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Scripture:

Proverbs 3:27-34
Luke 8:16-18

Reflection:

How confident are you that you’re going to heaven?  Are you very confident, somewhat hopeful, a bit worried, or maybe afraid that you’ll never make it?  Many of us find it hard to imagine how God sees us.  We work so hard to present out best selves to the public we can forget that God sees everything about us, the private darkness as well as the public image.  And, when we do remember that, it can be a bit scary.

If we do find ourselves struggling with some anxiety about how God sees us, today’s Gospel passage can be something of a surprise for us.  Jesus tells us that we are a light for the world.  We need to put ourselves on a stand and let our light shine for all to see!  Who?  Me?!

Yet, that is what Jesus tells his disciples!  Whether we feel confident about our relationship with God or not, it seems that God has a great deal of confidence in us.  He tells us that we are to get up on the lamp stand and shine for all the world to see.  We are to be living witnesses of God’s love for the world.  Even though he knows that we’re not perfect, or rich, or powerful, or famous, or whatever else we imagine is important to do the job, Jesus still tells us that we have everything we need within us.  And that “everything” consists of God’s love for us!

So, today, let’s make an attempt to listen to Jesus and do what he asks.  Let your light shine so everyone can see what God’s love has done in you.

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

Scripture:

Amos 8:4-7
1 Timothy 2:1-8
Luke 16:1-13

Reflection:

“Beloved: First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity. This is good and pleasing to God our savior, who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.” 1 Tim 2: 1-4

I definitely need to take this scripture to heart about praying for our leaders. I have been remiss in this area, and I certainly don’t pray in thanksgiving for some of them. Apparently there is a benefit for doing so as this scripture tells us: “that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life”. It makes sense that if I prayed for them instead of complaining about them or judging them, I would have much more peace.

On a different front, God used this verse to help me come to peace about my own children and their salvation. When they were teenagers the possibility of one or more of them not making it to heaven gave me great cause for concern. As I prayed and sought the Lord about this, He put two verses together for me and now I don’t worry about it. He gave me the verse above that He wills for all to be saved; and then He reminded me that if we ask according to His will, He will hear and answer us. (1 John 5:14-15.)

I haven’t stopped praying for my kids, and now I pray for their kids too. I truly believe with all my heart that they will all make it to heaven one day. Praise God for His mercy and unconditional love that wishes all of his children to make it home one day. Let us continue to pray for our loved ones, for those in authority over us, and for everyone the Lord brings to mind!

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].

Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 15:1-11
John 19:25-27 or Luke 2:33-35

Reflection:

No mother should have to experience what Mary did as she watched her Son die. Is the actuality worse than a mother can imagine? Think the pain of that mothers all over the world experience every day. Think of the military wives and mothers who go to Dover Air Force base to receive the flag draped remains of their husbands and sons. Think of the wives and mothers of those killed in drone attacks or air strikes who wonder why their husbands and sons do not come back.

But of course mothers do see their children die even in 2016. In the faces and eyes of mothers who watch their children slowly die, Mary’s sorrows continue.

Other gospel writers mention the presence of the women at Golgotha, but it is John who explicitly tells us that Mary and the beloved disciple stood by the cross. He reports Jesus’ words: “Woman, behold, your son” and to the disciple whom Jesus loved: “Behold, your mother.”

Mary, may I appreciate you as my mother. May I go to you with my doubts and fears. May I confidently trust in your loving care for me. Help me to have a compassionate heart as I see Jesus suffering in the crucified of today.

Be with me always and at the hour of my death. Amen.

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

Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Scripture:

Micah 5:1-4a
Matthew 1:1-16,18-23

Reflection:

Today we celebrate the birth of Mary.  We celebrate because we have the advantage of Church history and tradition as well as scripture to serve as the base for our belief.  So while her birth is not mentioned in scripture, church history– dating back to the end of the second century– teaches that Mary was born of Anne and Joachim who were childless and who thought they would not be able to have children.  We also know from church teachings that Mary was born without original sin. God was preparing her to carry His Son.

The church offers us a choice in the readings today.  One set is much shorter than the other. There is much value in reading the longer reading, especially the gospel which is the genealogy of Joseph’s family.  One of the values of stopping and taking the time to read this long list of names is because it signifies the passage of time.  The people were waiting for the Messiah – year after year; generation after generation.  How tempting it must have been to give up on the whole idea, to think that it was never going to happen.  But all along, God had a plan, and His plan did not just go back to the birth of Mary, but to her family and to the family of Joseph as the offspring of a family God called to help bring about the salvation of the world.  And so we hear all the names, we recall the time that past and hopefully we ponder again the words of scripture “My time is not man’s time…”

This is especially important for us in today’s culture of immediate gratification.  Let’s face it, most of us don’t like to wait for things.  We think we’re doing great when we plan our calendar for the next month and we are challenged greatly when we have to wait for graduations, weddings, job promotions, and other events that take planning and work to achieve.   So when we pray, it’s hard for us not to presume God is going to answer our prayers right now.  We think this is when I need it!  Whether we are praying for peace, for a cure for an illness, to reach an important decision, to get over the death of a loved one, for a new job or to pass a test or win a game, we want it now.  What a lesson we can learn from the Israelites waiting for the Messiah.  Let us follow their example, let us follow the example of Mary, our Blessed Mother, let us learn patience and trust in the wisdom of God.

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

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 6:1-11
Luke 6:12-19

Reflection:

After praying all night, Jesus chose his twelve Apostles, the incipient Church.  Who are they?  They are the most unexceptional, unremarkable, rag-tag bunch of fishermen, zealots, tax-collecting self-centered, thick-headed, doubting men, filled with fear masked by bravado.

Never did 12 men ever change the course of history like these 12, but never did a leader ever have more trouble with his followers than Jesus had with these 12.  Why did Jesus choose this bunch?  Did they lie on their resumes?  Did Jesus not check them out before he made his selection?

The answer lies in the mystery of who Jesus is.  Jesus chose those who would most resemble him at the moment of his crucifixion.  It is when Jesus is weakest, most broken, most vulnerable, most frail – nailed to the cross – that he is strongest.  God’s strength was unleashed on the cross, at the moment of our redemption.  What makes us most like Christ is our frail humanity.  The Apostle Paul proclaims this mystery: “When I am weak, then I am strong.”

Throughout Scripture we hear repeatedly how God’s strength is made perfect in weakness.

Job said, “I abhor myself.”
“Moses pleaded, “Pick somebody else, I’m no good at speaking.”
“Isaiah said, “I am a man of unclean lips.
“David cried out, “My sin is ever before me.
“Peter begged, “Depart from me, for I am a wicked man.
“Paul groaned, “The evil which I would not, that I do.”

And therein lies the Good News for us.  We don’t have to worry about being qualified to be used by God.  Does anyone lack self-esteem, feel ungifted and inadequate?  Congratulations.  Those are just the qualifications God is looking for.  He specializes in using people who are not fit for the job.

God, who has all strength, doesn’t need our puny strengths.  But we do have something God doesn’t have, something God wants – our weakness.   Just as Jesus called the 12 in their stunning frailty, he also calls us to surrender our broken, crucified, weakness to him.  Only then will God’s power qualify us, empower us, unleash us, transform us to do his work.

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

Scripture:

Ezekiel 28:1-10
Matthew 19:23-30

Reflection:

Material things have a way of capturing the human heart and soul and calling them to live on the fringe of what is really of value.  Material things can be like fly-paper.  It is easy to get stuck in that dimension.  In our reading today from the prophet Ezekiel, we find the prince of Tyre gloating over his wisdom applied to schemes for getting rich.  He was so arrogant that he thought he was as intelligent as God.  Ezekiel says that God will pick up the fly-paper with the prince attached and toss it away.  Like so many people today, the prince was brain dead spiritually.  We have a new atheism emerging as these one dimensional and spiritually blind people cry out to be heard.

Our gospel from St. Matthew is right in line with the teaching of Ezekiel.  “Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of heaven.”

I have known some rich people, usually “old money rich”, who are very spiritual Christians.  Their riches do not stick to them.  Their hearts are quite detached from material things.  They try to be good and generous stewards of what the Lord has brought their way.  I am sure the Lord has the “hundred fold” prepared for them and they will inherit eternal life.

If you have been blessed with an abundance of material things, then go to church often.  Every time you walk through the front door to enter the church building, leave your riches on a shelf and as you enter, reverently acknowledge your emptiness and need for Jesus.  When you get up to go and receive our Lord in Holy Communion, let this be your telling everyone there that this is who you really are; not a rich person but one who draws your life from Jesus Christ.  If you do this, when you are leaving the church and you pick up your goodies at the front door, you will find they are quite slippery.  You will not get stuck to them.

 

Fr. Blaise Czaja, C.P. gives parish missions and retreats.  He is a member of the Passionist Community in Detroit, Michigan.

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Scripture:

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

Reflection:

This feast in honor of Mary’s Assumption into heaven has been celebrated in the eastern and western churches since the fifth century. There is no direct scriptural reference to Mary’s assumption. The Church presents us with images and allusions from the Book of Revelations. As the Ark of the Covenant carried the stone tablets of the Law, so Mary carried in her womb the Messiah and Son of God. As Israel was the glory of God and the Messiah was a descendant of David, so Mary, the women clothed with the sun, brought forth Jesus. As Israel was overrun and occupied by the Romans, so Mary’s child would face the huge dragon, the personification of evil. God would protect the child and bring him to his throne and the reign of God would triumph.

In the letter to the Corinthians Paul celebrates the resurrection of the Christ. He is the first fruit to be followed at his coming by all who belong to him. Implied is that Mary, his mother and closest follower, doesn’t have to wait. The glory of the Son is the glory of the Mother.

Luke recounts the visit of Mary to Elizabeth. Her heart is revealed in her prayer of praise and thanksgiving, the Magnificat. When we are asked, what is Mary’s prayer? we sometimes say it is the Hail Mary. Yet really that is our prayer to Mary. Her prayer is here in Luke’s gospel. It is her sense in the overwhelming greatness of God, her Savior, who has looked on his lowly handmaid. It is her recognition that God in his mercy has done great things for her. So Mary teaches us the prayer of praise and thanksgiving. Do we recognize that God has done great things for us?  Do we thank him each day from the bottom of our hearts?

 

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

 

 

Scripture:

Ezekiel 16:1-15, 60 or 16:59-63
Matthew 19:3-12

Reflection:

At wedding liturgies, I often include the following true story: “Dame Sybil Thorndike and Sir Lew Casson gave 2 person plays throughout England in the first half of the 20th century.  They had a long and happy marriage.  Sir Lew died first.  Dame Sybil was being interviewed afterwards by one of the popular newsweeklies there.  after many questions, the final one was: “Dame Sybil, did you ever think of divorce?”  She took about a half-minute, then answered,: “Divorce never, murder often!” People in the congregation usually enjoy a hearty laugh!

In today’s gospel, some pharisees and Jesus are dead serious as they converse about the reality of marriage and the painful reality of divorce.  After their question, Jesus gives the great reality of marriage: “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”  Jesus acknowledges that some couples are not able to keep this commitment: “because of the hardness of your hearts Moses allowed you to divorce….”   By God’s grace, some are called to marriage, some to priesthood and religious life and some to being dedicated single people, all for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven.  These are all due to God’s initiative.  Our response, out of love, is to answer in the form of a covenant.  These covenants mirror the covenant God made with the chosen people (first reading from Ezekiel).  With grace, deep communication and hard work, these covenants are possible and can thrive.  Let us pray especially for all of our married friends, that their covenant of love may be deepened and strengthened!