Daily Scripture

Scripture:

2 Kings 17:5-8, 13-15a, 18
Matthew 7:1-5

Reflection:

At times when I get frustrated with politics and politicians, I find myself daydreaming about testifying to  Congress and giving them a good scolding about what I perceive that they are doing and not doing. If that ever came to pass, a good thing for me to do would be to read them our Gospel reading for today. In that reading, Jesus says, “Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s [or sister’s] eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? How can you say to your brother [or sister], ‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’ while the wooden beam is in your eye? You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s [or sister’s] eye.” It seems that there are a whole lot of people with wooden beams in their eyes talking about the splinters in the eyes of others.

Of course, the problem with scolding others about that sort of thing is that I would be guilty of the very thing I am accusing them! Jesus calls us to humility about our sinfulness. When we recognize our own sin, we become more understanding of our fellow sinners.

A result of removing the wooden beam from our own eye before helping remove the splinter from the eye of another is that when we see clearly, we may see that the splinter we thought we saw was not there at all. Or it may be that we see something entirely different that gets in the way of our brother or sister. For example, because of my being judgmental, I may take your shyness as snobbery. But if I let go of that, I may see that you don’t need to be taken down a notch, but that instead you need to be lifted up. It’s amazing what can happen when we see clearly!

May God give us the grace to acknowledge our own sin, and see clearly enough to help one another!

Fr. Phil Paxton, C.P., is the local superior of the Passionist Community in Birmingham, Alabama. 

The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

Scripture:

Genesis 14:18-20
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Luke 9:11b-17

Reflection:

This Sunday in the Church calendar is the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, when we reflect on Jesus’ sacrifice and the sacrament in which we participate in the sacrifice, the Eucharist. This year, the day on which the Church celebrates this feast is also when people in the U.S. celebrate Father’s Day, and it also marks Juneteenth, June 19^th, when, in 1865, at the end of the Civil War, slaves in Texas were notified, quite some time after the Emancipation Proclamation, that they were actually free.

The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ is important to us as a church. In a famous phrase from the Second Vatican Council, the Eucharist is the “source and summit” of our lives as Christians. It is the source of our lives because we are fed with the gift of Jesus’ entire self, His Body and Blood poured out for us. It is the summit because it signifies an intimate connection with Jesus, which we hope to have forever in heaven.

In the celebration of the Mass, we come together as a community of faith, to give thanks and praise to the God who loves us. We come to hear God’s word, and we come to share in the sacrifice Jesus made once for all, which is made present for us. We partake of the bread and wine which we believe becomes the Body and Blood of Christ poured out for us (See our second reading: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26). We receive Jesus into ourselves in a most intimate way.

To receive this gift of Jesus, given out of love for us, demands a response. And the response is to give of ourselves, to God and to the world. How do we do that? I think we can find answers in both our Scripture readings and in the days our society celebrates.

One way we give of ourselves is to share the blessings we have received. In our first reading from Genesis (14:18-20), Abram has returned victorious over the forces who took his kinsman Lot into captivity. Melchizedek, king of Salem, and a priest, blesses God and invokes God’s blessing upon Abram, and then “Abram gave him a tenth of everything.” In our Gospel reading (Luke 9:11b-17), Jesus multiplies the loaves and the fish, and gives the food to the disciples to give to the people. We are to give what we have been given.

As we celebrate Father’s Day, we can reflect on our call to give of ourselves as a loving father gives of himself to his spouse and to his children. We know the sacrifices parents make for their children, and in response to Jesus’ sacrifice for us, we are called to make sacrifices for others.

As we celebrate Juneteenth, we are reminded of another aspect to our celebration of the Eucharist. Our celebration of the Eucharist has a connection with the Jewish celebration of Passover. When the Jewish people celebrate Passover, they are not simply remembering something that happened thousands of years ago. They believe that the liberating act of God which brought them out of slavery in Egypt is made present for them. In the same way, when we celebrate the Eucharist, we are not remembering or re-enacting something that happened thousands of years ago. We believe that the liberating act of Jesus, which freed us from slavey to sin and the fear of death, is made present for us.

So perhaps we can see our response to Jesus as helping to free others. In working for justice and peace, we help people be free of injustice and oppression. In reaching out to others in their need, we help people be free from poverty and lack of the necessities of life. We help people be free from addiction by helping them turn to a loving Higher Power. We can help free people from despair by caring for them and sharing the hope we have in the Resurrection of Jesus.

There are many ways to respond to the gift of Jesus’ self, poured out for us. But we are called to respond. As we take Jesus into ourselves at the Eucharist, may we share the gift we have been given by giving of ourselves.

Fr. Phil Paxton, C.P., is the local superior of the Passionist Community in Birmingham, Alabama. 

Scripture:

2 Kings 11:1-4, 9-18, 20
Matthew 6:19-23

Reflection:

Is it foolish to believe that goodness ultimately triumphs? That evil will not prevail?

It is hard to avoid these questions when considering the bloody spectacle recounted in today’s first reading. The story begins with a mass slaughter. Athaliah, driven by fierce ambition and unquenchable bitterness, murders “the whole royal family” and places herself on the throne where she rules unchallenged for six years. Treachery triumphs, evil succeeds.

Or so it seems. Athaliah’s hold on power eventually crumbles when Jehoash, the sole descendent of the king who escaped Athaliah’s wickedness, is anointed king by Jehoiada, a priest of the temple, and is joyfully acclaimed by the people. Suddenly, she who once felt invincible is dethroned and killed right before Jehoiada renews the covenant between God and the people, reminding them that their ultimate loyalty and trust should be given not to Athaliah or any other earthly ruler, but to God. The story abounds in irony because upon discovering that Jehoash has been made king, Athaliah accuses the people of treason, not realizing that she is the true traitor because she had abandoned the ways of God out of unbridled ambition and lust for power.

Athaliah’s fall into darkness is a particularly disturbing reminder that sin deceives and leads to death while goodness and faithfulness bring life. Or, as Jesus succinctly puts it in today’s gospel, if we set our hearts on earthly treasures (as Athaliah surely did), we not only will be disappointed, but will stray from the only sure path to life. But if we seek heavenly treasure, a richness that is found not in wealth and possessions, power or fame, but in praise and thanksgiving to God, in love of God and neighbor, and in true holiness of life, joy and peace will mark our days.

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

Scripture:

Sirach 48:1-14
Matthew 6:7-15

Reflection:

“This is how you are to pray” Matthew 6:9

As a Passionist priest, I have given many a retreat conference on prayer, as well as some workshops on how to pray. There have also been many a conversation with people who wanted help with their prayer life. As I look back on these talks and conferences and conversations, I am not so sure how beneficial they were. So many times I approached this subject as a “teacher” and my objective was to help people learn how to pray in different ways.

In today’s Gospel reading, we hear Jesus winding up his comments on prayer. It seems that he must have been reflecting on his experience of how people around him prayed every day. First, he describes the way many people were praying. Then, instead of giving another lecture on prayer, he gave his followers an example of how to pray by praying. What a great example this is for all of us!

There are certain kinds of prayers that are easy to recite. We can memorize them and then say them over and over again. And there are certain kinds of prayers that are experiences rather than litanies of prayers. The Eucharistic Prayers of the Mass is an example of this. The New Sacramentary that came out a couple of years ago gives us an awareness of just how many ways there are to pray a sacred prayer. These Eucharistic prayers emphasize aspects of our relationship to God and with each other. They connect us with our God in special ways. Truly they are prayer experiences.

My own personal experience of praying, I suspect, is similar to the vast majority of people who try to pray daily. There are some days that are better than others. But having the “Our Father” as the example of how we are to pray is so helpful, because we can begin to reflect on Jesus’ relationship with his Father and his desire for all of us: God’s will be done everywhere. This is not an asking prayer for those things of life that have no major consequence for us. We are to ask for our daily bread and that is truly all of the material things we need to ask for. We are also to ask for grace, the grace to forgive, the grace to avoid temptation and the grace to be delivered from all evil. What more do we need in this life?

My experience tells me that we will never learn how to pray successfully. However, we can try each day to pray better. Each day is a day to acknowledge God as our Father and to praise his holy name. Each day is a day to seek the Will of God. Each day is a day to ask for our daily bread. Each day is a day to ask for forgiveness and to extend unconditional forgiveness to those who have wronged us. Each day is a day we need help in avoiding temptation and to be delivered from evil. That is why we need to pray each and every day.

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

Scripture:

1 Kings 21:1-16
Matthew 5:38-42

Reflection:

It is hard to figure out what to make from our Scriptures today. I recently read in a biblical commentary about the Hebrew myth or tradition, they believe that the Word of God remains upon the earth as an indelible presence of God. And if Jesus Christ is the incarnated Word of God, then his Word remains upon the breath of the earth. Tradition offers if humanity were to remain in silence, then we could hear the Word of God from mount Tabor sharing the Ten Commandments with Moses.

This is the thrust of Naboth’s refusal to sell his land to King Ahaz. Seriously someone should have given him a strong and serious talk that you cannot get what you want. We are introduced to Queen Jezebel. Whose manipulation falls as abuse of power. We feel for Naboth who must have been confused for he was true to his calling in life. The section of today’s Gospel comes from Jesus famous sermon on the mount where he offers us a way to behave. His words are so confusing to our ears. He invites us to rehear the rule in Leviticus 9:24:20 termed non-retaliation. He (Jesus” takes on the culture of the day, “An eye for an eye” (ST.) Mother Teresa had a famous saying: “An eye for an eye and the whole world goes blind” it simply makes no sense. In reflecting on my life, on those dear friends who have happily moved on from my life, I’m very grateful to those who have forgiven me. They have released me from my chains of bondage. Can you reflect on those who truly have been a Christ to you? or, how about you, have you liberated another?

Scholars in referring to this section of Matthew have offered their insight into breaking the cycle of peace.

I might go out on a limb and offer that Jesus, was well aware of the sacrifice, he wanted to get us to understand his motive so that we can feel liberated and trust in his love. His message was truly radical to us.

Our Psalm offers us beautiful words (psalm, 5), “Lord, listen to my groaning. help me realize your sacrifice for me and be mindful to forgive others.

May we rise today and share your code for humanity, Amen. On this feast of St. Anthony, the Doctor of the Church, may we find your love-in-action may we be surrounded by the newness of your Word, Amen.

Jean Bowler is a retreatant at Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center in Sierra Madre, California, and a member of the Office of Mission Effectiveness Board of Holy Cross Province.

Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

Scripture:

Proverbs 8:22-31
Romans 5:1-5
John 16:12-15

Reflection:

The Sunday following Pentecost is set aside in the church’s liturgical year to invite us to reflect on the essential tenet of our faith in God: The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity.  It is, as the Catechism states, “the central mystery of Christian faith and life. It is the mystery of God in himself.”

We will never be able to grasp the reality of the Trinity – one God, three persons of Father, Son and Holy Spirit – until we experience the fullness of God’s love in our eternal life.  This has not stopped us, though, from trying to get our heads around this idea of the Trinity.  Church history is filled with attempts to tie down its meaning, all of them coming up short and many of them earning heresy status.

If we have failed to tie down the mystery of the Trinity through theological concepts, we moved to analogy and art.  Just a few examples include the equilateral triangle; three intersecting circles; circle within a triangle; St. Patrick’s shamrock; and the famous icon by Andrei Rublev depicting three identical persons around one altar.  Again, each comes up short.

But this should not surprise us. Imagine trying to perfectly represent love.  Imagine being asked to define in words or a picture a relationship that grips us at the very core of our life.  The love of a parent for a child, the bond of husband and wife, or the friendship with the one who knows us best are beyond words, beyond art, beyond poetry, beautiful as they might be.  They always come up short.

These profound relationships are what this Feast of the Holy Trinity celebrates.  Father, Son and Holy Spirit is the most real and profound relationship that exists.  The gospels tell the story of the Son of God sent by the Father to reveal the depth of God’s love for us, and how, through the Spirit, we are sent – in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit – to love as we have been loved.

We enter the mystery of this Trinitarian relationship just as we do in any other relationship. We begin with a personal relationship, by coming to know the other and allowing the other to know us.  We begin by spending time with Jesus and opening ourselves up to him.  When this happens, all our other relationships begin to reflect – even if imperfectly – the perfect relationship of love of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  It all begins with the mystery of falling in love, and allowing ourselves to be loved in return.

Robert Hotz is a consultant with American City Bureau, Inc. and is the Director of The Passion of Christ: The Love That Compels Campaign for Holy Cross Province.

Memorial of St. Barnabas, Apostle

Scripture:

Acts 11:21b-26; 12:1-3
Matthew 5:33-37

Reflection:

Have you ever heard the term second fiddle? This idiom originated from the early days of orchestras. An orchestra has a first violinist, or first chair, who plays the melody and is regarded as the lead violinist. Then there is the second violin who leads the larger group of second violins who play a supporting role to the lead violinist.

In popular usage, playing second fiddle is not a flattering term. It means playing a supporting or minor role in relation to someone else: As in not good enough to take the lead.

I remember reading a story about Leonard Bernstein, the late, legendary conductor of the New York Philharmonic, giving an insightful answer during an interview. He was asked: “Mr. Bernstein, what is the most difficult instrument to play?” Without skipping a beat, he replied: “Second fiddle. I can get plenty of first violinists, but to find one who plays second violin with as much enthusiasm . . . now that’s a problem. And yet if no one plays second, we have no harmony.”

Such profound wisdom. By Leonard Bernstein’s definition, Barnabas must be the patron saint of second fiddles. Let me tell you why. Throughout the Acts of the Apostles, Paul is the major evangelist proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ. His name always comes before that of Barnabas. Paul plays principal violin to Barnabas’ second fiddle. Barnabas stands in the shadow of the great Apostle Paul. Do you know what the name Barnabas means? The son of encouragement. And encouragement means to give heart, to make strong. 

We hear this in the first reading: “The news about them, that is the people who want to be followers of Jesus, reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to go to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all. He rejoiced and encouraged them all.”

Barnabas played second violin with gusto and humility.  As second fiddle, Barnabas gave his community beautiful harmony. Let’s be honest, though. For most of us, and I stand at the head of the line, it’s challenging to play Second Fiddle! Why? Because it takes humility. And humility is the bedrock foundation of faith.

There will be times when God calls us to take a position as first violin, to take the lead. But there will be many more times when God will say to us: I am moving you from first chair.  I need you to join the larger group. I already have enough Pauls. I need more Barnabases. I need you to give encouragement to your friend, to your community.  I need you to strengthen others, and who will strengthen you.  Joyful, selfless humility lets us know there is honor in playing second fiddle along side the patron saint of second fiddles.

Deacon Manuel Valencia is on the staff at Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center, Sierra Madre, California.