Daily Scripture

Scripture:

2 Timothy 1:1-8 or Titus 1:1-5
Mark 4:1-20

Reflection:

The Parable of the Sower in today’s Gospel from St. Mark is one of the most familiar stories in scripture. We know what happens to the seed once it is sown. Unlike how it is done today with GPS-guided planters, then the seed was sown not haphazardly exactly but likely strewn upon land not perfectly cultivated. So, what happens? Birds come and eat the seed. Some seed falls on rocky soil so it can’t take root. For some seed, it begins to grow but is taken over by weeds. Yet some flourishes.

As followers of Jesus who are committed to sharing in his ministry, we sow the Word of God in word and action. But in all the commentary about this parable, the seed is presumed to be the true Word of God. The focus is always on those who receive the Word…or don’t. But I have been reflecting on whether I am sowing the Word of God or my own. In my interactions with my family and colleagues, I wonder how authentic the “seed” is that I am sowing.

We live in a sad world of mass disinformation, of sowing seeds of doubt. It is not about where the seed lands. It is the quality of the seed itself. Is it truly the Word of God? Or is it our own bias and preferences that we sow? We dare to speak for God with words that will never take root and grow to bear great fruit.

We might take to our prayer St. Paul’s treatise on love from I Corinthians 13 and ask if the words we sow are words of truth and love:

Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, love is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

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

Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul

Scripture:

Acts 22:3-16
Mark 16:15-18

Reflection:

We’ve all heard talk of “Road to Damascus” experiences where a person undergoes a dramatic conversion experience as a result of a direct and overwhelming experience of the divine.  After such a conversion experience, the person is irreversibly altered.  A deeper intimacy with God compels new actions and a new way life. Is it any wonder that Ananias’ first directive to Paul after he regains his sight is “Get up and have yourself baptized”?

But what about us?  Some of us may have dramatic experiences similar to Paul’s, but I suspect for most of us it is a bit more subtle. Paul’s experience still has a lot to offer us as we work in our own lives to discern where Jesus might be inviting us.

Paul was a product of his culture. In the Book of Acts, Paul himself tells us that he is “a Pharisee, born of Pharisees” (Acts 23:6) and “zealous for God” (Acts 22:3). It made sense, given his culture and training, that he would defend the Jewish tradition in which he was raised against those who followed “the Way.” They were, after all, a dangerous sect that was threatening his ancestral “law.”

Paul’s single-minded fidelity to his culture and training makes me wonder, what does it mean for each of us to be a product of our culture? Like Paul, what ancestral “law” might we be clinging to that the Lord is inviting us beyond?

Fortunately for Paul, Jesus intervenes directly, telling him precisely who he is persecuting: “I am Jesus the Nazorean whom you are persecuting” (Acts 2:8).  By persecuting those who followed “the Way,” Paul was persecuting Jesus directly.

The Passionist Rule and Constitutions describe a similar contemporary reality: “[Jesus’] Passion and death are no mere historical events. They are ever-present realities to people in the world of today, ‘crucified’ as they are by injustice, by the lack of a deep respect for human life, and by a hungry yearning for peace, truth, and the fullness of human existence” (65). Jesus is alive in the crucified of today as he was alive in the early Christians of “the Way”.

In the face of this reality, I wonder, how might I offer my heart anew, asking God for the gift of conversion, so that my actions and life grow ever closer to sharing the joys and sorrows of the crucified of today? How might we all? And what kind of world would it be if we did?

Lissa Romell is the Administrator at St. Vincent Strambi Community in Chicago, Illinois.

Scripture:

2 Samuel 5:1-7, 10
Mark 3:22-30

Reflection:

Prayer, Remaining in His Love

These words in John’s Gospel have to be some of the most remarkable in the New Testament!  “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.^{” John 15:9}  That Jesus loves us with such vehemence as like the love between Father and Son in the Trinity! This has to be the greatest unmerited gift that God could give us!  The response to this love that God has for us has to be something infinitely more than living a good moral life and service to others as important as this is.  There is today a rather persistent tendency to reduce all Christianity to morality and to the neglect the deep encounter with God in a prayerful and contemplative life.

The Vatican Council in Gaudium et Spes beautifully reminds us of our relationship with God.  “The root reason for human dignity lies in humanity’s call to communion with God. From the very circumstance of our origin, we are already invited to converse with God. For man would not exist were he not created by Gods love and constantly preserved by it; and he cannot live fully according to truth unless he freely acknowledges that love and devotes himself to His Creator.” GS 19 § 1

Our response to God has to be deeply loving and fervent!  Prayer is an ultimate experience of our love. It should happen when Jesus comes and meets us.  We can see the anatomy of Prayer in Mt 28:9   “And behold, Jesus met (hupantao) them (the women) and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him.”  First of all Jesus meets us and makes us aware of His presence.  The word for meet or encounter in the original inspired Greek text is hupantao i,e, a derivative of ἀντί before.  God comes and appears anti before us.  He must make the first move.  Prayer is not only hard but impossible if He does not make that first move.  Nobody sees Jesus unless He reveals Himself.  That is what we call grace.

Then like the women in Matthew’s Gospel, we must come to Him and grasp (Greek krateōie strong hold) His feet so He won’t leave.   The women were determined to keep Him close.  They then worshiped His divinity.  We must be careful that our God is not too small in our prayer.  Matthew’s account shows how we can “abide in His love” by prayer’.  Today we celebrate the feast of St Francis De Sales.  He in his wonderful way reminds us how “to remain in His Love”.  “Half an hour’s meditation each day is essential, except when you are busy. Then a full hour is needed.”

Fr. Bob Weiss, C.P. preaches Parish Missions and is a member of the Passionist Community in Louisville, Kentucky.

Scripture:

Nehemiah 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10
1 Corinthians 12:12-30
Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21

Reflection:

In our first reading from Nehemiah, the people of Israel have returned from exile, and Ezra the priest assembles the people together and reads God’s Law to them. The people listen attentively, and at the end, join Ezra in blessing God. Then, the people, in a spirit of repentance, prostrate themselves, weeping over their sins. But Ezra and Nehemiah encourage the people to celebrate: “Do not be saddened this day, for rejoicing in the Lord must be your strength!”

That sentiment is amplified in our Gospel reading from Luke, in which we hear about Jesus returning to Nazareth, entering the synagogue there, and reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah. The prophecy He reads is full of hope, about the prophet being sent to bring “glad tidings to the poor,” “proclaim liberty to captives,” “recovery of sight to the blind,” and “to let the oppressed go free, and to announce a year acceptable to the Lord.” And then, Jesus makes a bold statement: “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”  Jesus’ coming is a cause for joy!

Similar to the reflections on the Baptism of Jesus, when we may have considered whether the Father’s words to Jesus, “You are my beloved Son. With you I am well pleased;” may be extended to us, I wonder whether part of rejoicing in the Lord might be rejoicing in the gift of life that God has given us, and the gift of each other. In our second reading from 1 Corinthians, we hear this great discourse by St. Paul about the unity and diversity of the body of Christ, using the human body as a metaphor: “As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ.” St. Paul writes about how no part of the Body of Christ should consider itself not a part of the Body because it’s not the same as another part. He also writes about how no part of the Body should look on another part as being unnecessary; that in fact, all the parts are related: “If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy.”

If we could let ourselves rejoice in the Lord, and out of that, rejoice in the gift of our lives and the gifts of the lives of others, God’s love in Jesus Christ for us could shine through us, and we could do our part in bringing glad tidings to the poor, sight to the blind, liberty to captives and freedom to the oppressed.  

May Jesus use us to help others rejoice in Him.

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

Scripture:

2 Samuel 1:1-4, 11-12, 19, 23-27
Mark 3, 20-21

Reflection:

Jesus is followed by a crowd wanting to hear and be with Him. So many of them crowd into the house where He was staying that neither He nor the apostles could even eat. 

In this reading of Mark, family and friends became concerned about Him not eating or taking care of Himself.  Later, He seems to belittle their efforts to help Him.   This was not the first time Christ had rebuffed attempts to be cared for. Even as a child Christ had said to his parents,” Do you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?”.  

How many times have I not listened to or actively rejected advice from family and friends, even pleadings from those trying to protect me?

And how many times have I refused to listen to your voice, Lord?   I recognize now, (in my ancient wisdom), that you have seized me several times in my life in an effort to show me that I’m going down the wrong path, that what I seek is not the way to happiness or to you.   

With the New Year barely begun, with the rest of my life just starting, I need to remember that when life is out of balance, when nothing seems right, when my wheels spin in the mud and I can’t get traction:  that is when I need to listen for Your voice.  Today, Now, I will listen for your voice.

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:

I Samuel 24: 3-21
Mark3:13-19

Reflection:

Saul then said to David: “You are in the right rather than I; you have treated me generously, while I have done you harm.” (I Samuel 24: 18)

In today’s first reading Saul is trying to kill David and is searching for David. David is hiding in a cave. David is tempted to seek revenge on Saul but does not. This reading is about forgiveness and reconciliation. David’s restraint from violence is the beginning of peace and reconciliation between the two. Saul is moved with gratitude and asks for forgiveness from David. To what degree do we harbor grudges and plot revenge? To what degree are we instruments of reconciliation, forgiveness, and peace?

The gospel reading is about Jesus appointing the twelve apostles. Like the apostles, we are called and appointed to preach the gospel of love, forgiveness, reconciliation and peace through our words and actions. We are called to lead one another to a deeper relationship with God and others. We are the hands and feet of Christ in the world today. What actions of love, peace and forgiveness will I give today? (Deborah A. Meister, Living Faith, January 21, 2022)

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

Scripture:

I Samuel 18: 6-7; 19: 1-7
Mark 3:7-12

Reflection:

Whatever happened to all those people?

In today’s Gospel, St. Mark goes out of his way to tell us that there were an awful lot of people who wanted to be with Jesus.  He tells us that “a large number of people” from Galilee came, as did a large number from Judea, as did a large number from Jerusalem, from Idumea, from beyond the Jordan River, from Tyre and Sidon.  People were traveling from north, south, east and west, streaming to hear Jesus, to be with Jesus, to touch Jesus.

In our imagination, we can see the constant stream of people gathering from all directions to be with Jesus.  Apparently, Jesus was a bit intimidated by the huge numbers because he asked his friends to have a boat ready to give him an escape route so “they would not crush him.”  And this wasn’t the only time great crowds came to Jesus.  There were the 5000 fed on the hillside, the 7000 fed with 7 loaves and 2 fish, and don’t forget the crowds lining the road into Jerusalem who were singing hosanna and laying palms down in front of Jesus as he rode into Jerusalem.  Great popularity and adulation!  Yet, you can’t help but wonder, whatever happened to all those people?

We know they receded back into the countryside when the religious and political leaders began to demonize Jesus.  They were nowhere to be seen when Jesus went through his Passion and Death.  But when everything settled down again and the disciples continued to talk about Jesus and witness to His resurrection did many of these people return to their initial interest and become followers of Jesus once again?  It would not be a surprise to find out that some (many?) of them did.  Certainly, from Pentecost on the number of followers of Jesus grew rapidly.  No doubt some of the people who were frightened off came back.

Being a Catholic follower of Jesus can be a difficult thing even today.  Sometimes we’re very fervent but there are other times when our hearts can grow distant.  The disapproval of our neighbors or our society, the scandals that happen in our Church, the experiences of personal disappointment, disillusionment, hurt or anger can all cause us to pull back from our faith, to recede back into the countryside.  The beautiful truth about Jesus is that though crowds of people came and went, Jesus stayed faithful to all of them.  Jesus stays faithful to us as well.  Perhaps our prayer today can be to ask the Holy Spirit to grace us with the desire to stay close to Jesus, even in difficult times.

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