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Father’s Day

Scripture:

Job 38:1, 8-11
2 Corinthians 5:14-17
Mark 4: 35-41

Reflection:

Fathers Day honors the man in the family bearing resemblance to God the Father, ”from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named”. (Eph 3.15)  This places dads in good company.  Why?  Because they do many good things for the rest of us, three of which are presented us today in our bible readings.

Dads are the outdoorsmen of the family, while moms are the indoors keepers of the family—more or less.  Dads are into lawncare, tree trimming, gutter-cleaners, building maintenance, garage and basement supervisors, snow removal—we get the idea.  How do we come upon all these good ideas for dads get all these ideas?  Perhaps from Job, of whom we hear today as he presents his own understanding of God as Father, engaged in more or less similar kinds of activities, like setting boundaries for the sea, deploying clouds as frills (decorations) around the seas edges, and darkness suggesting the depths beneath, keeping it land-locked so as to prevent it invading areas where it doesn’t belong.  This is God the Father’s job-description in His version of being a maintenance man: keeping things running smoothly and in good order.

Like His human counterparts, God the Father wants His (human) family to be off to a good start.  This is St. Paul’s take on God the Father today.  He leaves His imprint on the human family He has gotten underway, sending us Someone in His own image and likeness: Jesus.  Every father takes pride in the family He leads, seeing traces of his own image in the children swelling the family ranks.  His name (and ours, if faithful Christians) is as good as gold in certifying the trustworthiness of family transactions: accounts, purchases, taxes.  He is the designated family spokesperson, who are distinctive by the rules, customs and practices of the house (God has done this too with His ten commandments).  The family reflects the father’s value system, and this becomes evident everywhere: in the neighborhood, the school and parish, in recreational venues and workplaces.  Jesus recognized this in predicting: “By this shall all men know you are my followers, by your love for one another.”  As St. Paul says, family members operate on a different level, their own unique traits and characteristics: whoever is in Christ is a new creation: old ways of identifying the family may have to pass away, and be replaced by new things that do it better.  The father is the major influence in setting the family tone, just like God the Father and the Christian family.

And then there’s the fear factor insinuating itself into everyone’s life.  And fathers are made to offset such fears.  This is how Jesus His Son, His own image and likeness, saw it in proceeding in today’s gospel by going to sleep in the boat struggling to hold its own against a fierce storm on the Sea of Galilee.  Jesus’ trust in His Father’s oversight and loving care and presence was more than equal to the storm’s fury threatening His band of followers.  And dads carry on that same protective concern against taunts, bullying, put-downs for the clothes children wear, or the kind of food eaten or the entertainment enjoyed.  Dads also offset the dangers of a flat tire, or a broken scooter or malfunctioning skates, or a threatening pit bull: all potential threats needing someone to take charge and calm fears down.  And that’s the father of the family.  With God the Father’s care always close at hand, the father of the family has an image at hand to be the take-charge guy, assuring that all is well.

The sense of fatherhood provides the security of management and control, of identity, of protective care.   It embodies a pathway for coming to know God as Father.  And it identifies a major help in appreciating the man of the house as someone standing in for the comforting and protective assurance that help is always nearby, especially when we remember to pray: OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN…

 

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

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 12:1-10
Matthew 6:24-34

 

Reflection:

“Therefore I tell you do not worry about your life. . . Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life’s span?. . .Do not worry about tomorrow, tomorrow will take care of itself.”
Matthew 6:25, 27, 34

I am forever grateful that God taught me I could stop worrying with His help. He also showed me that when I did worry, I wasn’t trusting Him. I kept thinking, but I can’t help it. . . it’s just the way I am! Worrisome thoughts definitely come into our minds all by themselves. But then it’s up to us to notice that we’ve started to worry and make a decision to change our thoughts. We can learn to replace our worry with praise and with thoughts of God’s providence. The first step is to be aware of our thoughts so that we can turn to God for help.

I remember when our second son Jerry was in high school and was having bad headaches. I took him to have an MRI and as we waited for the test I started to worry about what this might mean – maybe he had a brain tumor, maybe there was nothing the doctors could do for him, etc. But then I chuckled and thought, NO! God is here with us, God has a wonderful plan for Jerry’s life. No matter what happens, He will be with us and see us through. He is an “ever-present help in time of trouble.” As soon as I changed my thinking, God’s peace enveloped me and I stopped worrying. He loves us, and He will always be with us. We can face anything when we face it with God! (Jerry was fine by the way, and his headaches eventually went away.) We don’t ignore our worries, or pretend they don’t exist, rather we take them to the Lord and give them to Him

I love this quote by Corrie ten Boom: “Worry does not empty tomorrow of its troubles, it empties today of its strength.” Not only is worry fruitless, but it can also be harmful both physically and spiritually. It has been shown to cause numerous health problems including ulcers, migraines, depression, sleep disturbance, and heart problems, because of the stress it puts on the body. There are simply no benefits to be gained by worrying. Join me and let God help you give it up now!

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 wrote her first book: God Speaks to Ordinary People – Like You and Me. Visit Janice’s website at www.janicecarleton.com or email her at [email protected].

 

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 9:6-11
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

 

Reflection:

St. Paul tells the Corinthians, “whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.  Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”  In today’s gospel, Jesus tells us, “When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of other.”  Almsgiving must flow naturally from the heart of the Christian.  It must be free of ego consciousness.  It is like love and compassion jumping out of my heart into the heart of one in need.

I recently heard a story that illustrates what this teaching of the Scriptures is all about.

Many years ago, in the heyday of the circus, a father and his teenage son were standing in line to purchase their tickets to get in.   One family was in line in front of them.  There were eight children in the family, all below the age of twelve.  By the way they were dressed you could tell they did not have a lot of money, but their clothes were neat and clean.  The children were well-behaved, all of them standing in line, holding hands, two by two, excited as they could be about being at the circus.

The mother was standing next to her husband, holding his hand.  She too was excited about being there.  The father proudly requests tickets for each person.  When given the total money needed, you could see a moment of panic go across his face.  He counted his money and realized he did not have enough.  The cost was more than he thought it would be.

The father of the teenage boy standing behind this family, realized what was happening and in no time flat, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the twenty dollar bill he had, crumpled it up and threw it on the ground next to the father attempting to purchase tickets for his family.   He then went forward and picked up the bill and handed it to the father of eight, telling him that he must have dropped the money when pulling something from his pocket.

The father of the large family reached out and shook his hand, taking the twenty dollars, saying, “Thank you, thank you sir.  This really means a lot to me and my family.”

The father and his teenage son, without any money, got in their truck and drove home.  They did not get to see the circus but they received a joy of heart that only the angels know.  Can you imagine the lesson that father taught his son on how to give alms.

 

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

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 8:1-9
Matthew 5:43-48

 

Reflection:

It’s a tall order to love one’s enemies.  Some days I can barely say “hello” to my condominium neighbors I’m so annoyed with them.

But love my enemies?? Love the terrorist, the rapist, the killer, the abuser? Love the corporate plunderer, the arrogant politician, the lazy, the entitled, the insufferable, and the list goes on and on? It’s good in theory, but are we humans really built to let go of our fear, anger and hatred of the perceived “other” and simply stand with them, shoulder to shoulder, in love and humility before God?

Jesus tells us that the call to love-not mushy, sentimental, romantic love-but a love that is forged out of the guts of our own resistance-is a call that reverses the very course of our human history, the history taking shape in space and time and the history unfolding daily within our own hearts.

I confess that there are times when I adore, like a false idol, my “righteous” anger at certain people and their actions or values. I feel entitled to it. I even enjoy it.  Maybe it gives me the sense that I am actually doing something productive or it affirms my “superior” nature. But in the end, it is all a distraction, I think, from what I’m really supposed to be doing.

As Christians we are called, tested even, to love each other generously and graciously, to be an image mirrored back of how our merciful Creator loves us (as difficult as that must be at times).  We know that Jesus felt intense anger while on earth, but that was at hypocrisy and injustice. That was the real “other” he was trying to isolate and cast out.

So if there has to be an enemy, let it be injustice. And if there really is an “other,” maybe it’s the stranger within us, the flawed heart just waiting to be healed by love for God, one’s self, and others.

 

Nancy Nickel is the director of marketing and communications at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, Illinois.  

Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

Scripture:

Hosea 11:1, 3-4, 8c-9
Ephesians 3:6-12, 14-19
John 19: 31-37

Reflection:

In 1856 the feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus was extended to the universal church. In some ways this is an amazing story that finds its beginning in the years 1673-75 when a nun in an enclosed convent in France, Margaret Mary Alacoque, experienced four visions of Jesus, his exposed heart on fire symbolizing his love for men and women. St Paul expressed this in this way: “The Son of God …loved me and gave himself for me.” (Gal 2:20). Because his love is often ignored or rejected, Jesus asked Margaret Mary to be his apostle of the devotion to his Sacred Heart.

Our scripture readings explore this mystery. Hosea, prophet to the northern kingdom of Samaria, speaks of God as a parent who loves his children, gathers them into his arms and teaches them to walk. He draws them to himself with bands of love. Then Hosea gives us the beautiful image of God raising them up to his cheeks and stooping low to feed them. The verses that are skipped describe the people’s abandonment of God and their punishment. Immediately following God expresses his hurt and pity and promises to curb his blazing anger. Of course we know that the northern kingdom was destroyed by the Assyrians and the people (the lost ten tribes) deported. What we always need to realize that God’s love will not save us from the consequences of rejecting his love. However, we can always count on God our Father to forgive us if we turn back to him…

Paul is overwhelmed with the mercy of God that he has experienced. He prays that Christ may dwell in the heart of every disciple through faith. Then we will know the love of Christ and be filled with all the fullness of God. This is the gift that the loving heart of Jesus desires for each of us.

Finally we come to the hill of Calvary. The struggle is over. The dead body of Jesus hangs from the cross. Significantly John, still standing beneath the cross at the side of Mary, notes that a soldier thrust his lance into Jesus side and blood and water flowed out. The heart of Jesus gives it’s all even in death. On a deeper level John says that the blood of Jesus that we drink in the Eucharist and the waters of Baptism unite us to the new life that Jesus now gives. The collect of today’s Mass, reflecting on the Heart of Jesus, prays that we “may be made worthy to receive an overflowing measure of grace from that fount of heavenly gifts.”

 

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

Scripture:

Sirach 35:1-12
Mark 10:28-31

Reflection:

The readings today are centered on giving things up to God.  Sirach tells us how to keep the law by doing works of justice, works of charity, and the giving of alms.  These works truly please God; these are the true sacrifices that enrich the altar more than gifts laid upon it.  As much as any incense, they send up a sweet odor to the Most High.  Sirach ends his litany with the exhortation: “Give to the Most High as He has given to you, generously, according to your means.”

This verse catches my eye – causes me to pause and to think.  “. . . as He has given to you.”  Can I ever enumerate all the ways that God has given to me?  If I start with today and begin to work backwards, day by day, will I ever get to the end?   As I start to move through my memories, I get lost in pauses and reveries of wonder.  Through it all, Jesus stands out – over it all and central to it all is Jesus.

A poem-prayer attributed to St. Francis Xavier in an English translation begins:

“My God, I love Thee not that I
may gain a greater place in heaven thereby.
Nor yet because all those who love not Thee
will burn in hell eternally.
No, Thou, my Jesus, whilst on the tree,
didst in Thine arms encompass me.
The nails, the lance, Thou didst endure,
. . .                   . . .                     . . .”

Francis Xavier knew that Jesus loved him personally, and that He gave Himself up upon the cross for love of him: – “. . . didst in Thine arms encompass me.”  Francis simply had to love back.

Many of us are old enough to remember retreats and missions, and maybe even religion class lessons, where we were prompted to prepare for the sacrament of penance by gazing at the crucifix and thinking, “My sins did this to you, Jesus.  I crucified you, Jesus.  I caused you this pain and horrible death.”   By such pondering we were to arouse true sorrow and repentance for our sins.

Nowadays we have recovered a much better response.  With Francis Xavier, with our own Paul of the Cross, with Teresa of Avila and Therese of Lisieux – in fact with all the great mystics and teachers  – we can gaze at Jesus crucified and ponder how in His great love, and because of His great love, Jesus did this for us.  In our prayer we can hear Him saying to us, “I did this for you – I do this for you.”

This is the much better way, I believe, to prepare for the sacrament: To keep our eye on Jesus and His great love, not on ourselves and our sins.  As we gaze upon the Lord and His love, we don’t have to worry about our sins, nor fret about the quality of our sorrow.  Jesus will take care of our sins.  He will make our sins known to us in His own way; and we shall find ourselves more easily dealing with our sinfulness and the root of our sin as He wants us to in His own time.

“Give to the Most High as He has given to you.”  “God so loved the world that He sent His only Son . . . ”

Gazing upon the generosity of God’s love in Jesus crucified will lead us, I think, to be truly generous ourselves.

 

Peter Fitzpatrick, CFX, is a Xaverian Brother living at Ryken House, Louisville, across  Bear Grass Creek from the Passionist Community Sacred Heart Monastery.  

 

Scripture:

Sirach 17:20-24
Mark 10:17-27

Reflection:

Our western civilization, even in these difficult economic times, is one of the wealthiest in history.  So when we hear Mark’s Gospel today, it might cause us to panic.  But it is not wealth itself that poses the biggest threat to our salvation, but rather the attachments we form to the things that wealth buys.  We lament often about our society’s fascination with our “toys” – Depending on our interest, we may long for a big screen TV, the latest I-Pad or I-phone or a new car, top of the line golf clubs, or a big house or any of the myriad of other items we see on TV or in the ads.  And we should be clear.  These things are not evil in themselves, but certainly our attachment to them – both in the longing and in the possession can turn these things to evil for us.  If the possessions cause us to make bad choices – such as not sharing what we have with those who are in need, or spending an inordinate time with our toys and hobbies – or if our possessions become an obstacle in our relationship with God, then these things do become evil and impede our entrance into eternal life.

The last two lines of today’s gospel, however, tell a story of everlasting hope.  As members of our wealthy society today, it certainly will be hard to enter heaven.  In fact, it’s probably accurate to say that most of us as members of our culture today could never achieve heaven on our own.  But not to worry,   God has our back.  Yes, we are going to make mistakes, give in to temptations,  but God is there for us.  God will forgive us and God will love us.  As today’s Gospel tells us, it is probably impossible for us to achieve heaven, but for God, it is possible.

Let us pray for God’s mercy and rejoice always in the love God shared with us through the passion and death of Jesus, our Savior.

 

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

 

 

Scripture:

Acts 1:15-17, 20a, 20c-26
1 John 4:11-16
John 17:11b-19

Reflection:

“After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the Kingdom of God.”  Acts 1:3    It was an exciting time for the early believers.   Jesus would suddenly show up alive at his tomb, or on the Lake, or especially at meal times.   His followers could touch Him, plunge their hand into his wounded side,  or throw their arms around Him.

The readings remind us that now no longer can we experience Jesus with our senses.   “So then after the Lord Jesus spoke to them was taken up to heaven.” Mark 16:19   Now we have to relate with the Risen Jesus only by faith.   Faith is the eye by which we can see Him, the hand by which we touch Him, the arms by which we embrace Him.   We no longer have to wait for an unexpected visit from Jesus to our senses, but now have constant contact with Him in faith.   The epistle to the Hebrews tells us that “faith is the substance of things hoped for.”  Hebrews 11   The word for substance in the original Greek NT is hoop-as-tas-sis.    When we approach Jesus with the arms of faith we get our hands on him in a very real and substantial way.

In this life there is no real communication with the Risen Christ outside of faith.

The Ascension does not mean Jesus is taken away from us, but now becomes accessible to us in all times and places.   St. Paul of the Cross used to speak of our contacting Jesus in naked faith.   Many times we do not feel Jesus present but we know by faith that we have our hand on him every bit as much as the women at the tomb had their arms around him.  On earth this is the only real way of union with Christ.

Faith is a precious gift from God.   We must always ask for more of it.   “Lord, increase our faith.”    Faith can put us deeply into the arms of the Living Christ.

Our faith can bring Christ closer to us than our wildest imagination could do.   By faith we live and move and have our meaning in Him.

 

Fr. Bob Weiss, C.P. gives parish missions and retreats.  He is a member of the Passionist community in Louisville, Kentucky.