Daily Scripture

Scripture:

Acts 4:1-12
John 21:1-14

Reflection:

Lord, Your words today shame me.  

Peter and John were so strong and eloquent facing down the Sadducees in the temple and healing in Your name. To my dishonor, fear of ridicule or confrontation kept me from testifying to Your truth. I confidently call Your name when I am in pain or need, even being bold enough to remind You in those moments that it was You who said, “ask anything of the Father. He will give it to you in My name”.  But I was not strong enough to risk face-to-face opposition or hostile disagreement.  I was afraid that my friends might think I was naive, unsophisticated, or clutching for a spiritual crutch. A crutch which they, in the surety of their humanistic values, were in no need of. 

I am really sorry, Lord.  You calmed stormy seas.  Please calm my fears and vanity.  Help me to be gentle but sure in expressing my beliefs. Guide my tongue so that I may share the truth of You with those who scoff or deride my faith. Prod me to speak up, not so I may debate them, but that they might be drawn closer to You.  

Time and again You have chosen broken people to be Your instrument.  Choose me, Lord.  But next time, help me to be worthy.   

Ray Alonzo is the father of three children, grandfather of two, and husband to Jan for over 45 years. He is a USN Vietnam Veteran, and a 1969 graduate of Mother of Good Counsel Passionist Prep Seminary. Ray currently serves on the Passionist Alumni Council.

Scripture:

Acts 3:11-26
Luke 24:13-35

Reflection:

It’s really quite humorous. Peter addressing the crowd with such self-assurance, such self-confidence in today’s first reading… he’s almost condescending!  Not long before this speech before the Sanhedrin, however, it was poor Peter dropping the keys after being installed as prince of the apostle, given the keys to the kingdom of heaven, called by Jesus “rock” or Cephas!  Shortly after that Jesus calls him Satan because he tries to derail Jesus from his vocation (“Get behind me!”). So, when Peter proclaims, “Why are you amazed at this, and why do you look so intently at us as if we had made him walk by our own power or piety?” must we forget today’s Gospel when Jesus had just asked his disciples — Peter included — a question as well, “”Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts?”

But I know I am no different than Peter; my faith can swing from certitude to doubt in a moment.

So, I’ve come to reverence what I call the “second chance” narratives in the Gospels. Remember several weeks ago when Jesus told the parable of the unproductive fig tree? The owner wished to cut it down because after three years it still produced no fruit. But his servant offered to cultivate around it and fertilize and give it a little more time. A second chance.

I also like that story in Mark 8 when Jesus heals the blind man, but the man responds, “Yes, I can see, but people appear like trees walking!”  And Jesus must try again, healing the man for the second time.

I’m glad to be given a second chance. And a third, and…

Fr. Jack Conley, C.P. is a member of the Passionist Community of Christ the King in Citrus Heights, California.

Scripture:

Acts 3: 1-10
Luke 24: 13-35

Reflection:

On this third day after we have celebrated the great feast of the Resurrection of Christ, the scripture readings present us with two encounters with the Risen Christ.

In our Gospel we’re told of the encounter of two “former (?)” disciples of Jesus with the Risen Lord.  It takes place on Easter Sunday afternoon.  Clearly the disciples are discouraged, confused, perhaps even disillusioned.  Their state of mind becomes apparent when they encounter a stranger on the road.  He asks a general question about “what’s happening?” and they immediately pour out their painful story about the last days of Jesus.  They include the unlikely testimony of the women who found the tomb empty that very morning but they’re still heading home convinced that the story is over. 

The stranger turns out to be the Risen Lord and he chides them a bit for their lack of faith.  He then reminds them of all that had been prophesied about the Messiah and shows them how Jesus had fulfilled all that had been predicted.  They warm to the stranger and invite him to stay the night with them.  As they break bread together they suddenly realize who the stranger is, the Risen Lord.

Their encounter heals them and they rush back to Jerusalem to tell the others that Jesus has truly risen, He lives!

A different kind of encounter with Christ is described for us in our first reading that comes from the Book of Acts.  It happened months or even years later.  It was an encounter not with a stranger but with two of Jesus’ closest friends, Peter and John.  A man crippled from birth sees them about to enter the Temple and asks them for alms.  Peter tells him that they don’t have much money to give him but are willing to give them what they do have, a living presence of Christ.  In His name they heal his body and restore him to full health.  He is beside himself with joy and gratitude.  He witnesses to all at the Temple that day that his encounter with the Risen Christ restored him to a full life.

As we reflect on the meaning of Christ’s Resurrection that we are celebrating, these two stories invite us to realize that the Risen Christ comes into our lives even to this very day.  He could be the stranger that restores our hope with his compassion and wisdom or even two friends or acquaintances who share so generously what they have, their faith in the Risen Lord.  The two disciples on the way to Emmaus figured it out even though they didn’t recognize Christ at first.  As did the man crippled from birth as new strength and energy flowed through his ailing body.  Perhaps our prayer for today could be that we have the grace to recognize Christ in whatever way He comes to us in our daily life. 

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

Scripture:

Acts 2:36-41
John 20:11-18

Reflection:

In today’s Gospel reading, Mary of Magdala is outside of the tomb where Jesus was. She is weeping because even though the tomb is empty, her only conclusion at that point is that someone has come and taken His body. And even though she sees two angels in the tomb who ask her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” she is still intent on finding Him.

When Jesus does appear, she doesn’t recognize Him until He calls her by name: “Mary!” and then, at least in my imagination, she hangs on to Him for dear life. And so Jesus says, “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father, but go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” And so she goes and announces to the disciples that she has “seen the Lord.”

The founder of the Passionists, St. Paul of the Cross, would often counsel those who were receiving spiritual direction from him not to get too attached to the feelings they had when they had a “mountaintop” experience” of God. He would invite them to focus on the Giver, not the gifts. Their goal was not to capture or recapture good feelings, but to seek God’s will. I see some of this between Jesus and Mary Magdalene. Jesus tells Mary not to hold on to Him because there is something He still needs to do: ascend to the Father so that the Holy Spirit may come. At the same time, she is not to hold on to Him, because there is something she needs to do: to tell the other disciples what she has seen and heard. Mary could not be “the apostle to the apostles” unless she lets go of holding on to Him.

And so, we are not to get too caught up in our feelings that we miss the signs that God sends indicating God’s will for us. Instead, we continue to seek and do God’s will, always in the hope we have in the Resurrection of Jesus.

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

Scripture:

Acts 2:14, 22-33
Matthew 28:8-15

Reflection:

In my life I’ve seen the rise of sensationalism, conspiracy theories, and the like in the media.  I can’t speculate the degree which the internet has contributed to this spreading of alternative theories.   Is the news getting more slanted and the conspiracy theories growing, or have they been there all along and I’m learning to be more attentive to them?   I know the latter is true. 

Have you ever noticed conspiracy theories in the scriptures?  I have.  Today is good example.    St. Matthew writes, “The chief priests assembled with the elders and took counsel; then they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him while we were asleep.’”  Why believe that someone could rise from the dead when the story that the disciples stole his body is far more plausible?   And to protect the lie, there is the added component of “hush money”.   If this isn’t already twisted enough Matthew says that if the governor hears about it these conspirators will make sure everything is smoothed out.  Conspiracies, as we know, are not based on truth.   The difficulty is the truth in this story doesn’t make sense in the first century context.  It is far too new of an idea.  The invitation of the resurrection asks a person to believe the unbelievable.  This is so difficult when it goes directly against what we would like to believe with rational thought and our core programming.   As previously stated, the conspiracy theory certainly seems more plausible. 

Yesterday, Easter Sunday, Christians around the world wished their friends and family an enthusiastic and Happy Easter. But what does that mean?  When we share this greeting, are we really wishing another person the incredible joy of the resurrected Christ?  Or maybe we are offering the confusion of an empty tomb?     Looking specifically at the totality of the liturgical Easter day readings, we have gospels which are empty tomb stories, but there are no appearances of Jesus to people.  No one actually has an encounter with the risen Christ.  Today, we begin hearing the second phase.  This is the first opportunity to hear how Jesus reveals himself and it is to the two Marys.  As I read all four gospels Jesus reveals himself to those whom he is closest.  He doesn’t go to the religious or civic leaders. These revelations are to people who are seeking for him or confused and can’t seem to put the pieces together.  And the resurrected Jesus likes being with his friends.    Reread the end of all four gospel accounts and take note of the people to whom Jesus reveals himself.  Where do you fit in that list? 

Believing the unbelievable, allowing God to surprise you, opening the vulnerable parts of your heart to God, these are some truly incredible resurrection moments.   Then our testimony is the truth of Jesus’ resurrection and its impact in our world.  And Christian history reveals our testimony in the risen Christ always carries more weight than someone’s untruths.   

Fr. David Colhour, C.P. is the local superior of St. Vincent Strambi Community in Chicago, Illinois.

Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord

Scriptures:

Acts 10:34, 37-43
Colossians 3:1-4 or 1 Corinthians 5:6-8
John 20:1-9

Reflection

One sentence hidden away in our scripture readings today should absolutely not be overlooked, for it powerfully expresses the galvanizing truth at the heart of Easter, the feast that gave birth to Christianity and undoubtedly the most important day in the history of the world. The sentence appears at the conclusion of today’s gospel: “Remember, as yet they did not understand the Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.” Notice that it doesn’t say that Jesus “might” or “could” or even “will” rise from the dead, but that Jesus had to rise from the dead. The history of the world pivots on that declaration because anything less than that forceful had could not supply the hope and trust and reassurance we need to sustain our lives. If Jesus did not have to rise from the dead, death wins and evil and darkness abound. If Jesus’ resurrection did not have to occur, hope becomes a tantalizing mirage and trust a fanciful illusion. Take that single word “had” away and there’s no gospel, there’s no good news to proclaim.

Given the God whose love brought all things into being and whose greatest desire is that we might live, Jesus had to rise from the dead. Given the God whose unexcelled love is stronger than evil, darkness, and death—and anything else that threatens our existence—Jesus had to rise from the dead. Easter should not surprise us, it should never catch us off guard. The resurrection of the crucified Christ is the logical consequence of a God whose love for us is so fierce, so unyielding and relentless, that it defies even death. Easter signals God’s everlasting and invincible victory over everything that tries to destroy the love, joy, communion, flourishing, and peace that God wanted for us and the whole of creation from the beginning.

The heart of the Easter message is that death may be real, but love is stronger. To be an Easter people is to joyfully, gratefully, and exuberantly live from and according to that wonderful news each day, faithfully witnessing it in our attitudes, words, and actions to every person we meet.

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:

Isaiah 50:4-9a
Matthew 26:14-25

Reflection:

Today is traditionally known as “Spy Wednesday” at least it was when I was growing up in Ireland. However, that was a long time ago. Our son used to refer to those days as “the olden days.” If memory serves me correctly, we began our Easter observances on this day, and we would end on Easter Sunday. Schools would get their Easter vacation on this day.

On Spy Wednesday, we would attend Mass in the evening and every shop or retail store in our town would close to allow their associates the opportunity to attend Mass.  Yes, those were the “olden days.”

Our readings today point to Jesus’ betrayal by Judas in Matthews Gospel, this is the one incident that as a child, I often imagined, heaven and earth would hold their collective breath. It has begun. It, being salvation is upon us. There is mystery in the story. It has all been set up in preparation for this event. Could we stretch it to imagine that it goes all the way “from the beginning” as in the creation story in Genesis.

Our first reading from the prophet Isaiah offers us what is commonly known as the third Servant Song. These few lines are so familiar to us as most of us recognize the story of Jesus who has been called the suffering servant. He has been portrayed in all the Passion movies as the one who passively accepts his suffering—in love.

It tells us about the Lord God who seems to be the prime mover in these few short verses. They speak of resolve and deep faith in God and offer consolation to those who are suffering, almost like a case statement of faith. As the Psalm goes, “Lord, in your great love, answer me (Psalm 69).” How many times do we call out to our God? Jesus certainly called out to his Father in his hour, and he was comforted by an angel. Who are the angels in your life?

The verses of the Psalm for this day seem to echo the first reading. ”For your sake I bear insult, and shame covers my face. In the same way, these verses loop in St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians found in our entrance antiphon for this day. This was the thrust of St. Paul’s understanding of the sufferings of Jesus. He “suffers with us”  He understands our pain.

I must admit to being struck by the commitment of the Trinity, the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. Most of us are very familiar with God’s compassion being likened in the Hebrew Scriptures to a mother’s womb “with deep compassion.”

As a mother and grandmother, I am uplifted when I reflect on the closeness, faithfulness, and love that binds us in relationship, together. The self-sacrificing, I can understand, certainly, it is grounded in the love of the other. Yet, how could the Father and the Holy Spirit just allow Jesus to suffer alone; or did they?  When I find it very hard to deny a request of another little soul for their good. Not for the first time do I appreciate this commitment to the human race, to me and you. Can we learn from the Trinity in the context of “one-ness”? and new ways in expressing our committed togetherness

This Holy Week, may we come to appreciate the love and sacrifice of Jesus Christ for humanity in new ways. 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.