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Scripture:

Ezekiel 24:15-23
Matthew 19:16-22

Reflection:

Please bear with me as I start my reflection with a story that may seem very far afield from today’s readings.

 

Years ago I was in acting school and, with my fellow students, we would do scenes from plays in class. Our teacher was probably not nearly as old as I imagined.  She had a Russian accent and that, combined with her seeming age and longevity as an acting coach to the famous and near famous, made her every word seem like a pearl of wisdom.

One day as my partner and I were doing a scene, Dr. Bella turned to the class and said: "People, that moment that you love so much, that one where you are ‘acting up a storm’? Let it go. Let go of your favorite moment and then you will be a better actor."   Darn.

Over the months as I have written these spiritual reflections, I have found myself often seeking out that place in the text where our God of love and compassion is revealed. But the God of today’s first reading is not a warm and fuzzy God, and in truth, despite the enormity of Christ’s love and compassion for us, Jesus is not a warm and fuzzy guy either.

Both readings, one more stern than the other, tell us in no uncertain terms that to be a faithful follower is to be willing to let go of everything before God.  We may not need to, ultimately, but our willingness is all. In the first reading, for example, Ezekiel demonstrates very concretely that we are fickle and dismissive of God at our own peril. In the Gospel, Jesus teaches that we must not only follow the Commandments, but we are also called to let go of the very thing we hold onto the most in order to follow him. Our physical, financial or emotional security blankets?  Let them go.

As I reflect back on that day in acting school, I know that what Dr. Bella was saying was that I was not on stage for myself; no good actor is. I wasn’t there to give the big performance, get the big applause or get the play fired up. I was there to serve the story, my fellow actors and the play’s message.  I had to be willing to drop the safety net and trust. And I think that’s the message of today’s Gospel, too.

 

Nancy Nickel is the former director of communications at the Passionist Development Office in Chicago.

 

 

Scripture:

Ezekiel 18:1-10, 13b, 30-32
Matthew 19:13-15

Reflection:

Our scriptural readings for today’s feast give us much to think about.  The reading that captured my imagination is from the prophet Ezekiel, chapter 18, the first and second verse.  We read: "The word of the Lord came to me:  Son of man, what is the meaning of this proverb that you recite in the land of Israel:  ‘Fathers have eaten green grapes, thus their children’s teeth are on edge’"?  In fact, this is a very familiar proverb and a theme repeated more than once in the Hebrew Scriptures, the Old Testament.  The proverb raises the question as to whether or not people can claim that they are punished because of the sins of their parents.  We remember in the life of Jesus when the disciples saw someone suffering with an infirmity or physical affliction and they naively asked if the reason for such a condition was because of their own sins or because of the sins of their parents.  It was not uncommon for people to believe that misfortune often occurred because of the wrongdoing of others who have preceded them.  Hence, in Ezekiel, we read that the fathers (or ancestors) ate green grapes, not a good thing to do at all, and so the children’s teeth were on edge (a state of great anxiety, fear, and worry) all because of what someone else did!

Interesting way to approach life, isn’t it?  Don’t we do this ourselves – frequently blame current conditions on what others have done?  Yet, very clearly Ezekiel brings this kind of thinking to a halt.  He states: "As I live, says the Lord God I swear that there shall no longer be anyone among you who will repeat this proverb in Israel.  For all lives are mine; the life of the father is like the life of the son, both are mine; only the one who sins shall die."  And then Ezekiel goes on to portray how the person who does what is good will live, while the sinner who chooses to do evil will not live but die.

There was another prophet who addressed this very same parable and that was Jeremiah.  In the 31^st chapter, verses 27 to 30, Jeremiah writes: "As I once watched over them to uproot and pull down, to destroy, to ruin, and to harm, so I will watch over them to build and to plant, says the Lord.  In those days they shall no longer say, ‘The fathers ate unripe grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge,’ but through his own fault only shall anyone die; the teeth of him who eats the unripe grapes shall be set on edge.’" 

So, dear friends, what does this parable in today’s reading say to us?  What does this rather arcane image of eating green grapes and having teeth on edge have to do with us here and now?  Sometimes, as mentioned above, we have a tendency to blame problems and bad situations on the actions of others.  And while there are times when this may be true, too often we tend to forget the role our own responsibility plays in shaping life around us and within us.  We are called by God to take responsibility for living a virtuous life, for shaping and forming a just and loving society.  When there is suffering, disappointment, and failure first we must accept our own responsibility for such things.  And then it is the duty of all of us working together to bring about healing, fulfillment, and victory over evil.

 

Fr. Pat Brennan, CP is the director of Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.

 

Feast of Saint Monica

Scripture:

2 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 11-12
Matthew 23:13-22

Reflection:

Some time ago I was speaking with a young man, a recovering cocaine addict. There was still suffering in his voice, and lots of tenderness in his eyes. When he narrated a telephone conversation he recently had with his mother, the reverence was palpable.

"Why won’t you be coming home for Christmas?" she pleaded.

"Too many projects at the office, Mom," he replied. "I’ve just got too much work to get done."

"Frankie, why aren’t you coming home for Christmas?" she retorted. ("Mothers are always able to discern truth," he told me.)

"Because when I’m there nobody will talk with me. Bob and Jean (his brother and sister) will pick up their kids and move to another room. It’s just too painful to be alone when everybody’s afraid of me."

"And without hesitating a moment," he said to me, "she replied, ‘… why don’t you come sit by me then, Frankie?  I love it when you are close to me.’"

"Father, this is the woman I lied to and cheated and stole from to support my habit. And she just won’t stop loving me."

Although we don’t know much about Saint Monica, we do know from Saint Augustine’s writings that his mother surely possessed the Spirit’s gift of long-suffering! She prayed unceasingly for her eldest child! Today we realize that not everyone’s mother shared that grace or virtue. And the behavioral sciences and Twelve-Step programs also remind us that enabling addictive behavior or supporting (in a codependent way) such an aberrant lifestyle can be the exact opposite of love… "tough love." 

With all the complexities of contemporary life, however, today’s feast encourages us to be authentic. The word "hypocrite" that Jesus imputes to the scribes and Pharisees actually has its origin from the stage and acting. Repeatedly we are challenged to be real and genuine; we are not to be about performing, not about persona.

Maybe that’s why Jesus chooses his twelve; not because they were disciplined and holy, or exceptionally intelligent or charismatic. Rather, they were open to being transformed. They were real, like Monica, and Augustine.

 

Fr. Jack Conley, C.P. ministers as a preacher of parish missions and retreats.  He is a member of the Passionist formation community at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.

Scripture:

Ezekiel 12:1-12
Matthew 18:21-19:1

Reflection:

"Son of man, you live in the midst of a rebellious house. . ."  These words to the prophet Ezekiel remind me of a sarcastic Spanish movie I recently saw.  The movie is titled "Seven Women, a Homosexual and Carlos" and tells the story of Carlos, a newly wed young professional, who comes from a Catholic family of moral values and beliefs, especially with regard to the Sacrament of Matrimony.  The inexperienced, handsome Carlos struggles to be faithful to his wife as he experiences the constant sexual harassment of an attractive female coworker and the immoral social pressure of his chauvinist manager and friends who think that conjugal fidelity was made only for women, because "each man deserves to have seven women and a homosexual as partners."  Like the prophet Ezekiel and many of the faithful of all times, Carlos succeeds in living as he is and thinks "in the midst of a rebellious house."  Though it is only a movie drama, its sarcasm reflects the decadent mentality of our current society, which has expelled God and the Gospel from public schools, governmental institutions, and many "Christian" families.  Our Catholic Church has also struggled to be the moral exemplar with the current, worldwide sexual abuse scandal.

In today’s gospel, therefore, Jesus equates "the kingdom of heaven" with God’s remarkable, boundless gift of forgiveness and reconciliation.  For, while God is able to forgive everything "from his heart" and more than "seventy-seven times," we sometimes cannot even take a time to forgive others’ and our own mistakes and wrongdoings.  In fact, unlike Jesus, who relinquished his divine prerogatives to forgive us from his heart and reconcile us with his "heavenly Father," we always claim and safeguard our human rights.  God only claims and safeguards the human rights of the "little ones," the poor and powerless, who are unable to pay back what they owe.  No wonder the psalmist encourages us "not to forget the works of the Lord," for it is by God’s grace that we are capable of and expected to forgive our brothers and sisters from our hearts and up to "seventy-seven times," which seems humanly impossible. 

We may live in the midst of rebellious house or be part of it, but we are always encouraged to return to God, to forgive others, and to be a reminding sign of God’s forgiveness to others.  We are simply called to be faithful to the gospel values of mutual respect, forgiveness and reconciliation.  Therefore, today’s readings invite us to reflect on our human relationships, especially those that are difficult to keep in good terms.

 

Fr. Alfredo Ocampo, C.P. gives retreats and parish missions.  He is stationed at Holy Name Passionist Community in Houston, Texas.

Scripture:

1 Kings 19:4-8
Ephesians 4:30-5:2
John 6:41-51

Reflection:

Elijah was afraid.  He was literally running for his life.  He had just accomplished great things for God and had done what he thought was required by God, namely slitting the throats of 450 priests of Baal.  But now that Jezebel was determined to inflict the same fate on Elijah he was deathly afraid and running  away.  Elijah also felt betrayed that God was not protecting him and he even was at the point of admitting his own sinfulness and that he was "no better than his fathers".   Elijah was basically just plain tired.  Doing the will of God was not easy and then suffering deep fear and the threat of death because of it was just too much.  Elijah sat down under a broom tree in the desert and prayed for death.  The burdens of life were too heavy, not worth it and he just gave up.  Why bother any more when I do what God wants and suffer anyway?  Elijah gave up on life but God did not give up on Elijah.  An angel of God brought hope and renewed energy in the form of bread and water and Elijah was able to get up to continue his journey even without knowing the final destination.   He was given just enough to keep on keeping on.  Despite his fear he was moving closer to his own personal encounter with his God whom he was trying to serve. 

In today’s Gospel, Jesus is not afraid but he is experiencing the hostility and rejection of the very people he has just so abundantly fed.  Jesus is trying to move the Jews beyond the desire for food that would satisfy their physical need, but returns  daily  to the realization that their fundamental hunger is for the food that provides  life in unity with God.  And Jesus, the incarnation of the great I AM, names himself as that food.  Despite the miracles they have witnessed accomplished through Jesus, this assertion of his identity with God defies comprehension and they turn away.

Many people today are just plain tired.  Men and women who have tried to live a good life are worn down struggling with joblessness, financial worries,  medical issues, concerns about  the future of their children,  their parents and their own retirement.  They are hungry for an inner peace and some sense of security about the future.  For many, the fear and weariness can just be overwhelming.  The temptation is to give up and just live for death, to run from the struggle and take refuge in drink or drugs or anger and bitterness.  There is no answer that will bring in cash or provide absolute certainty about the future no matter how prayerful one might be.  Maybe to only answer is ultimately to give oneself over to the incomprehensible and to keep on keeping on knowing and believing that Jesus, the incarnate God, is with us in the struggle.

Cathy Anthony is on the staff at St. Paul of the Cross Retreat and Conference Center, Detroit, Michigan. 

Scripture:

Hebrews 1:12-2:4
Matthew 17:14-20

Reflection:

Jesus had just given Peter, James and John a glimpse of his glory when he was transfigured and spoke with Moses and Elijah of his destiny on Calvary. And now as they join the rest of the Apostles at the foot of the mountain, they find them engaged in argument with a crowd, who want to know what has happened with their power to cure and drive out evil spirits.

A father had brought his boy to the Apostles and no one of them and not all of them together had been able to bring about a cure.

So the father kneels down and appeals to Jesus:  "take pity on my son, who is demented… He often falls into the fire and frequently into the water.  I have brought him to your disciples and they could not cure him."

Jesus drives out the evil spirit and the boy is cured.  But now the Apostles want to know,  "What happened to  the power you gave us?"  In Matthew’s account, Jesus tells them:  "Because you have so little trust, I assure you if you had the faith the size of a mustard seed, you would be able to say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move."

The faith, Jesus is talking about here, is not faith in God and the word of God.  It is the faith that works miracles–a special gift God still imparts to specific people. 

Jesus pointed out the need of faith in those he endowed with a share in his power.  That same faith is required of those seeking God’s help.  In Mark’s account Jesus demands the same faith from the boy’s father, who happily replies:  "I do believe, help my unbelief."

We can utter that prayer for belief in answers to our prayers as well as our belief in the grace that saves our souls.  The faith that Martha expressed to Jesus: "I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into this world."

God is still with us. His healers are still with us.  When St. Augustine claimed the age of miracles had passed, the numbers who assured him they had experienced God’s power in their lives made him change his opinion.  What happened at the base of Mt. Tabor happens now with same requirement of faith.

     

Fr. Fred Sucher, C.P. is retired and lives at the Sacred Heart Community in Louisville, Kentucky.  For many years he taught philosophy to Passionist seminarians.

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Scripture:

Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab
1 Corinthians 15:20-27
Luke 1:39-56

Reflection:

Once again we encounter these powerful readings for the feast of Mary’s Assumption into heaven.  The image of a women clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars is applied to the humble wife of Joseph the carpenter and the mother of Jesus. She is pictured as laboring to bring the Christ into the world and being confronted by a flaming red dragon who would attempt to destroy her Son. But He is rescued from the dragon and snatched up to heaven.  We can only echo the cry of the loud voice from heaven: "Now have salvation and power come, the reign of our God and the authority of his Anointed One". The Church stretches the scriptures to understand the role and dignity of this servant of the Lord in her lowliness. Our hearts are moved as Mary proclaims to Elizabeth the greatness of the Lord and as her spirit finds joy in God her savior.

For Mary there is no glorious ascension with awe struck disciples watching, but a hidden and quiet assumption. The Eastern Church speaks of the Dormition of Mary. One night she goes to sleep and awakens bodily in heaven to be greeted and embraced by her Son. What a tender reunion that must have been. May we appreciate all that Mary has done for her Son and how she mothered and sustained the faith of the disciples after the awful death of her Son. She was there for Him and for them and now is there for us. "Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and at the hour of our death."

 

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

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 9:6-10
John 12:24-26

Reflection:

I’ve heard the scripture passage so many times – "God loves a cheerful giver". It is easy to be a "cheerful giver" when I freely choose what, when, and to whom I give, and especially when my offering is visibly appreciated. I love it, for instance, when I take time to bake cinnamon rolls from scratch, and then watch my sons’ joy as they devour them one by one. I cheerfully join my sons in sponsoring a child living in poverty, especially since the monthly donation makes not a dent in our family’s budget and we receive heartfelt letters from the child. For the parish’s clothing collection, I happily box up outdated fashions, clothes too small for our grown offspring, and items we never wear anyway. I have made it a habit when I travel to compliment people in the airport, allow them to go in line ahead of me, offer a mint to the person sitting next to me, and generally try to make a few people’s lives a little better amidst the hustle and hassle of air flight. See God? I am a cheerful giver!

Yet I am often put to shame by others I encounter on the journey. For instance, there was a young Muslim woman in the airport restroom. When I admired the scarf that covered her head and hair, she said, "Oh if you like it, you may have it; I have another." I kindly declined her unexpected offer, and wondered how often I would be willing to so readily give my sweater, shawl, purse, or other item to a stranger who liked it. Am I a cheerful giver when it’s not something I would have chosen to give?  

Arriving on a delayed flight into a huge airport, I frantically ran toward the gate for my connecting flight, my face contorted as I gasped for each breath. A woman with a burn-scarred face gently touched my shoulder and said, "Peace." I whirled around, exasperated by the interruption, and protested, "But my flight leaves in 20 minutes from the other terminal."  Her response calmly flowed: "It’s OK. Take a minute to breathe. You will make it, and all will be well." In spite of myself, I paused and took a deep cleansing breath. As I took off again, I heard her voice calling to me from behind, "God bless you." I continued on, no less quickly but far less frantically, and I did indeed make my connection. Sitting on the plane, I thought of this angel who despite her own pain acted with profound compassion. Ashamedly, I realized I didn’t say thank you or even take a moment to truly look into her eyes. My offer of a mint to a fellow passenger paled in comparison. Am I a cheerful giver who can set my own needs and pains aside to minister to another?

A young girl’s liver was failing rapidly. Her grade-school teacher was a match and volunteered to be the donor. The girl received a portion of her teacher’s liver, and she is alive today. What would it take for me to undergo the risk of major surgery and give an organ from my body to another person – especially someone not even in my own family – in hopes that they might live? Am I willing to cheerfully give my own body, blood, and life for another?

The challenge offered by scripture is an expansive one, calling me to go beyond my comfort zone and my familiar modes of "giving". God calls me to detach from my possessions, be generous to all those in need (which includes learning to see them when they are right in front of my face), be willing to lose my life, and live in such a way that when people see me they see Christ. That is a tall order indeed, and I have a long way to go to measure up to it.

Help me, God, to truly and cheerfully give without reservation – of my time, my gifts, my treasure, and my very self. Mold my heart and my life so that people I encounter may speak of me in the words of Rabindrinath Tagore: "After you had taken your leave, I found God’s footprints on my floor."

 

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.amyflorian.com/.