wpengine

Scripture:

Jeremiah 13:1-11
Matthew 13:31-35

Reflection:

Jesus speaks in today’s gospel about the reign of God. It is like a mustard seed.  It is like leaven. 

When we think of the reign of God, we picture a world of justice, of peace, of compassion and love.  Somehow we forget one obvious part of that reign, the "keeping of the Sabbath."  Keeping the Lord’s Day holy has gotten lost among all the busyness of modern life.       

Instead of prayer, family and leisure time, Sunday has become just another day for work and shopping.  Even early morning sports events are scheduled, making it difficult for kids and their parents to get to church.  People are being pulled in many different directions and getting bent out of shape.  Is it any wonder that we hear news about suicides, spousal abuse and all sorts of drug and alcohol related problems?  The sale of antidepressants continues to rise as the rat race shifts into higher gear.        

The Third Commandment is a weekly call to quiet down and "recalculate."  Am I leading a balanced life?  Do I have my priorities correct?  Is the pressure to work and get ahead running my life?  Am I getting enough recreation and sleep?  Is God number one in my life?  Do I enjoy praying for and with my family and friends?  Do I commune with nature and dine on good literature and art?      

Sunday is just one day out of seven.  But if it is kept well, we will be sowing seeds that can make us grow and feel whole.  It Sunday is kept well, it can be the leaven that transforms us into wise and happy people.  And we will not be far from the reign of God.

 

Fr. Alan Phillip, C.P. is a member of the Passionist Community at Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.

Scripture:

Jeremiah 14:17-22
Matthew 13:36-43

Reflection:

"Whoever has ears ought to hear."

Today’s gospel gives us both a parable and then an interpretation of that parable.  The gospel explains the parable of the weeds among the wheat. Jesus is telling His disciples how the one who sows good seed is the Son of Man, and the one who sows the weeds is the Devil.  When the wheat grew, the weeds appeared as well.  Jesus had previously indicated that if you uproot the weeds, you might uproot the wheat along with it.  So, He concludes by saying, "At the end of the age, the harvesters (angels) will go through and collect the weeds, bind them up and throw them into the furnace." Those who bore good fruit in their life by living as Jesus taught us will be welcomed into Heaven with open arms.

Human beings are complex.  We sometimes have a tendency to want to divide people into two categories: saints and sinners.  However, people can’t be divided into the good and the bad, as though they were two completely separate classes of people.  All of us are a mixture of good and bad, wheat and weeds, as we’ll discover when we take a good honest look into our own field.  And we are truly blessed that The Harvester doesn’t uproot the "weeds" as soon as they appear.  We get a second chance to live as "wheat". 

Some of us might remember in gym class the importance of being chosen to be on the team that was most likely going to win.  Obviously, no one wanted to be on the team that would most likely lose, we wanted to be on the team that gave us the best chance for success.

One can think of this as being a parable about a winning team (wheat) and a losing team (weeds). The only difference between our gym class example and the parable is this; we get to choose which team we are on!   We can say "yes" to God’s plan and strive to know and accomplish His will in our lives; or we can say "no", and choose to live a life that is selfish and self-centered. We get to choose whether we live as "wheat" or as "weeds."

Today’s parable is both realistic and optimistic.  We go to church, not because we are saints, but because we are sinners, sinners who know we are sinners, but who are willing to strive for something better.The main point of this parable is clear:  up to the last judgment, the Kingdom will be a mixed bag of good and evil.  Our Lord is inviting us to change and today He gives us the opportunity and encouragement to do so.  "Whoever has ears ought to hear!"

 

Deacon Brian Clements is a retired member of the retreat team at Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center in Sierra Madre, California

Scripture:

Jeremiah 7:1-11
Matthew 13:24-30

Reflection:

In today’s Old Testament reading we hear that God wants his people to learn that they must reform – and how does he want them to reform? God wants them to deal justly with their neighbor;

to no longer oppress the resident alien,
the orphan, or widow;
to stop shedding innocent blood,
or following strange gods,

Only then will God remain with them in this place. How often do we pray in these words:  "God be with us." Can we hear God saying to us that if we want Him to be with us, we must change our behavior? We have to make good choices.

God goes on to incredulously ask if the people of Judah can actually come to stand before him even though they steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, and worship strange gods. We too, should ask if we dare stand before God in our sinfulness.  It’s only because we know of God’s mercy and love that we can stand before our God.

The Gospel today is about the wheat and the weeds. This can be a pretty disturbing message. It is certainly much easier to think about God’s love and mercy than to think about God’s punishment. But of course, what we are really being encouraged to do here is to be the wheat. The message is not about how severe the punishment will be, but rather that God really wants us to make the right choices.

If you’ve ever raised a teenager, you can relate to God’s frustration in these two readings. Remember thinking (or saying), "How can I get through to this kid?" He doesn’t seem to hear a single thing I say. First, you may have tried saying something like, if we are going to have a good relationship, you need to straighten up. How can we support you when you act like this? Then perhaps you move on to asking in disbelief, how can you stand there looking so innocent when we both know you’ve done this or that. And finally, you try the carrot and the stick method. If you do better, you’ll get more privileges, rewards and lots of good things but if you don’t measure up, you’re grounded and you’ll lose all your privileges. You just wanted your child to make the right choices.  And through all the worry, frustration and anger, you still managed to love your son or daughter. Does God do any less with us?

 

Mary Lou Butler is a long-time friend and partner in ministry to the Passionists in California. 

Scripture:

2 Kings 4:42-44
Ephesians 4:1-6
John 6:1-15

Reflection:

The story of Jesus feeding a crowd of five thousand with a few loaves and fishes and its precursor in the story of Elisha from the Book of Kings are reassuring reminders of how much God loves us.  Two questions come up in both of these narratives.  The first question is one which comes up every time we prepare a meal for others.

Will there be enough for everybody?

In both readings there is a concern raised over whether a little bit of food will be enough for the crowds.  Andrew asks Jesus, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?"  The answer is revealed as everyone in the crowd is fed until they are satisfied.  The simple truth in the story is that God’s love is more than enough for us all.  Even when we are suffering we can be assured of the abundance of God’s love for us.  The second question comes up after we prepare a meal and it’s time to do the dishes.

What should we do with the leftovers?

Jesus tells the disciples to gather up any leftovers.  "Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted."  This is much more than a Tupperware opportunity.  Not only are we to partake fully in consuming God’s abundant love; we also must give this life giving love away to others.  We must give from our abundance.  Our baptism in God’s loving grace fills our souls.  We in turn must give this grace to others in every human interaction.  This can be as simple as a loving smile, a helpful hand or a compassionate act.

I love this story.  It clearly reminds me of how hungry I am for God’s love in my life.  It also reminds me of how much I need to share this experience of grace with others.  My prayerful reflection can be summed up in an old spiritual.

"Fill my cup Lord, I lift it up Lord.  Come and quench this thirsting of my soul.  Bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more.  Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole."

 

Terry McDevitt, Ph.D. is a member of our Passionist Family who volunteers at the Passionist Assisted Living Community in Louisville, Kentucky.

Feast of Saints Joachim and Anne,
parents of  the Blessed Virgin Mary 

Scripture:

Jeremiah 2:1-3, 7-8, 12-13
Matthew 13:10-17

Reflection:

Sitting in the faculty lounge during my first year of teaching, I was surrounded by the cumulative wisdom of seasoned teachers, many of whom taught me.  The conversation that particular day was quite disturbing.  The foibles of adolescents in high school were paraded out for all to lament.  Their inattentiveness, tardiness, stubbornness, laziness, and overall snarky nature exacerbated these teachers.  "Well," I ventured to say, "if they’re to be perfect, then they really don’t need us, do they?  Isn’t this why we’re all here?"  That cleared the room.

Just as Jeremiah was sent as a prophet to the people of Israel, God sends parents, teachers and preachers to help us find our way during those times in our lives when we get lost.  Jeremiah was a reluctant prophet, and referred to as the "Weeping Prophet" for all the suffering he endured in calling the people of Israel back to their Covenant with God.  What parent or teacher, what confessor or counselor is not also rightly called a weeping prophet?

We are stubborn learners.  We resist new ideas or ways of doing things that force us out of our comfort zones and familiar ways.  We wander like roaming sheep without thought that we are lost…we just don’t know where we are, as my grandfather liked to clarify when we were actually lost.  Learning, healing and reconciling begins, to borrow the First Step in AA, with admitting that one cannot control one’s addiction or compulsion.  We have to admit we are lost.

Each of us can identify those in our lives who were a prophet to us.  Maybe they were in the classroom.  Maybe at home.  On the playing field.  In a doctor’s office.  They were sent by God to help us find our centers, our hearts, our meaning and hope.  They were our personal prophets who were not afraid to stand up to speak what needed to be said, whether we liked it or not.

Today’s memorial feast honors Sts. Joachim and Anne, the parents of Mary.  History actually does not record their names and there is no mention of them at all in the Gospels.  But no matter their names, we know Mary had parents who helped guide her to a moment of truth when she said to the Angel Gabriel, "Let it be done to me according to your Word."  She was open to learning from a rather strange visitor the meaning of the Word of God in her life. 

The Gospel today begs us to have ears that hear, eyes that see, and hearts that understand.  That means we need to surround ourselves with those who will be prophets for us, who will help us learn what God desires for us.

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

 

Scripture:

Acts 28:16-20, 30-31
John 21:20-25

 

 

 

Reflection:

"What concern is it of yours?  You follow me."  In this concluding verse of the Gospel of John, Peter is looking around to see the disciple John and wonders what is in store for him.  Jesus tells Peter, just do what you need to do and don’t worry about anyone else.

I can imagine Jesus having a little heart to heart talk with Peter.  He’s saying something like, "You know, Peter, the world is a big place full of diverse people.  It is going to take all of you with your unique personalities and talents to share the good news of salvation in so many places and among so many people.  You each have a role to play, so don’t try to play each other’s roles and miss out on the role you’re to play."

 The selection from Acts of the Apostles for today, also the closing verses of that book, recalls the odd lot fallen to St. Paul who is under house arrest in Rome.  Surely he could not have foreseen such a circumstance in which he finds himself witnessing to the Gospel.  We don’t hear him asking where Peter is or what John is up to.  He adapts his ministry to the circumstances of his life, and trusts that others are doing likewise.  We find our ministry wherever we are.

 "You follow me," Jesus says to me.  Don’t be worried about others and how they are called to follow Jesus and live the Gospel.  How freeing it is to know that I don’t have to do what they do, and they shouldn’t have to do what I do.  We can cover more ground that way.  The many facets of the Gospel are lived out in surprising ways by uniquely gifted women and men.  Jesuit and poet Gerard Manley Hopkins captures aptly the diversity of our discipleship.  I invite you to prayerfully recite these lines: [He] Acts in God’s eye what in God’s eye he is – – / Christ. For Christ plays in ten thousand places, / Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not his / To the Father through the features of men’s faces.

 

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

Feast of Saint James, Apostle

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 4:7-15
Matthew 20:20-28

Reflection:

"…the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."

How do we live our lives?  Do we constantly strive to have more money? Will that make us truly happy?  Do we have to have the biggest and the best and newest on the market, be it a house, car or some other material object?  Or the recognition of authority? Are these the things that define our happiness, make us great? I know a few people who are like this.  Does having all this stuff make them great, or better than me?

Or, do we strive to live our lives as Jesus did?  Humble, unassuming, serving others out of love and not anticipating the rewards He would receive in return.  To me, this is the power of God at work in our own lives. It is the example He set for us as parents, and even grandparents:  willingly sacrificing our own needs and wants to fulfill the needs of our (grand)children.

I know no one who lived this better than my maternal grandmother.  She and my Great-Grandmother lived together after both were widowed.  Gram was 64 when her daughter (my mother) passed away.  So instead of relaxing in her "golden years" and enjoying the benefits of a life of hard work, she chose to raise another generation of children, her grandchildren.  Gram sacrificed so much in her later life for us.  Although my sister was older and on her own, Gram made sure my brother and I always had what we needed, on nothing but Social Security as income.  Five of us living in a one bedroom apartment was not easy, but Gram made it easy.  So maybe she couldn’t do or have what she needed, but I always had a bed to sleep in, a clean uniform for school, bus fare to get there, and dinner waiting when I got home from work.  She somehow managed to buy me a car when I started college so I could get to and from school.  She even scraped the money together to pay my brother’s tuition for his senior year in high school so that he could stay and graduate with his classmates.  Her ultimate sacrifice came at age 70 when Great-Gram fell and broke her hip and could no longer be alone during the day.  Gram quit her job to stay home and care for Great-Gram, while still raising her grandchildren.

This is the example set for me as a child, and I try to do the same now for my children.  Material objects do not define who we are as people.  What matters is how we live our lives in the example Jesus gave us: serving others out of love and not expecting anything in return but the satisfaction of doing His work.

 

Claire Smith is on staff at the Holy Cross Province Development Office in Chicago, Illinois.

 

Scripture:

Micah 7:14-15, 18-20
Matthew 12:46-50

 

 

 

Reflection:

Mercy 

In today’s liturgy the Church introduces us to the prophet Micah who lived about 2,750 years ago.  His name in Hebrew means "Who is like God?"  True to his name he asks: "Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in mercy." (Micah 7:18)  

We must all live on the edge of God’s mercy.  We must not be afraid to jump into the abyss of His kindness.  There is a great democracy among all of us. We all exist on the margins of God’s mercy.  In the movie Schindler’s List, Oskar, the protagonist, at the end of the movie instead of feeling good about saving 1,200 lives was filled with guilt for not doing more.  "I could have saved more."  Even the great saints did not wear their medals in God’s service like famous soldiers as Patton, but rather saw themselves as "vessels of His mercy." (Romans 9:23)  Our ultimate claim to glory is that God has shown me mercy to which I had no claim! Paul said it well: "For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."  So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy." (Romans 9:15)  God’s mercy is our ultimate reality!  This is true not just because we have sinned and need forgiveness, but our very existence is an effect of His mercy.

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." (James 1:17) To remain in God’s mercy it is terribly important that we share this generosity with one another.  "With the merciful you show yourself merciful." (Psalm 18:25) If, as Micah says, "he delights in mercy", we must imitate Our Lord Jesus who said: "And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?" (Matthew 18:33)  These words alone can frame our whole spiritual life.  We are humbly grateful for God’s kindness to us and let us make sure we have the same mercy to each other if we hope to hang on to God’s generosity! "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy." (Matthew 5:7)

 

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