wpengine

Scripture:

Daniel 7:15-27
Luke 21:34-36

Reflection:

This time of year fills me with energy.   So much is happening; activity seems to abound! The scriptures for this time of year are intense and filled with action.   Last Sunday, we celebrated the feast of Christ the King, then on Thursday we gave thanks to God for His many gifts.  Tomorrow we begin a season of hope, love and light. It will be Advent – our Savior is coming.  All will be right with our world. 

Ah, but for today, today we have Daniel. 

Theologians and scholars debate much about the Book of Daniel, but its message for us seems pretty clear.   Trials and tribulations are going to happen; things may get worse, worse than we can even dream – but in the end, God will reign.  God will save his people. In Daniel we see again the tension that is so present in scripture.  Our gospel reading also reflects that tension.  We are told to beware, be vigilant, pray for strength.  But know by these signs that the Kingdom of God is at hand.

Daily living also speaks to us of this tension.  There is often sorrow and tribulation whether it be illness, death, loss of a job, or financial concerns.  But as Christians, we know that God is with us.  We have hope that tomorrow will be a time of love and laughter, a time of resurrection.

This week concludes the church’s liturgical year. Over the past months, the Scriptures have walked us through the public life and ministry of Jesus. During this last week, starting with the Feast of Christ the King, the Church’s liturgy has spoken to us what might be called the last word. And that last word is Jesus’ gospel message. No matter what our current circumstances, no matter what tribulations we may be suffering, we know that all will be well because the Lord reigns!

We are called to be Christians, to accept this reign of Christ –
by having faith – faith that embracing Jesus’ message will change our lives.
by having hope – hope that our Savior will come.
by having love – love by living out Jesus’ message to serve others.

Let us pray that we may greet the new liturgical year with hearts filled with faith, hope and love.

 

Mary Lou Butler ([email protected])is a former staff member and is now a member of the Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center Board, Sierra Madre, California. 

Scripture:

Daniel 7:2-14
Luke 21:29-33

Reflection:

These are strange times.  The world is suffering.  I’m certainly not going to try and dissect the economic and political reasons for why our country is experiencing record home foreclosures or sky-rocketing unemployment.  But, it seems to me that one way of looking at it is that much of our current problems stem from something rather basic-broken promises. 

We elect officials on the promises of their campaigns (and we all know how that goes).  We invest our money with savvy business types because they assure us they know better than we do on how to protect our financial future.  Jobs that were once safe and secure suddenly show signs of vulnerability no matter how many years we’ve put in, how much dedication we’ve shown. 

Remember when people used to say "I give you my word"?  It seems we have lost faith in that word.  When I go to my neighborhood parish for Mass, I see many empty seats in the pews.  I think perhaps many of us are lost.  The future appears uncertain when so much of what we were told to believe in is failing us.  And so we look at the priest, perhaps, as just another person with promises that sound too good to be true. 

But in today’s parable of the fig tree, I am reminded of something truly revolutionary, something that I may have forgotten in all my worry about tuition and car payments-Jesus does not break his promises.  We cannot lose faith in his Word.  Jesus told his disciples that upon the appearance of certain signs, we shall know "the Kingdom of God is near."  Our salvation, then, comes from the promises of Christ.  It doesn’t waver or change or fluctuate like the stock market.  It isn’t revoked if we miss one payment.  The promise is strong, unshaken and solid.  In fact, if you listen to the parable, Heaven and earth are frail and insubstantial in comparison to our Lord’s word; "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away."  This promise is more sure and certain than the very structure of the world.

Our lives are constantly changing, oftentimes not for the better.  How easy it is to get caught up in the very real suffering we experience not only in our own lives, but all around us.  But what we must remember is that God is not to be judged by the character of the world.  If we turn our attention back to Him, we can find that His love remains constant.  His promise, unwavering.  And, remember, the promise is the Kingdom.  So fill those pews back up, the return on this investment is a guaranteed winner.

 

Marlo Serritella is on staff at the Holy Cross Province Development Office in Chicago.

Scripture:

Daniel 6:12-28
Luke 21:20-28

Reflection:

Today in America we celebrate the holiday of Thanksgiving.  Family and friends gather from near or far to spend time with each other and of course, eat.  Thanksgiving is always center around the feast.  But we also take time to reflect on those things, big or small, which are important in our lives.  I have been preparing for Thanksgiving for over a week now since everyone will gather at my house.  The logistics of the day are all in order: the house is clean, the turkeys are bought, I have my list of who is bringing what to share.  To me, Thanksgiving is always so much more than the dinner.

Every year I am always thankful for the big things: good health and happiness. I am married to a good man; I have two wonderful, healthy teenage sons who are growing into fine young men.  I have a good job with wonderful coworkers, and most importantly, I know my faith in God is strong.  

I wanted to take a different approach this year to what I am thankful for in my life. There are so many people who won’t be celebrating with their families today; whether they don’t have anywhere to go or they cannot travel to be together.  I especially think of the young men and women in our military who are serving in the war and may not have a Thanksgiving dinner.

This past Tuesday I had the opportunity to travel to Kentucky to help a parish community prepare CARE packages to ship to our soldiers in Afghanistan.  They collected an abundance of items that all had to be boxed, forms had to be filled out and the truck had to get loaded.  Two soldiers came from a nearby base to help and you could just see the gratitude in their eyes and hear it in their voices.  They told of how much these packages are appreciated by the soldiers who receive them.  As I drove home I had plenty of time to think about what I was a part of.  I really felt good.  I think about our soldiers and try to envision how happy they will be when those packages arrive.   That is what I am truly thankful for this year; that I had the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of some of our soldiers.

I wish you all a happy and peaceful Thanksgiving.

 

Claire Smith ([email protected]) is on staff at the Province Development Office in Chicago, Illinois.

Scripture:

Daniel 2:31-45
Luke 21:5-11

Reflection:

"Watch at all times!" Luke 21:36.   Jesus often in the Gospel warned us to keep alert.   There are many stories in history about people falling asleep and getting into trouble.   Union General Stoughton was asleep when Confederate Mosby slapped him on the back side to wake him up and said:  "General, ever hear of Mosby?"  "Yes", he said, wiping the sleep from his eye.  "Did we finally catch that scoundrel?"  "No, but he caught you!"  

The Greek New Testament word for "watch" is agroopneho which means without sleep.

Jesus comes to us when we least expect Him.  We must always have the guest room

ready and in good order.   We live in a world of distractions that take our focus off the presence of Jesus.   Little things that happen take on enormous importance far beyond actuality.  We neglect the wonderful reality of the presence of Jesus who is with us all days even to the consummation of the world.  Our values can be practically known by how much time we spend on them.  A man might say he loves his children, but spends very little time with them.  I think we would seriously question his sincerity.

The words in today’s Gospel "at all times" in the original Greek New Testament are "in

every critical hour (kairos)".   It is especially important to be sleepless during the crises of our lives.  Maybe this is why the Lord allows so much trouble.  He gets tired of our neglect and sets us running to Him for help.  We spend millions of dollars in this country on medication to put us to sleep.  I think one of our biggest problems is that we sleep too much!   Jesus is our doctor to make us sleepless in prayer.

 

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

 

Presentation of Mary in the Temple

Scripture:

1 Samuel 3:1-10
Luke 1:26-38

Reflection:

This liturgical memorial, with somewhat ambivalent origins in the bible, and a corresponding modest place in our liturgy, was nonetheless near and dear to St. Paul of the Cross.  He named his first community residence (or retreat) in honor of Mary’s Presentation in the Temple as a baby girl, and did the same for the first residence of the Passionist Nuns.  The former was built on Monte Argentario, the latter in Tarquinia. 

This memorial occurs just a day before the anniversary of Paul’s own dedication of himself to the work of God, symbolized by his being vested/clothed in the Passionist garb, or religious habit.  This is the heart of what we celebrate today: dedication.  And it’s an initiative that is a response to an earlier initiative on the part of God, both in the life of Paul (while still a young man), as well as in the early life of Mary, and equally so in the youth of the prophet-to-be, Samuel.  All three of these persons have in common the experience of a special call.

This occurred to Paul as he walked the streets of his hometown, Castellazzo, and suddenly received an inspiration (or call) from God; it happened to Mary in the privacy of her home in Nazareth as the angel Gabriel conveyed a message to her (a call); it interrupted the heavy sleep of Samuel in the temple in Jerusalem (in the form of several calls from God).

Each of these occurrences was unexpected and abrupt; each occurred in relatively private circumstances; each initiated a new enterprise or venture: Samuel was to discover and anoint the greatest king of Israel (David); Mary was to bring the Savior of the World into our midst; Paul was to begin new religious communities.

And each of these advanced the work of God on earth: consolidating the kingdom of Israel; establishing the definitive manifestation of God among us; enriching the church with a community to remind us of the blessings brought by Christ’s death on the cross.

We are the beneficiaries of these events.  We certainly have had nothing to do with their emergence here on earth; we are merely recipients of what they mean.  But, in this capacity, we are on the same playing field as Samuel, Mary and Paul, who likewise were simply recipients of God’s favors and gifts.  But each of these occurrences alerts us to the likely possibility that we too have a call from God, to note the benefits God has bestowed on us, and to see if we are using them to advance His work from our vantage point.  Samuel, Mary and Paul worked "out of their homes", so to speak, whether they were temple, home, or monastery.  Each of us too has a vantage point from which to hear God’s call, to explore its meaning, and to do God’s work-from home.

 

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

Scripture:

1 Maccabees 2:15-29
Luke 19:41-44

Reflection:

"As Jesus drew near Jerusalem, he saw the city and wept over it. . ." (Luke 19:41)

 

Life is full of disappointments. When Jesus approached Jerusalem on that day, as the Gospel tells us, he got in touch with the deep disappointment he was feeling over people of Israel’s lack of faith in Him as One sent by God and their lack of acceptance of his Mission: Salvation and Eternal Life for those who believed in Him. So Jesus wept!

Some people can deal with disappointments somewhat well and others are devastated by them.

Disappointments come in all sizes and wrappings. I remember well when I was cut from the track team on the last day of try-outs when I was in the 8^th grade. I was sure that I would make the team because I was consistently coming in third and fourth in cross country. My dad bought me a pair of tennis shoes (that’s what we called them back in the mid-fifties) as a surprise, even though we could not afford them. I was the last one cut from the team. I was crushed. I cried all the way home.

That was not my first disappointment in life and it would not be my last. We all face disappointments. Some disappointments are so trivial that many of us cannot understand the depth of the disappointment expressed by the one hurt. The response is way out of proportion to the hurt experienced in the disappointment.

Other disappointments are profoundly personal, as when we are rejected for being who we are, or passed over when we should be the one chosen, or rejected by someone we have loved without measure. Those disappointments can sting us to the core of our being and change us so radically that we only become aware of the change within us when we take note of the devastation we bring into the lives of those we love. Some become addicted to alcohol, to deviant sexual behavior or become uncharacteristically anti-social, fueled by an uncontrollable anger and rage.

There is no doubt that disappointment is a defining moment in our lives, and the way we respond to it makes us or breaks us.

When Jesus saw Jerusalem at a distance as he made his way to embrace the Cross, he experienced profound disappointment in the people of Israel, the people of the Covenant, the people he loved so deeply and so consistently. He says, "If this day you only knew what makes for peace-but now it is hidden from your eyes." (Luke 19:42) That is why Jesus wept over this privileged city of God.

Yet, Jesus did not turn his back upon his mission of loving without measure the people that God had chosen. He did not let his disappointment drag him down to the depths of depression and despair. He did not cry out, "Oh, poor me! I don’t deserve this!" Rather, he set his face toward Jerusalem with resolve, calling upon every ounce of love that was overflowing in his Sacred Heart. He showed us the way to face disappointment in our lives.

It may take a long time for us to realize the destructiveness that disappointment can cause in our lives and the disaster that we can create in other people’s lives as we cling tenaciously to disappointments. We need to weep and then get over them, as Jesus did. We need to fall on our knees before the Disappointed Jesus hanging on the Cross and ask for the grace to overcome them. Disappointments can make us stronger, more dedicated and more committed to our life-long vocation of love and service, no matter the obstacles before us and the disappointments we experience.

This is a good Gospel for us to meditate on and reflect upon all of the disappointments of our lives. May the Disappointed Jesus turn our small disappointments into new opportunities for growth and grace!

 

Fr. Clemente Barron, C.P. is a member of the General Council of the Passionist Congregation and is stationed in Rome. 

Scripture:

2 Maccabees 7:1, 20-31 
Luke 19: 11-28

Reflection:

The role of the mother in the first reading from the Book of Maccabees’ opened up a flood of memories from my life.  My memories have to do with both words and examples of the older people in my life.  That includes my mother and dad, my grandparents, aunts and uncles and teachers, along with the long association with my Passionist community elders.  This is going to be hard: picking out just a couple among many, many examples!

First example…I’m in my late thirties and being driven by my Dad to the airport in Detroit.  We arrive at the airport and I lean over to give my Dad a hug.  I get out and reach for my luggage in the back seat.  I look up at my dad and wish him a safe trip back home.  He looks at me with a smile and says, "Pete, I love you."  I can honestly say that I knew that.  My Dad showed that love in many, many ways.  But to see that smile and hear those words…oh, my!  Those words, "I love you, Pete," kept coming back to me again and again as I flew on to Sacramento, CA.    Interestingly enough ever after that Dad never finished a phone call without closing with, "Pete, I love you." 

Another incident which brings memorable smiles to me was my arrival by plane back in Detroit, a couple of years later, dressed in slacks and sport shirt.  On our way home Dad very gently looked at me and said, "I am really proud of you as my priest son.  You know, I like seeing you in your black suit and collar."  I honored that request.  There were public appearances when it was most appropriate.  I cherish those memories of walking side by side with him.

Important elders in our lives like the Mom with the seven sons in the Book of Maccabees do provide tremendous support.  Many serious, life giving moments have occurred in my life and, I am sure, in yours.  I was talking to an elder Dad recently who shared that he was being criticized for hanging in over several very troublesome years as his son battled with alcoholism which led to divorce and separation from his children.  The elder Dad says, "I was criticized for hanging in there, providing money, a temporary place to stay, even though it was rough and painful.  But how could I not give up…he is my son." 

Fr. Peter Berendt, C.P. is on the staff of Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center, Houston, Texas.

Scripture:

Wisdom 18:14-16; 19:6-9
Luke 18:1-8

Reflection:

Today’s Gospel leaves us with a question that surely crosses the minds of us all at one time or another:

"But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"

I wonder about this question frequently and find myself answering it in diverse ways over and over again.  The Lord is going to come again, we know that for sure.  But when he does, what will he find?  Will he be pleased or will he be disappointed?  Usually my questioning leads me in two different directions depending upon current events unfolding around me.  When a psychiatrist, a major in the U.S. Army, whose primary responsibility is to bring healing and wholeness to wounded bodies and minds of young infantry personnel, instead loses a sense of his own self and wreaks death and sorrow rather than healing I find myself thinking, "If the Lord were to come now how terribly disappointed he would be!"  Then there are other times when my response is so very different.  For example, just the other day I was able to welcome back into the Church an elderly and very, very lovely married couple who many years ago had simply opted out for no reason in particular.  Their lives remained very loving, of that there is no doubt.  But what a joyous moment to reconcile them with the community of the Church and to invite them to receive the precious gift of the Eucharist.  In just a few more days they will celebrate 60 years married!  It is in moments such as these that I think if the Lord were to come he would be pleased and overjoyed with the goodness that he would find.  Will he find faith on earth?  Will he find us living as if faith really makes a difference in the daily grind? 

 

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