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Scripture:

Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19
Mark 4:35-41

Reflection:

What are you afraid of?

Scientists say that all animals, including human beings, are hardwired with a "fight or flight principle."

That is when we are confronted by some threatening entity, real or imagined, when we are afraid, our natural reaction is to flee or to fight. This "fight or flight principle", this gift of being afraid, is the principle that determines the survival of species as well as individuals!

Today’s Gospel finds Jesus and his disciples on a boat. A tremendous storm comes up and the boat is filling with water. The disciples are in a panic. They have lost control. Whatever they are trying to do to keep the boat afloat does not seem to be working. Faced with the threatening power of nature, all they can think about is how to flee from the situation. All the while, Jesus, their master, remains asleep on a cushion in the back of the boat. They cry to Jesus. He wakes up. He says to the sea: "Quiet! Be still!"

The wind stops; the sea calms. And Jesus asks that pivotal question: "Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?"

What are you afraid of?

While I agree with science that all human beings as members of the animal kingdom are endowed with a "flight or flight principle," I think we as disciples of Jesus must remember the old adage of "grace overcoming nature." "Flight or fight" are not the only two choices we as believers have. There is third choice and that choice is Trust. Scholars say that there are two lessons that Mark wants to teach in sharing this story about Jesus. One is to show that this Jesus was not just a magician who could entertain the crowds with amazing party tricks, but rather that this Jesus is truly Lord of All Creation and Master of Nature. He is truly the off-spring of the Creator God of the Book of Genesis. Secondly, he is the perfect faith-filled human being. He does rage against the storm he cannot control. He does not cowl in fear against the elements unleashed. Rather like a child in the arms of her mother, he trusts in his Father who has only the best in mind for him. He shows his disciples how to live by grace.

What are you afraid of?

Often times as people who have chosen to follow Jesus, we are faced with situations and events in our life in which our natural reaction is to run in fear or fight in fury. Perhaps today you find yourself in such a situation. If so, take a moment, take a deep breath, step back and listen to the words of our Lord to you: "Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?"

What are you afraid of?  

Just trust.

 

Patrick Quinn ([email protected]) is the director of Planned Giving at the Passionist Development Office in Chicago.

 

Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas

 

Scripture:

Hebrews 10:32-39
Mark 4:26-34

 

Reflection:

Today’s Gospel includes one of the most well known of the parables-the parable of the mustard seed.  It is tempting to share thoughts on this beautiful parable.  But the last two lines of today’s Gospel are also worth contemplating. 

"With many such parables
he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it.
Without parables he did not speak to them,
but to his own disciples he explained everything in private."

A parable is defined as the telling of a story to convey a message.  We often think of the parables as being only the Jesus’ parables of scripture, but I think we can find many great parables – or messages in everyday life.  I know a priest who takes great delight in going to movies.  And  in all the movies he sees, he looks for and almost always finds a moral – something he can use in a homily or in the counseling he does. 

Sometimes, when we are very quiet and listen, we can distinctly hear God’s message, God’s will for us.  At these times we are like the disciples, to whom Jesus explained things in private.  At other times, we need to search the world around us to find Jesus’ message.  Perhaps we walk down a tree lined street and see God’s care for all that grows and thus know that God loves us, or perhaps we see people involved in prison ministry and remember that all are called to practice justice and mercy.  Or perhaps we see a movie, read a book or even watch a TV show and find the kernel of morality there.  Maybe the reason Jesus uses parables, and the reason we should seek parables in our everyday life,  is partially because the time is taken to discern the message helps deepen and root the message in our hearts. 

Today is also the feast day of St. Thomas Aquinas, the great Doctor, philosopher and teacher of the Church.  Thomas changed our church with his profound writings and teachings.  I was recently reading of Thomas Aquinas’  love of poetry.  Since most poetry is a really a type of parable, perhaps we can assume that while God’s voice was undoubtedly heard distinctly by him, St. Thomas also listened  to and contemplated messages found in parables.

What parables do you find in your life?  And do you find time for quiet so that you can hear God’s voice?

 

Mary Lou Butler ([email protected])is the administrator of Christ the King Passionist Retreat Center in Citrus Heights, California. 

Scripture:

Hebrews 10:19-25
Mark 4:21-25

Reflection:

A U.S. Senator is reported to have asked Mother Teresa if she ever became discouraged when she sees the greatness of the world’s poverty and the little she and the Sisters are really able to do. Mother Teresa replied: "God does not call me to be successful. God calls me to be faithful." Faithfulness to God’s call was the measuring rod Mother Teresa wisely used when evaluating her and her Sisters’ effectiveness in the world – not numbers served or quotas met.

Faithfulness is not necessarily a virtue prized by our success, consumption driven society. From early on society’s message to us is to use our talents to advance ourselves: to achieve, to acquire, to amass, to possess…whether the goal is wealth, or success or fame or knowledge. Very rarely, if ever, are we told to use our talents to be faithful and committed to our life’s calling, whether that is being a good mom or dad, a holy priest or an honest politician, a compassionate boss or a diligent employee.

In today’s gospel Jesus calls all of us to use the talents God has given us in faithfulness to our life’s calling. We are told not to hide our lamp under a bushel basket or a lamp stand, but to let it shine for all to see. But here is the twist! We are not called to use our talents to advance ourselves, our needs, our wants, our desires. But rather we are called to use our talents in faithfulness to the values of the Kingdom proclaimed by the Christ.

For most of us that means putting aside our ego and its demands in order to demonstrate fidelity with regard to the day to day "little things" in life: the love we show to our husband or wife, to our parents or children.  The care we take in living out our vocations amidst the "daily grind." The respect we show each other as human persons valued by God. And the concern we demonstrate for those who live on the margins of society. That is the type of measure by which we will be measured; the message that anyone who has ears to hear ought to hear.   

Let us pray that as we move throughout our day today we may truly enlighten the world with our talents, not advancing ourselves, but rather the Crucified One whom we so faithfully serve.

 

Patrick Quinn is the director of planned giving at the Passionist Development Office in Chicago. 

Scripture:

2 Timothy 1:1-8 or
1 Timothy 1:1-5
Mark 3:22-30

Reflection:

On this day our Church invites us to remember St. Timothy and St. Titus, bishops of the early Church.  Yesterday, we celebrated St. Paul’s own conversion or call to faith in Jesus Christ.  Today, we see the fruits of St. Paul’s Apostolic mission-the encouragement of others to assume the pastoral leadership, thus supporting the faith on a local level. The Pastorals, as these letters are known, provide advise to local leaders-like Timothy and Titus.  Many biblical scholars believe that these letters were not written by St. Paul, but rather in Paul’s name by a disciple very close to Paul.  This does not diminish their impact as the author penned letters imbued with Pauline theology.  A wonderful line in our first reading reminds Timothy to "stir into flame" the gift of God that has been granted by "the imposition of my hands." 

How are your embers of faith?  Are they in need of a little stirring?   How do we do this stirring to ensure a bright and vital flame of faith in the Spirit?  A wonderful invitation for this new day-"stir into flame" our faith!

In addition, we are encouraged on this day to reflect on the role of a Bishop at the time of St. Paul, as well as the role of Bishops today.  We can see both parallels and new challenges and opportunities.  As our responsorial psalm extols, the faith has indeed been proclaimed "to all the nations."  To keep our community of faith supported and in communion throughout our worldwide Church (Paul’s dream!), our Bishops today are confronted with a very large and at times daunting job.  My own Regional Bishop, Gabino Zavala, has been named the new Chair of the Committee on Communications for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.  As I pray for my bishop and his work, I cannot help but reflect on the changes in our Church since the time of St. Paul.  Today, we can read our Passionists faith reflections through web access on a Blackberry, listen to our local parish priest’s homily Podcast on our computer or iPod, surf the website of our parish or diocese/archdiocese for the latest news, listen to satellite broadcasts of daily or Sunday Mass from St. Patrick’s Cathedral on a Sirus-XM radio, attend a virtual audience with the Pope via internet (www.youtube.com/vatican) or watch Catholic programming through cable or satellite broadcasts on an HDTV.   What would Sts. Paul, Timothy or Titus think of all this?  I think they would be delighted.  Based on today’s first reading, I conjecture that St. Paul’s personal e-mail address might be: [email protected]. 

Together, let us pray for our Bishops as they engaged in their work for our local and global Church-in the name of Jesus Christ.   And, may we each support their efforts to promote the faith and keep the flame alive!

 

Angela Howell is a retreatant and volunteer at Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center in Sierra Madre, California.

Feast of St. Francis de Sales

Scripture:

Hebrews 9:15, 24-28
Mark 3:22-30

Reflection:

Today we celebrate the feast of St Francis de Sales.    He was born at Thorens, in the Duchy of Savoy, August 21, 1567.   One of the more beautiful memories of my life was visiting his tomb in the Visitation Convent of Annecy.   The convent overlooks the second biggest lake in France called Lake Annecy.   Francis de Sales is a wonderful inspiration for the practice of prayer, love of religious life, and devotion to the written word.   

But what has always impressed me was his love for the Catholic Church.  After his ordination he volunteered to evangelize the district of Le Chablais where the Genevans had imposed the Reformed Faith.   For three years he risked his life by journeying through the entire district to convert the 60,000 Calvinists back to Catholicism.    For three years, he trudged through the countryside, had doors slammed in his face and rocks thrown at him. In the bitter winters, his feet froze so badly they bled as he tramped through the snow. He slept in haylofts if he could, but once he slept in a tree to avoid wolves. He tied himself to a branch to keep from falling out and was so frozen the next morning he had to be cut down.  After three years he did not have one convert!  

Francis’ unusual patience kept him working. No one would listen to him, no one would even open their door. So Francis found a way to get under the door. He wrote out his sermons, copied them by hand, and slipped them under the doors.  By the time Francis left to go home he is said to have converted 40,000 people back to Catholicism.

Francis saw how terribly important the ancient truth of the Catholic faith was.   In our anxiousness to appreciate the beauty of the faith of our separated brothers and sisters, have we the zeal he had to share the fullness of our traditions?

 

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

 

Scripture:

Isaiah 8:23-9:3
1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17
Matthew 4:12-23

Reflection:

In our Gospel reading from Matthew, we hear the account of Jesus calling His first disciples in Galilee. When Jesus sees Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea, He says to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of people." So Simon and Andrew leave their nets and follow Him. Jesus then comes upon James and John, who are also fishermen. They are mending their nets. Jesus calls them, and they leave everything, and follow Jesus.

The image of James and John mending their nets speaks to me about discipleship. For a fisherman, mending one’s nets is a worthwhile thing. But if James and John continued mending their nets, they could not follow Jesus.

Sometimes there are things that we continue to do that prevent us from following Jesus. Our reading from Isaiah says, "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone." Sometimes we hold on to the "gloom" in our lives because, as painful as it may be, it still is more comfortable than making the changes necessary to live a better life. At other times, we may hold on to the "darkness" of our prejudices and biases, rather than taking the risk to love as Jesus loves.

The challenge for us is to answer the call to follow Jesus. To do that, we need to discern what we need to hold on to, and what we need to leave behind. As we continue our spiritual journey, we find that there are more and more things we need to leave behind. For instance, we may have begun loving others in order to get love in return. But as we follow Jesus, we realize that He loves us without conditions. And so we are called to love without calculating what we might receive in return. Another example is doing what we do in order to get esteem or applause. Our call is to use our gifts for the sake of the Good News, not for our own glory!

The ability to discern what we need to let go of, and the willingness to let go of these things, do not come from us. They are gifts of God’s grace. But as we are more and more open to following Jesus, we will receive the grace we need to be His disciples. The more we are His disciples, the more people who "live in darkness" will see a "great light," the light of Christ bringing forth God’s love to the world!

 

Fr. Phil Paxton, C.P. is the director of St. Paul of the Cross Retreat and Conference Center, Detroit, Michigan.

 

             

Scripture:

Hebrews 9:2-3, 11-14
Mark 3:20-21

Reflection:

"He entered once for all into the sanctuary."  Hebrews 9:11

Jesus made a way for us to enter into the very throne room of God! I wonder how often we realize that God invites us into the sanctuary, into His very presence whenever we please. Do you think that if I showed up at the White House, I would be ushered into President Obama’s oval office just because I said I wanted to see him??? Of course not!!! And yet the King of kings and the Lord of lords allows us access to His presence every day, 24 hrs a day! You don’t even have to make an appointment!

We get so busy each day, maybe we should write "appointment with God" into our day planners. If we set a time, and pick a place without distractions, and unplug the phone if we have to, maybe we will actually slow down enough to enter in. The benefits are amazing: peace beyond understanding; strength for the day; joy for the journey; the knowledge that we are loved unconditionally and the assurance of a forever home in heaven. It doesn’t get any better than that!

Take time each day to enter into God’s awesome presence, and worship the living God who is always available to you. Thank Him for all of your blessings, and like Mary, "ponder these things in your heart." Let Him love you and guide you and forgive you and teach you and comfort you and give you everything you could possibly need. What are we waiting for?

 

Janice Carleton and her husband Jim live in Portland, OR and partner with Passionist Fr. Cedric Pisegna in Fr. Cedric Ministries. Janice also leads women’s retreats. She is the mother of 4 grown children and grandmother of 4. Visit Janice’s website at http://www.jcarleton.com/ or email her at janice@frcedric/org

 

 

Memorial of St. Agnes 

Scripture:

Hebrews 8:6-13
Mark 3:13-19

Reflection:

Our parish church in Louisville is named after St. Agnes.  She was a young girl in the ranks of the early church martyrs, who gave her life as witness to her faith in Christ.  She went about this distinctively enough to merit incorporation into the Eucharistic prayer of the church, taking her place with other outstanding members of the primitive church.

Since her name, Agnes, bears close resemblance to the Latin word "agnus", which means "lamb", on this day the wool is sheered off two lambs, and is made into the pallium, a distinctive neck-pendant worn by archbishops, given them annually by the Pope on June 29^th of each year.  This may be the closest a young woman like Agnes comes to the office of archbishop, at least for awhile.

Archbishops are the contemporary successors of the twelve men appearing in today’s gospel, whom Jesus appoints as "the twelve", naming them "apostles".  They were to carry on the mainline work of preaching and casting out demons.  Their emergence is a significant development in the budding ministry of Jesus as He broadens His ministry, and prepares for the future.  For He was about something new.  The number "twelve" that He honors on this occasion refers back to a venerable usage among the Jews, referring to the sons of the patriarch Jacob as founders of the twelve tribes of Israel.  Jesus now extends its use to another set of persons who are to help found a new Israel, a different people of God, the church.  Rooted in the past, it points to a distinctive future.

Today’s Hebrews reading spells out this future by borrowing from the prophet Jeremiah’s  reflections on the covenant, a sacred instrument at the heart of ancient Jewish history.  Jeremiah prophesies continuing prominence for the covenant, but in a significantly new way, since it will not be written on scrolls but will be embossed on the human heart, close to us as our guide and direction, even as it was for the young Agnes.

The apostles, newly minted by Jesus, exemplify this new covenantal relationship with God, and the metropolitan archbishops, garnished with their pallium, symbolize this today.  A covenantal relationship to God remains forever central in establishing a relationship to God, but, as in the case of ancient Israel, it has to be renewed innumerable times.  In our time too, the covenantal bonding with God needs constant repair and maintenance.  During this annual week of prayer for church unity, we are mindful of the various understandings of the covenant prevailing among the many Christian churches and fellowships.  Each vies to be faithful in keeping the covenant, but differs one from the other in doing so.

St. Agnes reflects the heart of the covenant, as its fairest flower.  Upon the apostles and (arch)bishops falls the responsibility of maintaining it in the hearts of us all.  Fortunately, there are counterparts of Agnes in every age, and in each of the Christian churches and denominations.  For did not Jeremiah prophesy: "…all shall know me, from least to greatest.  For I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sins no more."?

 

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