Daily Scripture

Scripture:

Song of Songs 3:1-4b, or 2 Corinthians 5:14-17
John 20:1-2, 11-18

Reflection:

Mary Magdalene, Oh I love this girl. She makes me want to Go and tell the good news!

Cardinal Sarah of the Congregation for Divine Worship tells us:

… precisely because she (St. Mary Magdalene) was an eyewitness to the risen Christ, she was also the first one to bear witness to him before the Apostles…Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples ‘I have seen the Lord’ (Jn 20:17-18). Thus, she becomes an evangelist.

Saint Thomas Aquinas says, she becomes the “apostolorum apostola” [apostle to the Apostles].

Saint Mary Magdalene was the first person to whom Jesus directly appeared after His resurrection, the first to be sent by him as an apostle to evangelize.  “Don’t cling to me,” he told her. “Go!” And she did.

That’s it!!  Mary Magdalene loved Jesus, she stayed at the tomb to mourn him and He came to console her, to tell her the good news. He was her friend. That is the challenge for each of us. Not just the good times because she also shared in His agony, but through the best and the worst, isn’t that the way of real friendship?

It seems so simple, just love Jesus! Love Jesus through His cross and to His resurrection.   When you do that, you can’t help but be an evangelist too, to ‘GO’ and tell others of His love.

Kate Mims is the Retreat Center Director at Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center in Houston, Texas.

Scripture:

Genesis 18:1-10a
Colossians 1:24-28
Luke 10: 38-42

Reflection:

Growing up in a small Kentucky town exposed me to the stereotypical family dinner every Sunday evening and the practice of southern hospitality. Today’s readings are about service and hospitality.

In today’s first reading we see an example of Abraham and Sarah serving and providing hospitality to three men. The meal was carefully prepared, and the hosts attended to the visitors’ comfort. In the second reading, we find Paul serving the Lord in preaching, prayer, travel, suffering, and writing. We have lots of examples of people of faith who were active in the service of the Lord and the practice of hospitality.

Every three years on this Sunday we hear this brief gospel story of Martha and Mary. Nearly every year we hear about Martha busy being hospitable. The homilist usually gives the same advice. We should seek to be more like Mary and sit at the feet of Jesus and less like Martha who is always busy, anxious and worried about many things.

So, what do today’s readings teach us: 1) Service and hospitality are essential to being Christian. 2) Comparing ourselves to others like Martha breeds anxiety and discontent. 3) Martha took her concerns to Jesus.  4) Making time for prayer sitting at the feet of Jesus should be a daily priority.

How well do I balance serving and sitting (praying) in my life?

Carl Middleton is a theologian/ethicist and a member of the Passionist Family.

Scripture:

Exodus 12: 37-42
Matthew 12: 14-21

Reflection:

Has any historical event so important been described in such an understated way?  In today’s first reading from Exodus, we read the rather bland statement, “The children of Israel set out from Rameses for Succoth….”  Admittedly, you begin to get an indication of the scale of the historical moment as the text goes on, “about six hundred thousand men on foot, not counting the little ones.”  But even so, it’s a pretty laid back description of one of the great liberation events in history!  After 430 years in Egypt, the last 50 or so in slavery, the Jewish people are finally being set free.

No doubt, as they began the journey, they were filled with excitement and hope, happy to shake the dust of Egypt from their sandals.  Had they realized how long the journey would take, some 40 years, they probably would have never had the heart to begin.  Trials and tribulations, suffering and loss, fear and violence were an integral part of the journey.  Yet, at the urging of Moses and their other religious leaders, they persisted.  And, they gradually came to understand how deeply God loved them, how faithfully God traveled with them, how attentive and responsive God was to their needs.  By the time they entered the Promised Land, they no longer thought of themselves as the slaves of Egypt, but as the “chosen people of God.”  Now that’s a true transformation.

Many of us can recognize ourselves in this great story.  It’s a long journey to a deep understanding of God’s great love for us.  And, it’s a great challenge to grow into a deep conviction that God is walking with us throughout all the experiences of our lives.  Yet, that’s what this story is about.  It reminds us that the journey of the people of Israel is the model for our own personal journey and that of the whole Christian community.  As you remember these great events of old, may you recognize in it your personal journey and realize that your journey is the path God is using to invite you into His loving embrace.

 

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

Scripture:

Exodus 11:10-12:14
Matthew 12:1-8

Reflection:

Jesus was going through a field of grain on the sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “See, your disciples are doing what is unlawful to do on the sabbath.” Matt. 12: 1 – 2

Have you ever broken the law? I know that I have.

I remember one of my first traffic tickets, a violation of the law. It happened in California. I came to a complete stop as the light had turned red while making a right turn. Both streets were wide, two lanes of traffic each way. Two persons had just stepped into the crosswalk as I began my right turn. I thought nothing of it. They were at least three lanes of traffic away from my car. Two blocks later, a police car stops me, lights on and sirens blaring. Lowering my window, “what’s wrong, officer,” was my question, “Did you not see the two people who were beginning to cross the street?” “Yes, but they were far away.” He says authoritatively, “In California, that doesn’t matter. The pedestrian always has the right of way.” I had broken the law! I got a traffic ticket.

Probably, everyone one of us has had a similar experience. We break the law, sometimes unknowingly and other times, intentionally. Who of us is going to keep to the speed limit when we are driving to the hospital in an emergency? Jesus never taught that laws were to be obeyed absolutely, without expectation. This Gospel is a good example of that teaching.

The early church dealt with the issue of obeying God or human law. It was an easy issue for them to resolve. We obey human law unless it violates God’s law. And God’s law never violates the human person or human dignity. A clear example of this is found in the Gospel of John, the woman caught in the very act of adultery. Faced with enforcing an unjust law of his tradition, Jesus chose mercy rather compliance, saving a woman’s life rather than obeying the letter of the law. For Jesus, this was a no brainer. Jesus was sent by the Father to save the world and not to condemn it. Our tradition is clear.

But our own times and our own lives does not always leave us with such clarity and certainty. We grew up believing that every law that we human beings pass in our government institutions, whether by election or by city, state or federal bodies, are to be obeyed. When we begin to doubt whether a law is just or unjust, we rightly need to pause and rely on the best our core beliefs about God, God’s Will for us, Jesus’ teachings in the Gospel and the guidance of Church, our Mother.

How can God desire the violation of our human rights and our human dignity? How can Mother Church forget the least of her children? No human being has the right to violate the good name of another. No human institution can deny human rights. No government or government officials have the authority to enforce unjust laws. This is our Catholic tradition!

Living the moral life in today’s world is not easy. Our humanness may try to lead us in one direction but our faith and discipleship to God and to Jesus will show us the way to living right, to loving God and neighbor, and embracing a God of Life and Love. We cannot go wrong following Jesus, Son of God and of Mary, who died on the Cross so we could have life and have it to the full.

Fr. Clemente Barrón, C.P. is a member of Mater Dolorosa Community in Sierra Madre, California. 

Scripture:

Exodus 3:13-20
Matthew 11:28-30

Reflection:

“Come to me…you will find rest for your souls…my yoke is easy”

We are pilgrims on a journey, alone and together – pilgrims heading toward the kingdom.
While the journey can be joyful, it can also be weary, burdensome, even oppressive at times.
Uniquely, we are all searching for God – and life gets in the way…we may discover ourselves searching alone and in vain.

Sometimes because of choices we have made or decisions to carry what isn’t ours to carry – worries, perceived obligations, deeply rooted ‘shoulds’, fears and anxieties.  Other times we are faced with illness or troubles that we would not bring on ourselves.

Whatever it is, Jesus says, yoke yourself to me – learn from me – I have your back, trust me, you will find rest.

Can we put on that yoke?  Sometimes the yoke itself is oppressive looking, do we really want that around our neck?  How will that help relieve the burden and allow us to experience the peace that only Jesus can give?

Jesus says, ‘my yoke is easy’.  William Barclay reminds us that easy comes from the Greek Chrestos, which can mean well-fitting.  The Yoke that Jesus offers is custom made for each of us, adjusted to do exactly what it needs to do – no added weight, pulling or nagging.

If the burden is caused by our own decision or anxiety, Jesus can show us how to choose a new path, a new direction, a new way.  If it is caused by something beyond our control, Jesus can invite us to hope in the place where there is no more tears, sorrow, struggle or dis-ease.

Chaos can be all around us and it can also be within us – we may find ourselves in the garden wanting this cup removed – but yoked to Jesus we will find the strength, unity and peace of the Father.

The promise of Jesus is that when we can give up our own ways and learn from Him, even though we may still have burdens, we will be refreshed, we will receive new life.  Life that includes healing, and freedom that comes from seeing life through the prism of God’s love.

Jesus yoke is light because he helps to bear the burden – he has been there and done that – he has our back!  Sometimes the confusion and overwhelming weight are simply the result of us trying to do things alone.

Are we willing to yoke ourselves to Jesus and trust the path that opens up for us?

Faith Offman is the Associate Director of Ministry at St. Paul of the Cross Passionist Retreat and Conference Center in Detroit, Michigan.

Scripture:

Exodus 3:1-6, 9-12
Matthew 11:25-27

Reflection:

The Bible tells us indispensable truths about God and indispensable truths about ourselves, and this is especially the case with today’s reading from Exodus. It is the remarkable story of Moses encountering God in the burning bush. This passage is so familiar to even the most casual believer (and perhaps to the most seasoned unbeliever as well) that we can overlook why it is the central revelation of God for the Jewish people and, therefore, an important one for Christians as well. We know the context for the story: The Israelites were slaves in Egypt, which means that Pharaoh and the Egyptians saw them as less than fully human, expendable creatures to be used to build Pharaoh’s empire even if it cost them their lives.

In what are undoubtedly among the most crucial words that God utters in the Bible, God tells Moses, “The cry of the children of Israel has reached me, and I have truly noted that the Egyptians are oppressing them.” God, far from being unmoved or indifferent to human suffering, cares deeply about it. The misery, sorrows, tears, and afflictions of people, particularly the poor and oppressed, matter to God. God is passionately committed to justice and unmistakably angry over injustice because the God who brought all things into being wants life abundant for all creatures. In fact, it is no exaggeration to say that God takes sides because God stands not with the wealthy and the privileged, but with all of history’s victims to injustice and cruelty. Thus, the story closes with God vowing to liberate the Israelites from Pharaoh’s crushing tyranny.

But God will do so through Moses. God calls Moses to be God’s instrument of liberation, God’s agent of deliverance. Consequently, if this passage reveals a critical truth about God, it likewise discloses something important about ourselves: Like Moses, God calls us because God depends on us to further God’s creative and redemptive mission in the world. Yes, God has plans and purposes, but God needs our cooperation for those plans and purposes to be fulfilled. And, like Moses, God’s call can come at the most unexpected times and in the most unexpected places.
This is why we must be attentive and alert, always ready to respond, and continually asking, “How is God calling me today? How does God need me? Where is God summoning me to bring justice and life?”

Paul J. Wadell is Professor Emeritus of Theology & Religious Studies at St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin, and a member of the extended Passionist Family.

Scripture:

Exodus 2:1-15a
Matthew 11:20-24

Reflection:

The disciples of Jesus have just returned from their missionary successes.  Jesus is disappointed that some of the villages did not accept the Gospel preached to them.  Jesus speaks to three cities in which he is especially disappointed because some of Jesus’ greatest miracles were performed in these cities, but the message was not accepted. The cities named are: Bethsaida, Capernaum, Chorazin, Sodom, and Tyre.

The reason Jesus is so disappointed is not that they would not believe but that they refused to have repentance for their lives.  The language Jesus uses here is harsh because these people do not see their need for repentance.  The miracles were a call to reformation.  What Jesus saw missing in these people’s lives was that they did not have any gratitude?

Jesus reminds these peoples it is not possessions that make one great but that their names are written in the Book of Life Jesus gave these people the knowledge of the Father. They should be grateful that Jesus has revealed the Father to them. Gratitude is the heart’s memory.  The Passionists take a fourth vow to be grateful to keep alive the memory of the Passion.  We can say it is everyone’s mission to keep alive the Revelation of the Father.  We are grateful.

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

Scripture:

Exodus 1:8-14, 22
Matthew 10:34-11:1

Reflection:

Today’s Gospel reading from the 10^th Chapter of Matthew can be very challenging to us as mere mortals. Looking through the lens of the world one may ask how can Jesus tell us “I have come to bring not peace but the sword.” “I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against mother, etc.” These are hard teachings, but before we jump to conclusions, let us read between the lines a bit. Jesus is not telling us that we should hate our family members; He is telling us that we will not find peace; we will not find the City of God, unless we put Him first and foremost in our lives, unless He is the peak of our affections. When we orient our lives to his teachings, when we place Him in His rightful place before father or mother, son or daughter, etc. we are aligning our free will with His will, we are aligning our world with His world, we are aligning the city of man with the City of God.

Today we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor of the Church who was born around the year 1218, in his work, Journey of the Mind to God, he teaches, “In order for the Passover to be perfect, we must suspend all the operations of the mind and we must transform the peak of our affections, directing them to God alone.” “We must suspend all the operations of the mind”, we do this by putting Jesus Christ before all earthly things including family.

Today Jesus is telling us that He wants to be the “peak of our affections”. He wants us to align our will with His will, He wants us to transform our lives to His life, then we can take care of Father and Mother, son and daughter, because when we receive Him we receive the one who sent Him. Saint Bonaventure says it best, “Christ is both the way and the door, Christ is the staircase and the vehicle, like the throne of mercy over the Ark of the Covenant, and the mystery hidden from the ages. A man should turn his full attention to the throne of mercy, and should gaze at him hanging on the cross, full of faith, hope and charity, devoted, full of wonder and joy, marked by gratitude and open to praise and jubilation.”

In the Sunday Liturgy yesterday, we heard from the Letter to the Colossians, “He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he himself might be preeminent.” So, let us keep Christ preeminent in our lives, trust in Him, then through this trust, take care of our loved ones, it is the proper alignment for us as Christians.

Deacon James Anderson is the Administrator at Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center in Houston, Texas.