Claire Smith

Scripture:

Isaiah 6:1-8
Matthew 10:24-33

 

Reflection:

 Mary, Mother of Holy Hope

Emily Dickinson calls hope the thing with feathers. Like a singing bird it keeps spirits up in the chill, the dark or the storm. If I associate hope with a bird it would be because they flit around; they are here then they are there.

I received an email from a friend saying that her brother was on his way from Rome to Bologna to see a cancer specialist. The glioblastoma tumor was increasing and treatments ineffective. A second email two days later said that the doctor found no cancer, only a hole in the brain(!), but no cancer. She could not describe the joy of her brother and family on the train ride back to Rome. What a difference between two emails. The first asked for prayers that spoke of hope, but the ‘feathered thing’ looked a bit irrelevant, not at all up to a seemingly impossible task to me. In the second email ‘hope’ was not to be found, only celebration. Hope had been there and then flitted away.

Today the Word of God calls us to hope. The prophets offer hope despite some very hard word. Matthew overflows with hope- what you hear in darkness, speak in light; do not be afraid of anything; do not be intimidated but have hope.

The Passionist community today celebrates a feast observed from the time of its founding, ‘Mary, Mother of Hope’. Thomas Struzzeiri, CP, promoted this devotion. He carried a picture of Mary, Mother of Hope on his parish missions. Soon this picture was found in the rooms of the religious. The devotion invites all to ask Mary’s assistance in their spiritual need, and to see her as model and support of our hope.

Blessed Dominic Barberi, CP offers a reflection on Mary as a model of Hope: hope is an anchor that keeps the ship of our souls safe on the stormy sea of a troubled world. It enables us to confidently expect eternal life and the aids that lead to it. Since Mary possessed this virtue to an heroic degree she is appropriately called ‘Mother of Holy Hope’. Barberi gives a picture of hope from the Song of Songs: ‘who is this coming up from the desert, leaning upon her lover?’ Mary hoped on Calvary, when the disciples fled in fear, in the persecution of the infant Church. She remained firm in the midst of what seemed disaster and supported those who turned to her as to a mother. She encourages the weak, lifts those who fall and urges the strong to ever greater trust. Mary has not resigned from such maternal service in our day.

Dominic Barberi was a theologian and teacher, who went to England with hopes of enabling dialogue and union between the English Church and Rome. He suffered much from cultural and religious differences, and did not see ‘his hope’ realized. But he had a unique gift, a surprise: welcoming John Henry Newman into the Roman Church.

On June 27 as my friend’s brother went to see the doctor in Bologna. In her second email he shared with me her prayer, ‘that my mother, who had recently died, would accompany Mary, Jesus mother, to plead before her son for the recovery of my terminally ill brother’. In my prayer I had forgotten that Mary is the Mother of Hope. My friend did not!

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

Scripture:

Hosea 11:1-4, 8c-9
Matthew 10:7-15

Reflection:

“As you go, make this proclamation:
‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
Cure the sick, raise the dead,
cleanse the lepers, drive out demons.
Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.
Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts;
no sack for the journey, or a second tunic,
or sandals, or walking stick.
The laborer deserves his keep….(Matthew 10:7-10)

From my earliest childhood I remember my mother assigning my siblings and I a job to do each day, i.e. dusting the furniture, going to the bakery, cleaning the basement…  When I went to the Passionist Prep High School, we, my fellow students and I were all given a daily job that we did right after morning mass and breakfast and before classes began. It wasn’t much, just mopping the corridors, or dusting the furniture and floors in a classroom. These “jobs” from my childhood and high school had no monetary value assigned to them, yet they gave me a sense of community, that I’ve spent the last fifty years trying to recapture.

No doubt, getting paid for what we do is important, but nowhere as important in my life as the volunteer jobs I gladly pursued or the tasks I was assigned at a kid.  Not even out of college yet, at the request of my good friend Fr. Joe C.P., I began teaching CCD Classes at Immaculate Conception Church on the Northwest side of Chicago. That eventually led to a career in teaching with the Chicago Public Schools where I served in many different capacities. The one aspect of the job that kept drawing me back was my relationship to my students. It was my volunteer “teaching” that really taught me how to teach, i.e. how to love my students. Yes, the education courses I took were valuable, but the spirit of the job I learned as a volunteer.

As I read today’s Gospel selection I think Jesus couldn’t be talking to me, a 21^st century citizen whose value is determined by the amount of money or prestige my job brings. On second thought, I think Jesus may have had me, us, 21^st century U.S. Citizens in mind. Thank you Matthew for taking the time to write Jesus’ words down for us to read today.

I spent the first 20 or so years of my life oblivious to thinking that I could put a price on the value of my labor or contribution to a task at hand.

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

Scripture:

Hosea 8:4-7, 11-13
Matthew 9:32-38

 

Reflection:

 The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Matthew 9:37-38

In our readings today we have two striking agricultural images, one from the Old Testament and one from the Gospel. The first warns us that, “The stalk of grain that forms no ear can yield no flour.” It speaks of wheat growing a stalk, but not fulfilling its purpose, to provide nourishment in the form of flour. Pope Francis says something of this when speaking of evangelization. He says, “Be so [evangelizing] without being presumptuous, imposing “our truths,” but rather be guided by the humble yet joyful certainty of those who have been found, touched and transformed by the Truth who is Christ (Homily, Domus Sanctae Marthae, February 27, 2014). We can not be a “presumptuous” stalk of wheat, providing no flour. We are encouraged to develop our own deep relationship with Christ and share this throughout our lives. As the saying goes, attributed to his namesake St. Francis, “Preach the gospel at all times. Use words if necessary.” Pope Francis says further, “It will be your witness that brings him the restlessness on which the Holy Spirit works.” By living our lives in the sure knowledge that the kingdom of God is at hand, we will be true witnesses to that truth.

In the Gospel Jesus reminds us that the people living this truth are few. This should not discourage us, but spur us to further efforts. The world is in great need of the Good News that we can, each and every one of us, live and experience the kingdom of God right now. How inspiring this is when I let it fully penetrate my thoughts and feelings. If the kingdom is truly here, how can I hold anger in my heart for my neighbor, even if he cuts me off in traffic? Even if she is campaigning for the wrong candidate? Even if he is late for an important meeting? When I allow the kingdom of God to become manifest between us, how can I hold others in any way but Christian love?

My prayer for today is that I witness to the kingdom with everyone I meet, to the best of my ability, with the help of the Holy Spirit.

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

 

Scripture:

Hosea 2:16, 17b-18,21-22
Matthew 9:18-26

 

Reflection:

God’s Love; Our Gift of Freedom!

As we celebrate July 4^th / Independence Day in the United States, the “everyday” scripture readings speak to us of the depth and intensity of God’s love for us.  Both readings encourage us to reflect and build upon our human experience of love, leading us to the freedom of a life of service of God and our sisters and brothers.

In the first reading from Hosea, the prophet implies that God’s love is like that of a husband and wife:  enticing (almost seductive!), espoused forever, merciful, faithful, life-giving.  Our human experience tells us that even the most ideal human marriage is imperfect and open to growth; growth in love is a life-long commitment!  Hosea reminds us that God’s love is perfect, the “ideal” in the best sense of the term.

And…God’s love is best revealed in the person of Jesus, as we see in the Gospel selection with Jesus’ loving concern for the sick and dying.  We hear of the sad situation of the synagogue leader whose daughter had died, his appeal for Jesus’ help.  As Jesus goes to reach out to the daughter, a woman with an ongoing, serious malady boldly reaches out to Jesus and touches his cloak – and she is cured!  Jesus’ words to the woman echo his words to the synagogue leader:  courage!  believe!  Jesus’ love reaches out to all people — young and younger, important and ordinary, poor and rich…and He offers Life that lasts!

As we gratefully celebrate our independence and seek to best partner in promoting the well-being of our brothers and sisters around the world, we do indeed need Jesus’ healing touch and encouraging word.  Sickness and death are all-too-evident today in the world’s violence, injustice, hungers, homelessness, and apathy.  We have been blessed with faith in Jesus and his Crucified Love.  May that Love freely transform each of us and motivate us to proclaim the life and goodness and freedom that is ours as God’s daughters and sons, as sisters and brothers in Jesus in our 21^st century world.

We have reason to celebrate:  God is gracious – and merciful – and loving!

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

Scripture:

Isaiah 66:10-14c
Galatians 6:14-18
Luke 10:1-12, 17-20

Reflection:

As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you. Isaiah 66:13

God wants to comfort us, but it may be difficult to let Him. I think we often go to others when we are distressed, and certainly there are times when a hug, or consoling words from a close friend or relative are important. And yet, God almighty Himself also wants to comfort us.

If you are a parent, it’s easy to understand this longing. There is nothing worse than seeing one of your children hurting! When they are small, you pick them up and hold them close assuring them that everything will be okay. You are happy to be able to help them and hold them as long as they need you. As they get older, it becomes more difficult to kiss away their hurts. And yet, you would do almost anything to help them, even to the point of taking on the pain yourself.

Today as I was pondering this idea, I found myself extremely stressed out about a situation in our neighborhood that could very possibly negatively affect the sale of our home. As I was trying to come up with a positive way to deal with the problem, God asked me to trust Him. I know I need to trust Him, and I want to trust Him, but it’s hard to stop my mind from trying to solve the problem. We are so conditioned to take care of things ourselves. How much better to let go and trust the One who can see the bigger picture.

It might help to visualize God comforting us, just as our mothers did when we were little. Some people imagine climbing up on God’s lap and letting Him hold them. For many this might seem awkward at best. So why not imagine ourselves as little kids again when we need comfort? Scripture tells us that we must become like little children to enter the Kingdom of God. It can also help us run to Him when we are hurting so that He can tell us it will be okay. He doesn’t take away the pain or prevent us from suffering, but He will go through it with us, comforting us as a mother does her child.

 

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:

Amos 9:11-15
Matthew 9:14-17

Reflection:

The message of the prophet Amos has consistently been identified with the justice of a moral life, which is not supplanted by compensatory sacrifices or rituals. When that level of justice is achieved, then nature’s bounty is shared among the people of God. A moral life gives rise to a life blessed by God and shared among the people convened by God.

Matthew’s text today mirrors this theme by highlighting, in Jesus’ conversation with the disciples of John the Baptist, the necessity of a “right order,” a “moral order” in the people’s daily life. To make his point, Jesus reaches into the examples drawn from everyone’s common place experience. Fasting is a “penitential” act, it tries to make up for one’s wrong-doing or to build strength against sinful inclinations. Jesus points out that as long as his disciples are at his side, there is nothing penitential called for. When, however, the right order of their lives is disrupted by their turning from the Lord, fasting will certainly be appropriate, even necessary.

“No one patches an old cloak with a piece of un-shrunk cloth,” because the two are not compatible, the new still has to shrink, and the old will not support the tension of the shrinkage. No one ferments wine in an old wineskin, which has already done it’s duty, and would not be able to contain the fermentation activity a repeated time. No ritual or sacrifice can repair the tears in the cloth or the burst wineskin.

There is a right order for nature, and for the human family as well: both emanate from the same creator. As we go through the last months of this presidential campaign, perhaps there is a lesson to be learned from these passages. The moral life and the natural order of a structured society are goods in themselves; they reflect the Maker in whom we believe; and they are the product of the efforts made by individuals to hold up the human person as a valued individual, while our political efforts drive us toward the kind of society in which every person has value.

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

Scripture:

Amos 8:4-6, 9-12
Matthew 9:9-13

Reflection:

Both readings today converge to strongly proclaim the Bible’s commitment to the poor and those on the margins of society.  Amos’ searing words (Amos 8:4-6, 9-12) were composed more than 700 years before Christ but they are eerily contemporary.  This prophet, who was at first reluctant to take up the mantle of prophecy but spoke with biting zeal, excoriates those who “trample upon the needy and destroy the poor of the land.”  He mocks their intention to “fix our scales for cheating” and their willingness to sell out the poor “for a pair of sandals.”  Those who assault the poor even stoop to selling “worthless grain” in their eagerness to make a profit.   Amos has grim predictions for those so consumed by greed.  God will avenge the poor and, above all, those who seem to flourish at the expense of the poor will themselves experience a “famine”—not a famine of food but a spiritual famine in which they will not be fed with God’s Word.  They may for a while prosper economically but they will ultimately wither as human beings, losing all of their spiritual sensitivity and peace of heart.

The gospel passage today is taken from Matthew’s Gospel (9:9-13).  In Capernaum, the fishing village Jesus made his “headquarters” in Galilee, he sees Matthew, the local tax or toll collector, at his station and immediately calls him—“Follow me.”  Without hesitation, Matthew leaves his tax booth behind and becomes a disciple of Jesus—a man who was despised by his fellow citizens because tax collectors were notorious for cheating and extracting more than they should from poor farmers and fishermen.  Even more provocatively, Jesus seals his friendship with Matthew by dining in his house, along with a group of unsavory “tax collectors and sinners.”  This association of Jesus with those who were often despised in the society of his day earns the disapproval of the religious authorities.  The Pharisees ask Jesus’ disciples: “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”   Why, indeed!  Jesus responds by saying that it is precisely those in need for whom he has come.  To drive the message home, Jesus cites the words of the prophet Hosea: “It is mercy I desire not sacrifice.”

There are strong lessons for us here.  The readings today reaffirm the church’s commitment to social justice—care for the poor and those in need or pushed to the margins of society.  But, the gospel passage reminds us, it is not simply a matter of not exploiting the poor or of using our resources to help those in need.  The example of Jesus tells us we are not to despise the poor or observe them at a distance, but to be with them—respecting them, accompanying them, even learning from them.  This is the message of “accompaniment” that Pope Francis has both preached and lived.

 

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.

Scripture:

Amos 7:10-17
Matthew 9:1-8

Reflection:

In today’s gospel Jesus forgives a paralyzed man and then cures his disability.  Most of us are not physically paralyzed.  But are we crippled by fear?  Are we nailed to a cross of addiction?  Are we straight-jacked with selfishness?  Are we unfree in any way?  Desperately, we come to the altar in church and plead, “Lord, please cure me and set me free!”

 But wait.  Jesus says, “If you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go, first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23-24).

Jesus is telling us to be reconciled with one another before we ask for anything from him.  We are to give and receive forgiveness.  We are to be at one with our brothers and sisters.  That is the first step towards wholeness. Then we are ready to receive Jesus’s mercy and healing power.  The spiritual, emotional and physical are closely connected in us.

A man spoke into his phone and asked, “Google, do you love me?”  The voice from the phone responded, “I am not programmed to hate anybody.”  We ask the Lord to “program us,” to grace us not to hate anybody.  Then, even if we are physically disabled, we are a whole and complete human person, made so by love.  We can go home.

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