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Scripture:

1 John 3:22-4:6
Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25

Reflection:

How quickly the church moves from the birth of a baby to the adult Jesus.  The Gospel concludes today with Jesus’ reputation spreading beyond Galilee, all over Syria and into Judea.  Jesus’ fame develops from his work.  Matthew describes him as healing all who are sick with various diseases, pain, paralyzed, and even possessed.  It doesn’t matter what culture you are in, or what century you are in, everybody likes free healthcare!

Who does Jesus heal?  He has the ability to restore to wholeness all of those who in some way shape or form were denied wholeness.  He does not do personal favors for people for popularity.  Nor does he do magic tricks.  He restores to order that which suffers from lack of order.  He makes right that which is "not quite right".  Thus, Jesus’ action is an act of righteousness.  Why is this important?  Because the expectations of the Messiah indicate he is to be the righteous one.  As this light has come into the world, Jesus displays he is the righteous one through his deeds. 

But the beginning of today’s Gospel is completely different.  Jesus hears that John has been arrested.  What does Jesus do?  Matthew says he withdraws.  This seems to be much more of an emotional or human reaction.  The one person who understood Jesus better than anyone else in this world was his cousin John.  So when John gets arrested, it seems natural for Jesus to take some time to retreat, to reevaluate his mission, to listen again to the voice of his father.  And the natural progression after stepping back and listening, is to step forward into the reality of the situation which lays before us.  Each of us does this daily.  And so we see Jesus stepping back into what he is called to do.  He exercises his Ministry of righteousness.

I’m fascinated by his initial teaching.  He does not start with highly eloquent sermons.  When Jesus begins to preach, Matthew has Jesus teaching very a simple and basic message, "Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand."  Who does this sound like?  Is it not the voice of his cousin John?

The beauty of this Gospel reflects both the humanness of Jesus as he begins to understand that faithfulness to his ministry will have repercussions in the political arena all the way to the king. In this understanding he faces this reality and steps forward to begin living the title of whom he has been called— the Son of Righteousness.

As you reflect back on your Advent and Christmas experiences, how are you different because the Sun of Righteousness has brought light to your life?

 

Fr. David Colhour, C.P. is on the staff at Christ the King Passionist Retreat Center, Citrus Heights, California.

Scripture:

1 John 5:5-13
Luke 5:12-16

Reflection:

I travel a great deal for my work, often teaching sessions to large groups of people who then all want to talk with me to ask questions or get more information. I love what I do and it is truly gratifying to make a difference in people’s lives. Yet I can get quite drained when I am always around the crowds and constantly have to be "on". After a while, I just want to cocoon somewhere by myself so I can recharge my batteries.

Apparently that is not a bad thing. When the crowds were getting to be too much for Jesus, he instructed them not to tell anyone about the healings he wrought, and he withdrew to deserted places alone.  That means I am in good company when I take care of myself and avoid getting burned out.

There is one big difference between Jesus’ actions and mine, though. I like to get away from everyone and pamper myself, perhaps going for a walk in the fresh air, indulging in a coffee drink or a hot cocoa, reading in a quiet spot, or going for a swim. Jesus withdrew to pray.

I know I should spend more time in prayer, and in my heart I want to. But I have not been very disciplined about my prayer life lately. It’s so easy to sleep in a little extra, to say I "don’t have time", or to get going on my list of responsibilities and never look back. I still pray throughout the day, talking to God, singing, and being aware of God’s presence. But that’s not enough. I also need to dedicate specific blocks of time to prayer.

In the times of my life when I was devoted to daily quiet prayer time, everything was better. Bad things, stressors, and sometimes outright disasters still happened.  Deadlines still needed to be met, people still pressed in on me, and I still got drained from too much crowd-time. Yet I felt more centered, calm, and focused. I forgave more easily, received more insights, had more patience, and was more content. I did my job more effectively and I grew as a person.  Sometimes the words someone needed to hear simply appeared in my mouth.

So what is holding me back from doing something I know is so beneficial? Am I afraid that I will lose my precious control? Am I walking around wounded and scarred but unwilling to admit that I need help and healing? Am I taking God for granted, expecting divine help whenever I need it even as I let our relationship slowly deteriorate? I don’t have it all figured out yet. Ironically, the way to "figure it out" is to go to God in prayer.

Perhaps this can be my New Year’s resolution. I resolve to continue taking care of myself, but to do so by balancing my worldly self-care with spiritual self-care. I resolve to spend dedicated prayer time every single day without exception. I resolve to be naked and vulnerable before God, trusting in divine love and mercy to accept me where I am and stretch me to where I need to go. And even though I know I won’t perfectly fulfill this resolution, I resolve to keep trying.

Will you join me?

 

Amy Florian is a teacher and consultant working in Chicago.  For many years she has partnered with the Passionists.  Visit Amy’s website: http://www.amyflorian.com/.

Scripture:

1 John 4:7-10
Mark 6:45-52

Reflection:

Bill was born November 26, 1895 to parents who abandoned him and his sister leaving them in the care of their maternal grandparents. Other than this, his childhood and young adulthood contained nothing that would make him worthy of this morning’s reflection. What he did in 1935 however is a whole other story prompting Time Magazine to name him one of the top 100 most important people of the 20^th Century.  In desperation he reached out to one other person whom he knew had his same malady and asked him for help, help they both needed. That act of desperation and their sharing of their own experience, strength and hope, led to the founding of a fellowship of over 2,000,000 people today coming together in more than 100,000 groups around the world.  We know this fellowship as AA. This story kind of reminds me of today’s Gospel selection.

Jesus: "…saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things." (Mark 6:34)

It’s interesting to me that Jesus doesn’t stop at feeding their minds and hearts.  He teaches them further of the power of sharing-sharing the little bit we each have. That sharing leads to abundance both in our Gospel selection for today and the story above. "They all ate and were satisfied. And they picked up twelve wicker baskets full of fragments and what was left of the fish" (Mark 6:42-43)

 

Dan O’Donnell is a Passionist Partner and a longtime friend of the Passionists.  He lives in Chicago.  

 

The Epiphany of the Lord

Scripture:

Isaiah 60:1-6
Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6
Matthew 2:1-12

 

 

Reflection:

Decorating the Christmas tree this holiday season got me thinking.  Have you ever reflected on the items we place on the top of our Christmas trees, as compared to the items we place beneath our trees?  Many people put a star or an Angel at the top of their tree. Underneath, people put presents, a Nativity set, a train set, or perhaps a small village.  We tend to put the things of heaven at the top of trees and the things of earth underneath them.  It is almost as though the Christmas tree has this ability to connect us again.  Symbolically, the tree unites the heavens and the earth.  And the space in between we fill with ornaments, decorations and lights.  These are all things which lift us beyond the hum-drums of daily routine.   Many times the ornaments themselves are symbolic of family experiences. 

Fascinating, for so many people these few days of Christmas actually change us. We change our schedules, our priorities, and we let go of productivities. We literally move into a different frame of time and in doing so the magic of reconnecting happens.  We take time to connect and reconnect with family and friends.  And suddenly, right there in our midst is the prince of peace.  It’s delightful and miraculous how we actually live for a few days out of the truth of this connection. We afford ourselves time to tell sacred stories and to listen to how the one from heaven comes to us.  And for a brief time, we find ourselves at one with God. 

I love GK Chesterton’s quote that logicians are seeking to get the heavens into their head, while the poet only asks to get his head into the heavens.  It is so applicable to today’s feast, the Feast of the Epiphany. We retell the story today of the Magi, who were bold enough to look beyond the things merely at the bottom of the tree. As they gazed into the heavens, they could truly behold new light.  It dawns on me that this is precisely the symbolic statement of the Christmas tree.  With the brightest star at the top of the tree, we would never be able to outshine that star. We are called to shine forth in the splendor and beauty of that star. For not only have we been made in the image and likeness of that light, as Isaiah reminds us, "the glory of the Lord shines upon you. Upon you the Lord shines and over you appears divine glory." We all know that it is not one light that makes the tree beautiful, it’s the combination of thousands of lights all glowing.

In the Eastern churches this is the all important day.  This is a much greater day than December 25th.  Just because a child was born to us and a son given to us, does not necessitate that humanity respond to this truth.  Today’s the day that we see the light of Christ and we consciously respond to it.  May the light of incarnate truth shine brightly in you. 

 

Fr. David Colhour, C.P. is the pastor of St. Agnes Parish in Louisville, Kentucky.

 

Scripture:

1 John 3:7-10
John 1:35-42

 

 

 

Reflection:

The Christmas Event & St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

Today’s Gospel selection features John the Baptist and two of his disciples meeting Jesus as he walked by – "the Lamb of God".  The encounter led to Jesus’ invitation to "come and see" where he was staying – and ultimately, those first few hours with Jesus led to lives of fruitful discipleship. 

Over the centuries countless women and men have heard Jesus’ invitation to "come and see".  One such 18^th Century American woman-disciple is honored today:  St. Elizabeth Ann Seton…the first American-born saint.

Born in 1774, Elizabeth Ann was reared an Episcopalian.  She married William Seton and helped rear their five children.  She was drawn to the Catholic faith by an Italian Catholic family whom she met while traveling in Italy with her husband.  After her husband’s death from tuberculosis at age 30, Elizabeth Ann embraced the Catholic faith – and subsequently opened a parish school in Baltimore to support her family and witness her Catholic faith. 

Drawn by Elizabeth’s fervor, a group of young women joined Elizabeth Ann in her approach to education and Christian life.  In 1809 they formed the American Sisters of Charity, following the rule of St. Vincent de Paul; later they help found other schools and orphanages.  By the time of her death on January 4, 1821, the community had expanded their valued ministries as far west as St. Louis.

Elizabeth Ann Seton was called by God to help build up the Church in her day.  As noted in today’s Gospel, Jesus drew disciples to himself and began the Church; Elizabeth Ann joined those early disciples in saying "yes" to Jesus and working tirelessly to build the Church.

The new year 2014 is upon us, and God continues to bless us with our Passionist charism as enfleshed in St. Paul of the Cross.  May we deepen our relationship with Jesus these new year’s days – and encourage others to "come and see" God’s love present in our world.  With St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, we pray Psalm 98:  "Sing to the Lord a new song, for God has done wondrous deeds…"

Amen!

 

Fr. John Schork, C.P. is the local leader of the Passionist community in Louisville, Kentucky. 

Scripture:

1 John 2:22-28
John 1:19-28

Reflection:

This day’s first reading, from the First Letter of John, reminds me of the importance of affirming what we know to be true, and avoiding the futile denials that are intended to bring other persons, or their beliefs, down.  A great Passionist in Holy Cross Province died in 2012, Fr. Frederick Sucher.  Fr. Fred was one of our class’ philosophy professors in the mid-1960’s.  Of many things that he taught us, I remember one of his tenets, which still rings true today: "There is usually more error in what a person denies than in what someone affirms."  

This has been very much my experience during these days, when I have been invited to accompany some friends who are members of 12-Step Recovery programs.  Over several meetings, I have noticed how much denial is an "enemy" of the truth.  If someone can turn from denial to an affirmation of what is really true in his or her life, then life blossoms in its colorful and rich diversity.  If someone continues to live in an attitude of denial, then his or her life remains a continuing battle to maintain a falsehood rather than to affirm a shared truth:

"Let what you heard from the beginning remain in you. 
If what you heard from the beginning remains in you,
then you will remain in the Son and in the Father. 
And this is the promise that he made us: eternal life. 
I write you these things about those who would deceive you. (I John 2, 24-26)"

This is the picture that we have of Jesus and his disciples in the Gospels.  As a matter of fact, the beginning of the Gospel of Luke is very similar to today’s passage from the First Letter of John in its intention to affirm what Jesus has taught his disciples:

"Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning and ministers of the word have handed them down to us,

I too have decided, after investigating everything accurately anew, to write it down in an orderly sequence for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings you have received. (Lk 1, 1-4)"

For both the author of John’s First Letter, and the author of the Prologue to Luke’s gospel, the affirmation of the truth of the life-changing events they have lived with Jesus is the strength that binds them together in a fellowship of the truth.

We live that fellowship of the truth as members of the Body of Christ, His Church.  We share the truth of the love of Jesus for us and our bond with one another as a pledge of the fellowship to come in its fullness ("And this is the promise that he made us: eternal life.")

Perhaps it is no coincidence that today we also commemorate two Doctors of the Church, Sts. Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen.  They were two men born in Cappadocia, who became friends with the ardor springing from great minds and even greater hearts.  Both Bishops, both led their churches in a time of challenge from the Arian heresy.  Gregory preached the funeral homily for his friend, Basil.  

This Christmas season is a time of fellowship.  May we live the great truth of the Incarnation of Jesus as our brother in an honest fellowship of heart, mind, and soul, with every one of our brothers and sisters with whom we will share part of this day.  

 

Fr. Arthur Carrillo, C.P.  is the director of the Missions for Holy Cross Province.  He lives in Chicago, Illinois. 

 

Feast of the Holy Innocents 

Scripture:

1 John 1:5-2:2
Matthew 2:13-18

 

 

Reflection:

Even though the Church reveres and honors Joseph for his role as earthly father to Jesus, we do not see many references to him in scripture.  Today Matthew offers us an opportunity for an insight into Joseph and his role in the life of Jesus.

Joseph’s life seems to have been filled with unexpected happenings.  First, he is given the role of protector.  We do not know what he or Mary knew of their role in parenting the Messiah, but we do know that Joseph, like Mary, answered God’s call, that he said his "yes." Joseph struggled to find a place for Mary to give birth, then witnessed the birth in the stable, must have worried over the conditions, and then saw shepherds and angels come to honor the new-born baby.  Then likely after a short time of a somewhat normal life, Joseph with Mary and the young Jesus were visited by the visitors who brought luxurious gifts. When the visitors left, and Joseph perhaps began to think maybe things would return to normal, the angel appears to him to warn him of imminent danger and tells him to take Mary and Jesus and flee to Egypt. 

Joseph’s role as protector is clearly seen in today’s reading.  We do not hear that the angel appeared to Mary and Joseph but rather to Joseph alone.  A picture is drawn of a humble man, being obedient to God’s command, being the protector, the caretaker for Mary and the child.  Mary and Joseph were likely young parents – raising a child by duplicating what they had seen in their own families.   By today’s standards, their life was difficult and most likely filled with challenges and apprehensions. 

I see Joseph as a calm man, quietly going about his life – a family man, a skilled craftsman, a carpenter, teaching by example – perhaps undemonstrative, but showing his love by his dedication and steadfastness.  Joseph is certainly a wonderful model for husbands and fathers.  If your life has been graced by someone  who has displayed these qualities, today would be a good day to offer some prayers of thanksgiving for them.  And today is a good day for husbands and fathers to pray to be like St. Joseph.

Today is also the Feast of the Holy Innocents.  We remember not only the male babies that were slaughtered by Herod, but also the thousands of babies lost to abortion, starvation, the ravages of war and those who die through neglect and abuse.  As we move toward a new year, let us pray in a special way for an end to abortion and to all crimes against children.

 

Mary Lou Butler is a former staff member and a longtime partner of the Passionists in California.

Scripture:

1 John 2:12-17
Luke 2:36-40

Reflection:

Remember the song, "Do you hear what I hear?"  Recently I sang this song with a children’s choir at a Christmas pageant.  But I messed up a line.  Where I should have sung, "Let us give him silver and gold,"  I sang, "He will give us silver and gold."  Even with the words in front of me I messed up!

No, I don’t think Jesus came to give us money and make us materially rich.  But as I thought about it, those words are very true in another way.

I say God gives us gifts of bronze, silver and gold.

   1) Bronze makes me think of all the gifts of creation.  For instance, the earth and the oceans, mountain and valleys, sunsets and rainbows, bluebirds and butterflies, daffodils and roses, dogs and kittens, food and drink – and so much more.  God says, "Look at all the gifts of creation and see how much I love you."

    2) Sliver makes me think of the gift of human life.  God gives us life with bodies that can work and play, eyes to see beauty, ears to hear music, feet to dance, hands to reach out and help, brains to think and learn, emotions to feel, wills to choose, and hearts to love.

Besides, God gifts us with a rich variety of people, all shapes and sizes and colors, with an abundance of talents, and personalities. We especially give thanks for the gift of family and friends, teachers and public servants, and all who help us get through life.  God says, "Look at all the beautiful people in your life and see how much I love you."

     3) Finally God gives us the gold that is Jesus.  "God so loved the world that he sent his only Son."  Through Jesus coming to earth as a human, God the Father wanted to affirm the goodness of this earth and the dignity of human life.

So Jesus comes and gives us the gift of his words and example, the gift of faith and forgiveness, the gift of the Holy Eucharist and the sacraments, the gift of his death and resurrection, the gift of taking upon himself our suffering and giving it meaning, the gift of Mary for our mother and the gift of hope for eternal life.

     4) What is our response to the bronze, silver and gold that God gives us?

We respond to the bronze gift of creation by caring for the earth.  We respond to the silver gift of human life by caring for one another.  We respond to the gold gift of Jesus by welcoming him into our hearts and 

presenting ourselves with him to the Father.

Yes, he will bring us bronze, silver and gold.  Happy Birthday, Jesus, and thank you!