Claire Smith

Scripture:

Deuteronomy 18:15-20
1 Corinthians 7:32-35
Mark 1:21-28

Reflection:

In the gospel from Mark, we read about Jesus preaching and teaching in Capernaum, much like he has done in many other towns and villages. It’s interesting that it seems those who have gathered are finally hearing and taking him seriously.  He was being seen by many as having authority, in other words, he was being taken seriously.  This could be a good thing or not!  We are told his fame spread throughout the whole region of Galilee. 

Jesus had many followers. He was revered by many who listened and believed the message he came to share.  People came from near and far to be healed and to check out this man, Jesus!  We can tell that Jesus must have felt good about the fact that he was having success in spreading the word!  On the other hand, there were those in authority, pharisees and scribes who were beginning to feel threatened by this itinerant preacher from Nazareth, of all places, who seemed to be gaining in popularity.  In their minds, this was not good news!

Today we are bombarded with many different factions who all have a message to share, a promise to offer, a product to make all things better.  They ask us to trust their message, buy their products and believe in those promises. Oftentimes it’s hard to know who to believe and trust that what is being said and done is the right thing for the good of all.  I often wonder if Jesus was walking the streets of our cities, neighborhoods, churches and public markets with the message that he preached so long ago in faraway places like Capernaum, Galilee, Nazareth, would we welcome his message or would we find the messenger despicable, dangerous or even a fraud!

Jesus is our authority figure who loves us, challenges us, and walks with us throughout good times and unhappy times.  The Good News he preaches calls us to challenge those in authority who may not have our best interests at heart.  We are called to ask the hard questions, to take a stand that might make us unpopular or make us uncomfortable.  Psalm 95 responsorial psalm reminds us that:

“If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts’.

Jesus calls us to lead with authority as people who have seen a great light, his light and life.  May our lives reflect hearts that are not hard, but, rather open to serving those most in need in our community and world.

Theresa Secord is a retired Pastoral Associate at St. Agnes Parish, Louisville, Kentucky.

Memorial of Saints Timothy and Titus, Bishops

Scripture:

2 Timothy 1:1-8 or Titus 1:1-5
Mark 4:26-34

Reflection:

There is no forgiving heart of Jesus in the world without our hearts.
There is no consoling embrace of Jesus without our arms.
There is no loving gaze of Jesus without our eyes.
There is no Body of Christ in the world without us.

The parable of the small seed yielding a great harvest in today’s gospel is familiar to us all. Too often, though, I miss an essential element of that story. The seed needs a sower. There is a collaboration or partnership in the act of sowing seed. Both are necessary.

What is inspiring in the Acts of the Apostles, and specifically in today’s readings for the Memorial of Saints Timothy and Titus, is this collaboration. In this instance there is certainly Paul as a bold apostle of Jesus, but also Paul’s collaboration with Timothy and Titus. Jesus recruited the Apostles. Paul recruited Timothy and Titus, and they in turn are encouraged to “set right what remains to be done and appoint presbyters in every town, as I directed you.”

We do God’s work together. We sow the seeds of faith, hope, and love. These are not for us to keep for ourselves. They are given to us to share. Jesus needed partners in ministry. Paul needed partners. We now are those partners in proclaiming the Good News. We don’t need to profess religious vows or be ordained a priest. We can be Passionist Partners.

Many of us may be old enough to remember, “Ite, missa est,” The Body of Christ in us is sent forth into the world at the conclusion of celebrating the Eucharist. Go, is the command. Be Jesus’ partner in ministry in the world today.

Robert Hotz is a consultant with American City Bureau, Inc. and was the Director of The Passion of Christ: The Love That Compels Campaign for Holy Cross Province.

Scripture:

2 Samuel 7:4-17
Mark 4:1-20

Reflection:

Listening to the Word

“And he began again to teach by the seaside.”   Today’s Gospel begins at the sea of Galilee in Mark’s 4^th chapter.  This area is a good farming region and from the lakeside the people listening could see the farmer sowing the seed. Speiro— ‘to sow” is the Greek word which means to scatter seed over tilled ground.   It seems to us today a wasteful way of planting. “And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it” Paths ran through the growing plants so people could help the growth and harvest it.   These paths are hardened by traffic and crushed by treading feet!  The plants are destroyed without being productive. 

Jesus often tells us in different ways in the Gospels to be careful how you hear the Word. Expressions like “see how you hear” “He has ears let him hear.”   In Mt 13:19 Jesus explains: “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown around the road.”

The Greek word to “understand”is “sun-he’ame” which literally means “to send together.”  It is used 26 times in the New Testament.  “And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand” MK 7:14   We hear the powerful Word of God but for a lot of us it is not effective as it should be for two big reasons. First, we don’t “to send together” or understand it.  When Jesus told His apostles about His upcoming suffering and death, they could not grasp it.  “But they understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.” Lk 18:34 

A second reason why we cannot feel the whole impact of the Word is not just absence of understanding but also hardness of heart.  “What has been sown in his heart” in Mt and in Mk “And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them.”The phrase “sown in them” has the same meaning that Matthew called “the heart”.  We all need the Great Cardiologist, Jesus, to soften our hearts so we can absorb the Word of His great Love!

Fr. Bob Weiss, C.P. preaches Parish Missions and is a member of the Passionist Community in Louisville, Kentucky.

Scripture:

2 Samuel 6:12b-15, 17-19
Mark 3:31-35

Reflection:

In our Gospel reading we have Mark’s account of Jesus speaking to a group of people and being told that His mother and brothers were outside asking for Him. And Jesus replies: “’Who are my mother and my brothers? And looking around at those seated in the circle he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.’”

Jesus’ response seems rather aloof, or even harsh. For me, Jesus words speak to two things, both of which challenge us to think in different ways. The first thing is to relate this encounter to what was recorded just a few verses earlier in Mark’s Gospel: “Again the crowd gathered, making it impossible for them even to eat. When his relatives heard of this, they set out to seize him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.’” (Mark 3:21). I imagine Jesus telling His family, “I can’t go home with you. I have a mission to do, and right now, it is here with these people. I’m not out of my mind. I’m doing my Father’s will.” His family had to change their thoughts about who Jesus really was. If we let Jesus come closer to us, we may need to change our thoughts about who He really is.

The second thing has to do with Jesus expanding His conception about who belongs to His family. In our divided times, it may be necessary to ask ourselves, “Who do I see as my brothers and sisters? Is it only people who are like me? Or can I see God’s love for people who may be different from me?” Again, Jesus’ words may call for a change of attitude towards others. Or even more, a change of heart.

May we let Jesus more and more into our hearts and our lives, so that we can see Him and others more clearly.

Fr. Phil Paxton, C.P., is the local superior of the Passionist Community in Birmingham, Alabama. 

Scripture:

2 Samuel 5:1-17, 10
Mark 3:22-30

Reflection:

Lord, your gospel today vividly describes the turmoil, division and suffering that results from a kingdom, a people, or a country which is divided against itself.

“If a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand”. Mk 3,24-25.  

Every generation has its own challenges which look like repeats of terrible times of division in ages past. In the midst of such a maelstrom, challenges to peace may appear unsolvable.  

“How long, oh Lord, must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart?” -Psalm 13

My heavenly Father, please help me to understand and empathize with those with whom I disagree.   Help all your sons and daughters find a way to open windows of patience, tolerance, mutual agreement and trust. 

 “Be still, and know that I am God” Ps 46

While these are national and global issues, the only thing I know I can control is myself. At prayer and throughout my day, I will listen harder to Your wisdom and guidance. I will strive to guide others to your presence and love.  And I will seek the peace you grant to people of good will. 

Ray Alonzo is the father of three children, grandfather of two, and husband to Jan for over 45 years. He is a USN Vietnam Veteran, and a 1969 graduate of Mother of Good Counsel Passionist Prep Seminary. Ray currently serves on the Passionist Alumni Council.

Scripture:

Jonah 3:1-5, 10
1 Corinthians 7:29-31
Mark1:14-20

Reflection:

Since childhood I have been fascinated by the Jonah story in the book of Jonah. In The first reading God is asking Jonah for the second time to preach the message that God will give him. The first time Jonah refuses to do God’s will he flees to Jaffa and boards a ship to Tarshish. A violent storm comes up and Jonah advises the sailors to throw him overboard and the storm will subside. Eventually the sailors take Jonah’s advice and throw him overboard and the storm subsides. Jonah spends 3 days in the belly of the whale repenting for refusing God’s call. Jonah accepts God’s call to go to Nineveh and the whale spits him out. When Jonah reached Nineveh and delivered God’s message the people repented, and God spared the people of Nineveh. What has been our firsthand experiences when we have refused to answer God’s call?

In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus calls some of the apostles and unlike Jonah they leave their fishing nets, their boats, their family and come follow him. Like Jonah and the apostles, you and I have been called to come and follow Jesus. What do you think Jesus is calling us to? Are you refusing like Jonah to come and follow Him. As Terry Hershey wrote in Sabbath Moment— “Healing Arms of Grace” (January 8, 2024) “We live in a world that needs healing, from the gentle arms and hands of grace. And every smile, every laugh, every moment of kindness, every bit of gentleness and tenderness, and every gift of grace, lets a little more healing light spill into our world. In this new year, where will we find sustenance and grounding in the gentle arms and hands of grace” to come and follow Him.

Carl Middleton is a theologian/ethicist and a member of the Passionist Family

Scripture:

2 Samuel 1:1-4, 11-12, 19, 23-27
Mark 3: 20-21

Reflection:

Our first reading today, from the Second Book of Samuel, opens with David relishing his victory in his battle with the Amalekites.  No doubt he was feeling deep satisfaction and gratitude for his success and beginning to speculate about his immediate future.    But, as he begins to celebrate his great success, a battered and bloodied soldier comes in and tells him that King Saul and his son, Jonathan, have been killed in their recent battle.  What a blow!  Jonathan was David’s closest friend and ally.  It was Jonathan who had intervened on David’s behalf when Saul grew suspicious of David’s intentions.  It was Jonathan who had managed to heal the damaged relationship between David and Saul.   And while David truly mourned King Saul’s death, he was devastated by the loss of his oldest and closest friend.  The remainder of the reading is David’s mournful yet beautiful lament for the fallen soldiers of Israel as well as for his two cherished friends.

Our Gospel reading for today presents a parallel painful experience in the life of Jesus.  Jesus has been travelling to various parts of Israel, preaching, teaching, healing the sick and disabled, casting out demons, even giving life back to those who have died.  As you can imagine his notoriety and fame soon became the talk of the whole region.  Everyone wanted to get a chance to see him. 

At the same time as his reputation grew, the skepticism and animosity of those who were threatened by Jesus, grew to dangerous proportions.  The Pharisees and other religious and secular leaders even began to plot his death. 

No doubt the family of Jesus heard the deadly rumblings in the air and grew fearful for Jesus.  So, Mark tells us that in ignoring the animosity of the powerful members of Israel, the family began to think that Jesus was “out of his mind.”  They come to take him home where he will be safe.  Jesus doesn’t react well to their efforts and resists.  There’s no way he didn’t feel betrayed by his family.

And that’s where these two readings come together.  In the midst of triumph and success both David and Jesus experience great loss and disappointment.  Both experienced the pain of the loss of people they loved and counted on.  And, both needed to move forward in spite of the hurt.

Lord, help us to have the courage and resilience to always move forward with confidence in your presence with us, especially in times of loss and disappointment.

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

Scripture:

1 Samuel 17:32-33, 37, 40-51
Mark 3:1-6

Reflection:

Everything that Jesus sought in his life and ministry is revealed in today’s gospel. Jesus walks into a synagogue where there is a man “who had a withered hand.” Like so many gospel stories, Jesus finds himself in the middle of a situation where good needs to be done. There is a man who is suffering, and Jesus wants to heal him. And yet, this gospel story bristles with tension and ominous threats of violence because also in the synagogue that day are some Pharisees who see exactly what Jesus does—a man in need of a healing—but perceive the situation quite differently. For them, the man with the withered hand represents not a possibility for Jesus to do good, but the chance that a Sabbath law will be broken.

Instead of being intimidated, Jesus speaks out: “Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” With that question, Jesus confronts us with the heart of the gospel. Yes, laws are important, but they should never get in the way of doing good. Yes, we need laws and traditions to guide us, but if they become obstacles to love, justice, compassion, and mercy, they need to be broken. In fact, to make any law, practice, and tradition more important than mercy, justice, compassion, and love is evil. There aren’t many times in the gospels that Jesus is angry, but Jesus is angry in this gospel story because the Pharisee’s rigid legalism prevents them from grasping what really matters.

On the Sabbath, Jesus defies a law in order to set somebody free, and in doing so tells us something about what it means to follow him. Like Jesus, we are called to be ministers of God’s healing and life, savvy instruments of God’s mercy and love. After all, if we don’t stand on the side of mercy, compassion, justice, and love, we are not standing with Jesus, but against him.

Paul J. Wadell is Professor Emeritus of Theology and Religious Studies at St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin, and a member of the Passionist Family of Holy Cross Province.