Claire Smith

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 10:14-22
Luke 6:43-49

Reflection:

Jesus tells us several times to build our foundations on solid rock so they can withstand whatever threatens them. He knew that without a strong foundation, we are fearful and anxious, searching for anyone or anything that will keep us “safe” and “protect” us from the bad things of this world, whether from the local economy or global terrorism. Without a strong foundation, we have no base from which to reach out to those whose social, racial, or ethnic characteristics are not ours. We cannot be confident in ourselves, passionate about mercy, open and vulnerable, loving and willing to engage. We become exclusive, drawn inward, anxious, and self-preserving. That is clearly and unequivocally against God’s will for us.

Yet when God built the foundations of the church, of Christ’s body on this earth, did God follow Jesus’ teachings? Not really. God’s “house” is built of human stones, of people like you and me. Individually, none of us is all that stable. We are imperfect, struggling, sinful, rebellious, suspicious, stubborn, ever-learning creatures who have to consciously work, pray, stretch and grow to become half the disciple that Jesus wants us to be. What was God thinking?

Yet somehow, when we humans join together with God, we are stronger than anything that threatens us. We have confidence that even when we screw things up royally, even when we sin, even when we head in the wrong direction, whether individually or collectively, God is always there to forgive, teach, admonish, and gently lead us on to the right path.

What Jesus does, then, is take this message that seems so simple on its face and turn it on its head. It’s the same thing he did with the Good Samaritan, when he turned a question about who my neighbor is into a lesson about how to BE a neighbor to all. In this case, he tells us to build our house on strong foundations, and yet he presents us with a stark and important choice: Are WE willing to be part of God’s foundation on earth? Are we building ourselves on prayer, reflection, and service in order to become solid supports for God’s reign? In other words, we are not to build for ourselves alone or for just the foundations of our private homes and individual lives. Instead, we are to become God’s foundation in service to the world. That is a much greater challenge indeed!

So as I look at the world today, as I consider the upcoming election, and as I decide how to act and react to local, national, and global events, I must look at the ways in which I am a crumbling or cracked part of the foundation. I need to examine my motives and my life, so I can fill in the cracks with faith, mercy, justice, and compassion for all. I need to be continually re-shaped so I can be an ever-stronger part of God’s house on earth. I hope you will, too, because none of us can do it alone. Although Jesus is the cornerstone, even he is not enough. God needs us. Let’s become worthy to be his building materials.

I end with the beautiful lyrics written by Rory Cooney in his song titled You Have Built Your House (WLP 2005) and I pray that we all may become ever-stronger foundations stones for God.

“You have built your house of living stones;
Nothing of our hands can hold you.
Who can build your house but you alone? Who can hold you?
Build us into a house of prayer, a house of peace, a house of care – inn and hospice, fortress, banquet hall.
Home for all!”

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/.

Feast of Saint Peter Claver

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22b-27
Luke 6:39-42

Reflection:

When is a Work of Art Finished?

The inaugural exhibition of the new Met Breuer museum this spring was entitled, “Unfinished Thoughts Left Visible”. It raises the question, ‘when is a work of art finished?’. If the artist captures a goal of a beautiful facial expression, is the work done then and there? Can the artist skip the rest? The exhibition showed some artists who didn’t worry about filling the whole canvas with paint, and displayed modern artists whose work expressed incompletion itself and unending change.

The letters of Paul make visible for us ‘unfinished thoughts’. We can understand Paul’s unfinished thoughts as those things that are always new and never exhausted in reaching our goal. Like an athlete there is always the next event to train for, and preaching the gospel requires the strength to live the words preached. Paul would probably comment that our work is not finished. In Our Lord’s time things will be brought to completion. Our work at best is unfinished. We strive to capture the vision that we have, to show Christ present and at work among us. Christ’s work is not finished either! I don’t think Paul talks about art work. In Athens he calls his hearers to note the altar to the ‘unknown god’. Paul must have explored the Greek temple and saw all the altars and the images they contained, but he doesn’t seem to care for their beauty or creativity. He wants his hearers to know about Jesus. Paul may not have been into art, but he would have appreciated the sweat and mess and confusion behind the work of the artists. There he might have found another image of our work as we follow and witness to Jesus?

Luke says guides must see, teachers communicate to see their students grow, and our own eyes need tending before we can help others see well. In Dante’s Divine Comedy one of the groups in purgatory have their eyes sown shut and are gathered on a cliff with an long drop. They have to help one another lest someone fall off the cliff, (good luck), they ask the communion of saints for help as would beggars at a church door. In life they were the envious who looked on others only with the desire for what they possessed. They are learning now to see others as God sees them, all of us together in the unity of mutual charity. Indeed, Luke suggests something unfinished that we all work on, seeing clearly. We ask God to guide, teach and make our vision clear.

Finally, the Church gives us today, on the feast of St Peter Claver, SJ, a finished portrait. This Jesuit priest labored for forty years at the port where slaves from West Africa were brought to be sold and forced into labor, some in mines. He became one with the slaves in many ways. He met them upon their arrival at the wharfs and entered the horrid conditions below deck, he cared for them with medicine and kindness while they were on display waiting to be sold, he visited later to tend the faith of those baptized, and on his visits he avoided the lodgings of the wealthy to share the quarters of the slaves. His tireless work often met with negative criticism from the establishment, but in the end, after four years of illness, unable to minister and forgotten, at his death he was accorded a state funeral. The moral witness he lived, although not avidly embraced was heard and acknowledged none the less. We honor St. Peter Claver, a finished work of art whose grace may inspire us.

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

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 5:1-8
Luke 6:6-11

Reflection:

You are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of his flesh…

Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?”

Today’s gospel and first reading seem to send conflicting messages. In the gospel, there is Jesus, once again tweaking the noses of the scribes and the Pharisees (read: those who hold themselves in self-righteous judgement over everyone else). He reminds them, and us, that it is the spirit of the Law, not the letter, which is important. When he cures the man’s withered hand He shows that the Law must always be tempered with mercy. As He says in Mark, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” You can hear the same message today in many of Pope Francis’ homilies and meditations. This is the core lesson in this Jubilee Year of Mercy.

It appears that this message of mercy stands in stark contrast to the pronouncement from St. Paul to the Corinthians. He chides that congregation for their pride in the sin of one of their members. What does he recommend for that member that is causing this scandal? “Deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of his flesh!” How does this jibe with the instruction for mercy? If we just take this line out of context, it does seem as if St. Paul is suggesting a harsh punishment. But, within context, a deeper picture emerges.

First, let’s look at the word ‘flesh.’ There is the obvious meaning of our physical bodies. However, St. Paul also speaks of a thorn in his ‘flesh’, where he uses the word to mean something beyond his body. Could it be here that Paul is using the word ‘flesh’ for that earthly side of our self, that small part of us which can become so entangled with our desires that it keeps us from deeper communion with God? Maybe this is the ‘flesh’ Paul wishes to be destroyed. Seen in this light, St. Paul is instructing the community in “tough love.” If one of the communities not only sins, but flaunts that sin, turn them loose. Perhaps they need to hit rock bottom to come to their senses. For Paul sees the result of turning the member loose is that that “his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.”

My prayer today is that I find the strength to release those parts of myself that keep me from building up my community.

Talib Huff volunteers and works at Christ the King Retreat Center in Citrus Heights. You may contact him at [email protected].

Scripture:

Wisdom 9:13-18b
Philemon 9-10,12-17
Luke 14:25-33

 

Reflection:

The Cost of Discipleship

Quite a picture in today’s Gospel:  Jesus is travelling with great crowds; He stops and tells them that, to follow Him, you must “hate” your family and even your own life!  Strong words!  Discipleship is a great calling, but…hatred of family?  Carrying your own cross?  Challenging words to those who wanted to join His team and help spread His “Good News”…then…and now.

Jesus continues his discourse and invites his followers to consider how “costly” discipleship is.  He compares the decision to follow Him to building a tower (most likely winemaking) or going to war.  In both examples Jesus highlights that a person would be foolish to embark upon a major project without research, planning, resources, etc.

Today’s Gospel encourages us to consider our own discipleship, rooted in our Baptism “back when” in our lives.  No doubt we’ve been blessed in many ways thus far – and we’ve faced some difficult times in living out our faith in our 21^st Century world.  Jesus directly challenges us to go deeper in our hearts and check on our resources and our personal resolve:  Is Jesus 1^st and foremost in our lives?  Do “things”, or people, or possessions of any size or style get in the way?  Are we open to growth and change in our discipleship with Jesus?

“Hard”?  Yes!  “Impossible”?  No!  As noted in the first reading from the Book of Wisdom, God provides the grace, the Spirit, to help us.  And like Paul in his letter to Philemon, we have the support of one another in living as credible disciples of Jesus in our day and age — be we imprisoned or sick or elderly or experiencing any limitation.

Today we are invited to be grateful for the gift of our faith, cultivated in each of us by family and friends and our spiritual leaders.  Likewise, we are grateful for our 21^st Century discipleship and whatever vocation we’ve received from God.  We are encouraged to continue growing as disciples, accepting the challenges and crosses that are part of our lives – helping each of us to not just be “one of the crowd,” but truly unique, faith-filled and loving disciples.  May we be blessed as we credibly share our faith and our gifts with our needy sisters and brothers world-wide.

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

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 4:6b-15
Luke 6:1-5

Reflection:

The Lord is near to all who call upon him. Psalm 145:18

Friends recently lost their 22 year old son in a car accident. What a heavy cross to bear! I am so glad that they are devout Catholics who have a bed rock of faith to hold them up as they face this tragedy in their lives. The Lord truly is near to all who call upon Him, and He is tender-hearted to those who are grieving. We read in Matthew 5:4: “Blest are the sorrowing, for they shall be consoled.” And in Psalm 34:19: “The Lord is close to the broken-hearted; and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.”

Certainly God will comfort our friends, but what can we as friends and family do to help them? It’s different to lose a child rather than a parent or someone who has been sick, so I asked other friends of mine who lost their 33 year old daughter two years ago what they would recommend. I got this note back:

“Just tell them that you have no way to understand their loss, but that you love them and will pray for them. Take them food, mow their lawn, send them chocolate or homemade cookies. Check back in with them later, after things settle down. They will be feeling very alone in a month or so. Be there for them. Don’t quote Bible verses or try to fix or suggest anything. Just be there. There’s no way to make sense of it, and their loss will overshadow the joy of knowing that their child is in heaven. Job’s friends did great until they started talking.”

I think this is really great advice. I especially love the last line. Be a good listener, but choose your words, if any, carefully. Hugs will say more than words can. Carol’s husband also sent me a message. He said, “In two or three months (maybe longer depending on the person) there are two books I would recommend. When God Breaks your Heart and Lament for a Son. Sometimes a tragedy such as this sends people away from God. In that case, we can also pray, pray, pray, that those in grief turn to God instead of away from Him. And if they do reject God, we can pray that they will eventually come back to their faith. Love them back.

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 Corinthians 4:1-5
Luke 5:33-39

Reflection:

I’ve spent the last couple of days proof-reading and editing some texts in preparation for publication. It must have left me in a “myopic” attitude, by which I mean, I can’t see the story for the words; which left me challenged by today’s first reading.

St. Paul speaks of his indifference to “judgment”, whether by individuals or by institutions. He uses the word “judgment” in a judicial sense, with penal overtones. The alternative to this judgment is to be “acquitted.” The Greek word which runs through this text for “judgment” is “krino” in different forms. We are familiar with this meaning of “judge” because we have lots of afternoon television programing based around the exaggerated characters and cases of “Judge Xxxx” and “Judge Yyyy.” However, the judicial sense is an evolved meaning for the word “krino.” It’s origins are elsewhere.

In a classical, literary sense, it means “to separate”, “to choose” or “to select.” This enriches the context that Paul sets at the beginning of the passage. He writes: Thus should one regard us: as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.  In order to carry out our role as “servants” and “stewards,” we need to exercise discerning judgment. We need to be able to propagate the “mysteries of God” by bringing discerning judgment into our daily witness to the Gospel. In this Year of Mercy, that means that we witness to the Absolute Mercy of God in the unmerciful and often rancorous political debate of this election year.

The ultimate act of judgment, in Paul’s text, is that which will be given by the Lord at His coming. It is the judgment of the praise that will come to every person from the Lord Himself.

In this case, the liturgical text doesn’t have the adequate precision. When the text states and then everyone will receive praise from God, it sounds like a celestial pep rally will be held at the last judgment. A more faithful translation would be: “our due praise will be from God.” The measure of that praise will be whether or not we, individually, were trustworthy stewards of God’s mysteriously unconditional mercy.

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

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 3:1-9
Luke 4:38-44

Reflection:

He laid his hands on each of them and cured them.

Healing.

Cure.  Restore.  Purify.  Renew.  Mend.  Remedy.  Repair.  Put right.  Rehabilitate.  Rejuvenate.  Reinvigorate.  Resuscitate.  Reconcile.  Treat.  Minister to.  Settle.  Patch up.  Put right.  Compose.  Appease.  Recuperate.  Pacify.  Soften.  Clean.  Cleanse.  Purge.  Recover.  Make well.

When I read through that list, I’m shocked at how many different ways we can look at what needs transformation.  For me, each word can be attached to a part of my life which is in need; spiritually, emotionally, personally, physically.  Broken relationships, being hurt as well as hurting others (and ourselves), turning my back on God, fragile health, depression… I’d wager we can all deeply  relate to each other’s cry to God for an ease to our pain.

Superficially, today’s Gospel is all about Jesus healing the sick.  Digging a little deeper, we can recognize how great the faith was of the people crying out for Jesus’ saving power.  Reflecting further, with Jesus performing not just one but so many life-saving miracles back-to-back, it’s clear that there’s enough of him to go around for us all.  Which leads us to our next revelation – how Jesus came as a savior for everyone; Jews and non-Jews, men and women, highly esteemed members of society and outcasts, those who are “righteous” as well as we who are “broken” – all are equal in his eyes, and all are equally deserving of God’s love and healing.

“There is not, never has been, and never will be a single human being for whom Christ did not suffer.” Catechism of the Catholic Church, #605: 412

We are all like these scriptural faithful sick in some way; outcast and isolated, covered with painful sores which disfigure our hearts.  The challenge for me is asking for help.  But I have to!  The Psalmist writes “Our soul waits for the Lord who is our help and our shield.” (Ps.33:20).  Jesus comes!  As in the Gospel today, Jesus, without hesitation or apprehension, reaches out and touches even the most scarred and injured.  In spite of how empty, discarded, horrible, ugly, or destroyed we may feel, God grabs us, holds us up, and whispers “I don’t care… I love you.”  It’s true… it’s absolutely the truth.  If only we could stop focusing on our hurt long enough to recognize Him.

How many times have we faced something which seemed hopeless?  How many times have we been impatient with God, or failed to understand his plan and timing?  I know I sure have… and a lot.  And yet, through everything we do and in the midst of every trial, there He is, walking with us on the road toward all that needs raising.

So seek out God.  Bring your brokenness to Jesus.  Cry out loudly.  Whatever it takes, whatever you need to do, do it.  God is there, waiting.  He’ll drop what he’s doing and will walk with you, because there’s enough of Him to go around for us all.  Sometimes we get what we hope for.  But, we may not get the answers immediately – only in God’s time.  We may not even get the particular salvation we’re after – only God’s plan.  Even when it seems hopeless, it’s not too late to turn to God and cry out for help.

Even in your darkest moment, it’s never too late to have faith in God’s saving power.

Where is He in your life right now?  Who is Jesus using to reach you, to heal you? Or, could God be in you, acting though you, to reach out to another?

Dear God, thank you for the gift of you.
Please, grant us the faith to call for you, reach for you,
and know your healing – in your perfect way, in your perfect time.
… thy will be done. Amen

Paul Puccinelli is Director of Liturgy & Music at St. Rita Parish in Sierra Madre, CA, and a member  of the Retreat-Team at Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center.

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 2:10b-16
Luke 4:31-37

Reflection:

Does this sound familiar?  “May I have a word with you?”  “Put in a good word for me.”  “Mark my words!”  “And now a word from our sponsor.”

 Words can amuse and anger, bless and course, charm and repel, heal and hurt, unite and sever.  Words have power.  Words change things.

Words gave birth to a new nation: “We hold these truths…”  Words led to the death of millions in World War II: “Zieg Heil,”

Before an altar the words, “I do,” are spoken, and a man and woman become one in the sacrament of Marriage.

During Mass words are spoken over bread and wine: “This is my body.  This is my blood.”   And we adore the body and blood of Christ.

In the sacrament of Reconciliation, words are spoken: “I absolve you from your sins…”  And a lifetime of guilt is removed.

In the beginning of the gospel according to John, we read, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made with him, and without Him was nothing that has been made.”

God expresses himself in a Word that is a Person.  Jesus is the self-revelation of God.  And what does this special Word of God express?  Jesus’ life, death and resurrection proclaim, “God so loved the world….”

In today’s gospel, Jesus spoke:  “Come out of him.” And the unclean spirit left the possessed man.  The people wondered, “What is there about his (Jesus’) word?”

Yes, there was power in Jesus’ words.  And now, by baptism we are the living “words” of Jesus.  He sends us forth, scattering us about as a farmer scatters seeds all over a field.

We are to choose carefully the words we speak.  We are to choose words of love: “Welcome.” “How can I help?” “I believe in you.” “I’m sorry.” “I forgive you.” “Keep up the good work.” “Thank you.” “Tell me more.” “We can work this out.” “You’re beautiful.” “God bless you.”

If our words soothe and heal, give support and encouragement, build community and express the truth, Jesus’ power will continue to be manifested in our time.

Fr. Alan Phillip, C.P. is a member of the Passionist Community at Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.   http://www.alanphillipcp.com/