Claire Smith

Scripture:

Romans 6:12-18
Luke 12:39-48

Reflection:

The scriptural readings assigned for today display a marked interest in the role of sin in our lives.  But there’s a somewhat unique or different pattern in the presentation we have before us.  There’s a bit of a sly approach to the topic.  Instead of focusing exclusively on the ugliness or distortedness of sin, it opts rather to present it largely in terms of the background of attractiveness with which it can be contrasted.  This occurs along the line of “correction” techniques a parent might take with a child who has just done something wrong.  Instead of dealing with the selfishness or meanness the child has displayed in opting to do something, our readings for the day would suggest pointing out how contrary our behavior has been over against the background of the many good things we have received from God, much as a parent might take the child on his or her lap, not to spank the boy or girl, but to remind him or her of how many good things the parent has done for the little one, to impart a sense of shame for doing something so contrary to the thoughtfulness he or she has received from the mother or father over the past few weeks or months.

This is the path St. Paul has chosen to pursue in the selection from his letter to the members of the church in Rome.  He is obviously displeased with the course of action they have chosen to follow against the background of the favors God has bestowed on them.  But he doesn’t “throw the book at them”.  Rather, he reminds them of being under the grace of God and having been raised from death to the life of grace.  They were on the way to being obedient to the teaching Paul had imparted to them.  But they have “blown” their opportunity, and suffered a significant loss as a result.

So Paul chooses to work on the good things they are jeopardizing rather than on the evil they have chosen to do.  And Luke, in the gospel he presents today, follows much the same pattern in pointing out the path for his readership to follow.  He compares the recipients of his gospel to servants who have received a set of directions on what to do during the absence of the owner of an establishment where they work.  The owner or manager is aware that trouble might develop in the household during this period of time, and he wants them to be prepared to deal with it when it occurs, by assigning them responsibilities.  And when a disturbance does occur on or around the property, traceable to the servants themselves, then the owner wants them to know they will suffer the consequences of this, which, however will be meted out fairly, depending on the degree of responsibility they bear in the hierarchy of duties the master gave them.  But here again, the focus is less on the nature of the wrong the servants committed, and more on the goodness of the owner in awarding them various gifts and favors, which they have disregarded and even disparaged.  It’s not so much the evil done but the good forgotten and abused that stands at the heart of this story.

So this is instructive for us in assessing our own standing before God.  We had better prepare ourselves for our encounter with Him by focusing more on the favors from Him we have neglected, than by trying to recall the ugly ways we have chosen to follow.  It’s a bit like trying to train a young animal the “rules of the house”, either by punishing the pup or kitten for every violation of the rule, or by awarding the young ones in training each time they keep those rules.  The day’s scriptures seem to favor the latter approach more than the former.  It is interesting to note how this corresponds to the last judgment scene presented in Mt 25.31, ff., where the focus is less on the evil we have deliberately pursued in the course of our lives, and more on the good we have failed to perform when we had the opportunity.  The repulsiveness of evil is less cogent than the attractiveness of goodness.  This is a helpful hint for us to note as we prepare for that momentous day ahead of us.

Fr. Sebastian MacDonald, C.P. is a member of the Passionist formation community at Catholic Theological Union, Chicago. 

Feast of St. Paul of the Cross, Founder of the Passionists

Scripture:

Romans 5:12, 15b, 17-19, 20b-21
Luke 12:35-38

Reflection:

Today we Passionists celebrate the feast of St. Paul of the Cross, our Holy Founder (1694-1775).  It is a day for remembering this remarkable man and his profound insight into the mystery of God.  Paul Daneo started out as a young man fascinated by the Passion of Jesus Christ.  From his earliest years Paul recognized in the human sufferings of Christ a divine commitment to the human family.  Paul spent his entire life reflecting on the meaning of the love God has for us.  In his early years Paul burned with the desire to participate in the sufferings of Christ in his own person through long hours of prayer, penance, self-discipline, severe poverty and fasting.  He gathered companions to share in this life and threw himself into preaching the great love revealed in the passion and death of Jesus Christ.  In the mature years of his life we witness a man totally absorbed in God’s love and filled with a desire to share that love with everyone he met.  Paul is, indeed, a fascinating man who lives the transforming experience of giving oneself over totally to a God who loves us!

St. Paul of the Cross is clearly a vivid example of the truth of the testimony of St. Paul the Apostle in his letter to the Corinthians.  God’s wisdom and power, revealed in the Passion of His Son, Jesus Christ, is truly beyond human understanding.

Paul Daneo spent his entire life embracing the mystery of Christ Crucified.  The depth of Paul’s compassion and commitment to the people in his life, from the outcasts of the Tuscan Maremma (marshes), to the families he guided, to the church leaders he advised, to the companions he gathered around him to share in his life, inspired them all to an ever-deeper conviction that God loved them beyond their understanding.  The love they experienced in Paul’s reflections on the Crucified Christ enriched their lives and deepened their own commitment to living their lives generously and faithfully.

As we remember the example of this great Saint, we ask God to keep us centered in the love God has for us as revealed in the Passion and Death of His Son.

 

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

Scripture:

Romans 4:20-25
Luke 12:13-21

Reflection:

May we never boast, except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the word of the Cross is the power of God to us who have been saved. (Entrance Antiphon)

Today, the Church celebrates the life and death of the North American Martyrs, St. John de Brébeuf, St. Isaac Jogues, four other Jesuit priests, and two lay missionaries. These men came to North America as missionaries, to live and minister among the Huron and Mohawk nations.

The first of these missionaries arrived in “New France” in 1622. For twenty years, the Jesuit missionaries cultivated personal and social relationships with various indigenous peoples living in the region. Eventually, they focused their attention upon the Huron and Mohawk nations, who were numerous and somewhat volatile. The persecution of the missionaries began in 1642 and ended with the last one being martyred, in 1649. While this mission seemed to be an utter failure, Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, an Algonquin-Mohawk Christian, born in 1656 and catechized by the Jesuits of the region, became an example of what committed missionary ministry accomplished.

Recently, while celebrating Mass at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., Pope Francis I canonized St. Junipero Sierra, a Franciscan missionary to California. There was a lot of controversy over his declaration of sainthood. While there may be reasons why not to name him a saint, there are also many reasons why. First and foremost, St. Junipero Sierra was a missionary, whose heart led him to leave homeland in order to evangelize. The Evangelizer recognizes the tremendous transformation that needs to take place within one’s self, as he or she prepares to witness to the Gospel by word and deed. A missionary will never leave behind the culture of birth, but will need to begin recognizing the Gospel reflected in the lives and cultures of the people who are being served.

Being a missionary in other lands is an extremely difficult way of life. Passionists have been called to be missionaries from the very beginning of our foundation. One of our more famous missionaries is Blessed Dominic Barberi, C.P., who received into the Church, Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman of England.

The Passionist of Holy Cross Province have always had missionaries to other lands. Dedicated Passionist missionaries have gone to Argentina, China, Japan, Korea, India, to name a few of our missionary foundations. As Pope Francis continues to remind us, we are a Mission Church and we are a Church with a Mission. It is not enough to receive the Gospel within our hearts. We are called to go out and proclaim the Good News to every land and people until the end of time.

In the eyes of some, St. John de Brébeuf and companions were fools to go and put themselves in harm’s way, to try to bring human dignity and the Divine to a people who did not know Jesus the Christ. We may be fools to believe that everyone of us is called to be “missionary” Catholic without leaving our house! Foolishness, indeed!

But who is more foolish? The man we find in today’s Gospel or St. Paul, the Apostle who says, “We are Fools for Christ!” (I Cor. 4:10) May our foolishness lead us to eternal life!

 

Fr. Clemente Barrón, C.P. is a member of Christ the King Community in Citrus Heights, California. 

Scripture:

Isaiah 53:10-11
Hebrews 4:14-16
Mark 10:35-45

Reflection:

There is old wisdom in the saying “be careful what you wish for”. Indeed ideas often precede actions and sometimes they have an effect on us at the subconscious level and thus have the capacity to surface and influence our actions before we even realise it. When an idea, even one suppressed for a time suddenly surfaces it can surprise us and influence us to act in ways that might not correspond to our value systems or even to our choices already made. Perhaps in another sense today’s gospel text reminds us of Andy Warhol’s oft quoted suggestion that ‘everyone wants 15 minutes of fame’.

Not that harbouring ambition or desires is wrong in itself. Indeed everyone has a basic ambition to find meaning, belonging and authenticity in life. However the danger seems to be that these genuine pursuits can also be misdirected into a more undeveloped, egocentric pursuit of status, power or control.

This seems to be the tenure of the request James and John put to Jesus. They seek the status of a closer association with Jesus, but they miss the deeper truth and meaning of what ‘leadership’ is in the vision of Jesus. Notice that Jesus immediately puts their shallow interpretation of leadership on notice – he immediately links leadership to the capacity and willingness to make sacrifices and suffer for the sake of others, and in that way lead by example.

Let’s notice too the reactions of the other disciples to this request. Their response is one of indignation and this is also telling.  Indignation is often directed at others and their perceived ‘poor’ behaviour, but like many reactions that take place it also reveals something about the person who is indignant. A useful reflection for ourselves might be to ask ‘What is happening within me when I am indignant at the behaviour of others?’  In the case of the others disciples in today’s gospel, could it be that their feelings arise from jealousy? Could it be that they secretly harbour the same desires for the very same recognition and privileges? Whatever, the lesson for us might be that our external reactions to any situation can be useful guides to us – if reviewed honestly and openly – in that they might reveal to us our own inner world and its harboured desires.

This is so important for all of us in living the various expressions of our leadership in society, church, family or workplace. Yes the exercise of power whether personal or institutional is a real part of life and it is necessary. Power, wisely and compassionately exercised enables authority to be manifested so that good may eventuate. But if power is exercised in a shallow or self-centred manner and used so that one’s own will prevails at the expense of others’ legitimate needs, then we have entered the territory that Jesus warns about, a world where “rulers lord it over” their people. In essence this is self-serving behaviour, while it can look like ‘strength’ it reveals weakness, self-centredness or selfishness on the part of the bearer. It serves self-interest rather than enabling the service of others.

For Jesus leadership is intimately connected to service and sacrifice; together they form the one reality.

We all “lead” in numerous ways. Leadership surfaces in relationships, marriages and in family systems just as much as it is present in organisations and wider community based associations. The words of Jesus are indeed challenging- if we want to lead then this comes with an inherent invitation to assume the posture of a slave, to be a servant and to give one’s life for the sake of others.

 

Fr. Denis Travers, C.P., is a member of Holy Spirit Province, Australia.  He currently serves on the General Council and is stationed in Rome.

Scripture:

Romans 3:21-30
Luke 11:47-54

Reflection:

Paul is wrestling with the heart of the Good News.  How are we saved? If it is true that “all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God” then how do we become right with God again? Paul’s bold answer is “through faith in Jesus Christ”.  Paul uses several metaphors to explain this process. We are “justified freely by his grace”. He redeems us “by his Blood”. His “righteousness” accomplishes this in “the one who has faith in Jesus”. There is no occasion for human boasting “for we consider that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.” Martin Luther made this verse the foundation of his understanding of Christian discipleship. To emphasize the point he added the adjective “alone” to his translation of the German New Testament so no reader would miss Paul’s point. “Faith alone” became the rallying cry of the Protestant Reformation.

Today these polemics of the sixteenth century have been put behind us through dialogue and mutual understanding by a joint declaration of Lutheran and Catholic theologians. However, unity is still is still a work in progress. When believers have been separated for five hundred years is it hard to get back together.

 

Fr. Michael Hoolahan, C.P. is on the staff of Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.

Scripture:

Romans 2:1-11
Luke 11:42-46

Reflection:

But the law says!

What happens when we let judgment lead our encounters?   From my own life I am becoming more and more aware of the ways the gavel of judgment shuts the door before another’s personal story is able to evolve.

Pondering the cross while praying with these scriptures, I see again how Christ came to open and broaden the narrative.  Where we have a tendency to place a period, Christ’s ministry added commas, question marks and exclamations.  While man’s judgment seemingly brought forth His horrific ending, Christ’s death and resurrection adds chapter upon chapter of merciful possibility, when we are able to see each other, in a mystical way, as one.

As I listened to the homilies, addresses and comments of Pope Francis as he made his way from DC to NY and Philadelphia it was amazing to watch people open to the tone of mercy and love reflected in his gestures and the many ways he welcomed, encouraged and challenged, yet affirmed.

Nothing changed in a way.  There are still questions.  And yet, everything changed in those brief moments of witness.

Hearts opened as differences and challenges were acknowledged, and yet, in each shining moment we began to see that there may be more to the encounter of Christ, with each individual story, than meets the eye.

In Matthew’s gospel Christ asks, “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?”

Lord, as the temptation to judge arises, help me to have the courage to return my gaze to “my thoughts, my words, what I have done and what I have failed to do.”   And from that place of humble honest recognition help me to again open my heart to the God given dignity of each person I encounter with an ever widening bridge of respect and love for all.

 

M. Walsh is a friend of the Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center and the Passionist Community.

Scripture:

Wisdom 7:7-11
Hebrews 4:12-13
Mark 10:17-30

Reflection:

What does it mean to follow Jesus?  Today’s gospel tells us.  “As he was going out into the way…”  Mark uses the phrase “the way” to remind us that Jesus is on “the way” to Jerusalem and the cross.

It is at that moment that a man runs up to Jesus with the urgent question, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”  He wanted to know what we all want to know: how to live in this life so that we might live forever in the Kingdom.  Keep the commandments, Jesus tells him.  To which the man responds “Teacher, I have observed all these things from my youth.”

Jesus gazed on him with love.  It is a gaze of invitation to follow him; to leave his possessions, his attachments, all that he considers valuable, “and come follow me.”  The rich man’s reaction? “…his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.”

It would be grossly misleading to interpret this passage to mean that we are literally to give away our material possessions in order to follow Jesus.  Ronald Rolheiser, in his excellent book “Sacred Fire,” offers a deeper insight to this gospel.  Life, he explains, – and with it, Christian discipleship – has its stages, and they involve struggle: youth, maturity, and old age.  “The call to follow in the footsteps of Christ takes on a unique character during each of these struggles.”  God meets us at each stage of our life; his invitation to follow him is different at each stage.

In the first stage, our youthful discipleship, we struggle to get our lives together, to find our own identity as we learn to relate to others – our riches, our gold.  How does the man respond when Jesus instructs him to keep those commandments that concern relationship with others?  He’s done all that from his “youth.”

In the second stage, our mature discipleship, we struggle to give our lives away – in marriage, children, religious life, community, church, civic involvement. It’s no longer about me.  It is now about others.  It is at this stage that Jesus meets the man.  He calls him with love to now give his life away, his youthful riches, and enter into a different kind of discipleship.  This can be a tremendous struggle for us.  It was for that man who felt the need to cling to his riches.

In the third stage, radical discipleship, we struggle to give our deaths away.  What does such discipleship look like?  Jesus shows us.  He gave his life for us through his generous actions for us.  And he gave his death ultimately through his dying for us at Calvary.  That was his final and greatest gift, and it is ours.

What does it mean to follow Jesus?  The answer lies in Jesus’ gaze of love.  He calls us to follow him – whatever our struggle, whatever our stage of life.  Jesus invites us disciples to follow him “on the way,” the way that leads to Calvary.

 

Deacon Manuel Valencia is on the staff at Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.

Scripture:

Joel 4:12-21
Luke 11:27-28

Reflection:

I recently traveled to California on business, where there is a severe drought. They live every day aware of every precious drop of water. I watched as people turned on the faucet to wet their hands, turned it off while they soaped up, and turned it on again just long enough to rinse well. In restaurants no one gets a glass of water unless they ask, and if you ask, you’d better drink it. Lawns are more consciously planted with drought-resistant plants or are being converted to rock gardens. Instead of letting water run in the shower or sink as it warms up, people collect it in buckets, using the cold water for other purposes or heating it on the stove for doing dishes.

Even though Lake Michigan currently provides more than enough water in my community, I came home with a new awareness of how much water I use – and waste – every day. I made a resolution to do my part to conserve. Yet the next morning, I stood in my nice hot shower letting the water stream over my body. I knew I needed to turn it off. I knew it was the right thing to do. But it was so comforting. Would just a few more minutes of hydro-therapy hurt? In this and other ways, I am continually reminded that knowing I need/want to do something and actually doing it are two different things.

Jesus says those who hear the word of God and do it are even more blessed his own mother. I understand why. I hear the word of God. I believe. I vow to change my ways to live as a more conscious disciple. But just like my water conservation efforts, it’s so hard to do!

Actually, water conservation and the Gospel are not that far apart. Our water, air, sources of energy, soil – We don’t “deserve” these things. They are gifts, meant to be shared, conserved, and respected. Am I practicing the Gospel when I waste, hoard, or take them for granted? Pope Francis is telling us our current practices are sinful.

Our water systems are all interconnected. Our use, waste, or pollution of the Earth’s precious resources has regional and even global implications. While I can’t directly see my shower taking water out of another’s cup, in some ways it does.

Besides, can I/we afford to assume the levels of water in Lake Michigan will always be replenished, waiting to change until drought hits us as well? Do we close our ears to the needs of people in our country and our world who desperately need this basic of life? Do we pay attention not only to how we use water but the ways in which we contribute to its pollution?

No one can do everything, but I think I will start anew in my efforts at water conservation. Today I posted a water-proof sign in my shower and by every faucet that says “Blessed are they who hear the word of God and do it.” Now every time I turn off the spigot, live with brown spots on the lawn, and yes, end my shower, I will pray for all those who do not have enough of the resources I take for granted. I won’t be perfect. It is, after all, so very hard to do. But I will make a difference, and every drop of water will remind me of my faith and my connection to God’s people everywhere.

In doing so, may I receive and grant blessings, and spread the Gospel by my life.

 

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/.