember as we live in a seemingly increasingly divided world.

In my life I have had mostly positive experiences encountering people from different cultures, whether it be African-Americans when I was doing ministry practicum at St. Benedict the African East in Chicago, or as pastor of St. Mary’s in Fairfield, AL, or learning Spanish at the Mexican American Cultural Center in San Antonio, or as a volunteer when I was stationed in Sierra Madre, CA, or when I made trips to the Holy Land and India. I discovered that these encounters helped me understand myself as well as those I met.

Does that mean it has been easy to enter into dialogue with people who were different from me? No, there have been times when I’ve had the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end because I was challenged by what I heard. And there have been times when I’ve been taken aback by what people have said. One of my favorite Marian hymns is “Sing of Mary, Pure and Lowly.” One day I was sharing this with a woman colleague of mine, and she told me she hated that hymn! I was completely surprised. When I asked her why, she told me it had to do with the lyrics of the first stanza. The first line of that stanza is “Sing of Mary, pure and lowly, Virgin Mother undefiled.” I didn’t think anything was wrong with that, but I did realize sometime later that those words offended her because, I think, they implied to her that all other mothers were somehow looked at as defiled, or less than pure. I learned something from that! (By the way, more recently published versions of the hymn do not have those words anymore).You may think that I’ve simply fallen into the disease of “political correctness,” but I feel that there is something more to it than that. I can’t help but think that awareness of where people are is an important aspect of being a disciple.

What we do in these encounters with different people is up to us. On one hand, the Magi’s visit to Jerusalem prodded those in the royal court to actually look at their own Scriptures! But on the other hand, Herod, in his desire to hold on to power, ordered the slaughter of innocent children in and around Bethlehem. We are not to be like Herod in the Gospel. Instead, just as Mary and Joseph welcomed the Magi when they came, and just as Jesus talked to the Pharisees and the scribes and the Roman centurion and the Samaritan woman at the well, and the Syro-Phoenician woman with a sick child, I believe we are called, in Jesus’ name, to listen to the “other” and cross the barriers that divide us, and that we can do that and still be true to whom God made us to be.

Perhaps one way we can be an epiphany, that is, a revelation, of God’s love in Jesus Christ, is to have a listening ear to those around us, no matter how different they may be.

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

Scripture:

1 John 5:14-21
John 2:1-11

Reflection:

Last Sunday coming home from Mass about 8:30 in the evening, I boarded an almost empty “L” (Chicago elevated rapid transit system) along with a rather tall, heavy-set gentleman of a different ethnic background than mine who chose to sit right next to me and rather a bit too close for my comfort. He immediately began speaking to me in a loud voice, addressing me as “pops” (he later revealed his age as 58 which means he rightfully estimated my age) I could tell by the smell of his breath and the slur of his words that he’d evidently been over served. My immediate reaction was to quickly change seats and hope that he didn’t follow. I didn’t. I put away my cell phone and started paying attention to him.

I suspect it might be a bit blasphemous for me to compare my fear last Sunday night to that of Mary’s when the angel told her “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus”  but I believe God chose Mary because of her habit of saying “yes” when called upon to love. Maybe, it’s little experiences like my encounter above that will give me the grace to say “yes” to the bigger challenges should they come my way.

This all precedes today’s Gospel selection, were we read about the miracle of Jesus changing water into wine. Mary has a focal role here too. She asks Jesus to do it. I find it interesting that it is Jesus’ first public miracle and that those who choose the readings for the Lectionary, put it here immediately following Christmas on the weekend we celebrate the feast of the Epiphany. Epiphany translates God being made manifest.

Maybe I can just expect a miracle and find God, whenever I choose love over fear, even if it’s only for a short ride on the “L”. Wow!

Dan O’Donnell is a Passionist Partner and a longtime friend of the Passionists.  He lives in Chicago. 

Scripture:

1 John 3:11-21
John 1:43-51

Reflection:

Children, let us love not in word or speech but, in deed and truth.

But Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Here is a true child of Israel.” John 1:47-47

So, here we are, five days into the New Year. Most articles or reflections around this time (mine included) mention something about resolutions and how they are going. Many lament how difficult it is to change bad habits or how challenging it is to cultivate good ones. At this time of year there is no lack for advice on how to turn your life around. Some people advocate elaborate systems for setting reminders and establishing rewards. Some simplify the process to just developing more willpower. And, still other say there is no hope, that your habits are part of your nature and that is set.

In our readings for today, however, we have two good examples of how we can change ourselves, our lives, and the world around us. The first, from 1 John, could be a slogan for a shoe company, if you substitute “exercise” for “love.”  For John the answer is simple. We must act in accord with our true intentions. Our deeds need to be reflections of our love for each other and our love for God. It is not enough to simply ‘talk the talk.’ And how do we know if we are actually doing this? John goes on to tell us “…if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence in God.” For myself, this can be hard. I often find I regret how I handled a situation or the words and tone I used to express myself to another, especially when dealing with complex or deeply personal interactions. But if I listen closely to my heart, it is more of a gentle chiding, a reminder to try better next time than an outright condemnation.

In our gospel reading we have a great example of personal change from Nathanael. When Philip tells him they have found the Chosen One, the true Messiah, he responds with an dismissive, ‘yeah, right!’ And yet he goes beyond his first reaction to follow and see for himself. Once he sees the Lord, he has the grace and openness to recognize Him. Nathanael doesn’t persist in his preconceived notions, but allows a new thought to arise in him.

My prayer for myself today (and for this year) is that I remain open to the new person God is calling me to become, and that I become that person in deed and truth.

Talib Huff is a member of the retreat team at Christ the King Retreat Center in Citrus Heights. He can be contacted at [email protected].

Scripture:

1 John 3:7-10
John 1:35-42

 

Reflection:

The Christmas Event & St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

Today’s Gospel selection features John the Baptist and two of his disciples meeting Jesus as he walked by – “the Lamb of God”.  This encounter led to Jesus’ invitation to “come and see” where he was staying – and ultimately, that first encounter with Jesus led to lives of dedicated discipleship.

Over the centuries countless women and men have responded to Jesus’ invitation to “come and see”, to follow him by lives of selfless service.  One such 18^th Century American woman-disciple is honored today:  St. Elizabeth Ann Seton…the first American-born saint.

Born in 1774, Elizabeth Ann was raised as an Episcopalian.  She married William Seton and helped rear their five children.  She was drawn to the Catholic faith by an Italian Catholic family whom she met while traveling in Italy with her husband.  After her husband’s untimely death from tuberculosis at age 30, Elizabeth Ann fully embraced the Catholic faith – and subsequently opened a parish school in Baltimore to support her family and witness her Catholic faith, despite rather severe protests from her anti-Catholic family and friends.

Drawn by Elizabeth’s faith and fervor, a group of young women gradually joined Elizabeth Ann in her approach to education and Christian life.  In 1809 they formed the American Sisters of Charity, following the rule of St. Vincent de Paul; later they help found other schools and orphanages.  By the time of her death on January 4, 1821, the community had expanded their valued ministries as far west as St. Louis and was involved in some twenty schools and orphanages.

Elizabeth Ann Seton was called by God to help build up the Church in her day.  As noted in today’s Gospel, Jesus drew disciples to himself and began the Church; Elizabeth Ann joined those early disciples in saying “yes” to Jesus and working tirelessly to build the Church, especially among those on the fringes of society.

The new year 2017 is upon us, and God continues to bless us with our Passionist charism as enfleshed in our holy Founder, St. Paul of the Cross, and the countless men and women who have shared in his spirit.  May we deepen our personal relationship with Jesus these new year’s days – and encourage others to “come and see” God’s love present in their lives and our world.  With St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, we pray Psalm 98:  “Sing to the Lord a new song, for God has done wondrous deeds…”

Amen!

Fr. John Schork, C.P. is a member of the Passionist community in Chicago, Illinois. 

Scripture:

1 John 2:29-3:6
John 1:29-34

Reflection:

See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. 1 John 3:1

As I scramble to write this reflection, I am surrounded by children! We are staying with our oldest son John, his wife Sheelagh, and their four kids. It is still Christmas break, so silence is a rarity! Tomorrow we move to our temporary new home which is with our second son and his wife and 2 children. We are on an adventure to see if we will in fact move onto an island in the state of Washington. So what is God speaking to me in this situation?

He is reminding me that even if I can’t find a quiet space to be alone with Him that He is still here. He is not only within each of us, but we can see Him in the faces of His children. They are so close to Him in their trust and faith and innocence. They mirror His love and give us a glimpse into pure beauty.

They rarely sit still, and I am reminded that life is to be lived! We can settle into a rut as we get older, and being with these bundles of energy reminds me to engage in activities that I enjoy. I need to force myself some days to get out and take a walk, but that walk always makes me feel better and more alive.

In the Gospel John refers to Jesus as the “Lamb of God.” When I picture a little lamb, I also picture little children near, wanting to hold the little guy and feel his wool. May we all become more as little children and take time to draw near to the Lamb of God each day and so receive His love. May we be open and trusting as little children and abide in Him as this New Year begins.

Janice Carleton and her husband Jim live in Portland, OR and partner with Passionist Fr. Cedric Pisegna in Fr. Cedric Ministries. She is the mother of 4 grown children and grandmother of 6. Janice also leads women’s retreats and recently published her second book: God IS with Us. Visit Janice’s website at http://www.janicecarleton.com/ or email her at [email protected].

Scripture:

1 John 2:22-28
John 1:19-28

Reflection:

How wonderful to be at the threshold of a new year. As Christians, we treasure time because it was in a moment of time that Jesus took our human flesh as his own, Jesus took us as his own.

In today’s Gospel reading, John the Baptist handles the queries about his role by saying that the one to pay attention to is the one who is still coming after him, and who is greater than himself, John.

This response of John to the priests, Levites and Pharisees is also a response that speaks to us. Priests, Levites and Pharisees are respectable religious leaders in the social fabric of the Holy Land at the time of Jesus.

Many of us are engaged in service to the Church, whether in local parish communities, in religious endeavors, or in Religious Life. Some of us can probably draw on a long history of formation and practice in the structures of the Church.

When these emissaries came to John to inquire about his preaching and baptizing, he gave them the one challenge that can bridge the gap between us and Jesus, the gap that keeps our good will from achieving all that God expects of us. “…but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.”

That person is Jesus, and the person of Jesus in our neighbor. If we hope to see the person of Jesus in our midst, we have to recognize the person of Jesus in our brothers and sisters.

New Year was popularly a time for making “resolutions.” One is enough: to look for the person of Jesus in our surroundings, and to point him out to others.

Fr. Arthur Carrillo, C.P.,  is the director of the Missions for Holy Cross Province.  He lives in Chicago, Illinois. 

Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God

Scripture:

Numbers 6:22-27
Galatians 4:4-7
Luke 2:16-21

Reflection:

 This is a feast day with several identities: the octave of Christmas, World Peace Day, the feast of the Circumcision of the Lord (Jewish tradition called for the male child to be circumcised on the 8^th day after birth as a sign of membership in God’s covenant people), and, of course, New Year’s Day.  Since the Second Vatican Council, the Church subsumes all of these under the beautiful tribute of this day to Mary as the Mother of God, a tradition that goes far back into Christian history.  In 431 A.D., the Council of Ephesus declared Mary to be theotokos, a Greek term that literally means, the “God-bearer.”

Giving Mary this remarkable title was not primarily to praise Mary—although that is certainly part of the picture—but rather to protect the church’s tenacious belief in the genuine humanity of Jesus.  Jesus, the Church affirms, is truly divine but he is also truly human—and it is that mystery of the Incarnation that enables the church to acclaim Mary of Nazareth to be truly also the “Mother of God,” because she gave birth to the God-man Jesus.  Nothing is more essential to Christian faith than this belief in the identity of Jesus, as the Incarnate Word of God, truly human and truly divine. Yet in celebrating this feast on this first day of a new year, the Church proclaims that the mystery of the Incarnation also affirms something astounding about us as human beings.  The Bible is convinced that all creation is sacred as a gift of God, as the opening chapter of Genesis describes.  But within the kaleidoscope of beauty that is God’s creation, the human person alone is made “in the image of God.”  The human person is able to love and be loved, to know and to understand—all qualities belonging to the divine.

In “becoming flesh” Jesus the Eternal Word not only became one of us but also affirms in an unimpeachable way the beauty and dignity of the human person.  This conviction finds expression in the readings for today’s feast.  So, the famous blessing from the Book of Numbers speaks of God’s great love for his people: “May the Lord bless you and keep you! The Lord let his face sine upon you, and be gracious to you!  The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace!”  As does the Psalm response that accompanies Psalm 67: “May God bless us in his mercy.”  And no emphasis on the sacredness of the human person can be stronger than Paul’s famous words in the letter to the Galatians in the second reading.  “You are no longer to be called slaves but you are God’s sons and daughters”—able to address God in the intimate terms that a child uses to address his parent, “Abba, Father!”—a phrase that seems to echo Jesus’ own way of praying to his Father.

It is vital that we as Christians remember this affirmation of human dignity, indeed of human sacredness, as this New Year begins.  We are not blind to human frailty and even the human capacity for terrible evil.  But as Christians we also remember human goodness and the human capacity for the divine.  We remember that Mary, the Mother of God, is one of us.  In so many circumstances our world seems to devalue human life: wanton violence in war-torn Aleppo, gang shootings in despairing Chicago neighborhoods, innocent life cast aside before seeing the light of day or the elderly warehoused without love or attention; desperate refugees turned away or vilified by demagogues.  Mary, Mother of God, do not let us forget our dignity and our responsibility as children of God.

Fr. Donald Senior, C.P. is President Emeritus and Professor of New Testament at Catholic Theological Union.  He lives at the Passionist residence in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago.