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Scripture:

1 Maccabees 4:36-37, 52-59
Luke 19:45-48

Reflection:
What a startling contrast there is between the way the Maccabees look at the temple and the way the “chief priests, scribes and leaders of the people” in today’s gospel view it.

In today’s first reading we are told that as soon as their rebellion against the Seleucid empire was successful, the Maccabees restored the temple and traditional worship, built a new altar and made their burnt offerings and sacrifices of praise.  For the Maccabees the temple was the place where God dwelt and deserved reverence.  Restoring the temple filled them with joy and gladness so much so that they celebrated the restoration every year after that.

In contrast to that reverence and joy, the chief priests, scribes and leaders of the people of Jesus’ time seemed more concerned about using the temple as a place of commerce.  The sense of the sacred is so obviously absent that Jesus becomes angry and drives the merchants and money-changers from the temple courtyard.  Their response to Jesus’ outrage wasn’t shame, but rather self-righteousness and a desire to destroy Jesus.

Quite a contrast!

These two stories got me thinking about my own attitudes toward the Church.  For us the Church is the place where God dwells.  Of course, the Church is more than a building or even a set of buildings.  It is the body of Christ.  And, we all are constituent parts of it.  But together with Christ we are the place where God dwells.  We are sacred.  We are the place where men and women meet God.  Restoring the temple brought joy and gladness to the Maccabees.  Does being the place where God dwells fill me with joy and gladness?   Do I look to the Church to find God?  O God, please give me eyes to see!

 

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

Scripture:

2 Maccabees 6:18-31
Luke 19:1-10

Reflection:

The first reading from the second book of Maccabees tells the wonderful story of Eleazar.  He was up in years and well liked by everyone, even those who were putting his faith to the test.  Even though they offered him a way out of dying, he would not compromise any aspects of his beliefs.  He died in fidelity to God and His laws.

I read the book by George Barna entitled “The Seven Faith Tribes”.  Through thousands of questioners and interviews, he and his organization have gathered tons of data on the world views of the American people, specifically in the area of their belief in God or lack thereof.  They have come up with a cluster of seven tribes, different groups that are organized and defined by their specific world view.

Among the Christians he speaks of two tribes:  the Captives and the Casuals.  The Captives get their name from St. Paul’s notion of being a slave of Christ.  Their entire lives are defined and centered on their relationship to Christ.  They believe what the Bible says and refuse to compromise in the area of doctrine or moral living.  Going to Church is the joy of their life.  They love their families.  They are not heavy into the whole media world.  They live in the presence of the spiritual realm and do not find great comfort in material things.  They are the lowest in debt and highest in the levels of generosity.  Among all the tribes they are least likely to view pornography, get drunk, gamble, use profanity in public, gossip, use tobacco products or commit adultery.  They are the tribe most like to serve the poor, help the homeless and have a willingness to discuss moral issues with others.  This gives you a flavor of the Captives.

The Casuals, many of whom probably began as children in the Captive mode, have casualized their faith.  One of the big goals of their lives is personal comfort, to live in peace.  They try to keep peace with everyone: God, family, friends, neighbors and coworkers.  To minimize their anxieties in life, the generally sidestep conversations about controversial matter, including religion and politics.  Their tendency is to offer encouraging words to those who are down and to look for the upside in every situation.  They feel that sharing their sunny outlook on life is one of the best gifts they can offer to others.  It is estimated that 185 million Americans fit into the Casual tribe.  They set the average for everything in the USA: The way they use the internet corresponds to the national norm.  How often they watch moves, view porn, visit psychics, etc. etc.

They love their families, distrust religions, and politics.  They have a vaneer of Christian symbols they like but they do not believe in absolute moral standards.  They are relativists.  They can tolerate almost anything in order to keep their peace.  They do not live in a world defined by God’s law.

We can learn a lot from Eleazar.  He was a Captive through and through.  Where have all the Captives gone?  I want to do a good review of my life, using these notions.  It should be an interesting and challenging reflection.

Blaise Czaja is a Passionist preacher and is stationed in Citrus Heights, California.

Scripture:

Daniel 12:1-3
Hebrews 10:11-14, 18
Mark 13:24-32

Reflection:

As we approach the end of the liturgical year the church draws upon those portions of the gospel message that deals with the end times. People have had a fascination about THE END. More than once it has been expected and even exact dates named. Jesus himself did not spend much of his preaching ministry scaring his hearers with the horrors of the end times. He was more interested in inviting us to love his Father and teaching us how to live with one another. That is really what the gospel, the good news is about.

Jesus got into this topic because his apostles asked him a question about the timing of the destruction of the temple. He assured them that this would happen very soon and there would be signs as the time approached. But then he said you haven’t seen anything yet and went on to describe the grand cosmic short-circuiting of the final end: the sun and the moon darkening and the stars falling. Finally the Son of Man comes on the clouds and the just are gathered to him. There will be no signs to predict this hour. Jesus goes on to say (Mk 33-37) that this possibility can come at any time. His conclusion: “Stay awake!”

So, I will live this moment for the Lord.

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

Scripture:
Wisdom 7:22b-8:1
Luke 17:20-25

Reflection:

“Wisdom, the fashioner of all things taught me.”

So, how do we get taught this wisdom? It is not by “osmosis,” but “theosis.” Theosis is the process of becoming Christ (Galatians 2:20), i.e., becoming divine as images and likenesses of God. So I concentrate on how and where, and when, God is “working on my image of God.”

To understand, then, transference of wisdom is to act on a certain dimension of prayer, i.e. the ability to “reflect” (reflectare, to look back) and talk over the past and where the Lord has led me. The best pictorial image is that of rowing a boat. So which way do you sit, when rowing a boat? Backwards. You are looking back on where you have been, and the focus gives you direction as to where you are going. We have all done this. It is a method of contemplation, reflectare.

That action of contemplation can be misunderstood as to looking for results, outcomes. The outcome is in the future over which we have no control. Consider the question put to Jesus by the members of the Pharisees, namely, “when is the kingdom of God coming?” as if all of this would unfold apart from them, rather than through, with and in them.

Please, re-read the wisdom meditation. Let the multifaceted reality within you, be a reminder of how wonderful and grace-filled a prayer life is if it is the fruit of your activity for God today. Your activity for God is, basically, the willingness to be an instrument of “theosis” the divination of life.

Wisdom is a gift to be given away. Parents, spouses, grandparents, siblings, friends, classmates, fellow-workers, even strangers can be recipients of the wisdom with which we have been entrusted.

The advice to the disciples helps us to understand the nature of wisdom and the process of theosis.

The “fruits” or the results of our passing on wisdom are not for us to measure or ascertain. “The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look here it is!’ or ’There it is !’”

For in fact the kingdom of God is among us. It is, rather, in the building of “communion” among all,  in the activity that brings about, equity, equality, and justice for all. Where will I reveal God’s presence today? Who knows, unless I row that boat of my prayer life today.

 

Fr. Alex Steinmiller, C.P. is President Emeritus of Holy Family Cristo Rey Catholic High School in Birmingham, Alabama.

 

Scripture:

Jeremiah 31:7-9
Hebrews 5:1-6
Mark 10:46-52

Reflection:

Mark situates the miracle of the man afflicted with blindness in Jericho, the city of the Good Samaritan.  It is located about twenty miles from Jerusalem.  It is a hub for pilgrims to ford the River Jordan on their way to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover.  In Mark’s gospel this is the last miracle outside Jerusalem, before Jesus enters into his Passion.

This story is as much a “call story” as it is a “miracle story.”  Mark is the only evangelist to name the man “Bartimaeus.”  When Bartimaeus hears that Jesus is passing by, he cries out: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”  The crowds try to quiet him perhaps for good reason. The title “Son of David” had political overtones.  The disciples of Jesus were being expelled from the synagogues and the Romans considered Jesus and his followers political rebels so it was wise to practice restraint.  However, Jesus hears the cry and asks him what he wants, and of course, the answer is “to see.”  Bartimaeus’ wish is granted.  Jesus tells him to go, but Bartimaeus follows Jesus “on the way.”  On the way of course is to Jerusalem, to the Cross.

This story reminds me of an incident that happened to me many years ago.  I went to the funeral of one of my aunts.  At the funeral I met one of her sons who was a very close friend to me when I was growing up.  We commented that it was eighteen years since we had last seen each other.  Another brother was there and as an aside said: “You don’t have very many of those left!”   This thought has stayed with me, and is often the mantra that leads me to make a decision to do something, or visit someone, or write someone I have been avoiding or putting off.

The story of Bartimaeus reminds us that we can be “called, summoned” at any moment. It is not to be missed by us, not to be put off by us, but a moment to be seized and embraced.   These moments are encounters with God.  There are not that many of them to be missed.  These encounters or “summary moments” change us and make us disciples.  We need to embrace, enjoy, and examine these moments.  These are the stuff which make us disciples and enable us to follow Jesus, to Jerusalem, to the Cross and ultimately to Resurrection.

 

Fr. Ken O’Malley, C.P., is the local superior at Holy Name Passionist Community in Houston, Texas.

Scripture:

Romans 4:13. 16-18
Luke 12:8-12

Reflection:

If Abraham was to be the father of many nations, the members of that large family would need to be like their father.  Chances are all could not do the same things that Abraham was able to do.  Some might be more artistic; some may be carpenters; some good a teaching, etc.  Their oneness with their father Abraham would not depend on doing the same things.  Rather, it would depend on their trusting openness in faith to the free gift of God’s grace falling upon them.  They would all share in the righteousness of Abraham not through works but through faith.

Faith opens and keeps open our hearts to the flow of God’s love.  Jesus tells us that the only sin that cannot be forgiven is the sin that closes the heart to the flow of God’s forgiving grace.

The flow of God’s Spirit within us puts us into an oneness with God.  In times of necessity, we need not worry about what to say or not say.  Because of our intimacy with Jesus, he can speak through us by the Holy Spirit he has given to us and who dwells within our hearts.

Faith makes us a channel through which flows the power and love of God.  Our challenge is to let it flow.  If we try to dam in up and keep it for ourselves, it will become stagnant and a source of death rather than a river of life.  The more we allow it to flow the more it cuts away our sinfulness and resistance and the greater our capacity becomes to channel an even greater abundance of God’s blessings and anointings to others.

 

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

Scripture:

Romans 1:1-7
Luke 11:29-32

Reflection:

This is a week for important events in my life. Tomorrow I celebrate my 72nd birthday, and on Thursday, after 9 years, I step aside as President of Holy Family Cristo Rey Catholic High School, and welcome my successor, Fr. Jon Chalmers. I must admit that since I made the decision back in January to find my successor, I held out little hope that another Catholic priest would succeed me. Oh, me of little faith. Today’s Word shines a light on this experience and some spiritual realities that help us interpret what is happening to us. Paul is so attached to Christ he considers himself His slave. He goes where the Lord leads by obedience of faith. It’s called surrender. And that term “Gentile” is attached to these two. Gentiles, the strangers, the foreigners, the unchurched, and unattached ones, those who make us feel awkward or uncomfortable. It’s called apostolic. So do we need more signs?

Jesus is in another crowd today. He did something to those who surrounded hm. Well, some who were with him were awakened by something He did, or said. Joseph G. Donders, African missionary, says it well: “He awakened something in them. His dynamic became theirs….There are immense depths in us. There are fantastic possibilities, realities that remain hidden if we are not stimulated by someone else.” “Realities that remain hidden,” is not that mystery?  “Stimulated by someone else,” is not that Communion? So who needs signs? We have the spiritual realities at our daily disposal: surrender, apostolic, mystery and Communion. In our daily events we must pay attention to our “insides,” and to those who know and love you well.  After all, did not Jesus come to “bring fire to the earth” and baptize us with the Holy Spirit and fire? Mt. 3:11

 

Fr. Alex Steinmiller, C.P. is president of Holy Family Cristo Rey Catholic High School, Birmingham, Alabama.

Scripture:

Jonah 3:1-10
Luke 10:38-42

Reflection:

I would imagine that Jonah would have been delighted to be called by God for a special service. He wasn’t. He fled from God. Where do you go to flee from God? Jonah decided to take the first ship leaving the harbor to the vastness of the sea. But that was not far enough. A strong storm came along and the sailors, thinking Jonah was the cause, tossed him overboard. A large fish swallowed Jonah. In the belly of the fish, Jonah met God again and prayed, “With resounding praise, I will sacrifice to you, Lord.” The fish ejected Jonah upon the shore, where God again speaks to our unwilling prophet. Jonah, without much enthusiasm and against his better judgment, obeys and sets out for Nineveh.

God finds us where we are. There is no place to hide from God. That is reassuring to those of us who lose our way, at times on purpose, and wonder if God really does care. God’s love is greater than our rebellious acts, our resistance or our lack of enthusiasm. God stays with us, speaking to us words of love to draw us back into harmony with yourself, one another and with God. Never give up on yourself or anyone else who has wandered far away and seems like a lost cause.

Jonah converted the people of Nineveh, a city that was a three-day journey across. That is, it was a big place with a lot of people. Jonah lacked enthusiasm for his mission; he was angry and disagreeable. Yet, he accomplished something great for God, because God was with him. With God’s grace, imagine what we can do with fire in our hearts, joy in our spirits, and determination in our wills. And when we don’t have fire, joy and determination, believe that God does not give up on us.

 

Fr. Don Webber, C.P., resides in Chicago.